New York Times:
House Democrats will ask the wealthiest Americans to help pay for overhauling the health care system with a $550 billion income tax increase, the chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee said Friday.
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Here ya go folks, the list of DEMOCRATIC members of the House Ways and Means Committee. Don't waste your time with the pubs.
EMAIL AND PHONE ALL DEM COMMITTEE MEMBERS. Pass the list around to all of your contacts.
Tell them, "I SUPPORT RAISING TAXES ON UPPER INCOME EARNERS TO PAY FOR ALL AMERICANS GETTING HEALTHCARE!"
Email Chairman Rangel: http://waysandmeans.house.gov/contact.asp
US CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD: 202-224-3121 (Is this on your speed dial yet?)
Charles B. Rangel, NY Chairman
Fortney Pete Stark, CA
Sander M. Levin, MI
Jim McDermott, WA
John Lewis, GA
Richard E. Neal, MA
John S. Tanner, TN
Xavier Becerra, CA
Lloyd Doggett, TX
Earl Pomeroy, ND
Mike Thompson, CA
John B. Larson, CT
Earl Blumenauer, OR
Ron Kind, WI
Bill PascrellJr. , NJ
Shelley Berkley, NV
Joseph Crowley, NY
Chris Van Hollen, MD
Kendrick Meek, FL
Allyson Y. Schwartz, PA
Artur Davis, AL
Danny K. Davis, IL
Bob Etheridge, NC
Linda T. Sanchez, CA
Brian Higgins, NY
John A. Yarmuth, KY
I would listen to Rangel on taxes if he paid his own.
Maybe once the investigation on Rangel is done then I will listen to this tax cheat.
The democrats answer to everything is TAX THE RICH. What is the definition of rich? Doesn't where you live and how many children you have make a difference?
The democrats want to raise taxes and then don't pay their own - hypocrites!!
Hypocrisy is firmly rooted in republican territory. I wouldn't be making hasty judgements it I were you.
what taxes does he owe?
He did not report rental income of more than 75K on an investment property in a foreign country. He also has many mistakes on his personal financial disclosures to congress.
There was an investigation that was soon stopped.
Weren't the Dems voted into power to end the culture of corruption. I guess it was only to end it for Republicans and to continue to cover up their own.
Dems or Republicans, we need to DEMAND any scofflaw be investigated and thrown out no matter what party you support.
Now that's change I can believe in.
Those who are given much, owe much back.
given? Where do I get in line to get it given to me?
True, most of the wealth was stolen from somebody, usually workers who produce it.
In the good old days of the Feudal Lords they would just invade a country and enslave the people outright.
It is "given" and then they "owe" it?
Talk like that works well in China.
Talk like yours worked well in the Feudal Era.
Given, most of these people who make this money work their butts for it.
I am not opposed to the wealthy paying their share but lets not pretend they are all Paris Hilton and did not work their tails off for it.
Don't be jealous.
Who exactly is saying they're all Paris Hilton?
And Republicans do give much more to charities then democrats do
I'm sure all of the Evangelical churches thank you for your generosity.
Bogus.
The dems want to pick a fight and loose.
Once the CBO costs out single payer they'll realize that current premiums paid to private insurers if paid to a government plan would cover everybody and would provide more funds for treatment. No need to increase taxes.
It's lose. Not loose. And I frankly don't know how this is a loser proposition given how people in this country feel like we're being shafted to protect the wealthy class.
Sure if we give the government our monies for food it would be cheaper also.
Sure if we give the government our monies for clothes it would be cheaper also.
Sure if we give the government our monies for entertainment it would be cheaper also.
Sounds like the Corporatism that is strangling our economy.
In the Feudal Era: "If we give all the money and power to these "special and chosen" then by the will of my imaginary friend, everyone will prosper."
I do not think that works very well the "chosen" usually choose to be greedy.
You don't understand insurance. Ask an actuarial scientist.
And yes it's lose.
Have ya'll heard:
Both Senator Reid and Rep. Pelosi have said:
Taxing healthcare benefits is
OFF THE TABLE!
I am not wealthy but I don't mind paying extra taxes for healthcare.
Oh believe me, you will pay dearly and not only for health care, but cap and tax. Don't plan any vacations from now on.
Oh believe me, you'll pay dearly (probably with your LIFE) should you suffer a catastrophic injury or chronic illness and your EMPLOYER-paid "healthcare" CAPS or CANCELS your coverage! Better stay SAFE and HEALTHY!
I DON'T mind paying to SAVE PEOPLE! I DO mind paying to SAVE PROFITS of the "healthcare" insurance companies!
THANK YOU!!!!
Do you make either
at least $280,000 in adjusted gross income as a single or
more than $350,000 as a couple?
No? Then the proposed healthcare tax will not affect you.
Except you will probably lose your job because your boss will need to cut costs somewhere.
... unless my current healthcare - which I pay for and like - is no longer there due to a 'mandatory' government program.
I'm not wealthy ... f'em. That's how they treated us for 8 years ... 28 years ... f'em and feed em fish heads.
What about demanding that the government manages our money efficiently?
If tax revenue is a problem, mismanegement of that revenue is a bigger problem.
That too ... as soon as we level the playing field and dig the country out from under 8 years of destruction by the party of "no, unless we can sell munitions to both sides."
By doubling the debt, looking to triple it, and putting 2/3 of detroit out of business?
I for one am glad they finally are taxing the right people. The rich of this country have brought it to its knees. They've played casino capitalism for 30 years just so they could avoid paying a little more in taxes to fund this nation. They've gotten bailouts, preferential treatment, no jail-time, and then on top of it, Tax Cuts! It's about time they shouldered the burden for once. And before the trolls try to say they pay the majority of taxes let me just clue you in, If their slice of the pie has quadrupled while ours has shrunk of course they pay more as a percentage of total taxes, but their taxes as a percentage of their income have shrunk dramatically. Ours has risen dramatically. I don't want your socialism for the rich.
uh, who were all those cabinet nominees lined up but couldn't take the position because they hadn't paid their taxes?
WHat does that have to do with anything I wrote? I don't care. The point is the burden of taxation for the rich has been too low for too long and they have be s c rewing the rest of us because of it.
When a business can not make a profit, they have to reduce costs.
In other words, if a business is overtaxed, they will lay-off employees.
So for all of you who have never run a business, or written a payroll, let the Democrats raise taxes, they are not only doing that, they are also getting rid of your jobs.
A company that is't making a profit or barely making a profit won't be taxed. Not to mention, if a business doesn't have to pay their half of health insurance for their employees they would have more money in their bottom line, which by your logic, saves jobs.
When taxes are based on income business is in the same boat as individuals. The companies that make more money in profits - income - pay more in taxes. Companies that make less in profits - less income - they pay less taxes.
It's time to stop labeling Democrats as people who want to tax business to death. That is simply an outright lie.
80% of the jobs in this country come from small businesses, (that includes franchises owned by individuals) if a small business can not make a profit.... why would they stay in business? Why would a person go to work if they barely make a salary?
And to think that when you raise taxes on "the rich" does not affect everybody else is incorrect.
Raise the taxes on a family owned restaurant, they raise their prices, you pay more for your food.
Even the truck drivers who transport food to your grocery store will charge more and the grocery store will sell their food more expensive to you.
Go back do your paper route now, it's getting late
You have been so mislead. Profits have not been used in creating jobs. Instead it has been going into the pockets of the CEO's and upper management while at the same time they have been downsizing their labor which is why the rich have increased their salaries over 400% during the Bush years. It's time you start acknowledging the injustice at the hands of the wealthy. They look out for themselves, not for you.
One of the reasons for downsizing in the United States was unskilled labor. The ones that are skilled are exceedingly good. Ask any company and will tell you, they hire people and they have to teach them on the job, things they should have learned in high school.
The income tax increases are being proposed for personal income, not business profits. It will be for single people who's gross adjusted income is over $280,000 or $350,000 for families. (Adjusted gross income is income after deductions).
This is one of the taxes you are talking about ... on personal income.
There are many other taxes being proposed on businesses.
Just restore the taxes back to where they were before America's natural disaster hit in 2000. Taxes have to be paid and they have to be paid according to a person's ability to pay.
To call lower income people lazy and no good is just Conservative rhetoric that a large number of ordinary people buy into regardless of the mitigating circumstances behind a person's status.
The Dems keep defining rich as a certain dollar figure that keeps changing. What is the going rate today for being rich?
I once saw an interesting analysis that made a lot of sense to me whose bottom line was: a minimum income of $250,000.00/year from all sources.
is that after tax or before tax?
Works for me. I'm tired of being taxed proportionately more to pay for the rich. And eliminate the cap on Social Security taxes while you're at it - why do the puny pay 7.65% on everything they make and the rich gracefully bow out after $106k?
Go for it.
Agreed.
The tax payers of this great nation who work for peanuts have sure been taxed ruthlessly why not take turns in this deal !!
What goes around comes around, dontcha think !!
$300,000 ain't peanuts, troll
I'm really not sure this fair or wise. Raise the taxes of corporations would be better? This kind of broad 'solution' to essentially penalizing higher earning individuals is only going to foment more resistance to change--not smooth the way. Taxing corporations is more palatable to me. It's difficult to think of one as human--they certainly don't act in kind to us. I know some would argue that this would result in everyone being taxed anyway. I don't see it that way. I see it as a necessary step to change by altering a culture of greed running rampant in our country.
Ending our propensity for jumping into unnecessary wars, meddling in other countries, and changing the general attitude of 'NOW,' would generate mega revenues to finance health care. Ending the private insurers dominance, firing the CEO's, eliminating unregulated and undisclosed lobbying, and dispersing the current private insurers actual 'work' force into single payer administrative employment would generate billions more.
Great idea; tax corporations more so they can pass it on to you. Brilliant!
That was the best you can do?
Corporations already pass on their expenses to me. To the extent that there are limited goods in this country for which we pay realistic amounts.
Corporations have absolutely no sense of value for value. Do you honestly believe, for instance, that the price of a car is based on it's true value, how about homes? I don't. I haven't for years. At one time my own home was valued at an amount I considered to be at least 3 times it's true value--believe it or not, I consider it's value (devalue) more appropriate and an honest appraisal of it's true worth. This simple truth holds for 99% of the goods in this country.
One last example: Pharmaceuticals, mark up their products to the tune of from 300% to over 2000% (look it up). Yeah, it may not be brilliant. Never said it was. I am saying that it's time they were encouraged to price their goods according to their real value and not inflate them to suit a bottom line.
It's also about time they began producing products of value and real purpose, not the indulgences they've conned the public into believing the need (bottled water, anyone).
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First Posted: 07-11-09 10:17 AM | Updated: 07-11-09 10:21 AM