You know, with all the yelling about how we can't cut taxes on high incomes or capital gains (which is where a lot of the income comes from), I look at what these people have and think, "how much is enough?" I'll see stories about people with multiple houses and collections of expensive cars and private jets and paying ridiculous prices for things (someone cited $25,000 for a purse) and I wonder if there's a point at which they stop and think that they don't need one. more. thing.

I find it useful that they say it, but it would be far more meaningful if they said, "and so I make sure my accountants don't use loopholes and then tack on the amount I'd be paying if I were taxed at my secretary's rate, since I believe that's fair. I wish more people in my position would do the same."

I wonder if there's a point at which they stop and think that they don't need one. more. thing.

I've also wondered that. But apparently most wealthy people don't think that way.

In fairness, someone got paid to build the jet. Someone is getting paid to maintain it. When they buy art or shoes made of sapphires, people got paid. Artists are getting paid, as are the people making widgets for jets and yachts. Yay for people getting paid. That's great!

It's not an either/or scenario for the extremely wealthy. They can buy a yacht and pay taxes at a higher rate.

Well, the idea about not raising taxes on the rich is based on the premise that if you raise their taxes, they won't invest in businesses that hire people. However this makes some assumptions:

1. That rich people use their extra money to invest in businesses (and not, for instance, gold coins like Glenn Beck keeps telling people to, or $25,000 dresses).

2. That such investments result in jobs, and not higher productivity through better technology (IOW, fewer employees).

3. That it's rich people's investments that keep the economy flowing, rather than the millions of other transactions that take place every day amongst the other 90% of the population.

4. That money invested by rich people in the economy is better for national productivity than money invested by government.

5. That adding an extra 4% to the top marginal rate will make those so-important investors take all their toys and go home. When in fact the money invested in business is usually corporate profit, not personal income through wages, which is where the top marginal rate hits.

I hope y'all can see where some, at least, of those assumptions are flawed.

Not only that, but the higher rate can mean more stuff/jobs in stuff like science (heh).

Would you like to have the James Webb telescope and look back in time toward the Big Bang? Because the # of scientists, engineers, and widget makers who will be employed by that project is substantial.

Rovers get made right here, from design to the bolts to the launch. Thousands of people are employed to work on these things that benefit humanity and create more jobs in the long run. I'm preaching to the choir, I know.

I just hate that, "i don't want to contribute to the war machine" shit. You're contributing to roads you drive on, jackass. You're contributing to science, education, the arts, etc. More money in, means those things get better funding as well. And the war machine pays for Kevlar, too, jerky.

If you think rich people are going to say, "you know, I want to spend 8 billion on an awesome telescope, just to see what's out there! And then share it with the WHOLE WORLD!"...dude, we'd still be living in caves. It has to be a collective decision. Likewise with places like CDC.

I wonder if there's a point at which they stop and think that they don't need one. more. thing.

I think that paying $25,000 for a handbag or owning five houses or jetting off to Cancun every weekend just becomes normal. They don't think about, wait, maybe we shouldn't do this, maybe we could not do this. Like how an "average" person might not think twice about hopping in the car three times a day to make a quick trip to the store, or letting the water run while they're brushing their teeth. Or, um, buying every book that catches her attention on Amazon instead of putting them in her Wishlist.

Pepperidge Farm makes Very Thin Sliced bread. It's very thin. 2 slices is less bread than in one regular slice.

Really? I'll have to pick some up. Thanks!

Because then the argument would be, "good, let's just let rich people pay what they like extra, instead of raising taxes.". It's related to the idea that we shouldn't raise taxes on the rich so that their money can go to more efficient uses. It's also just meaningless for Simmons to give like 10mm to the government-- that's a rounding error.

I don't see what's wrong about jetting off to Cancun, any more than I see what's wrong with not digging up a root to boil for dinner and instead ordering in Thai if it is something that one can afford to do.

If I'm ordering in Thai and telling my landlord I'm $20 short on the rent, then I'm an ass. Because she's depending on that, and I agreed to pay it.

If I order Thai every night and tell the IRS, "oh, I can't pay my taxes, but I am supporting this Thai restaurant by keeping the delivery dude employed" I think the IRS would be like, "no, fuck you, pay it."