Viewpoints on Taxes

Taxes make the world go round, but it depends on how you use them and how you think we should use them in the U.S.  Over the years people have had very different viewpoints on taxes.

Now obviously America knows how politicians think on this issue because they usually exploit their viewpoints through their speeches. Now in, “Obama proposes new tax rate for millionaires” Jessica Yellin writes about how Warren Buffet, a current billionaire, feels about what we should do. The author writes, “Buffet has complained that wealthy Americans do not pay their fair share in taxes under the current tax code” (Yellin). Warren Buffet believes that people with higher income are currently paying a lower tax rate on that money. He has compared his tax rate of 15% against his secretary’s rate of 23% on income. His proposal, also known as the “Buffet Rule”, includes items such as wanting to increase taxes on capitol gains items, which can be stocks, bonds, or real estates. Some of the Republicans disagree and have exclaimed, “This will hurt small business owners who file individual tax returns instead of corporate ones” (Yellin). This person is stating that small businesses will not grow because all of the companies’ profits will go to the government in the form of higher taxes.

Now does America really know how people other then politicians feel? Or how middle class people feel?  Well in, “Tax System Seen as Unfair, in Need of Overhaul” the Pew Research Center shows us what people think through a survey. The group shows that the majority of people (57%) say, “That what worries them the most is that wealthy Americans don’t pay their fair share”, which basically means people think most wealthy people don’t pay enough. Another group of people (27%) say, “It is the complexity of the tax system, and the ease of avoiding taxes that worries them the most”. The last group of people (16%) says, “It is the high amount of taxes on pay checks that bothers them the most, because others pay less tax on invested income”. These statistics show how the American people view taxes and who is paying them. (Pew Researcher1)

Most politicians feel the same way as regular tax payers. They are split according to party lines as to what the problem is with taxes. Republican politicians that feel that wealthier Americans pay the right amount, but 73% of Democrats feel the wealthiest are not paying enough. The other issue people have with the tax system is if it is fair or unfair. Democrats feel the current tax system favors the wealthy, but 51% of Republicans feel the current system is fair (Pew Researcher1).

            If there are still some people who are wary about voicing their views, well now it’s possible to do it freely in survey done by JuggleDebates.com called, “Should the Rich be required to Pay Higher Taxes in the U.S.?” People anonymously voice their opinions on whether wealthier Americans’ taxes should be increased. The survey shows the amount of people who think wealthy Americans should pay a higher tax which is 56%; over the opposing side of people who think wealthy Americans shouldn’t is only 44% (Juggler Debates). The main support debaters’ use on the side of people who think wealthier Americans should pay higher taxes is, “that taxes provide services that the wealthy make use of” such police and roads. There is also a concern that “the rich use their money to buy political influence and thereby subvert the democratic process” (Hunter Lewis 31). The main support debaters’ use for the other side of the argument is, “that the wealthy earned their money and should get to keep it” (Juggle Debates).  

            It still remains unclear on what Obama and the Congress will decide is best for the people, but it is now a little clearer to the people on what he they have to think about.

    

  

              

Works Cited

Lewis, Hunter. “Are the Rich Necessary?” Print. February 15 2012.

Juggle. “Should the Rich be required to Pay Higher Taxes in the U.S.?” Juggle

Debates.com. January 8 2011

Pew Research Center. “Tax System Seen as Unfair, in Need of Overhaul. December 20        

2011.

Yellin, Jessica. “Obama to Propose New Tax Rate for Millionaires.” CNN. September 18

2011.