If the dems push through the increase

I thought the cap hadn't been raised in ages - - so that years ago better-off people were paying much more proportionally than they are today? Is that right?

The people that will get hit the hardest by this are those that make in the low 100s because all of their income will be SS-eligible. If you make significantly more than that, as a proportional matter you are getting an OK deal.

Kris, Minnesota is notorious as one of the highest taxed states. Perhaps that is why your cumulative tax burden is so high - - if it continues to bother you, I would suggest moving to Texas before voting Republican!!!

[PrincessFiona]

As I understand it, the cap goes up with inflation. Texas? nope. Been there, done that...

I'm not opposed to govt. being involved in our lives. This is why i'm not a pub in the first place. MN has one of the highesty numbers of insured (health) and boasts some of the lowest numbers in health care costs in the country. TX, on the other hand has some of the highest uninsured and highest health care costs. I don't regret putting that money out there for state taxes because I approve of what the money goes for, I guess.

kris

[SuzySunshine]

What I have a problem with is...funding people who won't try. I know it makes me a bad person...but oh well.

ITA! I have a family member right now that got fired MONTHS ago. It was a union job and he was fired for realistic reasons. He is dead set that they fired him for no cause and he's fighting it. In the time since he lost his job his house has been foreclosed on he has moved back in with his parents and is dead set on only getting a job in the industry he was in and of course won't take less then he was making. Giving me an f-ing break, he was in the previous job for umpteen years and will never START a job at the salary he was making. Its ridiculous that he doesn't get out and get ANY job. It just pisses me off!

The rest of the working public do not pay taxes to help those that would rather "make money" off of the government by sitting on their butt, its RIDICULOUS!

[reciprocity]

When the money starts coming from your pockets, you'll feel differently.

It is a bit presumptuous to assume that this money won't be coming out of my pockets.

Of course it will be coming out of your pockets...that's...what I said.

oh, sorry I read it as "when this increase affects you the way it does me..."

I mean, I enjoy the fact that I get an extra few hundred dollars in my last few paychecks of the year, but unless we're talking about abolishing Social Security all together (something I can get behind 100%) I don't really see the rationale of having those with a higher income pay a smaller percentage of that income. It flies in the face of marginal value of a dollar, the basis for any centralized income redistribution program (if your argument is that that's what Social Security is, which is how I read it... but again, I've already misread your sentiment once, so I understand if I'm 0/2 )

[PrincessFiona]

There just has to be a balance. We do need to fund people that are down on their luck. I have known working professionals to lose their jobs, health insurance, homes etc all in a matter of months.....We knew a family that suffered devastating blows one after the next....the dad was in the computer industry and couldn't afford to go back to college and get a new degree...financial aid wouldn't have paid to put food on the table for 5 kids and his wife wouldn't have bene able to earn enough and pay for childcare. The wife ended up with a terminal disease...it was awful. They ended up moving home to their parents!!!! OH...and she wasn't eligible for health coverage because he had gotten a job...she wasn't covered either...so the state suggested that they divorce so that she could get state healthcare. What a frickin' shame!

Also, another family here went through something similar...dad had worked for the plant for 14 years as a manager (with a college degree)...plant outsourced and he lost his job. They took a huge loss on their house, moved to virginia where he had a new job...and...we just heard that he's going to lose that one as well.

It's not so easy to tell people to just retrain or search in a different field. I think that if our govt. makes decisions about outsourcing that college has to be significantly less expensive and free for those retraining due to an outsourcing loss.

We have to have compassion and empathy...and people need a swift kick in the pants sometimes too.

But back to the whole ss cap thing. We don't have a flat tax...if you earn more, you pay a higher percentage of your income. As residents etc, we got money back each year. Now we pay through the nose at a much higher percentage.

Institute a flat tax for both social security and federal taxes...even the playing field.

[PrincessFiona]

When the money starts coming from your pockets, you'll feel differently.

It is a bit presumptuous to assume that this money won't be coming out of my pockets.

Of course it will be coming out of your pockets...that's...what I said.

oh, sorry I read it as "when this increase affects you the way it does me..."

I mean, I enjoy the fact that I get an extra few hundred dollars in my last few paychecks of the year, but unless we're talking about abolishing Social Security all together (something I can get behind 100%) I don't really see the rationale of having those with a higher income pay a smaller percentage of that income. It flies in the face of marginal value of a dollar, the basis for any centralized income redistribution program (if your argument is that that's what Social Security is, which is how I read it... but again, I've already misread your sentiment once, so I understand if I'm 0/2 )

Ignore me today...I'm such a crab! I don't think I could necessarily get behind totally eliminating ss for one reason....too many people don't earn enough money to really put away for retirement. Ultimately, these people will eventually hit retirement age and I can't help but feel that there is a moral responsibility for something to be there...social security and medicare...I'm willing to pay a little towards it.

Our govt. mismanages our money though. They borrow from SS to pay for other things and the money is just imaginary right now.

My brother doesn't have a college degree and earns...$8/hour. That's actually a good wage for a highschool grad. He doesn't have health insurance and pretty much lives hand to mouth. He has no room for a 401k in his budget. I suppose we could all scream that he should get a college education, but...his coursework was in computers (he can forget about that right now) and he also can not afford it. To top it off, he had a very difficult time with school because he is dyslexic.

I care...I really do...I don't know what the answer is...am I back to being a dem again?

sigh...it must be the cold medicine.

kris

[DCJenn]

The entire tax code needs to be revamped. Period.

the problem is that no one wants to do it because inevitably everyone will get dinged.

And really, even with minimum wage going up over the next two years? not exactly a ton of money to be brought home. Working is cost-prohibitive for a lot of people- public transportation is expensiveand often takes forever, day care services when you can find them are expensive and let's face reality- those that take vouchers aren't exactly the cream of the crop.

What we really need:

Mandatory completion of high school. Period. If you drop out you are sent to a remedial residential facility where you stay until you get a GED.

Jail Diversion for non-violent offenders- get them educated, out of jail and producing an income.

Substance Abuse and Mental health therapies available to everyone. You shouldn't have to become a crisis and been seen in the ER to get treatment. Same with dental services. Why Medicaid only covers emergency dental care is beyond me. Hello? Which costs more?

A committee of random public citizens brought in to review every spending bill put forth in Congress. The kind of group who will say, "I'm not sure why funding for a public park is attached to this defense bill..."

and we all need to contact our representatives in Congress and push for a revision of the tax code. I don't mind paying more. I accept that as a part of the privilege of living here, I have to pay taxes. I accept that because we make a F-load of money compared to the rest of America, we get to pick up the slack. Cool. Just don't spend my money on stupid stuff. (you know, testing the Antrax vaccine on the military rather than using that money to fortify the HumVees.) or subsidizing oil companies or airlines or whatever.

jenn

[Momo]

I accept that as a part of the privilege of living here, I have to pay taxes. I accept that because we make a F-load of money compared to the rest of America, we get to pick up the slack. Cool. Just don't spend my money on stupid stuff. (you know, testing the Antrax vaccine on the military rather than using that money to fortify the HumVees.) or subsidizing oil companies or airlines or whatever.

Amen...

The entire tax code needs to be revamped. Period.

and a Double Amen

I wanted to clear up something for those iMSNers clamoring for a flat tax on social security: social security is like a flat tax for everyone that makes under 94k. The point at which it becomes not flat and in fact disappears - - to the benefit of those in the upper income brackets - - is at 94k.

To make it truly a flat tax, you would apply the 12% social security tax to all income earned. That is what a flat tax means - - everyone pays the same marginal rate. A flat tax would cost someone who makes 250k or 300k much more than the democratic proposals I have read about and way, way more than the current situation.

So, be careful what you wish for!

[PrincessFiona]

boohoo. You're right. I suppose it would all even out though if we were paying less in federal taxes.

Your point...is well taken.

kris