Act in haste, repent in leisure
Months ago, I made a doctor's appointment for today. At 8:30 in the morning. The logic was sound at the time. It was after the 15th of April, so I would not be working. It gets me in and out of the VA before it gets crowded. It minimizes the wait time because it's the first appointment of the day for this doctor. Today is still supposed to be my day off, but I have to go to work. I have three clients with appointments. So I will have to go straight from the appointment with the doctor to the office. Perhaps I should have looked at my calendar before accepting the clients for today, without considering whether or not I had another obligation.
I had one of those craving moments on the way home last night. Suddenly, as I drove north on the 405 (so-named because during rush-hour, if you need to go from the Valley to the South Bay, it will take 4 or 5 hours), I wanted some donuts. Fortunately for me, the donut shops near here were already closed. I was about to drive far out of the way to get some at a 24 hour donut shop I know, but I decided to not have the donuts. If I still want them by Saturday, I'll stop and have one. Or two. Or....two. Or.......,no, no more than two.
I'm still waiting patiently for someone to quantify for me what the "fair share" is, that the wealthy should be paying in taxes. A family with $500,000 in taxable income in 2013 in CA (that's income after deductions and adjustments) is going to pay nearly 30% of that amount in federal income tax. Not the 39.5% that the Tea Party is prattling on about, but 29.5%. Throw in another 11.5% for State, FICA and Medicare taxes and that family is giving up four out of every ten dollars in "taxable" income that they earn. Let's pretend for a moment that the taxable income actually represents $800,000. They were able to avoid tax on $300,000 of income that went for mortgage payments, charitable contributions and the like. That still means they're paying 25% of every dollar that comes in, in some sort of income tax. We haven't touched sales taxes, excise taxes and so on.
Imagine your life if 25% of every single dollar you brought in was being paid out in income taxes. For a family earning $100,000 with $70,000 in taxable income, their tax burden is less than half of that of the family earning 10 times as much as they are.
So what is truly fair? None of those who say the rich aren't paying their "fair share" seem able to quantify this concept with a number.
This Date in History:
On this date in 1644, the last Emperor of the Ming Dynasty committed suicide during a peasant uprising led by Li Zicheng.
On this date in 1792, Nicholas Pelletier becomes the first person to be executed by guillotine.
On this date in 1847, the last surviving members of the Donner Party exit the wilderness.
On this date in 1859, ground is broken on the Suez Canal.
On this date in 1898, the U.S. declares war on Spain.
On this date in 1901, New York becomes the first state to require license plates on automobiles.
On this date in 1916, England declares martial law in Ireland due to the Easter Rebellion.
On this date in 1944, the United Negro College Fund is inaugurated.
On this date in 1960, the U.S. Navy sub Triton completes the first submerged circumnavigation.
On this date in 1975, the Australian Embassy in Saigon is closed and evacuated.
On this date in 1983, Pioneer 10 travels beyond the orbit of Pluto.
On this date in 1988, In Israel, John Demjanuk is sentenced to death for war crimes committed in World War II.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
Louis IX of France
Edward II of England
Oliver Cromwell
Edward R. Murrow (Good Night, and Good Luck)
Paul Mazursky
Al Pacino
Len Goodman
Talia Shire
Hank Azaria
Joe Buck
Renee Zellweger
I had one of those craving moments on the way home last night. Suddenly, as I drove north on the 405 (so-named because during rush-hour, if you need to go from the Valley to the South Bay, it will take 4 or 5 hours), I wanted some donuts. Fortunately for me, the donut shops near here were already closed. I was about to drive far out of the way to get some at a 24 hour donut shop I know, but I decided to not have the donuts. If I still want them by Saturday, I'll stop and have one. Or two. Or....two. Or.......,no, no more than two.
I'm still waiting patiently for someone to quantify for me what the "fair share" is, that the wealthy should be paying in taxes. A family with $500,000 in taxable income in 2013 in CA (that's income after deductions and adjustments) is going to pay nearly 30% of that amount in federal income tax. Not the 39.5% that the Tea Party is prattling on about, but 29.5%. Throw in another 11.5% for State, FICA and Medicare taxes and that family is giving up four out of every ten dollars in "taxable" income that they earn. Let's pretend for a moment that the taxable income actually represents $800,000. They were able to avoid tax on $300,000 of income that went for mortgage payments, charitable contributions and the like. That still means they're paying 25% of every dollar that comes in, in some sort of income tax. We haven't touched sales taxes, excise taxes and so on.
Imagine your life if 25% of every single dollar you brought in was being paid out in income taxes. For a family earning $100,000 with $70,000 in taxable income, their tax burden is less than half of that of the family earning 10 times as much as they are.
So what is truly fair? None of those who say the rich aren't paying their "fair share" seem able to quantify this concept with a number.
This Date in History:
On this date in 1644, the last Emperor of the Ming Dynasty committed suicide during a peasant uprising led by Li Zicheng.
On this date in 1792, Nicholas Pelletier becomes the first person to be executed by guillotine.
On this date in 1847, the last surviving members of the Donner Party exit the wilderness.
On this date in 1859, ground is broken on the Suez Canal.
On this date in 1898, the U.S. declares war on Spain.
On this date in 1901, New York becomes the first state to require license plates on automobiles.
On this date in 1916, England declares martial law in Ireland due to the Easter Rebellion.
On this date in 1944, the United Negro College Fund is inaugurated.
On this date in 1960, the U.S. Navy sub Triton completes the first submerged circumnavigation.
On this date in 1975, the Australian Embassy in Saigon is closed and evacuated.
On this date in 1983, Pioneer 10 travels beyond the orbit of Pluto.
On this date in 1988, In Israel, John Demjanuk is sentenced to death for war crimes committed in World War II.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
Louis IX of France
Edward II of England
Oliver Cromwell
Edward R. Murrow (Good Night, and Good Luck)
Paul Mazursky
Al Pacino
Len Goodman
Talia Shire
Hank Azaria
Joe Buck
Renee Zellweger
posted by me at 3:29 PM
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