IS THERE EQUITY IN BUSH'S TAX PLANS
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By Ray W. Tapajna from Cleveland Plain Dealer,
largest newspaper in Ohio, 02/19/01 (The same things apply in May 2003-
) 75% of Americans pay more in payroll taxes than in income taxes and only about 30 to 40% qualify for unemployment insurance and
the unemployment statistics are a hoax. Even if surplus money comes into the economy, it won't create that
many jobs since much of the money goes to retail and then fans out to the places where the products are made. In the end Bush's
Tax Cuts help workers in places like China -not here!
Finally, a top journalist
tells it like it is. Matthew Miller, a columnist for Tribune Media Services, tells us about George W. Bush's proposed
tax cut being just a partial one (Forum, Feb 7). It is based only on income tax, while 75 percent of Americans pay more
in payroll taxes than in income taxes. Payroll taxes are used for the general fund, and it is these taxes that make up
most of what is called the surplus. It was Ronald Reagan who led the way to high payroll tax rates. Now these taxes act as
a flat tax on the working poor.
Furthermore, any tax cut
now will not help boost the economy as it did in the past. The 75 percent group will not have much more to spend at the end
of the month, except for maybe an extra visit to a fast food restaurant. The group that will spend more will just send the
money to where the products are made- overseas. It won't boost our economy.
A few years ago, a college
president complained that some applicants would never get to college since his school had to start paying payroll taxes for
all its work-study participants. Many students that the school once served could no longer qualify for the financial aid benefit.
This ratio applies across the board with many more things not factored into the equation. The payroll tax is really a flat
tax on the working poor now.
Bush's tax cuts and credits go South and to Asia.......
Sept. 7, 2003
In a letter to the editor, Rick Drotleff of Stow, Ohio, says he got his letter from Pres. Bush telling about the
tax credit his family was getting. In June, Rick lost his job premanently after 18 years in the aerospace industry after his
company sent the work out of the country.
In his speech, Bush suggesed using this windfall to buy schools supplies to help stimulate the economy. Hoever, one of
his children is in high school and the another in college and did not get any credit because of their age. Rick did get
$400 for his daughter who is in middle school.
Rick did buy school supplies with the money but found that most of it was made in places like Mexico, Nicaragua and Malaysia.
The shoes he purchased were made in China and Vietnam. Rick asked the President whose economy is your economic stimulus
package stimulating. (Any extra money that may come into the economy first goes to the retail level and then fans out
to far away
places where the products are made.)
John Meredyk of Sagamore HIlls, Ohio writes the same day about how foreign manufacturers are gaining
market share at the expense of domestic automakers. He asks how long wil it take before HMO start importing foreign
doctors who will work for $15,000 a year.
He adds that foreign autos may be building cars in America but they do it in the South to avoid unions.
He cites how unions once helped non union workers in thepast to get better benefits down the line too. He concludes that
Americans will soon be driving their foreign cars to the unemployment office.
Editors note: While John Meredyk is right in what he says, we invite your attention to the word "built in
the USA" it has replaced the phrase "made in th USA". Actually there are no longer any automobiles made in the USA.
The parts and components come from all over the world including the wage slave labor markets. General Motors cars assembled
in the USA are only about 88 % made in the USA. Ford is about 70% and Chrysler now is perhaps under 50%. The foreign
cars assembled in the USA can only be classified as about 25% made in the USA. Also, it should be noted that about 500,000
autoworkers lost their jobs over the years and about 700,000 steelworkers and directly related workers lost their jobs. In
reality, virtually there is no longer any steel being made in the USA in comparison with the past.
Reference: Social Security tax relief is the fair
way to help out poor workers by Jerry Hester of the Kansas City Start 12/08/02
A highly respected journalist, Jerry Hester also
proposes an exemption from Social Security Tax of $10, to $15,000 of wages since 4 out of every 5 workers pay more in
payroll taxes than they do in income taxes. He also suggests that the employer's part be exempted too. This
would do more to prime the economy than any income tax reductions. It would stimulate the economy directly since any
extra money that comes from income tax reductions primarily just goes to the retail level and then fans out to
all the place where the products come from in the world. With both the worker and employer getting a break at the lower
levels has more money going to a value added economy this way.
( Apparently Senator Kerry in his bid as a Democratic
President candidate is including much of this in his platform.) It is inconceivable how the Repulicans can ignore this
terrible disparity. We also wonder why someone who still has to work after age 65 still has to pay the payroll tax no
matter who little they make.
Extra note: On top of this, President Bush and
the Republicans really messed up politically allowing letters to be sent out to those who did not get any tax rebate. The letter actually stated that the recipient
did not qualify for any tax rebate since they did not make enough- Imagine
a small business person or a contract worker seeing
this after paying 15 percent payroll taxes.
Also, again, any extra money that consumers get to spend goes to retail
and then fans out the world to the places the products come from. The money does not stay here. On top of this,
USA manufacturers who move their production outside the USA, escape the overhead of payroll taxes so in the end another stream
of value evaporates with our entitlement society losing its funding this way.
Meanwhile, a person over 62 who still works and who collects their
social security not only has their payments reduced but- lose a month or two- just for making over $11,000 a year while
at the same time still pays payroll taxes for others. At the same time, those on interest income etc, pay none
at all. Both the Republicans and the
Democrats ignore this disparity.
President Bush's tax cuts did not work and any new cuts will not help the economy either when so much of
our value added economy is outside the USA now.
........the frustration of American workers
losing the American Dream in a silent depression receives very little notice and now the drums of wars beat hiding our economic
woes even more........ our economy is interlaced. The working poor do receive some benefits from the taxes paid by the higher
income classes but at the same time, the higher income class make much of their money by taking advantage of the working poor
class in paying out lower wages, increasing production with less workers, enjoying a very competitive labor market and similar
effects when wages are deflated. At the same time the payroll taxes with rates up to 15% and even more act as a flat tax on
the working poor.
Most opponents of globalism are peaceful
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By Ray W. Tapajna, from Cleveland Plain Dealer, largest newspaper in
Ohio, 8/11/2000
In his letter to the editor, Craig Miller says the
anti-WTO protestors in Philadelphia were misfits, malcontents and troublemakers. Some may be just that, and this is the part
that makes the news, unfortunately.
However, the frustration of American workers losing
the American Dream in a silent depression receives very little notice. Both parties are ignoring it. The unemployment statistics
are reported without any question, even though there is no way to provide accurate statistics, given the growth of part-time,
temporary and contract jobs in recent years.
When major newspapers fill their front sections with
costly retail ads that advertise products made in sweatshops around the world, readers should wonder how any objective reporting
can be possible.
At the anti-WTO protests in Seattle, there were many
peaceful demonstrators, but their message was not heard. Globalism and international military actions go on without balancing
reporting. If you want to talk about violence, this is the place to start.
Unfortunately, those who have good jobs go on
about their lives with blinders on, and the media follow thier lead living off the misery surrounding globalism and consumerism.
| Workers - the real Free Trade Commodity |
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| The American Worker has been "commoditised" |
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