Modern slavery

[ginnyfizz]

I believe the UN list takes all kinds of local factors into account. I do have some Scandinavian friends and have heard about trips across the Baltic in search of much cheaper Polish alcohol, but in general I think the standard of living in Scandinavia is high, mortality rates are lower from infancy onwards, etc.

[Vagrant0]

I think the bottom line is that tax 'burden' is relative. if you're paying 50% of your income in taxes, you don't feel so bad knowing that that guy with the 6 figure salary is also paying 50% of what he makes to taxes. The anger comes into play when most people are paying 60-70% while those who are better off are paying 20% or less if they know what tricks they can use to get around most of it, or when people see their tax money going to pet projects that only help relatives of politicians or companies who contribute to campaigns.

[Kuraikiba]

Good point, Vagrant.

[csgators]

I think the bottom line is that tax 'burden' is relative. if you're paying 50% of your income in taxes, you don't feel so bad knowing that that guy with the 6 figure salary is also paying 50% of what he makes to taxes. The anger comes into play when most people are paying 60-70% while those who are better off are paying 20% or less if they know what tricks they can use to get around most of it, or when people see their tax money going to pet projects that only help relatives of politicians or companies who contribute to campaigns.

 

Actually the anger comes from paying 30-40% just in income taxes and realizing that 50% of households pay NO taxes at all (some make money on taxes) and then they keep voting for higher and higher spending. The system doesn't work when half the population votes to steal from the other half.

 

It is a system in which the top 10 percent of earners -- households making an average of $366,400 in 2006 -- paid about 73 percent of the income taxes collected by the federal government.

The bottom 40 percent, on average, make a profit from the federal income tax, meaning they get more money in tax credits than they would otherwise owe in taxes. For those people, the government sends them a payment.

 

Note: I am no where near that top 10%.

Edited May 30, 2011 by csgators

[Ghogiel]

The Danes are Scandinavian last I checked.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5224306.stm

 

 

We pay 22% of the UN budget. There are 192 (at last count) members, so, why are we paying the lions share of it?

 

That is just extra money the US pays so it can ignore it and do what ever it wants internationally. :tongue:

 

Perhaps it is based on economic wealth of the country.

[HeyYou]

The Danes are Scandinavian last I checked.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5224306.stm

 

 

We pay 22% of the UN budget. There are 192 (at last count) members, so, why are we paying the lions share of it?

 

That is just extra money the US pays so it can ignore it and do what ever it wants internationally. :tongue:

 

Perhaps it is based on economic wealth of the country.

 

Now that, I would believe....... :smile:

[Ghogiel]

BTW you can just read how they actually calculate the budget and who pays what and what for on the UN website

 

http://www.un.org/geninfo/ir/index.asp?id=150

 

love that quote at the top there... then you remember the US refused to pay its UN bill for like 10 years :facepalm:

Edited May 30, 2011 by Ghogiel

[Aurielius]

BTW you can just read how they actually calculate the budget and who pays what and what for on the UN website

 

http://www.un.org/geninfo/ir/index.asp?id=150

 

love that quote at the top there... then you remember the US refused to pay its UN bill for like 10 years :facepalm:

Pay our dues?...Hell I would like to revoke their lease in Manhattan.

[Ghogiel]

I don't know what you think that the UN does or represents. If you read their charter. They are primarily concerned with peacekeeping and other noble pursuits such as providing aid and immunising millions of people and eradicating disease in areas stricken by war, humanitairan disasters. etc

 

Basically the bottom line is saving lives as best they can. :thumbsup:

[Aurielius]

I don't know what you think that the UN does or represents. If you read their charter. They are primarily concerned with peacekeeping and other noble pursuits such as providing aid and immunising millions of people and eradicating disease in areas stricken by war, humanitairan disasters. etc

 

Basically the bottom line is saving lives as best they can. :thumbsup:

Yes, I know what their charter is and what the purported purpose of the assembly is..and the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Just a quick perusal of their performance in the field is something that I would recommend that you might want to scan...they stood by during the genocide in Rwanda and Bosnia with their boots on the ground. So forgive me if I remain skeptical as to their actual performance as compared to the goals purported.

Edited May 31, 2011 by Aurielius