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These undesirable aspects are at least partially a result of the same fuck the poor mentality. In countries that actually care for their populations, homeless a

These undesirable aspects are at least partially a result of the same fuck the poor mentality. In countries that actually care for their populations, homeless and otherwise, this problem is far less severe.

buzzkillington 7y ago
So fuck the middle class because the rich don't want to pay taxes?
- shkkmo 7y ago
  There's a great deal of evidence that we actually save money by providing housing, shelters and other services to poor people. Unfortunately, the politics make this unpopular and dictate that when they are provided they come with strings attached that discourage their use. It really isn't a question of not wanting to pay taxes and much more question of demonizing poor people. The money spent on policing, cleanup, and emergency medical care is often far more than we would spend if we would just fund helping lift people out of poverty without all the moralizing.
- wolco 7y ago
  The middle class makes up most of the tax payer population. You can't tax income at the top and expect much unless you added 20%.
  - thawaway1837 7y ago
    The top 1% in the US has absorbed nearly the entire economic growth for the last 30 years or so. The number of people doesn’t really matter. It’s the percentage of wealth that they hold that matters. Other segments of the population have seen absolutely no economic growth.
    - wolco 7y ago
      The top 1% isn't getting income via employment payroll. They own entities globally and can afford to give themselves a dollar a year salary. If you are only raising employment income taxes you have to get it from the middle class.
  - azylman 7y ago
    Most of the tax payer population, but not most of the gains available for taxation. Small increases in taxes to the very wealthy would far outweigh large increases in taxes to the middle class in terms of government revenue. On top of that, you say "unless you added 20%" as if that's something that's beyond the pale when in fact the wealthiest people pay far less in taxes that at any point in our country's history.
  - munk-a 7y ago
    Your statement isn't incorrect, but it has missed the point. Yea the middle class will always bear the majority of the tax burden in absolute terms, but that doesn't mean it's silly to tax the rich, the take home is pretty minor but they should always be paying more money in absolute individual terms than the middle class - right now they usually pay less, sometimes they pay nothing, sometimes they get a handout.

buzzkillington 7y ago

So fuck the middle class because the rich don't want to pay taxes?

shkkmo 7y ago
There's a great deal of evidence that we actually save money by providing housing, shelters and other services to poor people. Unfortunately, the politics make this unpopular and dictate that when they are provided they come with strings attached that discourage their use. It really isn't a question of not wanting to pay taxes and much more question of demonizing poor people. The money spent on policing, cleanup, and emergency medical care is often far more than we would spend if we would just fund helping lift people out of poverty without all the moralizing.
wolco 7y ago
The middle class makes up most of the tax payer population. You can't tax income at the top and expect much unless you added 20%.
- thawaway1837 7y ago
  The top 1% in the US has absorbed nearly the entire economic growth for the last 30 years or so. The number of people doesn’t really matter. It’s the percentage of wealth that they hold that matters. Other segments of the population have seen absolutely no economic growth.
  - wolco 7y ago
    The top 1% isn't getting income via employment payroll. They own entities globally and can afford to give themselves a dollar a year salary. If you are only raising employment income taxes you have to get it from the middle class.
- azylman 7y ago
  Most of the tax payer population, but not most of the gains available for taxation. Small increases in taxes to the very wealthy would far outweigh large increases in taxes to the middle class in terms of government revenue. On top of that, you say "unless you added 20%" as if that's something that's beyond the pale when in fact the wealthiest people pay far less in taxes that at any point in our country's history.
- munk-a 7y ago
  Your statement isn't incorrect, but it has missed the point. Yea the middle class will always bear the majority of the tax burden in absolute terms, but that doesn't mean it's silly to tax the rich, the take home is pretty minor but they should always be paying more money in absolute individual terms than the middle class - right now they usually pay less, sometimes they pay nothing, sometimes they get a handout.