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I certainly support research, but isn't there a sequester looming? I would be happier if Obama took steps to raise taxes. At the place I work we lost an employe

I certainly support research, but isn't there a sequester looming? I would be happier if Obama took steps to raise taxes. At the place I work we lost an employee due to grant shortages.

mkr-hn 14y ago
The President doesn't set taxes. That's the job of congress, which is designed to make changing things hard. Obama can call for this and that, but all it takes is one senator to shut the whole process down.
sultezdukes 14y ago
I'd be happier if Obama would take steps to lower taxes.
pandaman 14y ago
If you are unhappy with your taxes being too low you can always write a check to the IRS for whatever sum you believe you are underpaying.
- larrywright 14y ago
  I'm not sure why you're being downvoted, your point is legitimate.
  - enraged_camel 14y ago
    He's being downvoted because his comment is extremely asinine. One person paying more than their share won't do anything, even if they are a billionaire.
    - spikels 14y ago
      It would be pretty cool if those who both could and wanted to contribute just did - like how open source software works. In practice taxes end up being pretty arbitrary and have unintended consequences. Lots of people actually agree with increased spending such as this and could easily fund these efforts. Those who don't agree could keep their money. Win-win!
      - pandaman 14y ago
        From what I understand (and I may be wrong because people who are advocating rising taxes are not very good at explaining their position), the idea is not to increase government income/spending per se. The idea is to redistribute wealth and the government's income is irrelevant (hence the GP's saying it "won't do anything" despite the obvious increase of this income). For all we know a tax increase may decrease the total money collected by the government as the wealthy flee into more favorable tax regimes. This is all right from the point of wealth redistribution (it happens anyways as the local wealth decreases even through different means) but would be unacceptable from the income/spending point of view.
chanced 14y ago
>> I certainly support research, but isn't there a sequester looming Looming? No. It has already taken affect. >> I would be happier if Obama took steps to raise taxes. Do tell, what steps would you have him take? The Republicans have sworn to not raise taxes at all. They control the house and have unleashed a record smashing set of filibusters (and no, not the Rand Paul style) in the senate. Thanks to gerrymandering, they can (and must) hold stedfast to ideologues. There's also the corporate interests to look after. >> At the place I work we lost an employee due to grant shortages. Classic. You want taxes to be raised so your employment can be safeguarded. Meanwhile the grants, and jobs in turn, are a waste of time and energy.
- frozenport 14y ago
  I get paid less then half what I would make working in industry. My hope is that I can continue my work developing new materials.

I certainly support research, but isn't there a sequester looming? I would be happier if Obama took steps to raise taxes. At the place I work we lost an employee due to grant shortages.

mkr-hn 14y ago

The President doesn't set taxes. That's the job of congress, which is designed to make changing things hard. Obama can call for this and that, but all it takes is one senator to shut the whole process down.

sultezdukes 14y ago

I'd be happier if Obama would take steps to lower taxes.

pandaman 14y ago

If you are unhappy with your taxes being too low you can always write a check to the IRS for whatever sum you believe you are underpaying.

larrywright 14y ago
I'm not sure why you're being downvoted, your point is legitimate.
- enraged_camel 14y ago
  He's being downvoted because his comment is extremely asinine. One person paying more than their share won't do anything, even if they are a billionaire.
  - spikels 14y ago
    It would be pretty cool if those who both could and wanted to contribute just did - like how open source software works. In practice taxes end up being pretty arbitrary and have unintended consequences. Lots of people actually agree with increased spending such as this and could easily fund these efforts. Those who don't agree could keep their money. Win-win!
    - pandaman 14y ago
      From what I understand (and I may be wrong because people who are advocating rising taxes are not very good at explaining their position), the idea is not to increase government income/spending per se. The idea is to redistribute wealth and the government's income is irrelevant (hence the GP's saying it "won't do anything" despite the obvious increase of this income). For all we know a tax increase may decrease the total money collected by the government as the wealthy flee into more favorable tax regimes. This is all right from the point of wealth redistribution (it happens anyways as the local wealth decreases even through different means) but would be unacceptable from the income/spending point of view.

chanced 14y ago

>> I certainly support research, but isn't there a sequester looming Looming? No. It has already taken affect. >> I would be happier if Obama took steps to raise taxes. Do tell, what steps would you have him take? The Republicans have sworn to not raise taxes at all. They control the house and have unleashed a record smashing set of filibusters (and no, not the Rand Paul style) in the senate. Thanks to gerrymandering, they can (and must) hold stedfast to ideologues. There's also the corporate interests to look after. >> At the place I work we lost an employee due to grant shortages. Classic. You want taxes to be raised so your employment can be safeguarded. Meanwhile the grants, and jobs in turn, are a waste of time and energy.

frozenport 14y ago
I get paid less then half what I would make working in industry. My hope is that I can continue my work developing new materials.