Sorry, Pal, You're Rich

Awesome article. I'm sick of people whining about money when they make over 6 figures. If they'd only learn to live within their means, they'd find out how well they could do. I make $175,000 annually in a midwestern city and feel very fortunate. As a physician I know many other docs earning tons more and complaining they don't make enough. I paid off my loans, owe nothing on my cars or credit cards and am aggressively saving for retirement and my kids college education. We take regular vacations and are able to afford the luxuries that are important to us.

My husband and I work our tails off and come home with about $35,000 after taxes. $10k+ of that goes on medical premiums and out-of-pocket, $6+ on our mortgage. We owe nothing (except that mortgage), drive 15-year-old vehicles in excellent condition, and have never taken a government handout, not even unemployment. And we're rich as Croesus, because we pay our own way and can hold our heads high. I just wish we could save more for retirement, which is less than a decade away, but oh well...

Gasp! So if those making $250K annually are middle class, then I must have had it wrong all these years! Goodness, and I thought my single $40K salary had me living "La Vida Loca"!

Jeesh who would have thought that I was actually living well below poverty level if $250K is a base for Upper, Mid and Lower class!

Wow so then, hmm I guess my neighbor who is only taking home $15K annually is in the ultra poverty zone huh? Wow! Who da thunk it? Hmm and they even went to Disneyland this summer, after saving for three years to do so.

Personally I am an advocate for a single, simplified flat tax. For every dollar you earn you pay 10% or 15%. Save the millions (or is it billions?) wasted by the IRS every year processing, tracking down, auditing, cutting checks, printing new forms and pamphlets by getting rid of "ALL" tax breaks, and everyone simply pays one rate. PERIOD!

This would effectively halt the rich from getting "much" richer by eliminating all those "pretty" tax shelters they are oh so fond of, that the bulk of us "normal" people cant afford.

Taxes are not only raised by Democrats, the total fees I have paid for "government services" have gone up plenty in the past 7-1/2 years, a direct result of the actions of Mr. Bush and the GOP-controlled Congress. All their tax cuts did for most folks (making under $250K) was push the tax collection requirement to other jurisdictions. To make up for the shortfall, states and local governent have increased property taxes, trash collection fees, motor vehicle fees, water and sewer fees. The list goes on and on. The fact that federal taxes were reduced but spending was not has caused the mess we are in today. Mr. McCain claims he can fix it by reducing spending in parts of the government while keeping the Bush tax cuts in place. But without seriously cutting the Defense budget and Health & Human Services (Medicare etc), the numbers just don't add up. Mr. Obama doesn't have anything better to offer. The fact is, taxes need to go up or services at all levels of government need to be eliminated. That means less money for schools, infrastructure (roads & bridges), healthcare, military, disaster response, you name it. So who wants to volunteer to have their services drastically reduced so we can fix the budget problems without paying more taxes? Anyone? I don't see any hands raised? Don't worry, we can continue borrowing from China and the MIddle East, they like us, don't they?

The salary of my husband and myself combined (NET) is $70,000 and we are doing better economically than ever before.. We want for nothing, have a huge, beautiful house with 20 acres of land and have wonderful jobs. I don't understand why people can't live within their means. If you can't afford the home then look for one cheaper and if you can't afford the neighborhood or state then go to another state where things are drastically cheaper. We came from California where if we tried to buy the same home with the amount of acres we have now we would have had to pay at least $1-5,000,000, but we paid a fraction of that price for what we have and are so blessed and Thank God every day for how wonderful he is to us. If you put your trust in God he will take care of you. $250K to us is extremely rich, but we consider ourselves middle class.

We are all missing the point here. The problem with the tax situation in this country is earned income versus unearned income and corporate earners vs. small cash business owners. I know a multi millionaire who got a tax rebate from the government.

Here is a tale of two families in NJ. Both making $500,000 a year. One works for a major corporation, the other is a small business owner, landscaper, which is a cash business. One pays taxes on his entire income, one declares $150,000 only. This is the problem. The corporate worker is very grateful and feel fortunate for his situation; however, he does not live extravagantly. The landscaper lives in a mansion, drives a BMW, and send his kids to private school. Tell me the fairness in that.

The article over simplifies the problem. And the press has not spent a lot of time on the real problem of tax evasion and unearned income taxes.

When John Kerry ran four years ago, he said the same thing Obama is saying. He was a billionaire who paid very little taxes on his wifes unearned billions. That's why I didn't vote for him and that's why I won't vote for Obama.

Gasp! So if those making $250K annually are middle class, then I must have had it wrong all these years! Goodness, and I thought my single $40K salary had me living "La Vida Loca"!

Jeesh who would have thought that I was actually living well below poverty level if $250K is a base for Upper, Mid and Lower class!

Wow so then, hmm I guess my neighbor who is only taking home $15K annually is in the ultra poverty zone huh? Wow! Who da thunk it? Hmm and they even went to Disneyland this summer, after saving for three years to do so.

Personally I am an advocate for a single, simplified flat tax. For every dollar you earn you pay 10% or 15%. Save the millions (or is it billions?) wasted by the IRS every year processing, tracking down, auditing, cutting checks, printing new forms and pamphlets by getting rid of "ALL" tax breaks, and everyone simply pays one rate. PERIOD!

This would effectively halt the rich from getting "much" richer by eliminating all those "pretty" tax shelters they are oh so fond of, that the bulk of us "normal" people cant afford.

I think this is bull. For generations my family has worked hard and have stuggled to get by at times.(paycheck to paycheck) Now from struggle, sweat, and very hard work we own our own business and make above the $250,000 a year. We are more comfortable and can afford to do much more, but haven't we earned it. I'm tired of people in this country that think that because they don't make what my family does that I should be punished for it. There are so many cry babies out there that don't want to get off their ass and work. They sit around complaining that things aren't fair and waiting for a free handout! Instead of punishing the "wealthy" for making it in this world and helping build the economy why not punished those that take advantage of the system everyday that drain our system dry. Trust me, there are alot of people that lie everyday on the paper work to recieve govt. help that don't need it. Why not start cracking down on these scam artists and them maybe we wouldn't need so many taxes!!!

I think the idea of the artice boils down to something my Grandfather used to say, "You've got a whiskey taste, with a beer wallet" Bluntly meaning, live within your means. Maybe some americans should stop trying to "keep up with the Jones" We make less than 100K, and can live comfortably, I also consider us rich.... money doesn't make the man, or woman.

Ah, The daily Obamaweek. What would we do without this blatantly biased rag electing our next president for us?

Your not rich because you only own a million dollar house compared to your neighbors 5 million dollar house, Your not rich because your neighbor owns a beach house and you dont, Your not rich because your neighbors child goes to a more expensive private school....

Your not rich because your not able to substain in the best neighborhoods, your child cant attend the best private schools, etc. You know how many Blue collared americans live with an income of 40,000-50,000. They dont complain that they cant travel to Europe, that they only have one car...all this people want is a tax break to be able to keep maintaining with this rediculous GAS PRICES and HOUSE MORTAGES.

I guess its better than what McCain proposes which is just take away some taxes, in which the wealthy come out on top

Your not rich because you only own a million dollar house compared to your neighbors 5 million dollar house, Your not rich because your neighbor owns a beach house and you dont, Your not rich because your neighbors child goes to a more expensive private school....

Your not rich because your not able to substain in the best neighborhoods, your child cant attend the best private schools, etc. You know how many Blue collared americans live with an income of 40,000-50,000. They dont complain that they cant travel to Europe, that they only have one car...all this people want is a tax break to be able to keep maintaining with this rediculous GAS PRICES and HOUSE MORTAGES.

I guess its better than what McCain proposes which is just take away some taxes, in which the wealthy come out on top

Dan: Do you live in a shack somewhere in Texas? Do you have a family? If so, are you planning on sending your kids to college? Do you have any idea how much a reasonable standard of living cost? I???m not talking Mercedes and living large either. You obviously are ignorant of what is cost to live out there in the real world and are using the standard liberal tactic of class envy to pit the lower middle class against the upper middle class. I don???t make near $250k /year so I???m not as you define ???rich??? but a lot of my friends do earn up to that amount and they certainly aren???t rich either. How about this for a premise: Once one makes over $80k-$100k/year there is a huge disincentive to earn more than that amount because of taxes, less tuition breaks, and as the media falsely claims, ???you???re rich, you should share with the less fortunate.??? There???s much too much worrying about how much the other guy is making (and how to take it away from him). Get a job! If it doesn???t pay enough, get one that does!