Entries Tagged 'Taxes' ↓

House Republicans have said they just want a “little something” from the Democrats in order to sign a clean debt limit bill. They want some kind of spending cuts to help them save face. Well, how about a tax cut – a tax cut that will also be a stimulus helping to restore jobs and raise revenue?

Most of us agree that consumer demand is a major sticking point to growing our economy. Corporations have more than enough money to expand production of goods and services, but there aren’t enough people out there able to buy their products.

In particular, those Americans with the least amount of money now have even less money to spend. Years of steadily declining wages and now, as a result of the financial crisis, loss of interest income, and for some, their homes and jobs, have led the descent into belt-tightening just to pay the bills. This contributes to a sluggish economy on the one hand, and a lessening of tax revenue on the other.

The Republicans’ answer seems to be trim the national budget by taking more away from those on entitlements. The Democrats point out that this will reduce the amount of spending American citizens do.

What if we could increase the spending by workers who collect entitlements? Continue reading →

A reader of a recent post asked, Nancy, I understand that a self-employed person has to shoulder the expenses that an ordinary wage or salaried person does not. But if those expenses are legitimate, and a self-employed person doesn’t earn enough to pay SE tax, how can that person even make a living to survive? If they aren’t making enough revenue to cover their costs of operating their business, how can they afford to cover their personal expenses to survive?

This is the key question I’ll discuss today. It’s why I believe some self-employed workers need a break on paying SE tax. Continue reading →

I was one of those kids who walked around head bent and looking at the ground – even after they discovered I was totally near-sighted and gave me glasses. The reason? I didn’t start out with a lot of self-esteem, and my peers didn’t help the situation any.

Once I was walking downtown and a couple of older girls passed me on the sidewalk. On called back over her shoulder with a laugh, “You look like a simpleton.”

Now, I had no idea what a simpleton was, but I knew enough about tones of voice to know it wasn’t something good. At home I asked my mother. Knowing I was a bright little girl she told me to look it up in the dictionary. So I did:

“A person who is felt to be deficient in judgment, good sense, or intelligence; a fool.” (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language)

An alternative definition is “a foolish or ignorant person”. OK, now you too know what simpleton means. So, how can we not be the simpletons politicians and pundits seem to take us for? Continue reading →