Why we should tax the rich more.

We have no state taxes as such. We do have council tax which is a tax based on how much your house was worth in 1991- this pays for local education, police, roads etc. It does not collect all that is needed to run the local area. Government then add more to their pot - and each year there is several column inches about how the Government are so unfair by the local councils and just as many from the Government about how the local councils must learn to live within their means.

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Originally Posted by Wayward Clam

Gates does not give because he wants the world to be a better place. Everything that man does is involved in making money. He gives because he gets tax breaks, good public image, and to try to get the DOJ off his back.

He also "gives" a great deal in the style of computers for schools... this isn't a gift, it's a long term investment. A brilliant one, I might add. He gets tax breaks today for a customer base custom designed to want his products in the future... and gets to look good to everybody involved on top of it!

And the money he gives to charity is a tiny drop in the bucket of all the money he makes.

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:rolleyes:

I'm glad you know exactly what Gates is thinking. Of course he's going to do things that make or save him money. Regardless of anything else, he's an excellent businessman. But to say that he doesn't want to help people is a pretty assinine assumption on your part.

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Originally Posted by Wayward Clam

Gates does not give because he wants the world to be a better place. Everything that man does is involved in making money. He gives because he gets tax breaks, good public image, and to try to get the DOJ off his back.

He also "gives" a great deal in the style of computers for schools... this isn't a gift, it's a long term investment. A brilliant one, I might add. He gets tax breaks today for a customer base custom designed to want his products in the future... and gets to look good to everybody involved on top of it!

And the money he gives to charity is a tiny drop in the bucket of all the money he makes.

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No one gives away $27 BILLION dollars for a tax break. Bill Gates has stated that he wants to give away the vast majority of his money to charities and has been showing th proof of that in his foundation.

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Originally Posted by jitBob

No one gives away $27 BILLION dollars for a tax break. Bill Gates has stated that he wants to give away the vast majority of his money to charities and has been showing th proof of that in his foundation.

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I'm not impressed. When you have the money he does 27 billion is like most of us donating 100.00. It has no affect on his lifestyle, his childrens or his childrens children. It IS a good thing that he is giving it away. But he is still a greedy a*s who earned a lot of it with very underhanded tactics.
I have more respect for the person struggling to make ends meet who gives 10 dollars to charity.

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Originally Posted by techs

I'm not impressed. When you have the money he does 27 billion is like most of us donating 100.00. It has no affect on his lifestyle, his childrens or his childrens children. It IS a good thing that he is giving it away. But he is still a greedy a*s who earned a lot of it with very underhanded tactics.
I have more respect for the person struggling to make ends meet who gives 10 dollars to charity.

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Hmmm...Aren't you the one who claims to be smart in another thread? $27 billion is about half of his current wealth, have you donated half of your income to charity?

Naah, techs just makes $200 per week.... :p

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Originally Posted by jitBob

Hmmm...Aren't you the one who claims to be smart in another thread? $27 billion is about half of his current wealth, have you donated half of your income to charity?

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You proceed from the false assumption that half of your net worth is the same for a middle class person than for the richest person in the world. Didn't you read what I posted?

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Originally Posted by techs

You proceed from the false assumption that half of your net worth is the same for a middle class person than for the richest person in the world. Didn't you read what I posted?

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Jesus man, he's given away 27 BILLION DOLLARS! Cut him some slack.

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Originally Posted by meatwad

Jesus man, he's given away 27 BILLION DOLLARS! Cut him some slack.

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I actually created sympathy for Bill Gates? I guess I should tone it down. :devil:

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Originally Posted by techs

I actually created sympathy for Bill Gates? I guess I should tone it down. :devil:

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Well it seems like with all of the Corporation bashing, somebody does something good, but he gets bashed for it anyway because it's a Corporation.

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Originally Posted by techs

You proceed from the false assumption that half of your net worth is the same for a middle class person than for the richest person in the world. Didn't you read what I posted?

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Any way you cut it, half your net worth is half your net worth. Half of Mr Gates net worth can do a h3ll of a lot more good than half of yours or mine.

Yes, I did read your post.

When I think about it, I actually like that some of the money that I have to spend on his software actually does some good in this world.

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Originally Posted by Jediab

All of this talk of "Do they really need?" Do we really need to eat that apple pie? (hmmm pie...) Do we really need to drink that cola? Do we need to buy comic books or novels? Do we really need to go swimming at the local pool? Do we really need to go hunting for legal game?

We choose to eat that apple pie with the can of cola while reading our comic books or the latest Tom Clancey writings. We decide to go swimming at the local pool after we shoot, gut, and clean the goose.

None of these things are needed to survive (except for maybe hunting depending on where ya live). But we choose to do these things that fall into our budget to bring pleasure and joy into our lives. If they are able to afford it, who are we to judge?

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I was merely questioning the SCALE of the purchase. Look at jewelry for example. Buying a comic book for $5 as a luxury will give you some pleasure... will buying a rare diamond for $5 million give you a million times as much pleasure? I don't think so, or diamond salespeople would be in a constant state of orgasm.

On the other hand, buying a box of cereal for someone poor will fill their stomach for a day. Buying a million boxes of cereal for the poor WILL accomplish a million times as much good.

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Originally Posted by jitBob

No one gives away $27 BILLION dollars for a tax break. Bill Gates has stated that he wants to give away the vast majority of his money to charities and has been showing th proof of that in his foundation.

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I hadn't seen this information before and actually I AM very impressed with it, even if it does come from a Gates source. Thank you for the clarification.

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Originally Posted by Wayward Clam

...I hadn't seen this information before and actually I AM very impressed with it, even if it does come from a Gates source. Thank you for the clarification.

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You are very welcome.

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Originally Posted by Wayward Clam

I was merely questioning the SCALE of the purchase. Look at jewelry for example. Buying a comic book for $5 as a luxury will give you some pleasure... will buying a rare diamond for $5 million give you a million times as much pleasure? I don't think so, or diamond salespeople would be in a constant state of orgasm

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So you are saying that how you see things in terms of SCALE is the only way it is? That is your perception of reality. Not the reality for others. What if that comic book was not just a 2.50 cent Spider-Man, but Amazing Fantasy #15 in mint condition (webby will know what I mean)? If it falls into your budget, who are you and who am I to nag about what is done with the money? Nobody has what right to tell people how to spend their money based on how THEY think it should be spent.