Media

Columnist Mark Shields: Today‘s Low Taxes Are ’Fundamentally Un-American’

We should probably establish this point early: when someone talks about the government’s “revenues,” he is mainly referring to the government’s ability to tax. So when a syndicated columnist laments the low “revenues,” he’s really lamenting the low taxes. That’s exactly what Mark Shields did on PBS on Friday. And he invoked the term “un-American” to do it.

“But we got 14 and a half percent in revenues,“ Shields said on Friday on ”Inside Washington” while disagreeing with conservative Charles Krauthammer. “That is unsustainable and it’s unacceptable and it’s fundamentally un-American.”

The 14 and a half percent he’s referring to seems to be the 14 and a half percent the government took in tax revenue, as a percentage of GDP. Watch below via NewsBusters:

It seems to me that the high amount of spending (25 percent of GDP) is what’s really “un-American. And As Noel Sheppard points out, the Founding Fathers would probably have a bone to pick with Shields:

Would our Founding Fathers agree with Shields’s sentiments?

Hardly.

What folks like Franklin, Jefferson, and Madison would say is that almost half of the public not paying taxes while the other half shoulders all the burden is what’s un-American.

But liberals like Shields don’t see it that way.

For them, taxation is a means to redistribute from those that have to those that don’t, a concept our Founding Fathers would have been appalled by.

Comments (165)

1 2 3 4
  • LoisLane1951
    Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:17am

    Federal income tax is fundamentally unconstitutional.
    Just sayin’.

    Report Post » LoisLane1951  
    • Komponist-ZAH
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:34am

      Thanks to 16th Amend. that is unfortunately not so. The Progressive Income Tax (i.e., taxing at different rates based on levels of income), however, is, I think, in violation of the Constitutional requirement that all taxes be uniform. It is, at least, unjust (since it is essentially government discrimination).

      Report Post »  
  • EdBoo
    Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:57am

    It appears PBS is the only network that will hire him.

    I wonder how it feels to be on a losing team, knowing it is a losing team, knowing the rest of the industry knows it is a losing team and having to grin your way through it to get that paycheck? It’s kind of like an unemployed executive working at Wal-Mart to keep up cash flow.

    Then there is the 43% of our taxpayers who pay no federal income tax? How do they fit into the picture Shields? If they paid their half of the the 12.4% guess what I would be paying? If they paid their 12.4% and I continued to pay my 12.4% that would equal the GDP spending rate of 25%.

    This guy is truly an idiot. He can’t even count. He really does belong on PBS.

    Report Post »  
    • Whosincharge
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:18am

      The
      GOVERNMENT. SERVANTS

      Must all be fired and convicted

      They are stealing

      And do not know their job !

      New servants help wanted, salery not negotiable.

      Reply to Tax Payers, USA.

      Report Post »  
    • calijohn
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:25am

      so what is the salery?
      how much do you propose to pay people?
      or what do you propose to pay people, since you will pay in salery?

      Report Post »  
    • Whosincharge
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:45am

      Celery, yum !

      It should say NO SALARY. Your service will be free.

      And it is not a career.

      Report Post »  
  • Rpfoster
    Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:51am

    Like so many people, this moron does not know his History. The first income tax was levied in 1862 as a temporary means of financing the Civil War. The Congress discontinued the tax in 1869. It had a short-lived revival in 1894 and 1895. In the latter year, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the income tax was unconstitutional because it was not apportioned among the states in conformity with the Constitution.
    In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution made the income tax a permanent fixture in the U.S. tax system. The amendment gave Congress legal authority to tax income and resulted in a revenue law that taxed incomes of both individuals and corporations.
    Therefore it was not the intention of the Founding Fathers to have an Income Tax. It took a Constitutional Amendment in 1913 to allow an income tax because it had originaly been found unconstitutional.

    Report Post »  
    • calijohn
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:13am

      “intention of the founding fathers”…………….all of whom were dead in 1866.
      did the “founding fathers” advocate for anti-tank weapons? ak-47′s? how about AWACS?
      don’t spout “founding fathers” or you will end up sounding like whats-her-grill.

      Report Post »  
    • Komponist-ZAH
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:28am

      The real point here is that the Feds managed without an income tax for over century. Please, CaliJohn, explain how that was possible.

      Report Post »  
  • Bonnieblue2A
    Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:24am

    Today’s high spending as a percentage of GDP is fundamentally un-American. Our POTUS is fundamentally un-American, How long can the list be of those things happening now that are fundamentally un-American? Isn’t that what Obama meant when he said he wanted to fundamentally change America?

    Report Post »  
    • calijohn
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:55am

      we need beck to run for potus. he is a real american and can see the future,.

      Report Post »  
    • Al J Zira
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 8:46am

      @calijohn: I’m curious. If the government was to give you a onetime payout for what you paid into medicare ove the years with the intent you get your own coverage, would you take it?

      Report Post » Al J Zira  
  • miles from nowhere
    Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:11am

    Communist like this guy only think about themselves and the regime. This guy is nothing more then a total disgrace and should be mocked. Another sewer rat liberal quazi.

    Report Post »  
  • Its Gonna Getcha
    Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:08am

    Don’t touch my money. Don’t touch my food. Don’t touch my doctor. Don’t touch!

    Report Post » Its Gonna Getcha  
  • miles from nowhere
    Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:02am

    He puts the FRUIT in fruit cake.

    Report Post »  
  • frustratedwithgovt
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 11:56pm

    Reducing the size of government and entitlements is the only answer. If your not teaching your children to be self reliant and fiscally responsible then please start. For too long we have taught that there is good debt ( housing ) and bad debt ( credit cards etc ). The truth is that all debt is bad and the sooner we learn that lesson the better. Review the Mandrake mechanism. Its a good read.

    Report Post » frustratedwithgovt  
  • teebubba
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 11:37pm

    The answer is to quit relying on income taxes for revenue and tax consumption which would make the vast majority pay something. Mark Shields isn‘t an arbiter of what is American and what isn’t.

    Report Post » teebubba  
  • Captain Crunch
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 11:14pm

    I find myself wondering where these people come from. I’ve finally come to the conclusion they fell off the edge of the world when it used to flat, and climbed back over to plague us with their idiotic ways.

    Report Post »  
  • RN MOM
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 11:12pm

    Now it’s my patriotic duty to pay more taxes!!! hahahhahahahahahaha! I shoulder enough of Washington’s burden- thank you very much! I‘d love to see this guy’s tax bill.

    Report Post » RN MOM  
  • TADTAD
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:54pm

    God only asks for 10%, and this ******* laments the government taking “only” 14 percent of GDP? Screw this a-hole. I’m getting a short fuse with this trash. We need to restore the US Constitution, immediately.

    Report Post » TADTAD  
  • beverlee
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:52pm

    I think all the people who agree with Mr. Shield should just send in another 10 or 20 Gs to the IRS each year. Ya know, just to show how American they truly are.

    Report Post » beverlee  
  • Alan
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:50pm

    No, it’s un-American to spend the nation into unsustainable debt. Low taxes have been and would be pro-American. Unfortunately, the crazy left is rewriting history and systematically changing the meaning of words such as un-American. What he should have said is “low taxes are un-socialist” Then he would be correct.

    Report Post »  
    • Erabin
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 6:30am

      Taxes are at historically low levels. You should inform yourself on tax rates in the golden age of America.

      Taxes are not a punishment, taxes are not theft, taxes are a fee you pay to live in an advanced society. Social contract and all.

      Report Post »  
  • riseandshine
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:44pm

    Raise taxes= Feed the beast

    Report Post » riseandshine  
  • riseandshine
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:41pm

    Mark Shields….lol

    Report Post » riseandshine  
  • llotus
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:41pm

    And they can call this un-American. They need to open their eyes to what is un-American. Lotus.

    Report Post »  
  • llotus
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:38pm

    Those people sure do like the word, fundamentaly. Careful they dont have to eat it someday. Lotus.

    Report Post »  
  • CaptainSpaulding
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:29pm

    Taxes, taxes, taxes. :) You make it, we take it.

    Now fork it over, we need raises. :)

    Report Post »  
  • cous1933
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:28pm

    Didn’t watch the video but I read the story. I found 1 mistake in the story – Charles Krauthammer was referred to as “conservative”. I think what you meant is “neocon”.
    The reason I didn‘t watch the video is because it’s silly to watch two big-government elitists pretend to argue while offering nothing worthwhile. Unless one of them says “end the Fed, bring home all of our troops, end the IRS, end corporate welfare, end foreign aid for everyone, end the wasteful war on drugs, get the federal government out of education, business, and the environment, and let a truly free market repair the economy”, then it’s just two status quo talking heads. Talk about real solutions or shut up please.
    Ron Paul 2012!!!

    Report Post » cous1933  
    • CanadaKen
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:10am

      I agree, much smaller government and stop the spending.

      Ron Paul 2012

      Report Post » CanadaKen  
    • 123456789_0
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 4:33am

      that’s a lot of empty political rhetoric buddy. so you don’t like roads, national defense, affordable healthcare, macroeconomic stability, free market capitalism, competent and effective government? abolish all of it? or are you just repeating lines that you heard someone else say but you don’t really understand? do you realize you’re advocating anarchy, not any type of government or democracy? well i love my country and i’d rather not see it burn in hell. but by all means, end the war on drugs. first bill ever to legalize weed is on the congressional agenda for this week. let’s get it passed.

      Report Post »  
    • cous1933
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 7:43pm

      _O,
      No empty rhetoric at all. Every one of those positions is consistent with libertarian ideas. Libertarian ideas originated with the founders. I never said a thing about roads (that is part of the enumerated powers in Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution. I didn’t say I was against a strong national defense (which is also part of the Constitution) I just believe our national defense will be better served when our military is here, protecting our borders and not scattered all over the world as occupiers and nation builders. The government has no business in health care (in fact they have caused most of the problems).I don‘t know where you thought I didn’t like free market capitalism, in fact I clearly said “let the free market repair the economy”. And as far as “competent and effective government”? I haven’t seen that in my lifetime. Our federal government is a hugely overgrown, incompetant monstrosity. As far as “advocating anarchy”, I don’t recall any call for violence on my part. If I’m not mistaken anarchists want the violent overthrow of government. I just want an honest president who truly believes in liberty and can’t be bought. That’s Ron Paul.

      Report Post » cous1933  
    • 123456789_0
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 10:18pm

      well, you want to abolish the IRS, which would end the collection of taxes, since it is in the interal revenue serivce after all. how would the federal government be able to match state funds for interstate highway construction? How would local governments pave roads if they had to pay for highways on their own? should state and local gov be allowed to collect taxes at least? how would we finance national defense? an expanded role for government necessitates larger taxes; we can’t hide from the globalized world, we can only react to it. no matter what we can’t reverse time and break our human ties; free market capitalism across international boundaries calls for the greater role of government. we cannot be competitive economically if we don’t accept that truth.
      you can believe our national interests are better served if our defenses are here all you want, but we already have a coast guard, reserve services, and the largest percentage of police to population in the world. if you want to bring them home, then you should probably disband them too, but when we cut violence out of our power equation, what will we replace it with w/o foreign aid; when people already hate us?
      the founding fathers were not libertarians. they were land- and slave- owning colonists from England who massacred an entire race of people and sought above all to protect their interests from the larger masses of poor and discontent people around them

      Report Post »  
  • rayblue
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:27pm

    Horoscope writer, Jacob Baboon says; tax the Sagitarians. They are the holders of the zodiacs wealth and the Libras know much better how to redistribute the tribute from the old wishing well over in Lala land. Baboon is quoted as saying; “quote”, “I quote the ancient quotation that was quoted before all this mess began. Baal needs women and we must make more on the woman machine right away or a crisis will certainly befall the whole flat universe as we know it. Everything else is just lipstick on the sacrificial pig and won’t do diddly for the fourfold mass of uppitydom”.
    End quotation.

    Report Post » Rayblue  
    • vennoye
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 11:46pm

      Goodness, think the Baboon forgot to tell the Sagitarians that “They are the holders of the zodiacs wealth” My experience with them just does NOT confirm that statement…. Next these people will be holding seances!!

      Report Post » vennoye  
    • Komponist-ZAH
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:19am

      That’s about as sensical as “tax the rich”.

      Report Post »  
    • 338lapua
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 7:30am

      In ONE short paragraph,you have helped me understand the reasoning of the entire tax code!
      Thank you @ray, thank you Dr. Baboon.

      Report Post »  
  • Chett
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:22pm

    Some interesting thoughts on what one person can do -
    http://www.zerohedge.com/article/guest-post-%E2%80%9Cstay-and-fight%E2%80%9D-realistic#comment-1382369

    Report Post »  
  • thermonator
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:18pm

    I agree, everyone should pay taxes not just the rich.

    Report Post » thermonator  
    • HumbleMan
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:10am

      How is it American that some … nearly half … pay no income tax at all? I calculated what part of my income goes to the government including sales tax, gas tax, highway tolls,income tax, property tax. It comes to about 48%. That means half of every day I’m working for the government.

      If that 1/2 of our population can vote, but they have no taxes to pay … I get screwed every time.

      How about some redistribution of the tax burden?

      TEA!

      Report Post » HumbleMan  
    • Outlaw_Josey_Wales
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 6:31am

      All the tax payers should go on strick, stay home from work, no income tax revenue for federal and state governments. We will tell the clowns in washington we’re not going back to work till we get a nice big tax cut. And we also want a 40% cut in federal spending, there goes all the welfare and give away program. Obama love unions, time for the hard working tax payers to get unionized. Then are union representative will tell obama how things were, how things are, and how things are going to be. Take this collective bargaining thing to a whole new level, tax cuts and spending cuts.

      Report Post » Outlaw_Josey_Wales  
    • cemerius
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 11:24am

      Federal sales tax at 4% and written into the Constitution so no greased palmed politician can increase it because their constituent’s want to fund a gay rodeo poetry event! of course, the Fed Sales Tax would abolish the Fed Income Tax!!

      Report Post » cemerius  
  • Laus Deo
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:13pm

    2 generations (at very least) to reverse course of this wreck-bound ship. Unbelievably idiotic tools, they are.

    Report Post » Laus Deo  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:23pm

      Two gerneation maybe, it could be done for the most part inside one if there is a strong enough base to make the movements needed happen. I hope God still is willing to help turn us in a new direction and help the Restoration of the land occur.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • MONICNE
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:32pm

      Snow-leper

      ??? HUH? ???

      Report Post » MONICNE  
  • justice
    Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:10pm

    Wouldn’t it be to much if everyone not pay their taxes this next year. By that time we are all under anyways.

    Report Post »  
    • poorrichardsnews
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:15pm

      BREAKING: Robert Gates confirms US is negotiating with the Taliban: http://poorrichardsnews.com/post/6708052762/us-begins-negotiating-with-the-taliban-update-robert

      Sorry that’s not relevant to this particular post, but I couldn’t find a foreign policy thread to post on.

      Report Post » poorrichardsnews  
    • Showtime
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:17pm

      People are up in arms, so to speak, all over the world because of the same rhetoric that this guy spews, which he learned from the foreign Muslim-in-Chief.

      If the Liberal Democrats could stop spending, stop borrowing, stop aiding the enemy, stop hiring, stop protesting, we MIGHT get this country back on track. The experienced Communist leaders have all warned us that Obama‘s agenda isn’t going to work.

      Report Post » Showtime  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:20pm

      @Justice:

      It would be nice, and yet if this journalist wishes to have more taxes coming in to the Fed’s then why will he not hand over more of his own income to them? That would set an example of doing what he is preaching, instead of wanting everyone else to do it and leave him out of it.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:22pm

      @Poor Richards News:

      Thanks for the link, I have seen this headline on the newsights in India and Pakistam for a couple of days now; for some reason the American media (the leftist lunatic fringe) refuses to cover this, and we are set to turn tail and run away once again.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • MONICNE
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:22pm

      This is correct of course. We need to collect some money to pay for Iraq and Afghanistan., and reduce the debt so we are not paying 43 cents on the dollar for interest. Maybe Iraq could give us a Trillion Cash, and Afghanistan could give us another Trillion in mineral rights for the next 20 years.

      I cant believe the chicken hawk Neoconservatives placed us in such a neo-bankrupt position.

      Report Post » MONICNE  
    • TheCenturion
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:26pm

      Mark Shields low IQ is unfathomable.

      Is it a prerequisite that you have to be stupid to be a liberal “journalist” or media personality?

      Report Post »  
    • TheCenturion
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:30pm

      Yes, we may be at 14.5% of GDP, the problem is that the fools in D.C. are spending WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more than that.

      One thing I will never understand about liberals is; if they want to spend our money why do they work so hard at inhibiting our ability to earn it with their oppressive regulations?

      Report Post »  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:40pm

      Yeah .La Raza and Acorn need your money
      Dont be Un-American

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • 13th Imam
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 10:44pm

      Encinom180 says those dastardly Neoconservatives are completely responsible for all America debt. Liberals, Socialists, Progressives, Communists, Anarchists, DEMOCRATS ALL, have been trying to hold down Americas Spending since Woodie Wilson, They just do it in a convoluted way. Spending more equals spending less. Can’t we all clearly see this. It’s so transparent.

      Report Post » 13th Imam  
    • Oil_Robb
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 11:18pm

      This guy hasnt died off yet?

      Report Post »  
    • TheLascone
      Posted on June 19, 2011 at 11:57pm

      Sorry Mark .. Ronnie Reagan knew more than you about taxes….
      http://www.flickr.com/photos/23630227@N06/5425520232/in/photostream/

      Report Post » TheLascone  
    • calijohn
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:45am

      the best thing for this country is to go back to the tax levels during the reagan years.
      that would show those godless democrats that the tea party means business.

      Report Post »  
    • Dont-hate-on-me-2
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:45am

      its unamerican to pay income tax at all but we do

      Report Post » Dont-hate-on-me-2  
    • Whosincharge
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:08am

      WHAT !

      They are all government SERVANTS

      not the other way around. President, Congress, Judges: YOU are MY SERVANT !

      Report Post »  
    • jeffyfreezone
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:08am

      If we could get these fringe left wing air headed pundits and politicians to grasp the truth of the Laffer Curve, our problems would be solved!

      Report Post »  
    • paperpushermj
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:19am

      Mr Shields you are correct. The Bottom 50% of wage earners paying 10% of the total income tax is as I believe Un-American. What say You.

      Report Post » paperpushermj  
    • unsalvageable.org
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:42am

      The libs won’t be happy until we all pay 90% our our earnings to the government so that they can take care of all the deadbeats that don’t work! http://www.unsalvageable.org

      Report Post »  
    • foobear
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:43am

      14% of GDP is a drop due entirely to the depression (ahem, recession) we’re in. Look at the graph of GDP over time. Everyone needs to Google “Hauser’s Law” – the tax percentage of GDP has stayed remarkably constant (at around 19%) regardless of tax policy, over the last 60 years.

      Report Post » foobear  
    • ForeignWatcher
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:30am

      But you all do know that there were never less taxes in the US? And that there are very few industrial countries with les taxes?
      But come on, lower them taxes.

      Uh, and no, spending doesnt have anything to do with that. Spending IS to high, but taxes also are to low…

      Report Post »  
    • nptden
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 4:25am

      It will be no problem. the 50% who pay taxes are coming into the bracket of non-taxpayers thanks to our new Socialist govt. Houses are being lost, with jobs pretty soon the top 10% will be paying for all of us. Voila, Socialism will be here.

      Report Post » nptden  
    • Dustyluv
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:55am

      We would have plenty of money if we would pull our troops home and let the Muslim world duke it out, cut off welfare, food stamps and medicare unless you are TRULY NEEDY and abolish or defund all government agencies that regulate us into oblivion. This is not a Government by the people, it is a Government RULING people!

      I am about to retire. the Government can have all the money I paid into Social Security if I can just opt out the last few years…

      Report Post »  
    • chazman
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 6:12am

      Just imagine how much money in taxes we would save if welfare were ONLY given to those who truly need and deserve it. Or how much in taxes we would save if we stopped illegal aliens from coming into our country. Or how much in taxes we would save if we got rid of LIBERAL MARXISM!!!!!!!!!

      Report Post »  
    • Meyvn
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 8:08am

      I am among the “paying half”… for now. We’ll see how things work out.

      Report Post » Meyvn  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 8:16am

      So Mark if you say low taxes are un-American what are no taxes? Because 50% of American citizens pay nothin, I guess they’re all un- American …right?
      How about this you abolish the entire tax code and replace it with a fair tax then everyone pays the same when they purchase item……That’s American…You also require citizens who purchase big ticket items abroad to pay the same taxes they would if they pruchased here in the U.S. Just to keep everything FAIR equal and American

      Report Post »  
    • hauschild
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 8:19am

      “…is un-American”

      So is acting like a communist.

      Report Post »  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 9:06am

      I have to agree –

      It IS un-American to allow 45% of America to FREELOAD off the other 55% who are willing to work their butts off.

      That is a form of taxation that is unfair, un-American, and un-sustainable.

      Taxation without representation? I contend that NON-TAXATION, – WITH representation is EXACTLY THE SAME as TAXATION without representation. Because, the non-taxed receive representation just as much as the taxed. This means that the representation of the taxed is only PARTIAL or FRACTIONAL representation, because the representation is GIVEN to the NON-TAXED for FREE!

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • TheWholeTruth
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 9:19am

      Would someone SHOW ME THE LAW that states we HAVE TO PAY INCOME TAX? “Income” has been defined MORE THAN ONCE by the Supreme Court as Capital Gains from Business, NOT from Labor. When we work we are working in exchange for money. We are not ‘gaining’ anything. It’s an equal TRADE!

      Our Military is funded 100% by Corp. taxes. Our roads are paid for by gas taxes.. etc.. ALL of our ‘income tax’ is going to pay the interest on our debt.. NOTHING else.

      Find and watch America: Freedom to Facism and PAY ATTENTION. I looked it up in the Tax Code and it states VOLUNTARY…

      Report Post »  
    • jb.kibs
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 10:37am

      not paying the king is unAmerican? F U, and F your family too.

      Report Post »  
    • jb.kibs
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 10:38am

      The whole truth is EXACTLY correct.

      Report Post »  
    • drbage
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 10:48am

      @PoorRichardNews:–Another fine example of the Obama foreign policy: placate and appease.

      Report Post »  
    • drbage
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 10:53am

      Mr. Shields, if you are so passionate and concerned about this, YOU could always pay more taxes and when doing your tax return not use any of the 1776 tax breaks you employ so that YOU don’t have to pay “more than your fair share!”

      Report Post »  
    • JRook
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 11:22am

      Wonderful to hear the traditional ideological comments regarding low taxes. Perhaps a better starting point is to actually decide what needs to be spent on education, health care, environmental protection, national parks, space exploration, etc. and then set rates at a level that will pay for it. I specifically exclude both Social Security and Medicare as they should be regarded as annuities paid for by both the employee and company in order to fund future services. They are incorrectly labeled as taxes and similar to any annuity, the amounts should be based on sound actuarial analysis. The low taxes vs. adequate taxes is a stale and lame debate.

      Report Post »  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 11:42am

      THEWHOLETRUTH,
      You nailed it when I work in exchange for money I’m trading my time for money an equal exchange of goods and service.

      Report Post »  
    • Viet Vet
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 11:48am

      13TH IMAM, I think it was MONICNE you were talking about. And you are correct to put anarchists (Libertarians) like him in the Democrap category, for they are in fact de facto democraps. Sharing isolationism, atheism, drug use advocation, and conspiricist characteristics, to name a few.

      SHOWTIME, Shields was a marxist long before Obummer came on the same. He’s been spouting this crap for years. He has a brain the size of a pea. A really dumb person.

      drbage is exactly right, anyone who wants to pay more taxes to the Federal Gub’mint is entirely free to send them money. They can send a check and specify the General Fund or whatever, and/or they can do it in the spring when they file their taxes. This would be a great idea for the Hollyweird commies especially.

      Report Post »  
    • MONICNE
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:34pm

      When President John F Kennedy first proposed cutting Income Taxes, the Republicans correctly argued that the economy would be destabilized by the cost of war or emergency. America-loving conservative thinkers like Nixon, Goldwater and Eisenhower were wise enough to realize that paying for wars and security cost money; and they felt national infrastructure had to be paid for by usage fees.

      Report Post » MONICNE  
    • Lotus503
      Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:59pm

      Mark Shields is “Fundamentally un-American”.

      Report Post »  
    • WeDontNeedNoStinkingBadges
      Posted on June 21, 2011 at 2:31am

      “Columnist Mark Shields: Today‘s Low Taxes Are ’Fundamentally Un-American’”

      And he KNOWS “un-American”.

      Report Post » WeDontNeedNoStinkingBadges  
    • BSdetector
      Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:27am

      I read “Communist Mark Shields: Today‘s Low Taxes Are ’Fundamentally Un-American”
      I think my version is more accurate.

      Report Post » BSdetector  
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