Why Is California Broke? Because it Taxes the Rich!
- Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:24pm by
Emily Esfahani Smith
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Business Insider breaks it down:
Almost half of California’s income taxes come from the top 1% of earners. In New York, the percentage is now 41%, up from 25% in 1994. In Connecticut and New Jersey, the top 1% pay more than 40%.
Being so dependent on super-rich people is great when times are good, because revenues soar. But the trouble is that the earnings of super-rich people are super-volatile, so when times are bad, or even mediocre, tax revenues plummet.
If governments approached budgeting the way smart people would, they would run massive surpluses in boom times, thus storing acorns for the inevitable winter ahead. But if our government officials have demonstrated anything over the years, it’s that they are utterly incapable of doing this. Instead, they look at the revenues in the boom times and think “WOW! We’re rich! We can spend every penny of that and more!”
Brad Williams, a California economist, has been trying to impress this fact upon Golden State lawmakers for some time now.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
As Brad Williams walked the halls of the California state capitol in Sacramento on a recent afternoon, he spotted a small crowd of protesters battling state spending cuts. They wore shiny white buttons that said “We Love Jobs!” and argued that looming budget reductions will hurt the Golden State’s working class.
Mr. Williams shook his head. “They’re missing the real problem,” he said.
The working class may be taking a beating from spending cuts used to close a cavernous deficit, Mr. Williams said, but the root of California’s woes is its reliance on taxing the wealthy….
Mr. Williams, a former economic forecaster for the state, spent more than a decade warning state leaders about California’s over-dependence on the rich. “We created a revenue cliff,” he said. “We built a large part of our government on the state’s most unstable income group.”
In his article, Robert Frank of the Wall Street Journal adds that it’s a volatile strategy for state governments to depend on revenues from taxing the rich:
State income taxes are generally less progressive than federal income taxes, and more than a half-dozen states have no income tax. Yet a number of states have recently hiked taxes on the top earners to raise revenue during the recession. New York, for instance, imposed a “millionaire’s tax” in 2009 on those earning $500,000 or more, although the tax is expected to expire at the end of 2011. Connecticut’s top income-tax rate has crept up to 6.5% from 4.5% in 2002, while Oregon raised the top tax rate to 11% from 9% for filers with income of more than $500,000.
As they’ve grown, the incomes of the wealthy have become more unstable. Between 2007 and 2008, the incomes of the top-earning 1% fell 16%, compared to a decline of 4% for U.S. earners as a whole, according to the IRS. Because today’s highest salaries are usually linked to financial markets—through stock-based pay or investments—they are more prone to sudden shocks.
There‘s another reason why state governments shouldn’t depend on tax revenue from the rich: the rich vote with their feet. An excellent report called Rich States Poor States, put out by the American Legislative Exchange Council, shows that when states like California impose burdensome taxes on the rich, the rich respond by moving to states like Texas, which have friendlier tax climates.
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Comments (237)
spendthrift
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:23pmCalifornia is has so many regulations, taxes, redtape, and illegals it has become a pathetic place to live. I guess it beats living in Kansas or some other dust bowl…..
Report Post »beboc1
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 3:15pmCalifornia is a beautiful state. It‘s the people that have taken it ove that aren’t. I lived in San Diego for over forty years and finally left because I couldn’t stand their politics. By the way, there are some very beautiful places in Kansas.
Report Post »concealled9mms
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:25pmi lived in san diego area since 1950 . whats the old saying beauty is in the eyes of the beholder its a dump
Report Post »Dandylyon
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:18pmCalifornia is the best example of how socialism/communism does NOT work.Tax the people that provide the jobs and they leave,no more jobs.Allow all the illegals in and put them on welfare,who pays for it?soon enough you have a beautiful state just like Mexico being run by the like’s of Jerry Brown.
Hell ! makes perfictly good sense to me.YOU GO CALIFORNIA !!!!!
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:28pmA company threatening to leave if it has to pay x amount of taxes is pretty close to blackmail, though.
Scratch that, it IS blackmail.
Report Post »Katayno
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:47pmNon-seq: Agreed, however, if you offer a 2 year tax freeze to get a company into your State and then after 2 years have a REASONABLE amount tax (maybe 20%)…what would be wrong with that? Face it….if you owned your own company…you’d avoid being taxes out of business. Maybe this would stop companies from going over seas.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 11:48pm@Non-Squirter,
No, it’s called voting with your feet. You know, it’s that……what’s it called again?………uummmmnnn……………oh yea………FREEDOM THINGY.
You can take your fingers out of your ears now, I won’t say it again.
Report Post »Certainly don’t want to offend any of the S.C.U.M.
JRook
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 3:01pmA progressive tax system served this country well when corporations and the wealthy thought and acted like citizens. Spare me the capitalist, socialist, communist simplicity. We have slowly moved away from the concept of citizenship, where corporations and individuals took pride in their community and invested in it. Companies that move jobs oversees to exploit workers for $2 a day in China are not good citizens of the US or China. The wealthy who utilize tax breaks and tax loopholes to avoid paying taxes and hire lawyers to transfer their assets to their children rather than pay inheritance taxes or pay for their nursing home care are not good citizens.
Report Post »KnowingTheFuture
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:18pmA must see! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5FDmujOrpM
Report Post »Katayno
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:16pmTax the Job creators…20%. They will stay where they are…it‘s a great rate for them and keeps the GE’s from getting out of paying ZERO. My name was almost “Changethetaxcode” but went with Katayno. I am passionate about this…and no one wants to touch it…the lobbyist and special interest on BOTH SIDES are in the tank. The Libs always push it on the Rebublicans and every chance a rich liberal gets to cheat their way out of paying more taxes they will do it.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 2:56pmUnfortunately you ignore the fact that through tax breaks and tax loopholes developed for the corporations and the rich, by corporations and the rich and then put through by the politicians they own, their effective tax rates are more like 10%.
Report Post »jeffile
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:06pmFace it. There is absolutely no way we are going to eliminate the multiple unnecessary agencies nor their unnecessary spending unless lazy and unaware conservatives get off their collective butts and do as the leftest pigs do. Go to the streets and demand sensible spending and, as the leftest pigs do if their demands aren’t met, then escalate. Would that make conservatives the same as leftest pigs? Well, does violence against criminals when police are of no help make one a criminal? Liberals get their way because they aren’t afraid to get in your face, lie, distort and make you the culprit. Conservatives seem to sit back and try to use logic and reasoning but are afraid to confront these bully tactics.
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:19pm“Liberals get their way because they aren’t afraid to get in your face, lie, distort and make you the culprit. Conservatives seem to sit back and try to use logic and reasoning but are afraid to confront these bully tactics.”
I’ve heard that argument from both sides, just with “Liberals” and “Conservatives” exchanged.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 11:38pm@NON-Squirter……
You have? where? when?
Report Post »With each post you make, you diminish your credibility.
I know, your asking…….. How can something that does not exist, be diminished?
I know not how, but yet you manage.
Therightsofbilly
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 1:10amEdit above post to read:
You are asking……….(Not, Your asking)
Just so you won’t have to suggest I take a grammar class or something.
Report Post »Tyrone
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:06pmThis article only touches part of the problem. Ca. has high gas taxes, property tax,business tax and sales tax. So although the very rich are paying way more than they should the remainder are unknowingly (due to self imposed ignorance) getting soaked by other taxes. Somehow too many people only equate taxes as to what you pay state and Feds each April. Questions I have for them and usually get blank stare: How much is sales tax? Are there any taxes on your utility bills? Do you ever look at your property tax bill and see where your money is going? How much is the gas tax per gallon?
Report Post »beboc1
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:31pmCalifornia‘s only problem is they’ve let the goofball left take over.
Report Post »concealled9mms
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:41pmour gas tax is like 80 cents a gallon i bought gas yesterday and paid 4.09 a gallon now in about a month from now we are forced to buy the summer blend fuel it will ad another 35 cents per gallon and we are stuck paying this during the summer months it is suppose to rid are air of pollution god i hate enviormentalist they have ruined the state
Report Post »MeteoricLimbo
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:06pmthe rich just move away…..cali has brown rot…again!
Report Post »delhoghe
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:03pmAbolish all corporate income and property taxes. Abolish the minimum wage. Turn the tax brackets upside down so the more you make the less you pay.That would give everyone more incentive to increase their income. Privatize the schools and make school attendance voluntary after grade 8. If a parent can‘t afford to pay for their children’s education they can be trained by a local business owner who needs certain types of laborers ( waitresses, assemblers, machine operators, etc. We need to allow business owners more power to educate children based on the needs of our corporations and small business owners. And throw out useless environmental and safety restrictions. Let’s get to work America !!!
Report Post »concealled9mms
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:26pmwell said makes sense to me
Report Post »Katayno
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 3:29pmA pipe dream.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 11:23pmYou forgot “Abolish all trolls”
Report Post »concealled9mms
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:02pmcalifornia could take a big chunk out of there dept buy simply refusing to pay benifits to illegals gov wilson tried only to be overturned by the 9th circus court many parts of the state are now starting to look like mexican border towns simply put slums thanks liberals for your distruction of calif for the simply reason to buy votes . personally i bought a ranch in northern ariz seligman arizona and some property in southern oregon brookings. if the eco ever picks up im outta calif . buy the way my 44 acres and small house in n arizona cost 840.00 in taxes and not one illegal in sight. there are much nicer places then calif. cali is destroyed
Report Post »powedj
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:02pmCalifornia liberals are like whiney brats in a grocery store: I wan it, I wan it, Waaaaa, Waaaaa..
Report Post »beboc1
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:59pmJust like Eric Cartman
Report Post »roadhog
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:01pm1 Billion dollars a year is wasted on one agency CRAP . The agency is a home for party workers that can draw $120.000 plus a Gold Plated Pensions. 50% of the budget should be cut.
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:56pmSpending like white trash lottery winners might also have something to do with the matter…
Report Post »Its Gonna Getcha
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:55pmFor this POTUS to ever suggest the have-not’s are justified in their obsession with the wealthy is a blatant example of his incompetence and lack of nobility.
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:56pmYou’re a have-not and you’re revering the wealthy. For what reason?
Report Post »beboc1
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:53pmWhere on earth did this @@it about social justice come from? I consider social justice to be things like we can all sit anywhere on the bus, use the same restrooms, etc.. Taking money away from people that have worked for it to give to people that haven’t is criminal. It’s too damned bad if you goofed off in school and now have to work at Burger King or the likes….not my fault. Too bad if you slept around and had children early in life and now are strapped for income. Not my fault. Too bad if you allowed someone like Barney Franks to get ACORN to bully the banks into giving you a loan you couldn‘t afford and now it’s been foreclosed on…..not my fault. I could go on with the examples of how liberalism has f’d up the country but you folks already know them all. It just galls and amazes me how people can brainwash themselves into believing that everything should be handed to them on a silver platter!
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 11:04pmHey Non-Squirter,
May I suggest a reading comprehension class. ^^^^^^^
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 1:54am@BEBOC!
Agree completely, but would add that the public school system plays a huge role in the “Brainwashing”
Abolish the Dept.of Education. (It’s the intelligent thing to do)
Report Post »Mustkeeptalking
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:47pmWow! What a concept. I think a chimp could even figure this out. And all of you out there screaming “tax the rich, tax the rich, it’s their fault the economy is bad,“ get your head out of ”the sand.” If it doesn’t work on a State level, what makes you think it will work on a Federal level?
Report Post »smitrix
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:46pmok …so what incentive or motivation do i have to work hard, get an education, start a business to build wealth for my family’s security…when i know the gov’t is going to take a huge chunk and redistribute (or just flat waste) most of it??? we’re creating a culture of mediocrity by eliminating competition and punishing success…..not every kid on the team deserves a trophy….get it??
Report Post »concealled9mms
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:35pmi dont no how hard you want to work for something but if you are black the daton ohio police are hiring you dont even have to pass a test
Report Post »RugDog
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:45pmTax STUPIDITY. There’s enough stupid libs in Ca to more than cover the debt.
Report Post »JustaThought
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 3:15pmAnd speaking of Liberal stupidity … here’s Liberal Legislative Logic for you. From this article we read this:
Report Post »“New York, for instance, imposed a “millionaire’s tax” in 2009 on those earning $500,000 or more … ”
Any of you Libs out there see anything mathematical (or dictionary definition) wrong with that statement?
wisehiney
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:44pmI personally know 8 retired New York policemen who have retired and brought their nice, fat, early pensions here to North Carolina. I wonder how many high tax state retirees are sucking on their former states and spending the money elsewhere?
Report Post »chickenlittle
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:38pmI got an email the other day showing the other reason CA is broke. It was list of all the STATE govt. agencies in the there (much too long to publish here)… mind boggling to say the least. Maybe some of you have seen it. The redundancy, and extent of these agencies’ payroll would finance a good sized country… and the private sector is paying for all of it.
Report Post »tierrah
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 3:28am@Chicken: I’ll tell you something else the private citizen is paying for on the National level. We are paying the web hosting fees, webmasters’ fees and all other fees connected with having a website for every state and every county and city of that state! Wonder how many folks know that?
Report Post »bobodu
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:38pmThey need to start taxing illegals…..
Report Post »82dAirborne
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:40pmI think Mikey Moore has a few extra bucks.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 11:17pmThat’s what amnesty is all about you fool.
Report Post »Tax them?……..NO
Deport them?………YES
Czar Casm
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 1:46pmOh crap, I agree with BOBODU!
Report Post »Hickory
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:37pmHere’s a thought, tax only the rich liberals. If they are so concerned, then they should give gladly.
Report Post »Hoosier Daddy
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:39pmBecause your idea makes sense, you must be destroyed.
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:51pmHow about this: Only people who want to pay taxes pay taxes, but only the people who pay taxes get to use the things funded with those taxes.
Report Post »Katayno
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:18pmYou must be joking….they’d use their tax attorneys to get out of paying a penney if they could.
Report Post »They are hypocrites.
concealled9mms
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:31pmobamas rich liberal groupies dont pay their taxes
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 10:57pmOK Non-Squirter, sounds like a plan.
You can listen to NPR, while you drive your Volt, down to the Planned Parenthood office.
I won’t.
Report Post »BlueStrat
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 11:18pm@ TheRightsOfBilly
Why does the Volt come with rear-window defrosters?
To keep the driver’s hands warm while he pushes it. ~rimshot~
Thanks, I’ll be here all week. Remember to try the waitresses and tip the steak.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 12:48amHey BLUESTRAT,
I like your style. Anyone who owns a Strat is OK in my book.
Report Post »glockomatic
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:34pmTexas welcomes rich Californians who wish to retain some of their own money. The rest of you can stay in CA and sleep in the beds that you made.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:43pmTrue, we in TX will welcome people from CA, as long as they bring their work ethic with them, and leave their liberal ideas back in the place that is being ruined by them.
Report Post »PimpBallWizard
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 2:02pmyeah, I’ve read about similar situations occurring in other states where people relocate to a less progressive state, to get away from the rampant tax and spend mentality only to vote in the same crap they fled from in the first place!
The problem with the states and federal government is NOT how much they tax, it is the grotesque amount of SPENDING. Name ONE government agency instituted since 1986 that we really need…..Truth be told, you could probably go back a few more decades and eliminate all the government bloat instituted since then and NOBODY (except the leeches) would miss them!
Report Post »rienheart
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:34pmRich people are leaving those high Tax Staes in droves, going where they are welcome and bringing jobs to thse States that welcome them with lower taxes. Lower Taxes = more jobbs.
Report Post »Lord_Frostwind
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 12:05pmI think that before anyone can be elected they have to read Atlas Shrugged. So that instead of the Robin Hood belief that they can simply take from the rich and give to the poor, they realize that the rich are usually smart people who can see a situation for what it is, and will gladly leave the bleeding hearts to their own devices. I guess that is a hopeless notion, they can’t even take time to read the bills they sign into law, much less a chapter book.
Report Post »Bermuda Onion
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:34pmAre the Hollywood dopes going to move? I know they probably don’t realize the amount of taxes they pay because they their peeps take care of all that. But I guarantee you that if they took care of their own expenses, they would realize that they are being fleeced with nothing to show for it.
Report Post »Stegall TX
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:42pmHow many of the “earn” their money in California? It seems that many, many movies are made almost anywhere but California and every state has a bureaucracy dedicated to attracting filmmakers. If a movie is made at Irving Studios here in Texas, do the California residents pay taxes on the money they earn from that movie? I don’t know, because I have no experience with State Income Taxes.
Report Post »Tyrone
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:54pmStegall: You pay state taxes on monies earned in the state. Make money in Texas, pay state taxes in Texas.
Report Post »Fewer and fewer movies are being made in California. State legislature is reluctant to address the problem. The trailer at the movies end indicates where it was filmed. Also many Tv movies and Tv shows are filmed in Canada.
Capitan
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:54pmActually they pay very little taxes because they can afford the best accountants.
Report Post »Also they write nearly everything from the jets to the clothes to the spa treatments as business expenses. Their business is being a glamorous star so nearly everything can be written off.
Non-sequitur
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:24pm“Actually they pay very little taxes because they can afford the best accountants.”
This is true for every large company. Boeing paid 0.7% in taxes because of loopholes.
Here’s a nice article about tax dodging and how incredibly rampant it is:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/CompaniesWithTheFattestTaxBreaks.aspx
Report Post »Tnredneck
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:28pmMore and more movies are being filmed in Memphis and west tennesse. I can think of a half dozen top movies right off the top of my head. Why? Lower cost of living and no state income tax. Not to mention talent that is affordable and appreciates the opportunity
Report Post »Katayno
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:41pmIt’s amazing that Right and Left agree on this issue. The tax laws should be changed. The queen of mean – Leona Helmsley said. “Only the little people pay taxes.” How right she was. Unfortunately,
too many members of the House and Senate are rich…or owe the rich favors.
Alan Simpson addressed this issue and it went NO WHERE. He said we were losing ONE TRILLION & 800 BILLION by NOT fixing the problem. We could turn our debt around in 2 decades if we fixed the tax codes. So Simple….but ignored. Left and Right should join together on this one.
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:34pmCA’s problem is not only Taxation , it’s also spending billions each year on illegals + spending billions on useless “green” programs that no one knows what they’re for + pensions .
Report Post »integrican
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:38pm@ Bermuda Onion who said “Are the Hollywood dopes going to move?”
Do some research. You will find many, many, many, Hollywood stars already own huge ranches and estates in MT, WY, UT, CO etc. Further research will show you that if they live there the majority of the time (6mo. or more) their tax rates confer to that states rates. If they don’t they open a Corporation in that state and are payed through their owned Corp. for their work. Letterman from NY/CT also owns a HUGE ranch in MT for the same reason!!! They are all hypocrites, all of them!!!
Report Post »Capitan
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:31pmBye bye California, I am now legally a resident of Texas
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:48pmIts great if you can leave and leave California to its problems. However, I doubt that Obama will allow California to suffer the consequences of its progressive policies, which means the federal government will eventually bail it out, and that means WE WILL ALL PAY for the stupidity that is California.
Report Post »http://guerillatics.com
CatB
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:13pmHe better hurry up .. before we throw the bums out in 2012! TEA!
Report Post »weeblewacker1
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:20pm@watchtheotherhand; so i take it you live in one of the “welfare states” you know one of the states that take more money from the gov.than they put in? if the feds just quit funding these states,we would be in good shape! and as for the super-rich,aaaaaaahhh poor babies! boo-hoo.like any of them really pay that 40% or 41%!! more like 10%-12% with all there loop-holes and off-shore accounts.show me one million-air that pays the full amount and i will show you a crappy accountant.
Report Post »Nervous Investor
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:38pmCan Obama do that … bail California, Illinois and NY? ….. If all the other States “forced” their Senators to just say NO !!!!! Would that be able to stop the madness? I can see this breaking up the Federation ….
Report Post »Rickfromillinois
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:36pmweeblewhacker try to read and digest what the articles says. They say that the state gets 41% of their income tax from the top 1%. Not that they want to or that they should be getting that amount, it says that they are. Your post is stupid.
Report Post »lylee
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:49pmYou can run but you can’t hide. Didn’t you know we are redistributing the wealth? Therefore, we will bail out California. Texans included!
Report Post »decendentof56
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 10:14pmNervous…..
Report Post »Try telling Lautenberg and Mendenez ‘No’. Mendendez is a racist who fights for the interests of a particular group, and Lautenberg is one of those despicible, anti-American left-wing Jews (think Joy Behar). I didn’t say all Jews, now, but those two have got to go!
TXPilot
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:26pmGuess California hasnt realized that all those rich people they are taxing to the point they are fleeing the state, are the ones that create and provide alot of the jobs….sucks to be them.
Report Post »Hoosier Daddy
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:35pmYes, it is easier for the wealthy to vote with their feet than the poor or even the middle-class. At some point, the benefits of living in CA will not match the costs and more of these job creators will flee for warmer economic climates . Governor Moonbeam will sit there in his soiled Depends up in Sacramento wondering what hapened and when will Lord Obama make it all better.
Report Post »82dAirborne
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:37pmThey also want to reduce the number of “rich” people. If they were to succeed who would they then tax? The left can be as short sighted as a group of ten year old children. I want it! – I want it now! – I don’t know or care where it comes from! – I want it!!
Report Post »Templar Knight
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:40pmIt’s amazing how much common sense goes into conservative view points. Thing is it actually works unlike the liberal agenda. Texas is proof of this as California, NJ, NY and other liberal states is a fine example at how socialism/communism doesn’t work. I don’t know how liberals think they are so smart when in actuality they are so freaking stupid.
TXPilot
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:41pmI guess California won’t change their ways, as long as they know that Obama will always be willing to steal all our tax dollars and give them that big, juicy government bailout, if they finally run out of people to rob locally.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:43pmTriple the taxes on Hollywood. I don’t ever hear any on them offering to give more, they just seem to want everyone else to redistribute their wealth while they quietly make more crappy movies with no salient value.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:47pmI am on the phone with a friend from high school, and he said it’s the same reason Volvo moved away from Asheville, NC.
Ronald Reagan was no economist, but he understood common sense.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:50pmI say keep taxing CA NY & IL please keep it up stand by your convictions and your beliefs be consistent don’t give in to any realities. Those of us in other states that actual have an understanding of economics will reap the financial rewards of those state governments stupidity !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »Revere1
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:52pmLiberals really have no concept of how taxation works, or the effect it has on the economy: http://www.battlefield315.com/2011/02/liberal-taxes-explained.html
Report Post »All they think is, “More taxes = better.”
lovenfl3
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:52pmAnd that’s why the rich people are leaving the state. Wait until they have no more rich left to tax. Liberals will never understand. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=619wI12Ky20
Report Post »jmmjr49er
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 1:52pmOne word – Liberals. Bringing you bad education and bad policies since 1964 – LBJ – Great Society.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:06pmGood .. more can come to Florida bring their businesses and stimulate our economy … WAY TO GO CALIFORNIA! I am certain other states are cheering this on also!
Report Post »Tnredneck
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:08pmIn this case it’s not tax the rich but eat the rich. The tax base is just gone never to return. Yep sucks to be California….. Sucks even more to be rich!
Report Post »docvet
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:09pmWhat a lot of people (especially those with an entitlement mentality) don’t understand is the very wealthy can go to work one day, tell everyone they are fired, lock the doors and take their wealth to somewhere, possibly out of the U.S., and live very comfortably the rest of their life. They don’t have to put up with the crap, they have their money. Those left behind will blame everybody but themsleves. Of course, this would play right into the socialist/s hands as they would be able to take over based on the “failure of capitalism”. It isn’t just Califonia, it could be the whole country.
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:11pmThis is an excellent reason for the fair tax/ flat tax. Everyone pays a percentage of their income regardless if they are working, rich, on welfare, whatever. No more special interest deductions, just a plain and simple percentage, somewhere around 10% to 15%. The politicians would be surprised as to how much revenue would be coming in and how few IRS agents would be needed. What really surprises the average person is how someone on welfare can file a 1040 and get a refund on taxes they never paid. How’s that working out for us. Insanity.
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:16pmIt just nauseates me to think that the rest of the country are going to have to bail out California. They talk about the conservatives like we are ignorant “ HILLBILLIES” then we have to come to their rescue. We would not bail them out if I were in charge.
Good Afternoon Blazers. Grandmaof5 How are the babies? Mine are completely content and Happy. Good thing they can’t read, huh. lol SHOW did you get washed away last night?
Report Post »GONESURFING
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:16pmIf they could tax the illegal aliens they might be OK. Or kick out the illegal aliens. Either one would help.
Report Post »MiketheTrucker
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:20pmI guess it’s time for those liberal/progressive/communist actors and actresses who support this type of tyranny to step up to the plate and GIVE, give 75 or 80% of ALL that they own. GIVE, 75-80% of ALL future earnings, so that the lazy can continue to live off the backs of those who work.
THIS, is the utopia they’ve asked for, worked toward, and can now realize in all its splendor!
Report Post »beboc1
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:24pmWHY does the left always say the same things about conservatives?
1. Some version of, “it‘s Bush’s fault”.
2. All they want to do is give tax breaks to the super rich.
3. We’re racist.
4. We’re violent
5. We don’t give a damn about the middle class.
Bush was/is a RINO and didn’t do us one bit of good but BO has made him look like a saint.
Report Post »EVERYONE should get tax breaks! They seem to think that all the $$ could be made up if only the super rich were taxed @ 101% No word about the fact it‘s their spending that’s the problem.
The racist thing is pure BS! It’s their go to card when all else fails….simpletons.
As for not giving a damn about the middle class…..most of the conservatives ARE MIDDLE CLASS. So we’re waging war on ourselves??????? Yeah, right! If the sheeple on the left (most of them) would use a little logic they would see that the far left loons are just using them for their own selfish reasons.
Sheepdog911
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:27pmWhy is it, besides sheer stupidity, that when times get tough, everyone but the government cuts back on spending? If revenues have shrunk by X%, why in the world do they decide to spend even more? Fire them ALL. Forget compromise! TEA Party members, if you compromise to get a bad bill done simply to get something done, I will not compromise. I will not vote to re-elect you.
The Dems should have had the 2011 budget passed in mid-2010, when they didn’t need a single Republican vote. They couldn’t do it. No matter what the Repubs do now, the failue of the 2011 budget is the Dems fault and the Dems problem. It is only the pubs problem if you compromise. Don’t just say no! Say Hell No!!!
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 2:48pmCATB, I agree with you completely. Bring your lucrative business to Florida where we appreciate it. Wonderful weather, beautiful beaches, a Chamber of Commerce’s dream – especially today!
Report Post »Kankokage
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 3:26pmTwo things:
1) It is not evil to be rich. Liberals do not understand this; if you get rid of the upper class, EVERYONE becomes lower class – the middle class vanishes. Expanding the upper class and shrinking the lower class should be the goal of every man, woman, and child in this country.
2) There is only one fair, Constitutionally-sound taxing system in this country:
The states collect a tax from their residents; this rate can be voted on and adjusted, but I would recommend an state income tax of 10% (works for God, works for gov’t, right?). Then, the federal government taxes the state – NOT the people – a portion of that collected amount.
In other words, the people pay tax to the state, and the state pays tax to the federal.
Report Post »joseph mitch nixon
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 4:11pmand will be sucking bigger time soooooon . in california are living the biggest idiots in the world .
Report Post »Kansas Mom
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 4:25pmWe escaped from California to Kansas in 2005. You couldn’t pay me to move back. I love Kansas!!
Report Post »teachermitch32
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 4:27pmThis idea of the rich fleeing California has been talked about and looming for over a decade. The leaders in Sacto just would not listen. And the voters wouldn’t listen either. They, instead, place bond after bond on the ballot and ignorant voters, who choose to remain uninformed about those bonds, voted for them because they “sounded” humanitarian. The voters are not thinking and the state has subsequently gone broke. Taxing and spending in this state is out of control…and not done smartly at all. Too bad I can’t afford to move (or can I). Lots of places I would rather raise my family.
Report Post »TheAmericanRifleman
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 4:43pm@ Hoosier Daddy: That’s more like “Darth Obama”.
Report Post »avenger
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 4:43pmwhat do expect from lala land…they are totally fkd up !
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 4:44pm@SissyKatz ~
Report Post »“Good Afternoon Blazers. Grandmaof5 How are the babies? Mine are completely content and Happy. Good thing they can’t read, huh. lol SHOW did you get washed away last night?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pretty danged near it. The lake behind my home is overflowing at the far end. Storm woke me up about 7:00 a.m., but I was too sleepy to even turn over, much less find the dog and go to the bath tub on the leeward side. I looked out last night after the second deluge, and water was up to my bottom step. I’ve dug down so it could drain, but that was overwhelming. All the pine straw is off my roof, too.
weeblewacker1
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 4:50pmyou do know that cali has been run by a conservative-rethug Governor for a quite a few years now.maybe that’s the real reason they are screwed.
PlanetXenu
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:00pmthe real problem is that the super rich are willing to cut labor and fire people simply as an excuse to have lower taxes… they don’t want to have to spend even one night eating out at a four star restaurant… supporting that kind of selfishness only adds to the problem. thats why we end up with oil executives, their children and lawyers as politicians.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:19pm@ WEEBLEDORK………I know you are not dumb enough to make that claim regardless of how desperate you are to shift blame. You may want to rethink your statement there buck-o. Cali has been controlled by a blue congress for decades and their social policies/tax policies are what have screwed that state. This has been going on for decades. Schwarzenegger was put in office by a recall of DEMOCRATIC Gov. Gray Davis who ran up their deficit. —–Just three months later, Davis announced that the budget deficit was actually $34.8 billion—roughly half the size of the state‘s general fund and more than most states’ budgets. He then began drawing up plans to raise taxes. —-
Report Post »I am no fan whatsoever of Schwarzenegger I hardly consider him a conservative and as far as I am concerned the blue party can have him, but you better be factual when you make statements about whose fault the budget problems are in California !!!!!
Sicboy
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 7:31pmCalifornia is broke because they spend billions and billions of dollars on people who are in this country illegally. And for those of you who say don’t tax the rich. Your being fooled. EVERYBODY should pay tax’s, There should be a gradual tax depending on income. To many loopholes let the rich use high price tax specialist to get around the system.
Report Post »edcoil
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:03pmIt is everyone government and every one’s fair share should be exactly the same. The 14th amendment says the government must treat all citizens equally so if it taxes one at 10% everyone no matter the income should pay the same. If everyone pay 5% it is 5% for everyone.
Report Post »Czar Casm
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:20pmDefinetly need the Fair Tax, or consumption tax. The more you spend the more you pay.
@Cemoto78, Cemoto, is that as in Bultaco?
Report Post »Uncle Crusty
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:28pmDumbocrits have no sense for storing acorns, they use them all up, poor little squirrels, I guess they will not make it through the REAL WINTER we ALL are about to go through!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To all my Blazer friends, I know I am not respected very much by my peers here, but at least I speak the truth, no matter how much it hurts you or me. But our country is about to be transformed into something from Twilight Zone, and you all be ready for just about anything. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to figure, the last bubble, as Glenns says, is the Stock Market, and when that bubble pops, look out. Housing is dying a slow death, muni-bonds are a huge risk, bankrupt state governments, banks in trouble, entitlement spending run amuck, unpayable debt, devaluing dollar, wars, unions and fraud, cronyism, greed and avarice, throw in a touch of immorality, vice and there you have it – destruction! I sure hope we can change this thing around, cause our lives depend on it!
Report Post »KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:33pmIt is because of the millions of illegals and anchor babies from illegal and some legal foreigners that the US taxpayers are forced to pay for.
There is only so much you can raise taxes on Americans to pay for them and their huge families! Who wouldn’t have a family of 5 when someone else is paying for it!
Once they bleed the taxpayer dry in that State and it goes bankrupt they will migrate to your State soon after and bankrupt you too!
Report Post »Uncle Crusty
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:33pmtax the rich, tax the rich, why don’t you get up off your lazy bums and work for a living morons!
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:51pmIf California goes bankrupt, let the Hollywood lefties bail them out. They are the ones that keep screaming about sharing the wealth, anyway. Let them put their money where their mouth is. Michael Moore and Susan Sarandon should be the first to pony up.
Report Post »decendentof56
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 10:03pmAhhhhhh…..Callefornia!
Report Post »No logging
No drilling for oil
No water for the farmers and no pesticides to save crops
No building on this or that too ‘environmentally sensitive’ land
No off-road vehicle industry because all the land for it is locked up
No money for the unsustainable costs of failing schools
No money to sustain the illegal Mexicans
No money for the costs of incarcerating the illegal Mexicans
No money for anything
NOW…they are upset?
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! idiots!
Dakota
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 10:46pmOne simple truth: There is nothing more portable than rich people and money. I have just closed three offices in Ca. and am relocating to another “right to work” “no state income tax” state. Thank you very much. California has only itself to blame. Other business owners besides myself would have gladly stayed. However, the increasingly progressive state government has no clue on how to attract and keep job-producing companies. Rather, they feel more compelled to welcome an unlimited flow of illegal immigrants, give free reign to over-regulate and harrass business, and give away the farm to its public employee unions. My strong recommendation to anyone doing business in Ca…don’t.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 11:27pm@ UNCLE KRUSTY………I don’t know if I and my posts are respected either, but I sure enjoy your posts. Read ‘em every time. Agree with you most every time.
Report Post »kreese
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 1:08amGONESURFING has it figured out.
Report Post »Jackers
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 8:35amCalifornia‘s Liberal legislature is taxing the wealthy and slashing services for the citizens who need it most in order to maintain the unions’ lavish benefits and the illegal aliens’ handouts…
Why is it that when discussing our dire economic situation, illegal immigration is barely mentioned? Obviously, American taxpayers have been forced to pay more in order to cover the education, health care, welfare, food stamps and a multitude of other programs for millions of illegal aliens nationwide…
It’s time that we start saying the obvious… We can no longer afford to cover the ever-growing expenses of illegal immigration just to please the unions, the corporations and our politicians. Democrats please the unions by providing this cheap labor, Republicans please the corporations by providing this cheap labor, and politicians benefit in the end by staying in power.
When will the American people be considered?
Report Post »tarbush
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 9:10amYou know how this will be solved by the leftists? The feds will blackmail the other states into raising state taxes on the rich. In the mean time, watch for a bail out of states like California with federal funds that originated in your pockets.
Report Post »Uncle Crusty
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 10:17amthanks watchtheotherhand, much appreciated, I read your posts too, and I respect what you say, as well as many others here on the Blaze! We speak words of iron here, no p__y footing around, PC be damned here on the BLAZE…light the fire of truth.
Report Post »Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 2:44pmHas anyone told the left we cannot borrow money from China to pay for Californias debt let alone any other state? I heard the term “we have plenty of money” used several times over the past year. Can someone tell me who has 14 trillion in America? That is just to pay the debt…..the answer is no, we don‘t and China doesn’t like to owe us right now, Why? We haven’t paid them back. So how is all that hopey and changey going for you all? I am still waiting on my Obama dollars….I am told the check is in the mail…..
Report Post »JustJP
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 3:41pmIt sucks to live here in “progressive” Cali.
Report Post »shotzie
Posted on March 29, 2011 at 12:48amTXPILOT – So true. Also shows the important role every American plays in researching and voting responsible men and women into their STATE legislatures. The state that gets it’s financial house in order first and offers the most lucrative tax breaks to individuals who create the most jobs, companies that bring with them most job opportunities will be the state where everyone wants to live. So much attention is paid to the Presidential election (and it IS important), but I’d love the see The Blaze perhaps have individual state websites where their reporters can bring all the key information to voters from each state. Texas is a great state! I’d love to see Georgia follow in your footsteps. HOW BOUT IT THE BLAZE? Create some individual state websites to report on stories and candidates from each state.
Report Post »jackrorabbit
Posted on March 29, 2011 at 2:26amThe good thing about this report is that those states will continue to lose support, and eventually lose house seats.
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