Four questions for Mitt Romney
By Ruth Marcus
(1) Under the federal tax code, a couple with two children earning less than $26,400 will pay no federal income tax because the standard deduction and exemptions reduce their taxable income to zero. The Tax Policy Center has explained that this reflects components of “the basic progressive income tax structure that intend to exempt subsistence levels of income from tax and to adjust for differences in ability to pay based on family size. “
Do you disagree with that approach? Do you believe that this family’s tax burden is too low? If so, how would you raise it? Eliminate the deduction for children? Raise marginal rates? Make the tax code less progressive?
(2) Of the 47 percent of households that do not owe federal income taxes, two thirds pay payroll taxes that amount to 7.6 percent of income. Indeed, under standard economic theory, the employer’s side of those payroll taxes also comes from their income — meaning that their 15 percent tax rate compares roughly to your 13.9 percent effective rate in 2010, the year for which you’ve released returns. And, of course, these households pay state and local sales and property taxes, plus federal gasoline and other excise taxes.
In what way do you believe these households are failing to “take personal responsibility and care for their lives”?
(3) Of the 18 percent of households that pay neither income nor payroll taxes, most are elderly (10 percent of households).
What do you believe these elderly households should do to “take personal responsibility and care for their lives?” Do you support repealing special tax benefits for the elderly, such as the extra standard deduction, the tax credit for low-income seniors and the exclusion of a portion of Social Security benefits from taxation?
(4) Another 7 percent are households earning less than $20,000 a year. That seems like a far cry from the 47 percent you describe as “dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government 5has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it.”
But I’m confused about where you stand, because you have also said, "I'm concerned about the poor in this country. We have to make sure the safety net is strong and able to help those who can't help themselves."
Do you believe in a safety net or not?--
Cassi Creek:
The compassion of candidate Romney for his fellow Americans is quite evident in his off-record comments. It is readily apparent that he has consigned 47% of us Americans to the role of of non-productive dead beats eager to sponge off him and the other ultra-rich who wish to run the nation as they would run their various corporate empires.
For the record, former governor, I am a 64-year-old VietNam veteran. I began working and paying taxes on my earnings at the age of14. Since then I have dutifully played FICA, Social Security, and income taxes from every paycheck. Like many Americans, I have taken advantage of every legal deduction and loophole that Congress has added to the tax codes. Serving in the Army and working in a medical laboratory were not lucrative career options. There have been years when the codes worked in my favor and I owed no additional income taxes. When your corporations were so positioned I don’t recall hearing you complain. I doubt you volunteered to pay extra taxes.
I retired after an auto accident left me unable to work in my profession without endangering coworkers and patients. - responsibility to others. After r a long, fight, I was granted SSDI. I'd be happier working and pulling down a paycheck. My wife and I would be happier if we didn't have to measure medicines against meals I obtain my healthcare through Veterans affairs. I was a combat
medic. I owe no one any apology, least of all you, who made a career of stripping this nation of jobs for a few pennies in the pockets of shareholders. I do not think I am owed money by virtue of my nation of birth. However 30 + years of FICA premiums, 30+ years of income taxes when I could work, and continuing monthly premiums to Medicare generate a legal revenue stream just like the insurance policies that you have in place as your fall back. I simply pay a larger insurer much smaller premiums for a much smaller return than you.. As for my medical care provided by VA, I was a combat Medic in VietNam. There’s no amount of money that can compensate anyone for filling that slot. If you fail to comprehend that, you have no business holding any political office. We do not need another Middle East war started to help profiteer corporate friends.
You are lacking in every skill needed to head this nation. Statecraft is not about keeping investors and bankers happen. It is about keeping citizens safe and secure
Neither you
nor your VP pick understand the first thing about the concepts that define this
nation.
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