Interesting video and comparison, but I definately don't agree. One thing to consider (ignoring that some have college paid for by parents) is that all students are paying the same for their education in a given institution (also ignoring the difference between in-state and out-of-state). It's not as if all people within the professional world are working the same position for the same pay, and some are being taxed more than others. "The top 10% of income earners pay over 50% of the federal income taxes, while the bottom 50% pay under 10%." This only shows how unequal our socio-economic structure is in the US. We are taxed a percentage of our income. The fact that this taxed income percentage of the top 10% covers over half of all federal income taxes in the country speaks to the enormity of the gap between what the top earners make, and what the majority of our society live on. For argument's sake if 90 people had one hundred dollars each and 5% was taken away from each, there'd be $450 dollars taken in total. If 10 people had one million dollars each and 5% was taken from each, there'd be $500,000 dollars taken in total. I'm not great with math, but I think that's about right. With a gap as large as there is between the top 10 and rest of us, it's not surprising that they account for so much in federal taxes. The numbers they're using are meant to shock people. Really cool video. It gets people thinking.
I think this is a great video considering all the talk about equality in this class. Equal taxing seems fair doesn't it? It is true that people all have different jobs, with different incomes. But they got those jobs based on how hard they worked and how smart they are (just like students' GPAs). Almost all of the millionaires in this country have worked their asses off to make there fortune, and if they didn't their parents did (which still means its their money). It is true, Shennen, that the government would earn more money if they taxed the wealthier more... that is a fact, but that isn't fair. Just because they were smarter, luckier, more business savvy, whatever you want to call it, is NOT a reason to say "hey, we can take more money away from you. you have more than most people, so you won't miss it, right?". The kids that want to tax the rich, but wouldn't agree to the GPA redistribution don't want to because they are not the ones who would be having thousands of extra dollars taken away from them by the government, but they would be the one's affected by the GPA redistribution. I wish the video let them try and explain themselves when they said it wasn't the same concept... I'd like to see what their argument was. I agree with one of the students when he said it was an over simplification (he was then cut off) but the principles are the same. good video
Interesting video and comparison, but I definately don't agree. One thing to consider (ignoring that some have college paid for by parents) is that all students are paying the same for their education in a given institution (also ignoring the difference between in-state and out-of-state). It's not as if all people within the professional world are working the same position for the same pay, and some are being taxed more than others. "The top 10% of income earners pay over 50% of the federal income taxes, while the bottom 50% pay under 10%." This only shows how unequal our socio-economic structure is in the US. We are taxed a percentage of our income. The fact that this taxed income percentage of the top 10% covers over half of all federal income taxes in the country speaks to the enormity of the gap between what the top earners make, and what the majority of our society live on. For argument's sake if 90 people had one hundred dollars each and 5% was taken away from each, there'd be $450 dollars taken in total. If 10 people had one million dollars each and 5% was taken from each, there'd be $500,000 dollars taken in total. I'm not great with math, but I think that's about right. With a gap as large as there is between the top 10 and rest of us, it's not surprising that they account for so much in federal taxes. The numbers they're using are meant to shock people. Really cool video. It gets people thinking.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great video considering all the talk about equality in this class. Equal taxing seems fair doesn't it? It is true that people all have different jobs, with different incomes. But they got those jobs based on how hard they worked and how smart they are (just like students' GPAs). Almost all of the millionaires in this country have worked their asses off to make there fortune, and if they didn't their parents did (which still means its their money). It is true, Shennen, that the government would earn more money if they taxed the wealthier more... that is a fact, but that isn't fair. Just because they were smarter, luckier, more business savvy, whatever you want to call it, is NOT a reason to say "hey, we can take more money away from you. you have more than most people, so you won't miss it, right?".
DeleteThe kids that want to tax the rich, but wouldn't agree to the GPA redistribution don't want to because they are not the ones who would be having thousands of extra dollars taken away from them by the government, but they would be the one's affected by the GPA redistribution. I wish the video let them try and explain themselves when they said it wasn't the same concept... I'd like to see what their argument was. I agree with one of the students when he said it was an over simplification (he was then cut off) but the principles are the same. good video
On a side note, if someone tried to touch my GPA they'd catch a fork in the eye.
ReplyDeletehaha, same
Deletethanks for responding guys!! and awesome to see different opinions on this!
ReplyDeleteI understand their point. But still believe they are different.
ReplyDelete