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TahitiNut

(71,611 posts)
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 01:18 PM Sep 2012

"Job Creators," huh? OK. Let's have a top tax rate of 35% + Unemployment Rate!

FUCK 'em! Put up or shut up!

What would this mean? Well, the tax rate for any fiscal tax year would equal the average of the unemployment rates for the four quarters ending in Q3 of the prior year.

In effect, then, they'd pay the top tax rate of the Clinton years (39.6%) *IF* the unemployment rate was about the same as the Clinton years (4.6%). For this year, they'd pay 43.1%.

As far as I'm concerned, people rolling in dough during hard times can damned well shoulder their fair share!

29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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"Job Creators," huh? OK. Let's have a top tax rate of 35% + Unemployment Rate! (Original Post) TahitiNut Sep 2012 OP
If the rich wanted a lower tax rate, they would create those jobs for which they are called creators liberal N proud Sep 2012 #1
apply it to capital gains too tk2kewl Sep 2012 #2
Without getting too wonkish, I'd tie the long-term capital gains tax rate to the Gini Coefficient. TahitiNut Sep 2012 #12
very cool idea tk2kewl Sep 2012 #16
I like it. Scuba Sep 2012 #20
This is one of the greatest ideas I've heard in awhile. phleshdef Sep 2012 #3
That's brilliant jberryhill Sep 2012 #4
Love it ck4829 Sep 2012 #5
Yes! We need to incentivize those lazy 1%-ers! reformist2 Sep 2012 #6
K&R for this great idea! Cali_Democrat Sep 2012 #7
brilliant librechik Sep 2012 #8
this is actually a pretty good idea. Shows how stupid their argument is. n/t Hamlette Sep 2012 #9
What a great idea! HooptieWagon Sep 2012 #10
(Wow) It seemed like a good idea to me ... but I never know on DU. TahitiNut Sep 2012 #11
ooh, good idea. HiPointDem Sep 2012 #13
Not a bad idea on its face SickOfTheOnePct Sep 2012 #14
I fail to see how any business would be "FORCED" to do anything in particular. TahitiNut Sep 2012 #17
Fair enough, let me rephrase SickOfTheOnePct Sep 2012 #27
Ah! Let me be clear... EVERYONE would pay the same tax rates just as now. TahitiNut Sep 2012 #28
Got it, thanks for the clarification! n/t SickOfTheOnePct Sep 2012 #29
I like it. 99Forever Sep 2012 #15
Good idea madokie Sep 2012 #18
(lol) What's happened to DU? TahitiNut Sep 2012 #19
I proposed this before. Ganja Ninja Sep 2012 #21
The proposal only requires that the methodology for determining the unemployment rate is CONSISTENT. TahitiNut Sep 2012 #24
The idea that tax cuts create jobs is a perfect.. sendero Sep 2012 #22
That's why I suggest that Jobs should create tax cuts ... legislatively. TahitiNut Sep 2012 #23
Yup that's the idea. Ganja Ninja Sep 2012 #26
brilliant mick063 Sep 2012 #25

liberal N proud

(60,302 posts)
1. If the rich wanted a lower tax rate, they would create those jobs for which they are called creators
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 01:24 PM
Sep 2012

I get it.

TahitiNut

(71,611 posts)
12. Without getting too wonkish, I'd tie the long-term capital gains tax rate to the Gini Coefficient.
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 06:57 PM
Sep 2012

The Gini Coefficient (also called the Gini Index) is a measure of equitable distribution, usually used in relation to Income Distribution. It ranges from zero (0) to one (1.00) where zero is perfectly equal distribution and one is a distribution where a single person gets everything and everyone else gets nothing.

The Gini Coefficient of Income Distribution in the U.S. is currently around 0.47, which is the highest (most inequitable) it's been since we first gathered the data.

It seems to me that the income tax on realized long-term capital gains could be tied to the Gini Coefficient ... at, say. 0.10 less than the measure in the year preceding the tax year. Thus, those with the GREATEST incentive to ensure that we have equitable incomes in this country would be those with the most to lose in capital gains.

This might be a decent way to peg the corporate tax rate as well.



Needless to say, I'm a "systems wonk" ... and like feedback loops and self-correcting systems. I tend to look for ways to create gross incentivization mechanisms ... and tend to eschew the fad du jour.

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
4. That's brilliant
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 01:30 PM
Sep 2012

That is a really good idea.

Given that wages paid by businesses are themselves tax deductions, this really does take the wind out of that sail.

TahitiNut

(71,611 posts)
11. (Wow) It seemed like a good idea to me ... but I never know on DU.
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 03:49 PM
Sep 2012

I'm a bit surprised at the uniformly positive reactions. Where did the curmudgeons go?


SickOfTheOnePct

(7,290 posts)
14. Not a bad idea on its face
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 07:04 PM
Sep 2012

But what about businesses that just don't need more employees? Will they be forced to hire people whether they have work for them to do or not or face the higher rate?

TahitiNut

(71,611 posts)
17. I fail to see how any business would be "FORCED" to do anything in particular.
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 08:53 PM
Sep 2012

... except pay income taxes. But that's hardly a change ... for most.

SickOfTheOnePct

(7,290 posts)
27. Fair enough, let me rephrase
Thu Sep 20, 2012, 04:27 PM
Sep 2012

If a business owner doesn't need any more employees, would the only choices be a) either hire someone, even though they're not needed, or b) pay the higher tax?

I don't see the point of punishing, through a higher tax rate, someone that isn't hiring because they don't have any work for them to do.

TahitiNut

(71,611 posts)
28. Ah! Let me be clear... EVERYONE would pay the same tax rates just as now.
Thu Sep 20, 2012, 07:56 PM
Sep 2012

The top marginal tax rate would apply to everyone earning over the $370,000 (or so) marginal income level. The notion that those are the "job creators" is a collective ascription, not an individual mandate.

In other words, it's not applied lie a "deduction" or "exemption" on any individual tax return.

In my view, the tax rate incentive would actually operate in those cases where decisions are close ... hire or not, buy American or foreign, etc. In effect, it's a wallet-based "patriotism" ... but it ALSO tends to emphasize the need to balance the load on those who think they can profit from attacking the working class.

TahitiNut

(71,611 posts)
19. (lol) What's happened to DU?
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 09:00 PM
Sep 2012

Heck, even I could post something to the effect of "Good luck getting ANYTHING sane passed in the Rich Man's Congress!!"


Ganja Ninja

(15,953 posts)
21. I proposed this before.
Thu Sep 20, 2012, 07:37 AM
Sep 2012

Set the base rate at 35% and then for every point the unemployment rate is over 5% the tax rate for the top 1% goes up 3%.

So if the unemployment rate is 9% the tax rate for the top 1% would figure like this;

9% - 5% = 4%
4 X 3 = 12
35% + 12% = 47%

Having a tax rate linked to the unemployment rate would also encourage legislation for things like, a shorter work week, more vacation time, paid leaves, and just about anything that would keep people listed as employed.

The one catch is to have an honest and accurate figure of the unemployment rate.

TahitiNut

(71,611 posts)
24. The proposal only requires that the methodology for determining the unemployment rate is CONSISTENT.
Thu Sep 20, 2012, 12:29 PM
Sep 2012

The proposal actually only relies on CHANGES to the unemployment rate. It is, therefore, only necessary that any change to the methodology be implemented IN PARALLEL to the unchanged methodology for a few quarters (for perhaps a year or so) in order to preserve the valid baseline of CHANGES.

I'm actually fairly confident in the current methodology and its representation of CHANGE ... i.e. increases and decreases in the "real" unemployment rate. The C.E.S. (from which employment is calculated) and the C.P.S. (from which unemployment is calculated) are fairly consistent ... and involve such large samples that the overall rates just aren't subject to any material statistical error.

sendero

(28,552 posts)
22. The idea that tax cuts create jobs is a perfect..
Thu Sep 20, 2012, 07:44 AM
Sep 2012

... example of the Big Lie. But there are cracks in the dam as more and more people notice that it hasn't worked for TEN FUCKING YEARS and it is not going to work EVER.

TahitiNut

(71,611 posts)
23. That's why I suggest that Jobs should create tax cuts ... legislatively.
Thu Sep 20, 2012, 12:18 PM
Sep 2012

All the right-winger "supply-sider" morons should have NOTHING to complain about IF they wish to preserve the fiction that the two are linked causally. Of course, they'd run from the proposal like vampires from holy water ... hypocrites are like that.

Ganja Ninja

(15,953 posts)
26. Yup that's the idea.
Thu Sep 20, 2012, 01:21 PM
Sep 2012

Put the "Job Creators" on an incentive program. Invest in America and keep American's employed and you'll have low taxes. Invest in some other country, stash your cash in offshore banks and show no loyalty to your country, then get ready to pay through the nose.

Make them put their money where their mouth is.

 

mick063

(2,424 posts)
25. brilliant
Thu Sep 20, 2012, 12:44 PM
Sep 2012

Not that crazy of an idea. Send it to your congressman.

Force them to abide by supply side economics.

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