What I’ve said is that I would look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of fairness. — 2008
My Take – “Fairness” is a concept for children. The only people over the age of 21 that I hear use the word “fairness” are politicians trying to whip up their political base against “the other”.
Let’s face it, some people are always going to think “it’s not fair” when someone has more than they do, or more than they think that person deserves. They believe that what others have and earn is not really theirs, but is owned by that amorphous entity called “society”. Through this belief, they justify taking that which is not theirs and giving it to those who support them.
Are taxes a necessary evil in our country? Yes they are. Should those taxes be paid by everyone? Yes they should. Should taxes only be collected to pay for those things that are actually the government’s responsibility? Damn straight.
But to decide that some of us, myself included, should pay more than others because we had the drive, ambition, and work-ethic to get the education/training we needed, work the low-paying jobs to get started, and worked our way up a few tax brackets is criminal. Even if someone has more because of an accident of birth, a single moment of genius that paid off big, or just plain dumb luck, what they have is theirs, not ours.
If the President wants ‘fairness’, he ought to start by not taking from the productive and giving to the non-productive. I have no problem paying taxes to fund those things that government ought to do. I object, usually quite vehemently, when someone says that I don’t deserve what I have and that I ought to give it up so that someone else doesn’t have to work as hard for their daily bread.
*Edited to fix a “hey, did I really say “drive, ambition, and drive” mess up.
DaddyBear’s Den 
Old NFO
/ November 1, 2012Well said, and “But to decide that some of us, myself included, should pay more than others because we had the drive, ambition, and drive to get the education/training we needed, work the low-paying jobs to get started, and worked our way up a few tax brackets is criminal. ” is the MONEY quote… So to speak…
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Bob S.
/ November 1, 2012In the name of ‘fairness’ good looking people should have to pay more then folks with average mugs like me.
In the name of ‘fairness’ better singers should have to pay more than folks like me (it is absolutely UNTRUE that werewolves crashed the karaoke party I was singing it, they were just regular wolves).
In the name of “fairness’ gifted orators — yes, I’m looking at you Barry Obama — should have to pay more then those who stumble though (he might end up paying himself large sums of money.
The concept of fairness seems to be fairly limited by the far left. Isn’t it strange they only want to make it about income and not opportunity?
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Wing and a Whim
/ November 1, 2012When I was very young, I complained to my father that some decision of his wasn’t fair. I don’t remember the inciting incident. I do remember the way he suddenly became three times larger than life, and had raging thunderstorms in his eyes as he spake. “Fair is bogus.”
As a kid, I didn’t understand what he meant, but it was scary. I didn’t try that arguement again. As an adult, when someone says to me “But that isn’t faiiiiir”, (always, there’s a hint of a whine), I instantly find the words “Fair is bogus” coming back out of my mouth.
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