Do you think the super rich should be paying more taxes?

I agree with what you have said. In our society, the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer. I think we should increase the tax of the rich and reduce the tax of the poor. We should use the tax from the rich to help those who still can't get access to the normal education and medical. We should use more money to help those people , so we need more tax from the rich. It means the justice in the world. We also need to hit the tax evasion of the rich severely punish the tax evaders. As what you have said, we may need a revolution to reform our society.

No, I don't. Here's my question to you: What do you think you would achieve by raising taxes on the rich? As far as I can tell the only reason anyone wants to raise taxes on the rich is out of jealousy and a desire to punish them for being successful.

I don't know why the powers that be can't see their way to cutting loopholes and subsidies, which really are nothing more than political favors and pay backs for campaign donations! If it's a simple raise taxes on the wealthiest at a uniform rate, those who do not see their way to 'bribing' our politicians are the ones who will be carrying the major part of the load. Simply do away with those loopholes and un-needed subsidies.

For the super-duper rich, the people who can "hide" all their money and such, I think it'd be a wiser bet to close up those loopholes and to reformulate (read: uncomplicate) the tax code so that they're more inclined to put that money in America's economy. I wouldn't accuse people who want higher taxes of using the government as a charity, but I do know that there are many people who do believe our federal government is America's great charity. They're supposed to be in charge of evening out the playing field and helping to pull people out of poverty. But when it comes to government, it really, truly, honestly seems to be incredibly inept at nearly everything it does, save the young men and women putting their lives on the line serving in our armed forces. For the regular government, though, everything from the postal service to disaster relief is inefficient overall. Sure, people still get their mail! Some people still receive much-needed help from organizations like FEMA. But there's also a lot of waste and inefficiency there. My great "fear"--I suppose that's a good word for it--is that enabling government to tax more and spend more is going to send a signal that we don't care about a waste-happy, inefficient government. Just as Obama and liberals believe his reelection gives him a mandate to enact the sort of policies they want, giving in and eating the rich is going to enable government to do much worse. If government were to start pulling in more revenue, what would they do with it? Would it go to where it's needed? If so, why didn't the previous stimulus spending make a bigger splash? I'm too cynical at this point to believe government taxing more for more revenue is going to do any good. I believe it's going to lead to more spending and more waste and more problems. As to the whole "unprecedented in human history" bit, I'm not sure I buy that. But my beliefs there don't matter. What matters is what some people propose we do about it. Take from those who do have it to give it to those who don't? The people in charge of taking always seem to be the ones to win out in that scenario.

I really have mixed thoughts on this. The idea that the rich need tax breaks so they can invest and improve the economy and hire more workers is a grand idea, and its been called the trickle down theory. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to work for the most part. It seems to me that the rich have tax breaks and loopholes that enable them to put their money in off-shore accounts and not pay taxes on that money at all. I think they should eliminate all the loophols and tax breaks and then the rich would be paying their fair share. The only ones who should get tax breaks would be the ones who can prove they are trying to improve their businesses in order to hire more people. I don't think a flat tax for all would work. It sure wouldn't hurt the super rich, who can afford to buy whatever they wan regardless of the cost, but what about the people who can't even afford to buy clothing and nexessities now? They would be devastaded. I'm a simple person. I don't know a lot about economy and such. But I know what's right. I don't receive food stamps or madicaid. I do get social security and medicare, but I have paid for that for years. They are not entitlements. We struggle through the month, most of the time running out of money before the month is over. A flat tax would crush us, so I tend to feel that the tax code needs to be redone to prevent those who have money from hiding it and not paying taxes on it.

As taxes go up on the rich, the rich actually start moving out. There have been many who have given up their US citizenship and moved to other countries with lower taxes. Another point that everyone forgets is that the rich invest their money. Where? Generally in the same thing where they made their money in the first place. This is usually in business that in return hire other people to work for them...What did I just say??? We need the rich people money going in to businesses that hire others. This money is used better than paying the taxes, which does not bring in any returns in its investment. One of the big factors lately is that they are investing the money in foreign countries right now. Many in countries that are building their infrastructure. Many underdeveloped worlds are showing great potential for investments in infrastructure type business and this is where the growth exists. Our government does not have a income problem, it has a spending problem We grow from 20% GDP spending to 28% spending in thet government sector. This is way too much spending. Every dollar the government takes in as taxes is onevless dollar that does not circulates around our economy.

Some would say that British Royalty is an unnecessary expense, and whether we still need a monarchy? I think the problem is with the way rich people can hide wealth or find legal loopholes to place their money which cannot be touched by the taxpayer, swiss bank accounts and other such places. I do feel the onus should be on the government, maybe if we stopped wasting so much money on bombs and armourments and giving politicians golden handshakes, extortionate expenses and high wages then the money could be spread around more!

Since tax levied from higher sections of society it is the rich man's duty to pay back his taxes on time. Tax revenue is much important to the exchequer of any nation. The smooth functioning of state administration is largely dependent on tax money secured from the rich people of society anywhere.

I think it is true that the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer. The one thing that I have read and think makes perfect sense is to abolish the income tax and make a flat tax for everyone, in things that we buy new. Everyone would end up paying the same tax, depending on what they buy. If I had all of the income tax money right now that I paid into, I would have plenty of money to go buy other things and make the economy stronger! Here is a better description of how it would work: http://americanfreepress.net/html/traficant_abolishirs_040910.html

The super rich should pay their fair share of the taxes collected by the government, it is just about all one should expect their elected government can do to treat every citizen fairly. At least when the super rich is paying their fair share of the burden in a nation building, they will continue to reap enormous benefit from the economy prosperity compare to the poor; hardcore poors and the rest of the population far into the future. They shouldn't be asked to pay extremely high tax and several time more than other if possible, but pay reasonably higher rate than the average tax payers so that fairness can be prevailed. A tax system that base their revenue collection system on equal ground is the best way forward for the nation's economy and encourage individual work harder to achieve greater wealth .

That cycle is the way of the world for sure. It takes money to make money and if you are struggling to get by there is no way to get ahead. I think it would be very beneficial to not only the poor but for the country as a whole if more attention was given to the people stashing money all over the world. What is there to really gain from badgering someone for say $5000 when there is someone that may owe 100,000? Now I understand the thought processes mentioned earlier in your discussion about the desire to succeed and the fact that they might try to hide more than what they are now, but I also think that giving them accountability and leveling the playing grounds for others that want to start businesses might have a positive effect too.

It amazes me to learn what you said.You seem to have a good knowledge of world economy .I think the more the super rich have ,the less they pay the tax.They know well how to tax evasion,in addition,money makes the mare go,they can buy off tax collectors.

Could it be that the government and the business capitalist are all hiding something from the general public when it comes to the filing of income tax and the honest use of government funds? I see the rich gets richer because they are obsessed with money and their money piles up everyday but they don't care to share it to the poor who is powerless to accumulate money instead they are even abused by the high prices of commodities. Money is power and those who have more will have more power and influence.

I can only speak for my country. Rich people find ways NOT to pay taxes. One of the main reasons the country is in crisis now. And politicians look away, as long as they fill their own pockets. So, the rich get richer. Plus, they make deals with the state, which means they give little and get back millions. Will we have a revolution like the one in Europe you ask? I believe not. People are divided into parties in each country. They do not see the common enemy. Whenever we have strikes in Greece, you will see people divide in parties while fighting for the same problems. Politicians have divided us, they are winning......unfortunately...

When you talk about the developing countries you are talking about most countries that are totally controlled by one person or one family. To compare their with the people in the democracies of the world is wrong. Those people get rich by taking from every one they can. In the democracies they get rich by taking a risk and developing a product or service that people want and are willing to pay for. They don't get their money by taking it from someone else. In the USA the rich do pay more than their fair share of taxes and we have about 1/2 of the population that pays no taxes or gets back more than is with held by the government. Is that fair to not pay taxes but get more back than was with held and yet many of the same people also receive over 60% of the government aid for the poor?

Should the rich pay more taxes? Yes & no. Get rid of the word "tax", reform the system (including how it's collected, not just loopholes), offer the rich good, worthwhile incentives to invest in the good of the country (I personally would feel ashamed in parking all that money in overseas tax shelters & given that, at a guess, many of the rich would be quite patriotic & must be feeling somewhat frustrated that they can get good returns overseas, but not in their own country)... and (in the same breath) let every individual know just exactly what every dollar of their contribution has done for the good of the country (government accountability). I remember an old story from my childhood of how the sun & the wind went into competition to see who could make a man take his coat off first. The wind blew as hard as it liked, but this only made the man wrap his coat around him tighter. The sun shone as it always has & pretty soon the sensible fellow was persuaded to take off his coat. In the same way, governments can try as hard as they can, but they're not likely to be too successful in forcing the rich to bring their money back from overseas & pay taxes to a government that they know spends their money less wisely than themselves. The whole idea is very negative & regressive and "oh so last century's". We need less of the "stick" approach & more of the "carrot" approach. I think many of us lack the courage to create such a system & make it work. Governments should do more facillitating & less restricting, I feel. I can understand that most people don't know exactly how the rich spend their money, but then again, most people aren't aware of exactly how their government is spending their money (which isn't really theirs) either. There should be some accountability on both sides, I feel, as well as flexibility & communication - in a continous sense. I would like to see my tax money go towards certain areas, instead of being pumped into animal product industries input subsidies, for example. If I knew for sure exactly where my money was & wasn't going, then I'd be happier to part with it. I'm not sure how the overthrow of Europe's monarchies relates to the situation we see today. Either way, I think the conditions are very different & people today are much better informed.

Hi Pose. I don't believe in treating the rich differently than the regular working folk. What I mean is that they should pay taxes according to their tax brackets and percentages and deductions just like we do. If we work a legal job, we pay taxes. We pay according to the state and federal tax laws. Business owners do get to take deductions. They also have to pay health insurance for the employees too. I don't believe in penalizing the rich just because they are rich. I never got a job from a poor person; this I feel that the rich are alreading carrying most of the load. If the government puts too much stress on the rich business owners, then people lose their jobs when they lay people off or fire all their workers and outsource all the work.

Those Occupy halfwits will have the sheep like masses that all rich people hide their money to avoid paying tax - This isn't the case. Let us assume that we all pay our tax at 25% - on my salary I would.pay approx £7500 in tax every year, if someone was earning £1million a year they would pay £250000 in tax. They by default pay more tax - do we really have Right to ask them for more? Never forget that the rich also tend to be employers.... Tax they too high and the will.take the jobs elsewhere. Many people that complain about the rich also buy lottery tickets.so that they can be rich one day - that does not seem right to me

I don't think that there is a simple solution. I agree that tax loopholes need to be dealt with. Various government programs should be examined to see where they can be made more efficient and useful. We can also cut down on military spending. Also, not extending some of the Bush-era tax cuts wouldn't "raise" taxes, but it would just get rid of certain incentives that benefitted the upper classes. We should also work on creating more real businesses in America.

The rich already pay most of the taxes. Everyone should keep most of what they earn, no matter how much you make.