"I personally don't think it is fair for 50% of the the citizens to PAY NO TAXES."

Might wanna rethink that. Lots more than 50 percent of the population pay sales and payroll taxes and I think most everybody pays property taxes either directly or via rent. When those are factored in -- which is not often when the subject of the tax burden arises -- our total system is not nearly as progressive as you might think.

INCOME TAXES!

Sales tax is a local tax. The politicians have't found a way to exclude the "unfortunate" aka losers from that. If they could, they surely would.

Payroll taxes are FORCED Savings for ENTITLEMENTS. You will get that money back if you live that long. Personally, I would like the deal that Galveston County got when they opted out of Social Security! Do some research, their retirees are getting almost DOUBLE what Social Security pays! Yeah, the Federal Government is so efficient.

Property taxes on a 100,000 house (even if you are passing along in rent) is progressive versus what a $500,000 house fetches. Now if the 100,000 house has 5 children in school and maybe a sick or elderly person that needs more EMS support than the older couple with no kids in the $500,000 house, who is getting more for their money?

Do you think the Earned Income Tax Credit, aka paying people who don't make "enough" with other people's money is fair?

Oh by the way, what about the illegal immigrants who claim 10 dependents so NO INCOME TAX IS WITHELD? How many audits do you think they get. Also anyone paid off the books or in cash avoids taxes. that is why the Fair Tax would work.

How about Medicare? Surely we aren't going to pay their medical bills when they get old, are we?
Why do you constantly want to hound all of the poor people due to the fact that not everyone can have the same amount to spend. That would be socialism, which you hate, wouldn't it?
Are you saying yes, everyone can do well if they try? Where will the extra money come from?

Calm down, major payne....i wouldn't want you to stroke out and have to rely on an EMS crew to save your life or anything. You simply misspoke and I corrected -- not just to show you up but because I often hear such language and it's wrong.

I personally am unimpressed with the fair tax snake oil -- "cures all our tax problems and your backache, too!" -- in part because under this fabulous plan the federal government that you say can't tie its shoes is going to be sending every US household a "prebate" check every month. Yeaaaaah, that'll go like clockwork.

But our opinions don't matter because the fair tax is tango uniform, as Neal Boortz would say. It had its day in the sun when he was hawking his book, and even then it never got beyond the lunatic fringe.

I'm smiling all the way to the bank. I am just amused at how the entitlement crowd wants someone else to bail them out all the time and their pandoring representatives (Millionaires themselves by the way) can't tax the evil rich enough.

I don't know about you, but I never got a job from a poor person.

Toodles poodles.

Never got a job from a poor person, you say?
Well, I think I helped pay your military salary AND your probable pension. Why am I having to do that? Weren't you paid? You can support your family from 38-50 years of age on a pension. Never striking another lick.

Dollar. I made the choice to serve and qualify for a pension. As a Silver Star recipient and a veteran of Hamburger Hill told me once. The Army doesn't give you anything, you EARN it. You could have also, but chose not to serve longer.

Oh and to annoy all the class warfare idiots, my wife is retired military too so we are both double dippers! The reason we are working now is to be productive members of society (pay taxes for those too poor to pay) and provide for our children. Who do you think will pay for their college? Mom and dad.

Here is my prediction: I will never see dollar 1 of all the Social Security that I have paid into the system. In 15 years when I am eligible to retire there will either be means testing, or the retiremment age will be moved to 70, 72 0r 75!

Now go peddle your class warfare garbage somewhere else. In this country if you work hard and sacrifice, you will SUCCEED!

P.S. My military retired pay is getting taxed my friend. If I don't get it, they don't get some back. I guess it would be better spent supporting dictators in Africa (Most AIDS money gets siphoned off)or the UN.

Your service has been invaluable to each of us here.

First, I have no gripe with a military pension when earned, just not at 50. It is an "entitlement" however in the budget, something you seem to detest.
If you and your wife live to be 75 you will probably have drawn two entitlements for 25-30 years, something on the order of two million dollars, plus benefits.
And you are griping about the average payout of 12-15,000 social security? Plus, man and wife can not both draw full social security.
Everyone feels they are due what they get for one reason or another due to a thousand reasons.