Most taxes are paid by the rich and by the single who are honest about what they earn and own. In the case of the first part, they can sometimes shelter their money and often receive deserved vilification for hiding it in offshore accounts. As for the latter part, without allowances (dependents), they provide a larger than life share of their money to the government while families are incentivised with refunds to care for their children. Politicians sometimes erroneously claim that admission or legitimization of large numbers of illegal aliens will lead to higher tax revenues because they will "pay their share". Since when do criminals pay their fair share of anything? The math does not corroborate this. The math shows that the lion's share of taxes are paid by the people duped into believing that someone else will pay.
Rich people pay the lion's share of taxes period. Although I think he was an idiot for pointing it out, Romney was correct that 47% of Americans don't pay ANY taxes, and a large fraction of those people actually get money back for filing. Essentially, we pay them to be Americans. I have found at least four food stamp cards this year in the gutter, and many receipts I pitch into the trash account for the purchase with SNAP benefits. I watch latinos cart their food stamp purchase out to their Cadillac Escalade and wonder how they get away with it. Rich people pay accountants to help them hide money, but even if a millionaire pays only 1% of his salary, he still pays more each year than you will in your lifetime. Oh sure, his rate may be lower, but you wouldn't complain if things were reversed. Rich people buy things; when they buy new, they pay taxes. Rich people own property; when they hold it, they pay property taxes (unless you create a Trust, which shields you from property tax increases, or a Homestead which shields you from luxury taxes). Rich people own businesses, and they pay half of your SSA, most of your health care if you get it from an employer, and taxes on all goods/services they produce. You whine because you pay taxes on your salary. They pay taxes even after they collect it and for the right to pay you a salary (payroll taxes).
Single people pay the rest of the income taxes. A few weeks ago, a coworker left her thumb drive behind. In order to track it back to its owner, I went through the files, and the only file with a name on it was a paystub she downloaded for later. I do that too, but I probably shouldn't. Among the rest of her information, I discovered that she claimed 9 (nine) allowances and did a quick calculation to find that she pays a meager $1000 per year in federal income tax, despite earning more per year than I. The government, in recognition of and encouragement to people who raise their own children, allows us to claim a reduction in taxes for the care of our own families. Well, if you don't have a family and when your children leave the nest, you can't claim that anymore, and you find your adjustable and taxable income rises. So, even though I earn less than this woman, I pay more to the federal government every year because I'm "not doing my share" to help raise the next generation. Of course, the government doesn't give me credit for things I do to help raise, take care of, and educate other people's children, and it roasts me for not being willing to pay for children I didn't get to have the fun making, but this is how the tax law works. Consequently, illegal aliens won't pay "fair" taxes because they can simply either bring dependents in via chain migration or procreate, reducing their tax burden and ultimately when possible paying negative taxes, which means we essentially pay them to be here. Meanwhile, I pay everything myself.
Government officials constantly prattle until they essentially dupe us into believing that someone else will pay. They load up debt, they promise you the moon, they promise free college, free healthcare, and the like and spend like there's No Tomorrow. What do they care if they got what they want? Someone else will pay. Unfortunately for you, that someone else will probably be you, and if not you it will be your children and theirs for seven generations or more. Every pyramid scheme or game of musical chairs or game of hot potato leaves someone holding the bag when the music stops. Essentially, government is a pyramid scheme wherein those who have the ideas and sign on early get to benefit from the rest, and eventually the last in become responsible for all the costs, debts, and obligations. Britain and Rome were once mighty empires, and although those nations still exist, they are shadows of their former glory, wealth, opulence, and opportunity, because eventually someone has to pay, and the barbarians are willing to come and take by force if others aren't willing to do their part to push back.
Aliens do not pay taxes, politicians do not pay taxes, and rich people do not pay taxes. You do. Remember that the government redefined "millionaires and billionaires" under Barack Obama as a family of four earning $250,000/year. What if you don't "earn" money? What if you aren't a family of four? What does million mean anyway? Most people don't consider themselves rich, even millionaires, because there's always someone richer than they are, and usually by far, so these promises and words are largely meaningless. The people stuck holding the bag are those too poor to pay for advice and counselors to help them hide their money but too rich to reap from the generous welfare benefits. The people who pay taxes are the people with a code of morals and ethics, who honestly admit they need to pay taxes, and it has nothing to do with how much money you have or how much money your neighbor has. Ultimately it boils down to how much money the government can prove you have or at least claim you have, and a group of people who already evaded detection getting into this country aren't going to suddenly confess to being any wealthier than the government can prove. It's still a game of Catch Me If You Can.
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