@Mistery: Taxes are the lowest they have been in 50 years; FIFTY YEARS! If you cannot feed yourself now, then you are doing something wrong and need to better your paycheck. Taxes need to be raised in order for everyone to survive long-term, not to help YOUR situation of not being compensated appropriately now.

Mistery, if you took the time to read the post you'd realise that anyone making under $25,000.00 a year wouldn't be required to pay income tax. For that matter, the post title is a little misleading in that most people would pay less in taxes than they do now. If you're making over 25,000.00 a yr. and are having trouble feeding yourself the problem isn't taxes...it's the reflection staring back at you in the mirror. The concept is to cut spending gradually and consistently and raise revenues to put our country on a stable financial foundation so that everyone can prosper.

MikeT....first, my post indicated that the first thing that needed done was a law being enacted to REQUIRE federal spending to be decreased by a set percentage each year. Secondly, the truly creative job-creators are going to be who they are no matter what. That's what makes them truly creative and job creators in the first place. Thirdly, do you really want to put that same-old tired, worn out argument about less taxes will make everything OK forward to make your point. Last I checked the major beneficiaries of those reduced taxes have accumulated 3 Trillion plus in wealth and thats just the individuals. The Corporations are coming in at a little better than twice that. The only reason I mention that is I was wondering if you had a figure in mind for when this is going to translate into something resembling jobs, or a better economy....is it 10 & 25 trillion ? 30 & 100 ? Face it, they've taken the money and ran and they'll contine to do so as long as allowed.

You seem to have some sense, so I ask you to think about this for yourself and try to keep all the sound bites, and "party positions" out of the equation. Doesn't it make more sense to pass a law that limits spending and decreases the amount available to spend each year. A law that can only be changed through a national referendum ( Congress and Senate have no say); and match it with a more equitable tax structure to help reduce the deficit? We could elliminate the deficit and create a surplus that would allow us to not need to borrow money from anyone to run our country.

Mike T. I apologize about the delay getting back on here. The phrase "unavoidably detained" comes to mind. You took the time and made the effort to respond to the post, which I appreciate, so I feel I should give your thoughts the same respect.

As near as I can tell our main difference lies in the fact that you don't believe our situation is salvagable. That everything is going to go to hell in a handbasket eventually and the best course is to prepare as best as you can to come out the other side as good as, or better than, you went in ? While I'm holding out hope that we can get it squared away before that happens and lay the groundwork for the next century or so.

I see myself as an eternal optimist given to extended bouts of depression and pessimism. Or as my better half says " a F*&*%@! Nut."

Seriously though, I agree with you that no-one or no group has shown the capacity to fix some
of the problems we face. It's not in their self interest to do so. I just don't see that that corealates to there ISN'T any individual or any group of people capable of it.

Ditto on giving them more money to play with. The current "leaders" need to be taken out of the loop so to speak on what is done with the money that is raised. And each and every one of them would be faced with mandatory budget cuts each year.

@runabout......if you read the original post a little closer you'll see that under this type of plan ALL US citizens would be paying some tax. A large portion of the 47% that you say are not paying taxes are doing so as a direct result of deductions and credits that would be elliminated.

@MrX....what would you accomplish by lowering taxes ? They are at some of the lowest levels in our history right now. That, and the profligate spending by the Congress and Senate, is part of the reason we are in the mess we're in. It's pretty hard to pay your bills if there is no income coming in. We need to raise our checkbook balance and significantly reduce our expenditures..... at least until we get our financial house in order. Once we do that, and if we're lucky perhaps while we're doing it, many of the other issues will be addressable on a realistic and sustainable basis.

Deductions is the main problem.

That is what makes it possible for the super rich and businesses to pay less tax than they should.