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From: AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org>
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Subject: Re: Tariffs and bikes
Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2025 08:00:09 -0500
Organization: Yellow Jersey, Ltd.
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On 4/4/2025 9:57 PM, John B. wrote:
> On Fri, 4 Apr 2025 21:30:12 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
> 
>> On 4/4/2025 9:03 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
>>> On 4/4/2025 12:26 PM, AMuzi wrote:
>>>>
>>>> You can have whatever opinion you like but not your own
>>>> facts.
>>>
>>> Heck, I thought it was fashionable to have "alternative
>>> facts" if you don't like the look of normal ones! Wasn't
>>> that made clear during Trump version 1?
>>>
>>>> USA has among the most steeply sloped tax regimes on
>>>> earth, such that the top 1% of earners pay roughly half of
>>>> all income tax.
>>>>
>>>> https://usafacts.org/articles/who-pays-the-most-income-tax/
>>>
>>> The USA also has some of the highest income and wealth
>>> disparity of developed nations. Granted, not as bad as many
>>> small 3rd world countries - but I think we should not be
>>> striving to emulate those.
>>>
>>> https://www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/issues/economic-
>>> justice/income-and-wealth-inequality/
>>>
>>> I'd say that means our tax structure is still insufficiently
>>> progressive.
>>>
>>> And what should we be trying to achieve anyway? ISTM our
>>> nation was founded on the idea of doing away with a
>>> privileged class lording it over those purportedly of less
>>> worth. Also the idea of everyone (well, as long as their
>>> complexion wasn't too dark) getting an equal shot at
>>> prosperity. If nothing else, those ideas, if implemented,
>>> work toward keeping the masses content enough that they
>>> don't literally rebel. Rebellions are messy, unpredictable,
>>> and bad for bike shops.
>>>
>>> We now have a new privileged class, one that can rake in
>>> millions per year and pay lower rates than struggling middle
>>> Americans, in part because of clever deductions. Remember
>>> Leona Helmsley? "Taxes are for little people."
>>>
>>> And of course, any money made over $170,000 per year is free
>>> of Social Security duties. Because hey, one's third mega-
>>> mansion is much more important than better food for the
>>> family making $50,000 per year. Why should the ultra-rich
>>> help to keep Social Security afloat?
>>>
>>>
>>
>> The 'disparity' is a myth in that it counts only taxable
>> earnings, ignoring that fully half the country pays no
>> income tax.  Many of those receive 'negative tax' payments
>> and in fact dos very well on relief, much better than many
>> working people.
>>
>> Regarding wealthy citizens, we do indeed have some inherited
>> wealth but almost all the top earners are self made
>> including an astonishingly large number of legal immigrants
>> especially Indian, other Asian and notably Nigerians:
>>
>> https://africanmind.org/statistical-portrait-of-nigerian-americans-accomplishments-paradoxes-and-misconceptions/
>>
>> who seem to have learned to stay out of Poland Ohio and so
>> do quite well here.
>>
>> Your snarky racism comment is ridiculous.
>>
>> https://www.britannica.com/money/Herman-Cain
>>
>> https://www.the-sun.com/news/4916213/willie-wilson-how-became-millionaire/
>>
>> Mr Wilson literally plowed fields behind a mule before
>> taking his talents elsewhere.
>>
>> Some black one-percenters (not the motorcycle type one
>> percenters):
>>
>> https://247wallst.com/income/2024/08/08/meet-the-wealthiest-black-americans/
>>
>> Back to our mere millionaires:
>>
>> https://www.forbes.com/sites/korihale/2022/10/25/millionaire-status-is-on-the-rise-with-52-million-people-joining-the-club/
>>
>> There are 224 times more black millionaires in USA than the
>> top 19 countries of Africa combined.
>>
>> Go stick your racism somewhere else.
> 
> Disregarding any racism I would ask "how does a modern millionaire
> compare with a millionaire of, say 20 years ago?
> 
> 2005 gold was in the $709.00 range and to day's price is ????
> 
> 


Good point.
Or in my employee's easily remembered rhyme:

Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
Taxation is theft.
Inflation is, too.

-- 
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971