01-08-2017, 01:08 PM
(01-05-2017, 10:17 PM)Warren Dew Wrote: It's not really the unearned income treatment that's the issue, though that's part of it. It's more special loopholes like charitable donation of appreciated assets, that allow you to shelter ordinary income while funneling money into a trust that you control, and the loose regulation of those "charitable" trusts. I grant that GHWBush was part of the problem, and the Republican establishment generally up until Boehner was metaphorically beheaded.
Everything you list qualifies as unearned income. I would argue that untaxed inheritance is the most egregious example, but the others are probably just as bad. In all cases, the GOP has backed eliminating taxes that affect the wealthy, arguing that talking money from rich people makes them less likely to hire the idiots that will now be paying their taxes. It's never been true, but fear is a great motivator and a winning argument ... so far.
Intelligence is not knowledge and knowledge is not wisdom, but they all play well together.