Comments on: Interactive ’08 http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:52:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Erin Steinbruegge http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08/comment-page-1#comment-212 Erin Steinbruegge Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:08:50 +0000 http://thinktpi.tpidev2.com/www/blog/?p=166#comment-212 But to be exempt from income taxes you have to be making very little money, like around $2k or something, I don't know the exact number. Or at least that's all you're reporting on your tax forms. So even if you are paying SS and Medicare, you aren't paying $1k in taxes. Well, unless you were the loving type, like James, and you decided you wanted to give 50% of your income in taxes. So the equation is still unbalanced right? Isn't that like buying a candy bar and getting a $100 refund? But to be exempt from income taxes you have to be making very little money, like around $2k or something, I don’t know the exact number. Or at least that’s all you’re reporting on your tax forms.

So even if you are paying SS and Medicare, you aren’t paying $1k in taxes. Well, unless you were the loving type, like James, and you decided you wanted to give 50% of your income in taxes.

So the equation is still unbalanced right? Isn’t that like buying a candy bar and getting a $100 refund?

]]> By: James http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08/comment-page-1#comment-211 James Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:52:23 +0000 http://thinktpi.tpidev2.com/www/blog/?p=166#comment-211 I call it love for fellow Americans. :) But really, it's not that those people don't pay anything, it's just not "income taxes" per se. They still pay social security and medicare, and may or may not be paying state income taxes. Regardless, it's no more distribution of wealth than say... minimum wage is. If you strip the various labels off of the money that's circulated, then it's all the same - distribution of wealth is all around us, and all of us benefit greatly from it. But I still just call it love. I call it love for fellow Americans. :)

But really, it’s not that those people don’t pay anything, it’s just not “income taxes” per se. They still pay social security and medicare, and may or may not be paying state income taxes. Regardless, it’s no more distribution of wealth than say… minimum wage is. If you strip the various labels off of the money that’s circulated, then it’s all the same – distribution of wealth is all around us, and all of us benefit greatly from it.

But I still just call it love.

]]> By: Kelsey http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08/comment-page-1#comment-210 Kelsey Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:47:15 +0000 http://thinktpi.tpidev2.com/www/blog/?p=166#comment-210 The income tax isn't the only tax a working person pays. A person who works (and doesn't get paid cash...that's an issue for another day) pays payroll taxes as well. I believe that's the dough that's being "refunded." The income tax isn’t the only tax a working person pays. A person who works (and doesn’t get paid cash…that’s an issue for another day) pays payroll taxes as well. I believe that’s the dough that’s being “refunded.”

]]> By: Erin Steinbruegge http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08/comment-page-1#comment-209 Erin Steinbruegge Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:42:07 +0000 http://thinktpi.tpidev2.com/www/blog/?p=166#comment-209 Okay, well then I must ask this in refernce to the article: "That would yield a tax credit of $500 for a single person, and $1,000 for a couple in which both adults work. As a result, a low-income couple now paying no income taxes might receive a $1,000 refund." Refund... If I go to a store, and I return something I purchased, then I can get a refund. I'm getting something back because I gave them something. On the other hand, if I go to a store I've never purchased anything from, and I ask them for a refund, they will laugh at me and tell me to leave, probably not in such nice words, because I am not entitled to a refund. One situation is a refund. The other situation is not. It's something else....James knows what it is. :) Okay, well then I must ask this in refernce to the article:
“That would yield a tax credit of $500 for a single person, and $1,000 for a couple in which both adults work. As a result, a low-income couple now paying no income taxes might receive a $1,000 refund.”

Refund…
If I go to a store, and I return something I purchased, then I can get a refund. I’m getting something back because I gave them something.

On the other hand, if I go to a store I’ve never purchased anything from, and I ask them for a refund, they will laugh at me and tell me to leave, probably not in such nice words, because I am not entitled to a refund.

One situation is a refund. The other situation is not. It’s something else….James knows what it is. :)

]]> By: Kelsey http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08/comment-page-1#comment-205 Kelsey Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:25:11 +0000 http://thinktpi.tpidev2.com/www/blog/?p=166#comment-205 Though I'm standing by the brilliance of the tax widget on the Obama site, here's the great thing about good writing: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/us/politics/31taxes.html?ref=todayspaper Clarification: Check. Though I’m standing by the brilliance of the tax widget on the Obama site, here’s the great thing about good writing:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/us/politics/31taxes.html?ref=todayspaper

Clarification: Check.

]]> By: Abe http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08/comment-page-1#comment-179 Abe Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:50:31 +0000 http://thinktpi.tpidev2.com/www/blog/?p=166#comment-179 Hilarious! You know, if I wasn't so darn'd busy doin' flash projects fer our clients n' such, You better believe I'd be makin' fun stuff like that site all the time! *wink* Hilarious! You know, if I wasn’t so darn’d busy doin’ flash projects fer our clients n’ such, You better believe I’d be makin’ fun stuff like that site all the time! *wink*

]]> By: Erin http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08/comment-page-1#comment-178 Erin Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:39:52 +0000 http://thinktpi.tpidev2.com/www/blog/?p=166#comment-178 hahaha i was just thinking of what that would be like if abe made something like this for our office.... hahaha i was just thinking of what that would be like if abe made something like this for our office….

]]> By: Erin http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08/comment-page-1#comment-177 Erin Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:30:01 +0000 http://thinktpi.tpidev2.com/www/blog/?p=166#comment-177 while we're on political sites and their use of interactive... abe i wanted to show you this masterpiece of flash: http://palinaspresident.us/ regardless of your political views, that site is FUNNY. while we’re on political sites and their use of interactive… abe i wanted to show you this masterpiece of flash:
http://palinaspresident.us/

regardless of your political views, that site is FUNNY.

]]> By: Abe http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08/comment-page-1#comment-176 Abe Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:19:09 +0000 http://thinktpi.tpidev2.com/www/blog/?p=166#comment-176 I agree Erin... I thought it was silly to show $0 on the McCain side for the non-rich income levels, but then not show any dollar figures at all for the > $200k people. That said, I think the Obama campaign has consistently said that people making less than $250k would see NO INCREASE in taxes, and that 95% of those people would actually see a CUT. In last night's Obamercial he said "Cut taxes for every working family making less than $200,000 a year" which is not inconsistent with previous statements... just a little confusing if not parsed carefully. I agree Erin… I thought it was silly to show $0 on the McCain side for the non-rich income levels, but then not show any dollar figures at all for the > $200k people.

That said, I think the Obama campaign has consistently said that people making less than $250k would see NO INCREASE in taxes, and that 95% of those people would actually see a CUT. In last night’s Obamercial he said “Cut taxes for every working family making less than $200,000 a year” which is not inconsistent with previous statements… just a little confusing if not parsed carefully.

]]> By: Erin http://www.thoughtprocessinteractive.com/blog/interactive-08/comment-page-1#comment-175 Erin Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:01:44 +0000 http://thinktpi.tpidev2.com/www/blog/?p=166#comment-175 hmmm... i think using a calculator widget on the site is a clever marketing idea, but i also feel it has the potential to misinform people. it seems intentionally vague to me, like just asking annual income instead of taxable income. "check if you are saving for retirement and check if you have college expenses" are vague too. if you read the faq's it claims to take all of that into the calculation but it seems like that would be difficult to do since there are so many factors that influence taxable income. and then i have to wonder how often they update it. like last night, after he stated he would be raising taxes on people who earn over $200k instead of $250k. :) hmmm… i think using a calculator widget on the site is a clever marketing idea, but i also feel it has the potential to misinform people. it seems intentionally vague to me, like just asking annual income instead of taxable income. “check if you are saving for retirement and check if you have college expenses” are vague too. if you read the faq’s it claims to take all of that into the calculation but it seems like that would be difficult to do since there are so many factors that influence taxable income.

and then i have to wonder how often they update it. like last night, after he stated he would be raising taxes on people who earn over $200k instead of $250k. :)

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