Four freeloader fabrications poisoning our perceptions of public policy

[eridani]

http://washingtonpolicywatch.org/2012/09/24/four-freeloader-fabrications-poisoning-our-perceptions-of-public-policy/

In the “makers vs. takers” debate, the line between truth and opinion is just a dot to some. That might win a debate, but it’s not a good way to run a democracy. So here’s a handy summary of what’s fake and what’s fact, to help square those pesky (mis)perceptions with reality:

■Fake: Nearly half of all Americans don’t pay taxes.

Fact: 86 percent of Americans pay taxes in the form of payroll taxes, as well as state and local taxes. Bonus fact: 37 percent of Americans are not in the labor force because they are retired, students, or unemployed. Nobody expects them to be paying taxes.

[Warpy]

1. I am a capitalist parasite these days

which makes me the one of the worst sorts of freeloader, sucking profit made off the backs of underpaid workers. The only worse one would be the executive who loots the company while stiffing the workers and the investors, alike.

It's quite comforting to know there is one class worse than mine.

Unfortunately, this isn't addressed in any of the freeloader memes.