You should have had a contrasting picture of the young 25 year old worker walking to the edge of a cliff carrying a building that said "Student Loan Debt" + "Social Security Payments"

"The typical household headed by someone age 65 and older in 2009 had 47 times as much net wealth as a household of people under age 35." from this article http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/planning-to-retire/2011/11/08/wealth-gap-between-young-and-old-grows

Seems Mr.Krebs wants to perpetuate a myth, sure there are some seniors who struggle, and I think we should help them out,Ayn Rand be screwed ,but as far as property taxes these senior property tax brakes should be means tested. I hear wealthy people complaining about how the inheritance tax is coming back and in the same breath boast about having their children pay their own college tuition costs which is an easy way to avoid paying taxes on your wealth. Here in York Township seniors also have tax payer reduced cost rides. Hey Charlie I wonder how old you are, I am guessing you are closer to the seniors than the 35 year olds. So I see an agenda on your part.

My family, mother, stepfather and 8 kids, was poor; however, we never applied for welfare. Why? We lived within our means. All family members pitched in as soon as they could work to help raise the family's stardard of living. What did it get us? One nurse, a psychologist, a kids learning center owner, a teacher, a 2-business owner entrepenuer (died at age 32), a truck driver (retired at 55 then they travelled all over the world), a top mechanic, and a retail buyer for the largest retailer in the world - all without going into debt or government assistance. Everybody doesn't have to go to college - just be the best at whatever job you choose to do. And Doremus, I am an Objectivist. You need to read Ayn Rand again. Obviously, you misunderstood a few of her points. My mother, who had only a 6th grade education, was teaching us Objectivism without ever having read Ayn Rand. I think she taught us well. All the problems that are now stopping an individual from achieving their own greatness and enjoying the results of that greatness, have been caused by government laws that want to make us all the same. We are not the same. Should we help those who need it? Of course! But if you are capable of getting up and doing "something" than do so! Don't expect to be taken care of, if you can do so yourself! I was as satisfied with my own worth when I lived at the YMCA when I was 19 years old, as I am now in a 4-bedroom house in my retirement. I earned it all!

Rosemary, I think I agree with most of what you write although I find Ayn Rands vision of the world a little too black and white for me. I'm pretty sure that a sixth grade education in present times would more often than not doom a person for an unhappy life. I'd rather provide a four year college education for free for every student than allow a child deduction every year for the same child. This is the modern era, we need to educate everybody, academically or with a trade.

Rosemary, I absolutely agree! My husband grew up in a household with 8 children, and when I say they had NOTHING...I mean it. Everyone had to pay for their own education, and my husband put himself through undergrad and medical school taking on $250,000 worth of debt. To make money during school, he painted houses, drove a cab, worked as a cook, mowed lawns, and anything else he could do so he could eat. Society today expects free everything. Free education, free healthcare, free food, free cell phones, etc. Although, I must say there is never a shortage of people at Bulls or Bears games...no one wants to pay for a physical examination. My husband worked his rear end off to pay down those debts, and to provide a better situation for our 4 kids. HE earned it! No one gave him a thing along the way. I am a bit tired of those who believe they are entitled to things without even contributing anything to this society. Not everyone can be doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, etc., but people can mow lawns, wait tables, empty trash cans, and dig ditches. Those who have always worked very hard are becoming resentful of those who have done nothing but put their hands out for a check or an entitlement. Our government has made a job unnecessary, fathers unnecessary, and even personal pride unnecessary. It is very sad that those generations before us worked so diligently, only for us to arrive at a point where, as Tty stated, only 47% of Americans pay any income taxes.

Obamacare is 17 trillion, not billion, trillion, in new unfunded liabilities. it's called Communism, it was used to destroy dissent, destroy the middle class, and the wealthy as well, because it keeps the rich rich, and allows everyone else to get taxed up the yin yang.

Every time a discussion of Ayn Rand comes up, the Comments section fills up with anecdotal stories of people who "came from nothing" and "lifted themselves up by their own bootstraps" through "hard work, earning it while no one gave them a thing" Those of you who claim to have "worked hard while no one gave you a thing" are missing the glaringly obvious fact that someone did give you something. Someone gave you a job. They didn't have to. They could have hired the other person applying, but for whatever reason they chose you. And gave you an opportunity to work hard and earn your way without assistance. Good for you, but please please please stop posting on these forums that no one gave you a thing. It's ridiculous. If no one truly gave you a thing, you would die of starvation within a week or do what everyone else in that position does, seek government assistance. Yes, there are people for whom the safety net is now a hammock, taking government assistance while going to the Bears game as you say, but you are very cynical if you believe that is the norm, not the exception. Besides, owning a cell phone is an absolute necessity in this day and age when job hunting. Just because a person is down on their luck with no one giving them an opportunity (the way you were given an opportunity) to earn a successful living, does that mean they need to wallow in misery, never watching television or taking their kids out to a ball game? Kids, go to your room & cry as expected of us.

The actual number of Americans who don’t pay any taxes isn’t half, but 14%. This group of non-taxpayers of any kind is largely composed of the elderly and disabled. The people who don’t pay taxes do so because they can’t work.

The myth that the wealthy are carrying the tax burden for America is used to justify tax cuts for the rich. Conservatives use the inaccurate statistic hand in hand with their, “wealthy are the job creators argument.” One statistic that was intended to demonstrate the loss of income due to the recession, along with the impact of the Obama tax cuts has been distorted and misused to justify a policy of not asking the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share.

The truth is that 86% of Americans pay taxes. In one recession strapped year (2009), less than half of single filer taxpayers paid federal income taxes.

Millions of Americans are not being told the truth that almost 90% of us pay taxes, and that much of the reason why there were fewer people paying federal income taxes in 2009 was that Barack Obama signed the largest tax cut in US history.

Since the truth undercuts the conservative’s reverse Robin Hood steal from the poor to give to the rich policy, they are going to do their best to keep the facts buried under a mountain of misinformation.

Anytime anyone tells you that half of Americans paid no taxes, do your country a favor and straighten them out. We have the facts. It’s time to tear down this talking point.

Nice "unbiased" article TTy. Noticed with a little research the Author is with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University an American "market-oriented" research, education, and outreach think tank affiliated with the "KOCH BROTHERS"
Now who is the parrot?

Back at ya TTY: http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3505. Standard Deduction amounts for 2011 Single-$5800 Head of Household-$8,500 Married Filing Jointly- $11,600 so if you make less than this in a year you pay "NO INCOME TAX" You imply in your tea party rantings is that if you pay no income tax you are a freeloader. You fail to mention these people still pay "payroll taxes" for Social Security and Medicaire. They pay sales tax, gas taxes, excise taxes. Look at the second bullet point on the above site. It quotes the same Tax Policy Center you use....Tax Policy Center data show that only about 17 percent of households did not pay any federal income tax or payroll tax in 2009, despite the high unemployment and temporary tax cuts that marked that year.[5] In 2007, a more typical year, the figure was 14 percent. This percentage would be even lower if it reflected other federal taxes that households pay, including excise taxes on gasoline and other items.

Sorry to disappoint you TTyster. Just checked my turbotax. My wife and I paid $27,604 in 2011 Federal Income Tax. I can pay my way. Thanks for the offer though. I can tell by your postings you are truly a generous man.

Now that is something we can both agree on, Politicians, both Cons and Libs, love to dole out money to their pet voting blocks. Read any transportation and defense spending bill to get an idea. One big difference is one side tends to give more to the haves then the have nots.

I must thank all of you for your comments, particularly those with informed opinions and those with all those links that support your opinion on property taxes or your tangential arguments. This thread debating all sides of any property tax has provided a pretty well-rounded (ahem) assessment. As for the Atlas Mugged title, honestly it is there for the word-play only, not any deep Rand-ian meaning or endorsement thereof. If I were to repeat an "Atlas" and "Rand" pun, I think I will choose to instead reference Rand-McNally. Thank you for almost 100 comments (plus the compliments) prompted by my cartoon.