I spent some time looking over the most recent census data and the IRS data on who pays taxes and how much. It's difficult to take sets of big numbers and come up with something reasonably accurate. And, I'm well aware of the story about the guy that drowned in a lake that averaged 18 inches deep. But, here I go...
Census data (I'm using round numbers) indicates that of the @27 Million business firms in the US, all but about 6 million have no employees. These are contract workers (like Realtor's) or authors receiving royalties...one person shops, accountants...maybe a small barbershop owner that leases a chair/chairs to another barber but doesn't pay anyone. A hedge fund guru with just a few employees would also be a small business. Whatever. Of the remaining 6 million firms, 3.6 million have 1-4 employees, and slightly over a million have 5-9 employees. About 630K have 10-19 employees, about 500K have 20-99 employees, and it goes down swiftly after that. Firms with 500 or more employees employ 61 million of the total @120 million employed in the US. These numbers do not include "government" employees. More below the sqiggle...
I think it's safe to conclude that not many of the self-employed, or smaller businesses, have an Adjusted Gross Income (taxable) of more than $250K. Therefore the Republican/Romney/Ryan argument about a tax increase on incomes $250K and above damaging small business is false. What is killing employment and wages? 1) Vulture capitalists moving manufacturing jobs to China (Apple, Bain Capital, etc.) and service jobs (Tech support, customer no-service, etc) to India and elsewhere. 2. Big Box stores and restaurant chains that often eliminate local businesses and pay their employees substandard wages. Walmart for example. Or, the Darden Group (Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steaks...) who forces waiters to share tips with busboys, etc., so they can pay a "tip-adjusted" wage of $2.13/hour rather than the minimum wage of $7.25. By the way, the CEO of Darden earns 539X the average yearly wage of his workers. 3) The apathy of the American public towards either the injustices or consequences of these practices and the failure of Congress to properly address such things as equal pay for women or fair trade versus simply free trade. Actually, Congress is a total failure in so many respects it's impossible to enumerate.
I'm certain I've missed some things or not articulated something as well or in as much detail as possible, but these are my thoughts...at the moment. Like many of us, I will be nervously watching the debate tonight. I'm scared and angry. And, I'm worn slick from arguing with people who, in spite of the facts and obvious implications of radical economic, religious, and social "conservatism," seem poised to vote for people, at both state and national levels, who will surely exacerbate our nation's problems. I'm frightened because, in addition to their bigotry, these candidates are rattling their sabers on the international front. They portray diplomacy and cautionary use of force as appeasement and seem almost excited about the prospects of showing what tough guys/gals they are....with someone else's loved ones, naturally. David Rouzer, Republican candidate for Congress in my district, refers to the current administration as "girly men." He, of course, has never served in the military in any capacity.
I don't know how it's going to turn out. If these folks are elected, I hope those who voted for them get what they want...and get it good and hard. It's not just "bed-wetting, knee-knocking libruls" whose children or grandchildren can be cannon fodder, or whose Medicaid grannies can be tossed out of nursing homes, or whose own health care can suffer. It's not just Democrats whose Social Security will be threatened. We'll all pay...but if that happens and my Republican-voting acquaintances start to bitch, I'll just smile and tell them "You did this...go ___ yourself. Again."