Elstersterster

Friend of the Friends of the Ballona Wetlands. Mistersterster Elstersterster to you.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 @reasonableLP We will always be near the bottom of the rankings among the developed countries. No other country has third world immigration at our scale. That's not the only reason, but it skews numbers down to the basics like literacy and infant mortality.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 Armenians and Turks (who don't care), Persian Jews and Persians, and I am sure you probably have problems with, say, the coastal and inland Sri Lankans. Each one is such a small slice of the pie it's meaningless unless you are a professional criminal or a fresh immigrant.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 Not my experience at all. It’s too diverse now for that. There is tribal beef in the criminal world, which is more political than racial. Otherwise there is lingering racism between Mexicans and black people, other latinos and Mexicans, Koreans and black people and Mexicans/

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 I think that is generally directed toward "Zionists." I doubt they would have a problem with me. Unfortunately an increasing percentage of Israelis have those feelings toward Arabs.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 Not once they get here.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 Of course -- I'm just making a narrow point that raising the cap shouldn't result in fewer SS taxes paid. Taxpayers should be using the strategies you're talking about no matter what the cap is.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 Yes, I agree. I'm just saying taxpayers should be doing that regardless of what the cap is.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 None of this has anything to do with the SE tax, which is owed on all comp for services up to the cap.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 They will still pay the SE tax on comp for services unless they lie to the IRS about the source of their income.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 Correct -- and those are business expenses, but raising the cap won't influence the tax behavior. The taxpayers setting those up are already over the cap. Lowering the cap would make those more attractive.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 Sure, but tax incentives are the same as before. Raising the cap doesn't change what the social security trust gets, even if it changes what the IRS gets. Income is compensation for services or it's not. If it is, you can pay the 15.3% SE tax or lie to the IRS.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 Eager Eddy is the name of your examiner. I believe business profits flow through to your 1040 either way. The social security trust is in the same spot as before.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 But self-employment income is treated the same as wage income for social security taxes. The motivation to reduce it for Eager Eddy is the same regardless of what the cap is.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 I think the same is true for those who receive huge windfalls, even if earned through adversity (e.g., founders, athletes, and artists). Interestingly, the people I know who come from big time "old money" are more normal. They were taught how to handle being that rich.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

What the hell do you mean my Gmail is out of storage? I do not understand.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 Well, if you didn't have to subsidize child molesters. It would be foolish to go without insurance unless you're only taking your family. If you only had to buy coverage for a kid falling off a cliff or getting mauled by a bear it wouldn't be a problem.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 In my observation sports are still pretty much free. It's the level of play you have to pay for until you get to high school.

[Elstersterster @AaronElster]

@Jdcocojr61 But if you want to go to the olympics you probably need to join a swimming club coached by a gold medalist and have your mom or nanny drive you across town at 4:30 every morning and spend tens of thousands.