u/Less-Ad6770

I’ve been thinking about this and I don’t understand why our definition of being “low income” is so focused on basic survival.

We already acknowledge that people’s standard of living matters in other parts of the law.

For example: child support isn’t simply calculated as “how much money does this parent need to keep the child alive?” A parent’s income can affect how much child support they owe because the child is supposed to benefit from the standard of living their parent(s) can afford.

So clearly we already recognize that money isn’t just about food, shelter, and basic necessities. But when we’re talking about whether an adult is “low income,” suddenly it’s basically: Can you afford food? Can you afford housing? Can you afford basic necessities?

Okay, but what about actually living?

If someone makes $18/hour and after rent, food, transportation, insurance, utilities, etc. they have $50-100 left over, they’re technically surviving.

But they can’t really afford to:

-Go out with friends

-Have hobbies

-Date

-Take a vacation

-Go to concerts

-Buy something they want without stressing

-Build meaningful savings

-Handle an unexpected expense without sinking

And I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that those things matter to somebody’s overall social standing just as much as the basic physical necessities. I’m not saying the government should give people money for entertainment or luxury. I’m saying there should be a distinction between: “this person can technically survive.” and “ this person has enough money to atleast participate in a moderate reasonable normal life.”

Especially in places like the Bay Area or New York, someone can be above the official federal and state poverty threshold while still having almost or no money left after necessities.

We already acknowledge that that standard of living matters in other areas of the law.

So why don’t we incorporate some reasonable level of quality of life when determining who is actually economically disadvantaged?

It ties into mental health. it’s just as, if not, more important than our physical necessities because without it, everything else crashes.

I believe a specific change should be made to the way the progressive tax system works. My proposal is that federal and state income taxes should only become progressively higher after a person has reached a reasonable income level needed to afford basic living expenses. This baseline could be around $5,000 per month, or $60,000 per year. Under this system, the first $5,000 of monthly income would be taxed at a fixed, relatively low rate, such as 15%. For example, a person earning $2,000 per month would pay $300 in taxes, while a person earning $5,000 per month would pay $750. Once a person’s income exceeds $5,000 per month, the additional income above that threshold could then be taxed progressively at higher rates.

The purpose of this system would be to ensure that people have a reasonable opportunity to meet their basic needs before being subjected to increasingly higher marginal tax rates. Housing, food, transportation, utilities, and other necessities consume a significant portion of a person’s income, and the amount required to afford those necessities varies considerably depending on where someone lives. Someone living in a high-cost area such as the San Francisco Bay Area may face dramatically higher expenses than someone living in a lower-cost area such as Clearlake, California. However, regardless of where someone lives, they still need enough disposable income to maintain a basic standard of living.

I recognize that a universal $5,000 threshold would not provide the same purchasing power everywhere. However, I believe there is value in establishing a simple baseline rather than attempting to calculate every individual’s exact cost of living. The amount that jobs pay is also influenced by the demand for labor and the cost of living in the surrounding area. Higher-cost areas generally require higher wages for many occupations, meaning that a person would still need to qualify for and obtain a job that provides that income. I therefore do not believe that a basic tax floor would automatically cause a massive migration toward high-cost areas simply because the first portion of income is taxed at a lower rate.

The larger principle behind my proposal is that people should be able to help themselves before being expected to contribute increasingly more to society through taxation. Once a person has enough income to reasonably cover their basic needs, additional income represents a greater ability to contribute toward public services and society as a whole. Progressive taxation could therefore begin primarily on income that exceeds this basic living threshold.

I believe this approach could create a healthier society by reducing the financial pressure placed on people who are struggling to afford necessities. When fewer people are constantly worried about whether they can afford housing, food, transportation, and other basic needs, they may have more freedom to pursue education, save money, improve their careers, start businesses, support their communities, and otherwise contribute to society.

In my view, the purpose of taxation should not simply be to collect as much revenue as possible. The tax system should also recognize that people need a reasonable economic foundation before they can fully participate in and contribute to the larger economy. By allowing people to meet their basic needs first and applying progressively higher taxation primarily to income beyond that baseline, society could potentially create a stronger balance between individual economic security and collective responsibility.

I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. I’ve never been a naturally social person unless I genuinely clicked with someone, then I can be very expressive and funny. I usually avoid people (mostly acquaintances, co-workers or people I don’t see as often) I know if I see them out because I’d rather spend my time and energy on my own interests than have a conversation that feels forced. I don’t really enjoy things like gossip, small talk, or a lot of the common social activities other people seem to bond over, so it’s hard for me to feel like I fit in. At first I wondered if maybe I just didn’t like people, but then I realized that’s not really true. I have a brother who honestly feels more like a best friend. I genuinely love talking to him, we laugh all the time, and I can completely be myself around him. That made me realize I’m not against close relationships—I actually wish I had more friendships like that. I just haven’t found many people I naturally connect with on that level. Another thing I’ve noticed is that it feels oddly awkward for me to say affectionate things like “I love you” to my siblings, even though I do love them. Growing up, expressing emotions between siblings just wasn’t something we did unless our parents were making us reconcile after a fight, so I think that shaped how I express affection. If one of my siblings told me they loved me or said they were glad I was their brother, I’d honestly be really happy to hear it. At this point, I don’t want a huge friend group—I just want one or two people who feel like family, where I don’t have to wear a social mask and can completely be myself. Does anyone else relate to this?

I’ve already tried to connect it to a computer via USB and drain the battery, none has worked soo far.

I have a lost Google account that has all of my old childhood photos and memories. I tried logging in, typed in my password and it went through but wanted me to do a two step verification with one of my old devices, it is the Alcatel Joytab 2. I grabbed it and charged it up a bit so I can click the button but I forgot there was a pattern lock on it and I can’t connect it to WiFi if I don’t do the old pattern to unlock it. I’ve tried many ways to get in but the only way it keeps saying is the two step verification. I just want to see if there is a way I can either get my Google account back somehow or get into my old tablet without wiping it clean.

I have a lost Google account that has all of my old childhood photos and memories. I tried logging in, typed in my password and it went through but wanted me to do a two step verification with one of my old devices, it is the Alcatel Joytab 2. I grabbed it and charged it up a bit so I can click the button but I forgot there was a pattern lock on it and I can’t connect it to WiFi if I don’t do the old pattern to unlock it. I’ve tried many ways to get in but the only way it keeps saying is the two step verification. I just want to see if there is a way I can either get my Google account back somehow or get into my old tablet without wiping it clean.

Where is all this sensory data being recieved and processed, the hearing, vision, taste receptors, all of that has to go somewhere and be received, which is me living that from my point of view, my perception, so what part of the brain consolidates all of that, is that where the "soul" is? But I want the real tangible answer based on our physical reality, not ghosts and spirits and things like that.

What the title says. I find that I seem to become stagnant over time with things like my goals, personal development, studies, etc. when I am in a relationship with a woman whereas when I am single and live by myself I find that I can focus and plan my days easier and build things more around my personal development that I have been interested in for some time now. Should it be this way? Should I be able to continue to find and develop myself even being in relationships?

I ask this because I think with how it is now, people could use the extra money towards staying more afloat (at least in California), so instead of making $25/hr (~$4000/mo gross), you make ~$3200/mo after tax, ~$800 per month in taxes, and it just goes up from there when you try to put in more work and make more money to live properly, but also is a trade off for a good work life balance in aloe of cases. Instead Why or why not could there be a flat rate up to a certain amount earned per month (like $50-400 max a month, and lesser the less money you make under 5 or 6 grand then after that threshold it starts getting progressive. This way, people in the lower and middle class have more money to be able to afford more comfortably. You might make enough money at a job from your gross salary to be able to comfortably afford a modest lifestyle but after taxes are taken out, you may be barely able to afford many necessities, so you pick up a second job and now you’re able to start to afford some more necessities, just enough to stay afloat and secure, but you are working two jobs that take up two thirds of your time that you can only use the other third to sleep and not having any real time to live. I feel that is important too.

Edit: What I mean is this: Taxes are essential for a society to function properly. That is a fact. We need taxes. Currently, in most places taxes are one of the biggest expenses on a middle class individual after rent. Being middle class, you make too much for government subsidies and must pay for things like healthcare, housing, food, etc. on your own. These things are very costly and cause a lot of people in the middle class to struggle mentally and financially just to stay afloat. How about we change the variables of our progressive tax system to lean more on individuals who are able to be comfortable mentally and financially as in people who make over a said amount of money.

What this looks like:

A low income person that makes $1000-3000/mo pays $50-200/mo in total taxes flat rate such that their net income is $950-2800 (currently it’s around $550 for $3000/mo income in places like California)

A middle income person that makes $4000-7000/mo pays $300-$800 flat rate (currently it’s around $2000/mo for someone that makes $7000/mo in places like California)

And then income above a comfortable, reasonable middle class life style should then start being progressively taxed such that the burden is shifted more to people who can afford it comfortably compared to people that barely survive because of it.