So in the parasites and leeches thread the topic of "out-of-control" corporations (Big Business) getting handouts that amount to corporate welfare, all the while not paying any taxes on HUGE profits... Examples would be Wall Street, Big Oil, Big Pharma and Military Contractors.

Let's discuss ending corporate handouts before we even think about touching welfare for the poor. Discuss.

well, as i'm still learning about economics, my base idea seems to be that i'm confused as to how in capitalism, we still have corporations receiving money from the government, and it's not from incentives or something like this.

because they cheat out of taxes and money at a rate i wonder why people even try to focus on poor people like they're the problem.

I'm all for it. 15% flat tax on businesses would be the route I would go - no breaks, loopholes, etc. The only incentives I may consider is if they keep jobs in the US.

The problem with that is many would probably just leave the country, though that would likely hurt them in the long run.

I am certainly a conservative for the most part, but companies - especially public ones - have gotten way out of control with the "incentives" they expect in order to bring jobs to an area.

Not sure why we have to discuss it before.... it's not like we can't do both at the same time... but let's discuss them separately because they are totally different issues.

The problem with most of us discussing corporate tax incentives and how they work and how multi-national companies with billions in revenue and billions in profits end up paying little to no taxes... is that we don't understand it, we couldn't possibly understand it. It's literally thousands of pages of tax code that highly educated tax specialists barely understand after years of working with it. I bet nobody within the IRS fully understands it either.... there are hundreds, if not thousands, of industry specific tax breaks that were specifically written into the code to benefit one industry or another....

So I will rant all day but in the end, it just ain't right that a company can profit billions, pay its executives tens of millions yet pay zero in income taxes...

I hate the massive handouts we give to businesses and industries. I see no need for the vast majority of them. it gets to be ridiculous.

I also believe that we need a complete overhaul of the tax system, making it flatter and fairer, with the removal of all of the obscene tax loopholes and hiding places the current code allows.

I also believe that welfare itself should be changed so that people work for their benefits, when medically able to do so. Have those receiving welfare do work in their communities, picking up trash, sweeping sidewalks, and so on, to repay their communities for the gift they are given by their communities.

I don't see why we need to say "we have to do W before we can do X. Why can't we have a comprehensive plan that addresses both areas?

I would also look at defense spending. I think that we can do a lot better than we currently do, and cut projects that do not fit the military needs. Military need should be the overwhelming reason we approve a military spending project, not that it impacts a specific district or state.

Right now, with interest rates at an all time low, 6% of our budget is interest payments. Not paying on the debt, but just paying towards interest on the debt. We need to get this spending under control.

I should add that I have no problem with some tax incentives/relief for start ups and small business trying to get established, especially in industry with high start-up costs..

I view those circumstances as completely different from what is happening with big global companies who are already well established and extremely profitable.

One flat tax for all. No loopholes for businesses. Period.

I'd do the same with people except offer exemption to those under the poverty guidelines.

WOW! This seems to be a topic we can all come together on... Too bad there is not a candidate that is looking to address this... OH WAIT! Bernie Sanders wants to end corporate welfare!

He also wants to bring back GOOD jobs, rebuild our infrastructure, return the middle class to it's former glory, take care of our Vets and Elderly the way we should, give our kids the knowledge and tools needed to not only succeed but to become the bedrock of America's Future...

P.S.- I am happy we agree that this issue needs to be addressed.

And I'll add....double or triple the postal rates for all and no more bulk rates for businesses. The USPS loses billions of tax dollars every year. The USPS lost 1.9 billion by the second qtr of 2014. The Middle Class tax payer can no longer afford to support a loser like the USPS when we have other companies like UPS and FedEx for competition, who are making big profits.

the USPS actually earns money but the fed now borrows from it so much it goes into a loss. They raided the pensions for the post office something fierce.