@ISIDEWITHQuestionsthe EconomyStarted 9mos agoActive 1 day ago

Should the government tax unrealized gains?

An unrealized gain is an increase in the value of an asset or investment that an investor has not sold, such as an open stock position. A proposal in the Biden-Harris Administration’s 2025 budget would require households with more than $100 million in wealth to pay income taxes of at least 25 percent of their annual income, including their unrealized capital gains — gains in the value of assets that they have not yet sold. Critics argue that unrealized capital gains, which are a primary source of income for many extremely wealthy households, are mere “paper” gains that do not constitute real income (though they meet a textbook definition of income). Proponents argue that unrealized gains make asset owners (such as Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk) rich unless they sell their companies’ stock.

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Response rates from 542 Peace and Freedom voters.

49%
Yes
51%
No
49%
Yes
51%
No

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Peace and Freedom voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @n35w101  from Oklahoma  answered…9mos9MO

Yes, real estate is already taxed annually based on their current valuation, even when not sold. I see no reason why other assets shouldn't be treated similarly.

 @9TSRQSW from Arizona  answered…9mos9MO

25% is way to much to tax anybody, just because they are making more money than others doesn't mean that they should get a quarter of their annual income taken from them

 @9TRLW9J from Florida  answered…9mos9MO

The value of an asset is based on what someone is willing to pay for it. If the item has not sold then there is only speculation on the value. It’s not fair to tax anyone on someone else’s speculation of value.

 @9TSHCBZ from North Carolina  answered…9mos9MO

Only if two criteria are met: 1. it would only apply to individuals with net unrealized gains in a given year of $100 million + 2. they would be able to take unrealized losses against the unrealized gains.

 @B5N9D7M from New York  answered…4wks4W

Instead increase taxes on real income of large corporations, and impeach Trump for gutting social welfare to cut taxes for the billionaires

 @9TSHJQ2 from West Virginia  answered…9mos9MO

No, unrealized gains can drop due to the nature of them not being sold. Only realized gains should be taxed because they are locked in. Unrealized gains can become a loss quickly.

 @9TTFYGH from Texas  answered…9mos9MO

I can swallow my pride and acknowledge that I'm not educated enough to give a nuanced answer on this topic. If you're asking "should we tax Bezos' 38 trillion Amazon shares he hasn't sold yet" then sure, why not

 @9TTXNZC from Texas  answered…9mos9MO

If it means the super wealthy don't have to pay as much taxes as the poor then yes they should be taxed.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…5mos5MO

Investigators Face Stunning Mystery In Midair Catastrophe

A shocking mid-air collision occurred between a commercial airliner and what appears to be a military/government Blackhawk helicopter in the Washington D.C.CNN aviation correspondent and private pilot Pete Munteen said this is extremely rare and concerning such an incident is in modern aviation.Commercial aircraft are equipped with TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) specifically designed to prevent such collisions.TCAS actively instructs pilots on vertical maneuvers to avoid other aircraft through climb or descent commands.The system was implemented as a direct response to previous mid-air collisions involving commercial aircraft.The incident represents what aviation experts call "holes in the Swiss cheese" - multiple safety failures aligning simultaneously.Commercial pilots undergo extensive training and operate with sophisticated technology, making this event particularly concerning.The Blackhawk helicopter involved suggests military or government involvement, as it's exclusively used by these entities.The aviation expert expressing shock underscores the extraordinary nature of this incident.A major investigation will be required to understand how multiple safety systems and protocols failed simultaneously."This would be an incredible lining up of the holes in the Swiss cheese, the -- the which is the saying in aviation, the gaps in the -- in the safety chain in aviation, that this happened and now investigators have an incredible amount of work cut out for them to figure out how a commercial airliner in the United States in 2025, when the pilots are incredibly trained, the technology is is incredibly sharp, collided with what is apparently a military or government helicopter. Nobody else uses the blackhawk. Yeah, it is -- it is really something else. I -- I -- I'm just stunned."

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