American tipping culture is absurd. Most of the rest of the world agrees. Here in Thailand tips are rare. (Exceptions include services for foreigners where Thais wouldn't tip!)
Is it true that robot kiosks now ask for tips when there's no human in sight?
And what about 20% tips at expensive restaurants where the bill is hundreds of dollars? In those cases the waitperson isn't being rewarded for good service, but for the "juice" they had to get the coveted job!
Question: Currently while tips ARE taxed, are employers like restaurants required to track employee tips? Or is it just "guesstimate it on your Form 1040" ?
What about restaurants with
mandatory gratuities? Do those "tips" count as
Tips?
I thought tips were income.
They are. It's a politically popular idea to reduce income tax on those with less income (but a lot of the people who would benefit aren't paying much tax anyway) but it's a loophole you could drive a supertanker through--a lot of professional services have relationships where people would likely go along with making part of the payment a tip.
Hmmm. I didn't think of that. Gakk! Will tickets to see Taylor Swift now include a mandatory gratuity for the backups and stage-hands?
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Speaking more generally, there are TWO types of policy change:
(1) Comprehensive programs which improve the social and/or financial system. Such changes are difficult, especially in the polarized post-rational Amerika.
(2) Small band-aids to improve things a bit. These can be politically popular.
Often a policy which would be very BAD when part of a major comprehensive reform, is GOOD when applied as a politically palatable band-aid.
And I will go so far as to say Harris-Walz should support whatever policies make their election more likely. Scream "Hypocrisy!" at me as loud as you want -- you'll just be showing your own ignorance.
The stakes are too serious and dire for anything but the defeat of Trump and his Fascist allies to be the top priority.
