Because they act without our input,I work construction-everytime we disturb the ground,we have to put up silt fence and construct temporary silt and retention ponds,etc.Were as when I’m traveling to the job,I pass an area that has been disturbed for a month or so on the banks of the of a scenic,historical ,waterway.No silt fence.no erosion control, nothing(hasnt even been temporarily seeded) this guy can get by with things like that,while we are held under the microscope and most of our disturbance wouldnt even enter a waterway(but wait,we are trying to keep working and make a profit) For example when the EPA caused most of the Mom & Pop gas stations to shutdown,I realize there was a need,but there should have been an alternative also.Not to mention this ridiculous DOT weight limits and laws on trucks,eg; you can buy a 5% overload permit or get a jobsite permit to vastly overload under certain conditions(smacks of greed and under the table dealings to me){neither of the afore mentioned are valid on interstate by the way} and the list of bureaucratic bungling by agencies such as the IRS goes on &*on-Kevin
We HAVE to get rid of the power one man like Grover Norquist has. He’s a lobbyist with LOTS of money. And if you’re a democrat or republican candidate he disagrees with…then he’ll use ALL his money to make sure you’re never re-elected again. He’s done it in MANY congressional and senate races across this country. He’s considered one of the most powerful men in this country. He’s just ONE man with some stupid ideas and way too much power. These super-pacs are ruining this country. Very rich people (AND HUGE CORPORATIONS IN THE COUNTRY AND OUTSIDE) have way too much influence and power.
Yeah, I’ll agree with that. Grover is like a mob boss rubbing anyone out he doesn’t agree with and feeling good about it. Then they have their weekly meetings with Karl and company to decide who to hit again. Disgusting.
If the tax rate for $80,000 annual income for a self employed mechanic is 40%, brokers, day traders, speculators and CEOs should pay 40% on every last dollar they earn regardless how it is earned or in what country.
Right on RK-Kevin
I agree that rich folks should pay more than they do. But then again, I think we all should. I just don’t see how we can just cut spending and make ends meet. BTW, we could shut down all federal departments except Defense and continue to pay Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, but we’d still expend more than we take in. In 2007, total federal expenditures were $2.8 trillion and revenues were $1.7 trillion., leaving a shortfall of $1.1 trillion. But total expenditures for DoD, Medicare, Medicaid, and debt service were more than $2.1 trillion. Do the math. All other federal government expenditures were 0.7 trillion. Eliminate everything but the big 3 plus debt service, and we’re still short $0.4 trillion. This budget problem cannot be solved by cutting waste or cutting taxes. I was appalled in the 1980s when President Reagan and Congress cut taxes and raised military expenditures. I was appalled in the 2000s when President Bush and Congress cut taxes and raised military expenditures. If we increase spending, we should be willing to pay for it now. I haven’t changed my mind, no matter who is elected this week.
While I’m on the subject of the election, please vote. It’s important that we all weigh in on these and other issues, no matter who you choose to support.
Kmccune…I hear what you say about the massive tax cuts but…when you are wealthy, you can never spend money in a way that the same amount can be spread throughout the public by ordinary citizens and how it benefits more. Just as a ridiculous example, one $1000000 mansion aids the economy less then 1000 one hundred thousand dollar homes. Or, one antique Rolls car as opposed to 50 Chevy Cruse.
And tax cuts for the wealthy do not create jobs. Money used to expand businesses and pay wages are tax exempt. There is no personal income tax on monies you legitimately reinvest. In reality, raising taxes on the wealthy encourages reinvestment. Always did, always will and it’s the dirty little secrete we call socialism or wealth redistribution. We need a little of it. After all, it has been redistributed for the past 11 years the other way where the middle class has saw their wages decrease while the wealthy has gotten very rich (er). Taxes matter and lowering them on the very rich encourages hording and limits reinvestment incentive.
Thanks Dag;I believe you are correct-Kevin
I agree 100% with dagosa…Multi-millionaires paying 11% tax on earned income while the rest of us in middle class pay 33% is obscene.
I also agree with jtsanders…we have to reduce spending. I do like Obama’s approach (or at least what he’s said he want’s to do)…we have to reduce spending AND raise taxes (mainly on the rich)…Then and only then can we get out of this mess. And some of those cuts will be difficult.
The hole we’re in is so deep that even the Middle Class has to chip in. A good start is letting the sun finally set on the Tax Relief Reconciliation Acts of 2001 and 2003. I don’t like paying more money, but I believe it is important that we be willing to pay for the services we want and need. Just cutting expenditures can’t possibly do it.
Just Cutting Expenditures Can’t Possibly Do It ?
Seriously, Government Services We Want And Need ?
The government services I want and need are the military (spend more here, please), U.S judicial system, and national monuments. That’s the complete list.
Let’s cut first, cut big. Try it. Then let’s see how it shakes out afterwards. This combination of cutting and raising taxes simultaneously will only result in higher taxes and more spending on services we don’t want and don’t need. That’s business as usual.
Actual definition of government cutting = Reducing the amount of annual increases.
CSA
As far as the military is concerned, just spending for the sake of spending doesn’t do it for the rest of us. Insuring the most qualified people are in the military means education incentives like my doctor neighbor and son have and are taking advantage of. Govt. pays tuition for his medical degree, student repays with 4 years of service. I believe more could be done in other fields with less expensive degrees requiring two years of service.
Regardless, one of the few times I agreed with Ron Paul. Bring our bases home and let the military contribute to the rest of the economy here. Training with our allies yes, supporting their economy with our defense dollars with excessive overseas bases, no. I was in the guard for 9 years after serving active duty…we loved being of service to public when called. It made our day to help our citizens in need. More so to people paying our salery and training then those over seas. And yet, we still trained with our allies and fought in wars when needed.
I have always felt that military training is a great conduit for service to the public. It isn’t just about killing people and breaking things…though that we did well too, often, too well. I have and always will be in favor of some form of required public or military service…for everyone, including women.
Nothing like being waken at 4 am to the scream of an over active TI to gain a little healthy respect for the world around you.
CSA,your definition of so called Gov’t cuts is right on the money…But I realize we are a sentimental nation.So what I propose is this,teach true history and commemorate people with public works that really help the destitute(places to live eg;)VA is really bad about this-you cant see the scenery for the “signage”.I have enough liberal in me to realize that some people are incapable of taking care of themselves and enough conservative to understand that people need to contribute,not sponge off of others and enough libertarian and free thinker to realize that some people would take all if they could get it.I think the military is already huge enough(remember what Gen.Eisenhower said and what Gen.Smedley Butler said)
I say bring the Kids home!Most of the civilized World can actually get along together(give it a chance) we may have to actually start living a little closer to each other{ah,see that would solve the electric car range dilemma pretty handily} oil will run out someday no matter what Dr.Gold says and its time to level the playing field again,so Mom and Pop can compete.Wal-Mart may be a wonderful thing and others of like ilk,but look what it cost us.We have sold ourselves too cheap-Kevin
There is a great deal of common sense being thrown about here. Everything good that I can think of has been said and then some.
Romney has Koch as a supporter, so does Walker in WI, before the recall that balanced the playing field here are some of the things the republicans did.
Eliminated equal pay for women.
Tort reform limiting corporate liability to $150k
Eliminated child labor law.
Public unions, limited to bargaining for a cost of living increase only, no worker safety etc. grievances allowed. Pending in the courts.
Voter id law – overturned by the courts
Did not like protests at the capitol so now 4 or more need a permit 72 hours in advance to get into the capitol building and may be assessed for police costs.
Eliminated the right to collect damages in discrimination lawsuits.
Was willing to sacrifice FEMA flood insrance for all Wisconsinites to pass a mining bill in violation of FEMA standards.
Cut Badger Care insurance for low income, only to be mandated by the feds who fund it to restore it.
It goes on, but I won’t, good for business, bad for people.
A little realism…the federal govt. has NEVER been reduced in size regardless of the promises made to get elected. If you grow your own food, feed your own transportation, load your own self defense and think of health care as staying away from anyone who smokes or sneezes, you can reduce govt.
With technological singularity just a couple of decades away as technology increase exponentially the size of the federal govt. will increase as our inter dependence throughout the world increases, not decreases. You can’t deal without federal intervention when all of your electronics, most of your consumables and all of you transportation, energy, insurance and healthcare is provide, at least, inter state and for most segments, out of this country. Dream on guys. The Federal govt. WILL continue to grow as it must.
The demands placed upon the Feds. as our inter dependency increases will be requested (demanded) by all of us, regardless of how much we pontificate about our personal freedom now. How much do you depend upon the Internet ? Didn’t see that one comming when you were a kid. Things will be thrown at us at such an increasing rate, our ability to asymulate them into our lives will REQUIRE federal intervention.
Deal with it.
BTW, DON’T TRUST ANYONE WHO SAYS THEY WILL REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE FED.
If I become chief, I will outlaw helplessness and hopelessness, and replace them with a positive work ethic. When I was growing up, money was tight in our family, but we did have food on the table and a roof over our heads. We grew a large garden and my mother canned or froze much of what we grew for the winter. We did many of our own household and automobile repairs. We helped our neighbors and they helped us when help was needed. What we gained was the satisfaction of accomplishment and the confidence to accept new challenges.
I attended a rural consolidated school that had an enrollment of about 275 students in grades 1 through 12. It was administered only by a principal–no dean of boys, or dean of girls, or guidance counselors. The principal handled these duties. Ten years ago, I brought our band in to play for a retired teachers association banquet. I got to sit next to a woman who was about 6 years older than I am and had attended the school. She was telling me that when she started her freshmen year, she had signed up for vocational courses. The principal called her into his office and told her that she was to take the algebra, biology, foreign langauge, etc. When she asked why, he replied “These are the courses you need for college”. She told the principal, “I can’t go to college. Nobody in my family has gone to college and my family doesn’t have that kind of money”. The principal replied, “When you graduate, the money will be there for you to go to college”. Well, my friend earned a full ride scholarship for her college education.
It really disturbs me when college graduates complain that they can’t get jobs. College education was never intended to be career preparation, but learning how to think, to reason, and to communicate both in writing and verbally should prepare a person for many jobs. A college degree should not be an end, but a beginning. When my son went to college, I gave him this advice: “Listen to the upper classmen and hear what professors they complain about being too demanding. You go sign up for classes with these professors. I don’t care what area it is in”. To my amazement, my son took my advice. He has had different jobs–he was an assistant manager in a children’s home. He worked in a nursery digging plants and trees. He sold hardware for Sears. He earned a master’s degree in children’s ministry from a seminary. While waiting for the call from the right church, he took a job teaching 5th grade in a private academy where a teaching license wasn’t required. This job was to be a one year job, but he remained at the private school for six years. In the meantime, he took courses to be a licensed teacher and is now teaching in a university laboratory school. He works very hard, but has the satisfaction of seeing his students learn.
When I become chief, I’ll challenge my subjects to use their talents and when they meet the challenge, they will have the satisfaction of accomplishment.
Tiedaq…I hear you. When a student ask me how they were ever going to use this material taught in math class, my stock reply was, " it’s up to you to find new and inventive ways to us it. Your parents and I need support in our retirement and I’m depending upon you to find these ways, just like I’m doing for your grand parents now."
The government services I want and need are the military (spend more here, please), U.S judicial system, and national monuments. That's the complete list.
EVERYONE I know who has that same attitude…
ALL take our highway system to and from work. In fact they couldn’t live where they live now and have the same type of job without it. They are completely dependent on it.
ALL have 401k plans (Brought to you by the Fed Govt under Ronald Reagan).
ALL have one time or another been on unemployment.
A few have been on welfare…
ALL are relying on Social Security to augment their income when they retire.
One friend of mine complained to me a couple of months ago about how his daughter can’t survive her minimum wage job and NOW things minimum wage is too low. We had an argument about how the government shouldn’t be dictating minimum wage just 10 years earlier. Want to guess what side he was on.
Let’s remove ALL regulations on Pollution - because we all know that no company would ever ever intentionally pollute the air or water.
Let’s remove ALL regulations on the - banking industry because we all know that no bank would ever ever introduce policies that could ever hurt the American people.
Let’s remove ALL safety standards on cars/trucks - because we all know that the auto industry is always striving to build the safest car.
I know I missed a few thousand government programs that millions of people use and even depend on.
But I am for the overall principle of reducing expenses. Increasing the Military is just plain FOOLISH unless we’re at war. Let’s spend a few more BILLION dollars on failed defense systems like the Bradly assault vehicle…OR the B1 Bomber…
How about we reduce the BILLIONS of dollars in tax brakes the oil companies get.
Why do we still have tobacco subsidies??
Why do we still have sugar subsidies???
I do agree we should look at and maybe change the way Welfare works. I’m sure there’s a lot of waste there.
I’m in favor of a flat tax, but I think that the wealthy hollywood types have given an inaccurate impression of how most wealthy people keep racking up the dough. Most wealth was made, and most growth of net worth continues, by creating a successful enterprise and contniuing to keep that money well invested in either growing the enterprise or providing capital for other entrepeneurs to grow enterprises. As an organization grows, it then seeks capital to fund further growth. With few exceptions, most CEOs taking a $200M annual salary do so by improving the net worth of the company by more than the $200M they’re raking in.
Lee Iaccoca, for example, was worth every single penny he made.
Steven Jobs and John Scvully showed us the difference between competant corporate management and its diametric opposite. A better example does not exists.
Alan Mullally has done wonders for Ford…without any bailouts.
There are a few wealthy peoepl that became and stay that way despite themselves, but they’re the exception. The wealthy get and stay that way by making theor money produce. And all the people working for them benefit, as do we all.
Wealthy people see money as a tool.