Political Hippo Circle Jerk - America, farg YEAH!

[stalker]

So, according to the logic of Dio, ATV, Phanatic, JIGY and Shorebird, the only people who need discuss or  be concerned with racism are potential targets of racism.  So the rest of us should never discuss it.

[shorebird]

So, according to the logic of Dio, ATV, Phanatic, JIGY and Shorebird, the only people who need discuss or  be concerned with racism are potential targets of racism.  So the rest of us should never discuss it.

I don't think I would be welcome in that group.

[stalker]

Ha ha ha. You are probably right. But that's the point.

[Diomedes]

I don't think I would be welcome in that group.

I chair the welcoming committee.  You're in by way of an affirmative action grant for the disadvantaged, funded by vigy moneybags.

[Butchers Bill]

rich people dont pay taxes.....thats as american as yankee doodle and apple pie...and its the only thing old decrepit white guys have left to cling to as their own...since it wont be long before whitey is out numbered in this country

You understand how dumb this is right?  Unless you were trying to be funny?

Where do you think the several trillion dollars worth of taxes come from?  Lets put your empty rhetoric aside for a moment and lets do some simple math.

Lets assume for a moment there are 100 million taxpayers out there (accurate based on 2005 IRS stats), and each pays 15k (a very generous number) a year in federal taxes including FICA.  That comes to 1.5 trillion.  The US's receipts are roughly 2.5 trillion so there is a one trillion dollar gap you have to close.  Even with Obamath you can't close that in your scenario.

But wait, theres more.  That 15k I mention includes FICA which is not part of the federal budget since it is technicall a stand alone item and not considered part of the general fund.  So even being incredibly generous with the numbers your comment still doesn't make any sense.

   

[Phanatic]

So, according to the logic of Dio, ATV, Phanatic, JIGY and Shorebird, the only people who need discuss or  be concerned with racism are potential targets of racism.  So the rest of us should never discuss it.

Not sure why I'm on any list. I am currently waffling over estate taxes undecided. I've never commented on race or racism in this thread.

[Phanatic]

On "The Death Tax" I respect Butchers Bill's perspective on it. I had not thought of those points. I am also pulled in the direction of why the government should be allowed to tax the same money twice.

In the end though there does seem to be higher priorities.

[stalker]

I've always been against the state tax because the government gets to tax the money twice, however if it is true that it is only for estates above $3.5 million who gives a farg. There are a whole lot more important things to worry about in this country.

In the fact that if it doesn't directly effect you, it doesn't matter.

[Butchers Bill]

On "The Death Tax" I respect Butchers Bill's perspective on it. I had not thought of those points. I am also pulled in the direction of why the government should be allowed to tax the same money twice.

In the end though there does seem to be higher priorities.

Some of the money in an estate situation may have never been taxed because of all the loopholes allowed with trusts, estates, and the like.  I understand what you are saying, but we already double tax a lot of things anyway don't we?  Sales tax, gas tax, any licensing fees...all of these are paid with after tax dollars as well right?

People used to have to make their own way in this country, and now we are descending into an area where either you suckle off of your predecessors or the government.  Either way it sucks ass.

[Diomedes]

...and now we are descending into an area where either you suckle off of your predecessors or the government.  Either way it sucks ass.

here here

[Rome]

My parents didn't leave me a dime when they died and since I've actually worked every year since 1980 I've never collected a dime in assistance from the gubment.

Of course, I work for the gubment now, so thanks for your support!

[Butchers Bill]

I am not convinced that private industry can pull the country out.  It was afterall private industry that got us into this.  I think a large spending bill to kickstart the engine is wise, and once the engine is going again, private industry will be what keeps it running.

But there are very big problems with capitalism as we run it, and only government regulation and oversight is going to fix those problems.  The peanut factory cannot be counted upon to put consumer safety before profits, the bank ceos cannot be counted on to serve their institutions employees and most importantly customers before their own profit, etc.

Regulation of business is not government intervention, it's one of the market forces companies need to account for and adapt to.  We must have better government in order to avoid the drastic failures that we see here today.

Excellent points Dio.  Business leaders through time have always run roughshod in good times, and the general citizenry have always paid the price.  This time around the government actually had a hand in the disaster with Fannie and Freddie and insisting that "bad" loans be given to "good" people.  While the government did this for altruistic reasons, the dicks at the top of some of these businesses saw dollar signs and did not mitigate their risk properly.

Clearly, the peanut people belong in prison.

You last sentence is what we all strive for but I am not sure Americans can achieve it.  After all, "American Idol" is back on.   

[shorebird]

I don't think I would be welcome in that group.

I chair the welcoming committee.  You're in by way of an affirmative action grant for the mentallydisadvantaged, funded by vigy moneybags.

[stalker]

I am not convinced that private industry can pull the country out.  It was afterall private industry that got us into this.  I think a large spending bill to kickstart the engine is wise, and once the engine is going again, private industry will be what keeps it running.

But there are very big problems with capitalism as we run it, and only government regulation and oversight is going to fix those problems.  The peanut factory cannot be counted upon to put consumer safety before profits, the bank ceos cannot be counted on to serve their institutions employees and most importantly customers before their own profit, etc.

Regulation of business is not government intervention, it's one of the market forces companies need to account for and adapt to.  We must have better government in order to avoid the drastic failures that we see here today.

Excellent points Dio.  Business leaders through time have always run roughshod in good times, and the general citizenry have always paid the price.  This time around the government actually had a hand in the disaster with Fannie and Freddie and insisting that "bad" loans be given to "good" people.  While the government did this for altruistic reasons, the dicks at the top of some of these businesses saw dollar signs and did not mitigate their risk properly.

Clearly, the peanut people belong in prison.

You last sentence is what we all strive for but I am not sure Americans can achieve it.  After all, "American Idol" is back on.   

There is plenty of blame to go around. We keep blaming Freddie and Fannie and mentioning bad loads to good people. Keep in mind that these bad loans were to people who had a wish to live way beyond their means. That is the dirty little truth behind this. For the most part, people who WERE losing their homes were taking out mortgages that they did not need. Let's face reallity, a normal middle class laborer does not need or earn the money to live in a million dollar+ home. But plenty were. The bank is at fault for lending the money but that same laborer is even more at fault for not having some kind of fore-thought.

[Rome]

As usual you have absolutely no clue what you're talking about.