Your Congress, NOT At Work.

[Fla._Deadheader]

 In the midst of finally getting Alt. Energy Moving forward,

  Look here]

[Lanier_Lurker]

It is debatable whether the expiration of a tax credit can be labeled as tax increase.

It is also debatable whether a tax credit and a tax cut are the same thing.

Either way,  the current leadership in both houses of Congress seem convinced that this country can tax itself into not only solvency, but even prosperity.

Churchill pretty much nailed it when he said "We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle."

[Osric]

Considering that we are taxed at a lower rate today than we have been for the past 50+ years (and that we pay lower taxes than just about any other industrialized nation), the argument that we need tax breaks over a balanced budget is awfully thin.

Personally, I'd rather pay a little more today so my children don't have to pay a lot tomorrow.  Not sure why the right doesn't understand this.

[DanG]

It isn't that we don't understand that concept, Osric.  It is just that we disagree with it.   And it isn't that we want to shift the debt to a later generation, either.  The theory behind lowering the taxes is that more money in the hands of consumers means more taxes being paid...in Dollars, not percentages.  To my way of thinking, money is of no value if it isn't being circulated.  The problem we are seeing right now is that the money is being circulated from here to overseas, and not that we are not being taxed heavily enough.

[metalspinner]

In addition to what DanG mentioned, more money in the hands of our politicians can never be a good solution.  Just look at how it has been spent... by both parties.  

[olyman]

In addition to what DanG mentioned, more money in the hands of our politicians can never be a good solution.  Just look at how it has been spent... by both parties.  

aint that the truth--professionals at spending you and my money--it aint theirs--though they think it is---be nice to get back to a government by the people,for the people

[Handy Andy]

Just look what happened to the social security surplus.  They spent every cent.  And then they lie to us and say it's in a "trust fund".  I called one of the reps from Kansas and asked just how many times they can spend the same money?
  It's my observation that you can not trust the government with your money or your rights.  Jim

[sgtmaconga]

Until we get a flat tax rate everywhere and from everyone we will be seeing this long after i die. i'm tired of getting taxed at 35% or higher for overtime i work

[Ron Wenrich]

I don't know if you'll be real happy with a flat tax.  They set a poverty level, then everyone owes pays at the same tax rate.  Chances are, if you're in a lower tax rate, your tax rates will go up.  If you're in a higher bracket, they'll probably come down.

If you want a real shocker, pay quarterly taxes.  Then you know what you're sending to the government.

[beenthere]

sgt
They need your money (35% tax on overtime) to pay those who don't put in any time at all "at work", let alone on "overtime".

They need that Gov't credit card, to go to the store for more than just food. Food stamps have taken on an entirely new form, and gone electronic now. 
The Gov't is just buying votes, and it will be a hard thing to overturn in the upcoming elections....cuz they wan't more and more free stuff.

I've long supported a flat tax...but there are just too many lawyers that it would displace that are feeding off the present tax structure and the interpretations thereof. I like a 5% tax on all income, no deductions. Would be terrible to have all those lawyers out of work....

[pineywoods]

I've long supported a flat tax...but there are just too many lawyers that it would displace that are feeding off the present tax structure and the interpretations thereof. I like a 5% tax on all income, no deductions. Would be terrible to have all those lawyers out of work....

Be carefull what you wish for..Put all them lawyers out of business and they would probably become politicians.

[beenthere]

Be carefull what you wish for..Put all them lawyers out of business and they would probably become politicians.

That is for sure....and that fact is another positive for Sarah 

[OneWithWood]

Here is  link to where our tax money goes.  It may suprise you to see the poverty programs are not the highest at all.

http://www.fcnl.org/pdfs/taxDay08.pdf

Kinda makes you wonder what our values truly are when military spending is so much more than health, poverty, education and diplomacy combined. 

[Radar67]

Seems to me if you don't properly support the military, the other areas won't matter much.

[OneWithWood]

The key word there is 'properly'.  Living in fear is not the answer.  Overspending on the military is not the answer either.

[Norm]

That comes from a quaker organization that's devoutly anti military and pacifist. Hardly what I would consider to be an unbiased source. Just so you know I live next door to the local quaker church and most of the members do not agree with the national views of the leadership.

Our percentage of military spending to gdp is around historic levels of 4%.

[Radar67]

According to your article, the current spending for military is .29¢ for every dollar going toward war and preparing for war. .14¢ is for past obligations for those who have already served to keep you free. .20¢ is the next spending level for health, so how does that extra .09¢ get into the over "properly support" category?

I've served with both republican and democrat presidents. When the Dems are in, the military is skeletonizd, then the republicans have to fight to rebuild it. The troops are not compensated with proper yearly cost of living raises with the Dems either.

Personally, if the Dems want to end the war, fine, our troops would be more than happy to come home. But, the American people better be ready for the fight to come to us, because it will. We will be seen as cowards if we don't finish what we started.

Now OWW, you are alright in my book, but I definitely do not agree with you.

[OneWithWood]

I believe in a strong military.  Our soldiers deserve just compensation and superb medical care.
It is the outlandish weapons systems and outsized non military contracts that I am not so sure about.  These are the things that drive up the cost and should be looked into.  Too often whenever someone takes a hard look at the military budgets they are reviled as pacifists and unpatriotic souls who 'just don't get it'.

Killing ourselves by ecomomic strangulation caused by outsized military spending is much more likely to happen than fighting a war on our soil.  If our economy is strong and our citizens are true we will never be occupied or pacified by any force on earth.   

[Norm]

Of course the same is true if we dare to oppose the social programs that are foisted upon us.

[OneWithWood]

...or farm subsidies 

[Norm]

touchee!

To be honest most farmers around here would just as soon not have farm subsidies. The problem is that we do them because our competitors do them. The talk of ending the ethanol tariff would be fine if Brazil would not subsidize their ethanol industry.

In a perfect world we would not have this happening but we all know that utopia's do not exist....outside of the Obama campaign headquarters.

[moonhill]

Could this modern warfare technology actually be saving lives?  I hope so.  And so, isn't it worth the extra cost.  Tim

[SPIKER]

I am a gulf war era vet, I served under Regan and Bush and later was FORCED out by Clinton.   I had no chance to be promoted due to the way things turned out.   I could have staid in 10 more years and if I was able to get a perfect score on my testing then I could get promoted!
anyhow I'm off my rant.   

(I edited out my rant about war then and now and our military)

Sorry if I offended anyone.  just my 2 cents worth...

anyhow renewable energy is needed it has to be done sooner than later.   Oil is not what this war is about nore the LAST war.   People who think that are wrong.   We need to be building Solar sites that can collect and store energy.   we need wind sites that can make & store energy, we need bio-mass energy plants that can collect and store energy. (see a pattern here?)  WHICH PART ARE WE MISSING???

I say we HAVE to drill now and START making the others all a reality...   we need thigs like this company is doing

http://www.rentechinc.com/

I posted about them here before they are making liquid fuel from ANY carbon source Coal Nat Gas are most popular but bio-mass and garbage and wood are all viable as well...   take our renewable (solar/wind) energy making liquid fuel until we can get a good storage system worked out...

ok I had enough going to look over my flattened out stocks..
Mark M
EX-USAF