[jimkim]

I dont know AH but I think Larry will know. Im afraid were going into something thats gonna make the 1930's look like the 1980's and do you know what will really help during a depression. Well it 's not higher taxes. My friends this, I fear, is gonna get real real bad. Also what income does wealthy start at? I do know it wasnt 50,000.00 a year. That is middle class around here.

[ArkansasHunter]

I don't know either about when the gummit thinks your wealthy.

[Brother Bob]

I've never been a proponent of the government meddling in "big business". It usually ruins the company and costs people their jobs. Companies really don't pay taxes. They pass that cost on down to the consumer with higher prices for the product or services they sell.

[Windwalker]

The House passed a 13 Billion dollar gas tax, but as far as I know the Senate version of this bill hasn't been up for vote yet. Gas is so high now that we only use our truck to go to the grocery store and back and still run out before the end of the month. Yet our Senators and Representatives, whose salaries have more zeros than I can count, can vote themselves another pay raise. If I could do that I wouldn't be running out of gas. I would like to see them try to support themselves, their wife, and two grandchildren on a Social Security check of $922.00 a month. It would definitely change their life style. Sorry for the rant.

[troy2000]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Windwalker

The House passed a 13 Billion dollar gas tax, but as far as I know the Senate version of this bill hasn't been up for vote yet. Gas is so high now that we only use our truck to go to the grocery store and back and still run out before the end of the month. Yet our Senators and Representatives, whose salaries have more zeros than I can count, can vote themselves another pay raise. If I could do that I wouldn't be running out of gas. I would like to see them try to support themselves, their wife, and two grandchildren on a Social Security check of $922.00 a month. It would definitely change their life style. Sorry for the rant.

I haven't seen this bill. But can someone tell me whether it's really a new gas tax? Or are the Democrats just repealing the asinine tax breaks and incentives the Republicans gave the oil industry during their most profitable year in history?

[Nanders]

If I ran my finances the way the government does, I would be in jail.

The government has way too much power. If it were up to them, we would give all of our money to them, then they would pay us an allowence to live on.

I really think that the Governers ought to form a 10th ammendment panel which enforces that ammendment. Gone would be all of the retarded government programs and practices that are not specifically allowed by the constitution..... But that would require a tad too much common sense, its time to start throwing our congress critters out by the gross.

[Pred]

Well, we can add another problem to our list, UG99. It's a fungal infestation thats killing the worlds wheat supply. It's gone from Africa to Iran and is probably already in Pakistan right now, which depends heavily on their wheat. If thats true, very bad indeed. As the next stop would be the "Asian breadbasket". Didn't Red Dawn start out this way?

[Brother Bob]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Pred

Well, we can add another problem to our list, UG99. It's fungal infestation thats killing the worlds wheat supply. It's gone from Africa to Iran and is probably already in Pakistan right now, which depends heavily on their wheat. If thats true, very bad indeed. As the next stop would be the "Asian breadbasket". Didn't Red Dawn start out this way?

Start eating rice???????? As long as it doesn't affect beer, I'll survive! LOL!

[Windwalker]

Troy 2000, I believe it was H.R.5351.

[DWARREN123]

Must be time for the politicians to get a pay raise!

[troy2000]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Windwalker

Troy 2000, I believe it was H.R.5351.

Thanks, Windwalker. That's the Energy Conservation bill that's already been beaten to death on here. I'm not wasting my time explaining it twice to people who will believe what they want anyway...

[Rave]

Hummmmm,what to do?
I know,we just gotta raaaiiiise them taxes!
Works every time!

[Cyrano]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Pred

Boy scouts.... Anyone know when a cub scout becomes a boy scout?

pred, Cub Scouts run from ages 7 to 10. At age 10 they can transfer into the Boy Scout program. They can participate in one or another of the Scouting components (traditional Scouting, Venturing, Sea Scouts) until the age of 20; although one may work for rank only until your 18th birthday.

These days, if it matters to you, the average age at which a Scout qualifies for Eagle Scout rank is 17 1/2. It has been climbing steadily for the last 30 years, despite the change in required merit badges that provided a bypass to the Lifesaving Merit Badge roadblock, eliminated Safety from the required list, downgraded Swimming and Hiking so only one (not both) is a required, eliminated the Nature merit badge altogether, modified Conservation of Natural Resources beyond recognition and added at least three touchy-feely merit badges to the required list. The program has acquired a more urban feel than it had when I went through it, and I am not sure these changes are an improvement or a benefit to Scouting.

One word of explanation. Prior to the requirement revision that gave Scouts the option of either Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving as one of the 12 required merit badges (itself an increase in number from what it used to be), Lifesaving was THE requirement that stopped more boys from making Eagle Scout than any other, including the clock running out on them. (It took me four attempts before I passed Lifesaving, for instance. It is arguably the most physically challenging merit badge in the inventory.) Emergency Preparedness is a much easier badge to earn. There has been an upswing in the number of Scouts who make Eagle as a result.

[Casull]

Quote:      

As I've pointed out in another forum, by that logic we should totally do away with taxing businesses and rich people, so they'll give us jobs and WE can pay all the taxes...der...

Yep Troy, you're right. We should tax the rich until they become poor. Teach them to be successful. And, it will help ............. wait a second, exactly who will it help?

[LarryO1970]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Casull

Yep Troy, you're right. We should tax the rich until they become poor. Teach them to be successful. And, it will help ............. wait a second, exactly who will it help?

The taxes on businesses in my state are so high that they are moving out. They are moving to other states and/or other countries.

This "state" is being run by a Liberal Democrat (Doyle) who is running it into the ground... sky high taxes on everyone and everything, companies (jobs) are leaving the state and he continually denies the 2nd Amendment rights of the people. What a guy huh ?

Obviously, this approach is not working.

[TXplt]

No country has EVER taxed itself into prosperity.

They spend everything we send them AND 9 trillion more ? ! That we might have to pay someday ?! Obviously, these people can't be trusted with money.

There are some economic justifications for government involvement in a market, and to some extent, for the "public good." However, this has never prompted thrift. For example, an energy tax on oil (NOT coal) might be OK if 100% of that money were going to build power dams, build nuclear breeder reactors, build solar panels, and every other form of electric power for a better future. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen -- this $ gets absorped in non value added boondoggles: regulation, lawerying, "studying," environmental impact studies, noise studies, etc., and the $ never gets to where the rubber meets the road -- our bill bans light bulbs and throws out numbers for cars, but doesn't BUILD anything ! Herein is the problem.

It's time we voted them out this November. Without exception.

[Sins-of-Mosin]

I know I can sure use the $600 to pay off my credit card if it's not actually paid off by May 2nd. Yeah, I looked up when I would get mine.

[Cyrano]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Sins-of-Mosin

I know I can sure use the $600 to pay off my credit card if it's not actually paid off by May 2nd. Yeah, I looked up when I would get mine.

That presupposes you actually receive anything, Mosin.

I got a form letter from the IRS today. I love this paragraph from it:

"For taxpayers with adjusted gross income (AGI) of more than $75,000 (or more than $150,000 if married filing jointly), the payment will be reduced or phased out completely."

What that means in all likelihood is that even though we don't make $150,000 combined a year, the IRS will find some pretext to diddle us out of the $1,500 we allegedly qualify for. I have no confidence in Bush's 'rebate' at all. The last time Bush arranged for a rebate to the taxpayers, we were supposed to get about $400, and we never saw one penny of it.

I don't know where Bush is getting the money for these rebates, either. Curious George is trying to fight the war in Iraq on credit for all practical purposes; his general incompetence has thrown our entire economy into a tailspin; his bailouts may be helping the banks but are not helping the people; his administration's failure to make sure lenders were behaving in a sane fashion has more than a little to do with the stagflation/recession we are in right now; and yet he's going to hand us back money? When will the bill for these rebates come due, and just who is holding the note on it?

[TXplt]

Curious George certainly has his faults, but you can't (with any justice at least) blame our economic situation very much on him (just maybe on his inability to speak well enough to assure people of what's going on and be a bit more proactive). Granted, he's not been any good at all in getting us away from oil as a "leader" and we've spent a great deal of lives and money fighting the wars (which Iraq should legitimately pay for at some point); however, WE'VE (as citizens of our own country and owners of our own government) let this happen. Other than controlling the money supply (and looking forward in infrastructure, energy and defense) there's little the government can do long term for an economy. Congress, George, and mostly US are culpable in letting our national debt get out of control and people to spend beyond their means. With all these creditors, someone's going to have to get stiffed. We need to make sure that it's not US as in US. Better start with the foreign investors and slowly work back the "non-real" money (i.e. interest). I think the Fed's blowing on coals, but has been successful in at least short term from keeping the market from making an abrupt correction which is generally very bad; however, the debt is still there and loosening up the money supply isn't good. Would YOU make it easier for the capital companies (who've acted irresponsibly) to "borrow" MORE money by lowering the interest rate ? Eventually, someone (and that's us) will need to pay in some way.

So, when they say they want more money, I say cut the spending first and begin to pay down the debt. Then we'll talk tax increases. Don't like it ? OK, we need then to find someone who can and does to fill your shoes as our representatives. Anything we get back in the mean time, we can use, as responsible citizens, to save.

[bigbuddy21]

Quote:       Originally Posted by troy2000

As I've pointed out in another forum, by that logic we should totally do away with taxing businesses and rich people, so they'll give us jobs and WE can pay all the taxes...der...

did you know that the top 5% of wage earners in the U.S. pays 85% of the TOTAL tax bill. now i ask you is that FAIR?

now i dont think so,and whats even worse is the top 1% wage earners pay 50% of the TOTAL tax bill.

if you dont believe it troy, the figures comes from the goverment accountability office. you can find them yourself.

any country that taxes it's citizens too heavily is doomed to failure.
i hope our govt. realizes their mistake before it's too late!