Do you agree, yes or no?

[curiousguyUNT]

The only problem I'm seeing with some of these ideas is the difference between theory and reality. In theory, these economic and healthcare solutions work well, but in reality it doesn't work at all. Prices for government services and especially healthcare are already unaffordable and sometimes unavailible to most people, and that's with tax support. If you cut taxes, then the money must come from the individual who already can not afford them. Those who can't afford healthcare now already face sitting in lines, inferior equipment, and overstressed and overworked doctors, so using this as an excuse against socialized healthcare is foolish. At least with socilaized healthcare, the people waiting to be seen will be able to afford it. As far as having more money in the economy, it wouldn't matter how much more the rich had, they don't spend it. Celebrities who come into money overnight might spend it faster than they can make it, but the majority of wealth holders don't. The problem with having money is the fear of losing it. With the decline of the middle class it should be apparent that our current system doesn't work. How many here have actually seen a tax cut? I and many of those I know have not. The notion of people working hard enough to become the wealthy is laughable. Nothing really changes but the numbers. As more people get richer, the cost of things go up and the newly rich have to start all over. This myth is perpetuated to ensure that those who have no hope of wealth will continually strive for it, and continue making the rich, richer and the poor, poorer.
My rants over... steps off soapbox.

 

[Soilwork]

NO, English is a second language to me!

Touche.

ok, you win that one.

 

[frankfrank]

I'm in full agreement with posts 3, 4, 12, 13, 16, 24, 26, 30 and more...

I have seen NO tax cut of any kind whatsoever in the last 10 or 15 years (or more)!! I don't make hundreds of thousands, or more, per year.

And U.S. fiscal policy is totally foolish and unaccountable. TIME TO VOTE IN LESS THAN A WEEK, remember that it was Republicans (mostly) who made it **ILLEGAL** for Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceuticals for better prices! That is utterly stupid, and we are all getting robbed, so that rich CEO's can stash even more scam money into overseas banks, etc.

And whenever a massive scam (such as the many horrific ADMINISTRATIVE things going on in Iraq, such as endless Halliburton scams, and 18,000 missing weapons, etc.) NOBODY IS EVER HELD ACCOUNTABLE. It seems that those who choose to **steal from the United States** are given carte blanche to do so.

The Republicans have the NERVE to call themselves conservative? Remember, go out and vote!

 

[Soilwork]

I'll tell you that those same people who blather on and on and on about wanting lower taxes are the same ones who whine and whine and whine about wanting more police, shorter lines at the DMV, cleaner streets, fewer pot-holes and more more more.

They seem to forget that those things cost money and taxes are where those things come from.

 

[Soilwork]

That does seem to be a very Republican attitude.

"I want it all and I want it now and I want it for Free. I expect fast service and I expect it with a smile. I want everything but don't ask me to pay for it."

let them rot.

 

[Lube]

That does seem to be a very Republican attitude.

"I want it all and I want it now and I want it for Free. I expect fast service and I expect it with a smile. I want everything but don't ask me to pay for it."

let them rot.

My wife was like that. She talked the liberal talk, but man any way she could get out of paying taxes (or just complaining about them) she would.

Not that she ever made much money, mind you.

 

[JayHew]

With all the loop holes in the current US tax code, it takes an army of accountants and lawyers to make heads or tails of it, and even the IRS can't give a consistant answer on what some of it means. THAT is dangerous and means the little guy is getting screwed. A happy medium needs to be found where the code is simple, easy to understand and everyone (espeically corporations) pays. A flat tax is not the best way, but for now seems to be the fairest and everyone pays it. Also do away with the withholding of taxes. Once people have to pay their taxes once a month, they have a tendency to know what it is costing and therefore most often more vigilant as to what and where it is all going.

According to some economic history I read many years ago, when a society exceeds 7% taxation, the society is in decline and over 10% it will fall economically in a short while.

It is best in areas of healthcare to allow a free market place solution, albeit, with a level playing field, no special allotments or rules for coporations, providers, etc. Where most of this fails is in the lobbying efforts put forth by large moneyed groups or corporations to have special provisions placed in bills and hidden. Once government starts that tactic, the average joe is cooked.

Therein may lay a lot of the problem, there is far too much money involved in politics and perhaps a two pronged solution should be undertaken by the grass roots of the population (greatly feared by politics and coporate America). Flat taxation and limit political contributions with public financing of political campaigns. There is likely some needed twists to add here, but looking for a solution is what is needed.