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I don't think this poll is fair. I agree that abuses of tax dollars should end, lobbyists should be banned, and that multiple levels of taxation have been the equivalent of 60% taxation. (IE income tax, property tax, dog tax, road tax addendums, municipal tax, sales tax, special taxes on 'luxuries' like telephones or gas or a hotel when you're stranded.)
Taxes need to be transparent, be applied to the things that we agreed upon, and not shuffled around in fancy shell games. Taxation needs to be reduced whenever practicable, and modest growth vs credit card mentality be the norm. Taxation powers should be limited, and source point charges established to allow projects to maintain themselves once the seed money of infrastructure is spent.
The reason why I cannot support libertarians wholesale, although I am in agreement with much of what they say, is because they represent things in an all/nothing solutions. It obliges me to say no, because taxation is currently neccessary to keep the wheels of civilization turning. We need to re invent our civilization using libertarian modeling, but gradually over time implement it. To have ron paul walk in the door and rip the rug out from everything we know would be catastrophic to economy and those who built their existence around what they could traditionally depend upon from govt.
I like ron paul, I think he's got more character than most politicians, he's exceptionally intelligent, and shows great insight. I have serious doubts that he can see the consequences of his policies implemented too quickly. He scares lots of people with the sound bytes they see. I think better communications are in order to display fully thought out policy. Just some advice for next election strategy.
The better 3rd parties like libertarians and constitutionalists can use phase in language, the more likely they will garner wider support throughout the population across the aisles. I think many people see our country floundering and want real solutions. The market is there, now find a way to deliver. Radical change might be called for, but if you force it too quickly, it creates chaos.
Lets talk about the facts.... we support more then half the world and in back in the 60's we set out help 19 countries and in 1964 we were helping 126 and spreading socialism all over the world. We are defending countries who need know protection, Japan and Germany and countless other countries. WE overspend overwhere and the government has no restrictions on it's borrowing and defacing the valve of the dollar. WHO uses this so called Government programs you think the income tax pays for. The income tax does not pay for social security or welfare or other social programs because those are seperate taxes. The income tax at this time pays for the interest on the national debt and if we removed the income tax we would still have the same revenue the government took in the year 2000. So last time I checked in the year 2000 our government was big enough then.
The Federal Income tax limits the rights of economic freedom of the individual and the people. If the government has more money they abuse the power and are corrupted by lobbyist and corporations to support idealogy not supported by the people and the constitution.
Some would like the government to do more. What would you do with the federal income tax.
Well, seeing as how the 16th Amendment was never legally ratified by a majority anyway, I say do away with it. There are Americans everyday who fight the IRS and win on the basis that they really don't have the right to tax you. And besides, I was under the impression that tax was to be taken out of profits, not wages. Wages are earnings you made with your sweat, blood, and tears. The line between these two totally different fiscal situations has been blurred to protect those making the profit in this country. The corporations. So lets start over, figure out a new truly fair way of collecting money to run our country. And while we are at it, lets take the big gov down a notch and take back a little of our governing power. We can be what our forefathers wanted us to be again. We just have to stop cowering behind the backdrop and step out on stage. We are the stars of the show anyway!
Lets talk about the facts.... we support more then half the world and in back in the 60's we set out help 19 countries and in 1964 we were helping 126 and spreading socialism all over the world. We are defending countries who need know protection, Japan and Germany and countless other countries. WE overspend overwhere and the government has no restrictions on it's borrowing and defacing the valve of the dollar. WHO uses this so called Government programs you think the income tax pays for. The income tax does not pay for social security or welfare or other social programs because those are seperate taxes. The income tax at this time pays for the interest on the national debt and if we removed the income tax we would still have the same revenue the government took in the year 2000. So last time I checked in the year 2000 our government was big enough then.
As if I could vote issue by issue... thats not available to me. Its all or nothing in candidate choice ballot. Blog I'm given more latitude.
1. military bases all over the planet-- wrong. time to focus on home. Whatever strategic whatnot-- time to rethink foriegn policy. We're not world cops and its foolish to try.
2. restrict fed from defacing-- yes. abolish fed? in time.
3. overspending-- I don't manage my home this way. Why should politicians be allowed to? The only one who pays for their mistakes are the ones who are responsible citizens- antithetical to our justice system. They need to have consequences for bad policy, not just egg on the face in the press.
4. I think its only fair that every tax dollar someone wants out of me will be transparently revealed what its being used for. Do you realize that most americans have no idea what the money is being spent on? I'm not wanting to grouse about paying a fair share for the infrastructure/basis of civilization I count on, but when it's become such a convoluted mystery that no one can answer that simple question... we've got serious problems. Radical changes are in order. What radical changes... to be determined when ideas start getting posted & debated. How they're implemented had better be very delicate or the applecart will tip.
5. benefactors of govt programs? I'd love to see honest statistics on that subject. people say the word welfare and conjure up images of guys faking back injuries and 5 generation welfare mothers, when the reality of recipients is something else. I'd love to see the language change for all govt subsidy of commerce to be titled "corporate welfare". Let the company be forced to put that heading in their shareholder reports so investors can clearly see the ethics. Then lets measure $ vs $ of who is lions share benefactor. This includes sweetheart deals in the family/no bid contracts, pork etc. Lets call a spade a spade.
How about full blown analysis of every single government agency stating clearly all the work/policies they create/enforce prevent what? provide what to whom? Why do we need cia, fbi AND homeland security? When I was active duty, we were considered part of a greater inter agency emergency management plan for entire regions. Believe it or not, there is a plan for all things, and it's quite sensible when followed. No one wants to see how the plan failed for katrina because of arguments of how the billing would happen? Same thing happened with exxon valdez. Thats NUTS. There were protocols not followed for 911 as well, but got zero press. Instead, it justifies them spending billions on a whole other level of org jerking off after previous years of downsizing military???? More nuts!!!
I'd also like to point out to you that I've been accused of being a liberal and socialist by many posters of the right ilk. A liberal who believes in fiscal conservativism. So rethink your generalization language, because someday you just might need to ask for my vote.
Yes, I understand your longstanding frustration with stuck on stupid. I've been in that same boat a long time myself. That doesn't mean blanket insults are effective communication. Quite the opposite. Hopefully we can all find a way to refrain, self included, and focus on the issues purely on basis of identifying root cause of problems & exploring best solutions.
You really want liberals to think- ask them how to pay for the programs they want. Ask those of socialist ilk to honestly look at how their programs have fallen short of the mark, and request how to restructure a better plan. You want support from liberals- you need to answer how denying all social programs wholesale will affect the bottom half of the country.
You want liberals to lay down and die? That would be to everyones detriment, as evidenced by ACLU marginalized during gitmo, NY times & other media being requested by bush admin to be silent for 'national security' purposes, celebrity hiding political opinions for fear of blacklisting mentalities, and traditional repubs sitting down while neo conservatives ruled the roost. It takes all of our input to create solutions that work consistently within our framework. It's time your language reflect your fellow americans as being decent, good intentioned people who are requiring intelligent input. They can't buy a car that hasn't been built yet.
Mamma bee posted where the money is being spent in a chart. medicare/medicaid is taking up larger %s because boomers are becoming eligible. You're right, something does have to give, but misidentifying the root problems will not bring better solutions. It will only perpetuate problems.
Now, if we can only encourage soilent green or logans run for boomers... j/k
harborlady, you said it, exactly right. It's what I was thinking, but better!
I too have been confused why there are so many of us that basically want the same thing, but we are so stuck on the idea that those horrible conservatives or those radical liberals are the reason that everything is wrong and nothing will get better that we can't get anything accomplished and real change to our system seems impossible.
If our collective common sense and common interest continues to be undercut by our misguided team mentality, we are doomed. That is of course what our great big bad government is counting on (imo) and so far we are proving them right.
How about NO income tax. Funny how the country ran just fine before 1916 when there was NO income tax.
Even then the crooks.....oops I mean criminals ran the country just fine on the 2% income tax imposed. Now they are extorting from 10 to 35%. I sure hope all those countries we are giving our money to is enjoying it because we ain't.
Tax freedom day now is April 23. The latest it has ever been. So we have to work almost 5 months of a 12 month calender for free ! For what? To give to Iraq? How many of you enjoy working almost half the year for some one you hate their guts? Do you hate the politicians guts? I do. Well last I looked there were 4 votes in this poll who love to pay taxes and probably want to pay more.
In 1929 during the Great Depression, the debt ratio in relation to the Gross National Product stood at a healthy 16%. In 1990, the national debt increased to an alarming 60% of the GNP. The total debt of America is greater than the combined external debts of all the nations of the world combined !! America's debt is 4.3 trillion dollars which is equivalent to a 270 mile high stack of tightly bound $1000 bills. Each mile representing the depth of the pit America will be unable to crawl out of in very short time.
Our dollar bill is worth less then the paper it is printed on but your govt wants as much of it from us as they can get their filthy mits on.
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