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Mircea please run for public office. Preferably as a Republican in Congress. It would seem that only one Republican knows what a filabuster is. Or if you are from Arizona you could take out the Rino (Republican in name only) Senator McCain. Passion in political matters has been lost to him and many in the Republican party. Before you all assume something, I am not registered as a Republican or as a Democrat. I am an Independant. I lean more conservative but I vote for the person and the one that will be more in line with my views. Win or lose I love a good debate.
"As lawmakers discuss cuts to entitlement programs, raising the retirement age is becoming a thorny issue.
A Washington Post analysis points out how the gains in life expectancy are going to the more affluent. It complicates the debate, one source says: raising the Social Security retirement age would mean the poor would be subsidizing the benefits of the longer living, and more affluent."
I don't know how the poor can be subsidizing the affluent if the poor pay no or next to no tax.
That is total BS the poor pay taxes. If they work they pay FICA and Medicare tax even if they don't pay income tax not because they get out of it like Romney when they can hid millions, but because they DONT MAKE MUCH MONEY. They pay tax every time the buy gas at the pump or if they buy a blanket for their kid they pay sales tax. If they rent or own they pay property tax and the list goes on so its total BS they don't pay tax. Next if you want to means test so people like Romney will not receive Medicare and SS thats fine. I think if you have an income from non work that meas dividends and other income and make over say 100000 a year then you get reduced or no SS and or Medicare.
Ryan has tried to float this crap several times and its been shot down in flames each time. Now he is trying it again. And the very definition of insane is to keep trying the same thing expecting a different result. So I would tell the good people of Wisconsin to send this idiot packing next election and anyone else who wants to cut Medicare and SS.
That is total BS the poor pay taxes. If they work they pay FICA and Medicare tax even if they don't pay income tax not because they get out of it like Romney when they can hid millions, but because they DONT MAKE MUCH MONEY. They pay tax every time the buy gas at the pump or if they buy a blanket for their kid they pay sales tax. If they rent or own they pay property tax and the list goes on so its total BS they don't pay tax. Next if you want to means test so people like Romney will not receive Medicare and SS thats fine. I think if you have an income from non work that meas dividends and other income and make over say 100000 a year then you get reduced or no SS and or Medicare.
Ryan has tried to float this crap several times and its been shot down in flames each time. Now he is trying it again. And the very definition of insane is to keep trying the same thing expecting a different result. So I would tell the good people of Wisconsin to send this idiot packing next election and anyone else who wants to cut Medicare and SS.
Aren't you engaging in the same game? Whenever I've heard anyone in an official capacity talk about this issue, they've specified the "poor" pay no federal income taxes. Right or wrong, some people believe more people should also be paying at least some income tax. I am not a Ryan supporter/follower, but I'd be surprised if you can find an example where he himself alleges the "poor" pay no taxes (of any kind). Some of the taxes you mention are state taxes, not part of resolving federal deficits.
Most thinking people realize there are all sorts of other taxes and fees that everyone pays. The people that misquote are more often amateur partisans and laypeople (like on forums) who are knowingly or ignorantly propagating misinformation. It happens on the left and the right. The people that want to punish poor and seniors are short sighted or worse, most people know better. The people that think soaking the rich will solve our deficit issues are also misguided, they're aren't enough of them to make the math work, most people know better.
Misinformation from either extreme just perpetuates unproductive discussion. I think most thinking people realize it will take a balance of increased revenue (individual and corporate loopholes high on the list) and slowing spending (simply can't be done meaningfully without touching entitlements and defense) - implemented over 10 years or so, not too abruptly. Flame away...
If you repeat a lie often enough some people are bound to start believing it.
And when you realize that truth cuts both ways, you understand why we make so little (political) progress. When one persons "truths" are "lies" by default from another person, and vice versa, both parties deserve to be ignored. Unfortunately that's not the case at present. No one has a lock on truths, and no one has a lock on lies.
Ever notice how infrequently people change their positions even an iota on anonymous forums especially? Ever notice how some people take on a nasty, condescending tone right out of the box - does that promote discussion? Is there any point in discussion when neither party will listen much less seriously consider each other?
Right or wrong, some people believe more people should also be paying at least some income tax.
Precisely so: Those people are so often focused on "making them pay" instead of (a) What things are needed? and then (b) What's the right way to fund what's needed? That kind of thinking prevents those folks from understanding a (literally) constructive way of viewing the challenges of our society.
One thing SOME might consider important is that there are a variety of different taxes with a variety of different intended uses. Paying one tax helps contribute to one endeavor and not paying another doesn't. So in this debate as in others should there be a focus on the type of taxes people pay and whether that contributes to the topic at hand? Is it really important the percentage people pay or is it the amount they pay. The person who pays 200 million a year federal income tax and a 10% rate while extreme in amount is still only paying 10% is that wrong? What about the person making 20K a year paying no federal income tax in comparison to the person paying 200 million? What about a person making 75K a year and paying a 15% rate? Higher rate than either of the first two. Is he carrying a heavier burden? From a societal resource position which of the three do we want more of? Which of the three creates the greater overall burden? Is that even fair to ask and consider? Does it even matter to SS if you pay local and state income taxes or sales taxes or property taxes and if so how much and why? Is the real issue about so many making much more and paying more taxes or so many not paying any federal income tax for what ever reason good or bad.
Precisely so: Those people are so often focused on "making them pay" instead of (a) What things are needed? and then (b) What's the right way to fund what's needed? That kind of thinking prevents those folks from understanding a (literally) constructive way of viewing the challenges of our society.
And there's no other legitimate POV? "Those people" and "those folks"...you realize to others (some even reasonable) you're considered one of "those people."
Precisely so: Those people are so often focused on "making them pay" instead of (a) What things are needed? and then (b) What's the right way to fund what's needed? That kind of thinking prevents those folks from understanding a (literally) constructive way of viewing the challenges of our society.
Right or wrong they are focused on that and to move forward is probably a balance as MidPack suggests. The alternative is to accomplish nothing and that really will hurt some big time. Is that what you want? Victory your way or a crushing defeat for those you want to help? I have seen this story play out before and it usually ends up the same way.
Mircea please run for public office. Preferably as a Republican in Congress. It would seem that only one Republican knows what a filabuster is.
In other words, if you can't dazzle them with your brilliance, overwhelm them with your wordiness.
Emphatically,
Curmudgeon
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