election year math & propaganda

[CAB]

Thought that this was an interesting factual example of how little people,(politicians think of money).



This is too true to be very funny
The next time you hear a politician use the
Word "billion" in a casual manner, think about
Whether you want the "politicians" spending
YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
But one advertising agency did a good job of
Putting that figure into some perspective in
One of its releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were  Living in the Stone Age.
D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and  20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division . .
Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean?

A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of
New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you
Each get $516,528.
B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in
New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.
C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family
Gets $2,066,012.

Washington, D.C .. HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken??

Tax his land,
Tax his wage,
Tax his bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirts,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think.
Tax his booze,
Tax his beers,
If he cries,
Tax his tears.
Tax his bills,
Tax his gas,
Tax his notes,
Tax his cash.
Tax him good and let him know
That after taxes, he has no dough.
If he hollers,
Tax him more,
Tax him until he's good and sore.
Tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in which he lays.
Put these words upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me to my doom!"
And when he's gone,
We won't relax,
We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!!
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Perm it Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),
Liquor Tax,
Luxury Tax,
Marriage License Tax,
Medicare Tax,
Property Tax,
Real Estate Tax,
Service charge taxes,
Social Security Tax,
Road Usage Tax (Truckers),
Sales Taxes,
Recreational Vehicle Tax,
School Tax,
State Income Tax,
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
Telephone Federal Excise Tax,
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fe e Tax,
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
Telephone State and Local Tax,
Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
Utility Tax,
Vehicle License Registration Tax,
Vehicle Sales Tax,
Watercraft Registration Tax,
Well Permit Tax,
Workers Compensation Tax.


STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago,
and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What happened? Can you spell 'politicians!'
And I still have to "press 1" for English.
I hope this goes around THE
USA at least 100 times

What the heck happened?????

 

[chambero]

We have infinitely the highest standard of living in the world and our taxes are a fraction of what the rest of the developed world pays.  It ain't perfect, but our taxes aren't that bad.  I pay plenty myself.

Farmers and ranchers have more opportunities to have plenty of deductions than a person working for a company.

It's also ridiculous to claim that people had better lives 100 years ago.  Maybe everyone did - except the children being worked and maimed in factories, the old people that died in their 60s instead of the 80s today, the people drinking filthy water and eating bad food (or no food),  people completely isolated from one another in rural areas without access to basic service, etc, etc, etc.

We've got our problems, but to pretend we are worse off now is just plain wrong.  You can always find something wrong with your life.  The tell-tale sign is that we now have too much free time to think up things to worry about. 

I stand by my claim that griping is our favorite sport.

 

[knabe]

griping has always been our favorite sport, it's not suddenly society's favorite sport.  taxes need not be specific to the source of the revenue, but simply to revenue realized.  take away this tax structure, and government would have more to spend or not tax.  people will always take risk and the reward is profit, not a tax break.

what we are doing is converting our society from a saving society to one that mirrors just in time inventory delivery.  we are not allowing any cushion to market changes, hence the government needs to step in.  the founding fathers, i think, saw enterprise as a means for the churning of the economy, rather than through representative government which always cedes control to the most negative of our qualities.  it is impossible for government to not want more.  when the reward for working for the government is higher for the same education in similar positions, the government has become the enemy, and it is us.  we no longer reward risk, we reward the avoidance of risk, and it is ruining the way we think.

we don't need more taxes, and neither do the countries who are highly taxed.  create more taxes, and you create more dependents.  give your kids more money, and they won't leave the house.  give them money and they won't accumulate job skills.  i guess in the heartland there must be less 30 year olds living at home.  in the cities, it's becoming the norm.

 

[chambero]

I pretty much agree with your statements.  I just get put off by people claiming things are so much worse than they used to be. 

There is always room for improvement, but things are pretty good for the most part. 

And in regards to politicians, I would venture a guess that they are must more "honest" now than they ever thought about being 100 years ago.  We just know about a lot more of the dirty laundry now.  Unfortunately, I think our media and the lobbying system almost forces polticians to become what they turn out to be by the time they win a significant election.  I think practically all probably start out with good intentions of wanting to make things better.

You can work within the system to make things happen that are most important to you or you try to buck the system and get nothing done.  I doubt any of us could do much better if we were thrust in those positions.

 

[knabe]

I doubt any of us could do much better if we were thrust in those positions.

this is true, i've been on a resource conservation district board and we have basically done zilch in 3 years.  we can't even remove arundo from creekbeds without a permit process to 6 state agencies and one federal agency including an environmental impact release that states "uprooting arundo may dislodge soil and cause erosion to the stream and reduce available oxegen to native fish...... etc". meanwhile, no one removes the stuff as clinton basically declared all waterways under jurisdiction of federal authority.  this needs to be changed.  we can't even give plugs of native grass seeds away without a similar permitting process.

i think i'm going to quit and just give the plugs away myself, perhaps even be a johnny appleseed and plant them myself. probably get arrested and fined.  typical.  meanwhile, the state government can destroy an active red legged frog pond and tiger salamander habitat and place a college there with NO sustainability of local funds or students.  projections used were for population estimates in 30 years which still are insufficient to pay for the school and populate it.  more marbles.  growth is not necessary, it is suicide.

 

[shorthorns r us]

Last time I read The Constitution, our form of government was supposed to be a "Representative Democracy".  Is that still accurate?  I don't know.  I believe most of OUR elected officials are drastically out of touch with their constituents, a.k.a. YOU & I.  I know that many people agree about that.  Well-Lobbied special interests are controlling OUR country.  From animal rightest to environmentalists to big industry, these and others are influencing OUR government more than the voters and it seems, to me, much-much-much more than the long-term good of OUR country.

I think we mostly agree that Washington D.C., as a whole, is dirty.  How should it be cleaned-up?  When the garage gets dirty, rearrange the clutter.  Right?  But, How do we rearrange Washington?

I have a solution to propose.  VIDEO CONFERENCING!  Make members of Congress live amongst those they represent.  Ever tried to call your Representative?  Ain't easy these days.  Put'em on Main Street.  Hav'em eatin' supper at the local cafe.  Get'em shoin' up at basketball tournaments and Christmas programs.  Let'em visit places of worship and nursing homes.  Wouldn't it be tough for the special interest groups to effectively lobby under a model such as this.  Is this idea perfect?  No.  Could it improve the current situation?  I think it could.  Would it be less expensive?  Without a doubt.

 

[knabe]

calving camera's???

i call my reps all the time.

 

[Show Dad]

Yes we live better today. But taxes aren't the reason we do.

Taxes are a reflection of a free society reacting to the challenges of infrastructure demands caused by innovation. Innovation is the result of free people who are motivated (profit, public good and/or fame) to invent, build and improve on what we have today.

Notice the common thread here is freedom. Tax to much and freedom is restricted by confiscation. Tax to little freedom is restricted by monopolies/cartels.

This is an over simplification because there are many ways to restrict freedom. Just remember it is always the people (you and I) who pay no matter who is assessed the tax or fee.

There will always be friction as to taxing/spending policies in America. I would suggest to vote for those who understand "We the People" are the solution and government is for supporting us. Not the other way around.

 

[CAB]

Chambero, first I will say that I agree that we live in the greatest place in the free world, but that being said I think we all need to stop and take a good long hard look @ some of the things that go on around us and think twice.  You don't have to look very far to find many blue collar families struggling to eek by right now. The energy prices alone have caused most families already stretched budgets to be  a source of heavy stress. I hope that we can all slow down here during the holiday season to @ least think of and feel some compassion for those around us that are struggling to keep things together.
  I'll tell you a little bit more about my situation than I really want Chambero. Since the time that I can remember, all I wanted to do was farm, started with hogs & cattle at the age of 9,hogs, 11 1st cow. I was focused and persued this dream with all of my heart, was nominated and voted outstanding young farmer B4 24 years old. Was doing very well until the hog prices fell to 8 cents / lb in 1998. I gave up the best 20+ years of my life doing what I loved, feeding the world. Lost over 1/2 million dollars in less than 6 months while people were lined up to buy a $60-70.00 Christmas ham. I was getting $19.20  for a 240lb hog  My job was to produce it. I got 19.20 for 10 months from conception to market. Think about what IBP got for putting a bullet in it's head processing and retailing it. I know that they got @ least $120 for the hams.
  You know anytime that you have a competition, wheather it is a ball game or hog production, you need a referee. The packers said that there were just too many hogs to kill. That's what was driving the price down " We just can't get'em all killed", I say that it was preditory marketing. They have killed more hogs with less facilities since they drove a large # of owner operators out of business one @ a time we all walked the plank quietly while the corps and yes DL vets in our area took over ownership.USDA should have stepped in and been the ref in my O, but maybe I'm just griping. I t has been very hard on my family personally, but one huge lesson it has taught me, is COMPASSION for other people.
 It seems to me that we need to get a shot of reality back in govn't. It just doesn't seem like unless you are from 3rd generation money, you can get elected. You touched some on kids back in the day having to be overworked, but I have never heard one of my parents, grandparents, or people of their generation ever speak of those times without fond memories. If you think that these child labor laws are helping kids out, you need to take a harder look. Life expectancy is for the 1st time going back down from obesity.  Have you hired and worked with the generations that are coming out of the schools the last while?  For those of you on our board here, please don't think that I am bashing you, I know that there are a lot of great kids out in the work force and I personally blame my generation for the short comings in yours. We have created you by wanting better for you. My kids are you, and I worry for you b/c of what it is going to cost you to live our expected lifestyle. Working hard is the best thing that you can teach your kids. I will not change my mind about this, nor will I feel guilty about making a kid work. How else will they learn how the world works?
  What are your thoughts as to the  state of our public education system. Think about what we read here @ times. Is that fair to those kids. I know it's not their fault. I see it here in my house. These rural schools can't pull in the teachers that could @ one time. You can tell different areas have better education than others. We are competing with the world here. I now am involved in the transportation business. We could get into another whole thread about how the big corps. are selling this country one  job or one factory @ a time.
  Chambero, needless to say, you have hit a nerve, or just a griper. I was e-mailed the subject. I don't agree with everything that was in it, but certainly do understand what was being said and again encourage everyone to think of someone less fortunate than yourself with as much compassion as you can. You never know what circumstances may have landed them where they are, and people are very proud. It actually bring tears to my eyes to think about how many people are struggling through no fault of their own. Sorry for the long post, But please don't judge people b/c you have been blessed well, and they may not have been so lucky as others, especially in this season. Please disregard if you think that this is another poor person griping. Thank You, Cab

 

[knabe]

this is the direction the democratic party wants to go, plain and simple

Venezuelan Interior Minister Pedro Carreno was momentarily at a loss for words when a journalist interrupted his speech and asked if it was not contradictory to criticize capitalism while wearing Gucci shoes and a tie made by Parisian luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton.

“I don’t, uh … I … of course,” stammered Carreno on Tuesday before regaining his composure. “It’s not contradictory because I would like Venezuela to produce all this so I could buy stuff produced here instead of 95 percent of what we consume being imported.”

right of return of palestinians to jeruselum is ok, but not for jews to medina.  it's so simple.  typical circular logic utilized by mohammed as well when asked whether they should burn the date palms after killing the jews when before he said one should not take spoils, mohammed replied, "allah said it's ok because it will confuse the unbelievers"

folks, it's pretty simple, consolidation of power corrupts.  convenience of the ruling class trumps everything.

 

[shorthorns r us]

"uprooting arundo may dislodge soil and cause erosion to the stream and reduce available oxegen to native fish...... etc".

I thought excessive plant life in aquatic environments caused oxygen deprivation.

chambero, do i have this right?  Erosion of streams is mostly caused by rushing water during flooding.  Most current flooding is caused by a poor water cycle in the stream's drainage basin.  Most water doesn't stay where it falls.  Plowed fields don't absorb water very well once the surface gets capped. Beautiful green yards and golf courses typically have a terrible water cycle because all of the roots are very close to the surface; often within 8 - 10 inches.  That is not healthy.  Poor water cycles compound the effects of drought since their is little water in the soil.  How often do we see grass not yet growing in pastures eventhough temperature is adequate?  Their is no water maintained in the soil and growth won't occur until a rain comes.  That 2 weeks of potential growth could be valuable during the dormancy period of your grass.  Think about your regular summer; how much does the grass grow during your typical dry period.  Slows down to a stand still; right?  Then, when a little rain falls it will grow rapidly for a brief period of time until it runs out of water.  Many of today's minor floods should not occur; the water should be absorbing into soil and maybe even making its way into our groundwater.  Yes population density is causing water shortages but groundwater levels should not be plummetting in most rural areas.

 

[ROAD WARRIOR]

CAB - You hit hte nail on the head about the generation of young people coming up now. In this part of the country you can't hire haying help. If you can find a kid to help, they want from 10 to 15 dollars an hour to watch you work. Obesity is a serious problem with our youth, if you don't think so dig out your old high school album and compare it with one from today. I graduated in a class of 65 26 years ago and there were only a couple of kids in my entire class that were over weight, not obese but over weight. I look at my daughters class and over 50% of them are over weight and 5% are obese. I guess it is our fault for making it easier to sit on the couch and eat junk food than it is to get off the couch and work.

 

[CAB]

We hire kids to work for us every Saturday. Pay over 410/hour, but have troubles finding enough help. When we do, over half don't cut it. They haven't been taught to work. Have no idea what the consequences of their actions cause. We  have a mobile licensed kitchen that we take to the Des Moines Farmer's market during the season. Please parents, teach your kids manners, nothing drives me crazier than an insincere thank you.

 

[knabe]

Many of today's minor floods should not occur; the water should be absorbing into soil and maybe even making its way into our groundwater. 

this is EXACTLY why i want to plant perrenial grasses.  in CA, we get pockets of water that don't get used by the fauna as the pasture is converted to weedy annual grasses.  eventially they collapse and erode.  deeper rooted perrenials not only shade evap from the soil, but their long roots provide channels to lower depths of the soil creating a much taller profile of water absorbing hair roots which allow the newer seedlings and or tillering to get the upper avail water.  perhaps runoff is one reason oceans are rising, hmmmph.