taxes

[Green Gaia]

not regulation that makes me care for others.

You don't have to care for them, you just have to pay your taxes. I dare you to find one person in all of the country who agrees with 100% of what their taxes fund, but that's the way it works. Everyone gets a little bit of what they want.

 

[Aqualung]

You don't have to care for them, you just have to pay your taxes. I dare you to find one person in all of the country who agrees with 100% of what their taxes fund, but that's the way it works. Everyone gets a little bit of what they want.

I don't have to care for them, that's true. But I do have to act in a way that is like I do. And I know that it's just the way it works. But I don't think it SHOULD be the way it works

 

[Ceridwen018]

How SHOULD it work, Aqualung?

 

[Aqualung]

Hmm. That's a rather complex question. People shoudn't be forced to pay for medical care, but there should be things set up to which people can give money toward people's medical care generally or toward specific things. For example, I could give my money toward people who have MS, or toward non-smokers who have lung cancer. I should be able to choose to give my money toward illegal aliens, IF I WANT, or only toward citizens. I should be able to choose to give it toward the people who just want to leech, IF I WANT, or I should be able to choose to give it to those who actually do there part in their community, but then they just had some bad luck. Then, people, if they actually needed that sort of care, could go to them. Also, I think jobs should have to pay for workers who get hurt in the course of their work, if it was accidental and could not have been easily prevented.
Now, I realise that that way has some problems of its own. But I just thought of that in a few minutes, and I don't have time to work out the kinks.

 

[Green Gaia]

Also, I think jobs should have to pay for workers who get hurt in the course of their work, if it was accidental and could not have been easily prevented.

They do. It's called Worker's Comp.

 

[Aqualung]

I know they do. I didn't say they didn't. I was just reiterating that I think its a good idea (because I knew if I didn't someone else would ask "what about people who get hurt on their jobs? Because you didn't mention them specifically, you must think workers comp is bad. You're a mean, horrible person! I hope you rot in hell!" I can never win...)

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I know they do. I didn't say they didn't. I was just reiterating that I think its a good idea (because I knew if I didn't someone else would ask "what about people who get hurt on their jobs? Because you didn't mention them specifically, you must think workers comp is bad. You're a mean, horrible person! I hope you rot in hell!" I can never win...)

Err... No one was saying that. You were kind enough, at the start of the thread, to say

Have you ever heard of Social Security or Medicare?

Why is she stating a fact any different from your doing so? (And it'd be rather difficult for many us here to say 'hope you rot in hell' because we don't believe it one. )

 

[Apotheosis]

Taxes are a neccessary part of a government infrastructure, or at least a government that you wish to have any power at all. Having said that, taxes are used for some pretty dumb things, scratch that, very dumb things.

 

[Green Gaia]

I know they do. I didn't say they didn't. I was just reiterating that I think its a good idea (because I knew if I didn't someone else would ask "what about people who get hurt on their jobs? Because you didn't mention them specifically, you must think workers comp is bad. You're a mean, horrible person! I hope you rot in hell!" I can never win...)

Dude, chill. I wouldn't think that. I just don't normally think of Worker's Comp when talking about taxes, lol.

 

[anders]

People shoudn't be forced to pay for medical care, but there should be things set up to which people can give money toward people's medical care generally or toward specific things. For example, I could give my money toward ....

Our Swedish monstrous tax rates (now towards 60 % or more of the last dollars earned, I think, not fearing getting there on my frugal disability pension: the scale is progressive, and when I worked in my own company, my maximum was some 85 %!) could be used in a better way. But paying to the national health care budget is more than OK with me. Liver transplants, bypass surgeries, stroke treatments and competent aftercare etc. need no extra insurance or wealth. We get them, all of us. And that's just examples from myself and my immediate family.

Examples from Sweden just coming to my mind include hemophilia patients and others with life threatening condtions who get their very expensive medication free. Diabetics get subsidized medication and eye examinations and foot care (very important) and often free blood glucose meters, and always free and competent dietary advice etc. I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Ulver]

My dad is a vet and the coverage he gets at the VA hospital is laughable....and that's not their fault. It's the fault of our government who takes the tax dollars we pay and sends them overseas to help support regimes who bide their time and build up their weaponry...on our tax dollars...so they can then turn on the hand that's been feeding them so that we then feel the need to send our young men over to fight in a war and have their legs blown off so they can come back and....

Funny and ironic how the War on Communism created the War on Terrorism by the time the USSR collapsed.

Well, how about this. I went to a rather strict Presbyterian College. LOTS of Bible beaters there. I, (keep in mind, I am a gay male) was the ONLY one who wasn't having sex. Everyone else was hooking up just about every weekend, with different people each weekend.

Same deal with the Jesuit Catholic college I attend. Most kids (esp. freshmen) care msot about goign to parties, getting drunk and high and having sex all the time. Many a story of a guy walking into his un-locked room to find his room-mate in bed with a girl was told last year.

History has shown time and again that regulation only hurts business…. Minimum wage……Another example is when they outlawed monopolies. Do you know why they did it? It wan't because the consumer was unhappy. In fact, the consumers were very happy. It was instead because of all the business oweners. So, even though it was better for the general population, the government slapped on restricitons. Restrictions are just the government's way of showning a population that does not generally have good economics skills that it cares, even the restrictions hurt more than they help.

I really don't want to turn back this country to a time described in Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle". Buisness has little regards for the well being of it's employees and customers if it thinks it can get away with it. The governemnt should regulate buisness as well as normal citizens in order to preserve the quality of air, water and land. "To build a tower to the sky will fail when it's foundation is used for building material". Also here's another historical example of how industrialists will have little in the regards for ethics and national loyalty... considering Henry Ford fully beleived in Jewish Take-over Conspiracies and had a good relationship with Adolf Hitler.

Yes, wealthier people and corporations can generally afford to pay more in taxes than they already do, but to charge them more tax just because they can afford it is called socialism.

Some aspects of socialism seem fine to me. There just needs to be a method of holding a check and balance with the people's relation to government spending.

Now, I realise that that way has some problems of its own. But I just thought of that in a few minutes, and I don't have time to work out the kinks.

Ley me point out one big kink in the idea of letting people decide where all their taxes go. It basically allows mob rule more power, which will make funding for causes mostly baised on the flavor of the week (per say). Which overall would give the media even more power by basically making people aware of certain causes they can support with their charity and not aware of others.

np: Steve Von Till- To the Field

 

[Ulver]

Our Swedish monstrous tax rates (now towards 60 % or more of the last dollars earned, I think, not fearing getting there on my frugal disability pension: the scale is progressive, and when I worked in my own company, my maximum was some 85 %!) could be used in a better way. But paying to the national health care budget is more than OK with me. Liver transplants, bypass surgeries, stroke treatments and competent aftercare etc. need no extra insurance or wealth. We get them, all of us. And that's just examples from myself and my immediate family.

Examples from Sweden just coming to my mind include hemophilia patients and others with life threatening condtions who get their very expensive medication free. Diabetics get subsidized medication and eye examinations and foot care (very important) and often free blood glucose meters, and always free and competent dietary advice etc. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Also, do citizens of Sweden get free testing for diseases and cancers? Such life saving tests that some Americans might avoid because they'd rather take the risk of not knowing because it's too expensive or simply seems like it's just another fee.

For example, if health clinics gave free STD and HIV/AIDs tests I think these viruses wouldn't be passed as much considering in our current state of affairs, so many people are unaware of having it until they start getting sick.

Knowledge is Power!

 

[Ceridwen018]

People shoudn't be forced to pay for medical care, but there should be things set up to which people can give money toward people's medical care generally or toward specific things. For example, I could give my money toward people who have MS, or toward non-smokers who have lung cancer. I should be able to choose to give my money toward illegal aliens, IF I WANT, or only toward citizens. I should be able to choose to give it toward the people who just want to leech, IF I WANT, or I should be able to choose to give it to those who actually do there part in their community, but then they just had some bad luck. Then, people, if they actually needed that sort of care, could go to them. Also, I think jobs should have to pay for workers who get hurt in the course of their work, if it was accidental and could not have been easily prevented.

Yes, there certainly are kinks in a plan like this. Although there are handfuls of kind people who would happily participate in an "optional tax" system, there are many more who would say, "screw that, I'm keeping my money!"

It is a priveledge to live in America, make no mistake. Everyone has to do their part, (pay taxes), in order to keep this country running as smoothly as possible. Its really in your best interest. The quality of life in this country is higher than most in the rest of the world, and the different opportunities avaliable to its citizens coundn't even be dreamt of by people of other countries.

I say, pay your taxes with pride, knowing that you are contributing the continued success of this beautiful nation! Its the equivalent of paying $100 rent per month to live in the Biltmore Estate!

 

[Aqualung]

Yes, there certainly are kinks in a plan like this. Although there are handfuls of kind people who would happily participate in an "optional tax" system, there are many more who would say, "screw that, I'm keeping my money!"

There are people like that. But for one, they probably woudn't get much help from anyone else when their time came.

It is a priveledge to live in America, make no mistake. Everyone has to do their part, (pay taxes), in order to keep this country running as smoothly as possible. Its really in your best interest. The quality of life in this country is higher than most in the rest of the world, and the different opportunities avaliable to its citizens coundn't even be dreamt of by people of other countries.

I say, pay your taxes with pride, knowing that you are contributing the continued success of this beautiful nation! Its the equivalent of paying $100 rent per month to live in the Biltmore Estate!

It defintiely is a privaledge, one that I am greatful for every day (which means I will always pay my taxes), and I know that most taxes are necessary for the country to run smoothly, but the way my tax money is dolled out is incredibly bad.

 

[nonobjective]

I don't like the government forcing me to care about certain things. I don't like having to pay taxes if they go toward medicine, especially if they are medical conditions brought on by themselves, or the medical conditions of people who don't pay their taxes in the first place (illegal aliens, for one). This is the government forcing me to care about things that I may or may not care about. Whether I care or not is not the government's business. It is my own business, so I should be able to spend my money on what I care about.

I similarly agree with your basis, meaning that I am not happy with the way taxes are collected and spent in this country. I feel that people like you and I pay too much in taxes for the limited return on services.

On the other hand, I feel that corporatation and ultra-wealthy Americans pay far too little of their share. The tax burden has been steadily shifting in recent decades from corporate interests to the private citizen, especially those citizens of the middle class.

 

[michel]

Never once did I say it was exclusively gays. You're the one who said that. I mentioned that I don't like to pay for AIDs treatments of ANYBODY who practises a risky lifestyle. It's not the government's job to regulate that sort of caring.

Risky Lifestyle; can you define that for me, please?

 

[ch'ang]

I beleive that people would have far fewer complaints about taxes if there was a liberterian president mostly becasue they would be so low that you would hardly notice them. The reasonhe medical system is a mess is because you can sue doctors for anything nowadays and win so that means they hae to have outrageous malpractice insurance, here in Pa some of the docotrs pay nearlly $100,000. Also there are so many goverment progams that are given ridiculous amounts of money and then they waste it all and so the government givs them more. If the governemtn wants a job done they should give the job to the lowest private bidder. So in conclusion I think you should all vote Libertarian in the next election.

 

[Aqualung]

Risky Lifestyle; can you define that for me, please?

Somebody who does something where the likelyhood of being hurt is greatly above the average.
People who sleep around with anybody who is willing.
People who do drugs
People who eat anything, no matter the health risks
smokers
drinkers

 

[Aqualung]

I beleive that people would have far fewer complaints about taxes if there was a liberterian president mostly becasue they would be so low that you would hardly notice them. The reasonhe medical system is a mess is because you can sue doctors for anything nowadays and win so that means they hae to have outrageous malpractice insurance, here in Pa some of the docotrs pay nearlly $100,000. Also there are so many goverment progams that are given ridiculous amounts of money and then they waste it all and so the government givs them more. If the governemtn wants a job done they should give the job to the lowest private bidder. So in conclusion I think you should all vote Libertarian in the next election.

Nice advertisement. I also agree with most of what you said. It is certainly rediculous how much we can sue doctors. Most of the time they aren't in fault. It was just a risky procedure to begin with. I won't vote libertarian, though. I'll vote constitution, which will probably result in the same sort of person for pres.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Somebody who does something where the likelyhood of being hurt is greatly above the average.
People who sleep around with anybody who is willing.
People who do drugs
People who eat anything, no matter the health risks
smokers
drinkers

So not homosexuals, you're saying? I'm terribly sorry that I jumped to the conclusion that you were originally referring to them. Thankfully, what you list makes it less likely that you are describing someone who happens to like the same gender.

Again, my apologies for the assumption and for my thanks for you being gracious enough to come out and say you weren't referring to them.