Somebody FREAKIN shoot me!!!!

[GregWeld]

I'm fine with taxes going up... it won't affect the way I live one iota. But I'm squarely in the camp of cutting spending. America has become totally irresponsible. It's embarrassing to me personally that we have to borrow. That's not the way I run my household. That is NOT the role of government. It's not proper leadership. And it makes the country "beholding" to other countries such as China.

When you borrow from someone and must do so in the future as well - it makes it pretty hard to get in their face about other "stuff"...


Basically I'm sick of America being on WELFARE in order to provide welfare.

[Fluid Power]

Originally Posted by Sieg

Please don't play the fire hero card.

Fire and EMT equipment and compensation are one of the better examples of excesses government spending. Yet they are portrayed to be movie stars and hero's by the media. Why isn't their equipment similar to military? The buy and equip their vehicles like the 1 percenter's buying recreational vehicles............why?

The number in our area that have second jobs as contractors and work for cash under the table makes me sick.

Two years ago Eugene had 203 fire department employees, the average wage was $96,000. Police had 193 and averaged $92,000.

Then they respond in these vehicles to attended to longtime drunk who's passed out again.........on a regular basis.

Cost effective?

IMO occupants will most likely die of smoke inhalation before the responders arrive if they can't clear themselves from the structure. In many cases provided you have decent insurance you're better off having your house burn to the ground vs. dealing with smoke and fire damage and having your house filled with the fire departments water. You'll be back under your own roof in less time with a total rebuild vs. repair.

Have you paid for an ambulance ride lately? You can go to a nice driving school for a similar price............unless you're homeless then it's free.

From a motorcyclist's perspective the condition of roads in the Pacific NW are dangerous.

End of rant..............

Agreed. The firefighters in my township have gotten a 5% across the board raise 2 times in the last 4 years. They are responsible for 40% of our townships $5 million annual budget. They have a hook and ladder truck when there is not a structure in the township over 3 stories tall that gets driven to every call! This isn't a bash on the firefighters. I wouldn't do the job, my point is this is going on in a township that has 42 miles of roads and is 23 square miles. Imagine this on the state level and then on the federal level. Just spend and spend and spend.

Darren

[Fluid Power]

"And I am for Clinton era tax rates.....AFTER true spending cuts are made...The education system is broken...Throwing more money at it will not fix it...You want infastructure done ? Bring the troops home and put them to work on the highways and bridges..The unions would go crazy but what are you going to do with 300,000 troops ? Keep sending them to different nations for a pay check.""

Very true point here. The infrastructure (highways and bridges) are super old, dating back to the 50's.

[57hemicuda]

Originally Posted by realcoray

Again, tax rates are not radically higher than they were in the 60s.

Note how for virtually everyone except for the top 1%, tax rates are basically where they were in the 1960s.

I think that you beleive that just because you said it, or read on some website that it is true. There is NO way you can dilute yourself into beleiving that what we pay in tax today is the same as it was in the 60's.

Don't listen to what they are telling you,think about it in your own life. Out of your own check (if you are employed), comes, fed, state, local, medicare, you pay 7% to unemployment, your employer matches that. You drive home, pay $.40+ a gallon in fuel tax, here in Md. 6% tax on anything you buy, tolls, propery taxes are outrageous, pay outrageous fees to register your car etc, etc. All that little crap adds up, putting your effective tax rate(if you are a producer) at over 50% of your income. Once again, your wife has to work, her income used just to pay the taxes. Wasn't even close to that in the 60's.

I look at the Democrats and Republicans as both standing waist high in a pool of gasoline, the Dem's have 8 matches in ther hands, the Rep's have 3 matches, either way we are toast. The Dem's just have 5 more ways to get us there.

[realcoray]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

The real Dem vs Repub argument is We will pay more taxes but we want spending reduced.

I think that is a FAIR AND BALANCED APPROACH.... It's a RESPONSIBLE approach.

Let's not argue about who started what and who's to blame.... Let's just get busy and SOLVE the problems.

The stuff going on is all negotiating, people get overly concerned because one side or another puts out a heavily slanted offer. Both sides know that it will be a balanced thing. Democrats know cuts will occur, Republicans know revenue and really the tax rates will go up.

So of course Obama says we want 1.6 billion in revenue, and the republicans say no tax rate increases and 800 billion, but then we cut x,y, z.

They will meet somewhere in the middle, things will get cut, and taxes will go up. No matter what they do, it won't be enough sure, but both sides are already talking about major tax reforms next year that would probably bring rates down for many people (not necessarily meaning you pay less).

Also, 57hemicuda, I explictly said that I understand state/local taxes have probably not gone down, they really do tend to go up and never go down.

It isn't like I'm pro-tax, or pro-spend, I just try to view things from all angles.

The country will be fine, America is not going down the tubes, and there's no need to build a bunker and chances are we'll be in a better place 4 years from now than we are now. That has zero to do with who is our president, the government, the rich paying more or less, etc, it's because contrary to what some might believe, Americans just tend to not accept those things and work hard to get out of holes.

[SuperSport]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

I'm fine with taxes going up... it won't affect the way I live one iota.

Wow! An American that is willing to bail out America.
You sir have a screw loose.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by SuperSport

Wow! An American that is willing to bail out America.
You sir have a screw loose.

Hey! You forgot the OTHER PART OF THE STATEMENT.... the part that says -- as long as these aholes quit spending!!

[Z10ROD]

yea I agree passing tax breaks for 98% of america. I was like geter dun then I herd they went back and said we need to extend unemployement

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Z10ROD

yea I agree passing tax breaks for 98% of america. I was like geter dun then I herd they went back and said we need to extend unemployement

I'm kinda torn on the unemployment extensions... I know two people on unemployment right now - 99 weeks worth - neither one are looking for a job - they're "resting and vesting". It's like WTF -- that's almost a two year vacation!

I'm equally certain that there are people that are really really hurting and need this extension. So once again - we come back to the government doing a really piss poor job of running these handouts.

[Vegas69]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

I'm kinda torn on the unemployment extensions... I know two people on unemployment right now - 99 weeks worth - neither one are looking for a job - they're "resting and vesting". It's like WTF -- that's almost a two year vacation!

I'm equally certain that there are people that are really really hurting and need this extension. So once again - we come back to the government doing a really piss poor job of running these handouts.

You have the time and money to be influential. Get to work.....