Excellent article, Free. It does a good job of pointing out ways socialism benefits the U.S.
When friends from out of the area come to visit I often take them on a tour of San Francisco and whenever possible include famous Coit Tower in the tour. There are marvelous murals painted on the interior wall of the tower that depict strong socialist leanings in America in the 30's.
U.S. citizens have not always had the near paranoid reaction to the concepts of socialism and certainly not toward democratic socialism as they do today. That nearly fanatical opposition has it roots in the McCarthy era and is still adhered to more out of fear than understanding. This totally perplexes me in light of the fact that people living in European socialist countries are generally better off and time and again proven to be happier than Americans. One almost gets the notion that many Americans prefer to be bitter, hugely in debt, strongly tied to the ephemeral rush of short-term instant gratification through endless spending and generally fearful of anything that might bring them lasting joy and satisfaction. We are a very, very strange people!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Taxes fund the military. Taxes fund GI bill. The bus you rode on paid for by taxes. Schools, taxes. So your success and now contribution was direct result of taxes.
He's not saying he dosent want to pay taxes.He said he dosent want to pay more taxes.
Or really he's then saying if the taxes benefit him great but if not no more taxes.
no offense to the OP, but you HAVE benefited greatly from our tax dollars. no taxes, no government. no government, no military. no military no gi bill for you. no tricare for you. no roads for you to drive on. no clean water for you. no public education for you. no snow plows for you. no police to call for you. no fire department either.
it seems to me, that people who think the way the OP does are fine to they themselves benefit, but they want to climb the ladder and then pull the ladder up behind them. kind of a selfish move if you ask me.
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.- Hemingway
no offense to the OP, but you HAVE benefited greatly from our tax dollars. no taxes, no government. no government, no military. no military no gi bill for you. no tricare for you. no roads for you to drive on. no clean water for you. no public education for you. no snow plows for you. no police to call for you. no fire department either.
it seems to me, that people who think the way the OP does are fine to they themselves benefit, but they want to climb the ladder and then pull the ladder up behind them. kind of a selfish move if you ask me.
No, I think the op is ok with tax dollar programs that help jump start a career and does not support making a career out of it.
As for roads and whatnot, the op did not say he did not want to pay taxes.
I've met Rob
DEGENERATE FUK
This place is dead
"THERE ARE NO CLIQUES, ONLY THOSE WHO DON'T JOIN THE FUN" - Empty circa 2015
no offense to the OP, but you HAVE benefited greatly from our tax dollars. no taxes, no government. no government, no military. no military no gi bill for you. no tricare for you. no roads for you to drive on. no clean water for you. no public education for you. no snow plows for you. no police to call for you. no fire department either.
it seems to me, that people who think the way the OP does are fine to they themselves benefit, but they want to climb the ladder and then pull the ladder up behind them. kind of a selfish move if you ask me.
No, I think the op is ok with tax dollar programs that help jump start a career and does not support making a career out of it.
As for roads and whatnot, the op did not say he did not want to pay taxes.
Why should I pay for all this extra stuff Bernie and Hillary want to do? I am a self made man. I went into the Marine Corps at 19. I earned my GI Bill and used that to better myself in my late 20's when I went back to school. I took a bus for 6 hours to get from school to work, slept a few hours and repeated that process the next day. I worked hard to get where I am at. Anyone could have done what I did. No one gave me anything. So when I see Bernie and Hillary wanting to pay for all this extra stuff I say fuck that. They will push me down to raise others up. I say hell no. They can fund their communist plans in another country.
Say yes to the American dream again. Say yes to Rubio in 2016! He may be a robot but at least he gets it. Or his people do, either way Rubio in 2016!
the above is the original post.
sanders wants to have medicare for all. it would increase taxes, but you would not have to pay your $1000 a month insurance premium, or whatever it costs. increased tax, but less money out of pocket for your average citizen. point debunked.
sanders wants state public funded colleges to be debt free. increasing taxes on people making over $500,000 a year. i am assuming that that applies to nobody here. point debunked.
if benefiting from government but not wanting to pay taxes to help others isn't selfish, then what is it?
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.- Hemingway
I pay my taxes. I pay more than my share because I don't get to use the loopholes. I said no new taxes.
That list is also dumb. You can't list things twice like welfare to get to the 75 count. I am not surprised welfare is listed twice since it is so widely abused, and it is abused widely. I knew a guy when I was younger on welfare. He lied about his address and listed a friends (he really lived with his parents rent free). He would pick up his welfare check and go buy a new pair of sneakers. I'm not paying for that. You want new sneakers get a job.
Department of Education is a sham. Otherwise we wouldn't have so many schools failing. That is the problem with our government. We pay for things that are ineffectual yet people want more ineffectual government. If they did what they were supposed to do then it would be one thing. Social security will barely be around when I go to receive it. But I pay and my kids will pay even though it will be gone for them when they go to collect. So lets add more programs that will just be abused or will not work.
Tom Brady & Donald Trump, BFF's Fuckus rules all Rob Seattle
54% of spending is military, I'd start there. Heck get rid of the 1 billion dollar budget the military has for PR, Ads and marketing could pay for everything and then some.
I pay my taxes. I pay more than my share because I don't get to use the loopholes. I said no new taxes.
That list is also dumb. You can't list things twice like welfare to get to the 75 count. I am not surprised welfare is listed twice since it is so widely abused, and it is abused widely. I knew a guy when I was younger on welfare. He lied about his address and listed a friends (he really lived with his parents rent free). He would pick up his welfare check and go buy a new pair of sneakers. I'm not paying for that. You want new sneakers get a job.
Department of Education is a sham. Otherwise we wouldn't have so many schools failing. That is the problem with our government. We pay for things that are ineffectual yet people want more ineffectual government. If they did what they were supposed to do then it would be one thing. Social security will barely be around when I go to receive it. But I pay and my kids will pay even though it will be gone for them when they go to collect. So lets add more programs that will just be abused or will not work.
You have to accept that people will abuse the system. That is always going to happen. But also remember that it is abused on both sides. While some abuse the system to 'go buy a new pair of sneakers' the other side abuses the system by dodging millions in taxes by hiding money in offshore accounts. Why do most people only complain about the abuse of the system by the poor minorities when it is happening on a larger scale by rich white people?
1/2 that list is broken,mismanaged and filled with pork.
While I agree all are necessities for a well governed society,Ani is spot on. Why should we continue to pay more in taxes when those who manage our tax dollars and allocate them to these socially beneficial programs can't get their head out of there asses long enough to properly run them.Id argue we would have a surplus of money if it was used more effectively and not dished out to those who continue to abuse the system.Bigger government is not better.More wasted entitlements,while sounding sexy to those who want to continue to suckle the govt teet,is not the answer. I sure as hell want to see a little accountability with the law makers and budget managers before I pay even more then my fair share to prop up these entitlement programs.
I pay my taxes. I pay more than my share because I don't get to use the loopholes. I said no new taxes.
That list is also dumb. You can't list things twice like welfare to get to the 75 count. I am not surprised welfare is listed twice since it is so widely abused, and it is abused widely. I knew a guy when I was younger on welfare. He lied about his address and listed a friends (he really lived with his parents rent free). He would pick up his welfare check and go buy a new pair of sneakers. I'm not paying for that. You want new sneakers get a job.
Department of Education is a sham. Otherwise we wouldn't have so many schools failing. That is the problem with our government. We pay for things that are ineffectual yet people want more ineffectual government. If they did what they were supposed to do then it would be one thing. Social security will barely be around when I go to receive it. But I pay and my kids will pay even though it will be gone for them when they go to collect. So lets add more programs that will just be abused or will not work.
You have to accept that people will abuse the system. That is always going to happen. But also remember that it is abused on both sides. While some abuse the system to 'go buy a new pair of sneakers' the other side abuses the system by dodging millions in taxes by hiding money in offshore accounts. Why do most people only complain about the abuse of the system by the poor minorities when it is happening on a larger scale by rich white people?
Tom Pettyness. They never met any millionaires on coporate welfare (which is far more than double the cost to taxpayers) so they can't see past their party little worldview where some chump nuts sneakers.
Taxes as a whole are out of whack. Fix and then expand is what I asked for if you go back and read. Bernie nor any politician will get any new taxes really levied on the corporations or the 1%. They might get a slight tweak but it will still be out of whack. The system is setup now to encourage them to not do that so they can keep getting their donations and well paid jobs after they leave the government. Until the government uses what they get responsibly they should not get anymore.
Tom Brady & Donald Trump, BFF's Fuckus rules all Rob Seattle
1.Military/Defense 2. Highways / roads 3. Public libraries 4. Police 5. Fire depts 6. Postal Service 7. Student loans and grants 8. Bridges 9. Garbage collection 10. Public landfill 11. War 12. Farm subsidies 13. CIA 14. FBI 15. Congressional Health Care - As Republicans in congress warn us of the evils of government-run health care, most of them are covered by taxpayer-funded government-run health care. You literally pay for their health care while they tell you that paying for your neighbors health care through a public option or single-payer system is socialism. They are 100% correct, it is socialism. They're just not telling you that they like their socialist health care, they just don't think you should have it. They are afraid you might like it better than the private insurance you have now that funds their campaigns and gives them money to push what is best for them and not for you. Members of congress are free to opt out of their evil government health care, but most of them don't because deep down, they like social security. (I posted the description for this because it is SO interesting... 16. Polio vaccine 17. EPA 18. Social security 19. Museums 20. Public schools 21. Jail/prison system 22. Corporate/business subsidies 23. VA healthcare 24. Public parks 25. All gov. officials 26. Food stamps 27. Sewer system 28. Medicare 29. Court system 30. Bird flu 31. GI Bill 32. Hoover Dam 33. State/city zoos 34. IRS 35. Free lunch program 36. Pentagon 37. Medicaid 38. FDA 39. Healthcare for 9/11 rescue workers 40. Swine flu vaccine 41. SSDI 42. Town / state run beaches 43. Corporate Bailouts/Welfare - The whole point of this post is to prove that we ALL use, benefit from, and like socialism. This example is a form of socialism that the republicans not only like, but fight tooth and nail for. They don't like it when socialism is used for working/poor people, but when it's for millionaires and their corporate donors, socialism becomes as American as apple pie. The middle/working class who are the majority of taxpayers pay for welfare for corporations and people who have more money than all of us combined. When our government bails out a bank or gives a subsidy to a billion dollar corporation, you are paying for it. 44. State construction 45. Unemployment insurance 46. City/metro buses 47. WIC 48. State snow removal 49. PBS 50. CDC 51. Welfare - Is there anything the republicans hate more? Of course I'm talking about the welfare that goes to poor people. Corporate welfare is not only accepted in the republican Kabul, but it's mandatory that we give our tax dollars to billionaires and not question the logic of it. Though if you look at it realistically and not through the red scare glasses in which the right sees the world, welfare helps the economy. As I've said many times, when poor people have money in their pocket, they buy things made and sold by companies. This creates a demand. To keep up with demand, businesses must hire to keep up. If you yanked everyone who is on welfare off of it tomorrow, the economy would take a blow and lose jobs due to the down tick in consumer demand because we just took what little money they had away. 52. Public street lighting 53. FEMA 54. Public defenders 55. S-CHIP 56. Amtrak 57. NPR 58. The Department of Homeland Security 59. OSHA 60. State and National Monuments 61. USDA 62. Govt scholarships 63. Department of Health and Human Service 64. Census Bureau 65. Department of Energy 66. Customs and Border Protection 67. Department of Education 68. Secret Service 69. Peace Corp 70. Dept of Justice 71. National Weather Service 72. The White House 73. Government 74. Law 75. Civilization (another interesting one) - As an American citizen, you enjoy freedoms that many in other countries do not. Like anything else in this world, our government is not perfect, but you should be thankful everyday that your country has a government that feels an obligation to serve the people and protect their rights and freedoms. This is completely possible because of government, taxes, and socialism. Do you think the private sector would do a better job of governing our country? Do you think corporations would enact laws to help protect and serve you and your family or them and their profits? The reason you can read this blog and the reason I can write it whether you agree with it or not is because of the freedoms we have here in America enforced and protected through socialist means. Our entire civilization depends on us being a people united. Socialism is a glue that binds us together and makes possible the things that we could not accomplish as individuals working against each other.
Taxes as a whole are out of whack. Fix and then expand is what I asked for if you go back and read. Bernie nor any politician will get any new taxes really levied on the corporations or the 1%. They might get a slight tweak but it will still be out of whack. The system is setup now to encourage them to not do that so they can keep getting their donations and well paid jobs after they leave the government. Until the government uses what they get responsibly they should not get anymore.
If this is how you feel, you should research the candidates' donor lists. Bernie is the only candidate that isn't taking money from the forces you are talking about.
Ani,save your breathe.Its like roller skating uphill with these discussions.Your dealing with a far left view.Just look at the theme of basically every fucking thread.A lot of hate being thrown out from the peace and love crowd.Ah the smell of hypocrarcy.
Ani,save your breathe.Its like roller skating uphill with these discussions.Your dealing with a far left view.Just look at the theme of basically every fucking thread.A lot of hate being thrown out from the peace and love crowd.Ah the smell of hypocrarcy.
sounds to me like the main hypocracy is about benefiting from a system only to resent paying into it again when you are done with it?
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.- Hemingway
Ani,save your breathe.Its like roller skating uphill with these discussions.Your dealing with a far left view.Just look at the theme of basically every fucking thread.A lot of hate being thrown out from the peace and love crowd.Ah the smell of hypocrarcy.
Taxes are inevitable, RR.
Canada is taxed heavily, but I am okay with it. I don't look at what I am paying into the tax pool- I look at what I earn after paying taxes. It's more than enough and... my family and I are afforded many services that are critical. I'm getting things for my money... very valuable things in fact.
Do people cheat the system? Of course. Do I want to smack the lazy piece of shit that's a residual welfare bum- smoking mary jane and playing video games all day? Yes. But at the end of the day... I'd rather be pissed off with a lazy leech than shitty highways, unkept bridges, dilapidated schools, unregulated businesses, ineffective hospitals, etc.
Indeed they are 30.No arguments here. I personally have no problem paying my share.In fact I pay way more than my fair share.Both on the personal side and on the corporate side. I give a whole hell of a lot and take very little.Same goes with my property taxes and services at a local level. I feel I have the right to want my $$ paid in not to be wasted and squandered.Fiscal responsibility is a must.
I will ask you this.Why does some of my family who lives in Canada come to the states for medical care? If the system is so good why do they need to do that? Same goes with people I know in England.Need medical care for a sick kid,I hope you like to wait unless someone is in trauma?
Indeed they are 30.No arguments here. I personally have no problem paying my share.In fact I pay way more than my fair share.Both on the personal side and on the corporate side. I give a whole hell of a lot and take very little.Same goes with my property taxes and services at a local level. I feel I have the right to want my $$ paid in not to be wasted and squandered.Fiscal responsibility is a must.
I will ask you this.Why does some of my family who lives in Canada come to the states for medical care? If the system is so good why do they need to do that? Same goes with people I know in England.Need medical care for a sick kid,I hope you like to wait unless someone is in trauma?
Wait lists. Sometimes, when people can do so, they seek private medical attention.
Serious stuff moves more quickly up the queue as does age and condition of patient. My daughter was injured playing soccer. We did have to wait before she could access the specialist and get the MRI she needed... but not too too long and once she was seen... things moved quickly
Would I have liked immediate service? Yes. But overall... I was satisfied with the care she received.
RR... I agree that there is waste that affects the level of servicing I'd ideally like to see. If an effective model of accountability was presented to me... I'd be in favour of it.
Indeed they are 30.No arguments here. I personally have no problem paying my share.In fact I pay way more than my fair share.Both on the personal side and on the corporate side. I give a whole hell of a lot and take very little.Same goes with my property taxes and services at a local level. I feel I have the right to want my $$ paid in not to be wasted and squandered.Fiscal responsibility is a must.
I will ask you this.Why does some of my family who lives in Canada come to the states for medical care? If the system is so good why do they need to do that? Same goes with people I know in England.Need medical care for a sick kid,I hope you like to wait unless someone is in trauma?
Wait lists. Sometimes, when people can do so, they seek private medical attention.
Serious stuff moves more quickly up the queue as does age and condition of patient. My daughter was injured playing soccer. We did have to wait before she could access the specialist and get the MRI she needed... but not too too long and once she was seen... things moved quickly
Would I have liked immediate service? Yes. But overall... I was satisfied with the care she received.
Waiting sure beats bankruptcy lol
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It would be good if there were a middle ground but I do not think there is - and this is due to the layout of our economy currently. On one side you have the people who pay next to nothing in taxes in the US....and on the other side you have those who pay an annual tax that exceeds what the average American makes in a year. (Put aside the destitute and the elite rich.) Could be that an issue raised by the vanishing middle class is that there are no people with middle class attitudes/realities. Yes, there are people in both areas that believe that the average person should surrender a higher percentage of what they earn for the greater good. Yes, there are people in both areas that see sense in everyone paying the same percentage -- and if you make more then the pot gets bigger for those in need.
What I do not understand are the two extremes -- those who believe they should pay no tax if they make very little money, and those that believe that those who make the most should pay almost all of the tax. In my opinion both of those views are flawed. I have some different views when it comes to taxes to the majority of posters here, and I am not going to sink (rise?) to the level of trying to convince everyone that I am right. Here to share opinions. Fuck you. Make up your own mind. This is what I think and if you agree, great. If you don't, great. OP has a right to share what he thinks and is not obligated to try and convince everyone that his way is right. Some agree, others do not.
I love all people that spout out about the dreaded evil Socialism...
Until they send their kids off to Public Schools Use Interstate Highways - All Roads and Bridges Need the Police Department Need the Fire Department Medicare Need Social Security or have Parents living on SS Postal Service Garbage Collection and Landfills The United States military is the largest and most funded socialist program in the world, including Veterans Healthcare
"The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera." - Yusuf Karsh
Comments
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
https://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/29/1078852/-75-Ways-Socialism-Has-Improved-America?detail=facebook
When friends from out of the area come to visit I often take them on a tour of San Francisco and whenever possible include famous Coit Tower in the tour. There are marvelous murals painted on the interior wall of the tower that depict strong socialist leanings in America in the 30's.
U.S. citizens have not always had the near paranoid reaction to the concepts of socialism and certainly not toward democratic socialism as they do today. That nearly fanatical opposition has it roots in the McCarthy era and is still adhered to more out of fear than understanding. This totally perplexes me in light of the fact that people living in European socialist countries are generally better off and time and again proven to be happier than Americans. One almost gets the notion that many Americans prefer to be bitter, hugely in debt, strongly tied to the ephemeral rush of short-term instant gratification through endless spending and generally fearful of anything that might bring them lasting joy and satisfaction. We are a very, very strange people!
no offense to the OP, but you HAVE benefited greatly from our tax dollars. no taxes, no government. no government, no military. no military no gi bill for you. no tricare for you. no roads for you to drive on. no clean water for you. no public education for you. no snow plows for you. no police to call for you. no fire department either.
it seems to me, that people who think the way the OP does are fine to they themselves benefit, but they want to climb the ladder and then pull the ladder up behind them. kind of a selfish move if you ask me.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
As for roads and whatnot, the op did not say he did not want to pay taxes.
DEGENERATE FUK
This place is dead
"THERE ARE NO CLIQUES, ONLY THOSE WHO DON'T JOIN THE FUN" - Empty circa 2015
"Kfsbho&$thncds" - F Me In the Brain - circa 2015
Say yes to the American dream again. Say yes to Rubio in 2016! He may be a robot but at least he gets it. Or his people do, either way Rubio in 2016!
the above is the original post.
sanders wants to have medicare for all. it would increase taxes, but you would not have to pay your $1000 a month insurance premium, or whatever it costs. increased tax, but less money out of pocket for your average citizen. point debunked.
sanders wants state public funded colleges to be debt free. increasing taxes on people making over $500,000 a year. i am assuming that that applies to nobody here. point debunked.
if benefiting from government but not wanting to pay taxes to help others isn't selfish, then what is it?
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
There is an old saying.
It's hard to be humble when you're so great.
I'm more than willing to vouch for the OP's humbleness.
His integrity too.
Income taxes have been so low the past ten or whatever years, the only ones paying for it will be our grandkids or their kids.
Don't be the dolt that wants to suck their money and is proud of it
Give your due
And that Avatar... priceless!!
Well said, Rollings, and goodnight from a tired old owl. Haha!
That list is also dumb. You can't list things twice like welfare to get to the 75 count. I am not surprised welfare is listed twice since it is so widely abused, and it is abused widely. I knew a guy when I was younger on welfare. He lied about his address and listed a friends (he really lived with his parents rent free). He would pick up his welfare check and go buy a new pair of sneakers. I'm not paying for that. You want new sneakers get a job.
Department of Education is a sham. Otherwise we wouldn't have so many schools failing. That is the problem with our government. We pay for things that are ineffectual yet people want more ineffectual government. If they did what they were supposed to do then it would be one thing. Social security will barely be around when I go to receive it. But I pay and my kids will pay even though it will be gone for them when they go to collect. So lets add more programs that will just be abused or will not work.
Fuckus rules all
Rob
Seattle
As a bonus, less brainwashing
While I agree all are necessities for a well governed society,Ani is spot on.
Why should we continue to pay more in taxes when those who manage our tax dollars and allocate them to these socially beneficial programs can't get their head out of there asses long enough to properly run them.Id argue we would have a surplus of money if it was used more effectively and not dished out to those who continue to abuse the system.Bigger government is not better.More wasted entitlements,while sounding sexy to those who want to continue to suckle the govt teet,is not the answer.
I sure as hell want to see a little accountability with the law makers and budget managers before I pay even more then my fair share to prop up these entitlement programs.
Fuckus rules all
Rob
Seattle
1.Military/Defense
2. Highways / roads
3. Public libraries
4. Police
5. Fire depts
6. Postal Service
7. Student loans and grants
8. Bridges
9. Garbage collection
10. Public landfill
11. War
12. Farm subsidies
13. CIA
14. FBI
15. Congressional Health Care - As Republicans in congress warn us of the evils of government-run health care, most of them are covered by taxpayer-funded government-run health care. You literally pay for their health care while they tell you that paying for your neighbors health care through a public option or single-payer system is socialism. They are 100% correct, it is socialism. They're just not telling you that they like their socialist health care, they just don't think you should have it. They are afraid you might like it better than the private insurance you have now that funds their campaigns and gives them money to push what is best for them and not for you. Members of congress are free to opt out of their evil government health care, but most of them don't because deep down, they like social security. (I posted the description for this because it is SO interesting...
16. Polio vaccine
17. EPA
18. Social security
19. Museums
20. Public schools
21. Jail/prison system
22. Corporate/business subsidies
23. VA healthcare
24. Public parks
25. All gov. officials
26. Food stamps
27. Sewer system
28. Medicare
29. Court system
30. Bird flu
31. GI Bill
32. Hoover Dam
33. State/city zoos
34. IRS
35. Free lunch program
36. Pentagon
37. Medicaid
38. FDA
39. Healthcare for 9/11 rescue workers
40. Swine flu vaccine
41. SSDI
42. Town / state run beaches
43. Corporate Bailouts/Welfare - The whole point of this post is to prove that we ALL use, benefit from, and like socialism. This example is a form of socialism that the republicans not only like, but fight tooth and nail for. They don't like it when socialism is used for working/poor people, but when it's for millionaires and their corporate donors, socialism becomes as American as apple pie. The middle/working class who are the majority of taxpayers pay for welfare for corporations and people who have more money than all of us combined. When our government bails out a bank or gives a subsidy to a billion dollar corporation, you are paying for it.
44. State construction
45. Unemployment insurance
46. City/metro buses
47. WIC
48. State snow removal
49. PBS
50. CDC
51. Welfare - Is there anything the republicans hate more? Of course I'm talking about the welfare that goes to poor people. Corporate welfare is not only accepted in the republican Kabul, but it's mandatory that we give our tax dollars to billionaires and not question the logic of it. Though if you look at it realistically and not through the red scare glasses in which the right sees the world, welfare helps the economy. As I've said many times, when poor people have money in their pocket, they buy things made and sold by companies. This creates a demand. To keep up with demand, businesses must hire to keep up. If you yanked everyone who is on welfare off of it tomorrow, the economy would take a blow and lose jobs due to the down tick in consumer demand because we just took what little money they had away.
52. Public street lighting
53. FEMA
54. Public defenders
55. S-CHIP
56. Amtrak
57. NPR
58. The Department of Homeland Security
59. OSHA
60. State and National Monuments
61. USDA
62. Govt scholarships
63. Department of Health and Human Service
64. Census Bureau
65. Department of Energy
66. Customs and Border Protection
67. Department of Education
68. Secret Service
69. Peace Corp
70. Dept of Justice
71. National Weather Service
72. The White House
73. Government
74. Law
75. Civilization (another interesting one) - As an American citizen, you enjoy freedoms that many in other countries do not. Like anything else in this world, our government is not perfect, but you should be thankful everyday that your country has a government that feels an obligation to serve the people and protect their rights and freedoms. This is completely possible because of government, taxes, and socialism. Do you think the private sector would do a better job of governing our country? Do you think corporations would enact laws to help protect and serve you and your family or them and their profits? The reason you can read this blog and the reason I can write it whether you agree with it or not is because of the freedoms we have here in America enforced and protected through socialist means. Our entire civilization depends on us being a people united. Socialism is a glue that binds us together and makes possible the things that we could not accomplish as individuals working against each other.
Hypocrisy at its finest.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Canada is taxed heavily, but I am okay with it. I don't look at what I am paying into the tax pool- I look at what I earn after paying taxes. It's more than enough and... my family and I are afforded many services that are critical. I'm getting things for my money... very valuable things in fact.
Do people cheat the system? Of course. Do I want to smack the lazy piece of shit that's a residual welfare bum- smoking mary jane and playing video games all day? Yes. But at the end of the day... I'd rather be pissed off with a lazy leech than shitty highways, unkept bridges, dilapidated schools, unregulated businesses, ineffective hospitals, etc.
I personally have no problem paying my share.In fact I pay way more than my fair share.Both on the personal side and on the corporate side.
I give a whole hell of a lot and take very little.Same goes with my property taxes and services at a local level.
I feel I have the right to want my $$ paid in not to be wasted and squandered.Fiscal responsibility is a must.
I will ask you this.Why does some of my family who lives in Canada come to the states for medical care? If the system is so good why do they need to do that?
Same goes with people I know in England.Need medical care for a sick kid,I hope you like to wait unless someone is in trauma?
Serious stuff moves more quickly up the queue as does age and condition of patient. My daughter was injured playing soccer. We did have to wait before she could access the specialist and get the MRI she needed... but not too too long and once she was seen... things moved quickly
Would I have liked immediate service? Yes. But overall... I was satisfied with the care she received.
Could be that an issue raised by the vanishing middle class is that there are no people with middle class attitudes/realities.
Yes, there are people in both areas that believe that the average person should surrender a higher percentage of what they earn for the greater good.
Yes, there are people in both areas that see sense in everyone paying the same percentage -- and if you make more then the pot gets bigger for those in need.
What I do not understand are the two extremes -- those who believe they should pay no tax if they make very little money, and those that believe that those who make the most should pay almost all of the tax.
In my opinion both of those views are flawed. I have some different views when it comes to taxes to the majority of posters here, and I am not going to sink (rise?) to the level of trying to convince everyone that I am right. Here to share opinions.
Fuck you.
Make up your own mind. This is what I think and if you agree, great. If you don't, great.
OP has a right to share what he thinks and is not obligated to try and convince everyone that his way is right. Some agree, others do not.
"there aint gonna be any middle any more"
Until they send their kids off to Public Schools
Use Interstate Highways - All Roads and Bridges
Need the Police Department
Need the Fire Department
Medicare
Need Social Security or have Parents living on SS
Postal Service
Garbage Collection and Landfills
The United States military is the largest and most funded socialist program in the world, including Veterans Healthcare