As i self medicate, this idea will turn our economy around

[Denny]

I like the part where the government owes people money just because they are breathing.

Move to Kuwait or Saudi. Socialism works great there.

[Bad A$$ Coupe]

The mentally ill are the responsibility of the “community (us, the .gov)”; yes they should be taken care of if they cannot do for themselves. That is what I feel like my SS contributions each month are for, to help my fellow citizens who truly need it. I had a cousin in the same boat but he passed at the age of 7 due to tumors, the medical bills bankrupted my aunt/uncle, they divorced and are both back on their feet prospering 10 years later.

People who chose not to work or have made poor decisions in life should not be my responsibility.

Regarding the rest of your post; Samuel Jackson and The Rock had a great onliner in The Other Guys. The opening scene with the Rock on the roof of the truck and asked how did he end up there, Jackson's character responded "I chalk it up to poor life choices." I find that fitting for 90% of people’s bad luck. I have a brother who is a worthless POS and a sponge. Anyway, my point is we were both raised the same. He made poor life choices I chose to take the other road.

I am 35, my wife 30; we have no kids because up until recently we told ourselves we were not going to bring children into this world until we could provide for them in a financially responsible manner. Most of the WORLD should follow the same advice.

okay but what if you have mental problems but its not enough to get you diagnoised? what if you suffer from depression and no one helps and so in retaliation you rob a bank or fight someone, i know i know, your decisions deal with them.... but i dont think so, ive seen it happen to people and think different now, i use to not feel sorry for people, hell i made poor decisions in life and without goverment aid i would have been HOMELESS... some people take longer to bounce back some never bounce back, but who am i to say dont help them out...

[Denny]

okay but what if you have mental problems but its not enough to get you diagnoised? what if you suffer from depression and no one helps and so in retaliation you rob a bank or fight someone, i know i know, your decisions deal with them.... but i dont think so, ive seen it happen to people and think different now, i use to not feel sorry for people, hell i made poor decisions in life and without goverment aid i would have been HOMELESS... some people take longer to bounce back some never bounce back, but who am i to say dont help them out...

If you're a taxpayer, you have every say whether to help them out or not.

[juiceweezl]

Ya, we are some spending fools! Let us bring home more a paycheck and think we're getting a deal, it's on!!!

I've read a lot of articles on sales tax versus income tax, and the writers keep coming to the same conclusion -- poor will pay much more in taxes than they are now and the wealthy will pay less (the upper 1% will pay about $75K less). What's wrong with that? I'm sure essentials like milk, bread, eggs, etc. would be exempt, but the cars, shoes, clothes, jewelry, etc. wouldn't be. The one problem that I see is that we'd have to find a way to tax purchases made outside the US. For example, if someone wants to buy consumer goods here but will have to pay a 20% tax, they will look to buy it from Canada or the Caribbean and avoid the tax.

The line that always cracks me up is that people don't like the system because the poor will have to pay more in taxes. No shit! They're not paying anything now, so ANYTHING is going to be paying more!

[Denny]

I've read a lot of articles on sales tax versus income tax, and the writers keep coming to the same conclusion -- poor will pay much more in taxes than they are now and the wealthy will pay less (the upper 1% will pay about $75K less). What's wrong with that? I'm sure essentials like milk, bread, eggs, etc. would be exempt, but the cars, shoes, clothes, jewelry, etc. wouldn't be. The one problem that I see is that we'd have to find a way to tax purchases made outside the US. For example, if someone wants to buy consumer goods here but will have to pay a 20% tax, they will look to buy it from Canada or the Caribbean and avoid the tax.

The line that always cracks me up is that people don't like the system because the poor will have to pay more in taxes. No shit! They're not paying anything now, so ANYTHING is going to be paying more!

The poor, being the poor they are, usually have habits of making wrong decisions. I think they'll end up paying more in anysituation you put them in to control their own destiny.

[Bad A$$ Coupe]

So, roughly 60-70 hours? 6 x 10ish (taking lunches out, of course). Definately not 80-90, though.

nope i open at 7 so i am here usually at 6:30 6:45, close at 7 to i am usually here till 8 then sats, then i am here on sundays but not open on sundays i come in to do most of my paperwork and open to do state inspections... but i dont like to count that because i start to lose it when i do lol!!!!

ALL business owners put themselves where they are. No one forced anyone to make a business, doing a certain service or making a certain product, at that cetain location with a certain amount of employees. Put your violin away. No one is listening to the sad song.

no one forced me, just got tired of working at a dealer and getting our times cut back not wanting to give raises blaming it on the econ( i did get raises but many techs did not) while they were having record breaking months, just like exxon shell ge and all the great companies out there...... there is no violin here and i feel proud to put food on my table and give work to others, just tired of hearing everyone bitch about medicare ss and the help to the poor......... i dont mind helping and paying taxes, am tired of hearing people blame obama, and democrats its not there fault its corp america thats doing it...

[Denny]

I'll bitch about medicare and SS since it is nothing more than REPAYMENT, not an entitlement.

[KBScobravert]

2010, I made the most I've ever made in my life and I ended up having to pay less than 11% of my total income to the IRS. I claimed my exempt status and kept everything, paying when I filed in April 2011. I did have some good deductions. I'm an itemizing fool!

I bet WB paid more of a percentage than me. Definately more overall. LOL

2007 = ZERO, because I was smart. How much did I recieve in the form of government assistance? You guessed right, ZERO? Now I did pay SS/Med, how much of that will I see? Probably ZERO; that is okay with me.

[juiceweezl]

The mentally ill are the responsibility of the “community (us, the .gov)”

The community and the government are two different things. Do you know when welfare started? What about social security? I promise you the "mentally ill" and others with illness and disabilities have been around longer than both welfare and SS. Do you think they were just ignored? Nope, they were cared for by the community -- without the government. Church and community played a vital role in assistance programs. Honestly, that's who should be doing it today -- not the elected officials with our tax dollars. I tithe to my church and I support charities. My taxes shouldn't do the same.

You want to know how it's supposed to work? Look here: http://www.tsrhc.org/about-tsrhc.htm I can't say with 100% assurance that they do not receive government money, but I believe they are 100% supported by donations. It's one of the best organizations I've ever seen, and my youngest son has been a patient there. Other groups should lineup and take lessons.

[Denny]

2007 = ZERO, because I was smart. How much did I recieve in the form of government assistance? You guessed right, ZERO? Now I did pay SS/Med, how much of that will I see? Probably ZERO; that is okay with me.

Don't start me on the years I actually recieved more than I showed to pay on my W2. LOL

[Forever_frost]

YES!!! This works in all other countries!!! look at powerful african countries... look at the powerful USSR, look at CUBA... lets cut off all help to the elderly, poor, and illegals... I mean the elderly f-them right there dried up. poor who needs them we should gas them like hilter did the jews..... and the illegals dont let me get started because all they do is come here and sit around and have babies... we should all be nazis.... but wait, i am american, i am poor and i am in dept, so does that mean i will be gassed too? if i am then 6 people will be gassed because my bussiness wont operate and they will be left without a job...

what to do, yea, pay the high interest on the loans, you took them out, and you pay high taxes while the REAL rich dont pay anything or at least a small fraction of the money they are really making, thats the thing SOME middle class THINK they are a part of the wealthy. YOUR NOT, you think because you make over 100k a year and have your little 250k home your someone... your no better than the guy making 15k renting an apt.... do you think the REAL rich pay high interest loans, do you think they pay high taxes, no, but we do!!! so yes lets cut all goverment aid to our own people, go pick fights with other counrties and aid them right..... let the buffets and gates have the real breaks............ oh and the Barrack did not mess this economy up...... its been happening for a very long time................... sorry for my grammer and runons i am ranting

sorry just tired of hearing all this SH!T

You have one hell of a chip on your shoulder. How about we return to the Constitutional foundation?

[Bad A$$ Coupe]

You have one hell of a chip on your shoulder. How about we return to the Constitutional foundation?

lol i dont, but doesnt sound like a bad idea...... lol......

[Forever_frost]

There are only 18 things our federal government should do. That's it. You do that, taxes drop to bare minimum and we have the maximum level of freedom.

[Baba Ganoush]

That would help a few people out, but not me. In the end it will only cause more spending and living beyond your fiscal means.



I think a large drain that was never plugged was the mortgage crisis. I think after the bailout money was in the banks, they should have forgiven much more debt on the properties than they did. This would have allowed more people to stay in their homes, neighborhoods, and offer more stability. It would've had a immediate impact on local infrastructure and economy.

Now you can barley find an empty apt. anywhere, but they are being built for cheap everywhere. On the flip side, it's very easy to find houses that sat years and wasted away. People's credit is useless if they defaulted, and they may never buy another house. I just think the credit market we created has come back to kick us in the gunt.

[juiceweezl]

That would help a few people out, but not me. In the end it will only cause more spending and living beyond your fiscal means.



I think a large drain that was never plugged was the mortgage crisis. I think after the bailout money was in the banks, they should have forgiven much more debt on the properties than they did. This would have allowed more people to stay in their homes, neighborhoods, and offer more stability. It would've had a immediate impact on local infrastructure and economy.

Now you can barley find an empty apt. anywhere, but they are being built for cheap everywhere. On the flip side, it's very easy to find houses that sat years and wasted away. People's credit is useless if they defaulted, and they may never buy another house. I just think the credit market we created has come back to kick us in the gunt.

Sorry, but screw a bunch of debt forgiveness. People learn by being held accountable. When I moved to TX 10 years ago, I bought a modest house, out in the country, with a good commute to work. Most of my coworkers gave me grief and said that I should've bought a larger, more expensive house in town. Instead, I bought what I could afford, saved money, paid off cars, etc. Now, that is my rental property, and I have the house in town too (that I bought on the low end of the market). I paid my dues and made smart choices. If you forgive all the debt from the idiots that have a combined income of $65K a year, 2 leases on Range Rovers, and took and interest only loan on a $285K house, then they'll just go do it again.

I'm sorry for their situation, but they dug the hole -- lay in it. The same for the bank that lent them the money which they couldn't really qualify for. Tough shit.

Now, I'm going to go look for something to buy since rates are free falling. Time to make some money!