I am "Joe the Plumber" are U?

[debilorrah]

so, most of Janes, Joes, Josephine's and Jo's are barely making ends meet. We all know the economy is in the tank. We are personally feeling it, as many benefits have been taken away from my fiance, leading to a loss of around $800 per month. So, where is that money supposed to come from? My brother runs his own business and used to make $250,000/year and now makes about $90,000, and has a family to support. We make about $75,000 combined that doesn't even BEGIN to cover the costs of a home and bills and medical expenses (there are many).

I am rambling, sorry...

 

[DuckLady]

I am Joe Regular and I think there should be a flat tax rate.
10% across the board for Fed and 5% for Social security and SDI. No write offs, no deductions. Yeah, the IRS would take a hit on jobs, but it is way to reduce the government spending. The wages, benefits and retirement savings would be huge. And I bet the country still would come out ahead.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
I am voting for TERRIELACY!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Quote:
I'm with this Joe but am a Jane. I have worked proudly since the age of 9 and put myself through college. I despise the welfare system this country has created and the 'have it your way' fast food attitude. Fewer and fewer seem to want to work an honest living anymore. They want everything handed to them since they feel 'owed' that they did not get something they feel government should have given them.

I could have chosen to not go to college and get a degree and instead be a bum. But I didn't. I wanted to serve the country with a military career but that got cut short with a bone tumor right after graduating from college (which I paid for and had to work while going to school).

Instead of my military career I went into law enforcement and have worked for the public for 23 years now, with little gratitude other than people think I have an awesome job. I am a forensic analyst and trust me, CSI does not tell you the truth. It is not awesome, it is hard, often nasty and mostly thankless.

But I do my job to help the people, those who have had crimes committed against them. Others take the credit for what I do but I know I am helping people.

I look at government, local and Feds and am disgusted with waste, high taxes and low wages and benefits for the real working Joe (slug). I just hope I can retire someday and garden and raise poultry with no stress for a few years before age takes me.

A lot of people are in this boat. Bigger government is not going to solve your problems, IT WILL make it worse.

I cannot afford higher taxes, bigger government and more expensive public schools. How come so many kids are special ed now? Why does the school bus stop at every driveway rather than a simple bus stop? I don't want government taking my guns, raising my taxes to fund more welfare, higher insurance costs, regulating my chickens, or creating more loopholes for out of control corporate cheats.

I am ashamed so many of the American public want to embrace socialist dogma because they feel 'owed'. This country was not founded on that.

Where were you on 9/11/2001? I was in NYC, I will never, ever forget that! Who knows how much worse off this country could have been if we were not a major presence in the middle east now!

How many of you have been in and spent time in a third world country? If you have, is that how you want to live? If you have never been to one you have NO IDEA. Invest and take a trip to somewhere like Zimbabwe. Go see how those people have to live.

No, freedom is not free, it is work and you have to earn it.

:|

 

[gamebirdsonly]

good post Birch Run Farm.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
I'm with this Joe but am a Jane. I have worked proudly since the age of 9 and put myself through college. I despise the welfare system this country has created and the 'have it your way' fast food attitude. Fewer and fewer seem to want to work an honest living anymore. They want everything handed to them since they feel 'owed' that they did not get something they feel government should have given them.

I could have chosen to not go to college and get a degree and instead be a bum. But I didn't. I wanted to serve the country with a military career but that got cut short with a bone tumor right after graduating from college (which I paid for and had to work while going to school).

Instead of my military career I went into law enforcement and have worked for the public for 23 years now, with little gratitude other than people think I have an awesome job. I am a forensic analyst and trust me, CSI does not tell you the truth. It is not awesome, it is hard, often nasty and mostly thankless.

But I do my job to help the people, those who have had crimes committed against them. Others take the credit for what I do but I know I am helping people.

I look at government, local and Feds and am disgusted with waste, high taxes and low wages and benefits for the real working Joe (slug). I just hope I can retire someday and garden and raise poultry with no stress for a few years before age takes me.

A lot of people are in this boat. Bigger government is not going to solve your problems, IT WILL make it worse.

I cannot afford higher taxes, bigger government and more expensive public schools. How come so many kids are special ed now? Why does the school bus stop at every driveway rather than a simple bus stop? I don't want government taking my guns, raising my taxes to fund more welfare, higher insurance costs, regulating my chickens, or creating more loopholes for out of control corporate cheats.

I am ashamed so many of the American public want to embrace socialist dogma because they feel 'owed'. This country was not founded on that.

Where were you on 9/11/2001? I was in NYC, I will never, ever forget that! Who knows how much worse off this country could have been if we were not a major presence in the middle east now!

How many of you have been in and spent time in a third world country? If you have, is that how you want to live? If you have never been to one you have NO IDEA. Invest and take a trip to somewhere like Zimbabwe. Go see how those people have to live.

No, freedom is not free, it is work and you have to earn it.

:|

 

[happyhen]

I don't like the thought of my hard earned money going to taxes and then that tax money going to those that don't even pay taxes. Redistribution of wealth has never worked.

I'm for a FAIR tax, like a sales tax. We ALL pay the same rate on what we buy. Those blessed with more money will buy more, and those with less money won't get hurt as badly.

 

[chickn]

I am ashamed so many of the American public want to embrace socialist dogma because they feel 'owed'. This country was not founded on that.

me too.

 

[RickiHupp]

I am Jane. I am 26 years old, student with 2 small children.
I take care of my father, who, at the age of 58 had a stroke and is paralyzed....2 months later his wife died in her sleep of a heartattack. She was my stepmother and I also take care of my half sister who at the age of 10 has lost half of her father and her mother. My dad served in the vietnam war, was awarded with a bronze star and the purple heart. When my father was FIGHTING for his country he was 18 years old....he was told that he was NOT old enough to vote!! He could carry a weapon, kill people AND die for his country but had no say in the voting process! I will NEVER vote, I keep my mouth shut about politics and I do not complain. He worked for owens corning for 38 years before he retired and with his retirement cannot pay his bills. We are now facing forclosure on the home that I was born and raised in. I do not get ANY help from the goverment, I dont ask for help from anybody. We will get thru this like we always have...heads high and mouth shut. I am not trying to argue with anyone on here, please believe me...I was just giving my side of the story

 

[redhen]

Quote:
I agree with you 100% , about your statement
"why should the wealthy get tax breaks, while my parents can barely pay the bills?" ..I dont think that they should get any breaks either....none at all...but i also dont want to keep paying for welfare cases...sorry..its the truth... there is a differance of REALLY needing the assistance(which i have no problem with helping them out..)... and some others that simply WONT work...and keep popping out the kids...... Also, in truth, the rich and the poor really have it better then most..i cant get a single benifit..not a single one..and i have to live paycheck to paycheck...i have to pay my own mortgage...i have to buy my own food..i have to buy my own oil....ALL of it... and not a cent of help...