Political Ramblings

[ChickensRDinos]

Sorry to bring up guns again, but Piers morgan had is hour thing on CNN where he had guests and live audience and the parts that I saw he was just interrupting the whole time. Not to mention that he was glad this tragedy happened to further his "cause" as he put it.

What is the full quote?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Speaking of political power. Governments want the biggest middle class possible with the fewest poor. Middle class won't revolt and protest just whine. The lower class will protest heavily and revolt more often.

I am not sure what point are you trying to make here. Do you not think a middle class is good? There are a lot of different kinds of governments. Are you referring to US government or others? US history or world?

In theory, an elective government should be working for it's people, not against them or to trick them or purposively keep them complacent. Do you feel that is happening? Perhaps a greater discussion of how to create a better informed voting public?

 

[bakerjw]

It's not about making poor people rich. There will always be poor people. Society needs poor people. It is about keeping the wealth distribution - and with that also the political power and influence distribution - at least somewhat reasonable. At the moment in the US poor people are getting poorer and rich people are getting richer and this widening gap is really what the problem is.

I personally do not think it is reasonable that with tax breaks, poor people pay a higher percentage of their income than rich people, who in some cases make more money than they can really ever spend in a life time.

What is really hurting America is that the middle class jobs are going overseas where labor and regulations are much cheaper. The main driving force for this is that Americans want the cheapest product possible. If you were to set up a stand in any department store with 2 identical shoes on them. One made in Bangladesh and the other here and America and priced them accordingly. Conservatively say $30.00 for made in USA and $15.00 for the other, very few people would even check the tag for place of manufacture before picking the $15.00 shoe. Myself, I only buy New Balance shoes made here in the states. The same goes for anything else. I always support our workers.

As for the poor paying a higher percentage. As income taxes go, 47% get more back than they pay in through the year. And the top 20% of earners in the country pay 94% of the tax burden. To me, that is more than their fair share.

 

[duckluck]

Double check the tags...many New Balance shoes are now made overseas also. I can only wear extremely wide shoes, New Balance being one of them, and noticed this. Never assume that just because they used to be made in the USA, they still are...seem this happem with two other brands of boots I buy as well, and they are never made as well or sized as well as the original made in the USA ones.

As for the tax thing, you are very correct on that. All this talk of the "rich paying their fair share" is just a divisive political ploy. I don't know about anyone else, but I have never heard of anyone getting a job from someone who's broke. We need people to have more money than they need so they can pay people to do things and make things. This is where jobs are created.

 

[rufus]

Perhaps it is time to look for another source of income for our government. How about we return to tariffs? Supposedly we are engaging in free trade, but in actuality, we are a dumping ground for cheap foreign merchandise. Free trade is just another liberal lie. We should not engage in free trade with nations that do not reciprocate.

China knocks off our products as soon as they come on to the market. They copy other nation's products bolt for bolt, nut for nut. Then they sell those products on the world market.

What they do buy from us is scrap iron, our real estate and industrial companies. Those companies always seem to move to China.

If we returned to tariffs, taxes would be more equitable. People buying expensive foreign autos would pay more, but people buying US made cars would pay less. Maybe we could even put some people back to work.

How long has it been since we have seen clothing made in the US that a common working class individual could afford?

When I eat out, I always check to see where the stainless steel dinnerware was made. I have not seen "Made in USA" since the 1950's. It seems as if all of it is made in China, Korea, Malaysia and Japan. And those folks don't even use it. They use chop sticks.

 

[Matthew3590]

I am not sure what point are you trying to make here. Do you not think a middle class is good? There are a lot of different kinds of governments. Are you referring to US government or others? US history or world?

In theory, an elective government should be working for it's people, not against them or to trick them or purposively keep them complacent. Do you feel that is happening? Perhaps a greater discussion of how to create a better informed voting public?

What is the full quote?

All the point of the middle class thing is governments need a middle class to keep the society stable.

 

[MamaRoo]

Quote:
I can live on just about 2300 a month. No cable, no eating out, no extras at all. If I earn 50,000 a year, more than half of my income goes to existing. After paying 25% tax, that cost of living goes to 74% of my take home pay.

For someone making 250,000, the same cost to exist is only 11% of their income. Even if that person were to pay 50% tax, their cost to exist is only 22% of their income. Since the wealthy tend to pay around 15% tax, according to numbers I've seen, their actual cost to exist is about 13% of their income.

That's why I have no problem asking the wealthy to pay more tax.

 

[rufus]

I am sorry, but most of us are not middle class. We are working class. Check your definitions. Middle class people are investors and entrepreneurs. Some politicians avoid saying "working class" because it offends so many of their supporters. We should not be ashamed of working.

 

[chickened]

Obama does not want nor is he interested in creating wealth. I foresee him wasting another 4 years on possibly gun control or some other social accomplishment. I have seen him get real passionate just about everything but the economy, why is that? When someone believes the answer to the poor and the have nots is wealth aquisition and redistribution at the hands of the government why would the economy even be a priority. All one need do is see where his heart is and that is where his effort will be.

Someone I know who works for the government told me she was voting for Obama because he funds her agency better than the Republicans.

 

[rufus]

When people have to pay more in taxes than they get back in benefits, they pack up and leave. This creates a drain on capital and talent. Eventually, skilled trades people end up carrying the bulk of the tax burden. When you loose the plumbers, carpenters, doctors and dentist, x ray techs etc. society suffers. A nation cannot exist if it is composed of nothing more than social parasites.