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August 19, 2008 at 12:28:31
by mikel weisser Page 1 of 1 page(s) |
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Even when the last week's political news main feature showed McCain and Obama having to genuflect to the Religious Right's Rick Warren and quote bible verses to get elected on CNN's first semi-debate hosted by Pastor Warren at his Saddle Back Forum Church on Saturday Aug. 16th, there is something even more insidiously threatening America than this blurring of church and state.
I tell ya, folks, this problem is big, big news for liberals. And for conservatives too, true conservatives who expect to get their money's worth and everyone to pull their fair share of the load. Especially big news for the kind of conservatives such as those in Warren's audience who chuckled at McCain belittling of a 3 million dollar study of bears (which he forgot he voted for) at the same time they unhesitatingly send another $10 Billion a month to Iraq for Halliburton to squander.
Here is the big news, this just out: tax avoiders are Un-American. This tidbit comes from Democracy Now's August 13th's evening news show, a factoid so outlandish one has to read it fully to comprehend the magnitude of its impact: "A new government study shows most corporations pay no income taxes in the United States. According to the Government Accountability Office, 72 percent of foreign-owned companies went at least one year without paying taxes over an eight-year period. 55 percent of US-based companies also went at least a year without paying." That's right, despite all the tax cuts and tax breaks the wealthy have always given themselves, the majority of American businesses are going that extra mile, saying "Screw America," and not paying their taxes at all.
Forget what you think your greedy little pocketbook is telling you, not paying taxes is so very not-cool. If you are not doing your daily best to make America work, the least you can do is pay on your tab. Paying taxes is as all-American as it gets. Paying taxes is doing your part to show you actually care about America more than to $2.50 you spent on that yellow ribbon you bought a couple of years ago which is now so sun faded it's unreadable.
Paying taxes makes roads, operates school, and cops and firemen and soldiers and a host of other things you would seriously rather not live without. Paying taxes is the gift that gives back. But not so you could tell from the GOP, who have routinely tried to bribe the public with tax cuts when they had no real ideas to promote the general welfare, only to line their own pockets.
That's right and sad to say it but this means that a lot of Republicans are Un-American too and yet they are audacious enough to brag about it. They smile in your face and tell you, you would rather have a hundred bucks off your taxes than a decent school for your daughter, or clean water to drink. Some people, including McCain, squawk that we shouldn't have to pay taxes because government's too big. He is convinced that what we really need to fix America is still more tax cuts for the rich. McCain explains that it will be no problem to afford the tax breaks if we only cut back on the quality of government a little more. You know, just anywhere, VA hospitals, Social Security, whatever, just as long as it's not on the military or domestic surveillance.
Interestingly enough these words of tax cut come from McCain's lips the same week it's discovered that the CEOs of America's biggest companies have donated ten times more campaign dough to McCain than to Obama. If McCain really wants to make government smaller he could quit his supposed job mis-representing AZ and just live off of his herd of lobbyists for years. Of course we could probably easily afford to pay for his salary and plenty else if he and the rest of the GOP would stop trying to help their rich friends avoid paying our taxes.
What a shame. If only they loved America.
--mikel weisser writes from the left coast of AZ.
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
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| 17 comments |
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Ya right
Well, where I live we have one of the highest gas tax rates in the country and the roads are in terrible condition, so paying taxes seems to have little to do with roads. by M. Bennett (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 109 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 at 4:02:06 PM
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Corporate taxes, none and low payment
Corporate income tax rate is 35%. Find one that pays 35%. The problem on corporate taxes is the loopholes and incentives Congress provides for them not to pay much or not at all. A GE executive was quoted on one of the years that GE paid no taxes that "he refused to be criticised for fullfulling the will of Congress". Sad, but lets blame the right horse in this race to reduce taxes. The Republicans are saying that our corporate taxes are the highest in the industrial and they would reduce them, see below, and the go-along corporate bought Democrats will be scared into it. But, not only is it not true on a actual basis, they pay for a smaller portion of GDP than do the corporations of our industrial competitor nations. McCain calls for cutting the top corporate rate from 35 percent to 25 percent and allowing corporations to write off investments in the first year. Combined, the Tax Policy Center wonks cost these at more than $1.3 trillion over 10 years. Len Burman of the Tax Policy Center estimates that in total, McCain would cut corporate revenues by about 50 percent from current levels. According to a study by the Treasury Department, from 2000 to 2006, an average of 2.2 percent of GDP was collected in corporate taxes. This compares to an average of 3.4 percent in other industrial countries. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects that, under current law, corporate revenues will decline to 1.9 percent of GDP by 2017. by Harold Hellickson (15 articles, 0 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 97 comments [8 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 at 4:02:15 PM
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Who´s un-american ?
The CONSTITUTION allows for tax on capital gains. The income tax is not constitutional. The worker pays up to 60% of his earnings as tax. If You love this elitest corporate welfare wet-dream dont You think You should understand how it started. Here are the orders as presented to Pres. Wilson, although they werent put into effect until FDR confiscated the gold and put the knife in our back. Edward Mandell House had this to say in a private meeting with Woodrow Wilson (President) [1913-1921] This is from the diary of "Colonel" Huis. (I dont mean to write this way I cant fix the font) Either You are ignorant of the un-constitutionality of the Social Security and income tax or You "enjoy Your servitude" or You are on food stamps and section 8 and have an interest in prolonging the scam or You are an elitest billionaire parasite. by john riggs (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 463 comments [24 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 at 4:05:22 PM
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In Other Words Theft is the American Way
Mikel, That's basically what you're saying. Rather than repeat myself let me refer you to things I've already posted to this website on the subject of taxation: by Darren Wolfe (15 articles, 401 quicklinks, 141 diaries, 1031 comments [84 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 at 4:20:54 PM
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Taxes
I say tax the super rich thieves especially the war profiteers like hell but end taxation on the lower classes. We the people should also get to decide how our tax money is spent. Under no circumstances should taxes ever be used for corporate welfare. by Ty (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 888 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 at 7:07:11 PM
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Fairness and Freedom.
It is ALWAYS wrong to steal money (taxation) to provide it to another. This is true if the money is going to a corporation or an indigent person. A L W A Y S get passed on to the consumers, including the poor. by M. Bennett (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 109 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 at 7:43:32 PM
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Mr. Weisser
please understand You have opened a sore wound for many of us. Recently My wife and I each had two teeth fixed,the bill came out to eight THOUSAND dollars,8000.00 dllrs. Now an immigrant single mother has food stamps,section 8 housing,WIC,Medicaid and free dental for herself and the kids. I consider myself a liberal and left of center, but I am really POed about this crap. The bible states "he who does not work should not eat". So we have a political upper class and the lower class sucking the govt. teat and a middle class footing the bill and being systematically destroyed. We are all on this road of life and some of us are farther along than others. If You state Your views on taxation out of ignorance then there is hope for You and I wish for You to come to the knowledge of the truth. God has caused Me to prosper even in this hideous system that we have inherited, but that does not make it right. by john riggs (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 463 comments [24 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 at 8:36:33 PM
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Constitutional Democracy is an Illusion
What we have is the illusion of democratically representative government. In fact, we have a constitutional republic. "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." liberty 1. the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views free 1. not under the control or in the power of another; able to act or be done as one wishes. ORIGIN Old English frēo (adjective), frēon (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vrij and German frei, from an Indo-European root meaning 'to love,' shared by friend. THE RIGHT WORD The Fourth of July is the day on which Americans commemorate their nation's independence, a word that implies the ability to stand alone, without being sustained by anything else. While independence is usually associated with countries or nations, freedom and liberty more often apply to people. But unlike freedom, which implies an absence of restraint or compulsion (the freedom to speak openly), liberty implies the power to choose among alternatives rather than merely being unrestrained (the liberty to select their own form of government). Freedom can also apply to many different types of oppressive influences (freedom from interruption; freedom to leave the room at any time), while liberty often connotes deliverance or release (he gave the slaves their liberty). Liberty is not freedom; justice is not free. by Drew Terry (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 28 diaries, 125 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 at 10:58:46 PM
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Preach this to the corporations, not the poor
Preach this to the corporations, not the poor. by Nick van Nes (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 596 comments [150 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 at 8:02:20 AM
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Reply: paying taxes....
by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 829 comments [52 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 at 9:11:47 AM
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Tax Avoiders are Un-America
It never fails, these kinds of articles are guaranteed to bring out every libertarian/anarchist (really, the later is just an extention of the former) in the neighborhood to rant and rave about the "unconstitutionality" of our tax system. Well, here's a thought: have you considered that you are just plain wrong? I personally like the idea of having public services (read public schools, libraries, fire departments, garbage collectors, public health safeguards, etc, etc, etc). I find your argumets tedious, self-centered and unconvincing. Like it or not, there are things that I as a single citizen cannot do for myself, I can't control the quality of the air that I breath, I can't control for the quality and safety of the drugs that are prescribed for me, I can't control the quality and safety of the water that is necessary for life. I expect my government to do those things as part of a social contract for which I, in return, agree to pay my fair share of taxes. We could possibly agree that a lot of our tax dollars are mis-spent, which they certainly are, we could collaborate on a plan to safe-guard against that, but that is not something you apparently are interested in. You would prefer to dismantle the goverment instead. For you, it really is "all about the money". bmobley by bmobley (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 30 comments) on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 at 10:56:57 AM
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Reply: And freedom,and liberty
being secure in our persons and property etc. etc. If You have not noticed we are living in a militarized police state. It appears that rather than us being anarchists, You are a fascist. by john riggs (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 463 comments [24 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 at 12:56:19 PM
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Reply: The same old argument
That's an old one. Trying to say libertarians stand for atomized individuals going it alone. We stand for free individuals associating voluntarily. In other words, working together to make things better. I like those services you mention too. That's why I want them privately provided. Not bungled by the same gang that brought us FEMA ( New orleans thanks them). Try this for a better way to do things. by Darren Wolfe (15 articles, 401 quicklinks, 141 diaries, 1031 comments [84 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 at 3:47:26 PM
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Expectations
by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 829 comments [52 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 at 5:24:54 PM
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Sorry to take so long to get to this string.
Thanks for being so enthusiastic. I still don't understand the argument against caring about your country and your fellow man by sharing with the whole to make things better for all. Sure i HATE many aspects of the way things run in this US and stupidity, self -interest and greed are huge problems in government as well as in the private sector; but that doesn't mean i'm going to stop buying beer anymore than i am going to stop paying the sales tax on it. . This semi-limping system is better than no system at all. Those who argue against paying taxes because of poor performing schools are as one writer quipped "turning reality on its head." The reason we have the crappy schools that we have now is because they don't have enough money. All the schools i know have had to cut back on staff and supplies these last few years because of lack of funds, though we do own a great big useless war. It's the the indviduals working in the system that are broken and they've weakened the whole contraption, but it can be fixed with a different crowd in power, yet it can't solve anything without money. Remember: form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity: that's what government's supposed to do, that's the purpose of America. Note how many pluralistic adjectives there are there: "common," "general," "domestic," "ourselves AND our posterity." That is a lot of looking out for the other guy, a lot of giving of one's self for the good of others. I'm not making this stuff up, it's the flipping Preamble and all six parts cost money. Where will the government get it? From us, the US. --yzur-- by mikel weisser (49 articles, 3 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 87 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 at 12:00:05 AM
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Reply: Sharing or stealing?
Caring for your fellow man & voluntarily sharing with them is great. Forcing people to part with their money (which is stealing & also taxation) so you can give it to others is morally wrong. Not only that it results in tragedy. The economy slows, impoverishing us all, including the ones you're trying to help. Let's look at your underfunded schools idea. First, it costs less to send a child to a private school than a public one, yet the private scholls do better. Not only that the public schools are top heavy with administrative jobs thanks to the teacher's union. That's not even counting the cost of the federal dept of Ed. Then you trot out the old if-only-the-right-people-were-in-power bromide. It doesn't matter whose in power, government doesn't work. It's the nature of the beast. In a nutshell, they don't have a balance sheet (profits or losses) to tell them what to do or not to do like businesses do. They take people's money, like it or not. They deliver their services, like it or not. See here. As to the Constitution, you're ignoring the restrictions that that document places on the govrnments actions (9th & 10th Amendments). As the Democratic President Grover Cleveland said: I can find no warrant for such an appropriation [federal aid to drought-stricken Texas farmers] in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit...The friendliness and charity of our countrymen can always be relied upon to relieve their fellow-citizens in misfortune...Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character, while it prevents the indulgence among our people of that kindly sentiment and conduct which strengthen the bond of a common brotherhood. Better that we take care of people voluntarily. See here. Next time you should better inform yourself lest I make a fool of you again. ;-) by Darren Wolfe (15 articles, 401 quicklinks, 141 diaries, 1031 comments [84 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Aug 22, 2008 at 10:47:17 AM
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please watch "America Freedom to Fascism" free online now
It was painful to read your article. All opinion & no information. Please get informed on this subject before you write another one. It's embarrassing. by Kim McDaniel (6 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 30 comments) on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 at 2:37:51 AM
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