The stealth tax hike

xmacro

Amos Umwhat

xmacro

Vulchor

Amos Umwhat

raisindot

While agreeing in principle that government spending cuts are absolutely necessary and that everything from corporate welfare for oil companies and agribusiness to Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare, public broadcasting, highway spending, military pork, educational grants, arts spending, silly research funding, and U.S. employee pensions needs to take their fair share of cuts, I shed no tears for any kind of up-front of phantom changes in tax policies that force people making $250,000 or more to pay higher taxes. Nor do I worry about capital gains millionaires raking bigger tax hits. The last time taxes were raised on the rich--which occurred during the recession during the George H.W. Bush administration--the U.S. economy began one of the longest and strongest periods of economic expansion, job creation and wealth creation in its history, and the added tax and corporate tax revenues turned the record deficit into a surplus by the turn of the century without draconian cuts in social services or discretionary spending. Obviously, we're in a much different situation right now, where global economic growth is still weak and both parties need to get off their ideological high-horses, show some courage and make their constituencies share some of the collective fiscal pain, but I'm all for making the rich take a disproportionate share of revenue generation.

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Amos Umwhat

webmost

raisindot

Vulchor

fla-gypsy

It will not make any difference how much is collected in taxes, it will never be enough for the clowns in power spending it. You could confiscate all the income of the rich and there would not be enough to satisfy what the Govt is spending. I always love those calling for higher taxes until it hits them and their pocket. I gave the Govt quite enough last year and they still demand more. Taking my money at the threat of force (prosecution) for not ponying up is called extortion when done by any other entity. What a farce! Time to start completely over with how this Govt is funded and what they can spend money on. Abandonment of the income tax and implementation of a national sales tax to fund this bloated pig is an idea whose time has come. We were created by revolutionaries and that sentiment is swirling beneath the surface. Don't kid yourself into thinking we can tax our way out of this crap hole.

xmacro

xmacro

webmost

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Amos Umwhat

Vulchor

Simply put, as long as power and money as so incredibly intertwined there is little hope for 99% of society, aside from the status quo. That goes for righties and lefties. Change means losing influence, losing influence means losing donations, losing donations means losing elections, losing elections means losing power. In turn------keep it the way it is and we'll be too stupid to know the difference....and so far, theyve generally been correct.

Adrian_F

Not for nothing, but I'm really thrilled with the quality of responses in this thread. As a liberal-leaning cigar smoker, I've quite frankly worried that political discussions on a cigar forum would be filled with commentary about "libtards" and Obama not being a real American and other jingoistic crap that would wind up making any smoker who leaned left unwelcome. But the sense I come away with, at least so far, is that the people posting on Cigar.com tend to be across the spectrum, and more interested in debating issues on their merits rather than with the dogma of any particular party, and that pleases me quite a bit.

Vulchor

Adrian_F:

Not for nothing, but I'm really thrilled with the quality of responses in this thread. As a liberal-leaning cigar smoker, I've quite frankly worried that political discussions on a cigar forum would be filled with commentary about "libtards" and Obama not being a real American and other jingoistic crap that would wind up making any smoker who leaned left unwelcome. But the sense I come away with, at least so far, is that the people posting on Cigar.com tend to be across the spectrum, and more interested in debating issues on their merits rather than with the dogma of any particular party, and that pleases me quite a bit.

As one of the 2 or 3 here who "lead the liberal charge" (even though Im a registered repub) stick around awhile, lol. Im kidding, it can get heated at times and nasty at times, but we all tend to make up. I even made up with Macro once, and he tried to waterboard me on 3 different occasions.

beatnic

raisindot

beatnic:

Libtards. I love it!. Can't wait to use it. LMAO.

I like it, too, and I'm one of 'em. What's the other side equivalent? Repubescents? Conservatits? Right wankers?

beatnic

raisindot:

beatnic:

Libtards. I love it!. Can't wait to use it. LMAO.

I like it, too, and I'm one of 'em. What's the other side equivalent? Repubescents? Conservatits? Right wankers?

I laughed ar Right wankers. You have my permission to use it. LOL.

Vulchor

I too like right wankers, lol.

Dark Roast

beatnic

fla-gypsy

Meanwhile; back at the Big (white) house Obama floats the idea of gun control by grand fiat through the village idiot. I would recommend they just go ahead, it will be fun. 3rd time around may just be the trick.

raisindot

pelirrojo

Roughly $40 an 1/8 oz for medical here in the west webmost.... that'd be 640 for 2 oz. Don't you just love inflation? I bet you could get a QP for $1000. Ahhh hell I'm glad I live 30 miles from Colorado. I'll be able to get it in a vending machine in a few years. Threadjack over.

Vulchor

pelirrojo:

Roughly $40 an 1/8 oz for medical here in the west webmost.... that'd be 640 for 2 oz. Don't you just love inflation? I bet you could get a QP for $1000. Ahhh hell I'm glad I live 30 miles from Colorado. I'll be able to get it in a vending machine in a few years. Threadjack over.

U all have my addy right?

pelirrojo

Also, on topic, I recieved my first paycheck of the year today. I had recieved a 3% pay increase last August. This was in addition to a 2% increase 2 Augusts before. My take home pay is now roughly equal to what it was when I started this job almost 3 and a half years ago. However, my bills and the price of goods here have gone up. I am living the American dream.