Obama and O'Reilly

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by BYU71

Accountibility to who. Congress has a 10% approval rating. A major reason for that is the public's disgust at how they spend the money.

There are necessary things a government has to do and they have to tax people in order to do them. However, because it involves politics the spending is inefficient and wasteful to a large extent.

1. There is a record of how the money is spent, that is publicly available.
2. Look at the Mormon church's ratings with the public. It's about tied with Islam.

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

1. There is a record of how the money is spent, that is publicly available.
2. Look at the Mormon church's ratings with the public. It's about tied with Islam.

False comparisons as usual.

The public gives or is taxed. Those that provide the funding give the Congress a 10% approval rating.

Church members give to the church, the public doesn't. Therefor the rating comparison should be how the church members rate the institution they give money too. I dare say it will be a tad bit above 10%.

If you have a problem with the church keeping secret the money they get fine, but don't try to piggy back it with an argument on government funding. That comparison is assinine and if you think about it a minute, you will realize it.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by BYU71

I actually wouldn't have a problem with redistributing rich peoples money if I didn't think it would hurt incentive and economic growth.

CEO's who get paid hundreds of millions of dollars and are the shits are overpaid. News anchors and Hollywood movie stars are overpaid. All entertainers, including athletes are overpaid. People like the Clintons, Obama's, Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly are overpaid. Rush and Hannity are overpaid. Tax the hell our of all of those folks and it won't hurt a thing if they quit doing what they are doing.

The entrepreneur though, that is another story. He or she starts a company and builds it and provides jobs. No one else is going to do their job. You kill their chance to get way ahead and you kill that entrpreneurial spirit or at least dampen it in large measure.

If you have been a successful businessman and have accumulated $5-$10 million dollars are you going to risk that capital if the government plans on taking 50% or more of the return from you. If you lose it, you get to write off a whopping $3,000 a year against your taxes.

Hell no your aren't going to expand.

I have a big problem with some elected official arbitrarily deciding what counts as being "overpaid."

[MikeWaters]

are we pretending again that corporations and rich people pay a full tax rate on their income? Ooo, can I play too?

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

are we pretending again that corporations and rich people pay a full tax rate on their income? Ooo, can I play too?

Is today another one of the Waters "let's throw shit out there and see if any sticks" days.

I have played that game with you for years, but quite frankly I am tired of it so someone else might play, but count me out.

[Coonass]

Originally Posted by ERCougar

My point is that the "leave charity to private organizations" folks often are just using this argument as an excuse to keep more of their money. The recent case in point is their use of their recent tax rebate checks. Republicans got what they wanted--more money in their pockets. What did they do with it? Spend it. I don't know of anyone who gave it to charity.

Just Curious ER about how much you gave last year in addition to your taxes to the government for social programs. I mean, did you give an extra couple thousand......maybe 5000 extra above your taxes as an earmark for poverty or your favorite social program. Far be it from me to tell you how to spend your money. If you didn't, then I guess you're voting with your feet. On the other hand, some of us just vote at the polls. Are you really going to trust your local bureaucrat to do the best thing for society. If so you really have some misplaced trust.

I guess if your answer is no to the above, you're proposal is no better than the argument of keeping it out of government.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Coonass

Just Curious ER about how much you gave last year in addition to your taxes to the government for social programs. I mean, did you give an extra couple thousand......maybe 5000 extra above your taxes as an earmark for poverty or your favorite social program. Far be it from me to tell you how to spend your money. If you didn't, then I guess you're voting with your feet. On the other hand, some of us just vote at the polls. Are you really going to trust your local bureaucrat to do the best thing for society. If so you really have some misplaced trust.

I guess if your answer is no to the above, you're proposal is no better than the argument of keeping it out of government.

Let me guess, you don't live in a big city with a lot of urban poor.

Dallas for example has the Dallas County Hospital District with its flagship being Parkland Hospital, where more babies are born than any other hospital in the USA. I pay taxes for this (extra property tax). The benefits are apparent, very apparent, very direct.

[Coonass]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

1. the govt. has public accountability for the funds it spends
2. The church has no accountability, and doesn't make its financials known.

Accountability???? There is no Santa Claus or Easter bunny either. I can stop paying my tithing and fast offerings any time I please. Wish I could do that with taxes.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Coonass

Accountability???? There is no Santa Claus or Easter bunny either. I can stop paying my tithing and fast offerings any time I please. Wish I could do that with taxes.

You wish you could pay zero taxes?

There's a war going on and you wish you could pay zero taxes.

QED.

[Coonass]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Let me guess, you don't live in a big city with a lot of urban poor.

Dallas for example has the Dallas County Hospital District with its flagship being Parkland Hospital, where more babies are born than any other hospital in the USA. I pay taxes for this (extra property tax). The benefits are apparent, very apparent, very direct.

I guess you don't know where I live but it sure has no bearing on this. You willingly pay extra taxes? Fine. Or was there an election and you voted yes?Fine. YOu agreed to it as we do in civic elections all the time. The was explicit. I don't have a chance to vote on Federal programs.