I wrote/mailed tax checks today...

@mapman 

Would like to see more transparency about how tax dollars are used

 

I know right? Here's the rub...its easy to follow the money:

About two-thirds of the tax dollars paid by Americans each year goes to Medicare etc, Social Security payments and unemployment payments. About 20-25% goes to Defense, Interest on the national debt.  Various other programs taking up about 8-10%. Everything else is funded by, you guessed it, debt. I cant imagine how the federal "budget" would look without low interest rates....

 

Both sides of the aisle should raise our taxes, get spending in check and reduce/eliminate our dependence on deficit spending. As a nation, we haven't taken advantage of the low rates, we've just enjoyed them.

 

Both sides of the aisle should raise our taxes, get spending in check and reduce/eliminate our dependence on deficit spending

This comment show ones lack of understanding of the real problem... Typical in the audiophile world too... as Ralph has pointed out on many occasions...

 

Steve

@sc2 

 

Steve, besides cutting spending and raising revenue, what other ways are there to close a budget gap?

@ghasley 

The United States is supposed to stand for Freedom & Liberty, last I checked, we’re ranked 34^th in the world…

 

A few parables or idioms first… which apply to your question…

 

When one jumps on a Merry-go-round, where does one expect to go…

A frog placed in boiling water will immediately try to save itself, but one placed in cool water that is gradually brought to a boil will not notice the heat until it is boiled to death.

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities…

History is always written by the winners…

Yellow journalism - Sensationalistic journalism with the main goal of attracting attention and readers, rather than presenting an unbiased account of the news.

A bad policy is only a perception… so ignorance is bliss.

 

We have a two party (government) system…  both want to control the country… How does a party create more power for themselves?

 

The Democrats (currently) base their goals ( ideology) on the needs of the people, charity, retribution, forgiveness, planet and any other opposite point of view of recent past behavior … in order to stay in power they need to make ( or create ) these people… who doesn’t like free money, free food, free housing… free anything… it makes them popular (and powerful as they hold the purse strings ), as there are many poor people now days…

 

The Republicans (currently) base their goals ( ideology) on the (so-called) capitalist point of view, business growth, free markets, safety, freedom of choice, to allow people to make and save money… they stay in power because they try to make everyone rich and independent.

 

A sad clash ( or choice to live in)… for a majority of the populous, about 95%**, the two ideologies in a nut shell are… Monetary Servitude or Monetary Slavery

I simply find it amazing,  that black people are mostly democrats, everything they did to become free men in the US, are happy to be a Monetary Slave now… they will have nothing more than what their Master is giving them… Monetary Servitude is taxation…

** the remaining 5% can live off savings without working AND get free government benefits… a cherry life.

 

95% of all people in the Executive Branch are there for the money or the power… not to make the country a better place to live… conflict for the country / people is good business…

 

Closing the budget gap, it doesn’t benefit the business model… as obviously, it keeps them in power… if there is debt, somebody has to pay or lose… and it will be Freedom we all lose… eventually, while they are filthy rich at our expense….

 

Tell me something, what kind of government do you think we would have if a Replicator device, like on Star Trek existed? Who would have the power, would money exist… Who would work, when one could sit on the beach and watch the bunnies hop by… those in power need someone to support them… hence the current policies.

 

It will be interesting when the Elon Musk’s robots become prevalent… if we make it that far…

 

I could go on, but if you don’t get it by now… it’s not about money, it’s about servitude and slavery… Misinformation and misdirection is key in this business model… Keep them under your thumb and dumb, then they can’t question you with authority…

 

Steve

So, regardless of how we as a society have landed where we are fiscally...not agreeing with or shooting holes in your treatise...wouldn't you agree that there are only three levers that we can utilize to address the federal budget: Tax receipts, utilization of debt and government spending? No one would disagree that waste, greed, corruption, good intentions, well meaning but poorly executed programs...they all exist. Neither you nor I started that and its unlikely we have participated in their perpetuation. All I was saying in general was the collective "we" only have a few tools to address the issues.

 

I'm kindof a rule follower, corny I know but that's what scouting, growing up in a military family, church, community...you get the drift....will do to you. I have managed to shed much of what I wasn't terribly comfortable with over the years.  Most of us here on Audiogon have been fortunate financially. We benefitted from the recent tax cuts, we benefit in many case from the tax benefits of home ownership, we benefit from favorable tax treatment of long-term capital gains and in some cases, the treatment of windfall short-term income being treated as long term capital gains. We benefit from asset appreciation during these inflationary times for while many are struggling to buy food, gasoline or pay rent many of us have seen our (on paper) net worth skyrocket.

 

So, I'm not saying I have the answers but it isn't the fault of the less fortunate that you and I are likely benefitting disproportionately in the current system. I've said this before but, generally speaking, the less fortunate don't pay enough into the system to build schools, roads, hospitals let alone the amounts necessary to defend this amazing country and its citizens.