Thoughts?

[shooter]

Intent can be a crime.

 

True - but intent is much harder to prove.

 

As far as giving Foley the benefit of the doubt, I don't believe you need to asume anything about his ultimate intent to decide his fate. Given what has already been reported and Foley has not disputed, he commited acts which should have and did result in his resignation and probably will result in a criminal conviction.

[scooterbob]

Foley is a parasite. The GOP has handled the situation poorly, to say the least. Both Hastert and Frist are pitiful. The Democrats will push the Foley issue until election day. The media will ignore the economy and other positive matters and concentrate on the Foley issue and the negatives of the war. Most of the population cannot or will not understand the economy, the war, or any other major issue that requires intelligent reflection and analysis. However, with the People's Magazine mentality which permeates society, it fully understands the Foley situation. After all, it resembles one of those Lifetime made for television dramas that they watched last night. Once the election is over, the Foley matter will quickly disappear from the headlines, Nancy Pelosi will prepare to run the House, and Harry Reid will take over the leadership of the Senate. To those who emphasize civil responsibility and Judeo-Christian traditions over the extension of civil rights and civil liberties and the government controlled "redistribution" of wealth, this thought is frightening.

 

It's a good thing we already have Roberts and Alito because there will be no more of their legal philosophy for many years. One conclusion is obvious. The Republicans had their chance and choked. Where is John Wayne when we need him?

[HHSDad]

Now Nancy Pelosi says Democrats love tax cuts.

 

May 12, 2003:

Washington, D.C. — House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on the Republican tax bill passed by the Congress this morning:

 

“This tax cut is a tragedy. It does not create jobs and it does not grow the economy–the only thing it grows is the deficit.

 

“This tax cut is the unraveling of fiscal responsibility. By promoting his unnecessary, unfair, and fiscally unsound tax cut, President Bush created a tax cutting frenzy among Congressional Republicans. The result is a bill to put our children $1 trillion in debt.

 

“President Bush and Republicans in Congress never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity to do what is right for average Americans. Instead of investing in our children, we are indebting them. We are mortgaging their futures for a tax break that benefits those who need it least, at the expense of investing further in the education of our children.”

 

Last week:

WASHINGTON - Pointing toward midterm elections, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi promises to raise the minimum wage while cutting taxes to spur economic growth and help the middle class.

[Trinity alum]

Most of the population cannot or will not understand the economy, the war, or any other major issue that requires intelligent reflection and analysis. However, with the People's Magazine mentality which permeates society, it fully understands the Foley situation. After all, it resembles one of those Lifetime made for television dramas that they watched last night. Once the election is over, the Foley matter will quickly disappear from the headlines, Nancy Pelosi will prepare to run the House, and Harry Reid will take over the leadership of the Senate. To those who emphasize civil responsibility and Judeo-Christian traditions over the extension of civil rights and civil liberties and the government controlled "redistribution" of wealth, this thought is frightening.

 

It's a good thing we already have Roberts and Alito because there will be no more of their legal philosophy for many years. One conclusion is obvious. The Republicans had their chance and choked. Where is John Wayne when we need him?

Is it just possible that people do understand the economy and the war and are making the judgement that this administration has not handled either one very well? Employment is up and corporate profits are up. Both of these are good things. Middle class income is stagnant. This is not good. The deficit has balooned under this administration, just like it did under the last two Republican administrations. Stealing money from my grandchildren to pay for what we want today is bad economic policy and just plain wrong, but it has been the policy of the last three Republican administrations. It is time for a change.

The war in Iraq was a bad strategy that was executed with bad tactics. Either is sufficient reason to change the leadership of the government. Much is made of the notion that Democrats have no ideas about how to fix Iraq. First that is wrong (see the Biden plan) and second, it takes incredible nerve to say that the bunch running things today should be kept because their mess is so big that the opposition doesn't have good ideas about how to fix it.

[Trinity alum]

Now Nancy Pelosi says Democrats love tax cuts.

 

May 12, 2003:

Washington, D.C. — House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on the Republican tax bill passed by the Congress this morning:

 

“This tax cut is a tragedy. It does not create jobs and it does not grow the economy–the only thing it grows is the deficit.

 

“This tax cut is the unraveling of fiscal responsibility. By promoting his unnecessary, unfair, and fiscally unsound tax cut, President Bush created a tax cutting frenzy among Congressional Republicans. The result is a bill to put our children $1 trillion in debt.

 

“President Bush and Republicans in Congress never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity to do what is right for average Americans. Instead of investing in our children, we are indebting them. We are mortgaging their futures for a tax break that benefits those who need it least, at the expense of investing further in the education of our children.”

 

Last week:

WASHINGTON - Pointing toward midterm elections, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi promises to raise the minimum wage while cutting taxes to spur economic growth and help the middle class.

 

I LOVE tax cuts. I think taxes should be as low as they can be. Just one catch. We need to pay our bills. There is no excuse for a long term deficit. To me taxes and spending have to be linked. After the total level of taxation and spending are set it becomes a question of deciding who is going to pay those taxes. The Republican plan is to push taxes toward wages and away from dividend, interest and capital gains (unless of course those dividends, interest and capital gains were earned in an IRA or 401k. In that case they will be taxed as ordinary income when withdrawn). The Democrat plan is to tax income, regardless of source. That is not the way the debate is framed in political ads, but that is the bottom line. The Republican tax plans show an extreme bias toward taxing labor and an almost complete opposition to taxing investment results, again unless those investment results are in the retirement accounts of the middle class.

[Rickyp]

I LOVE tax cuts. I think taxes should be as low as they can be. Just one catch. We need to pay our bills. There is no excuse for a long term deficit. To me taxes and spending have to be linked. After the total level of taxation and spending are set it becomes a question of deciding who is going to pay those taxes. The Republican plan is to push taxes toward wages and away from dividend, interest and capital gains (unless of course those dividends, interest and capital gains were earned in an IRA or 401k. In that case they will be taxed as ordinary income when withdrawn). The Democrat plan is to tax income, regardless of source. That is not the way the debate is framed in political ads, but that is the bottom line. The Republican tax plans show an extreme bias toward taxing labor and an almost complete opposition to taxing investment results, again unless those investment results are in the retirement accounts of the middle class.

 

 

1. The capital gains tax decrease has actually increased the tax revenue for the government. 2. Interest is still treated as regular income. 3. You failed to mention the establishment of the Roth 401k which is tax free regardless of where the returns come from. 4. All income tax brackets have been reduced. 5. So it is better to tax all forms of income?

[GusMcRae]

Is it just possible that people do understand the economy and the war and are making the judgement that this administration has not handled either one very well? Employment is up and corporate profits are up. Both of these are good things. Middle class income is stagnant. This is not good. The deficit has balooned under this administration, just like it did under the last two Republican administrations. Stealing money from my grandchildren to pay for what we want today is bad economic policy and just plain wrong, but it has been the policy of the last three Republican administrations. It is time for a change.

The war in Iraq was a bad strategy that was executed with bad tactics. Either is sufficient reason to change the leadership of the government. Much is made of the notion that Democrats have no ideas about how to fix Iraq. First that is wrong (see the Biden plan) and second, it takes incredible nerve to say that the bunch running things today should be kept because their mess is so big that the opposition doesn't have good ideas about how to fix it.

 

Contrary to your opinion the economy is doing well....very well. And if you look at the factors that this president inherited (recession) and 9/11...what the economy is doing is remarkable. The tax cuts worked.

 

Secondly, to say the war "was executed with bad tactics" is WRONG. Quit using Democrat talking points. The war was executed brilliantly. Actually many think it was the greatest war EVER executed. The rebuilding has been bad. We are there now trying to nation build. We are not fighting a war. The two are different. The reconstruction has been a failure not the war.

[GusMcRae]

Now Nancy Pelosi says Democrats love tax cuts.

 

May 12, 2003:

Washington, D.C. — House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on the Republican tax bill passed by the Congress this morning:

 

“This tax cut is a tragedy. It does not create jobs and it does not grow the economy–the only thing it grows is the deficit.

 

“This tax cut is the unraveling of fiscal responsibility. By promoting his unnecessary, unfair, and fiscally unsound tax cut, President Bush created a tax cutting frenzy among Congressional Republicans. The result is a bill to put our children $1 trillion in debt.

 

“President Bush and Republicans in Congress never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity to do what is right for average Americans. Instead of investing in our children, we are indebting them. We are mortgaging their futures for a tax break that benefits those who need it least, at the expense of investing further in the education of our children.”

 

Last week:

WASHINGTON - Pointing toward midterm elections, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi promises to raise the minimum wage while cutting taxes to spur economic growth and help the middle class.

 

Nice post...seems to be getting ignored though.:lol:

[HHSDad]

...The Republican plan is to push taxes toward wages and away from dividend, interest and capital gains (unless of course those dividends, interest and capital gains were earned in an IRA or 401k. In that case they will be taxed as ordinary income when withdrawn). The Democrat plan is to tax income, regardless of source.

Dividend income should either be nontaxable to the individual and nondeductible to the corporation, or it should be deductible to the corporation and taxable to the individual. This is one of the worst cases of double taxation.

 

Another problem area I see is the taxing of capital gains when investments are moved from one mutual fund to another. People don't understand that if you change your investment from the Fidelity Growth Fund to the Fidelity Income Fund, you have a tax event, even though you never say any cash.

[Rickyp]

Dividend income should either be nontaxable to the individual and nondeductible to the corporation, or it should be deductible to the corporation and taxable to the individual. This is one of the worst cases of double taxation.

 

Another problem area I see is the taxing of capital gains when investments are moved from one mutual fund to another. People don't understand that if you change your investment from the Fidelity Growth Fund to the Fidelity Income Fund, you have a tax event, even though you never say any cash.

 

Plus you have the phantom imcome generated by mutual funds. A fund can actually lose money and still generate taxable income to its owner.

 

Most people don't know that corporate dividends are taxed twice.

[Trinity alum]

Contrary to your opinion the economy is doing well....very well. And if you look at the factors that this president inherited (recession) and 9/11...what the economy is doing is remarkable. The tax cuts worked.

 

Secondly, to say the war "was executed with bad tactics" is WRONG. Quit using Democrat talking points. The war was executed brilliantly. Actually many think it was the greatest war EVER executed. The rebuilding has been bad. We are there now trying to nation build. We are not fighting a war. The two are different. The reconstruction has been a failure not the war.

Many portions of the economy are doing well, but I still maintain that we are sending the bill to our grandchildren. That is not right. The tax cuts have stimulated the economy. My own economic well being would be increased if I could send my bills to someone else. Anyone want my LG&E bill? As a country, that is what we are doing.

 

As to your point on the war, I believe it is semantics. Does that mean that you think the brave young men and women that are dying in Iraq today are not dying in a war? Are they dying in a "reconstruction"? I don't buy it. It is a war that shows no sign of ending anytime soon. The main point of the war is that it never should have been fought. It has made our country less safe.

[ladiesbballcoach]

Many portions of the economy are doing well, but I still maintain that we are sending the bill to our grandchildren. That is not right. The tax cuts have stimulated the economy. My own economic well being would be increased if I could send my bills to someone else. Anyone want my LG&E bill? As a country, that is what we are doing.

 

As to your point on the war, I believe it is semantics. Does that mean that you think the brave young men and women that are dying in Iraq today are not dying in a war? Are they dying in a "reconstruction"? I don't buy it. It is a war that shows no sign of ending anytime soon. The main point of the war is that it never should have been fought. It has made our country less safe.

That is assuming the bill ever comes due. Not sure it will. Politicians will play some sort of shell game to prevent that from ever occurring.

[Trinity alum]

Dividend income should either be nontaxable to the individual and nondeductible to the corporation, or it should be deductible to the corporation and taxable to the individual. This is one of the worst cases of double taxation.

 

Another problem area I see is the taxing of capital gains when investments are moved from one mutual fund to another. People don't understand that if you change your investment from the Fidelity Growth Fund to the Fidelity Income Fund, you have a tax event, even though you never say any cash.

I may surprise you. I also think that dividends should be deductable to the corporation. My major complaint is the difference in treatment for earnings in a 401k (the great generator of wealth for the middle class and in my opinion the single biggest cause of growth over the last twenty-five years) and earnings that are held outside a retirement program. The only problem I see with your second paragraph is that if all investments were allowed to "roll over" into a new investment, there would never be a taxable event.

[Rickyp]

It has made our country less safe.

 

Really? In what way?

[Trinity alum]

That is assuming the bill ever comes due. Not sure it will. Politicians will play some sort of shell game to prevent that from ever occurring.

In that case we will continue to pay interest on the money. Still not a good thing.