Fastbreak

2008 - Toast of the town. 2011 - Toast of the town.

I'm sure some think this sounds fair... "...taking half of the yearly income from every person making between one and ten million dollars would only decrease the nation's debt by 1%. Even taking every last penny from every individual making more than $10 million per year would only reduce the nation's deficit by 12 percent and the debt by 2 percent. There's simply not enough wealth in the community of the rich to erase this country's problems by waving some magic tax wand. Finally, to put everything in perspective, think about what would need to be done to erase the federal deficit this year: After everyone making more than $200,000/year has paid taxes, the IRS would need to take every single penny of disposable income they have left. Such an act would raise approximately $1.53 trillion. It may be economically ruinous, but at least this proposal would actually solve the problem." http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/27556.html

From the original article... In an email response to The Washington Times, Mr. Thornton threatened to kill himself if his Social Security payments are taken away, and said the television episode showing him doing woodwork oversold his abilities. “You wanna test how Word Filter ViolationWord Filter ViolationWord Filter ViolationWord Filter Violation serious I am about leaving this world, screw with my check that pays for this apartment and food. Try it. See how serious I am. I don’t care,” the California man said. “I have no problem killing myself. Take away the last thing keeping me here, and see what happens. Next time you see me on the news, it will be me in a body bag.” :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Sounds just like a two year old with grown up vocabulary skills...

This sounds entirely counterintuitive. Even one gallon produced domestically reduces our dependence on that same gallon of "foreign" oil... I know you didn't specify "foreign" oil, but that is a significant distinctive to me. Controlling our own natural resources and output would seem to place commodity prices more in our hands and less in the hands of those with no regard for what is beneficial to America. How is drilling for oil in Alaska any more harmful to the environment than how and where it is presently drilled? What do you base your statements on besides opinion?

Great post, and if I'm not mistaken many historians measure 16 to 22 centuries as the span of the Roman empire. We aren't even to 3 yet... unfortunately, our destiny will be different than the Romans... by more than a millennium if we don't straighten up soon.

I am unfamiliar with the mechanics of your example. To answer your question, I would need more specific information than I currently have. I will say, however; I genuinely do not understand the fixation on raising taxes instead of simply cutting known areas of waste and unnecessary spending.

I'm not so simplistic as to think our economic woes are "solely" the president's responsibility. I do however believe that his socialistic policies, (labeled as "progressive") have been detrimental to genuine economic recovery. The government cannot invest, hand out, spend or otherwise distribute one dollar it does not first "take in" via taxes and fees from private citizens, private industry, foreign imports, etc. The government does not generate revenues… certainly not in the same manner private industry does. The president's insistence in pushing through initiatives that would strain the federal budget even during our richest, most productive times… during a time of economic malaise reveals a level of disconnect that is disturbing to say the least.

Unlike any other politician or entertainer out there... :lol: I have yet to weigh in on Rick Perry one way or another. What I do know is that the state of Texas is doing far better economically than virtually any other state in the union. People are working, infrastructure projects are getting done, businesses and industries are relocating there. The population and tax base are expanding. There's no way one person could accomplish all this... in four years or 400 years. The policies making this growth possible must be passed by both parties in the state legislature. At the very least, it is fair to say that Perry has had the good sense not to screw things up... which is more than I can say for the dogmatic ideologue we currently have in the White House.

I've told all my associates in Texas that if they do secede, I'm applying for citizenship in their new republic. :lol: :thumb:

I feel Obama has definitely fit this bill...

I've done a lot of work in Texas over the past five years. The climate for doing business and being faithful to traditional American values is exceptional. I don't know that much about Perry at this point, but we could use some Texas attitude nationwide.

On a side note, it is interesting to deduce from this post that - at least from a business perspective - you seem to support the notion that ditching Jimmy Carter for Ronald Reagan was essential to regaining control of "taxes, interest rates and inflation" and by extension, having Reagan in the Whitehouse for eight years was much better for business and our economy than having Carter there four years.

Okay... let's cut to the chase. Why in your opinion is "demand' down?

While I think I follow your reasoning here... your post illustrates as well as any on here the "uncertainty" looming over doing business in the U.S. at this time in our history. The uncertainty arises from an administration that assurred us that households earning less than $250,000 would not see a dime's increase in their taxes, then dropped it to $200,000, then got elected and spent and passed new legislation ensuring that anyone earning anything at all will face increased taxes at some point in our near futures. This is counterbalanced by a party verbally committed to undo everything this administration has done. Regardless of who is right or wrong, "uncertainty" is the prevailing attitude... followed by the certainty of greatly increased taxation, double digit inflation, a shriveled jobs market, and new layers of government regulation to enforce all the hope and change. Are you sincerely saying that as a business person you do not believe you are taxed enough? There is absolutely nothing keeping you from paying more than your current share of the tax burden to support an administration and an ideology you clearly support... and to prove how nonsensical you really believe my opinion is. Lead by example. Show us what true patriotism is. Keep telling everyone it's not the threat of inflated taxes, inflated interest rates on loans, increased enforcement of increased government regulations, increased hostility toward private business and personal success. "These are not the droids you seek" worked for Obi Wan Kenobi... maybe, with enough repetition, "It's not taxes" will work for you guys. In the meantime, businesses aren't investing, spending, hiring... but, "It's not the taxes.... it's not the taxes... it's not the taxes... it's not the taxes... it's not the taxes..."

I am both stunned and amused by your repeated mantra... "Taxes are not an issue" when credible business people on this board have told you that taxes, (not just current taxes, but the looming spectre of increasing taxes to cover increased spending) and the expenses to cover Obamacare have been clearly foretold by this administration and will be a big problem if enacted. The spending done by Mr. Obama and the democrat led Congress has ensured a need for increased taxation, possibly at crippling levels. The first two years in power, this administration made it clear that "big corporations" are the bad guys, the rich aren't doing their fair share, and all the president's wonderful hope and change programs could be funded by them alone. There's not a corporate officer worth his or her salt that doesn't plan for the next five to ten years of their business. There is absolutely zero point in expanding business and adding new jobs today when the government has assurred us they will add layers of increased expenses, higher taxation and reduced exemptions tomorrow. At the very core, the threat of increased taxation by an administration clearly not friendly to business and individual wealth building has established an atmosphere of uncertainty for corporations and businesses of all sizes. This administration has been a train wreck at the worst possible time for pulling our nation out of its economic woes. Whether anyone likes the Tea Party or not, it's time to cut spending on nonsense and wasteful programs. This isn't austerity, it's what used to be called common sense.

A very welcome post. I sometimes get the idea that somebody's slipping me crazy pills. The simple fact is that most folks in this forum are employees, not business owners. Just like kids with no understanding about how mom and dad pay the bills, very few truly comprehend the risks and demands of running a business... and the rewards - if there are rewards - are often long term... realized only after many years of struggle to keep things afloat, absorbing losses personally just to keep people working and pay the bills. I am part of a small business that has fought and struggled to keep things afloat, only to find a need to reduce our workforce by a third over the past year. We did not want to do this, but due to the prolonged poor economy and fewer clients able to invest in our services, we had absolutely no choice. If anything, we hung in longer than we should have if we were solely focused on business decisions and what was good for our bottom line. There is no magic pot of gold we have stashed away to dip into anytime we want. There is no greed or avarice... not at our level. We took a significant hit, just to keep some guys working as long as possible. We are simply trying to do our work and provide for our families. Ironically, our business is thriving in relation to our competitors, many of whom have made massive cut backs or dissolved all together. Every time I hear how those who are creating jobs and paying taxes need to do more, I want to laugh, but generally I just feel more disgusted... especially when those comments come from people with zero idea about what it takes run a business.

I have to tell you that I am beginning to wonder what country I do live in. I recognize the America I grew up in, less and less every year. Between federal personal income tax, state & local income taxes and sales taxes, social security & medicaid, property tax, fuel/gasoline tax, and other taxes it is estimated that the total tax percentage paid by the above average US citizen in 2005 was 54.4% and 57.7% in 2009. Average income earners pay about 34% to 38% of their total income in taxes. http://www.nowandfutures.com/taxes.html As of last year, the top 50% of income earners paid 97.30% of all federal income taxes. Any guesses about the adjusted gross income needed to be included in the top 50%? $33,048 The bottom 50% combined to pay a total of 2.7% of all federal income taxes. http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/250.html There's no way a majority of those in the bottom 50%, receiving government aid and benefits with no tax burden are going to vote for legislators committed to cutting waste in government. Where's the incentive? Our problem is not rich people getting to keep too much of their income... it's that we are not doing everything possible to lift more out of welfare and to generate more rich people.

It is unfair for any government to take half or more of what any person earns. I know of many who spend as much on taxes as they get to keep for their family. This is wrong. I don't care if it's $250,000 or $25,000. I'll keep your analogy rolling... there is no honorable family that intends to remain a family, nor any soundly operated business that intends to remain in business that borrows more money than they will ever be able to pay back. Yes, there are irresponsible families and businesses that must file for bankruptcy... but this should not be an acceptable plan for the government of the United States of America. It's time to remove all the hands from the cookie jar.

When my family faces a mountain of debt, we cannot spend or borrow our way out of it. We cannot print more currency. We must find ways to cut expenses, and/or increase our income. The government does not (cannot) generate one dollar it does not first take from somewhere else... typically us citizens paying taxes. I do not comprehend what is so difficult for our lawmakers to grasp about the need to cut back on expenditures. Only those choosing to make politics their career rather than a term of "public service" refuse to cut expenses... just so they can keep votes. Our system is sick and on the verge of needing intensive care.

I'm surprised the Tea Party isn't at 80% or greater unfavorable ratings considering the three year full court press the mainstream media and the Democrat party have put on caking them in mud... :lol:

Not gonna argue about the low caliber of our current political leaders. The problem with Obamacare is that we cannot afford it if EVERYONE pays. The Administration has already exempted hundreds of businesses from the need to participate, dumping that much more burden upon those without exemptions. Here's a list: http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/regulations/approved_applications_for_waiver.html The best way to handle this is to repeal Obamacare and tackle healthcare/insurance reform in a strategic and beneficial manner.

Anybody with kids understands what it's like to knock your tail off to provide for your family, and have 90% of your efforts go unappreciated... simply because they just do not understand what goes into generating the revenues your family needs to function... much less to have their "wants" met. And yet, we as loving parents continue to do what we must do, realizing that some day... hopefully, they will understand and will learn from our examples. I see our current political leadership much in the same way I see teenagers who think they have it all figured out, yet do not have the skills or self-discipline needed to thrive on their own. They do not want input from mom or dad, but constantly demand more from them. "I want the car keys and gas money... not a lecture." We have narcissistic adolecents running our nation. They somehow have the notion that we work for them, not that they are there to serve the best interests of ALL of the American people.

It's feeble leadership in a government system fully capable of punishing success. It's a clear message from the party in power that businesses have it too easy and should be taxed harder and they need to do more. The whole Obamacare mess with exemptions to those favored by the administration but enforcement to all others who must pick up the tab. The pandering to a constituency wanting more government benefits, in exchange for voter loyalty. That's not the kind of climate that fosters confidence and growth. FAIL I honestly haven't listened to Rush in months, but thanks... I'm certain he would be pleased. :thumb: :lol:

We have weak leadership with no certainty for the future. Smart business people would be insane to dump cash into these choppy waters. INSANE... Obama talks about having "skin in the game", but there is something fundamentally wrong with people who pay zero taxes and draw a chunk (if not all) of their income from the government, while at the same time having the "right" to vote for pandering, spineless legislators who will continue to supply them in order to keep their power. I'm NOT talking about retirees who've paid their dues, or the genuinely infirmed with no better options. I'm talking about millions fully able to work that have found ways to game the system. Businesses of all sizes have been demonized as though they are greedy, miserly, and evil... when they (their owners) are the ones sticking their necks out, taking risks, making investments, growing or keeping jobs, and doing their best to weather a bad, bad economy. It is absolutely destructive to punish achievement while rewarding failure, lack of effort, sloth, whinyness, etc.

You are 50% correct Sir. Care to narrow it down to be 100% correct?