The Taxman Cometh

These are all very progressive ideas Sam, I like it. I am not sure one could get away with taxing gays as you suggest, unless you also wanted to have a homophobia tax as well (which of course you will pay out yer you know what for).

We should also get after right wing mouth pieces with a Public Dishonesty/Divisiveness Tax. Anyone who deteriorates the country's ability to debate an issue with intentionally divisive language or outright lies--Beck, Rush, Hannity, Savage, etc.--would surrender their paychecks minus a nominal portion to live on. If they really think they are doing great things for America, then that should be enough.

As an offshoot to that we will also need a Sensational Blogger Tax. Under this tax, there would be an expectation that if a person is going to be an overly emotional and irrational screwball, and post screed after screed of dumb lies and embarrassing half-truths, that they would need to pay a heavy fee.

Lets start taxing the hell out of truckers who overload their rigs and ruin our roads, at the expense of the taxpayer as well. In addition, we will legalize the activities of lot-lizards and meth/cocaine use amongst truck drivers, but these services will of course be VERY heavily taxed.

For far too long churches have been ducking their tax responsibilities hiding behind a spooky man in the sky that nobody can prove is really there. These people are freeloaders and they aren't pulling their weight. From now on there will be a God Tax, if you want your right to worship protected by our government, you damn well better be willing to pay for it.

This is fun! Sam ole boy, I think we can work together after all.

Be sure to add the screaming preachers and such to your list to collect your "Public Dishonesty/Divisiveness Tax" from. You know the ones, "Goddamn America" "Kill all the White People", etc. Doesn't get a lot more divisive, do it?

you do seem to be an expert on "silly", guill.

if it weren't for the trucking industry, our roads would be in far worse shape. roads have been improved to accomodate the big trucks. they have strict regulations that keep weight down and safety up.

we have the best roads in the world here in the usa. thanks.

Hmm, you seem to be in the minority opinion about big rigs and their impact on interstates and highways.

And actually, we have some of the worst roads in the world; the developed world anyway. The super highways all over Europe are night and day better than the roads here. I have driven coast to coast several times in the US, and I have also driven all over Europe. There is a pretty clear reason why the roads there are better..In Europe leaders actually spend money on infrastructure, and in most places they do not allow trucks as big as the ones we have here on their roads. And because the major highways are not as long, they are much easier to maintain. Plus, most countries in Europe do not have to deal with differing state budgets for road repair, as most of the repair monies are allocated by federal governments. So the phenomenon of driving up US 77 from Topeka to Lincoln and the road going from bad to worse at the Kansas/Nebraska border, is something you would not typically run into in Europe.

That's just how it is, Tiney. The worst major highway I have been on in Spain is as good or better than any road I have been on here.

I warned you! A road expert extraordinaire!

Add Iggus to the "Know-it-all Tax" roll!

Expertise is different from experience. I am no expert Joe, but I have driven in both Europe and America quite a bit, so I am experienced. But I still like your tax idea. Sam is going to get worked over.

"Your Marxists professors failed to tell you this during your periods of leftist religious indoctrination."

Once again Sam, I went to/am attending the University of Nebraska (remember, this is the University that disinvited Bill Ayers to a talk after he gained notoriety around the elections). Certainly there are liberal professors at UNL, and certainly a paradigm through which many subject/topics are viewed are paradigms such as Marxism, feminism, existentialism, empiricism, rationalism, etc. These are mostly relegated to courses in sociology, anthropology, English lit., philosophy, etc. But in my experience at UNL, there has been only two professors who stood in front of the class and advocated for certain political/economic systems. Both were in political sciences courses, and both professors argued the tenets of capitalism and supply-side economics.

Research has shown that Democratic professors in academies are much more likely to demonstrate an openness to various ideological positions, and rather it is Republican professors who are more likely to press a political or religious ideology on a class. One possibility is that Republican professors feel outnumbered by Democratic professors, and thus make overtures to mitigate the influence of their colleagues. My experience at UNL reflects that there is some truth to this research.

"The US Government is: Corrupt, abusive, run by thieves and liars, out of control, way to big, full of fraud and waste, complicated, full of fat cats and manipulators, and now supported by voter fraud and deceptions."

Answer me honestly Sam, why is that when I criticize the government, I am suddenly Marxist, or Socialist, or a Nazi, reprobate, etc. Were I to say this I would be called an America hating communist/socialist/fascist. SO lets be clear, I respect this criticism (even though to deny there are good people in our government is not very honest of you). But if I were using your logic, here is where I would call you an anti-American, anarchist whose moral bankruptcy/hypocrisy has left him with just enough compassion to only care about himself and the thickness of his wallet.

"Point in fact. Black folks have overwhelmingly supported Democrat politicians for decades now. And yet, if you listen to the Guillermo's of the world, we are still a racist evil country. If you listen to the Guillermo's, white folks are just lurking out there, ready to be bigots in an instant. Freaking crazy!"

I don't understand your logic. Your argument is that because blacks support democrats that racism cannot exist? Point in fact...blacks support the democrats because we are the only ones who are making an effort (albeit a pretty poor effort) to ameliorate their status and opportunities in this country. The "pull yourself up by the bootstraps and stop sucking at the government tit argument issued by Cons is not very helpful. Be smarter, give a damn, be willing to act like a Christian and give a bit from your paycheck, and maybe more minorities won't think of the Cons as racist greedheads. I know it would help my perception of ya'll.

GI, like all "compassionate" progressive/liberals out there supports the entitlement ideology of "helping" the poor. First you tell people they are victims, then you incrementally enslave them to your entitlements to the point where they no longer need to work and are still just poor enough to get by. Once this is accomplished you continue to tell them they are yet victims of whatever the latest hot-button issue is and then they will continue to vote for you even if it means they can only maintain the status quo of poverty. If they get control of your health care too, so much the better.

Another key tenet to this devilish system is to then not offer the people any real hope, training, or educational assistance to try and help get out of poverty. If they do something about jobs it is not in the competitive private sector. No, instead it is to create another government job for which there are no real job requirements and from which they can't be laid off or even fired. The Intelligentsia's logic is, "it is just better to keep the ignorant masses enslaved, we will decide what is best for them".

No, the progressives do not care to give a handup, but instead a handout. At least some wiser men like Bill Cosby have seen through the smokescreen of what this enslavement has done to the black community and spoken out. This is also the U.N. model which has kept millions around the world mired in poverty for decades. Once they get involved in helping with disaster relief, they then setup the perpetual handout system, which keeps people in tent camps indefinitely. Hey, at least it creates lifetime jobs for U.N. workers, right?

Yes, this is the "Great Compassion" of the liberal/statist. As long as the government's hand is in someone else's pocket they are content. As the former Prime Minister of Great Britain once said, "Socialism is great until you run out of someone else's money". Is it any wonder that the Dems also give the least to charities? They don't truly care about people in need, and if they do happen to want their guilt assuaged, they want their government to handle it for them. So, now Obama wants to remove the tax deductions for charitable giving so that he will have control over who gets ALL the money and so the recipients will be beholden to him for their very existence.

Very nice Husker. When do you get a check?

Are you saying that blacks (in particular in the south) don't use the word "ya'll?"

I think you (and your "ilk") established (in a prior blog) that one needs only to be offended in order for racism to occur. Facts, intent and common sense really have no bearing on it whatsoever. I'm offended...you're a racist. Let the bashing begin.

GI what these people are to Christianity is what Al-Qaeda is to Islam. They fancy themselves good Christians because the pain of seeing themselves as the inhuman, uncaring, selfish monsters they really are would be too much to bear.

I find a certain humor that on the the same thread where our government is demonized for attempting to help the poor, they laud the interstate highway system, which was built with poor men's labor and funded by government programs to elevate people from poverty.

Sam, if you want to tax all of the above groups, I would almost agree...lets throw churches in there though to be fair about it shall we.

Imagine the revenue that would bring our country.

God bless America

Carl, oh Carl, what "war on poverty program funded the interstate system? Why, it was implemented by those damn Republicans!

From the US Department of Transportation:

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 authorized designation of a 40,000-mile "National System of Interstate Highways," but did not establish a program or special funding for its construction. The first such funding came under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1952, which authorized a token amount of $25 million a year for the Interstate System in Fiscal Years (FY) 1954 and 1955. The 1952 Act retained the standard matching ratio (Federal share: 50 percent). The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1954 authorized $175 million a year for the Interstate System (FYs 1956 and 1957), with a Federal-State matching ratio of 60-40. The increased Federal share reflected the common understanding that the Interstate System is vitally important to national goals.

As President Dwight D. Eisenhower began to promote creation of a program to build the Interstate Construction Program, the Nation's Governors made clear to him that they did not want to be forced to increase State taxes to pay the additional matching funds for the national program. Therefore, the President proposed to increase funds for the Interstate System, while boosting the Federal share to 90 percent. Under his proposal, the States would continue paying the same amount in matching funds for the Interstate System that they had been paying under the 1954 Act. When the program took shape in the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, it differed in some ways from the President's proposal, particularly with regard to the source of funding for the program, but Congress retained the Federal-State matching share of 90-10 as a reflection of the Interstate Construction Program's importance to national goals. (In the western States with large amounts of untaxed public land, the Federal share could be increased to 95 percent.)

President Eisenhower insisted that the financing mechanism for the Interstate System be "self-liquidating," so that it could not add to the national debt. The president favored a toll highway network financed by bonds, but his aides convinced him that traffic volumes would not generate enough revenue in most corridors to repay bondholders with interest. Therefore, the plan the President submitted to Congress called for establishment of a Federal Highway Corporation to issue bonds to pay for the Interstate System up-front, with the Federal excise tax on gasoline and lubricating oil (which then went to the general Treasury without a linkage to highways) was dedicated to bond retirement. Congress rejected this plan, but adopted a proposal to finance the Interstate System on a pay-as-you-go basis with revenue from highway user taxes. The revenue was credited by the Department of the Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund established under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956.

The Interstate Construction Program, like the Federal-aid highway program of which it is a part, operates on a reimbursement basis. After FHWA authorizes a State to proceed with a project, the State pays the bills for eligible activities, and then submits bills to the FHWA, which reimburses the State for the Federal share. The FHWA makes a commitment (or "obligation") to reimburse the Federal share, but Interstate development takes several years. As a result, the FHWA obligation results in reimbursements to the State for the Federal share over several years. The 1956 Act included a provision named after Senator Harry Flood Byrd (D-VA), the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, to ensure the Highway Trust Fund would contain enough money to pay the bills. If sufficient funds are not available, the program must be reduced administratively in proportion to the imbalance.

The Highway Trust Fund financing mechanism established in the 1956 Act satisfied President Eisenhower's "self-liquidating" demand. As a result, construction of the Interstate System did not contribute to a Federal deficit.

(In 1982, the Highway Trust Fund was divided into a Highway Account and a Transit Account, which also receives some highway user tax revenue.)

Seems like this project wasn't some "porkulus" program, or handout program! Not even a "deficit spending" project! But then, the revisionists couldn't handle that, so go ahead and write your own history, Carl. Most progressives/leftist/revisionists will lap it up anyway!

Possible dilemma for the European transportation model being applied to the U.S.:

The landmass of the U.S. is 2 ½ times the size of Western Europe.

The population of the U.S. is just 308 million while Western Europe is 400 million.

Darn those facts and figures...

"I think you (and your "ilk") established (in a prior blog) that one needs only to be offended in order for racism to occur."

No, Husker, I think that what was established was the idea that Joe claiming natural disasters only happen to poor minorities, and there is no such thing as a white slum, is racist. If that isn't a racist argument, I don't what is.

"Carl, oh Carl, what "war on poverty program funded the interstate system? Why, it was implemented by those damn Republicans!"

Joe there was a radical shift in Republican and Democratic philosophy. You should look into it, its well documented. Beginning with Lincoln it was Republicans who were radical social progressives infringing on state's rights, admonished by Dems for being elitist northerners who advocated the freedom reducing principle of strong federal leadership, and accused of being "the party of the Godless," as one old campaing poster put it.

Since then Reps and Dems have literally switched their platforms in fine 180 degree fashion. Had you been around back then, you would most certainly have been a God fearing, minority hating, racist southern Dem. And I would have been dropping out of college to join the Republican fight to end slavery. What a funny world we live in, huh?

There he goes again, Mark, with the name-calling! Always the fall-back position for the Iggy!

Joe -- just take it with a grain of salt...

You know that those who use profanity to excess do so because they lack a way of expressing themselves in a meaningful way. There are others who use insults to cover up for their lack of substance in a debate and to hopefully cause the person with a sense of morality to back down. Sorry, doesn't work with this guy! Especially when it comes to those who condone the extermination of unborn babies.

Question Joe:

Did you read the article you posted?

It clearly says that the federal highway system was brought into existence by federal mandate (socialism), paid for "with the Federal excise tax on gasoline and lubricating oil" (socialism), and maintained/regulated by state and federal authorities (socialism).

But your point is that it wasn't a deficit spending endeavor, and perhaps initially it wasn't. But it subsequently became a deficit spending item and it certainly is now, that is why state's like Nebraska have a rutted, uneven, pot marked interstate, and highways in even worse condition...there isn't enough revenue to cover the cost of maintenance.

That being said, this website http://www.publicpurpose.com/freeway1.ht... argues that the US highway/interstate systems have had a profoundly beneficial impact on the US economy because:

"The interstate highway system made less expensive land more accessible to the nation's transportation system and encouraged development.

The travel time reliability of shipment by interstate highway has made "just in time" delivery more feasible, reducing warehousing costs and adding to manufacturing efficiency.

By broadening the geographical range and options of shoppers, the interstate highway system has increased retail competition, resulting in larger selections and lower consumer prices.

By improving inter-regional access, the interstate highway system has helped to create a genuinely national domestic market with companies able to supply their products to much larger geographical areas, and less expensively."

See what wonders a system that is both capitalist and socialist in its very essence can accomplish? This what makes America great, the willingness for the Federal Government to invest our tax money in enormous undertakings that impact our businesses in positive ways, making everyone's life better just a little better. Now it is time to invest the same way along the green energy frontier, so America can lead the way and regain her once proud and seemingly unshakable place at the head of the global table.

"I don't see this government restoring the Constitution, or reducing in size or scope, unless forced to do so."

What did you have in mind Leo? How do you propose forcing them?

Oh, the thrill of socialism, Iggy! There really are those of you who can't get enough of that drug, can you? The feeling of power thru entitlements is certainly your aphrodisiac! I can nearly hear the drooling from here!

The point was that Carl's statement that the interstate system was a project to put poor people to work was a complete fabrication by him, because he really thinks that the only way to get a bridge or road built is for a Senator to sell out to the feds. As a matter of fact, Eisenhower wanted the project badly because he witnessed how the Autobahn worked for the Germans. His goal was to increase the efficiency of transportation in the interest of national defense. Of course, now it is a pork barrel project, because the print-and-spenders wanted it to be! The Highway Trust Fund, the Social Security Trust Fund, and all the other "trust" funds are myths now, because there is no fund, and there certainly isn't any "trust."

As far as your opinions that our transportaion system not being as good as that enjoyed by Euros, or our health system being behind the Euros, or any other percieved shortcoming of our systems (as you see it), I am curious why you bother to put up with it? Why don't you go to the land of milk and honey and become a Eurotrash yourself? Go annoy them for a while, you need a change of scenery! Surely anyone as "intellectual" as you are would be welcomed with open arms?

"The point was that Carl's statement that the interstate system was a project to put poor people to work was a complete fabrication by him..."

I disagree, job creation was most certainly a component of the argument for the passage of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944.

"Of course, now it is a pork barrel project, because the print-and-spenders wanted it to be!"

I disagree again, the benefit of decent maintenance of our federal interstates and highways is beneficial to our economy, to our energy consumption, and to the environment. It is worth the investment in 1944, and it is worth the investment now.

"As far as your opinions that our transportaion system not being as good as that enjoyed by Euros, or our health system being behind the Euros..."

Both of these are facts, not opinions.

"Why don't you go to the land of milk and honey and become a Eurotrash yourself?"

Unless you would not object to being called trailer trash, or white trash, I would suggest that you do not refer to Europeans as "Eurotrash." It is grossly ethnocentric and only emboldens your established reputation for being a a racist.

And to answer your question: because America has just as many great qualities as it does subpar qualities. The wonderful ideas that started America were (and in many way still are) unprecedented, and in that way it is worth saving.

Somehow, the vision of you participating as a "savior" of our country is really a sickening thought! Just saying!

And Carl - I do not like you comparing me to Al Queda. That is BS. Who have I murdered you chump? What innocents have I slaughtered? What women have I kept in submission? You sound like Rosie O'Donnell Carl, and that ain't good.

If any one is responsible for death in this country Carl, it is leftists like you, that turn their heads while millions of babies are killed. Now you want to add seniors to the death toll, and you compare me to Al Queda?

How can we take you seriously when you say such stupid things? You think baby murder is okay as long as you don't do it. That's nuts, and you know it.

Step up your game.

Sam, the comparison between your way of thinking and Al-Qaeda's was not based on your actions, rather, on your ignorance and unwillingness to accept that the world moves on. Your stagnation circa the Reagan era is what is difficult to take seriously.

Secondly, I have never said a single word regarding your "death panel" nonsense and/or hastening seniors to their reward. Nor do I think it is okay to murder babies, that is a horrific accusation. I do think, however, that a woman has a right to control over every non-sentient cell cluster in her body, womb included.

One reason among many that God should continue to bless America is that even backward yokels can freely repeat the opinions that Fox News makes for them in a public forum...serves as great entertainment.

God bless America

Well Jose el grande Buck,

You just reminded me of what a terrible socialist I must be.

Cannot understand how I allowed myself to sign contracts this past week to partner in a new business headquartered about 1500 miles away.

Let me point out one little detail, Jose.

I operated my first small, three-acre business in 1937 -- banked about $35 in October from it.

By the time I was 14, when the average daily wage in farming and ranching was $1.00 per day,somehow this raving socialist had banked more than $11,000.

Totally betraying my socialist tendencies with more pure capitalistic profit in those few years, than the average top-hand could have earned full-time. Guess I learned a different brand of socialism.

The difference between Thee and Me is quite simple.

You operate from some unyielding mental position, with facts beiing totally unimportant.

I learned early on to consider all aspects of any issue, list the FACTS, organize PROS, CONS and even "indifferent" matters -- and decide based upon reality -- not what I wanted.

Fifty years ago, Senator Hubert Humphrey tried to get welfare reform introduced.

"Every person, can contribute something to his or her own support. If they seek public assistance, their ability to work in some way will be determined and they WILL WORK to RECEIVE PUBLIC AID.

If a single mother with three children needed PUBLIC HELP, and because she dropped out of school between grades Seven and Ten,to produce babies and lacking skills as a result -- She would report to job-training classes on a regular schedule -- until she could earn.

But Sen. Humphrey wanted all Welfare and other Public Aid recipients to earn their public income with work.

Guess who stopped the plan in its tracks?

Congressional Republicans, because they did not want an intelligent Work Fare program pulling anyone away from 35-40 cent per hour jobs with their conservative business friends.

Ironically, it was the partnership between those Conservatives and Liberals who objected to the very idea of "having to work to get public money," which killed the proposal.

The political opposites joined forces, each group for their own selfish interests.

Sam, just curious, did you go to college?

Reformed Right Winger - Just curious, were you ever gay?

Haha, oh Sam, I can almost see your red face, tears welling up as you type. You poor emotional soul, you have been by the truth hammer, and it won't stop, cry all you want.

Sam, that is the dumbest thing you have ever typed. It was a simple question. If you want to play stupid games then do so. But believe me, I know a hell of a lot more about gay people than you obviously know about college, you cretin. I tell you what, answer my question or I'll just assume what you say about elitists warping people's minds comes from your buddies on hate radio and not from first hand experience. Because if you had gone, you would know, like Gill said earlier, that the goal of college is not indoctrination. It's having an open mind. I was never, ever told how to think by any of my professors. I even wrote a paper in college defending Reagan in a class taught by a liberal, homosexual professor. You know what grade I got, Sammy? A big, fat A. You know why? Because he said that, although he didn't agree with me, that it showed honesty. WOW, THAT LIBERAL BASTARD!!!! How dare he grade a paper on merit, not on agreeing with his point of view!!!!!

I was curoious about the powers that this government has granted themselves. Exactly what are they?

"Government taxation is out of control, because government is out of control."

Even if you feel this way, it still has VERY little to do with this administration.

"The industries the liberals hate are industries which actually produce something of value. The industries the liberals love really don't give us much of anything but high bills to pay."

It will go a lot further if you actually tell us which industries you mean. Otherwise your words are empty and meaningless.

"His opening statement was that religion, especially Christianity was a fraud, and if we wanted to get a decent grade in his class, we had better accept his point of view."

You are either a liar, or went to a terrible, terrible college. I would guess you are a liar.

For the first time in my adult life I am proud of Massachusetts!

Jose,

Don't get too proud of them bean staters.

The Democratic Party bosses pushed a pure party hack with great legs as a Senate candidate.

That unknown Republican ran on his own and carried a lifetime of service. Brown went into the race with legitimate, serious credentials.

The miracle was that he managed to remind enough people in the short time allowed.

My only problem is that no matter which way the state went, they were going to get a modern, lock-step-with-party slave.

Where is Tip O'Neil when we need him?

Or Robert Taft, or Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan, or Mo and Stew Udall, or Frank Church?

We need people in D.C. who have honor, principles and ethics and understand they were elected to work together and get the job done -- not devote 100% of their time making the other guys look bad.

Hahaha, good one.

Hey Guill,I'd put my money on a man like Sam versus a man like you any day....