OP ED-"Little Timmy Wants to Know Why Nobody Likes Airplanes Anymore?

[flyboy0681]

So we are clear, you're saying that it's Obamas fault that Kansas failed miserably under Brownback? Nevermind that Kansas is well below the national levels of growth and employment, Nevermind that Kansas is responsible for its own budget. It's the Federal governments fault that cutting taxes to the bone was followed by also cutting education to the bone, as well as two credit downgrades, a deficit in the budget, failing roads, and basically going broke.

 

 

Rob, based on my own experience, you had better pack your bags and head for the hills.

 

The mantra here is "taxes in any way, shape or form are bad" and "conservative governments are good".

[rob]

as luck would have it, I'm headed for the coast in an hour!

[flyboy0681]

EXCESSIVE taxes. EXCESSIVE government.

How much should we keep paying?

Is 25%?of my income, plus property tax: real estate tax! vehicle tax, aircraft tax, sales tax, tax on our cellular service, tax on our gasoline, TSA tax on our airline tickets.

Flyboy, that is not true that I am against any and all taxes. Show me where I said that please?

How much tax is enough for you guys? For the government? 25%?

35%?

38%?

42%?

50%?

I paid tens of thousands in taxes last year. Was that enough for "my fair share?"

 

 

My retort was not directed directly at you, but I was conveying the general feeling here.

 

I certainly feel your pain, I paid over $100k in federal taxes alone last year and would have loved to have had it remain in my bank account (earning .0001% interest). If I had my druthers, I think 20-23% would be a fair amount for a federal tax contribution. Since my state doesn't have an income tax, I do understand how that adds up on top of federal taxes, but believe that state taxes paid are deductible on the 1040. Add to the mix property tax (also deductible on the 1040), local sales tax, tea tax, brass tax and thumb tax and you have little left over.

 

I know you don't want to hear it, but the United States is one of the least taxed countries on the planet.

[flyboy0681]

(It is a farce that you guys use our roads and bridges to justify the huge amount of wasteful wasteful government spending. It's such a sham. There is no HONEST conversation with you, or your kind. I say, "We are 18.5 trillion in debt; we need to cut government spending!" And your RIDICULOUS reply is, "So what did you drive your Porche on?" Is military the only spending cut you guys can think of ... ? )

 

Something else you don't want to hear... A great great deal of that debt was due to military expenditures. You don't have to believe me (and most probably won't), but the three biggest chunk of the budget is Social Security, Medicare and Military. Everything else, from highways to public school lunches, add up to a rounding error.

[flyboy0681]

Yeah, and since when did America try to be like other countries? Isn't having Liberty, being free (of government taxes and regulation) what made us great in the first place? Wasn't that why Tea was dumped in the Harbour and a revolution started? We were going to be DIFFERENT.

 

 

Let me throw out a rhetorical question to you. Was the country established with conservative or liberal view?

 

Take into account a radical idea for the times of a republic without a monarchy, where the people elect their officials and abide by a  constitution which dictates not what the citizens can and can not do, but what the government can and can not do.

[flyboy0681]

So since health care/ Medicare is one of the big three: the first thing to do is hold secret meetings, cuts secret deals and offer bribes for votes, hold a vote in the wee hours of the morning, not even read the legislation, wrongly use a process for budgeting that lets you pass it with less votes and pass a national health care law that adds even more huge costs. (Lie about it that it will reduce the deficit [barack Obama], lie about it that it will reduce families annual premiums [Nancy Pelosi], then make up the rules as you go in secret Barack Obama, Kathleen Sebelius] actually steal money from Medicare to prop up your health care [barack Obama], reduce the coverages offered in Mecicare to steal that money [barack Obama] ... and downplay the cost has since tripled.)

Yeah, it makes perfect sense to me ... ?

 

 

Ok, that accounts for what took place four years ago and has had no effect on the budget to date, but what about the other items that I mentioned?

[flyboy0681]

Just the "leadership" our country really needed!

 

I can't disagree with you on that. But want to know something, if a neutron bomb went off around the Capitol and the country had to re-elect a full complement of Senators and Representatives... you would eventually get the same results.

[flyboy0681]

Dave, follow Timmy's guideline. There is no arguing with a Progressive/Liberal/Big Government loving tax and spender...Why bother?

Their words and failures are right there like a noose on the gallows. November will tell us where the country is. End of chapter.

The next two years are to be endured. I am optimistic that the liberal train is due for a derailment...

Parakeet 1-Out

 

 

If by chance a republican is elected in '16, you would be best advised to not expect much and just be prepared for more of the same. It's just the nature of the beast.

 

 

Squawk squawk.

[John Pleisse]

With the return of Rosie! It just can't get any better!

 

She'll be gone in under 6 mos. Bull-Dy...cyclomine.

[flyboy0681]

Budget 2013: SPENT-3.5 TRILLION

24%-SOCIAL SECURITY

22%-Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health

19%-Defense

12% Other "Non S.S. Safety Net Programs"

77%-Spent

6%-Interest on Debt

Benefits for retiree's (Federal) to include veteran's

17% All other-I.E. Transporation (Roads my second hand Porsche uses), Education, Science & Research, Non-Security International, NEA, Public Television, Bike Paths etc. etc. etc. etc.

 

The numbers are exactly as I said. Military spending could be reigned in somehow, but what about Social Security? Would you  send a notice in the mail next June stating "Due to budgetary constraints, effective January 1st, 2016 your monthly benefits will be reduced by 20%"

[flyboy0681]

680 BILLION Deficit in 2013

THAT IS A 19.5% Budget deficit....

Let's just close down the DOD and balance the budget...

 

A helluva lot, but it's not $1.2 trillion of yesteryear.

[BorealOne]

Some evidence in place of ideology re: role of government.

 

Norway. 1 of 3 people employed by government - largest government workforce in the OECD.

 

Government surpluses for last decade (+10% surplus vs =-10% deficit in USA).

 

Government debt 33% of GDP vs 103% of GDP for USA.

 

Spends far less on health (16.5% vs 21.4% of public expenditure) and education (12.6% vs 15.5%) but achieves better results.

 

Personal income tax rate of 39% vs 35% USA.

 

Public satisfaction with government 66% in Norway vs 35% in the USA.

 

Discuss.

 

 

Sources:

 

http://www.oecd.org/gov/GAAG2013_CFS_NOR.pdf

http://www.oecd.org/gov/GAAG2013_CFS_USA.pdf

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/

[carusoam]

Higher tax rates = happier people...?

Now even the good Long Body pilots are drawn into this crazy thread.

-a-

[scottfromiowa]

Like a car wreck, there is a fascination with seeing someone else exposed to many.

Gawkers...

[BorealOne]

Maybe: 'there are lots of ideological beliefs about the role of governments and citizens, but such beliefs rarely correlate with empirical results'.

 

Maybe: "it's complicated"

 

 

 

 

Higher tax rates = happier people...?

Now even the good Long Body pilots are drawn into this crazy thread.



-a-

[scottfromiowa]

Eh? Why don't you use Canada instead of Norway.

[scottfromiowa]

The "Role" of government is spelled out in the Constitution...

"I am responsible for others happiness"-Taxpayer

[BorealOne]

Canada:

 

 17.7% employed by government vs 14.4% in USA.

 

Close to balanced budget (surplus expected in 2015) (-1.8 % deficit vs = -10% deficit in USA).

 

Government debt 83% of GDP vs 103% of GDP for USA.

 

No current information on health or education spending as % of government revenues [our current government doesn't really like statistics...]

 

Personal income tax rate of 29% vs 35% USA.

 

Public satisfaction with government 52% in Canada vs 35% in the USA.

 

sources: http://www.oecd.org/gov/GAAG2013_CFS_CAN.pdf

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/

[carusoam]

See my Gallery for pictures of NYC.

They were taken by my Dutch work mates on a corporate visit to the US.

We were collaborating on a technical project with very similar responsibilities for our regions.

Overall, they are professionally happy, paid less, and taxed at a higher rate. But, they get more vacation time and some level of college education included with that.

We get to pay for our own college but we get to fly our own airplanes.

Some engineering schools are charging $50k per year. $200k for the entry level degree.

How is that for a brain tax?

I won't be in a rush to pick up the European model of government, finance or airplane...

Hmmmm, work closely with all types of people, pay your own way, fly your own airplane...?

Carry on,

-a-

[scottfromiowa]

"Austerity creates pain, but we are doing it for the country and for our children's future"...

What a concept.

You go Netherlands.

[BorealOne]

The LIS http://www.lisdatacenter.org provides comparative evidence re: economic/social outcomes in different countries. 

 

What the evidence shows is that real middle class incomes in the US are declining quickly, and are being outpaced by those in other OECD countries pursuing a range of fiscal strategies.

 

Canada, not the US, is currently the world's most affluent middle class. "Austerity" doesn't describe our fiscal strategy, and our level of social re-investment is among the highest in the world. 

 

A recent report in the NYT (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/upshot/the-american-middle-class-is-no-longer-the-worlds-richest.html) cites key differences between US, Canada and Western European countries.

 

Compared to Canada and Western Europe, the US has:

 

- lower educational attainment among young Americans compared to young people in other OECD economies

- much higher income inequality

- much less redistribution of wealth through social re-investments such as health and education.

 

Discuss.

[DaV8or]

Curious as to how many of you have paid attention to the "Brownback Experiment" in Kansas?

Thoughts?

http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/6sn82w/sam-brownback-s-conservative-kansas-experiment

 

I have. Looks to be imploding rapidly. Surprise, surprise if you don't tax businesses, they just pocket the money. The big business boom, with lots of new jobs doesn't seem to be happening. I think in part because it's Kansas. Not a lot of people really want to live there. Particularly if the infrastructure is going to crumble around them.

[DaV8or]

Some evidence in place of ideology re: role of government.

 

Norway. 1 of 3 people employed by government - largest government workforce in the OECD.

 

Government surpluses for last decade (+10% surplus vs =-10% deficit in USA).

 

Government debt 33% of GDP vs 103% of GDP for USA.

 

Spends far less on health (16.5% vs 21.4% of public expenditure) and education (12.6% vs 15.5%) but achieves better results.

 

Personal income tax rate of 39% vs 35% USA.

 

Public satisfaction with government 66% in Norway vs 35% in the USA.

 

Discuss.

 

 

Sources:

 

http://www.oecd.org/gov/GAAG2013_CFS_NOR.pdf

http://www.oecd.org/gov/GAAG2013_CFS_USA.pdf

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/

 

Well, Norway and Canada too, have a nice advantage. They don't have to worry so much, or spend very much on their national defense. That's a  huge savings they can spend elsewhere. All they have to do is stay on the nice side of the US. History has shown in the 20th century that if things get bad, the US will step in and save the day.

 

It's getting to the point that I think we need to start a subscription service to other countries for protection. Sign up to the plan with annual payments and you're good to go. We got your back. Don't sign up and you take your chances. We will not be stepping in. We can start with ship's registries. Ship not flagged in the US? Good luck with those pirates, or the Iranians, or the Chinese. I'm sure the Panamanian navy will be right along.

[flyboy0681]

Some evidence in place of ideology re: role of government.

 

Norway. 1 of 3 people employed by government - largest government workforce in the OECD.

 

Government surpluses for last decade (+10% surplus vs =-10% deficit in USA).

 

Government debt 33% of GDP vs 103% of GDP for USA.

 

Spends far less on health (16.5% vs 21.4% of public expenditure) and education (12.6% vs 15.5%) but achieves better results.

 

Personal income tax rate of 39% vs 35% USA.

 

Public satisfaction with government 66% in Norway vs 35% in the USA.

 

Discuss.

 

 

Sometime back I brought up this very subject and pointed out these numbers. You can only imagine (maybe not) the response that I got. In that thread I mentioned that there is a major philosophical difference between us and them, that they (Norway) view their society as one collective resource and that America for some reason embraced the "every man for himself" model. I also said that maybe they had the right idea of creating a society where, in exchange of slightly higher taxes, everything is taken care of for them, from higher education, (yes) healthcare, mandated vacation and maternity time, to retirement. I believe the word I used for the American model was "a la carte" where its citizens pay for their own college, healthcare and retirement. And make no mistake (and I have traveled throughout the world), just as the study says, the citizens of northern European countries are happier than most others.

 

I suspect I'll get the same response from the usual suspects, but Boreal understands what I'm talking about.

[DaV8or]

And this is what happens in DC. We can't agree where to cut spending -so we continue barreling towards the cliff. The Netherlands came together, cut their budget about 25% ??? balanced their budget and saved their country from bankruptcy. Such a shame we are going to collapse, because we are so far apart.

We need a LEADER who can bring us together .. rather than deliberately stir up racial tension, attack his political opponents with government agencies, vow to act on his own outside of congress, then publicly attack the people he is supposed to "reach across the isle" to - polarizing us even farther apart.

It is not looking good for America if we don't come together and turn this around.

 

What leader would this be? We are now two rigidly divided camps with largely opposing views. If there is any deviation from the "values" of either camp, out comes the name calling and slander. We can't "come together" because there is very little anyone agrees on with regards to policy. There is no magical leader that is going to bridge that gap. The only thing that tends to unite us is going to war and that is very fleeting and non permanent.

 

The truth is, both the left and right are full of crap on some issues and correct on others, but neither is willing to see that, or concede that. The vast majority of Americans are moderate and in the middle, but because they have a distaste for politics, (Gee, I wonder why?) they are apolitical and don't get involved or vote. This is why a tiny, tiny minority of our population actually gets to decide what is to happen to us.

 

If there ever was a great leader that were to swoop in and change the course of the country, it would likely be a flip flopping, on the fence moderate that somehow energized the disengaged, non voting moderates to vote and take over.  Neither the Liberals or the Conservatives would be very happy with this outcome.