What? No National Poli thread yet this a.m.? I’m disappointed.
So I’ll just bring this here.
Yesterday, KFG said (referring to Obama): We have no idea what he means, but vote for him anyway because his campaign slogan says change.
We have no idea what ANY of the candidates mean. The MSM wants to microfocus on the personal stuff, and the candidates are following right along, when what they should be doing is discussing and talking about the issues. McCain is free to ride his Straight Talk Express, giving us his form of b.s. and blabber all he wants, but let Obama and Hillary begin to focus on the issues, and we get Rev. Wright and sniper fire.
Typical Republican tricks we’ve watch for the past two elections and more, yet no one demands it change. That includes those here on WEBlog. It’s way more fun to repeat ad naseum the same garbage day after day. No one…NO ONE…is going to talk about what they propose to do, until they stop being forced to defend every STUPID thing that has little bearing on what they will (try) to do for US.
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Mary_Caruso
Posted April 29, 2008 at 9:43 am | Permalink
So what the hell is that supposed to mean, Reg?
————————————–
Here’s a modern translation.
I alone am the LORD, and there is no savior except me.
It’s out of context from a chapter, but God was addressing how he is the only God and His sovereignty can’t be question and that He, God is the first and last.
The problem is that there are so many stupid Americans who buy into all the bulls**t and don’t really focus at all on what needs to happen to tackle the mess we’re in. It’s a distraction, kinda like watching Jerry Springer instead of the national news because they don’t have to think about the real problems and it’s a sick form of entertainment.
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bth
Posted April 29, 2008 at 9:54 am | Permalink
Regulaar - it would seem that a strict reading of that passage would negate the existence of Christ as savior.
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True, if that were the only verse in the Bible.
No one knows who or what “god” is…it’s just all us humans trying to figure out what life is all about and everyone and every culture has their own version. No one has the true answer, they just think they do.
No hate at all there Regular - just trying to interpret the verse. Especially since it is Old Testamant it is perfectly consistent with Judaism and strict monotheism. (as opposed to the Trinity concept)
Instead of trying to find out what life is all about, try living it instead. What difference does it make where we came from? We’re here. Make the best of it. Carpe diem!
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Mary_Caruso
Posted April 29, 2008 at 10:05 am | Permalink
Just think what the world would be like with no religion…how would we justify our hatred and intolerance of those who are different than us?
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What it would be like, is that I would be a big Viking, slaying those who oppose me with my cruel ax and dragging the females by the hair back to quarters.
It seems many need a “being” to believe in, something or someone to blame or thank, whatever the case may be. I don’t have a problem with that, only a problem when they expect me to buy into their beliefs, without question.
Religious populations are all too often intolerant and mean gangs. Who tell everyone they are doing their deeds in the name of their god. And thus it has been for all of history.
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lindainks55
Posted April 29, 2008 at 10:09 am | Permalink
Religious populations are all too often intolerant and mean gangs. Who tell everyone they are doing their deeds in the name of their god. And thus it has been for all of history.
———————-
Hmmm, intolerant…
I put one Bible verse up and it is met with all sorts of intolerance and meanness.
Thanks all, I was cheerful starting out the day, now a bit glum.
The World’s Dumbest President ( unfortunately ours) is on NPR explaining the world and our economy. That can’t bode well for Wall Street today! It is truly an embarrassment to listen to that clown.
The natural inequality of individual freedom (Lessons from Jefferson)
By J.B. Williams
web posted April 28, 2008
America is politically divided down the center line between individual freedom and a so-called greater common good. Half of the country is trying desperately to protect and preserve a maximum level of individual freedom and liberty for themselves and future generations, while the other half is desperate to take from those according to their means in order to fill the perceived needs that they have failed to fill on their own.
Many American voters are struggling to escape the reality that freedom isn’t free and never was. They try to hide from the fact that freedom to excel bears with it the freedom to fail, and run from the truth that although freedom is quite “fair,” - equal freedom will never result in equal outcomes.
“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.” – Thomas Jefferson
Half of the nation still believes what the founding fathers believed, that the risk of individual failure while in pursuit of personal excellence, is a small price to pay for the right of self-determination, absolute individual freedom and liberty.
But over the last century, the other half have been trained to accept personal failure as a predisposed condition beyond their individual control, which can only be remedied by an increasingly intrusive central power equipped with the authority and means to strip one of his lawful earnings for the alleged benefit of another.
“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.” – Thomas Jefferson
The candidates are not having their arms twisted. Maybe if they showed true leadership - and focused on the specific issues, the distractions would be less glaring.
But this is nothing new. The press focuses on the personal character issues, because it is vague and requires little if any research or intelligence to pursue.
Please remember the number of women who voted for Bill Clinton just because of his looks.
American’s are shallow people for the most part, when it comes to politicians. And is it any wonder? Politicans stack up somewhere around whale shi- in popularity. Somewhere below lawyers (no offense to any of them).
Keep on keeping on Regular. Remember, this is the same crowd which would disagree with you if you said the sky was blue. I suspect someone didn’t have their coffee today.
Do you hear Clinton or Obama talking about FREEDOM of the individual? Nope. You hear Clinton and Obama talk about how Government is going to do everything for everybody - and Government will decide who is allowed so much income and who is allowed so much welfare.
A wise and frugal government of extremely limited power and means is exactly what our nation’s Founders put in place over 230 years ago. Half of our nation now sees these ideas as out-dated, unfair and as some form of oppression wherein the “haves” (aka self-reliant achievers) run roughshod over the “have-nots” (aka under-achieving dependents).
America is the most generous nation on earth, always willing to help with bounty or blood, anyone unable to help themselves, here or abroad. But some seek a more progressive system by which economic equality, as defined and distributed by a central power, replaces a “greed” driven individual pursuit of happiness under capitalism, otherwise known as economic freedom.
For half of America, the enemy is “the rich” – the profit driven corporation – the self-reliant – the self-made American. For the other half, the enemy is anyone who seeks to take from them their lawful earnings, their right of self-determination, their private property and unalienable rights, in the name of some greater good.
“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.” – Thomas Jefferson
There is no greater power on earth than the power to hold the lives of others in one’s hands. The power to decide how much is enough for some and how much is too much for others is the greatest power available to man. But it is a power which is always temporary…
In any democratic society, the best way to secure personal long-term political power is to develop a class of voters permanently dependent upon that power for their own livelihood.
Throughout history, those who have acquired such powers have always lost themselves, once perverted by a revocable right to reign over others. Our Founders were right; all men were created to be free and thereby, unequal. The human spirit will not rest long under any form of tyranny, including that which is foolishly self-inflicted via democratic process.
KFG- Thanks, and no thanks to getting street rash from laying my bike down. I just never learned how to enjoy sliding on the pavement, and it’s far too hard on my PoPo!
Sam - I agree - the vast majority of Christians are anything BUT hateful.
A heads-up for you: River cleanup is this Saturday. If you can put the word out to make sure bedrolls etc are ’stashed’ that should help prevent anything happening to them. At laest the groups I am involved in are careful NOT to remove anything that is not trash.
Now for a suggestion: do you think you could get a group to clean under the Harry Bridge? If so I can get trash bags for you and arrange their pickup.
I love the tolerance of all the bloggers. Thank you for letting me keep my personal beliefs. I find joy each morning when I see the sunshine and thank my good Lord for the beauty of the creation. My personal belief. I don’t hate anyone.
Now - on the political side however I am puzzled at the rhetoric coming from the left on Obama. His long time minister inserted himself squarely in the middle of his campaign. He is an issue because of this. When/if Hagee does this he too will be relevant.
That said I want to know how Obama and Hillary plan to kick start a slowing economy. I want to know what new taxes they plan to implement. I want to know how they plan to protect our nation from those who desire to erradicate the great USofA. Lets talk issues.
Change - well I changed the clothes I wore yesterday for the ones I am wearing today. It was change but was it an improvement? Change in itself isn’t a plan. The devil is in the details.
On the tax increase side, it’s hard to tell from their last debate just exactly how Clinton or Obama will change taxation. They both ducked and dodged the issue, and either were ashamed to honestly say how much they will raise our taxes, or they offer no expertise on the subject.
It’s clear they BOTH will raise taxes. For who and how much?
Hope they answer those questions clearly, without changing their position, real soon.
hmmm … the City is supporting a morning cleanup. Not sure when they will be running the trash pickup. The main thrust is 10-12; I will be at L-D about 9-9:30 to pick up bags etc.
One thing I like about morning is it is cooler - I tend to wilt in the heat.
Just a public service announcement note for those waiting for their FREE MONEY from the gubermint.
“member calls asking if we have received their Government Stimulus Check. To improve member service and reduce calls, Electronic Services has provided us with a Payment Schedule produced by the Internal Revenue Service.”
Details:
Stimulus Payment Schedule:
Last 2 SSN Digits
Direct Deposit Payment Initiated Date – 2-4 Business Days to Post
00 – 20
April 28
21 – 75
May 9
76 – 99
May 16
Last 2 SSN Digits
Paper Checks
00 -09
May 9
10 – 18
May 23
19 – 25
May 30
26 – 38
June 6
39 – 51
June 13
52 – 63
June 20
64 – 75
June 27
76 – 87
July 4
88 – 99
July 11
Source: Internal Revenue Service”
Those who regularly receive FREE MONEY already know the drill.
BlueJay - meet at the WATER Center (Herman Hill Park) if you want to join the South Central Neighborhood Association group. Other groups will be working other areas - Sim Park Red Bridge, Exploration Place, Gander Mountain, Lincoln Street. The main check-in site is at Lawrence Dumont.
A couple of the bridges are real problems since the city does not routinely privide trash disposal options or pick-up. That is the reason for my ’side deal’ with KS-Sam.
OK Ben… I’ll see what I can do, that may be late enough in the morning to work. Maybe I can wake a teenager or two as well! I’ll tell the guys.. but with no transportation… who knows who will show up..
McCain would make the Bush tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans permanent. He would eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax. He would sharply reduce corporate taxes. A continuation of Bush. He says nowhere, that I know of, his plan for reducing deficit spending and the debt.
I believe that both Obama and Clinton have said they would do away with the Bush tax cuts on the richest of Americans. I don’t know that either have said anything about the AMT - which we need for revenue - given our borrow and spend drunken spree that we have been on the last 7, nearly 8 years. Clinton has said recently that big oil needs to pay their fair share, so that is an indirect comment on corporate taxes, from her; don’t know Obama’s view on that.
To realize the tax cuts McCain says he wants, drastic cuts in government services will be required. [McCain should be asked what he intends to cut]. If we continue the “borrow and spend” strategy another 4 years, it is difficult to even imagine what things will look like.
In truth, I don’t think McCain has any plans to do any of what he is promising. It is a craven attempt to kiss up to the base. Who, in reality, will never really support him.
“Obama and Clinton have said they would do away with the Bush tax cuts on the richest of Americans.”
One said those making over 200K annually.
The other said those making over 250K annually.
“about the AMT - which we need for revenue”
That’s StevenDavis spin on things. WHY do we need that particular item for revenue? Why not end/reduce the EIC payments. That would bring in revenue too. The AMT hits millions of us. It is nasty in it’s bite. It is unfair, in that it takes new victims each year by surprise, and you cannot plan to avoid it. It also is no longer performing it’s original purpose for which the AMT law was enacted - keep rich from paying little or no tax. It is now a middle income to upper middle income tax. Hardly a rich tax. Again, keeping the painful and BIG surprise bite the AMT causes is your personal opinion. But it is as valuable as my opinion of ending the Unearned Income Credit as a means toward increasing revenue.
“Clinton has said recently that big oil needs to pay their fair share”
What’s “fair”? And consumers will pick up whatever that amount is. You think they will “eat” the increases in taxes and decreases to their bottom line? And who is BIG OIL, heh? Millions of Americans own equity, mutual funds, or other investments in BIG OIL. Additionally, Hillary said she would use that money to fund a number of projects to include: new entitlements and reduce greenhouse gases - so NO increase to revenue here.
“we continue the “borrow and spend” strategy another 4 years, it is difficult to even imagine what things will look like.”
Of course you have suggested increasing revenue. But is there nothing you would cut? Defense?
The solution to our financial crises is not simply to create more revenue, unless you live in a land of make believe. We have to cut spending. If you took every dollar the rich man makes: There isn’t enough to resolve the debt issue nor to fund the new entitlement programs you NEGLECTED to mention in your financial comparison post.
Bush is such a Tool!
From his political speech today, “– Immediately violated his own pledge not to get involved in the presidential contest by asserting that McCain would be the victor. He was asked if he was concerned that his successor would not put enough emphasis on continuing the war on terrorism. “I don’t think John McCain is going to neglect the war on terror. And I do think he’s going to be president.”
It all boils down to these Socialist Democrats redistributing income, through an increasingly progressive tax system.
The Government becomes the vehicle to steal from the rich and give to the poor.
Boo hoo, I don’t make as much as you do! I want yours! Give it to me!
Must I bring out the tax tables again?!? The bottom 50% of tax filers, pay 3% of the total income tax. How much less tax do they want?
The top 50% of tax filers, pay 97% of the total income tax. How much more tax do you Socialists want them to pay to fund your welfare hand-out programs like national healthcare?
Oh, and how much more taxes be raised to try to fund the Social Security/Medicare train wreck? The end of the gravy-train railroad is now in sight - 2019.
Amway, Clinton and Obama have no real issues to talk about
Max I will say that none of them are really talking about the issues. If all three were passengers of the Titanic it would be going something like this,
Mc Cain: “Well we should just set in the deck chairs and wait and see just how far the ship sinks!”
Hillary: “The government should pay for the damage to the ship, pay for the damage to the ice berg, pay for the damage to the ego of the ship’s captain for running his ship into the ice berg, pay for the damage to the emotional state of the passengers as they die!”.
Obama: “It will be cheaper if the government pays for part of the damage to the ship, part of the damage to the ice berg, part of the damage to the Captain’s ego, part of the damage to the emotional state of the passengers“.
And Hillary’s comment on taxing BIG OIL is an election year ploy. It sounds great because people are mad at the OIL COMPANIES and they are an easy target. But BIG OIL is not the solution to the mess we are in. Some are too stupid to realize this.
Bush brought up Social Security reform in his first term. Formed a commission to provide a recommendation and Congress did - Nothing. Not even this perfect Pelosi Congress has done anything - except for doubling the price of oil!
Just read Hillary’s web site looking for details on her tax increase plan. She keeps crowing, “Just go to my web site, you’ll see my plan there. Just go to my web site…”
Nuthin.
No details.
No wonder Clinton doesn’t discuss ISSUES!
Going to wash myself now and get Hillary’s webiste slime off of me.
The urge to Nationalize Big Oil is on the emotional level appealing in that because we are so depended on oil for our economy to survive. Many might see it as the only solution to the question of price and availability. But that in and of itself would be a mistake, though it is often used as a excuse more then a valid point. It is a valid point that research and development is a major cost of operation for an oil company.
Often to offset those cost, there is a dependency on importing oil rather then developing domestic sources.
Over taxing the profits of big oil is not the answer and would be simply passed on at the pimp. Kind of defeats the purpose huh? It is the same thinking of those that stated by raising the price on a pack of cigarettes would reduce the number of smokers and cause many to reduce their consumption. When all it means is that smokers are paying more for cigarettes.
Like wise the majority are not really changing their driving habit and are paying the going price for gas.
Max other then totally taking over oil, what can Congress do? I hate to admit it but add one more time I have to agree with Bush. Doing away with the fuel tax for a few months is pointless and political grandstanding. Just what can either the Republicans or Democrats do about oil?
“Like wise the majority are not really changing their driving habit and are paying the going price for gas.”
Yup. Even the global warming alarmists are not slowing down or driving any less.
We should be happy with high prices for energy. It will encourage the conservation that so many global warming environmentalists have been screaming for.
Ya got what you want! Now stop complaining about gas prices!
What? You didn’t expect to have to do anything yourselves? You expected someone else to pay the higher price, but not you? You expected someone else to conserve, but not you?
It is now YOUR TURN to conserve. Time to put YOUR money and action where your mouth is.
Ben, I have a question for you. There is a proposal before the city to eliminate grass clippings. What is your opinion of continuing to be able to dispose of clippings as long as they are not bagged? It seems to be that clippings alone would be helpful in breaking down other refuse. Am I wrong?
“When all it means is that smokers are paying more for cigarettes.
Like wise the majority are not really changing their driving habit and are paying the going price for gas.”
I see these two as compariable in effect. But the increase to cigarettes is an artifical one not based upon supply and demand. And because the increase is in federal and state taxes (and not an increased cost of manufacturing), the smokers get to fund their governments pet projects. The increases revenue is NOT entirely going to reduce childhood smoking. Whereas, the increased cost for gas is going to all those involved in the oil industry (from station owner, distributor, oil suppliers).
WW - you do make a point in that if we actually had decent biology going on in a landfill grass clippings might help make stuff rot. However that is not the case. Since we dump so much non-biodegradeble stuff and also toxins they don’t really help.
Then we run into capacity problems. Why should I be charged the same fee as the guy who dumps 10 times as much?
What I would like to see is some sort of separate pickup of ‘organic’ material for composting. It might be useful to mix with sewage sludge for land reclamation.
“other then totally taking over oil, what can Congress do?”
Very little. In fact, their actions on CAFE standards DELAY’s any improvement for decades to come.
This is going to hurt: But the market is already having an effect. Did you see GM is closing four plants which build SUV’s and big pickups? DEMAND IS DOWN FOR BIG GAS GUZZLERS. Why? Because of higher gas prices.
This is going to be painful for many years, but the solution is right in front of us. We are addicted to oil. Unless we end the addiction, we will continue to send our dollars overseas to buy oil. The economy will be in shambles. We MUST START BUYING FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES. But no one need FORCE us. Nor regulate us.
Let the price hit $5.00 a gal..
Sounds cruel, but there isn’t anything government can do or is willing to do to avoid it.
We have short-term immediate energy demand issues, and we have long-term energy demand issues. The long-term solutions are not there yet, so we need to buy some time - while developing alternatives.
SHORT-TERM
-Drill in Anwar, and Coastal Shelf, in USA.
-Build more nuke plants.
-Build new more efficient and cleaner coal plants, and phase-out the older dirtier plants.
-Increase wind power turbines.
-Conservation incentives. 50-cent additional gas tax. Gas/Electric surtax with 10% tax on the amount of your monthly utility bill that exceeds $200. Insulation/Home Conservation energy credits.
-Adding bus service that meets the needs of working people who commute suburbs to town - and back.
-Truck to Train to Truck plan. Posted this before. We spend billions on Interstate highways used mainly by trucks. Let’s divert some highway money to rails. Truck routes beyond 500 miles should not be necessary. Need high-speed rail, with rapid onload/offload regional hubs.
Saves: Fuel, Wear/tear on Roads, 7,500 lives killed today in accidents involving trucks, less pollution. Costs less then 1/4 to ship by rail, then by truck. Imagine reducing truck diesel fuel consumption by 75%! Translates to roughly 20% reduction in overall oil consumption in US.
exactly, I was thinking the same thing about the other topic about Dole. It does not matter what others are saying or doing it is what the majority of people are doing and saying on an individual level. The same goes for this topic, Gas to high? Drive less, plan to get the maxim done while out and driving this is all nothing new and old replies. In reality there is nothing Government can do to really effect the price of gas. They may stop seeing it as a “cash Cow”, but what real effect would that have on consumption?
“That’s StevenDavis spin on things. WHY do we need that particular item for revenue?”
Duh, AmWay, we have a 9 Trillion (with a T) dollar debt. Unlike you, I am unwilling to mortage the souls of my grandchildren to the Chinese. I’ll let you do that, but no thank you, I do not want to do that.
The AMT was cooked up in the late 60’s, or early 70’s so that people had less of a chance to find tax loop holes. Back in the day, $250K/year, was some real money. In the late 60’s that amount was the same as $1 Million a year today.
If you have to pay that amount, I don’t blame you for pissing and moaning about it. But, even today, people making that amount have it relatively comfortable. Move to some other country if you can’t take that burden - there may be better deals out there, I don’t know.
-Phase out or massively reduce oil/gas/coal/nuclear use
-Wind to Hyrdogen power - to fuel cars
-Garbage power (again posted on this before) pilot plants all over, with large plant now being built in Florida. Converts trash to energy, saves environment by reducing land/water pollution.
-Coastal Wave generators (posted on this before, pilots going on worldwide) along entire US shoreline, 5 miles offshore and out of sight. Cheap and clean and 24/7 power.
-Solar home development
-Neighborhood wind developement (1 wind tower shared by neighbors)
-Geothermal heating/cooling for home and business use
-Duck tape for politicians used to funnel hot air to power generators. Should be a 100% solution, for many problems.
“…other then totally taking over oil, what can Congress do?”
Lemme float this idea:
Using hypothetical numbers here, let’s get nostalgic about assume oil is $100 a barrel and Big Oil registers a profit of, say, $10 a barrel. Fine. Groovy. Oil companies can reap billions and billions 10% profit.
But that’s the problem: the price structure for developing, pumping, transporting, refining, and marketing oil is based on a percentage of oil’s cost; the higher the price of a barrel of oil, the more money for Exxon/Mobil, et al.
There’s absolutely no incentive for lower oil prices. Just the opposite, it’s to Big Oil’s benefit as the price of crude goes up.
Why not legislate the amount of profit an oil company can get based on another formula? Ten dollars a barrel. That way there’s no incentive for $120 oil. It doesn’t cost Mobil/Exxon more to refine and market $200 oil. But the windfall that comes with earning a percentage mark-up rather than a per-unit markup is paid for developing alternative energy sources and technologies.
When (failed oil man) George WMD stole took office office on January 20, 2001, the price of a gallon of gasoline was $1.46. (That was with what? $40-a-barrel crude?) As I recall, Mobil/Exxon wasn’t holding bake sales to keep afloat in 2001. But give them their (now) $10-a-barrel profit.
At least it would but a check on speculators (of which Big Oil companies are major players).
“Amway, Clinton and Obama have no real issues to talk about”
What I would like to see is a spreadsheet with the candidates positions on the issues for side-by-side comparison.
Not just the small ones we see in the newspaper from time to time.
But a excel type document which lists each appropriation budget (i.e. defense, Homeland Security, Dept of Agri.. etc..and include revenue projects) and under those headings each candidates position or the change they would make. The final column would contain the COST. This would be expressed as an amount with a credit indicator (+ or -). The bottom line in the amount column would be the net change from the current year budget position.
I think all the issues boil down to money. So why not express their position on each item, and the overall impact on the budget resources and deficit?
LOL what actually brought me to open thread this morning. Since past believes and actions seem more important then actual issues. For those needing more damning guilty by association, The Church of Christ!
For some time and I have been assured that it no longer follows the believe. BUT they did believe that ONLY those whom are members of the Church of Christ denomination. Would be the only one to go to Heaven! Sad news for all of us whom are Baptist, Jewish, Moslem, Catholic, you name it and we are damn to Hell. Wright’s Church and by association Obama are Church of Christ.
The oil/coal use would be short-term solutions for only the next 20 years or so.
We need to buy the time to develop the alternative long-term solutions. We will shut-down the American economy completely if we don’t have an interim solution.
Look at the sticker shock and complaining that we experience now with gas at $3.50/gal and food going up. Double or tripple that effect and you will see worldwide economic depression.
I often wonder, and maybe fear, that the truly well qualified and needed people of either party refuse to have their names associated with the stench of today’s politics. Todays crop are sadly lacking.
“Move to some other country if you can’t take that burden - there may be better deals out there, I don’t know.”
You know Steven, I say the same thing about the lower 50%. Stop the EIC.
It’s easy for you to say: TAX THAT OTHER GUY HE IS RICH!
But much harder for you to sacrifice yourself.
At least I asked you to find things to cut - to avoid taking the simpleton route of just taxing the rich more. (and if you read: They don’t have enough money if you took it ALL, to pay off the 9 trillion you throw around).
Max, I almost had a heart attack when I read one of YOUR lines:
“Conservation incentives. 50-cent additional gas tax. Gas/Electric surtax with 10% tax on the amount of your monthly utility bill that exceeds $200.”
What happens to the revenue?
-”Adding bus service that meets the needs of working people who commute suburbs to town - and back.”
No one rides the bus. Maybe, maybe if gas hits $5.00 a gallon. Plus. I like trains. Just like Japan. Too expensive now to build with right-of-way costs. But the bus sucks. I’m a type A. Cannot handle the stress of all the stops……
AmWay, if all the working people left, Steven and his kind would actually have to take on responsibility for themselves - for the first time.
The Libs don’t really want to encourage the successful working people to leave the country. Though it is tempting. I know where there’s some beautiful cheap land in Canada, Panama, and Eastern Europe.
- “… Gas/Electric surtax with 10% tax on the amount of your monthly utility bill that exceeds $200. Insulation/Home Conservation energy credits….”
Hmmm.
Sounds like typical leftist liberal commie pinko socialist Democrat tax-the-rich policy to me, “MaxGrobnik.”
I have a big house. It’s insulated to within an inch of its life, I have heating and air conditioning units with absolutely the highest efficiency rating available (when I bought ‘em, anyway. But it’s a big house. I can’t remember a utility bill under $200 in, like, forever. But you “MaxGrobnik” want to surtax me 10%. You, “MaxGrobnik” want to (how is it you guys put it?) steal money from my pocket simply because I have a big house.
You damned leftist liberal commie pinko socialist, you.
I never could understand these personal liberty types complaining about the sin taxes when you can grow it or make it yourself. Save money better quality, sense of accomplishment.
AmWay, the additional tax revenue would be used to pay for the tax incentives which would be used to encourage the short and long-term solutions I listed above.
The bus service, I agree no one uses those today. But if we had true bus service for working people to and from suburbs running every 15 minutes during morning and evening rush hours, people would use them, especially if gas is $5/gal.
Costs me $7 a day just in gas right now at $3+/gal.
Our bus service today is geared toward inner cities, welfare routes, on-call service - in other words for non-working people.
It’s our tax money, we can change the bus service provided. Divert those inner city routes to the morning/evening rush hours for working people, and use the same existing resources in a more efficient manner.
Why do the filthy rich need more? How many houses, cars, jewels, etc. do they need? They have no reason to complain about the price of gas or food. They can buy pretty much whateer they want…except a ticket to heaven.
Compare to those on the lower end of the tax bracket. Sometimes through no fault of their own, the opposite is true of them.
I also think Jesus would disagree wtih you. If you think he got po’d in the temple, just think what he’d think of the greedy rich.
Nathan - I understand that. I was simply noting that there are those who are at least as qualified as you who disagree with your position on the Trinity. Remember, I also grew up with the Trinity concept.
“I can’t remember a utility bill under $200 in, like, forever. But you “MaxGrobnik” want to surtax me 10%. You, “MaxGrobnik” want to (how is it you guys put it?) steal money from my pocket simply because I have a big house.”
Why Monkeyhawk: You sound just like a rich man!!!!
Predestined
Posted April 29, 2008 at 1:01 pm | Permalink
AmWay,
Why do the filthy rich need more?
Read slowly: BECAUSE IT IS NOT YOUR MONEY!!!!
WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO TELL PEOPLE HOW MUCH THEY ARE ENTITLED TO AND TO CALL THEM “FILTHY” FOR MAKING IT!?!?!
” also think Jesus would disagree wtih you.”
JESUS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. IN FACT, HE COULDN’T GIVE A RAT’S ASS ABOUT THIS. THAT AIN’T WHAT HE IS ABOUT….Besides, I tithe my 10%. THE BIG GUY NEVER ASKED ME FOR MORE!
“I was simply noting that there are those who are at least as qualified as you who disagree with your position on the Trinity. Remember, I also grew up with the Trinity concept.”
Disneyland-Style Theme Park Set for Baghdad. Honest to God
[Llewellyn] Werner, chairman of C3, a Los Angeles-based holding company for private equity firms, is pouring millions of dollars into developing the Baghdad Zoo and Entertainment Experience, a massive American-style amusement park that will feature a skateboard park, rides, a concert theatre and a museum. It is being designed by the firm that developed Disneyland. “The people need this kind of positive influence. It’s going to have a huge psychological impact,” Mr Werner said.
The 50-acre (20 hectare) swath of land sits adjacent to the Green Zone and encompasses Baghdad’s existing zoo, which was looted, left without power and abandoned after the American-led invasion in 2003…
Mr Werner, who has been sold a 50-year lease on the site by the Mayor of Baghdad for an undisclosed sum, says that the time is ripe for the amusement park. “I think people will embrace it. They’ll see it as an opportunity for their children regardless if they’re Shia or Sunni. They’ll say their kids deserve a place to play and they’ll leave it alone.”
The project will cost $500 million (£250 million) and will be managed by Iraqis. Under the terms of the lease, Mr Werner will retain exclusive rights to housing and hotel developments, which he says will be both culturally sensitive and enormously profitable. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t making money,” he said. “I also have this wonderful sense that we’re doing the right thing – we’re going to employ thousands of Iraqis. But mostly everything here is for profit.”
A $1 million skateboard park, the first phase of the development, will open in July.
Ben, Understood. We really NEED a recycling program to reduce the waste going into the landfill. We now take our recyclables to the bins at Leekers. I also agree about the usage fees. Many times I have only one or two bags of trash in the dumpster, and my b/f argues why even take it to the street? I don’t have much to throw away in the winter, however not being able to get rid of some yard waste is going to be a burden for me. I have 35 trees and one acre. I burn most of the tree limbs in the fireplace and already have a huge compost pile even though I use it in the garden. I have more yard waste than I can use, so I hate to see not having some sort of outlet.
What’s depressing is the poll the WE has where 37% say they’ll dump wherever they can find a spot.
He has announced that he is shocked and hurt and feels betrayed and used by his pastor. Well he’s got a right to be. I’m not for Obama but I felt bad he was the victim of his egomaniac and probably racist pastor.
Anyone know if that soil they sell at the landfill is good for anything, say a garden? I figure it’d have a lot of good stuff in it, but would be concerned with all the chemicals that would probably also be there.
Blue Jay,
I am using a mulch blade now but the leaves of 35 trees is a bit too much mulch for the yard. Too much will kill the little grass I have convinced to grow. And in some places I just let the leaves stay.
“Compare to those on the lower end of the tax bracket. Sometimes through no fault of their own, the opposite is true of them.”
What if it IS their fault they are in the lower end of the tax backet, do they still get handouts? And who decides whether it is their fault or not?
Maybe it’s not the rich man’s fault that he is rich either! Maybe it’s not the rich man’s fault that there are poor people, so is it still OK to punish the rich man to reward the poor?
(Ah, but the Libs have to have someone to blame, other then themselves!)
I get really confused by these Socialists who want to steal money from one group of people and give to another group of people. How do they decide how much to steal from who? And how do they decide how much to give to whoever?
And who is “they”? The elitist ones in Government are so smart. I wonder why we still have poverty 50 years after LBJ launched the war on poverty.
We mulch everything also but it will be a problem in our neighborhood because we see several people who bag grass clippings every week. We see some that dump them in the street and let them wash down the storm sewers.
We had a neighborhood meeting last night to address the problem of grass clippings. We are going to try to have a central dumping point with an approved container for compost. There are more things to worry about than I realized such as being combustable.
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MaxGrobnik
Posted April 29, 2008 at 2:29 pm | Permalink
“Compare to those on the lower end of the tax bracket. Sometimes through no fault of their own, the opposite is true of them.”
What if it IS their fault they are in the lower end of the tax backet, do they still get handouts? And who decides whether it is their fault or not?
Maybe it’s not the rich man’s fault that he is rich either! Maybe it’s not the rich man’s fault that there are poor people, so is it still OK to punish the rich man to reward the poor?
(Ah, but the Libs have to have someone to blame, other then themselves!)
I get really confused by these Socialists who want to steal money from one group of people and give to another group of people. How do they decide how much to steal from who? And how do they decide how much to give to whoever?
And who is “they”? The elitist ones in Government are so smart. I wonder why we still have poverty 50 years after LBJ launched the war on poverty.
=================================================
Man, I’ve read everything now. I don’t have to look any further for enlightenment anymore: Max has it all right there in his itty-bitty mind. How dare us Liberals think we can help people in need. Why, the very thought of it must put Max and his merry band of Neocon nitwits would rather have em just lined up and shot. After all, if they’re poor, they must be both stupid and lazy, so what does the world need with people like that?
Never mind their jobs may now be overseas, or a market took a turn for the worse, forcing massive layoffs, Max and his merry band of Neocon nitwits has just the answer for them.
Yep, birth em, throw em out in the cold, and let em fend for themselves: the Neocon creed.
Way to go, Max, you are indeed a credit to fools everywhere.
” How dare us Liberals think we can help people in need”
Be my guest. Why do you have to steal to do it? If liberals are so looking out for the little guy or down on his luck guy, why don’t y’all finace them out of your own pocket? Why do you have to steal from someone else’s pocket to get your warm fuzzy?
You go too far Walker: I am no card carrying bleeding heart by any stretch of the imagination. But paying taxes is not a punishment. It is a responsibility. Your taxes paid for my salary when I was in the Army. So let’s realize that you are not stating some absolute axiom here. Taxes and spending should be lower than they once were so that there is no abuse of the system. All agree on that. Now if your going to invoke the spirit of stealing tax dollars and abuse. I think you should also explain the pathetic accountability of Haliburton. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. (Deja Vu)
In the summer, when it is so blazing hot, it is SO much easier to just mow it down and not have to deal with the bags and all that. The returned clippings help the lawn survive the heat/dry of summer.
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MaxGrobnik
Posted April 29, 2008 at 2:52 pm | Permalink
“How dare us Liberals think we can help people in need.”
JM, who the hell is “WE”?
How dare YOU take from ME to give to YOURSELF! Another do-gooder liberal, willing to help out as long as he doesn’t have to pay for it himself!
==================================================
Max, you’re the moron that would bypass a dying man in the street because it might cost you something.
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SolDevVB
Posted April 29, 2008 at 2:44 pm | Permalink
” How dare us Liberals think we can help people in need”
Be my guest. Why do you have to steal to do it? If liberals are so looking out for the little guy or down on his luck guy, why don’t y’all finace them out of your own pocket? Why do you have to steal from someone else’s pocket to get your warm fuzzy?
===============================================
But we do, sol. It’s called charity. Obviously you haven’t heard of it. And when charity falls short, as it sometimes does, as in Katrina, then the government is called upon to help. I won’t ask you to understand, as the box you Neocons live in is fully insulated from the real world, but sometimes public funds are needed for something other than floating big business, and waging a war in some tin-pot country (Iraq) in the name of terrorism. How many billions spent on killing people? How many billions NOT spent on saving them.
Didn’t figure you knew what charity was as you assumed the government should provide all to all. And maybe the ‘help’ should fall short. Maybe it should just miss covering those it is given to. Maybe they should have to reach a little further and help themselves.
But I wouldn’t expect you to understand that. Since you feel the government should pay for everything. Pay for it with the money of the successful.
You wonder why companies are outsourcing and moving overseas? You want to know why the Cayman Islands ‘host’ so many businesses. T A X E S. But go right ahead and raise taxes some more, disproportionately. Watch how many more people move their money out of the country. What then?
Hey J M Walker, how many of those first church of atheism organized and went down to New Orleans to help?
We all know that those Atheists just line up at home less shelters to pitch in right?
Ask Kansas Sam about that. You know all those do-gooder Progressive, constantly whining Liberals pitch in and help him out with the homeless.
Maybe a Liberal Hollywood actor or two? You know who will whine about charity, then spend two million dollars on a wedding or build their lavish underground boogie studio which they invite their drug taking friends.
And throwing Katrina in there? An absolute and utter failure on the LOCAL government. That would be a liberal government mind you. They totally fail their people and you blame the rich for not giving more. The taxes should have been higher.
How about you look at the beginning of the problem first? They had no effective plan. The plan they had was not carried out. Then the stood and looked at Washington. Yeah, let’s all give the idiot mayor and governor a free pass. Let’s pass all the blame on to FEMA.
“Hey J M Walker, how many of those first church of atheism organized and went down to New Orleans to help?”
Atheism is the only thing rebuilding homes. Unless you can show me and example of divine intervention or a house spontaneously building itself as a result of prayer then all the work is being done by hands working, not hands praying.
Atheism is a worldview. It could hardly be described as what is rebuilding homes.
A better question is to ask, who do you think sent more aid, people, and money to help?
Atheist groups or Religous one?
What is it in an Athiest world view which calls upon others to be compassionate and who sets those standards? Who says what is right and wrong by Athiesm standards?
And what is that Atheist world view Nathan? Extending a lack of belief in deities to anything else is pure hyperbole on your part.
According to the Christian authority Hagee your gods inflicted the disaster upon Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama as a result of a parade in New Orleans. So it looks like religion is to blame. And now humans, without god, must go in and repair the damage.
So how many gods are repairing homes and how many gods buried the dead who cried out to non-existent gods for help before the water filled their lungs?
If you don’t know what a world view is, how Athiesm is one, or what the world view of Athiesm basically says, then perhaps you shouldn’t be in this discussion.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., laid blame of rising gas prices at the feet of Democrats, speaking with reporters.
“The top issue in the country these days is the price of gas at the pump. It’s gone up $1.25 since the Democrats took over the Congress. Gasoline today at the pump is $1.25 more, on average, than it was when the Democrats took over Congress.
Why is that a good place to measure? Because during that period, we’ve had an opportunity to build more refineries, and the Democratic majority voted it down. … On the production side of the equation, this new majority is not interested in doing anything,” McConnell said.
Nice switch play there Con. The dems will vote down anything that allows the big oil companies to beg for more corporate welfare and enormous profits…which is what I expect them to do. I also expect dems to vote FOR renewable energy development on a large scale…something the republicans will vote against.
Maggotpunk
Posted April 29, 2008 at 4:00 pm | Permalink
And what is that Atheist world view Nathan? Extending a lack of belief in deities to anything else is pure hyperbole on your part.
According to the Christian authority Hagee your gods inflicted the disaster upon Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama as a result of a parade in New Orleans. So it looks like religion is to blame. And now humans, without god, must go in and repair the damage.
———————————-
Maggot where were you when many churches did do just that. My son and 15 men from his church in Colorado Springs, rented a truck at there own expense, loaded it with all of the tools they had, took a month of accrued vacations from their jobs and worked in the NO area for over a month. Stripping houses from the outside walls in. Removing trees that were on top of houses, cleaning up stuff most of us would gag just being around. Where were you and the other athesists?
Their God was there with them and all of the other workers from churches all over the US. They bunked in church basements, slept on the floor and ate Red Cross food.
You guys need to find another mantra this one is tired.
Nathan - there is no such thing as the “world view” of atheism. Each atheist has his or her own view of things. That is the whole point - there IS no heirarchy.
You might be able to claim to speak for Christians but you certainly cannot speak for atheists.
There are varying degrees of an individuals world view, but they have one.
Atheism is a world view. Each individual can and does have a variation within it, but the ultimate definition of what makes someone an Athiest is what also gives them that foundation for their world view.
Nathan - I know a number of atheists - their views vary all over the place. I also know Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists - and again I cannot define a ‘world view’ to which they adhere.
My neighbor told me to mow really really slow and it would mulch the grass on its own. And he had one of the most beautiful lawns in the whole neighborhood.
No nathan - it is you who obviously doesn’t have a clue about anyone’s beliefs other than your own. Your ignorance is exceeded only by your know-it-all arrogance.
Gee, you are the world’s expert at philosophy, science, literature, …
“Maggot where were you when many churches did do just that. My son and 15 men from his church in Colorado Springs, rented a truck at there own expense, loaded it with all of the tools they had, took a month of accrued vacations from their jobs and worked in the NO area for over a month. Stripping houses from the outside walls in. Removing trees that were on top of houses, cleaning up stuff most of us would gag just being around. Where were you and the other athesists?”
How does all your wealth and free time reflect on my Atheism?
I planted some trees last week, where were you and your church?
Atheism is pretty simple. One guy says he believes in a deity, the other guy says he doesn’t. The guy who says he doesn’t is an Atheist. Now how is that a world view?
That’s like saying not believing in unicorns is a world view. Sure the Bible says unicorns are real so I better use a different example, dragons, satyrs, avian bats, four legged beetles, hmmmm. Okay, little green men living on Mars. Not believing that is a world view apparently, so Nathan, enlighten me on how that is a world view.
C’mon Nathan, how does not believing in little green men on Mars form a world view? It’s your silly claim, I’d just like to understand. Chas presented something which comple
196 Comments
Ha ha… I’m first. Morning (er..uh..) afternoon Kansas !!!
Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no Saviour.
So what the hell is that supposed to mean, Reg?
What? No National Poli thread yet this a.m.? I’m disappointed.
So I’ll just bring this here.
Yesterday, KFG said (referring to Obama):
We have no idea what he means, but vote for him anyway because his campaign slogan says change.
We have no idea what ANY of the candidates mean. The MSM wants to microfocus on the personal stuff, and the candidates are following right along, when what they should be doing is discussing and talking about the issues. McCain is free to ride his Straight Talk Express, giving us his form of b.s. and blabber all he wants, but let Obama and Hillary begin to focus on the issues, and we get Rev. Wright and sniper fire.
Typical Republican tricks we’ve watch for the past two elections and more, yet no one demands it change. That includes those here on WEBlog. It’s way more fun to repeat ad naseum the same garbage day after day. No one…NO ONE…is going to talk about what they propose to do, until they stop being forced to defend every STUPID thing that has little bearing on what they will (try) to do for US.
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Mary_Caruso
Posted April 29, 2008 at 9:43 am | Permalink
So what the hell is that supposed to mean, Reg?
————————————–
Here’s a modern translation.
I alone am the LORD, and there is no savior except me.
It’s out of context from a chapter, but God was addressing how he is the only God and His sovereignty can’t be question and that He, God is the first and last.
The problem is that there are so many stupid Americans who buy into all the bulls**t and don’t really focus at all on what needs to happen to tackle the mess we’re in. It’s a distraction, kinda like watching Jerry Springer instead of the national news because they don’t have to think about the real problems and it’s a sick form of entertainment.
Regulaar - it would seem that a strict reading of that passage would negate the existence of Christ as savior.
Yeah, right…whatever, Reg.
When you get a translation and then find there are many different translations and each one represented as the only true and correct one…
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bth
Posted April 29, 2008 at 9:54 am | Permalink
Regulaar - it would seem that a strict reading of that passage would negate the existence of Christ as savior.
—————
True, if that were the only verse in the Bible.
Wow, so many haters on today.
I’ll try to put on more easier understood verses in the future.
No one knows who or what “god” is…it’s just all us humans trying to figure out what life is all about and everyone and every culture has their own version. No one has the true answer, they just think they do.
I don’t think I’m hateful…just realistic. It seems to me nowadays the Christians and the Islamics have the corner on hate.
And maybe the Jews, too.
No hate at all there Regular - just trying to interpret the verse. Especially since it is Old Testamant it is perfectly consistent with Judaism and strict monotheism. (as opposed to the Trinity concept)
Instead of trying to find out what life is all about, try living it instead. What difference does it make where we came from? We’re here. Make the best of it. Carpe diem!
Mary - I use the suffix IST for the hateful extremists: HindIST, IslamIST, etc etc. Unfortunately EVERY religion has its share.
Just think what the world would be like with no religion…how would we justify our hatred and intolerance of those who are different than us?
Christianist?
Amen, Pre!
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Mary_Caruso
Posted April 29, 2008 at 10:05 am | Permalink
Just think what the world would be like with no religion…how would we justify our hatred and intolerance of those who are different than us?
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What it would be like, is that I would be a big Viking, slaying those who oppose me with my cruel ax and dragging the females by the hair back to quarters.
Gotta go..work calls
ENJOY LIFE…It’s too short!!!!!!
Mary,
It seems many need a “being” to believe in, something or someone to blame or thank, whatever the case may be. I don’t have a problem with that, only a problem when they expect me to buy into their beliefs, without question.
Religious populations are all too often intolerant and mean gangs. Who tell everyone they are doing their deeds in the name of their god. And thus it has been for all of history.
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lindainks55
Posted April 29, 2008 at 10:09 am | Permalink
Religious populations are all too often intolerant and mean gangs. Who tell everyone they are doing their deeds in the name of their god. And thus it has been for all of history.
———————-
Hmmm, intolerant…
I put one Bible verse up and it is met with all sorts of intolerance and meanness.
Thanks all, I was cheerful starting out the day, now a bit glum.
But, I still keep my faith.
The World’s Dumbest President ( unfortunately ours) is on NPR explaining the world and our economy. That can’t bode well for Wall Street today! It is truly an embarrassment to listen to that clown.
Regular,
If you had been a Viking, you’d have probably believed in the Norse Gods.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norse_gods
Note there are Goddesses listed there, too, and I doubt they’d be pleased with you dragging women around by the hair.
Heckler posted this link yesterday, but here’s the first part y’all gotta see!
http://www.enterstageright.com/archive/articles/0508/0508freedomjefferson.htm
The natural inequality of individual freedom (Lessons from Jefferson)
By J.B. Williams
web posted April 28, 2008
America is politically divided down the center line between individual freedom and a so-called greater common good. Half of the country is trying desperately to protect and preserve a maximum level of individual freedom and liberty for themselves and future generations, while the other half is desperate to take from those according to their means in order to fill the perceived needs that they have failed to fill on their own.
Many American voters are struggling to escape the reality that freedom isn’t free and never was. They try to hide from the fact that freedom to excel bears with it the freedom to fail, and run from the truth that although freedom is quite “fair,” - equal freedom will never result in equal outcomes.
“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.” – Thomas Jefferson
Half of the nation still believes what the founding fathers believed, that the risk of individual failure while in pursuit of personal excellence, is a small price to pay for the right of self-determination, absolute individual freedom and liberty.
But over the last century, the other half have been trained to accept personal failure as a predisposed condition beyond their individual control, which can only be remedied by an increasingly intrusive central power equipped with the authority and means to strip one of his lawful earnings for the alleged benefit of another.
“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.” – Thomas Jefferson
Yeah gster, cant wait until he address the nation tonight!
I’m glad to see you here today. Everytime I hear of a motorcycle accident, I wonder if it is one of the bike riding WE bloggers.
>I don’t think I’m hateful…just realistic. It seems to me nowadays the Christians and the Islamics have the corner on hate.<
Mary… pretty ridiculous comment. There are hateful people everywhere… some are Christians or Islamic, but many are not. MOST Christians are not.
kansassam,
Then I guess we hear the most from those who ARE.
BTW, I don’t necessarily disagree with you.
“stop being forced to defend every STUPID thing”
The candidates are not having their arms twisted. Maybe if they showed true leadership - and focused on the specific issues, the distractions would be less glaring.
But this is nothing new. The press focuses on the personal character issues, because it is vague and requires little if any research or intelligence to pursue.
Please remember the number of women who voted for Bill Clinton just because of his looks.
American’s are shallow people for the most part, when it comes to politicians. And is it any wonder? Politicans stack up somewhere around whale shi- in popularity. Somewhere below lawyers (no offense to any of them).
Keep on keeping on Regular. Remember, this is the same crowd which would disagree with you if you said the sky was blue. I suspect someone didn’t have their coffee today.
And remember, the sky is blue, regardless.
AmWay, Clinton and Obama have no real issues to talk about.
All they have left are the personal lack of character credentials of each other. Much to talk about there for sure.
Do you hear Clinton or Obama talking about FREEDOM of the individual? Nope. You hear Clinton and Obama talk about how Government is going to do everything for everybody - and Government will decide who is allowed so much income and who is allowed so much welfare.
More wise words, from Heckler’s link:
http://www.enterstageright.com/archive/articles/0508/0508freedomjefferson.htm
A wise and frugal government of extremely limited power and means is exactly what our nation’s Founders put in place over 230 years ago. Half of our nation now sees these ideas as out-dated, unfair and as some form of oppression wherein the “haves” (aka self-reliant achievers) run roughshod over the “have-nots” (aka under-achieving dependents).
America is the most generous nation on earth, always willing to help with bounty or blood, anyone unable to help themselves, here or abroad. But some seek a more progressive system by which economic equality, as defined and distributed by a central power, replaces a “greed” driven individual pursuit of happiness under capitalism, otherwise known as economic freedom.
For half of America, the enemy is “the rich” – the profit driven corporation – the self-reliant – the self-made American. For the other half, the enemy is anyone who seeks to take from them their lawful earnings, their right of self-determination, their private property and unalienable rights, in the name of some greater good.
“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.” – Thomas Jefferson
There is no greater power on earth than the power to hold the lives of others in one’s hands. The power to decide how much is enough for some and how much is too much for others is the greatest power available to man. But it is a power which is always temporary…
In any democratic society, the best way to secure personal long-term political power is to develop a class of voters permanently dependent upon that power for their own livelihood.
Throughout history, those who have acquired such powers have always lost themselves, once perverted by a revocable right to reign over others. Our Founders were right; all men were created to be free and thereby, unequal. The human spirit will not rest long under any form of tyranny, including that which is foolishly self-inflicted via democratic process.
>Then I guess we hear the most from those who ARE.<
The media loves to report anything negative. And it seems those who are the most negative are also the most vocal.
KFG- Thanks, and no thanks to getting street rash from laying my bike down. I just never learned how to enjoy sliding on the pavement, and it’s far too hard on my PoPo!
Sam - I agree - the vast majority of Christians are anything BUT hateful.
A heads-up for you: River cleanup is this Saturday. If you can put the word out to make sure bedrolls etc are ’stashed’ that should help prevent anything happening to them. At laest the groups I am involved in are careful NOT to remove anything that is not trash.
Now for a suggestion: do you think you could get a group to clean under the Harry Bridge? If so I can get trash bags for you and arrange their pickup.
Ben..
Let me check with some of the guys at the mission tonight. I’ll get back to you (it would have to be afternoon… does that work?)
I love the tolerance of all the bloggers. Thank you for letting me keep my personal beliefs. I find joy each morning when I see the sunshine and thank my good Lord for the beauty of the creation. My personal belief. I don’t hate anyone.
Now - on the political side however I am puzzled at the rhetoric coming from the left on Obama. His long time minister inserted himself squarely in the middle of his campaign. He is an issue because of this. When/if Hagee does this he too will be relevant.
That said I want to know how Obama and Hillary plan to kick start a slowing economy. I want to know what new taxes they plan to implement. I want to know how they plan to protect our nation from those who desire to erradicate the great USofA. Lets talk issues.
Change - well I changed the clothes I wore yesterday for the ones I am wearing today. It was change but was it an improvement? Change in itself isn’t a plan. The devil is in the details.
Lets get back to the real campaigns.
Good post ksgrm.
On the tax increase side, it’s hard to tell from their last debate just exactly how Clinton or Obama will change taxation. They both ducked and dodged the issue, and either were ashamed to honestly say how much they will raise our taxes, or they offer no expertise on the subject.
It’s clear they BOTH will raise taxes. For who and how much?
Hope they answer those questions clearly, without changing their position, real soon.
hmmm … the City is supporting a morning cleanup. Not sure when they will be running the trash pickup. The main thrust is 10-12; I will be at L-D about 9-9:30 to pick up bags etc.
One thing I like about morning is it is cooler - I tend to wilt in the heat.
I hope it does not rain Saturday.
You have probably posted elsewhere and I just missed it Ben.
I cam bring myself and a reluctant, whining teenager if you post some more details.
Just a public service announcement note for those waiting for their FREE MONEY from the gubermint.
“member calls asking if we have received their Government Stimulus Check. To improve member service and reduce calls, Electronic Services has provided us with a Payment Schedule produced by the Internal Revenue Service.”
Details:
Stimulus Payment Schedule:
Last 2 SSN Digits
Direct Deposit Payment Initiated Date – 2-4 Business Days to Post
00 – 20
April 28
21 – 75
May 9
76 – 99
May 16
Last 2 SSN Digits
Paper Checks
00 -09
May 9
10 – 18
May 23
19 – 25
May 30
26 – 38
June 6
39 – 51
June 13
52 – 63
June 20
64 – 75
June 27
76 – 87
July 4
88 – 99
July 11
Source: Internal Revenue Service”
Those who regularly receive FREE MONEY already know the drill.
BlueJay - meet at the WATER Center (Herman Hill Park) if you want to join the South Central Neighborhood Association group. Other groups will be working other areas - Sim Park Red Bridge, Exploration Place, Gander Mountain, Lincoln Street. The main check-in site is at Lawrence Dumont.
A couple of the bridges are real problems since the city does not routinely privide trash disposal options or pick-up. That is the reason for my ’side deal’ with KS-Sam.
OK Ben… I’ll see what I can do, that may be late enough in the morning to work. Maybe I can wake a teenager or two as well! I’ll tell the guys.. but with no transportation… who knows who will show up..
So go to LD first?
Thanks KS-Sam
BlueJay - just head to the WATER Center. I’ll be bringing stuff down.
In fact - an open invite to everyone: join in the river cleanup this saturday morning. 10 AM on the River.
McCain’s tax plan summarized here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/opinion/28krugman.html
McCain would make the Bush tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans permanent. He would eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax. He would sharply reduce corporate taxes. A continuation of Bush. He says nowhere, that I know of, his plan for reducing deficit spending and the debt.
I believe that both Obama and Clinton have said they would do away with the Bush tax cuts on the richest of Americans. I don’t know that either have said anything about the AMT - which we need for revenue - given our borrow and spend drunken spree that we have been on the last 7, nearly 8 years. Clinton has said recently that big oil needs to pay their fair share, so that is an indirect comment on corporate taxes, from her; don’t know Obama’s view on that.
To realize the tax cuts McCain says he wants, drastic cuts in government services will be required. [McCain should be asked what he intends to cut]. If we continue the “borrow and spend” strategy another 4 years, it is difficult to even imagine what things will look like.
In truth, I don’t think McCain has any plans to do any of what he is promising. It is a craven attempt to kiss up to the base. Who, in reality, will never really support him.
“Obama and Clinton have said they would do away with the Bush tax cuts on the richest of Americans.”
One said those making over 200K annually.
The other said those making over 250K annually.
“about the AMT - which we need for revenue”
That’s StevenDavis spin on things. WHY do we need that particular item for revenue? Why not end/reduce the EIC payments. That would bring in revenue too. The AMT hits millions of us. It is nasty in it’s bite. It is unfair, in that it takes new victims each year by surprise, and you cannot plan to avoid it. It also is no longer performing it’s original purpose for which the AMT law was enacted - keep rich from paying little or no tax. It is now a middle income to upper middle income tax. Hardly a rich tax. Again, keeping the painful and BIG surprise bite the AMT causes is your personal opinion. But it is as valuable as my opinion of ending the Unearned Income Credit as a means toward increasing revenue.
“Clinton has said recently that big oil needs to pay their fair share”
What’s “fair”? And consumers will pick up whatever that amount is. You think they will “eat” the increases in taxes and decreases to their bottom line? And who is BIG OIL, heh? Millions of Americans own equity, mutual funds, or other investments in BIG OIL. Additionally, Hillary said she would use that money to fund a number of projects to include: new entitlements and reduce greenhouse gases - so NO increase to revenue here.
“we continue the “borrow and spend” strategy another 4 years, it is difficult to even imagine what things will look like.”
Of course you have suggested increasing revenue. But is there nothing you would cut? Defense?
The solution to our financial crises is not simply to create more revenue, unless you live in a land of make believe. We have to cut spending. If you took every dollar the rich man makes: There isn’t enough to resolve the debt issue nor to fund the new entitlement programs you NEGLECTED to mention in your financial comparison post.
Get rid of :
the DOE
Homeland security
All of our foreign military bases
Bring all of our troops home.
Restructure and or eliminate the entitlement systems.
Close the Federal reserve and reclaim America’s billions. – Make the dollar worth something again.
Don’t bailout the banks nor the borrowers. The gov’t isn’t here for bail outs.
With just the listed above we could reduce personal revenue taxes by at least 50% and still have enough surplus to pay down the debt.
Talk about stimulating the economy huh?
Bush is such a Tool!
From his political speech today, “– Immediately violated his own pledge not to get involved in the presidential contest by asserting that McCain would be the victor. He was asked if he was concerned that his successor would not put enough emphasis on continuing the war on terrorism. “I don’t think John McCain is going to neglect the war on terror. And I do think he’s going to be president.”
It all boils down to these Socialist Democrats redistributing income, through an increasingly progressive tax system.
The Government becomes the vehicle to steal from the rich and give to the poor.
Boo hoo, I don’t make as much as you do! I want yours! Give it to me!
Must I bring out the tax tables again?!? The bottom 50% of tax filers, pay 3% of the total income tax. How much less tax do they want?
The top 50% of tax filers, pay 97% of the total income tax. How much more tax do you Socialists want them to pay to fund your welfare hand-out programs like national healthcare?
Oh, and how much more taxes be raised to try to fund the Social Security/Medicare train wreck? The end of the gravy-train railroad is now in sight - 2019.
Was his pledge not to get in the republican candidate debate?
It would be silly to think a president would not openly endorse his parties candidate in the final election.
Not that a Bush endorsement would matter……
Amway, Clinton and Obama have no real issues to talk about
Max I will say that none of them are really talking about the issues. If all three were passengers of the Titanic it would be going something like this,
Mc Cain: “Well we should just set in the deck chairs and wait and see just how far the ship sinks!”
Hillary: “The government should pay for the damage to the ship, pay for the damage to the ice berg, pay for the damage to the ego of the ship’s captain for running his ship into the ice berg, pay for the damage to the emotional state of the passengers as they die!”.
Obama: “It will be cheaper if the government pays for part of the damage to the ship, part of the damage to the ice berg, part of the damage to the Captain’s ego, part of the damage to the emotional state of the passengers“.
Some choices huh?
” fund the Social Security/Medicare train wreck? ”
Why Max, according the democrats when President Bush brought it up early in his second term - there IS no train wreck……….
And Hillary’s comment on taxing BIG OIL is an election year ploy. It sounds great because people are mad at the OIL COMPANIES and they are an easy target. But BIG OIL is not the solution to the mess we are in. Some are too stupid to realize this.
Bush brought up Social Security reform in his first term. Formed a commission to provide a recommendation and Congress did - Nothing. Not even this perfect Pelosi Congress has done anything - except for doubling the price of oil!
Just read Hillary’s web site looking for details on her tax increase plan. She keeps crowing, “Just go to my web site, you’ll see my plan there. Just go to my web site…”
Nuthin.
No details.
No wonder Clinton doesn’t discuss ISSUES!
Going to wash myself now and get Hillary’s webiste slime off of me.
The urge to Nationalize Big Oil is on the emotional level appealing in that because we are so depended on oil for our economy to survive. Many might see it as the only solution to the question of price and availability. But that in and of itself would be a mistake, though it is often used as a excuse more then a valid point. It is a valid point that research and development is a major cost of operation for an oil company.
Often to offset those cost, there is a dependency on importing oil rather then developing domestic sources.
Over taxing the profits of big oil is not the answer and would be simply passed on at the pimp. Kind of defeats the purpose huh? It is the same thinking of those that stated by raising the price on a pack of cigarettes would reduce the number of smokers and cause many to reduce their consumption. When all it means is that smokers are paying more for cigarettes.
Like wise the majority are not really changing their driving habit and are paying the going price for gas.
Max other then totally taking over oil, what can Congress do? I hate to admit it but add one more time I have to agree with Bush. Doing away with the fuel tax for a few months is pointless and political grandstanding. Just what can either the Republicans or Democrats do about oil?
“Like wise the majority are not really changing their driving habit and are paying the going price for gas.”
Yup. Even the global warming alarmists are not slowing down or driving any less.
We should be happy with high prices for energy. It will encourage the conservation that so many global warming environmentalists have been screaming for.
Ya got what you want! Now stop complaining about gas prices!
What? You didn’t expect to have to do anything yourselves? You expected someone else to pay the higher price, but not you? You expected someone else to conserve, but not you?
It is now YOUR TURN to conserve. Time to put YOUR money and action where your mouth is.
Ben, I have a question for you. There is a proposal before the city to eliminate grass clippings. What is your opinion of continuing to be able to dispose of clippings as long as they are not bagged? It seems to be that clippings alone would be helpful in breaking down other refuse. Am I wrong?
WriterDog I agree with much of your posts.
But:
“When all it means is that smokers are paying more for cigarettes.
Like wise the majority are not really changing their driving habit and are paying the going price for gas.”
I see these two as compariable in effect. But the increase to cigarettes is an artifical one not based upon supply and demand. And because the increase is in federal and state taxes (and not an increased cost of manufacturing), the smokers get to fund their governments pet projects. The increases revenue is NOT entirely going to reduce childhood smoking. Whereas, the increased cost for gas is going to all those involved in the oil industry (from station owner, distributor, oil suppliers).
WW - you do make a point in that if we actually had decent biology going on in a landfill grass clippings might help make stuff rot. However that is not the case. Since we dump so much non-biodegradeble stuff and also toxins they don’t really help.
Then we run into capacity problems. Why should I be charged the same fee as the guy who dumps 10 times as much?
What I would like to see is some sort of separate pickup of ‘organic’ material for composting. It might be useful to mix with sewage sludge for land reclamation.
“other then totally taking over oil, what can Congress do?”
Very little. In fact, their actions on CAFE standards DELAY’s any improvement for decades to come.
This is going to hurt: But the market is already having an effect. Did you see GM is closing four plants which build SUV’s and big pickups? DEMAND IS DOWN FOR BIG GAS GUZZLERS. Why? Because of higher gas prices.
This is going to be painful for many years, but the solution is right in front of us. We are addicted to oil. Unless we end the addiction, we will continue to send our dollars overseas to buy oil. The economy will be in shambles. We MUST START BUYING FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES. But no one need FORCE us. Nor regulate us.
Let the price hit $5.00 a gal..
Sounds cruel, but there isn’t anything government can do or is willing to do to avoid it.
Max - many of us scientists had already cut down gasoline consumption prior to the price runup.
I’ve posted several approaches before writerdog.
We have short-term immediate energy demand issues, and we have long-term energy demand issues. The long-term solutions are not there yet, so we need to buy some time - while developing alternatives.
SHORT-TERM
-Drill in Anwar, and Coastal Shelf, in USA.
-Build more nuke plants.
-Build new more efficient and cleaner coal plants, and phase-out the older dirtier plants.
-Increase wind power turbines.
-Conservation incentives. 50-cent additional gas tax. Gas/Electric surtax with 10% tax on the amount of your monthly utility bill that exceeds $200. Insulation/Home Conservation energy credits.
-Adding bus service that meets the needs of working people who commute suburbs to town - and back.
-Truck to Train to Truck plan. Posted this before. We spend billions on Interstate highways used mainly by trucks. Let’s divert some highway money to rails. Truck routes beyond 500 miles should not be necessary. Need high-speed rail, with rapid onload/offload regional hubs.
Saves: Fuel, Wear/tear on Roads, 7,500 lives killed today in accidents involving trucks, less pollution. Costs less then 1/4 to ship by rail, then by truck. Imagine reducing truck diesel fuel consumption by 75%! Translates to roughly 20% reduction in overall oil consumption in US.
OH MY GOSH!
ReguLiar has been discovered:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/78337
exactly, I was thinking the same thing about the other topic about Dole. It does not matter what others are saying or doing it is what the majority of people are doing and saying on an individual level. The same goes for this topic, Gas to high? Drive less, plan to get the maxim done while out and driving this is all nothing new and old replies. In reality there is nothing Government can do to really effect the price of gas. They may stop seeing it as a “cash Cow”, but what real effect would that have on consumption?
“That’s StevenDavis spin on things. WHY do we need that particular item for revenue?”
Duh, AmWay, we have a 9 Trillion (with a T) dollar debt. Unlike you, I am unwilling to mortage the souls of my grandchildren to the Chinese. I’ll let you do that, but no thank you, I do not want to do that.
The AMT was cooked up in the late 60’s, or early 70’s so that people had less of a chance to find tax loop holes. Back in the day, $250K/year, was some real money. In the late 60’s that amount was the same as $1 Million a year today.
If you have to pay that amount, I don’t blame you for pissing and moaning about it. But, even today, people making that amount have it relatively comfortable. Move to some other country if you can’t take that burden - there may be better deals out there, I don’t know.
Energy Solutions
LONG-TERM
-Continue Conservation incentives.
-Phase out or massively reduce oil/gas/coal/nuclear use
-Wind to Hyrdogen power - to fuel cars
-Garbage power (again posted on this before) pilot plants all over, with large plant now being built in Florida. Converts trash to energy, saves environment by reducing land/water pollution.
-Coastal Wave generators (posted on this before, pilots going on worldwide) along entire US shoreline, 5 miles offshore and out of sight. Cheap and clean and 24/7 power.
-Solar home development
-Neighborhood wind developement (1 wind tower shared by neighbors)
-Geothermal heating/cooling for home and business use
-Duck tape for politicians used to funnel hot air to power generators. Should be a 100% solution, for many problems.
Max - I agree with everything you list except the drilling to continue to feed the addiction and also the coal issue due to my science background.
“writerdog” asks –
“…other then totally taking over oil, what can Congress do?”
Lemme float this idea:
Using hypothetical numbers here, let’s
get nostalgic aboutassume oil is $100 a barrel and Big Oil registers a profit of, say, $10 a barrel. Fine. Groovy. Oil companies can reap billions and billions 10% profit.But that’s the problem: the price structure for developing, pumping, transporting, refining, and marketing oil is based on a percentage of oil’s cost; the higher the price of a barrel of oil, the more money for Exxon/Mobil, et al.
There’s absolutely no incentive for lower oil prices. Just the opposite, it’s to Big Oil’s benefit as the price of crude goes up.
Why not legislate the amount of profit an oil company can get based on another formula? Ten dollars a barrel. That way there’s no incentive for $120 oil. It doesn’t cost Mobil/Exxon more to refine and market $200 oil. But the windfall that comes with earning a percentage mark-up rather than a per-unit markup is paid for developing alternative energy sources and technologies.
When (failed oil man) George WMD
stoletook office office on January 20, 2001, the price of a gallon of gasoline was $1.46. (That was with what? $40-a-barrel crude?) As I recall, Mobil/Exxon wasn’t holding bake sales to keep afloat in 2001. But give them their (now) $10-a-barrel profit.At least it would but a check on speculators (of which Big Oil companies are major players).
Just a thought…
“Amway, Clinton and Obama have no real issues to talk about”
What I would like to see is a spreadsheet with the candidates positions on the issues for side-by-side comparison.
Not just the small ones we see in the newspaper from time to time.
But a excel type document which lists each appropriation budget (i.e. defense, Homeland Security, Dept of Agri.. etc..and include revenue projects) and under those headings each candidates position or the change they would make. The final column would contain the COST. This would be expressed as an amount with a credit indicator (+ or -). The bottom line in the amount column would be the net change from the current year budget position.
I think all the issues boil down to money. So why not express their position on each item, and the overall impact on the budget resources and deficit?
Long term - again, much agreement.
LOL what actually brought me to open thread this morning. Since past believes and actions seem more important then actual issues. For those needing more damning guilty by association, The Church of Christ!
For some time and I have been assured that it no longer follows the believe. BUT they did believe that ONLY those whom are members of the Church of Christ denomination. Would be the only one to go to Heaven! Sad news for all of us whom are Baptist, Jewish, Moslem, Catholic, you name it and we are damn to Hell. Wright’s Church and by association Obama are Church of Christ.
bth,
The oil/coal use would be short-term solutions for only the next 20 years or so.
We need to buy the time to develop the alternative long-term solutions. We will shut-down the American economy completely if we don’t have an interim solution.
Look at the sticker shock and complaining that we experience now with gas at $3.50/gal and food going up. Double or tripple that effect and you will see worldwide economic depression.
We need an interim solution to avoid that.
I often wonder, and maybe fear, that the truly well qualified and needed people of either party refuse to have their names associated with the stench of today’s politics. Todays crop are sadly lacking.
“Move to some other country if you can’t take that burden - there may be better deals out there, I don’t know.”
You know Steven, I say the same thing about the lower 50%. Stop the EIC.
It’s easy for you to say: TAX THAT OTHER GUY HE IS RICH!
But much harder for you to sacrifice yourself.
At least I asked you to find things to cut - to avoid taking the simpleton route of just taxing the rich more. (and if you read: They don’t have enough money if you took it ALL, to pay off the 9 trillion you throw around).
gster,
Why would the truly qualified put themselves thru the abuse of the papparazzi press today? The best and brightest are doing very well for themselves.
Why should The People who take little responsibility for themselves, expect someone else to take on that burden?
Max, I almost had a heart attack when I read one of YOUR lines:
“Conservation incentives. 50-cent additional gas tax. Gas/Electric surtax with 10% tax on the amount of your monthly utility bill that exceeds $200.”
What happens to the revenue?
-”Adding bus service that meets the needs of working people who commute suburbs to town - and back.”
No one rides the bus. Maybe, maybe if gas hits $5.00 a gallon. Plus. I like trains. Just like Japan. Too expensive now to build with right-of-way costs. But the bus sucks. I’m a type A. Cannot handle the stress of all the stops……
AmWay, if all the working people left, Steven and his kind would actually have to take on responsibility for themselves - for the first time.
The Libs don’t really want to encourage the successful working people to leave the country. Though it is tempting. I know where there’s some beautiful cheap land in Canada, Panama, and Eastern Europe.
“MaxGrobnik” proposes –
- “… Gas/Electric surtax with 10% tax on the amount of your monthly utility bill that exceeds $200. Insulation/Home Conservation energy credits….”
Hmmm.
Sounds like typical leftist liberal commie pinko socialist Democrat tax-the-rich policy to me, “MaxGrobnik.”
I have a big house. It’s insulated to within an inch of its life, I have heating and air conditioning units with absolutely the highest efficiency rating available (when I bought ‘em, anyway. But it’s a big house. I can’t remember a utility bill under $200 in, like, forever. But you “MaxGrobnik” want to surtax me 10%. You, “MaxGrobnik” want to (how is it you guys put it?) steal money from my pocket simply because I have a big house.
You damned leftist liberal commie pinko socialist, you.
I never could understand these personal liberty types complaining about the sin taxes when you can grow it or make it yourself. Save money better quality, sense of accomplishment.
http://www.beer-brewing.com/
http://tobaccotalk.itgo.com/
AmWay, the additional tax revenue would be used to pay for the tax incentives which would be used to encourage the short and long-term solutions I listed above.
The bus service, I agree no one uses those today. But if we had true bus service for working people to and from suburbs running every 15 minutes during morning and evening rush hours, people would use them, especially if gas is $5/gal.
Costs me $7 a day just in gas right now at $3+/gal.
Our bus service today is geared toward inner cities, welfare routes, on-call service - in other words for non-working people.
It’s our tax money, we can change the bus service provided. Divert those inner city routes to the morning/evening rush hours for working people, and use the same existing resources in a more efficient manner.
Yeah Monkeyman, you want to encourage conservation - as long as somebody ELSE pays for it!
AmWay,
Why do the filthy rich need more? How many houses, cars, jewels, etc. do they need? They have no reason to complain about the price of gas or food. They can buy pretty much whateer they want…except a ticket to heaven.
Compare to those on the lower end of the tax bracket. Sometimes through no fault of their own, the opposite is true of them.
I also think Jesus would disagree wtih you. If you think he got po’d in the temple, just think what he’d think of the greedy rich.
Ben,
The Trinity “concept” coincided with their being only one God. It’s doesn’t go against it.
If you actually grasped the concept then there is no contradiction in Christ being the Savior with the verse given by regular to start this thread.
Mary,
Just as much, if not more, death and destruction can be attributed to Atheism, Secular Humanism or the like.
Religion is not the problem. Evil people are the problem.
If not religion they will use WHATEVER they can to gain more power.
Nathan - I understand that. I was simply noting that there are those who are at least as qualified as you who disagree with your position on the Trinity. Remember, I also grew up with the Trinity concept.
“I can’t remember a utility bill under $200 in, like, forever. But you “MaxGrobnik” want to surtax me 10%. You, “MaxGrobnik” want to (how is it you guys put it?) steal money from my pocket simply because I have a big house.”
Why Monkeyhawk: You sound just like a rich man!!!!
Predestined
Posted April 29, 2008 at 1:01 pm | Permalink
AmWay,
Why do the filthy rich need more?
Read slowly: BECAUSE IT IS NOT YOUR MONEY!!!!
WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO TELL PEOPLE HOW MUCH THEY ARE ENTITLED TO AND TO CALL THEM “FILTHY” FOR MAKING IT!?!?!
” also think Jesus would disagree wtih you.”
JESUS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. IN FACT, HE COULDN’T GIVE A RAT’S ASS ABOUT THIS. THAT AIN’T WHAT HE IS ABOUT….Besides, I tithe my 10%. THE BIG GUY NEVER ASKED ME FOR MORE!
“I was simply noting that there are those who are at least as qualified as you who disagree with your position on the Trinity. Remember, I also grew up with the Trinity concept.”
Sounds like me.
WTF??????????
Disneyland-Style Theme Park Set for Baghdad. Honest to God
[Llewellyn] Werner, chairman of C3, a Los Angeles-based holding company for private equity firms, is pouring millions of dollars into developing the Baghdad Zoo and Entertainment Experience, a massive American-style amusement park that will feature a skateboard park, rides, a concert theatre and a museum. It is being designed by the firm that developed Disneyland. “The people need this kind of positive influence. It’s going to have a huge psychological impact,” Mr Werner said.
The 50-acre (20 hectare) swath of land sits adjacent to the Green Zone and encompasses Baghdad’s existing zoo, which was looted, left without power and abandoned after the American-led invasion in 2003…
Mr Werner, who has been sold a 50-year lease on the site by the Mayor of Baghdad for an undisclosed sum, says that the time is ripe for the amusement park. “I think people will embrace it. They’ll see it as an opportunity for their children regardless if they’re Shia or Sunni. They’ll say their kids deserve a place to play and they’ll leave it alone.”
The project will cost $500 million (£250 million) and will be managed by Iraqis. Under the terms of the lease, Mr Werner will retain exclusive rights to housing and hotel developments, which he says will be both culturally sensitive and enormously profitable. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t making money,” he said. “I also have this wonderful sense that we’re doing the right thing – we’re going to employ thousands of Iraqis. But mostly everything here is for profit.”
A $1 million skateboard park, the first phase of the development, will open in July.
Re Predestined’s 1:01 post…
Here here and amen!
Ben, Understood. We really NEED a recycling program to reduce the waste going into the landfill. We now take our recyclables to the bins at Leekers. I also agree about the usage fees. Many times I have only one or two bags of trash in the dumpster, and my b/f argues why even take it to the street? I don’t have much to throw away in the winter, however not being able to get rid of some yard waste is going to be a burden for me. I have 35 trees and one acre. I burn most of the tree limbs in the fireplace and already have a huge compost pile even though I use it in the garden. I have more yard waste than I can use, so I hate to see not having some sort of outlet.
What’s depressing is the poll the WE has where 37% say they’ll dump wherever they can find a spot.
“Compare to those on the lower end of the tax bracket. Sometimes through no fault of their own, the opposite is true of them.”
So BECAUSE it isn’t their FAULT, that gives you a right to steal more money from those who are “filthy” rich?
Because you are poor, you have a right to MY MONEY?
Where the H is that written? (Other than by Karl Marx)
Upon review, I see I have let the HAVE NOT’s demanding more of other peoples money get to me.
I let the beggars with a hand stretched out full of nothing and a mouth full of “gimmee” affect my self discipline and control.
In short I let you make me mad. Sorry for the caps.
Going to chill out.
I’ll see ya at the water place ben.
Wichi?
Mulch your grass clippings back into the yard. A mower is also good at making fallen leaves go back to the Earth.
Best place for this I guess.
Obama has done about the only thing he could do.
He has announced that he is shocked and hurt and feels betrayed and used by his pastor. Well he’s got a right to be. I’m not for Obama but I felt bad he was the victim of his egomaniac and probably racist pastor.
Randy Schofield Obama damage control thread in
3
2
1
Anyone know if that soil they sell at the landfill is good for anything, say a garden? I figure it’d have a lot of good stuff in it, but would be concerned with all the chemicals that would probably also be there.
Blue Jay,
I am using a mulch blade now but the leaves of 35 trees is a bit too much mulch for the yard. Too much will kill the little grass I have convinced to grow. And in some places I just let the leaves stay.
Yeah that’s a lot of trees and the attendant leaves ok.
I join your call. There should be distributed public collection places for yard recycling material. Maybe in the parks?
And here is another chance among interested folks to plug the ProKs Miller recycling center.
Did you know you can recycle almost everything there? After visiting there, I am throwing almost nothing away.
“Compare to those on the lower end of the tax bracket. Sometimes through no fault of their own, the opposite is true of them.”
What if it IS their fault they are in the lower end of the tax backet, do they still get handouts? And who decides whether it is their fault or not?
Maybe it’s not the rich man’s fault that he is rich either! Maybe it’s not the rich man’s fault that there are poor people, so is it still OK to punish the rich man to reward the poor?
(Ah, but the Libs have to have someone to blame, other then themselves!)
I get really confused by these Socialists who want to steal money from one group of people and give to another group of people. How do they decide how much to steal from who? And how do they decide how much to give to whoever?
And who is “they”? The elitist ones in Government are so smart. I wonder why we still have poverty 50 years after LBJ launched the war on poverty.
And the Monkey complains about a 10% Conservation Tax on the portion of the untility bill above $200!
Poor guy.
If his utility bill was $300, he’d pay a whopping $10 Conservation Tax on the excessive energy he used.
He’s rich enough to afford that.
We mulch everything also but it will be a problem in our neighborhood because we see several people who bag grass clippings every week. We see some that dump them in the street and let them wash down the storm sewers.
We had a neighborhood meeting last night to address the problem of grass clippings. We are going to try to have a central dumping point with an approved container for compost. There are more things to worry about than I realized such as being combustable.
Anyone with any good ideas we would welcome.
#
MaxGrobnik
Posted April 29, 2008 at 2:29 pm | Permalink
“Compare to those on the lower end of the tax bracket. Sometimes through no fault of their own, the opposite is true of them.”
What if it IS their fault they are in the lower end of the tax backet, do they still get handouts? And who decides whether it is their fault or not?
Maybe it’s not the rich man’s fault that he is rich either! Maybe it’s not the rich man’s fault that there are poor people, so is it still OK to punish the rich man to reward the poor?
(Ah, but the Libs have to have someone to blame, other then themselves!)
I get really confused by these Socialists who want to steal money from one group of people and give to another group of people. How do they decide how much to steal from who? And how do they decide how much to give to whoever?
And who is “they”? The elitist ones in Government are so smart. I wonder why we still have poverty 50 years after LBJ launched the war on poverty.
=================================================
Man, I’ve read everything now. I don’t have to look any further for enlightenment anymore: Max has it all right there in his itty-bitty mind. How dare us Liberals think we can help people in need. Why, the very thought of it must put Max and his merry band of Neocon nitwits would rather have em just lined up and shot. After all, if they’re poor, they must be both stupid and lazy, so what does the world need with people like that?
Never mind their jobs may now be overseas, or a market took a turn for the worse, forcing massive layoffs, Max and his merry band of Neocon nitwits has just the answer for them.
Yep, birth em, throw em out in the cold, and let em fend for themselves: the Neocon creed.
Way to go, Max, you are indeed a credit to fools everywhere.
” How dare us Liberals think we can help people in need”
Be my guest. Why do you have to steal to do it? If liberals are so looking out for the little guy or down on his luck guy, why don’t y’all finace them out of your own pocket? Why do you have to steal from someone else’s pocket to get your warm fuzzy?
“How dare us Liberals think we can help people in need.”
JM, who the hell is “WE”?
How dare YOU take from ME to give to YOURSELF! Another do-gooder liberal, willing to help out as long as he doesn’t have to pay for it himself!
Grass Clippings
* Mow regularly
* 1/3 rule - If grass is three inches long, mow off the top 1/3
* For taller grass that leaves clippings, rake up and spread across yard right before next mowing, so it can be mulched in with other clippings
You go too far Walker: I am no card carrying bleeding heart by any stretch of the imagination. But paying taxes is not a punishment. It is a responsibility. Your taxes paid for my salary when I was in the Army. So let’s realize that you are not stating some absolute axiom here. Taxes and spending should be lower than they once were so that there is no abuse of the system. All agree on that. Now if your going to invoke the spirit of stealing tax dollars and abuse. I think you should also explain the pathetic accountability of Haliburton. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. (Deja Vu)
Oops, sorry walker. I misread. That was for Max.
Agreed regular - to which I add occassionally harvest the grass if it is long enough to use as a soil amendment in the gardens.
and …
In the summer, when it is so blazing hot, it is SO much easier to just mow it down and not have to deal with the bags and all that. The returned clippings help the lawn survive the heat/dry of summer.
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MaxGrobnik
Posted April 29, 2008 at 2:52 pm | Permalink
“How dare us Liberals think we can help people in need.”
JM, who the hell is “WE”?
How dare YOU take from ME to give to YOURSELF! Another do-gooder liberal, willing to help out as long as he doesn’t have to pay for it himself!
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Max, you’re the moron that would bypass a dying man in the street because it might cost you something.
And “WE” does not refer to you: you don’t belong.
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SolDevVB
Posted April 29, 2008 at 2:44 pm | Permalink
” How dare us Liberals think we can help people in need”
Be my guest. Why do you have to steal to do it? If liberals are so looking out for the little guy or down on his luck guy, why don’t y’all finace them out of your own pocket? Why do you have to steal from someone else’s pocket to get your warm fuzzy?
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But we do, sol. It’s called charity. Obviously you haven’t heard of it. And when charity falls short, as it sometimes does, as in Katrina, then the government is called upon to help. I won’t ask you to understand, as the box you Neocons live in is fully insulated from the real world, but sometimes public funds are needed for something other than floating big business, and waging a war in some tin-pot country (Iraq) in the name of terrorism. How many billions spent on killing people? How many billions NOT spent on saving them.
Didn’t figure you knew what charity was as you assumed the government should provide all to all. And maybe the ‘help’ should fall short. Maybe it should just miss covering those it is given to. Maybe they should have to reach a little further and help themselves.
But I wouldn’t expect you to understand that. Since you feel the government should pay for everything. Pay for it with the money of the successful.
You wonder why companies are outsourcing and moving overseas? You want to know why the Cayman Islands ‘host’ so many businesses. T A X E S. But go right ahead and raise taxes some more, disproportionately. Watch how many more people move their money out of the country. What then?
Hey J M Walker, how many of those first church of atheism organized and went down to New Orleans to help?
We all know that those Atheists just line up at home less shelters to pitch in right?
Ask Kansas Sam about that. You know all those do-gooder Progressive, constantly whining Liberals pitch in and help him out with the homeless.
Maybe a Liberal Hollywood actor or two? You know who will whine about charity, then spend two million dollars on a wedding or build their lavish underground boogie studio which they invite their drug taking friends.
And throwing Katrina in there? An absolute and utter failure on the LOCAL government. That would be a liberal government mind you. They totally fail their people and you blame the rich for not giving more. The taxes should have been higher.
How about you look at the beginning of the problem first? They had no effective plan. The plan they had was not carried out. Then the stood and looked at Washington. Yeah, let’s all give the idiot mayor and governor a free pass. Let’s pass all the blame on to FEMA.
“Hey J M Walker, how many of those first church of atheism organized and went down to New Orleans to help?”
Atheism is the only thing rebuilding homes. Unless you can show me and example of divine intervention or a house spontaneously building itself as a result of prayer then all the work is being done by hands working, not hands praying.
Maggot,
Atheism is a worldview. It could hardly be described as what is rebuilding homes.
A better question is to ask, who do you think sent more aid, people, and money to help?
Atheist groups or Religous one?
What is it in an Athiest world view which calls upon others to be compassionate and who sets those standards? Who says what is right and wrong by Athiesm standards?
“Hey J M Walker, how many of those first church of atheism organized and went down to New Orleans to help?”
He’s right, Mr. Walker. Why J M went down to Mississippi to help and never came back.
A good Christian man, he is, Mr. Walker.
He went down to Mississippi and never returned.
And what is that Atheist world view Nathan? Extending a lack of belief in deities to anything else is pure hyperbole on your part.
According to the Christian authority Hagee your gods inflicted the disaster upon Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama as a result of a parade in New Orleans. So it looks like religion is to blame. And now humans, without god, must go in and repair the damage.
So how many gods are repairing homes and how many gods buried the dead who cried out to non-existent gods for help before the water filled their lungs?
Hagee speaks only for those Christians who allow him to. I don’t think his comments on Katrina were theologically sound. Just his opinion.
But really Maggot, “Atheism is the only thing rebuilding homes”?????
Maggot,
If you don’t know what a world view is, how Athiesm is one, or what the world view of Athiesm basically says, then perhaps you shouldn’t be in this discussion.
Who to blame the rising oil prices on?
Fox News
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., laid blame of rising gas prices at the feet of Democrats, speaking with reporters.
“The top issue in the country these days is the price of gas at the pump. It’s gone up $1.25 since the Democrats took over the Congress. Gasoline today at the pump is $1.25 more, on average, than it was when the Democrats took over Congress.
Why is that a good place to measure? Because during that period, we’ve had an opportunity to build more refineries, and the Democratic majority voted it down. … On the production side of the equation, this new majority is not interested in doing anything,” McConnell said.
Nice switch play there Con. The dems will vote down anything that allows the big oil companies to beg for more corporate welfare and enormous profits…which is what I expect them to do. I also expect dems to vote FOR renewable energy development on a large scale…something the republicans will vote against.
Maggotpunk
Posted April 29, 2008 at 4:00 pm | Permalink
And what is that Atheist world view Nathan? Extending a lack of belief in deities to anything else is pure hyperbole on your part.
According to the Christian authority Hagee your gods inflicted the disaster upon Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama as a result of a parade in New Orleans. So it looks like religion is to blame. And now humans, without god, must go in and repair the damage.
———————————-
Maggot where were you when many churches did do just that. My son and 15 men from his church in Colorado Springs, rented a truck at there own expense, loaded it with all of the tools they had, took a month of accrued vacations from their jobs and worked in the NO area for over a month. Stripping houses from the outside walls in. Removing trees that were on top of houses, cleaning up stuff most of us would gag just being around. Where were you and the other athesists?
Their God was there with them and all of the other workers from churches all over the US. They bunked in church basements, slept on the floor and ate Red Cross food.
You guys need to find another mantra this one is tired.
That pinko-commie-liberal-leftist-socialist “MaxGrobnik” whines –
“..the Monkey complains about a 10% Conservation Tax on the portion of the untility bill above $200!
Poor guy.
If his utility bill was $300, he’d pay a whopping $10 Conservation Tax on the excessive energy he used.
He’s rich enough to afford that.”
Ah! Now it’s okay to tax the rich?
Nathan - there is no such thing as the “world view” of atheism. Each atheist has his or her own view of things. That is the whole point - there IS no heirarchy.
You might be able to claim to speak for Christians but you certainly cannot speak for atheists.
Ben,
There are varying degrees of an individuals world view, but they have one.
Atheism is a world view. Each individual can and does have a variation within it, but the ultimate definition of what makes someone an Athiest is what also gives them that foundation for their world view.
This is basic philosophy stuff here.
Nathan - I know a number of atheists - their views vary all over the place. I also know Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists - and again I cannot define a ‘world view’ to which they adhere.
Perhaps it is just a bit beyond basic.
Regular
Posted April 29, 2008 at 2:53 pm | Permalink
Grass Clippings
* Mow regularly
* 1/3 rule - If grass is three inches long, mow off the top 1/3
* For taller grass that leaves clippings, rake up and spread across yard right before next mowing, so it can be mulched in with other clippings
******
This guy is lecturing us on how to mow and he doesn’t even have an effing yard.
Typical.
My neighbor told me to mow really really slow and it would mulch the grass on its own. And he had one of the most beautiful lawns in the whole neighborhood.
Ben,
You obviously don’t understand what a world view is then.
If you are an Athiest, you deny the existence of a God. Everything else you see in the world would then reject anything from God.
That is about as basic as I can get.
As I said, Athiesm would be a large foundation from which many of your ideas, thoughts, and the way you see things come from.
Hence, why it is called a world view.
No nathan - it is you who obviously doesn’t have a clue about anyone’s beliefs other than your own. Your ignorance is exceeded only by your know-it-all arrogance.
Gee, you are the world’s expert at philosophy, science, literature, …
Anything you are NOT an expert at?
“World view”
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/worldview
Ben,
This has nothing to do with my beliefs. It has to do with understanding what a world view is.
Either you have something constructive to add to the conversation or you don’t.
Looks like all you are left with is the name calling and personal attacks.
You could be a bit more graceful with admitting you are wrong, but I have not come to expect much from you liberals.
Atheism >>>>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism
Thank you Chas, I was actually about to post that link myself.
“Western atheism has its roots in pre-Socratic Greek philosophy, but did not emerge as a distinct world-view until the late Enlightenment.”
How dare they call atheism a world view!
“bth” asked “Nathan” –
“Anything you are NOT an expert at?”
Grammar, for one thing.
“Maggot where were you when many churches did do just that. My son and 15 men from his church in Colorado Springs, rented a truck at there own expense, loaded it with all of the tools they had, took a month of accrued vacations from their jobs and worked in the NO area for over a month. Stripping houses from the outside walls in. Removing trees that were on top of houses, cleaning up stuff most of us would gag just being around. Where were you and the other athesists?”
How does all your wealth and free time reflect on my Atheism?
I planted some trees last week, where were you and your church?
Atheism is pretty simple. One guy says he believes in a deity, the other guy says he doesn’t. The guy who says he doesn’t is an Atheist. Now how is that a world view?
That’s like saying not believing in unicorns is a world view. Sure the Bible says unicorns are real so I better use a different example, dragons, satyrs, avian bats, four legged beetles, hmmmm. Okay, little green men living on Mars. Not believing that is a world view apparently, so Nathan, enlighten me on how that is a world view.
Maggot,
I already explained it in my simple terms. Chas has provided several links.
Read them. Learn something.
C’mon Nathan, how does not believing in little green men on Mars form a world view? It’s your silly claim, I’d just like to understand. Chas presented something which comple