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Scientists Challenge U.S. on Scientific Distortions
rocketjam writes "The Union of Concerned Scientists, an independent organization which includes 20 Nobel laureates, issued a statement accusing the Bush administration of distorting scientific fact and supressing findings to fit administration policy decisions on the environment, health, biomedical research and nuclear weaponry. They also issued a 37-page report detailing the accusations. Bush's science adviser, John Marburger, called the report biased and said he was troubled that some very prestigious scientists had signed the statement. Numerous complaints from the scientific community about the administration's scientific policy-making prompted the The Union of Concerned Scientists to begin investigating the issue last summer. As an example, the group noted the panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control on lead poisoning had been prepared to recommend strengthening regulations due to new findings on lead toxicity, but had their recommendation rejected by the administration and two panel members replaced by individuals with ties to the lead industry." Other articles: Sydney Morning Herald, New York Times, The Guardian.
Sorry to play a sad depressing tune here, but the flat tax idea is all well and good, unless you're living off of 20k a year. The reason we have an 'unfair' scale is because whichever combination of laws etc that govern wages allows even hard-working people to make a poverty level 'living'. Explain to me, without the 'contributing to the gov will give them pride' crap, why someone making 20k/yr doing fulltime hard work should have to pay 15%. If you and your spouse make that much, and you have a couple kids, how the h*ll bad would you feel that some 6 figure 'worker' has to pay a higher percentage?
Borg Gates and I both receive the same benefits from government, he just has to pay a helluva lot more. We're protected by the same tanks, ships, and planes. Our food is inspected by the same people. Our drugs are approved by the same tests. Our SS "funds" are administered by the same bureaucrats. Why does Gates (and pretty much 50% of taxpayers) have to pay more than I do for the same services? He has to pay more just because he makes more.
Even with a flat tax it isn't fair, because 10% of "billions and billions" is way more than 10% of my pittance.
You should feel bad if someone pays more taxes than you because they're getting ripped off more than you. But instead of worrying about how much your neighbor is or isn't paying, you should start wondering why the government needs to steal all this money in the first place.
Save me Jeabus!
As for kids...hey, you chose to have them. If you can't afford them, you shouldn't have them. If you do...then deal with the fact you have to make sacrifices. Why should you pay less because you chose to have one or more kids? Its not fair that a single person or childless couple should have to pay 'more' in taxes, and you pay less. Look at it this way. Say we both pay $10 each paycheck that goes to public education. You want a tax break for a child. So, now, I still pay the $10...and you pay nothing. Why is this the case that I'm paying for a resource that you are not paying for...but, ARE using, and I am not.
A fair taxation scheme is needed...but, not a income redistribution scheme...
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
Sheesh. Give the minority/majority thing a rest, willya? Presidents are frequently elected with a minority of votes. Clinton won with 43.3% in '92. Electoral politics are pretty much rigged anyway, so the fact that SCOTUS decided to call 2000 for the side that would end electoral uncertainity fastest shouldn't be surprising.
If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.