Eliminating the mortgage interest deduction would only work if the tax code were restructured so as to be tax netural to most families. What can be done is to limit the mortgage interest deduction so that the average middle class family is 100% covered and people like Bill Gates with their insanely expensive castles can deduct only a percentage of their mortgage interest. Also second homes would not be covered at all.
The tax breaks on the very rich need to be gotten rid of, however you should get a tax deduction on any money that you give away to charity.
As I posted before...lets get rid of ALL deductions...reduce the tax on everyone to what's really owed by eliminating all loopholes. More of the flat/fair tax type thing...
We could stop the govt from trying to manipulate behavior through taxes too....just let us pay taxes for the funding of basic constitutionally prescribed services and let that be it.
Taxation shouldn't be a vehicle for the govt to try to tell you how to behave.
No mortgage deductions, no child tax credits, nothing...but lower the tax on everyone since the govt would be catching more money from everyone since it would be more of a level playing field, and everyone would have a stake in the payment of the country.
No reason that about 49% of the population is not paying any net federal tax at all....I mean, if you're working, get real...pay SOMETHING.
Frankly, I'd like to take things further than you mentioned.
I'd like to see a more flat/fair tax implemented....and NO deductions whatsoever....!
The govt figures what they need to function, divvy it up and we all pay. And I don't think anyone working should be 100% exempt..everyone can afford to throw in at least $1-$5. That way, everyone has some skin in the game.
This way, everyone pays a more reasonable tax...no more 'loopholes', and finally, the federal govt will STOP using taxation as a means to try to mold citizen behavior via the deduction, etc.
With the tax savings many of us would realize in the middle class with such a system, home ownership would be easier.
But I'm all for no deductions at all....and then figure the realistic tax needed.
Er, there's a rather large country with lots of open spaces right next door, that someone might consider as a viable option to the US or Europe. You know, Canada...
Nice country, and generally friendly people too...but just too fucking cold up there.....
yes, they are simply going to print more money. no problem involved...they are doing it from a long time now...
But still...so far, we're still doing better than much of the EU which is going down the tubes...
And I can't imagine wanting to live in India or China...from the images I've seen of the general living conditions in each of those countries, I don't think I'd care to live there!! If nothing else, recent articles about India's problems with energy infrastructure.
I kinda go back to an old saying I hears..."...sure the US sucks, but it sucks a whole lot less than it sucks everywhere else in the world.
I'm quite pessimistic these days about the US economy...the printing of money and all as you've alluded to, but hell...I can't imagine it will be a lot better anywhere else in the world at the point in time.
I'm worried about the current administrations spending like a drunken sailor on shore leave....I hope it gets better next year, but I'm not sure of that. It would likely take a bunch of the politicians that cared about the US...to get in there, and not worry about re-election, and vote and do what has to be done.
Those steps would be unpopular with many, but to save the US economy in the long run, we're gonna have to cut a LOT of spending, and a lot of that is social programs, there's just no two ways about it. Medicare will likely go bankrupt in the near future if nothing is done.
And likely any thing seriously done to fix it...will not get you re-elected, but man...someone....actually a large group of folks need to get into office by whatever means....and sacrifice their political careers and fix things.
But, even with that diatribe....I can't see it being any better outside the US. Quality of life and all is still great here, better than what I've seen when I've been outside the country.
I can attest to this...they are FANTASTIC keyboards. I'm about to start buying a couple more for my other computers to replace current flimsy ones that came with them.
I couldn't hear an IBM Type M keyboard even if I had one. I listen to radio or audiobooks while at work, so I just use whatever keyboard comes with my computer. It's pretty quiet.
LOl...I also bought one of these NOS Ibm Type M keyboards a listed above...I LOVE the thing.
I bought it for home use, but brought it to work at first to try it out.
I didn't hear any complaints, but I *did* hear a lot of comments on how loud it was over there...or how much and fast I was typing..etc.
Its pretty loud, especially if you're pretty quick on the keyboards and I tend to click keys pretty hard too.
If you didn't have in-canal earbuds and you sat next to me on one...I'd almost guarantee you would hear me.
:)
I took it home...and love the thing. I still might buy a 2nd one to bring up to work....just for fun...hahaha.
Screw it...I just set them out with the rest of the trash.
If someone doesn't come in the night and grab it (usually happens, there must be tons of dumpster divers in the NOLA area)...then, the garbage man conveniently hauls it away for me, and I have room to buy new stuff.
But seriously, I've almost never had an old computer or monitor (even the old, broken 21" Sun CRTs I used to have) ever last in the trash piled out front long enough for the trash guys to get. I guess you could call that a form of recycling.
The problem is that those shows were made for children, and broadcasting them now means that some number of children, especially younger children, are going to see them (probably over and over, if the parents DVR them). And the last thing we should be doing is broadcasting cartoons with racist jokes in them to those children.
You know...myself and anyone my age..grew up with those cartoons...and somehow...we're not all damaged....why would todays kids be any different...are they more stupid now and need to be protected somehow?
No, he means that, collectively speaking, we wish to live in a society where making fun of people based on their race isn't funny anymore.
I don't see anything wrong with that type of humor....we all have stuff about us that is funny about us.
I suppose that it is only ok today..to make fun of white guys, I mean, they're the only ones portrayed as dufusses on commercials and sitcoms these days...
People..get over it...we all have stuff funny about us..Whites, Blacks, Orientals, Hispanics...etc...
Wrong, american audiences are offended. The rest of world is not offended by this B-series film.
And frankly speaking, if Song of the South is banned, then they should also ban Gone with the Wind and the Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Stupid country, unable to cope rationally with your past.
Amen!
In the US, this is another example of political correctness gone overboard.
What the old saying about people not learning from mistakes in the past are bound to repeat them in the future?
Then again...look at Germany, banning most anything Nazi connected....I believe similar type bans happen in other EU countries too?
But seriously....this is a part of US history, and should not be suppressed. I remember seeing old Bugs Bunny cartoons...people got blown up into 'blackface'....if they even show these episodes on tv, these parts are usually edited...
Why? This is part of history, and people should know what attitudes were publicly held and presented to see how much we've changed over the years.
Is that because hard-core geeks randomly grab your crotch or come up and lick you? If not, comparing your discomfort to that of women at DEFCON is like telling someone who is currently being threatened with death by the Mafia that sometimes your boss threatens to fire you. Not the same thing.
What they probably left out was...that these women were dressed like they were 'asking for it'.
I'm not sure which world you live in, but you can either have non-govt provided healthcare (so you pay $$$ or pay insurance $$$) or you can have govt provided healthcare (in which case, you pay with taxes).
What other choices are there, other than fairy dust and unicorn horns?
I think an integration of both sides.
We already have medicare for the elderly, and medicaid for the poor....
For the rest of us, do a few things I think:
1. Allow insurance to be sold across state lines, like auto insuracne....open it up to more competition and that should help lower prices a good bit.
2. Especially for the young...and I'm not young and I'd prefer this...rather than tighten down things like HSA (not FSA which is use it or lose it) allow people to sock away a good bit of money pre-tax into Health Savings Accounts....for their routine care. Why should people not save for routine care just like they save for groceries, utilities...etc. If you combine this with a higher deductible insurance policy, ONLY to be used for catastrophic needs (this used to be called Major Medical)....and that way your covered for something catastrophic....but routine care is paid for by you...allowing you to shop around for doctors, etc....opening up competition there a bit too.
Way back before HMO's and all came about....prices weren't running away...its when you put bean counters in as middle men along with insurance, where things got out of hand.
3. Take employers out of the chain.....why should medical insurance be tied to employment...that ties people down to jobs....
I think something along those lines would help. It keeps the govt out of the decision making...but allows for people to save on their own, and encourages it through tax breaks...I supposed if the govt were to be involved more...maybe a minimum HSA deduction would be mandated by employment...but the person would be in charge of it, and it would stay with them no matter who they work for.
...but won't even make it on a list of "bad" presidents any more than Carter does, who was bad, and quite hated at the time, but now largely just ignored.
I dunno...Carter is still held in most dialogs, as being a bad president.
As for health care fiasco...I think he screwed the pooch on the insurance companies as you said...but, I wouldn't have wanted a single payer system either.
There's got to be a much better way than either of those two paths...something that does NOT put the federal or state govt in between me and my doctor with regard to my medical care. But, that's another argument.
The abomination that is the current "affordable health care act" has just made a bad situation worse....and we're not going to see the full effect of its badness for years to come, sadly....until well after Obama is out.
As for any of Bush's policies he tried to gracefully end....exactly which one was that? Recalling the Patriot Act? Repealing immunity for the Telcos after illegal wiretaps? Closing Guitmo?
Hmm....I've not seen him really repeal anything much to tell the truth....and yet, some people still can support him?
When did Americans lose all of their self-respect? You shouldn't be asking for jobs, you should be looking to start your own small business. Entrepreneurs and small businesses... that's what made America great a few generations ago
Government bureaucracy, red tape, endless forms, tax rules for local, federal and state are complex...various things you have to constantly file at different regular time periods....endless regulations, fees.....they all harm small businesses.
Your large corps can easily run whole depts dedicated to this..but a small or single person business has to spend an inordinate amount of time doing this shit, rather than time better spend on his business doing service, manufacturing or helping customers....
and honestly we don't need their jobs. Eliminate the rich and their "jobs" and the economy will recover faster. because small business men will jump in to fill the void. treating the employees better, creating a far superior product, and overall doing a far better job at it.
Trouble is...where people today are trying to define as 'rich'.
They're hitting couples making $250K....that isn't rich by a long fucking shot....that is level of people trying to make and run small businesses.
I'm hearing people now trying to bring that number down to $200K. In some parts of the US, that is a good bit of money, in other parts...that isn't going to get you a 2 bedroom apt on the safe side of town.
True, but if he was replaced by Rmoney, it would be change for the worse.
Seriously?
How could it possibly get WORSE?!? We're at the bottom now with reference to the leadership of this country. Obama is seriously giving the worst presidents in US history a race to the bottom to be the worst ever....and that's saying a LOT.
Well, he certainly couldn't do any worse than the current administration on virtually any front you wished to discuss.
At this point...I'd vote a small soap dish in over the current incumbent president. I mean, even a bowl of soup at this point would be an improvment...I can't see anywhere to go but UP from where we are now.
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As I posted before...lets get rid of ALL deductions...reduce the tax on everyone to what's really owed by eliminating all loopholes. More of the flat/fair tax type thing...
We could stop the govt from trying to manipulate behavior through taxes too....just let us pay taxes for the funding of basic constitutionally prescribed services and let that be it.
Taxation shouldn't be a vehicle for the govt to try to tell you how to behave.
No mortgage deductions, no child tax credits, nothing...but lower the tax on everyone since the govt would be catching more money from everyone since it would be more of a level playing field, and everyone would have a stake in the payment of the country.
No reason that about 49% of the population is not paying any net federal tax at all....I mean, if you're working, get real...pay SOMETHING.
I'd like to see a more flat/fair tax implemented....and NO deductions whatsoever....!
The govt figures what they need to function, divvy it up and we all pay. And I don't think anyone working should be 100% exempt..everyone can afford to throw in at least $1-$5. That way, everyone has some skin in the game.
This way, everyone pays a more reasonable tax...no more 'loopholes', and finally, the federal govt will STOP using taxation as a means to try to mold citizen behavior via the deduction, etc.
With the tax savings many of us would realize in the middle class with such a system, home ownership would be easier.
But I'm all for no deductions at all....and then figure the realistic tax needed.
Nice country, and generally friendly people too...but just too fucking cold up there.....
But still...so far, we're still doing better than much of the EU which is going down the tubes...
And I can't imagine wanting to live in India or China...from the images I've seen of the general living conditions in each of those countries, I don't think I'd care to live there!! If nothing else, recent articles about India's problems with energy infrastructure.
I kinda go back to an old saying I hears..."...sure the US sucks, but it sucks a whole lot less than it sucks everywhere else in the world.
I'm quite pessimistic these days about the US economy...the printing of money and all as you've alluded to, but hell...I can't imagine it will be a lot better anywhere else in the world at the point in time.
I'm worried about the current administrations spending like a drunken sailor on shore leave....I hope it gets better next year, but I'm not sure of that. It would likely take a bunch of the politicians that cared about the US...to get in there, and not worry about re-election, and vote and do what has to be done.
Those steps would be unpopular with many, but to save the US economy in the long run, we're gonna have to cut a LOT of spending, and a lot of that is social programs, there's just no two ways about it. Medicare will likely go bankrupt in the near future if nothing is done.
And likely any thing seriously done to fix it...will not get you re-elected, but man...someone....actually a large group of folks need to get into office by whatever means....and sacrifice their political careers and fix things.
But, even with that diatribe....I can't see it being any better outside the US. Quality of life and all is still great here, better than what I've seen when I've been outside the country.
Seriously man...you might want to switch to decaf.
There's not a single person out there that doesn't know what I was saying whether I used Oriental or Asian or Hispanic of Latino....
I can attest to this...they are FANTASTIC keyboards. I'm about to start buying a couple more for my other computers to replace current flimsy ones that came with them.
LOl...I also bought one of these NOS Ibm Type M keyboards a listed above...I LOVE the thing.
I bought it for home use, but brought it to work at first to try it out.
I didn't hear any complaints, but I *did* hear a lot of comments on how loud it was over there...or how much and fast I was typing..etc.
Its pretty loud, especially if you're pretty quick on the keyboards and I tend to click keys pretty hard too.
If you didn't have in-canal earbuds and you sat next to me on one...I'd almost guarantee you would hear me.
I took it home...and love the thing. I still might buy a 2nd one to bring up to work....just for fun...hahaha.
I'm still trying to figure out what a QR Code is....
If someone doesn't come in the night and grab it (usually happens, there must be tons of dumpster divers in the NOLA area)...then, the garbage man conveniently hauls it away for me, and I have room to buy new stuff.
But seriously, I've almost never had an old computer or monitor (even the old, broken 21" Sun CRTs I used to have) ever last in the trash piled out front long enough for the trash guys to get. I guess you could call that a form of recycling.
What's the difference..they're both synonyms...I hear all those terms used in the news and daily conversation.
Oriental == Asian
Hispanic == Latino
At least in the US, they're synonyms. Geez....nit picky....
You know...myself and anyone my age..grew up with those cartoons...and somehow...we're not all damaged....why would todays kids be any different...are they more stupid now and need to be protected somehow?
I don't see anything wrong with that type of humor....we all have stuff about us that is funny about us.
I suppose that it is only ok today..to make fun of white guys, I mean, they're the only ones portrayed as dufusses on commercials and sitcoms these days...
People..get over it...we all have stuff funny about us..Whites, Blacks, Orientals, Hispanics...etc...
And, I've discussed this with many folks I know with kids...and they don't see the problem with it either..they'd let their kids watch it.
It *is* still funny....people gotta grow a bit thicker skin and learn to laugh at themselves...kids know it isn't real.
Kinda like knowing that dropping 1000lb anvils on someone will kill them...they don't come back in one piece.
I saw an old BB cartoon...in the original, Bugs wanted to go into Elmer's dream and mess with him...Elmer was asleep by a big tree.
Bugs, took out a big bottle of sleeping pills labled "Take Deeze and Doze"...gulped a bunch down...and fell asleep and went into Elmers dream.
New versions...the whole section with the sleeping pills edited out.
No need for that..kids aren't stupid, they know the differences in what's real and not in cartoons.
Well...this one *is* close to true...and not just because of Obamacare....this guys is definitely on the socialist bent...
Amen!
In the US, this is another example of political correctness gone overboard.
What the old saying about people not learning from mistakes in the past are bound to repeat them in the future?
Then again...look at Germany, banning most anything Nazi connected....I believe similar type bans happen in other EU countries too?
But seriously....this is a part of US history, and should not be suppressed. I remember seeing old Bugs Bunny cartoons...people got blown up into 'blackface'....if they even show these episodes on tv, these parts are usually edited...
Why? This is part of history, and people should know what attitudes were publicly held and presented to see how much we've changed over the years.
What they probably left out was...that these women were dressed like they were 'asking for it'.
I'll have to vote for the potential disaster of Romney then....rather than the disaster I know of NOW, with Obama.
If people don't keep up with what is required...well, tough luck. Gotta take some personal responsibility here.
I wasn't able to vote one year for same reasons, I made sure I was in compliance every year after that....
I think an integration of both sides.
We already have medicare for the elderly, and medicaid for the poor....
For the rest of us, do a few things I think:
1. Allow insurance to be sold across state lines, like auto insuracne....open it up to more competition and that should help lower prices a good bit.
2. Especially for the young...and I'm not young and I'd prefer this...rather than tighten down things like HSA (not FSA which is use it or lose it) allow people to sock away a good bit of money pre-tax into Health Savings Accounts....for their routine care. Why should people not save for routine care just like they save for groceries, utilities...etc. If you combine this with a higher deductible insurance policy, ONLY to be used for catastrophic needs (this used to be called Major Medical)....and that way your covered for something catastrophic....but routine care is paid for by you...allowing you to shop around for doctors, etc....opening up competition there a bit too.
Way back before HMO's and all came about....prices weren't running away...its when you put bean counters in as middle men along with insurance, where things got out of hand.
3. Take employers out of the chain.....why should medical insurance be tied to employment...that ties people down to jobs....
I think something along those lines would help. It keeps the govt out of the decision making...but allows for people to save on their own, and encourages it through tax breaks...I supposed if the govt were to be involved more...maybe a minimum HSA deduction would be mandated by employment...but the person would be in charge of it, and it would stay with them no matter who they work for.
I dunno...Carter is still held in most dialogs, as being a bad president.
As for health care fiasco...I think he screwed the pooch on the insurance companies as you said...but, I wouldn't have wanted a single payer system either.
There's got to be a much better way than either of those two paths...something that does NOT put the federal or state govt in between me and my doctor with regard to my medical care. But, that's another argument.
The abomination that is the current "affordable health care act" has just made a bad situation worse....and we're not going to see the full effect of its badness for years to come, sadly....until well after Obama is out.
As for any of Bush's policies he tried to gracefully end....exactly which one was that? Recalling the Patriot Act? Repealing immunity for the Telcos after illegal wiretaps? Closing Guitmo?
Hmm....I've not seen him really repeal anything much to tell the truth....and yet, some people still can support him?
Government bureaucracy, red tape, endless forms, tax rules for local, federal and state are complex...various things you have to constantly file at different regular time periods....endless regulations, fees.....they all harm small businesses.
Your large corps can easily run whole depts dedicated to this..but a small or single person business has to spend an inordinate amount of time doing this shit, rather than time better spend on his business doing service, manufacturing or helping customers....
Trouble is...where people today are trying to define as 'rich'.
They're hitting couples making $250K....that isn't rich by a long fucking shot....that is level of people trying to make and run small businesses.
I'm hearing people now trying to bring that number down to $200K. In some parts of the US, that is a good bit of money, in other parts...that isn't going to get you a 2 bedroom apt on the safe side of town.
Seriously?
How could it possibly get WORSE?!? We're at the bottom now with reference to the leadership of this country. Obama is seriously giving the worst presidents in US history a race to the bottom to be the worst ever....and that's saying a LOT.
At this point...I'd vote a small soap dish in over the current incumbent president. I mean, even a bowl of soup at this point would be an improvment...I can't see anywhere to go but UP from where we are now.
Gotta love that 'Hope and Change", don't you?