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  1. #45

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    I could easily find a way to cut 1 trillion starting now. Cut handouts to foreign countries, slash the $$$ we give to the UN, cuts subsidies to corporate farms that are paid for NOT farming, put in place a fair tax, and cut all elected officials pay by 25% and their spending accounts by 50%, now we should have over the amount needed to cut starting now. It would also increase taxes for those who can afford to pay more and we would also spend less.

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  3. #46

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    If my employer gave me a task and I failed to produce in such a way as these guys, I'd have been terminated.

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  4. #47
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    It would also increase taxes for those who can afford to pay more and we would also spend less.
    *Not personally directed toward hblue

    Phrases like this "those who can afford to pay more" make me crazy. Just because someone has more money in their pocket than another does not mean they should be paying more for the exact same thing.

    If someone works hard, saves and invests....they are bound to have "more" than the person who chose not to work so hard or applied themselves less in their education or just lived "for the moment". Should the hard worker have to "pay more"? Not fair. They are being punished for being "successful" and hard working, etc.

    It's like, "I worked my behind off to get to this point and now it's going to cost me more." Why work so hard?
    Mrs Pepperpot is a lady who always copes with the tricky situations that she finds herself in....

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  6. #48

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    Oh, I totally agree. And it is not about earning more but also sacrifices that are made in order to have or do. I gave up alot to move to a better area where the schools were better as well. And I would do it all over again. But those who have substantially more, also have many more shelter options and opportunities that the average citizen do not. The wealthy also hide behind their corporations and are taxed significantly less. Some of those should be done away with.

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    Last edited by hblueeyes; 11-22-2011 at 09:14 AM. Reason: clairification

  7. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by hblueeyes View Post
    I could easily find a way to cut 1 trillion starting now. Cut handouts to foreign countries, slash the $$$ we give to the UN, cuts subsidies to corporate farms that are paid for NOT farming, put in place a fair tax, and cut all elected officials pay by 25% and their spending accounts by 50%, now we should have over the amount needed to cut starting now.
    I absolutely agree with this. Farm subsidies were created to help small family owned farms, to keep them in business and out of foreclosure due to circumstances beyond their control. They were NOT intended for multimillion dollar corporations. Stop "helping" everyone overseas and leave our own people begging. A "Fair Tax" would eliminate all the fancy manuvers and loopholes that allow "some" advantages to those who can afford it.


    It would also increase taxes for those who can afford to pay more and we would also spend less.
    I don't agree here. Don't increase the taxes, just enforce the tax code fairly... someone who has a team of tax attorneys' doesn't pay the same as someone using Turbo Tax. ( Kerry and his sailboat make an excellent example )
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

  8. #50

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    By increase I meant revenue would increase without raising the tax percentage. Those in charge complicate things. Remember K.I.S.S.= Keep It Simple Stupid. Keeping it simple makes excuses or rather deliberates, harder to believe. Like that stupid healthcare reform fiasco. There are way too many loopholes and exceptions and exclusions. Fashion it under a system that works, like Austria. Everyone pays, government, employers, and citizens. Everyone gets the same care. Top notch care with modern facilities. But if you want you can always pay privately but you still must pay into the system. No exceptions.

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    Jolie Rouge (11-22-2011)

  10. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jolie Rouge View Post
    Kerry and his sailboat make an excellent example ...
    July 31, 2011
    Yacht owners get big break on taxes
    Cities and towns losing millions in potential revenues


    When U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry docked his 76-foot yacht "Isabel" last summer in Rhode Island, a tax-free haven for boaters, he avoided two payments to Massachusetts. The first was a 6.25 percent state sales tax on the $7 million vessel. Second was a personal property — or excise tax — due to the community where Kerry, who summers on Nantucket, moors the gleaming vessel.

    But even if the Bay State Democrat had paid that tax it would have totaled a paltry $500 on a yacht worth millions, thanks to a boat excise tax system in Massachusetts that's been criticized for years as out of date, ineffective and unfair.

    An analysis of boat registration and tax records by The New England Center for Investigative Reporting (NECIR) has found that the state's failure to change the system is costing cities and towns millions in potential revenue at a time when communities are struggling financially. Changing the system "would potentially wipe out shortfalls in municipal government," said Saugus Deputy Assessor Ron Keohan. "It would certainly be a huge help."

    Keohan is president of the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers, which is pushing for a change in the excise tax law on Beacon Hill, where similar attempts have foundered for years. Currently, boats in the state are taxed at a rate of $10 per $1,000 in valuation — up to a maximum valuation of $50,000. That means the maximum excise tax is $500 for any boat — including a yacht worth millions of dollars. That's the same as the auto excise tax on a new car valued at $20,000.

    The Association of Assessing Officers' bill would increase the excise tax rate to $25 per $1,000 in value with no maximum tax, according to Keohan. The current boat tax system "penalizes the owner of a modest craft and gives a huge tax break to the owner of a yacht," boat owner and Concord Assessor R. Lane Partridge wrote in a June 15 letter to legislators. "It's horrendous," Marshfield Assessor Elizabeth Bates, an author of the proposed legislation, said of the current valuation system. "Bigger boats are going to pay more and they should," Bates said. "It's a simple formula and it's fair and equitable."

    Under the proposed excise tax formula, Kerry would pay a tax of $175,000 on his yacht annually rather than $500, Keohan said. "That's one boat at $175,000, but there are probably hundreds of them down there at $175,000," said Keohan, referring to Nantucket. "We think there are a lot of people who own boats who aren't paying what they really should."

    Kerry hasn't paid any excise tax because his boat wasn't moored in Nantucket the last time bills went out, a town official said.

    'Clumsy system'

    The outdated excise tax formula is only one of several things seriously wrong with the way Massachusetts taxes boats, critics say. In interviews with over 140 city and town finance administrators, state environmental and revenue officials and local harbormasters, NECIR found:

    The state and municipal system of tracking boats is both inadequate and inaccurate.

    Massachusetts has failed to create a central database of all state and federally registered boats, as recommended by state auditors seven years ago.

    Some boat owners could be avoiding state boat registration fees and excise taxes by registering their vessel with the Coast Guard but not the state.

    At least 90 communities are so frustrated with the tax system they don't even bother trying to collect the boat excise tax.

    Boat owners register biannually with the Massachusetts Environmental Police, which sends the list of registered boats each year to local tax assessors. But before billing, local officials must verify the owner still has a boat moored or stored in that community. It's a time-consuming, costly process. "Nine out of 10 times, on the state list, they don't have the boat," said Principal Clerk Carol Douglas in Winthrop.

    Owners who move or sell their boats don't always inform officials."It's a clumsy system, very clumsy," said Melrose Chief Assessor Donald Dragt, adding boat owners should be taxed where they live, not where they keep the boat.

    Dozens of municipal finance officials interviewed by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting said they don't bother trying to collect the tax. "It's pretty much a worthless piece of paper," Carver Assessor Ellen Blanchard said of the state's boat list. Carver doesn't collect because it would be cost-prohibitive, she said.

    Those who do collect, wonder if it's worthwhile. "The clerks spend days culling the list every year. When all is said and done, you're lucky if you break even," said Everett Assessor Pamela Davis, a former president of the Association of Assessing Officers.

    Because of problems with the state's list of vessels, as well as the current valuation system, some large boating communities believe they are missing out on serious cash. For instance in Nantucket, which billed for more than 6,600 boats over the past three years, many of them worth millions of dollars, officials collected just over $203,000 — even as the town experienced layoffs and budget cutbacks, town records show.

    A spokeswoman at the Massachusetts Environmental Police acknowledged the system needs work and blamed "budget constraints resulting in staffing and funding shortfalls."

    Another problem with the state's boat tax system is that Massachusetts, unlike New Hampshire, Rhode Island and some other states, doesn't require that boat owners who register their vessel with the Coast Guard also register with the state. At least 16,000 boats with Massachusetts hailing ports or home addresses are currently registered with the U.S. Coast Guard, an agency spokesman said. A 2004 state audit estimated the state lost an estimated potential $4.3 million in registration fees between 1997 and 2004 alone.

    Little enforcement

    Under current state law, little can be done to a deadbeat boat owner. Failing to pay the excise tax could result in a penalty of $20 or 20 percent of the boat's value, whichever is greater, and a ban on local mooring. But — unlike car owners, who would be unable to renew their driver's license if they didn't pay their auto excise tax — boaters don't need a license to own and operate a vessel, said Environmental Police Lt. Col. Chris Baker. "It is virtually impossible to enforce collection," said Geoff Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which supports the proposed legislation. "There is no process to flag or to block the registration of boats for failure to pay."

    Despite the problems cited in a 2004 state audit - and in reports and memos dating back 23 years — attempts to change the boat tax system have been dead in the water on Beacon Hill. "If it has the word 'tax' in it, the Legislature doesn't want to know about it and they're probably not going to act on it," said Association of Assessing Officers Executive Director Robert Ellia.

    Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Pembroke, a sponsor of the current proposed legislation to change the boat tax formula, didn't return two telephone calls to his office seeking comment. The bill's second sponsor wasn't familiar with the legislation when initially contacted by NECIR. "I'm not sure I took a position on this off the top of my head," said Rep. Stephen Smith, D-Everett. In a follow-up call, Smith said he filed the bill for Keohan but had no other comment.

    Boaters' view

    The boating industry prefers the status quo on Beacon Hill. "It doesn't work to have a tax system that is based on manufacturer's list price. The property just isn't there," said Jamy B. Majeda, legal counsel for the Massachusetts Marine Trades Association, who argues most Massachusetts boat owners have small pleasure craft, not yachts.

    Majeda said tax increases for boat owners, who already have to pay mooring fees, might force them to abandon the hobby altogether — creating a negative trickle-down effect that would hurt the local economy. "People go out of state because of the prohibitive cost of owning a boat here," said Majeda, adding that marina and yacht club jobs might also disappear.

    Meanwhile the negative publicity surrounding John Kerry's failure to register his yacht in Massachusetts might be having a positive impact on the effort to revamp the boat tax system in Massachusetts. "This is the goose that laid the golden egg for communities," Keohan said.

    Renewed interest in the issue has State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump planning to take another look at the 2004 audit recommendations, issued under her predecessor A. Joseph DeNucci, said senior audit manager Tom Holak. The Patrick administration told NECIR it's working to create a more efficient boat registration system by eventually having an outside vendor or the Registry of Motor Vehicles register boats.

    As for Kerry, he declined to be interviewed about the proposed legislation that would increase the boat excise tax. "Thanks for checking in, but no, we won't be doing an interview on hypotheticals. Sen. Kerry paid all taxes, period," Kerry press secretary Whitney Smith said in an email.

    Kerry will be billed $500 this year, because his yacht was moored in Nantucket on July 1, a town official said.

    http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x1...break-on-taxes

    See also : Democrats complain about the rich while being rich : PropagandaBusterTony
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgLXcuYwrh8
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

  11. #52

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    But one example out of thousands = Huge amounts of $$$ not being paid by those who can afford too.

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    Jolie find us more

  12. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by hblueeyes View Post
    By increase I meant revenue would increase without raising the tax percentage. Those in charge complicate things. Remember K.I.S.S.= Keep It Simple Stupid. Keeping it simple makes excuses or rather deliberates, harder to believe. Like that stupid healthcare reform fiasco. There are way too many loopholes and exceptions and exclusions. Fashion it under a system that works, like Austria. Everyone pays, government, employers, and citizens. Everyone gets the same care. Top notch care with modern facilities. But if you want you can always pay privately but you still must pay into the system. No exceptions.

    Me
    Agreed. One of the red flags witht he "Healthcare Reform" is that the Congress has exempted themselves and the Administration - if it is such a wonderful plan ... why doesn't apply to THEM ? Far to many waivers' being handed out ... and predominatly to big time donors to the Dem party. If it doesn't apply equally to EVERYONE - then it doesn't work for ANYONE.
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

  13. #54
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    Obama threatens to veto changes to $1.2T in cuts
    AP – 16 hrs ago


    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said Monday he will veto any effort to get rid of automatic spending cuts that would begin to take effect in 2013 if Congress can't find other ways of trimming government deficits. Those spending cuts include significant reductions to the Pentagon that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said would be devastating to the military.

    Obama issued his threat an hour after leaders of Congress' deficit-reduction supercommittee announced that they had failed to reach agreement on cutting the debt. The inability of the bipartisan committee to meet its deadline means the government is facing about $1.2 trillion in automatic cuts that start to kick in in January 2013.

    Obama said the threat of those reductions should remain in place to maintain pressure on Congress to find a compromise. He said the only way the automatic spending cuts would not take place is if Congress gets back to work and agrees to a "balanced plan" to reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion. "That's exactly what they need to do. That's the job they promised to do. They still got a year to figure it out," he said.

    The president blamed Republicans directly for the failure of the supercommittee, attributing it to unwillingness among GOP lawmakers to compromise on taxes.

    "There are still too many Republicans in Congress who have refused to listen to the voices of reason and compromise that are coming from outside of Washington. They continue to insist on protecting $100 billion worth of tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans at any cost," Obama said. "At this point at least, they simply will not budge from that negotiating position," he said.

    http://news.yahoo.com/obama-threaten...230649493.html

    comments

    So, the spending "cuts" don't even begin to happen until after the next election? What a joke. Vote all of the bums out.

    ...

    Where was all of this concern for our deficit when they were passing bills to see what was in them?

    They blindly spend the taxpayers money and then complain that the other party is uncooperative on cuts or taxes.

    Our problem is that our politicians are owned by special interest groups and those groups are loyal to profits not the USA. They can make profits anywhere they can buy politicians.

    ...

    Everyone says cut their pay. You really want to get their attention (Congressmen and Congresswomen) cut their benefits. Drive to work, pay for your own gas, buy your own grocerys and cut their staffs, etc. etc. etc. Now that will get their attention. These people are not royalty. Everyone complains about welfare, especially politicians. Well what do they think they are getting? Call it political welfare. Vote everybody out. Make the lobbyists have to start all over and pay out a lot of money. If you want to really screw things up just elect third party candidates for Congress. Just a little will really mess up the well oiled machine in Washington, D.C.
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

  14. #55
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    Last edited by Jolie Rouge; 11-22-2011 at 10:33 AM. Reason: double posted the article ... subbed a cartoon for your enjoyment
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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