rdubnpk The surest sign that the economy for the rich is doing well is that Rob's pool boy is still on the payroll!!!
The thing that bugs me the most is that we have become Republicans or Democrats. Whatever happened to being an American first? We are in deep trouble and each side is just going nuts worrying about his or her party rather than the country. Maybe it's time for a third party or at least someone with new ideas.
rdubnpk I still believe that the division is propogated (is that a word) and promoted by the parties to perpetuate their existence. If they did not create and nourish these rifts, the American people would have risen up and thrown them all out long ago. How on earth can you justify giving billions of dollars in tax credits to big oil, for instance?? Government, though, will be able to not only justify it, but will also have a goodly portion of average Joe Americans defending the program. They make us believe what they want us to believe.
You may very well be right about parties creating a "Them versus Us" scenario just to protect their own existance. A common thread for those who want to stay in power is to create an enemy that must be kept at bay. If you don't support my ideas then you'll be stuck with their ideas is the way the game is played. There is a cartoon that sums up American politics the best. The comic strip is Non Sequitur and one of their strips really hit home with me. It shows a bleak desert scene. A ribbon of blacktop is passing in front of a store front with a sign that says Global Warming Realty. Two guys are standing on either side of sign in the desert that says Ocean Front Lots Available. The one guy is saying to the other "It doesn't matter what WE believe....it only matters what They believe."
rdubnpk It is scary if you think about it. I put forward this idea before and some thought I was being delusional and/or paranoid. I sincerely believe we are being manipulated, though. Maybe not to the "Big Brother is watching" level, but we are headed (or being herded) in that direction.
The alternative is higher prices at the pumps......UNLESS you're advocating government intrusion into setting prices for commodities (or, anything...really). Do you think the oil companies wouldn't raise prices to attain projected profits.....if the tax breaks were to suddenly go away? Speaking of the downtrodden....do you think they fare better if fuel prices are down......or up? Do you think they'd have more money in their pockets if the tax breaks went away? There's PLENTY of money being thrown around (to many groups....not just "big oil"). Would you be in favor of those programs being cut off, also?
If I had my choice I would rather see the tax breaks for oil continue and the offshore tax breaks end. GE should not be allowed to gimmick itself into tax havens to save taxes. If you really want to see tax reform that would have a meaningful impact on the US, then how about we penalize companies for putting jobs overseas and reward them for putting jobs in the US. All that needs to be done is to not allow a company any deductions for wages paid to any non-US resident. I'll bet that would get someone's attention.
We should also let them bring their profits home without the EXHORBITANT tax implications. There's a reason those companies/jobs are going overseas.
rdubnpk In a word, yes. I told you someone would be doing cheerleader duty for those bloated bastards!!
