Brigitte Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 How are some being taxed at 60% when the highest US bracket is 35%. Are you adding taxes on investments? :confused: If you add up what you pay in fed. and state income taxes, property taxes, social security and medicare taxes, etc., you will find that it all adds up very quickly and particularly for the self employed who pay double soc. sec. and medicare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 If you add up what you pay in fed. and state income taxes, property taxes, social security and medicare taxes, etc., you will find that it all adds up very quickly and particularly for the self employed who pay double soc. sec. and medicare. Dh is self employed and we don't pay anywhere near 60%, even when you add all those you list above. Anyone who is making good money, say over 250K and does not know how to lessen their tax load, needs a new accountant. This from a fan of the Fair Tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret in GA Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I love the whole "you aren't patriotic" if you criticize your government argument. We got that a lot when we thought invading a sovereign country was a bad idea. I love this country and, by golly, I also love to make fun of this country. Big deal. I love my husband and I make fun of him, too. ;) As far as not trusting government because everything government does is bad... I could list so many things here that free market gets wrong, too. Like Blackwater in Iraq. Sometimes profit should *not* be the motive. I say this as a business owner whose objective is to make money. So don't accuse me of being a socialist. I've never worked a day for the government, I pay my taxes, and I don't receive government aid at all. I'm just sayin that I'd like to know the money I pay today into health insurance will be there when I need it. Margaret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 You really need to lay off using the military as a shield for your views. Many others on this board can easily exceed those qualifications you keep mentioning. Most people are quietly proud of it and do not constantly bring it up. But if you must: every other male in my family has at least 10 years in the military (of their nation at the time of service, even I served a tour or so), some far far more. Both my brother and his wife have multiple combat tours, so while I have the utmost respect for your husband this does not give you the right to continually use his service, and our losses in Iraq, as a justification for your views. (Obviously others could do the same but are not. For the record I mention military service only to counterballance your oft made claims NOT to claim some special justification from this service). Military men and women and their families do not normally consider themselves better Americans, due to their service they just appreciate the nation more. In numerous posts I have seen you use your position as an instrument to argue that you somehow are more correct, or informed, because of the service given by your husband. The majority of those I know in the military would find your views an anathema. Ask your average trooper about homosexual marriage or the current administration or someone who mocks the US. I am not taking sides on all these issues but polls indicate that amongst military families you are in the minority. We all remember or should remember our veterans every day. That is a duty of all patriotic Americans. I certainly spend a little time every day thanking them for what they have done. Nobody denies that some of the families left behind were treated abominably, but how does this relate to the topic at hand? I never said do not criticize the government, I said do not mock this nation. I criticize the government on many issues but I never mock the United States. As a military wife, a position for which you have my respect and of which you appear to be justifiably proud, you should know the difference. Debate is necessary to our growth as a nation but mocking and belittling our nation has the opposite effect. Go back and actually read the post that got me so angry, can you honestly say that the tone and attitude was not mocking the US? :hurray::iagree::hurray: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I am sorry your mother is going through this. But can I just say that one of the reasons that the US has so many specialists for rare conditions is that that there are simply more people in the US. Sweden for example has only got just over 9 million people. Our doctors simply cannot specialise in the rare conditions because they don't see enough patients with them. It is not purely the effect of UHC. One of my ex-housemates took a psychology job in Ireland. It was advertised internationally because there wasn't a single Irish person qualified for the job. Why? Because not a single Irish university ran a course that would qualify anyone for that job. Rosie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalanceSeeker Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Rosie, Can you tell me what you love about Australia? (I think that's where you're from?) If anyone's from New Zealand, I would love to hear your answer, too. Just very curious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Rosie, Can you tell me what you love about Australia? (I think that's where you're from?) If anyone's from New Zealand, I would love to hear your answer, too. Just very curious! Well, for starters, I love our universal healthcare :D and I love our gun laws! ;) You're probably better off asking Keptwoman, since she's a Kiwi residing in Australia, and has more travel experience than I. I'm not really sure what to say. I feel like I need an American strength patriotism implant to answer this! I love the topographical diversity. I really don't know what to say to such an open ended question! Home is home because it is home. I like the bush smell. That might sound weird, but then again it might not. Argh! I dont' deal well with vague questions like that so I'm freaked out and going to go have a shower... Rosie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalanceSeeker Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Thanks anyway, Rosie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Mm. Sorry. Ask specific questions and I should be able to do better! Though as I've said before, we aren't bought up to be American style patriots so maybe I won't. :confused: Rosie- waiting for the shower to heat up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Well, for starters, I love our universal healthcare :D and I love our gun laws! ;) Rosie I agree. I also love that Australia has a country town atmosphere. even in Melbourne you can hop on public transport and have a great conversation with the person next to you, just as if you are from the same town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I agree. I also love that Australia has a country town atmosphere. even in Melbourne you can hop on public transport and have a great conversation with the person next to you, just as if you are from the same town. As long as you start the conversation, yes. Most people feel too silly or intrusive to start, but will be happy to chat if you start. Unless they have an ipod. Rosie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 As long as you start the conversation, yes. Most people feel too silly or intrusive to start, but will be happy to chat if you start. Unless they have an ipod. Rosie I just give them all a big smile and then they start talking:001_smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalanceSeeker Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Mm. Sorry. Ask specific questions and I should be able to do better! Though as I've said before, we aren't bought up to be American style patriots so maybe I won't. :confused: Rosie- waiting for the shower to heat up Okay, I'll be more specific. Do you have to worry about terrorism, and are the communities pretty safe? (When you turn on the news, what do you typically hear about?) Is the cost of living decent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I'd possibly worry a bit about terrorism if I lived in Sydney, but I will never live in Sydney so it isn't an issue for me. Who'd bother attacking us on our home soil? It'd be far more effective to target somewhere like Bali. If I was to turn on the news I'd hear all about the rapes, murders and car accidents, unless I watched SBS in which case it'd be world news possibly worth listening to. I don't watch the news because it reports only the bad stuff, blows it way out of proportion and leads you to thinking that you ought to be worried about terrorism even if you live in a country town of 100,000 people. The cost of living is decent for the most part, but it depends where you live. It's higher in Sydney than most other places. I guess because it's the largest city, so demand drives up housing prices. Darwin is expensive too, I imagine because of the distance from the east coast. Not really sure, I haven't been there. Housing prices in the major cities is difficult on one wage, unless that wage is a very good one. We are not in that position, but don't want to live in the city anyway. Odds are, if dh doesn't find work here next year we'll be moving to a smaller town about an hour from the city, and he'll commute on the country train. Certainly do-able. Crime is obviously going to be a larger problem in some areas than others, but you can choose not to be there. My brother was voluntarily homeless for 18 months, which panicked my mother, but she watches the news too much. Nothing dreadful happened to my brother in all that time. Melissa: Careful, they'll think you're a bumpkin! Was that a smidge more informative? Rosie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalanceSeeker Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share Posted May 26, 2009 Was that a smidge more informative? Rosie Very much so. Thanks for indulging me ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 (edited) Well, for starters, I love our universal healthcare :D and I love our gun laws! ;) You're probably better off asking Keptwoman, since she's a Kiwi residing in Australia, and has more travel experience than I. I'm not really sure what to say. I feel like I need an American strength patriotism implant to answer this! I love the topographical diversity. I really don't know what to say to such an open ended question! Home is home because it is home. I like the bush smell. That might sound weird, but then again it might not. Argh! I dont' deal well with vague questions like that so I'm freaked out and going to go have a shower... Rosie :lol: Me too!! You are right. We are not brought up with the patriotism that Americans seem to have. I find it fascinating actually. We also have freedom of speech, religion, media, association etc. But I don't find it such a source of pride like the US people do. I know we have them, I'm grateful for them and I'm aware that others don't, and want the same for them, but I don't think having them makes us special... it makes us a democracy. I am very proud of our level of world awareness. Although I think NZ is ahead of Australia in that regard. When you see the news in NZ you see the WORLD NEWS, when you see the news in the USA you see the world news as it pertains to the USA, and Australia is a bit the same. But I do find the level of ignorance of world affairs of many Americans that I have met to be quite astonishing. I'm just not sure that they are taught much about the rest of the world at school and therefore don't expect to hear about it in the media. And therefore don't know what they don't know. and again Australia is a bit the same, not to the same extent though. I think NZ is such a small country both in population and geography that it's citizens tend to travel more and want to know more about what lays outside it's shores. I love the greenness and lack of drought of NZ, not that I appreciated it when I lived there but now I live in drought stricken Melbourne I appreciate it very much! And funnily enough I've come to love the dust and gum trees of Australia. I am very very very proud that a little country like NZ stood up to be counted when GWB went to war in Iraq and said that the USA had no right to invade a soverign nation and refused to join in the invasion. I'm also very proud that they are now in there and in Afganistan helping to rebuild.... as are Australia (who did go into the war alongside the US). I'm proud that both countries do so much rebuilding and peacekeeping work around the world. As to safety. Well with the gun laws I like the fact that gun violence is much lower. I like the fact that police in NZ don't routinely carry guns. I don't think that this is something that people from the US can possibly understand because it's a totally different paradigm. I'm proud that both countries care so well for the less fortunate in our society. I have never considered myself a socialist, quite the opposite in fact. But compared to many on this board, I'm a raving leftie and proud NZ and Australia are too. I'm proud of the foreign aid they give and the refugees they take in. I'm proud that in sport both countries do so well, particularly considering the whole of NZ has the same population of the city I now live in. I'm proud of the way NZ treats it's native people, and the respect they give them. I wish I could say the same about Australia, their treatment of (which is improving) and attitude towards (which is not improving) the Aborigines horrifies me on a regular basis. I think NZ is safer than Australia with regard to terrorism because they didn't support the war in Iraq, but I feel pretty safe from terrorism here in Australia too. But Australia is a target, we remember that when we think of the Bali bombing, it may not have been on Australian soil, but Australian Nationals were the target. I'm also very grateful for the close relationship between Australia and New Zealand. I feel very priviledged for the right to reside in either country that we all have. Like the USA, both countries are very sought after as a place to emigrate to. So for me to have the option to live in either is pretty special! OK well there's your novel. I have travelled a lot, and will continue to do so. New Zealand is the country that feels inately part of me, I am grounded in it's soil. Australia is the place we choose to live and where we will likely stay and I love both of them very much. Even if we were able to live elsewhere I'd always come home eventually. Edited May 26, 2009 by keptwoman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in the Kootenays Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 :lol: Me too!! I have travelled a lot, and will continue to do so. New Zealand is the country that feels inately part of me, I am grounded in it's soil. Australia is the place we choose to live and where we will likely stay and I love both of them very much. Even if we were able to live elsewhere I'd always come home eventually. I spent a month in New Zealand years ago and always thought that if I had to leave Canada (which I can't quite imagine), New Zealand would be my next choice for all the reasons that you've mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 As for statistics, you know what they say about lies, d*mned lies and statistics. :D Just off the top of my head, I can think of a few factors that determine infant mortality rate that do not have to do with quality of healthcare. Preterm births, for instance. ART has caused a great increase in births of multiples--maybe other countries have lower multiples births than the US? How about lifestyle choices, like drug use? Or maybe mothers in the US are less likely to abort children with serious medical issues than in other countries? (I'm not saying any of these are true--I don't have time to research all this--but my point is that you can't necessarily look at these numbers and say that the reason why the US has a higher infant mortality rate is because of worse medical care). I can't recall the source (sorry), but I read that some 3rd world countries only count children who die after their 2nd birthday as infant deaths. IOW, all the children who die in the first 2 years of their life aren't counted in the infant mortality rates. The US, of course, does count those children. I'll try to find the source..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalanceSeeker Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share Posted May 26, 2009 Kept woman, Thanks for a great description. Maybe since in the U.S. there are so many different states with their own unique culture that we don't venture outside North America much. We tend to travel the country to learn more about our homeland. For my family, it would take an act of God for us to have the privilege of traveling the world, so I learn as much as I can about it from home. (And, as long as I don't watch local news, which I don't, there's plenty of world news on cable :001_smile:). New Zealand has always intrigued me, and we dream of visiting there (and Australia). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddhabelly Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 When people say they are "conservative," does this mean they agree with EVERYTHING that "conservatives" agree with? Pro-life, against gay marriage, freedom to drive a big car that has low gas mileage rather than take public transportation, etc. These are all actual things I have seen on this message board that I am lumping together here in order to ask my question. Here's another "conservative" notion that faces me since I live in Alaska: do we allow mining operations in ecologically sensitive areas. So does the OP mean that she is "conservative" in all things? Yes to mines, no to salmon streams? Yes to airborne hunting (Sarah Palin re-instituted this after it has been voted down in a referendum), no to laws requiring electric buses? Sincere question. Julie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Melissa: Careful, they'll think you're a bumpkin! Rosie Absolutely:D their first question is always' Where abouts in the country are you from" they always recognise I am from the country by my smile!:001_smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I am fairly conservative. Yes to drilling, no to higher taxes, pro-life, pro death penalty, freedom to drive the car you want ( to a certain extent - not pollution belching cars since tht infringes on the rights of others). I am not as conservative as some on environmental matters since I believe in the rights of others. So air pollution or water pollution hurts others and I am against it but think we do have to compromise how much is acceptable. As to other countries, I have found that different countries have different freedoms. I found it extremely refreshing to live in Belgium which like most other European countries greatly discourages lawsuits. They do this by requiring a litigant to put up a bond to pay the opposing party's legal expenses if they lose the lawsuit. This practice leads to a huge drop in lawsuits and our lives were enhanced by that. Most noticably, the playgrounds are a ton better than in the states because parents can't sue. ALso power tools and things like ladders were tremendously cheaper. I liked their medical system better too. My daughter was being cast for a broken arm in about fifteen minutes in the door. We never had long waits. The prices were unbelievably cheaper too. I could have afforded all our medical expenses there with just our salary though it was paid by the military. They did not have any fancy waiting rooms and the hospital food was apparently not good. HOwever they figured out I did not have a very sreious lung condition that was misdaignosed in the US due to too low powered xrays. Over there they are not worried about lawsuits so they can use higher powered machines. My misdiagnosis was a result of fake shadows on the US xrays. It was confirmed that I had no problems with a CAT scan that also showed nothing. (I do have asthma but don't have pulmonary fibrosis) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Absolutely:D their first question is always' Where abouts in the country are you from" they always recognise I am from the country by my smile!:001_smile: As long as it's a smile giving it away, not ugg boots, or I'd have to pretend not to know you any more. You are from Gippsland, are you not? We all know Gippsland is full of bogans. :tongue_smilie: Rosie (Yep. Australia is the best place on earth except for Gippsland. We didn't want it, but it came with the package.) <insert Aussie flag waving, jester hat wearing smilie> Ok, I'm going to nick off before I get really rude and make sheep jokes at Keptwoman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 As long as it's a smile giving it away, not ugg boots, or I'd have to pretend not to know you any more. You are from Gippsland, are you not? We all know Gippsland is full of bogans. :tongue_smilie: Rosie (Yep. Australia is the best place on earth except for Gippsland. We didn't want it, but it came with the package.) <insert Aussie flag waving, jester hat wearing smilie> Ok, I'm going to nick off before I get really rude and make sheep jokes at Keptwoman. :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I agree. I also love that Australia has a country town atmosphere. even in Melbourne you can hop on public transport and have a great conversation with the person next to you, just as if you are from the same town. As long as it's a smile giving it away, not ugg boots, or I'd have to pretend not to know you any more. You are from Gippsland, are you not? We all know Gippsland is full of bogans. :tongue_smilie: Rosie (Yep. Australia is the best place on earth except for Gippsland. We didn't want it, but it came with the package.) <insert Aussie flag waving, jester hat wearing smilie> Ok, I'm going to nick off before I get really rude and make sheep jokes at Keptwoman. Oi! Aussie has more sheep!! I thought Bendigo was where all the bogans hung out? :D I'm one of the ones with an iPod who doesn't want to talk on PT LOL. Only weirdos make conversations on trams and trains ;) Drunk or crazy LOL Sandra (who has been know to wear her ugg boots to the supermarket on the odd lazy occasion) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 :svengo: Oh, we have the dregs of Australian society on this board, don't we? FYI, it's Bong Gully, oops I mean Long Gully, where the Bendigo regional bogans live, and parts of Kangaroo Flat. I, my dear, live in Bendigo proper. So ner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 hehehe Ya'll are funny. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 My dear Melissa, my dear Sandra. I have found something to unite us. "Y'all" is not a word!! (Sorry, Ibbygirl, but feel happy that you have given the raging tribes of Victoria something to bond over.) "Naff" is not a word either, I don't think, but I'm going to naff off and take the boy for his immunisations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Which is the real "footie"? League, Aussie Rules, or "soccer"? Good-bye "unity" :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 "Y'all" is not a word!! I know "Y'all" isn't a word. It's "Ya'll" that's the proper Southern word. ;) :D hehehehe **runs and ducks before Rosie can throw a sheep at her** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Which is the real "footie"? League, Aussie Rules, or "soccer"? Good-bye "unity" :lol: Well being a good Kiwi girl the correct answer is Rugby Union. OF COURSE! The Aussies like to forget about Rugby because we always beat them, mwahahahaha Being a good Melbournite, I'd have to answer Aussie Rules, as far as Melbourne is concerned, there is no other sport. GO CARLTON!! I know "Y'all" isn't a word. It's "Ya'll" that's the proper Southern word. ;) :D hehehehe **runs and ducks before Rosie can throw a sheep at her** Watch that Rosie, she's a dab hand at the sheep throwing, they have to do it a lot in Bendigo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 (edited) Watch that Rosie, she's a dab hand at the sheep throwing, they have to do it a lot in Bendigo. She would have to have quite an arm indeed to chuck it all the way to South Florida! hehehe ;) But if anybody could throw a sheep that far Rosie could! :) Why do I suddenly have the song, "It's Shaun the sheep" in my head? ;) :D edit**But where is Rosie?? I thought for sure she wouldn't be able to resist the bait I left for her! Maybe she's on a plane to South Florida already with her sheep in tow? Man, I better run for cover! ;) :D I'm just being playful with you, Rosie. :) I hope you don't mind. You're a good sport. :) Edited May 26, 2009 by Ibbygirl Waiting for Rosie to come play! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Well being a good Kiwi girl the correct answer is Rugby Union. OF COURSE! The Aussies like to forget about Rugby because we always beat them, mwahahahaha I happen to agree. Don't tell :D Go All Blacks!!! Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 It was "Cuba Day" at my son's co-op nursery school today. If *someone* cares ;) They ate fried plaintains and listened to Salsa, Mambo, and Chachacha. Guillermo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 It was "Cuba Day" at my son's co-op nursery school today. If *someone* cares ;) They ate fried plaintains and listened to Salsa, Mambo, and Chachacha. Guillermo Bah Salsa!! I agree with Celia Cruz that Salsa is something they put on chips. ;) :D hehehehe The true name for "Salsa" music is "son". ;) :D That's so cute that they had that for your son's class. :) I'm surprised that they didn't play any Rumba. That's Cuban as well. :) Were the plantains green or ripe? Did your son eat them? I would have loved to have seen the kids dancing! That must have been precious! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Why do I suddenly have the song, "It's Shaun the sheep" in my head? :confused: ;) :D LOL I watched that twice! Usually once is all I can take in the child genre, sometimes that is too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 LOL I watched that twice! Usually once is all I can take in the child genre, sometimes that is too much. hehehehe I got that video for my son for his Easter basket because he loves Wallace and Gromit but already has every single one of their videos. I figured since Shaun was in it he might like it. He loves the song! hehehe :) It does have the penchant for getting stuck in your head in a Chinese water torture kind of a way though. ;) :D hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I'm going to nick off before I get really rude and make sheep jokes at Keptwoman. Hey, I thought the sheep jokes were about Australians!! Well being a good Kiwi girl the correct answer is Rugby Union. I'll lend some Southern Hemisphere support to that!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 She would have to have quite an arm indeed to chuck it all the way to South Florida! hehehe ;) But if anybody could throw a sheep that far Rosie could! :) Why do I suddenly have the song, "It's Shaun the sheep" in my head? ;) :D edit**But where is Rosie?? I thought for sure she wouldn't be able to resist the bait I left for her! Maybe she's on a plane to South Florida already with her sheep in tow? Man, I better run for cover! ;) :D I can't believe it! Such slurs on my character being posted to an international audience while I am off doing my civic duty! Hey, "international audience" makes me sound important; I like it :D Anyway, I have never thrown a sheep at anyone, do not like Aussie Rules football, think Rugby Union is a sport for boofheads, but can, if pressed, admit that Rugby League is ok except they are also boofheads. I was, as explained, off doing my civic duty so am not on a plane to south Florida. You'd better watch it if I decide to do that though because I'm a fair hand with American style boffer weapons and I can get those through customs! :tongue_smilie: Rosie P.S All sheep jokes are about New Zealanders and anyone who thinks they have heard one about Australians was incorrect. This is understandable, since everyone else's accent is silly and lends itself to misinterpretation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I can't believe it! Such slurs on my character being posted to an international audience while I am off doing my civic duty! Hey, "international audience" makes me sound important; I like it :D Anyway, I have never thrown a sheep at anyone, do not like Aussie Rules football, think Rugby Union is a sport for boofheads, but can, if pressed, admit that Rugby League is ok except they are also boofheads. I was, as explained, off doing my civic duty so am not on a plane to south Florida. You'd better watch it if I decide to do that though because I'm a fair hand with American style boffer weapons and I can get those through customs! :tongue_smilie: Rosie P.S All sheep jokes are about New Zealanders and anyone who thinks they have heard one about Australians was incorrect. This is understandable, since everyone else's accent is silly and lends itself to misinterpretation. :lol::lol::lol: I'm glad you finally decided to drop your "civic duty" and come and play with us! The laugh you gave me was worth the wait for you to come. :) btw is "civic duty" code for going to the bathroom or something?? **runs and ducks again!** ;) Oh, I'm really gonna get it now! :D hehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntPol Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Dh is self employed and we don't pay anywhere near 60%, even when you add all those you list above. Anyone who is making good money, say over 250K and does not know how to lessen their tax load, needs a new accountant. This from a fan of the Fair Tax. We paid close to 60% in taxes (federal, state, social security, medicare, and property taxes -not including all the taxes on utilities, sales tax, etc.). My husband has 25% ownership in a company and it's the taxes on the business profits that is killing us. Unfortunately, the company makes a lot of profit but it's recycled back into the business and not into our pockets. We and the company has gone through multiple accountants and we've done a ton of research and have lowered it somewhat. We take the tax breaks that we can legally take but don't take any that fall in the gray area. We could lower a lot by going into those gray areas but our ethics don't allow for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 You say this so frequently. How is it any different from any number of other people who would like the ability to opt out of any number of public services paid for by taxpayers? UHC is simply one more public service. I've also said frequently that I tend to agree w/a Capitalistic [as in Objectivist] view of public services, so you'd have to read up more about that to get my point. Since we aren't doing that ANYWAY [which means our country was flawed from the beginning], then i agree that at this point it's not much different from the broken system we have for other public services. What the current administration is proposing is not UHC at all. It is a national health insurance plan. It is not mandatory. You would have to go to the trouble of OPTING IN, if you want to use it. Yes, which is why i have been very deliberate to point out my disagreement w/ UHC, not necessarily the proposals in place. and i've already said that I have no problem w/ a VOLUNTARY plan like THAT. You know what? i might even choose to opt in. The only problem i DO have is that it is NOT optional for children. last i read, anyway. ...to those millions who cannot afford the luxury of private insurance. if we carry this to its logical conclusion, then FREEDOM becomes a "luxury" too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I love the whole "you aren't patriotic" if you criticize your government argument. We got that a lot when we thought invading a sovereign country was a bad idea. I love this country and, by golly, I also love to make fun of this country. Big deal. I love my husband and I make fun of him, too. ;) As far as not trusting government because everything government does is bad... I could list so many things here that free market gets wrong, too. Like Blackwater in Iraq. Sometimes profit should *not* be the motive. I say this as a business owner whose objective is to make money. So don't accuse me of being a socialist. I've never worked a day for the government, I pay my taxes, and I don't receive government aid at all. I'm just sayin that I'd like to know the money I pay today into health insurance will be there when I need it. Margaret You obviously have the "argument" completely screwed up. I would posit that your take on the argument is about as accurate as most creationists' take on evolution is. [::a moment of silence for the dead thread::] I too love to make fun of this country --sarcasm knows few boundaries in our family. The difference w/ the free market getting it wrong and the gvt getting it wrong is simply a matter of how long it will take to right that wrong. Gvt sanctioned racism is a prime example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 We paid close to 60% in taxes (federal, state, social security, medicare, and property taxes -not including all the taxes on utilities, sales tax, etc.). My husband has 25% ownership in a company and it's the taxes on the business profits that is killing us. Unfortunately, the company makes a lot of profit but it's recycled back into the business and not into our pockets. We and the company has gone through multiple accountants and we've done a ton of research and have lowered it somewhat. We take the tax breaks that we can legally take but don't take any that fall in the gray area. We could lower a lot by going into those gray areas but our ethics don't allow for it. But property are not taxes on your income, and I never suggested you do something illegal either. Is the business an s-corp? Have you explored 401k or SERP IRA? You should not be getting hit so hard if the business is organized correctly. I say keep looking for a good accountant. I totally dislike the US tax system and wish to move to a consumption based system, but I wonder how quickly those who have extra income to spend will soon complain they still pay too much tax even under a Fair Tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 but I wonder how quickly those who have extra income to spend will soon complain they still pay too much tax even under a Fair Tax. ayup. But at least those would be taxes based on choices. THAT's what makes it fair, not that everyone pays the same amount. Too many people have some skewed view of equivalent=fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 ayup. But at least those would be taxes based on choices. THAT's what makes it fair, not that everyone pays the same amount. Too many people have some skewed view of equivalent=fair. Yup, on that we can definitely agree. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Quote: Originally Posted by Audrey ...to those millions who cannot afford the luxury of private insurance. if we carry this to its logical conclusion, then FREEDOM becomes a "luxury" too. :lol: Clearly, there is some confusion between hyperbole and logic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 :lol: Clearly, there is some confusion between hyperbole and logic. except there's already a long, non-hyperbolic history of stripping away freedoms and replacing them w/ luxuries that the gvt calls a right. so where do you see the confusion between hyperbole and logic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Somalia -- there is no government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Somalia -- there is no government. Although the routine destruction of the clitoris in Somali women might give some ladies pause. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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