A Living Document?

A Living Document?

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The Constitution ceased being a "Living Document". Year after year 1 bastard after another cut, sliced and tore at it's guts. It's been critical for the past 8 years, but I think it's flat lining now. ---------------

"Common Good"? Hogwash.

"Common Good"? Hogwash.

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Believing the propaganda about "The Greater Good" and "Your Responsibility for taking Care of the Less Fortunate" is crazy. Buy into this, and enjoy a life of mediocrity, frustration and unrealized dreams. Take care of yourself first. Everything else will follow.
Living in poverty, mooching off of others, suffering, none of those serve God. God provides a universe full of bounty, love, wealth and abundance, if only people would open themselves to it. I don't believe that God wants any of us dependent on others, and that by not serving ourselves first, we fall into the original definition of Sin, or "Miss the Mark". Put another way, we weren't put here to sit on our butts and collect a welfare check that someone else worked to fund, but to work for our own rewards, and enjoy them fully.

"People who spend their existence worrying
solely about the needs of others and not themselves are not nobles,
benevolent, and spiritual. They are crazy. "- Randy Gage
The Purpose That Drives Your Life
Source: www.successmethods.org


Fire away.

Why is the economy a mess and businesses going under? A reason. by Bob Hubbard

Why is the economy a mess and businesses going under? A reason.
by Bob Hubbard

I recently got married. As part of that life's journey, one contacts a number of businesses and key people to make the day run smoothly. We contacted several facilities, visited 3. We received no call backs or follow ups from any of the places, other than the 1 we ultimately chose. We contacted several photographers, and were waiting on a promised call back from one when another contacted us out of the blue. We went with her and its a good thing we did as we still haven't heard from the one who promised to call us. We left messages with several dj's, tux rental places, and 2 hotels. Not a single call back. Are you seeing a trend here? All over the place people are crying "business is down", "I'm not sure if I'll make it" and similar. Yet we had a hard time finding anyone to take our money.

We stopped at a local fast food chain the other day. Place was empty. We waited 5 minutes before walking out, as no one felt like taking our order. Cleaning the back counter was more important, as obviously was the smoke break. A few days earlier, another chain store, we got indifferent service, mediocre "food", and a shrug when I complained about it.

Last year I made several calls to the management of a local mall, looking for information about possibly renting space there. Despite calling every day for 2 weeks, I never managed to reach the one single person there who could talk to me about anything rental related. He was always "just stepped out" or "gone for the day". I finally asked if he ever comes in, and when the person expressed surprise, I said I'd been calling all week, leaving messages and hadnt heard back. They said that was common. The mall has quite a few vacancies. I wonder why. Another local mall has a waiting list as it's full. They answered their phone and were available to talk. Big difference.

A couple months ago a family member had a plumbing emergency. We called at least a dozen plumbers (with the 24 hr service ads) before reaching a live person. We left messages at the earlier ones, and not a single one ever called back.

The economy may be shaky, a few large companies may be facing ugly restructuring, but the core of the economy has always been the small businesses. Maybe the reason why the core is seems to be rotting lies with the core it self. Maybe, it's shooting itself in the foot by failing to follow up, provide quality service and a quality product, and failing to follow through. Maybe, the solution to the economic mess isn't trillions in bailouts to a few big names, but for consumers to find and reward those companies that do go the extra mile, that do care about their product, that deserve to survive.

Maybe then the slackers, drifters, and such will wake up and step up, or die out like they deserve to make way for the real economic stimulus.

"Redistribute the Wealth"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJyS1WJNisM

In this video clip Democrat Congressman Jim Moran expresses his disdain for people who want to keep what they have earned.


"...because we've been guided by a Republican administration who believes in this simplistic notion that people who have wealth are entitled to keep it...."

Considering that over 70% of lottery winners end up broke, bankrupt, divorced, etc within a few years of getting their winnings, maybe the reason alot of people are broke isn't because Bill Gates wasn't forced to hand over 85% of his money to people who didn't earn it, but because alot of people are really bad at managing what they have in the first place.

Our Troubling Tax System

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGIfbAt8voU

Last September I played with the numbers, and switching to a flat 15% Federal sales tax would generate over $300 Billion more for the government. But of course, most people don't get it. They don't understand they won't have to take time to file, won't have it withheld, won't have to pay someone to fill out forms, to get it back.

North Korea: Sanctions a declaration of war

• Story Highlights
• North Korea says sanctions applied against it will be "declaration of war"
  
• Pyongyang ready to "mercilessly punish anyone" who applies pressure
  
• U.N. has condemned North Korean rocket launch

"North Korea said Saturday any sanctions or pressure applied against it following its rocket launch earlier this month will be considered a "declaration of war.""


Is it just me, or are these wack jobs just spoiling for a fight? I wonder if the US will invade them now too for failing to heed UN instructions (one of the many excuses for Iraq), or continue to Neville Chamberlin style of kissing their ass like the preioius administration did....

We The People Stimulus Package

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeYscnFpEyA

It is Un-American not to want to pay taxes???

It is Un-American not to want to pay taxes???

In reply to this article at IReport.
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-244320

Yes, roads are crumbling, bridges are decaying, our health care system isn't perfect, people are homeless and hungry, etc.

At the risk of sounding callus, so what?

In 1773 British colonists in 3 colonies blocked the unloading of taxed tea, while those in Boston destroyed the tea in defiance of the Royal Governor. This was the famous "Boston Tea Party". Colonists were angered because they were being subjected to taxes from a government that didn't allow them a voice. This was a major point in the road to revolution, and the creation of the United States.

The commenter's points are valid. We need infrastructure repair. There is however more than enough money in the system to provide for all of that. If only our government would spend it wisely. I believe we are in a dangerous fall, heading towards the same type of unrest that led to the Revolution. One only has to look at how few American's were behind the over 15 Trillion dollars in bailouts that have so far been pass out to poorly managed big businesses to shore them up lest they fail. One only has to question the government or not blindly agree with it, to be labeled a traitor nowadays. The current tax code is so complex, even the IRS isn't certain about it. One only has to look at how many recnt goveernment appointees failed to pay to see a dual standard. They get forgiven, yet we mere serfs get fined and possibly imprisoned.

Not pay your taxes? How Un-American? No, How American!

Not paying taxes was a foundation stone of this nation. There is questionable legality to many of the taxes and fees (taxes in all but name) we are hit with. Our so called leaders no longer care what we want. They spend OUR money on their pet projects, at insanely bloated prices, to curry favor with each other. There isn't a single government agency in the US that doesn't have at least 1 political appointee who gathers a pay check yet does no real work. I've read countless cases where people are being paid yet haven't clocked in or shown up to the office in months, or where they sit and web surf or write their novels, because they fill a mandatory position yet have nothing work related to do because they are left over from the last administration.

In NY alone, we could return billions of much needed dollars to our general fund if we would eliminate the patronage jobs, cut government pay to the realistic yet very livable level of $50k per year per person, and require all hires and expenditures to be justified. Bids must be on par with what a civilian would pay, or less, to reflect bulk purchase. No more $1,000 hammers when you can get one just as good for under $25.

Another point is simply this. The argument goes that if we don't pay taxes, then others won't have shelter, or food, or medical treatment. I'm sorry, but that's not y faultand it's not my problem. More to the point, that is not the government's job either. "But if the governmt doesn't help them, who will?" you say? Feel free to help them all you want, out of your own pocket. Stop reaching into mine to finance it though. Taking something without permission has always been called theft. What is it when the government takes it without consent? It's still theft.

American's are a very giving people. The People don't have a problem paying a reasonable amount, for needed things. We do however take issue more and more with being seen as little more than a never ending supply of free cash to fund pork and keep an elite fat and rosy cheeked.

It's time to speak up and shout until the fat cats and career politicians hear us.

Visit http://taxdayteaparty.com/ and find a protest near you.
Add your voice to those who are tired of a deaf government.
Only you can retake your country from those who consider you litle more than an ATM.
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Redistribute the wealth.

Redistribute the wealth. (originally posted on MartialTalk 09-30-2008)

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People look at things like the following, decide that wealth in the US is unfairly distributed, and look for more ways to take money from the top 10% and pass it out to the bottom 10%, usually without the bottom having to actually earn it.

Quote:

Here are some published numbers, taken fom Forbes magazine. This would be the top 10 on their 400 list....1. Bill Gates Net Worth $57.0 billion 2. Warren Buffett Net Worth $50.0 billion 3. Lawrence Ellison Net Worth $27.0 billion 4. Jim Walton Net Worth $23.4 billion 5. S Robson Walton Net Worth $23.3 billion 6. Alice Walton Net Worth $23.2 billion 7. Christy Walton Net Worth $23.2 billion 8. Michael Bloomberg Net Worth $20.0 billion 9. Charles Koch Net Worth $19.0 billion 10. David Koch Net Worth $19.0 billion 'The rich haven't gotten richer--or poorer--this year. The price of admission to this, the 27th edition of The Forbes 400, is $1.3 billion for the second year in a row. The assembled net worth of America's wealthiest rose by $30 billion--only 2%--to $1.57 trillion.' (quoted from Forbes) Now, take that in perspective. The 400 richest americans have a net worth of 1.57 trillion dollars. The entire GDP of Canada from a 2007 estimate, as found in teh CIA world factbook (correct or not?) https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat.../print/ca.html is listed as being 1.432 trillion dollars. Really... stop and think about that. The accrued wealth of 400 people essentially exceeds the annual value of the national economy of 33 million people. You would really have us believe that there is NOT an uneven distribution of wealth? Whether it's right or wrong is an entire other debate, but I don't think the numbers or the fact of the matter is a subject of much informed debate. Rod

A reply to the above was this

Quote:

How about, it's their money, and you don't have any right to it. You want more money, go work for it.

A statement I agree with.

Having worked retail in supermarkets, convenience stores and the like, I can say that simply giving people money won't make them suddenly know how to manage it, or even appreciate it. Many arguments occur over people trying to use welfare and food stamps for beer, lotto and cigarettes.

A discussion I had on the idea of taking money from the top earners and passing it out included comments like "they owe it to us", and "they have plenty" and similar. Bill Gates, who isn't one of my favorite people, earned his money. He already gives plenty to charity. The Walton's inherited theirs from their father Sam, who earned it. Sam you may recall drove a pickup truck and not a Caddie because "you can't put hunting dogs in a Cadillac.".

People rarely appreciate something that is given to them unearned. The gift is usually squandered, and all that has happened is they have been trained to expect a handout.

One comment is that if you evened out the bank acounts so that everyone had the same amount, within a short period of time, the previously rich will be so again, and the previously poor will be so again. One only has to look at the bankrupsty rate of lottery winners (80%) to see that wealth without understanding causes wealth to vanish.

Rather than taking cash from the wealthy, a better system would be to encourage a voluntary system that would teach people how to manage their money, and become self sufficient. As someone once wrote, teaching someone to fish sustains them for life, giving the a fish only feeds them for today.