99 Weeks Later, and my Beni's Ran Out. Woe is Me!

99 Weeks Later, and my Beni's Ran Out. Woe is Me!

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Quote:

Jobless army grows as aid ends Facebook holds stories of unemployed WNYers crying out for help They call themselves the 99ers and with each new week their numbers grow by the thousands. There are so many of them — nearly 3,000 in Western New York alone — they have their own statewide Facebook page. "Nobody is hiring, and I can't afford to lose my place to live," said Mike Papay, one of the hundreds of jobless who have told their story on Facebook. "I've already had my vehicles taken. This is crazy! Somebody please help!"

Funny, I see lots of help wanted signs out. Maybe these 99 weekers should stop holding out for that CEO job and go stock shelves at the market, flip burgers at Mickie Dees or cut some grass already. It's work, it's money, and you ain't too good to do it dumbass.



Lets "create" a job for the "there's no jobs out there" folks.

1 Get off ass, knock on doors. Ask old person "Is it worth $10 a week for me to come by and put your garbage can at the curb for you, then come back the next day and put it away?"

Each YES = $520 per year. 10 = $5,200. 25 = $13,000

2. Get off ass again, knock on doors. Ask person "Is it worth $20 a month for me to stop by and wash your car, $35 a month for a wash, wax and detail?"

Each YES = $240-$420 10=$2,400-$4,200 25 = $6,000-$10,500

3. Get off ass yet again. (See a trend here?) Go door to door, ask "Is it worth $20 a week for me to come by and cut your grass with my mulching mower, and sweep up the sidewalk after I'm done?"

Each YES = $1,040. 10=$10,400 25=$26,000

Wow. just shy of a $50,000 income, and it's all cash. Yeah, theres some expense involved. Gas for the mower, bottle of car wash solution, a bucket, a sponge and a shammy, but still. $50 down, $6-10 a week in expense, and you've made $30k-50k cash.

Can you find 25-100 people to do this for in 2 fracking years?

If the answer is no, then you are not looking hard enough.

Federal Government to Steal land for Flight 93 memorial

Federal Government to Steal land for Flight 93 memorial

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I'm sure the people on Flight 93 would be proud of their government.

Quote:

Feds to condemn land for Flight 93 memorial Thursday, May 07, 2009 The government will begin taking land from seven Somerset County property owners so that the Flight 93 memorial can be built in time for the 10th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks, the National Park Service said. ... "We always prefer to get that land from a willing seller. And sometimes you can just not come to an agreement on certain things," park service spokesman Phil Sheridan said.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09127/968459-455.stm

See also http://www.witchvox.com/wren/wn_detail.html?id=20613

Personally, I think this is a disgusting abuse of government.

Re: "Redistribute the Wealth"

Re: "Redistribute the Wealth"

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How many Americans here have friends and associates who's deepest concern is who won what game or who's topic of conversation is always "man I got so wasted last night"?

But that's ok. Those of us who work hard, educate ourselves, start businesses, or work 2-3 jobs while putting ourselves through higher education....we can pay more taxes so that lazybones and slacker can have government subsidized health care (while we pay top dollar for ours), government subsidized heating and electric (while we pay for ours), and even free money to spend on lotto and lobster (while we watch our money and live frugally). It's ok. It's our "Civic Duty" to help those "unfortunates".

On education: I read several hundred books every year, own a thousand+, read 4 newspapers (onliine) daily (SF CA, Austin TX (2), Buffalo NY), plus dozens of discussions like this one every day. I've taken extra training classes, community ed courses, online training, and am at Borders/Barnes & Nobel or my local ibraries weekly. I also run history chanel, food network, HGTV, DIY and Discovery as background. If our "unfortunates" did 10% of that, they'd be miles ahead.

Schools today in the US are woefully behind the technical requirements. Teaching methods in many cases are outdated, classes are over crowded, and teachers are still using maps that show the Soviet Union, and still using text books that list Sadamn as the head of Iraq. Unfortunately, even if they were up to date, balanced, and truely designed to learn, even the best teacher can't teach when the student isn't open to learn, or isn't there in the first place. Kids don't want to learn because they know they can grow up, go on welfare and have the government pay for everything. They have no idea of the value of a dollar, not because it's arbitrary imaginary money, but because they aren't required to know how to manage it.

We argue people go bankrupt because of medical bills. Those lotto winners went bankrupt because they were incapable of handling money.

Before you redistribute the wealth, maybe you need to revamp your education system so that people will be able to handle that which you give them.

Then again, maybe it's time that kids learn that they aren't entitled to anything, anything! that they didn't earn themselves.

RON PAUL - Audit the Federal Reserve!!! - HR 1207

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmXUiEgNO8

Encourage your representitive to support HR 1207 - the Federal Reserve Transparency Act. The Fed is a private institution and is therefore not subject to normal Governmental Freedom of Information requests, as Bloomberg recently found out.

HR 1207 will help to reveal where the Fed is funnelling trillions of dollars of taxpayer's money.

http://www.campaignforliberty.com/cam...

"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.

Should the 17th Amendment be repealed?

Should the 17th Amendment be repealed?
(originally posted on MartialTalk)

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According to the original design of the founding fathers; U.S. senators were not directly elected by the voting public, but by the state legislatures. This changed in 1914 with the passing of the 17th Amendment, which put the election of Senators into the hands of the general public. With this, the balance between the people, the states and the federal government was broken.

While on the surface this seems smart, has it really worked out all that well?


United States Constitution, Article I, Section 3

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote.

Amendment XVII

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislatures.



Read this interesting article by Thomas J. DiLorenzo and lets open the discussion.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/dilorenzo/dilorenzo93.html

Other notes:
http://www.articlev.com/repeal17.htm
http://repealthe17thamendment.blogspot.com/
http://www.liberty-ca.org/repeal17/s...a2003oneil.htm

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.

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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

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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.