Raise Taxes or Cut Waste?

[Sonny Clark]

Raise taxes on the rich, tax college savings, raise gasoline taxes, and cut social programs? Or, cut the enormous waste that we all know should be cut? Or, should we do a combination of both? If your answer is to cut waste, what are the most obvious areas of waste that you would cut? If your answer is to raise taxes, what taxes would you increase? Or, what new taxes would you add? If your answer is to raise taxes, where would you use the new revenue? If your answer is to cut waste, where would you use the savings?

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Lower taxes on everyone, especially thr cih (progressive taxation is completely unfair, everyone should be taxed at the same rate ala a flat tax.)

Implement mandatory conservation, recycling, and more efficient versions of things. It's absurd we tax more rather than cutting back even if that means draconian laws 'encouraging' it. Can't build new power generating plants everytime existing supply can't meet the deamnd - you cut back usage and the demand. Otherwise it's like raising the debt ceiling every year instead of capping it and facing the music at long last.

 

[Sonny Clark]

Lower taxes on everyone, especially thr cih (progressive taxation is completely unfair, everyone should be taxed at the same rate ala a flat tax.)

Implement mandatory conservation, recycling, and more efficient versions of things. It's absurd we tax more rather than cutting back even if that means draconian laws 'encouraging' it. Can't build new power generating plants everytime existing supply can't meet the deamnd - you cut back usage and the demand. Otherwise it's like raising the debt ceiling every year instead of capping it and facing the music at long last.

I also believe in taxing everyone at the same rate. And, I believe that having a sales tax that covers all taxation is way better than what we have now.

 

[TyroneSlothrop]

We should not be funding wasteful unnecessary wars like that ass wipe Bush got us into ...what a waste of trillions eh conservatives ....way to go ....

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Lower taxes on everyone, especially thr cih (progressive taxation is completely unfair, everyone should be taxed at the same rate ala a flat tax.)

Implement mandatory conservation, recycling, and more efficient versions of things. It's absurd we tax more rather than cutting back even if that means draconian laws 'encouraging' it. Can't build new power generating plants everytime existing supply can't meet the deamnd - you cut back usage and the demand. Otherwise it's like raising the debt ceiling every year instead of capping it and facing the music at long last.

I also believe in taxing everyone at the same rate. And, I believe that having a sales tax that covers all taxation is way better than what we have now.

All taxation is just legalized theft by the government. Suppose it's a necessary evil though. Though I'd lvoe to see what happens when there are no taxes at all. Bet there's less wars... But it seems to me if we tax more successful people a higher percentage then that's just punishing that success and is thus unfair. Also, there seems to be a lot of overlap with taxes. If you tax a set amount once, then taxing it again is also unfair. Yet that's exactly what we do with federal, state, and local taxes taxing the same fixed amount multiple times.

We tax earnings.
Then we tax what remains again at the state level.
Then we tax that remainder a third time locally.
Then we tax it yet again, a fourth time if you dare to actually spend any of it via Sales Tax.
And we don't stop there. You get taxed additional times if you invest in others and are actually successful. Get taxed if you dare die and have a balance remaining.

We're awfully taxed for a supposedly free coutnry. This is the only area I'm aware of I actually agree with the Tea Partiers.

 

[Sonny Clark]

We should not be funding wasteful unnecessary wars like that ass wipe Bush got us into ...what a waste of trillions eh conservatives ....way to go ....

I totally agree 110%. Senseless deadly costly wars are a drain in many ways. But, they do make defense contractors very rich. Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan were/are costly in lives and money, and we're stupid for engaging in what amounts to high cost police actions.

 

[PratchettFan]

Raise taxes on the rich, tax college savings, raise gasoline taxes, and cut social programs? Or, cut the enormous waste that we all know should be cut? Or, should we do a combination of both? If your answer is to cut waste, what are the most obvious areas of waste that you would cut? If your answer is to raise taxes, what taxes would you increase? Or, what new taxes would you add? If your answer is to raise taxes, where would you use the new revenue? If your answer is to cut waste, where would you use the savings?

I think we can raise taxes while lowering them across the board just by removing all loopholes and deductions. It could be a flat tax or based upon income as we have today. Of course, that would mean a tax system which was simple and you immediately have both the lawyers and the accountants in opposition, not to mention large corporations who would actually have to start paying tax.

The problem with waste is that it really doesn't have much of an impact. People will get up in arms because of a miniscule grant to study squid but will defend monstrous waste in other areas. More than $8 billion in cash just disappeared in Iraq, and I don't mean misspent - I mean disappeared, and no one was held accountable, no congressional committee was formed to investigate, no uproar in the press. Major contractors will underbid projects with the feds and then pump of the cost through cost over runs and no one bats an eye.

 

[Sonny Clark]

Lower taxes on everyone, especially thr cih (progressive taxation is completely unfair, everyone should be taxed at the same rate ala a flat tax.)

Implement mandatory conservation, recycling, and more efficient versions of things. It's absurd we tax more rather than cutting back even if that means draconian laws 'encouraging' it. Can't build new power generating plants everytime existing supply can't meet the deamnd - you cut back usage and the demand. Otherwise it's like raising the debt ceiling every year instead of capping it and facing the music at long last.

I also believe in taxing everyone at the same rate. And, I believe that having a sales tax that covers all taxation is way better than what we have now.

All taxation is just legalized theft by the government. Suppose it's a necessary evil though. Though I'd lvoe to see what happens when there are no taxes at all. Bet there's less wars... But it seems to me if we tax more successful people a higher percentage then that's just punishing that success and is thus unfair. Also, there seems to be a lot of overlap with taxes. If you tax a set amount once, then taxing it again is also unfair. Yet that's exactly what we do with federal, state, and local taxes taxing the same fixed amount multiple times.

We tax earnings.
Then we tax what remains again at the state level.
Then we tax that remainder a third time locally.
Then we tax it yet again, a fourth time if you dare to actually spend any of it via Sales Tax.
And we don't stop there. You get taxed additional times if you invest in others and are actually successful. Get taxed if you dare die and have a balance remaining.

We're awfully taxed for a supposedly free coutnry. This is the only area I'm aware of I actually agree with the Tea Partiers.

You're absolutely CORRECT on all counts. I couldn't agree more. Yes, current taxation is nothing more than legalized theft, big time.

 

[TyroneSlothrop]

We should not be funding wasteful unnecessary wars like that ass wipe Bush got us into ...what a waste of trillions eh conservatives ....way to go ....

I totally agree 110%. Senseless deadly costly wars are a drain in many ways. But, they do make defense contractors very rich. Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan were/are costly in lives and money, and we're stupid for engaging in what amounts to high cost police actions.

What you describe there is "the system" what develops from the system is "the establishment" the Establishment is in "the cat bird seat" which means they are "chilling phat" they are doing well...they want no change and will fight with all resources to prevent change ...they want the future to be permanent war and a military boot in the face of humanity for all eternity...

 

[Sonny Clark]

Raise taxes on the rich, tax college savings, raise gasoline taxes, and cut social programs? Or, cut the enormous waste that we all know should be cut? Or, should we do a combination of both? If your answer is to cut waste, what are the most obvious areas of waste that you would cut? If your answer is to raise taxes, what taxes would you increase? Or, what new taxes would you add? If your answer is to raise taxes, where would you use the new revenue? If your answer is to cut waste, where would you use the savings?

I think we can raise taxes while lowering them across the board just by removing all loopholes and deductions. It could be a flat tax or based upon income as we have today. Of course, that would mean a tax system which was simple and you immediately have both the lawyers and the accountants in opposition, not to mention large corporations who would actually have to start paying tax.

The problem with waste is that it really doesn't have much of an impact. People will get up in arms because of a miniscule grant to study squid but will defend monstrous waste in other areas. More than $8 billion in cash just disappeared in Iraq, and I don't mean misspent - I mean disappeared, and no one was held accountable, no congressional committee was formed to investigate, no uproar in the press. Major contractors will underbid projects with the feds and then pump of the cost through cost over runs and no one bats an eye.

Yes, I remember reading about all the money that went missing in Iraq. Yes, defense spending is favoritism, kick-backs, and wasteful beyond words. But, we have many other areas of obvious waste and abuse of tax dollars also. We could save untold multi-$Billions by cutting just the obvious waste.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

We should not be funding wasteful unnecessary wars like that ass wipe Bush got us into ...what a waste of trillions eh conservatives ....way to go ....

I totally agree 110%. Senseless deadly costly wars are a drain in many ways. But, they do make defense contractors very rich. Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan were/are costly in lives and money, and we're stupid for engaging in what amounts to high cost police actions.

All wars are senseless. Short of a hostile alien race descending from space blasting everything everywhere there's no such thing as a just war. Watching old 50s WWII movies with foolish people storming abeach only to be cut to shreds by machine gun fire or blown up via morters and artillery I"m struck thinking how shortly after that happened Germany was someone we helped rebuild after their choice of starting a war. Where's the sense in that? Think everyone who died to the Germans would agree that was a pretty swell idea and certainly doesn't upset them they died fighting them.

All wars eventually end and everyone becomes fast friends (or at least doesn't shoot at each other any more.) But now, war has become a business endeavor so surprise-surprise we have never ending, unwinnable wars and a lot of pro-war propaganda integrated into our entire lives childhood onwards (unless you think simulated weapons are suitable toys for children of course.)

 

[Sonny Clark]

We should not be funding wasteful unnecessary wars like that ass wipe Bush got us into ...what a waste of trillions eh conservatives ....way to go ....

I totally agree 110%. Senseless deadly costly wars are a drain in many ways. But, they do make defense contractors very rich. Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan were/are costly in lives and money, and we're stupid for engaging in what amounts to high cost police actions.

What you describe there is "the system" what develops from the system is "the establishment" the Establishment is in "the cat bird seat" which means they are "chilling phat" they are doing well...they want no change and will fight with all resources to prevent change ...they want the future to be permanent war and a military boot in the face of humanity for all eternity...

Again, you're absolutely correct. It's all about greed, power, favoritism, Kick-backs, and money diverted to off-shore accounts and other places to hide enormous wealth. Those that can stop it, are the very ones that are benefitting from it continuing. I totally agree with you.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Worth mentioning that though we all seem to agree, where I usually deviate is in believing one side or the other is less culpable or better than the other. Neither Democrats nor Republicans are better than the other in upholding this system as they're all a part of the system we agree is patently unfair. Is there a viable alternative? No. Alas. But what annoys me to no end is when having these sorts of discussions someone then bashes one side or the other as if their's is so much better.

Democrats AND Republicans suck. Tea Partiers suck. Independents suck. Everyone in our government sucks. But it's all we have. And until it collapses from its own incompetance (which I believe is inevitable,) it's the only system we have. But let's not call each other names while swirling around the drain is all I'm saying.

 

[Skylar]

Raise taxes on the rich, tax college savings, raise gasoline taxes, and cut social programs? Or, cut the enormous waste that we all know should be cut? Or, should we do a combination of both? If your answer is to cut waste, what are the most obvious areas of waste that you would cut? If your answer is to raise taxes, what taxes would you increase? Or, what new taxes would you add? If your answer is to raise taxes, where would you use the new revenue? If your answer is to cut waste, where would you use the savings?

How about both?

 

[PratchettFan]

Raise taxes on the rich, tax college savings, raise gasoline taxes, and cut social programs? Or, cut the enormous waste that we all know should be cut? Or, should we do a combination of both? If your answer is to cut waste, what are the most obvious areas of waste that you would cut? If your answer is to raise taxes, what taxes would you increase? Or, what new taxes would you add? If your answer is to raise taxes, where would you use the new revenue? If your answer is to cut waste, where would you use the savings?

I think we can raise taxes while lowering them across the board just by removing all loopholes and deductions. It could be a flat tax or based upon income as we have today. Of course, that would mean a tax system which was simple and you immediately have both the lawyers and the accountants in opposition, not to mention large corporations who would actually have to start paying tax.

The problem with waste is that it really doesn't have much of an impact. People will get up in arms because of a miniscule grant to study squid but will defend monstrous waste in other areas. More than $8 billion in cash just disappeared in Iraq, and I don't mean misspent - I mean disappeared, and no one was held accountable, no congressional committee was formed to investigate, no uproar in the press. Major contractors will underbid projects with the feds and then pump of the cost through cost over runs and no one bats an eye.

Yes, I remember reading about all the money that went missing in Iraq. Yes, defense spending is favoritism, kick-backs, and wasteful beyond words. But, we have many other areas of obvious waste and abuse of tax dollars also. We could save untold multi-$Billions by cutting just the obvious waste.

What waste?

 

[Sonny Clark]

Raise taxes on the rich, tax college savings, raise gasoline taxes, and cut social programs? Or, cut the enormous waste that we all know should be cut? Or, should we do a combination of both? If your answer is to cut waste, what are the most obvious areas of waste that you would cut? If your answer is to raise taxes, what taxes would you increase? Or, what new taxes would you add? If your answer is to raise taxes, where would you use the new revenue? If your answer is to cut waste, where would you use the savings?

I think we can raise taxes while lowering them across the board just by removing all loopholes and deductions. It could be a flat tax or based upon income as we have today. Of course, that would mean a tax system which was simple and you immediately have both the lawyers and the accountants in opposition, not to mention large corporations who would actually have to start paying tax.

The problem with waste is that it really doesn't have much of an impact. People will get up in arms because of a miniscule grant to study squid but will defend monstrous waste in other areas. More than $8 billion in cash just disappeared in Iraq, and I don't mean misspent - I mean disappeared, and no one was held accountable, no congressional committee was formed to investigate, no uproar in the press. Major contractors will underbid projects with the feds and then pump of the cost through cost over runs and no one bats an eye.

Yes, I remember reading about all the money that went missing in Iraq. Yes, defense spending is favoritism, kick-backs, and wasteful beyond words. But, we have many other areas of obvious waste and abuse of tax dollars also. We could save untold multi-$Billions by cutting just the obvious waste.

What waste?

Building mosques on foreign soil, building the fence along our southern border, supplying weapons to drug lords and terrorists, foreign aid, luxury prisons, the care and support of illegal immigrants, subsidies, excessive government travel, senseless deadly costly wars, no-bid government contracts, etc. etc. etc. etc.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Raise taxes on the rich, tax college savings, raise gasoline taxes, and cut social programs? Or, cut the enormous waste that we all know should be cut? Or, should we do a combination of both? If your answer is to cut waste, what are the most obvious areas of waste that you would cut? If your answer is to raise taxes, what taxes would you increase? Or, what new taxes would you add? If your answer is to raise taxes, where would you use the new revenue? If your answer is to cut waste, where would you use the savings?

I think we can raise taxes while lowering them across the board just by removing all loopholes and deductions. It could be a flat tax or based upon income as we have today. Of course, that would mean a tax system which was simple and you immediately have both the lawyers and the accountants in opposition, not to mention large corporations who would actually have to start paying tax.

The problem with waste is that it really doesn't have much of an impact. People will get up in arms because of a miniscule grant to study squid but will defend monstrous waste in other areas. More than $8 billion in cash just disappeared in Iraq, and I don't mean misspent - I mean disappeared, and no one was held accountable, no congressional committee was formed to investigate, no uproar in the press. Major contractors will underbid projects with the feds and then pump of the cost through cost over runs and no one bats an eye.

Yes, I remember reading about all the money that went missing in Iraq. Yes, defense spending is favoritism, kick-backs, and wasteful beyond words. But, we have many other areas of obvious waste and abuse of tax dollars also. We could save untold multi-$Billions by cutting just the obvious waste.

What waste?

Building mosques on foreign soil, building the fence along our southern border, supplying weapons to drug lords and terrorists, foreign aid, luxury prisons, the care and support of illegal immigrants, subsidies, excessive government travel, senseless deadly costly wars, no-bid government contracts, etc. etc. etc. etc.

...Having a military that's entirely offensive instead of defensive in nature. Spending more on military conquest than the next 25 nations put together, most of whom are our allies. Great Dr. King quote comes to mind,

(paraphrasing) "When a nation spends more on its' military than on programs of spiritual and cultural uplift, the sooner the nation approaches its' spiritual doom."

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Does the US need such a big expensive military? If it's long-term goal is total take over of the planet, yes it does. If it's really trying to be a 'global force for good' no it doesn't.

 

[PratchettFan]

Raise taxes on the rich, tax college savings, raise gasoline taxes, and cut social programs? Or, cut the enormous waste that we all know should be cut? Or, should we do a combination of both? If your answer is to cut waste, what are the most obvious areas of waste that you would cut? If your answer is to raise taxes, what taxes would you increase? Or, what new taxes would you add? If your answer is to raise taxes, where would you use the new revenue? If your answer is to cut waste, where would you use the savings?

I think we can raise taxes while lowering them across the board just by removing all loopholes and deductions. It could be a flat tax or based upon income as we have today. Of course, that would mean a tax system which was simple and you immediately have both the lawyers and the accountants in opposition, not to mention large corporations who would actually have to start paying tax.

The problem with waste is that it really doesn't have much of an impact. People will get up in arms because of a miniscule grant to study squid but will defend monstrous waste in other areas. More than $8 billion in cash just disappeared in Iraq, and I don't mean misspent - I mean disappeared, and no one was held accountable, no congressional committee was formed to investigate, no uproar in the press. Major contractors will underbid projects with the feds and then pump of the cost through cost over runs and no one bats an eye.

Yes, I remember reading about all the money that went missing in Iraq. Yes, defense spending is favoritism, kick-backs, and wasteful beyond words. But, we have many other areas of obvious waste and abuse of tax dollars also. We could save untold multi-$Billions by cutting just the obvious waste.

What waste?

Building mosques on foreign soil, building the fence along our southern border, supplying weapons to drug lords and terrorists, foreign aid, luxury prisons, the care and support of illegal immigrants, subsidies, excessive government travel, senseless deadly costly wars, no-bid government contracts, etc. etc. etc. etc.

Interesting. You want to open up our borders but you don't want to have care and support for illegal immigrants. Do you see a contradiction there? Social security is a subsidy, as is money paid to states for education. Government travel is so small as to be inconsequential. I agree with you on wars, but where is the line? Foreign aid is a real benefit to us, especially if you don't want to get involved in costly wars. Luxury prisons? I'm not sure I follow that.

I think the point really is that there is little which someone is not going to see as essential.

 

[PratchettFan]

Does the US need such a big expensive military? If it's long-term goal is total take over of the planet, yes it does. If it's really trying to be a 'global force for good' no it doesn't.

Yes, it does.