Phoenix44 said:
mrhnau, I hope you are really young, because if you're not, your arguments and your suggestions ("Send a check to the IRS") bespeak a naivete of the direction things have been taking in this country in the past few years.
I get tired of people telling me that I need to send MY money to the IRS to help those poor people. The people telling me to send my money to them are themselves doing nothing and paying statisticaly less than me. I'd love to see them donate more to the IRS. Not naivete, just an observation of the hypocrasy of taxation and those imposing the taxes.
The middle class is losing jobs. People in good paying jobs are being laid off, and they have no place to go but low paying Walmart-type of jobs, because that's the main type of job being created in this country. Many jobs are being outsourced. I personally have a doctoral degree and more than 20 years of experience in my field, and when I lost my job a few years ago, specifically because of the economy, all I could get was two PART time jobs, which neither made up the money nor the benefits of one FULL time job. In fact, it's hard to get a decent FULL time job, because no one wants to give benefits or a pension plan. The "community college" recommendation you made is worthless to the already well educated individual who's lost a job--and there are many.
not important, but whad degree? pm if you want. working on my PhD at the moment, so I'm interested.
Alot of jobs have been outsourced, but we are still at 5% unemployment, and by almost every source, thats full employment. If you want to say its lower level jobs, thats fine. The reason jobs are being outsourced is because its cheaper! We can help keep jobs here by lowering the tax burden on companies employing those people. I'd love to see some of those jobs come back. It won't unless prices to employ here come down or there is some kind of tax break for these companies to encourage them to bring employees back.
Education is helpful, but not the final answer. I agree with that. However, you are going to go further w/ an education w/out. We pay for alot of education costs, so take advantage of it.
Alot of jobs have been lost, but some of them are on the way back. Repeal the Bush tax cuts, and they won't. It takes time for money to work the way back into the economy and companies to have enough confidence that its staying.
And I'm lucky. I grew up with a family that cared about me. And I hope you are also blessed to be intelligent, able-bodied, and have caring parents. But what if you're not? What if your parents died in a car accident, and you didn't have the luxury of a good education? Or brain damaged? Walmart MAY be your terminal job, and you still have to support yourself and your family. And I believe if you work hard--even if you work hard for Walmart--you should be able to support yourself and your family.
Many people in this country now have the "every man for himself" mentality. But there are lots of us who have a different vision for America, where we do better because everyone does better.
I'd rather be "every man for himself" rather than communism, which is what the 50%+ taxation would do to us. Capitalism is one thing that made this country great. I'm not sorry when someone does well, nor do I think they should be punished for their success. They get a 8 figure job? Well done! I wish I could do that! I imagine you wish that too. Isn't that the american dream? To succeed? Not just in an 8 figure job, but to do well.
Part of what we have lost in the past 100 years is the sense of family. Used to be that if your parents died, a relative adopted you and raised you. Brain damaged? Raised by your family and taken care of, or taken to a place that could. These days we have girls getting pregnant at 15 w/out family support, we in general have no real family ties, and we ask the government to become our parents, the emergency line that make sure everything will work out ok. Gone is the sense of personal responsiblity and drive that made us great. I've known many people who have faked injuries at work so they can get their government checks and stay home doing nothing. Government is trying to do what families and churches have done in the past. Bush tried to make a small step a few years ago in recommending volunteerism and greater roles of religious institutions in helping people. Many churches have volunteers that do these kind of things for free. They donate food for the hungry, help educate people, visit those in prisons. They do it for free. So, you are telling me that the government should not help this movement, since they can do a better job? Should there be limits? sure, things need to be verified for organizations, but I'd love seeing churches/mosques/synagogues/covens/whatever helping out.
An example of my old church. we had a member whose husband left her. took everything in the house, plates, dishes, electronics, sofas, bed, EVERYTHING. The church rallied behind her. before the week was over, her house was refurnished. not with old stuff that people were throwing out, but with new stuff! Think the government could do that? I'd love to see that kind of compassion take place more often, and the church is the perfect place for this to happen.
Now consider, this was a small church. some member had disposable income. you tax them at 50%, most of them would strugle just to make it. could they afford to help in this way?
I know the logicistics are tough. but I'd love to seesomething like this happen... *waits for the imminent complaints* LOL
MrH
