Hope And Change
To the Readers' Forum:
I will admit that when The President was elected on hope and change, I didn't see anything that would indicate either. The same as Paterson becoming NY governor promising reform.
One recent Saturday afternoon I attended a meeting that gives me hope about 130 of your fellow Western New Yorkers came together to organize and potentially change the mess our state and country are in.
The reason for hope is the meeting began with the "Pledge of Alligance" followed by a prayer. In looking at proposed legislation they actually looked at the Constitution for guidance. What a change. The group, if you have not guessed, was the Tea party held at the Lakewood center.
These people believe that health care reform is the wrong answer and that Congress and the president are using this as a mean to take over one sixth of our economy. However they were silent and respectful as Dr. Rudy Mueller tried to explain what a goood idea it was and that Rep. Brian Higgins had done a lot of work on this bill.
These people actually believe they can elect someone to go to Congress and represent us. They support downsizing state and local government as a way to reduce taxes and re-vitalize Western New York. I believe all Western New Yorkers should support this group. If President Obama through his actions in concert with Speaker Pelosi, and Sen. Reid have brought about these groups then to give credit where credit is due I thank him for hope and change.
Jim Walker
Falconer
Facebook
MySpace
Digg
Stumble
Mixx
Fark
del.icio.us
LiveSpaces
|
pbjlevan
|
|
|---|---|
|
12-03-09 7:33 AM
|
Is it possible to cut spending in one area to provide funding in another so that taxes won't increase? Like paying for new programs by cutting waste and fraud in others. NYS is in more trouble than the country because none of our state officials can ever put away their ego's long enough to work together for the betterment of the state.
|
|
Brent1
|
|
|
12-02-09 6:39 PM
|
please try to understand that I work 6 hrs/day for taxes, other people and 6 hrs/day for me and my family... I think that is enough... YOU DONT? and about taxes to be worried about... the 3.2 trillion spent the last yr... is not free, the gov can not give without taking (tax)..
|
|
Brent1
|
|
|
12-02-09 6:34 PM
|
fisherking, I believe our free market system is the best there is. However all systems need tweeked because conditions change. Our free market system is being critized when a handful of people have been crooks whereas millions have been honest. Our system offers most everyone the opportunity to be whatever they choose, with some ezceptions, of course.
|
|
fisherking
|
|
|
12-02-09 4:12 PM
|
Brent: I believe you about your stats, and that the free market contributed to the great nation we live in. I also think that there are many ethical rich people who are real assets to our nation, beyond the economy (Philanthropy,the arts,supporting our community), but there is a dark side to recent greed in the market that did a lot of damage to our econcmy, by the not-so-good profiteers. I think its ironic that our leaders, (whether we agree with their approach, or not) who are trying to solve the resulting problems, are being blamed for the problem. We need answers, not partisan bickering. I would like to know what new taxes are being protested, income tax withholding was reduced by a tax credit, there are various tax incentives for purchasing homes, cars, appliances, energy saving measures, etc.
|
|
Brent1
|
|
|
12-02-09 3:26 PM
|
National taxpayer union NTU dot org confirms the 10% pay 71.2% and they cite the IRS as their source...
|
|
Brent1
|
|
|
12-02-09 3:19 PM
|
also the free market system has propelled the USA into a super power in a mere two hundred yrs and accomplished what other countries could not in a thousand yrs...
|
|
Brent1
|
|
|
12-02-09 3:13 PM
|
I just came from a cbo web site and it looks to me like their data is prior 2007.. The taxfoundation dot org is data from 2007...
|
|
Brent1
|
|
|
12-02-09 3:09 PM
|
10% pay 71.2% taxfoundation dot org
|
|
pbjlevan
|
|
|
12-02-09 1:16 PM
|
I'm still waiting for the trickle down of the Reagan years
|
|
twocents
|
|
|
12-02-09 1:05 PM
|
When he wants 1% to pay 90% of the taxes, there's not much else to assume.
|
|
fisherking
|
|
|
12-02-09 12:37 PM
|
burgher: According to the congressional budget office, it is the top 20% that pay 67% of federal taxes, not the top 10%. You criticized Backstreetman for not citing sources, but the only source you cite is "Most people now know"...sort of like "they say"? What you seem to be promoting is "trickle-down economics", with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. How's that working for you? It was the rich in charge with no rules, (free market?) driven by greed, that caused the most recent economic collapse. two cents: careful what you assume about others, its usually not right, and only makes you look bad.
|
|
backstreetman
|
|
|
12-02-09 12:20 PM
|
it was supposed to be 10 not 1
|
|
backstreetman
|
|
|
12-02-09 12:19 PM
|
Yeah I didnt mean the top 1%, we all make typing mistakes from time to time
|
|
fisherking
|
|
|
12-02-09 11:47 AM
|
Backstreetman's statistics are not quite accurate, but his idea is correct. There have been numerous studies in the last decade or two showing the increasing gap between rich and poor. The Federal Reserve findings on family wealth through their Survey of Consumer Finances every three years, with the latest study published 2009, based on a 2007 survey, shows the following: The top 1% held 48.4 of non- home wealth, and the bottom 95% held 20% of the wealth, meaning the top 5% holds 80% of the non-home wealth in this country. This was the second three year survey that had increased the gap between rich and poor, according to NYU economist Edward Wolff. Ron Haskins, scholar at the Brookings Institute said " The important point is that there's an enormous disparity in wealth in the US".
|
|
twocents
|
|
|
12-02-09 8:35 AM
|
I assume backstreetman is one of those that pays NO taxes and lives off the 70% that do.
|
|
burgher09
|
|
|
12-01-09 10:56 PM
|
I think most people now know that the top 10 percent pay 70 percent of the taxes, but then you get someone like "backstreetman" who comes up with some bogus statistic like "1% have 90% of the wealth" and there normally is no one to yell out "BUNK!" Backstreetman has no clue what he is talking about and needs to show some facts. My guess: We won't hear from him and if we do, its more B.S. with no back up. How's that "hope and change" working for you?
|
|
backstreetman
|
|
|
12-01-09 8:31 PM
|
Brent the top 1% hold more than 90% of the wealth... if we were being proportionately correct they should be paying 90% of the taxes not 70%
|
|
Brent1
|
|
|
12-01-09 3:11 PM
|
tireman... very well said... and very true..
|
|
Brent1
|
|
|
11-30-09 3:47 PM
|
the top 10% pay 71.2% of the fed tax... Thats after the deductions you mentioned...
|
|
pbjlevan
|
|
|
11-30-09 3:39 PM
|
Let's be honest here. People pay taxes on the money they can't hide. I have two family members that own small businesses. Close to the end of their fiscal year their accountant will tell them how much money they need to spend in order to avoid paying taxes on it. Last year, one of them bought new cars for the wife, the son and a new truck for himself among other things, all registered to the business but used exclusively by the family. They have loop holes that the average working Joe doesn't so I don't feel too sorry for them. Also, Bush offered a tax credit of up to $100,000. for the purchase of vehicles weighing over 9000 lbs. I wonder if that's why Swartzenager bought 7 Hummers.
|
|
Brent1
|
|
|
11-30-09 2:12 PM
|
Hows this for "fair" share.. the top 10% pay 71.2% of the fed tax... FREE ride for soooo many already... want more?
|
|
Brent1
|
|
|
11-30-09 12:36 PM
|
twocents.. I think you hit the nail on the head...Those who earn and those who want what you earn.. and they have no shame...
|
|
twocents
|
|
|
11-30-09 11:38 AM
|
When and how much is taxing the rich enough? I believe the top one per cent pay more than their fair share. Obviously you are not one of them or you would be the first to complain.
|
|
Howard
|
|
|
11-30-09 10:37 AM
|
Pure speculation. Besides, this war tax was suggested by one representative to tax the wealthy only so they can pay their fair share which was not being done under the Bush administration. I watch and read the news - I just don't embellish it as you do.
|
|
twocents
|
|
|
11-30-09 9:06 AM
|
Don't you read the papers or watch the news Howard? The Democratic supported "war tax" along with all the taxes coming with the democratic supported "Health Care Bill". If you don't believe more taxes are coming, you are very nieve.
|