Monday, October 29, 2007
Kid Tax
Recently, I wrote this letter to my local newspaper. They've been kind enough, or crazy enough, to print every letter I've written "To the Editor" over the past few years. They didn't print this one, though. I realized, after I'd mailed the letter, that since I'm a county resident, they would prefer to print only letters from city residents.
It's just as well. If they had printed this one, I'm sure the "Republicans" in my county would have banished me, for sure. Although, after their support for a totally unneeded tax hike, I probably wouldn't have minded.
By the way, the tax was defeated by a two-to-one margin. Hallelujah!
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So, here we go again. Sunquist tried his best to get a state income tax, Bredesen gave us the lottery tax and the legislature has tripled the cigarette tax. (Yet, strangely enough, they’ve made it almost impossible to light up in our fair state.) We even get legal liquor tax now. Yet, City Hall has decided that Athens is not paying enough taxes. And guess what! Oh, yeah, you got it. “It’s for the kids”! Sheesh! If the federal, state, county or city government comes up with one more tax “for the kids,” I won’t be able to afford to feed mine!
They tax everything from driving, to owning land, to buying a coke, to playing air hockey to buying a stick of gum. (Is oxygen taxed yet?) Still, they raise taxes every time we turn around and it’s all “for the kids”!
Who can say “no” to the “kids”? What sort of beast would tell the “kids” that we don’t have the money or aren’t willing to pay the money for their education? Certainly, anyone who is unwilling to make the small sacrifice of a silly, little half a percent sales tax must be a heartless cad. It’s only a little half a percent, isn’t it? Well, isn’t it?
The kids need pencils and paper and books and notebooks and squares and compasses and a myriad of other stuff. Someone has to pay for it. Sure, the parents buy lots of this stuff right out of pocket and also have raffles and bake sales along with other creative fund raising projects. Recently, I even had one little girl just walk up to me and flat out ask me for a donation for her school. At least she wasn’t trying to sale me some candle or discount card I really didn’t want or need. Still, It’s not enough.
From the band wagon we hear local politicians, Republican and Democrat, at last, shoulder-to-shoulder, playing in harmony a familiar tune, promising us that the school system needs, desperately needs this sales tax. After all, it’s just a silly half a percent. Well, I guess the Democrat and Republican politicians have found something they can agree on: Stick it to the consumer.
I’m certainly no mathematician, but it doesn’t take an Einstein to understand that there are only one hundred percents in one hundred percent. Today, one hundred dollars of groceries costs me one hundred and nine dollars. Now, that’s after Uncle Sam already has taken thirty plus percent of my income before I ever see it. (Oh, I’m sure Teddy Kennedy and "Little Jimmy" Duncan are spending it wisely though...not!) How many “percents” are left to take?
Now, fifty cents to a man making six figures a year isn’t much, though he, understandably, wants to keep his hard earned cash too. Yet, hit a poor man just a few times like that and you’re soon taking food out of his “kids” mouths.
You know, if you follow the politicians line of reasoning here, you’ll realize that they aren’t wanting to raise the sales tax enough. Why raise it a pitiful half a percent? Imagine how much money Athens could put in its coffers if the sales tax were fifty percent! Wow! Just think of it! Every car, t.v., computer and pound of ground round sold in Athens would gross the city fifty cents on the dollar. Of course, that’s only if anyone were stupid enough to buy anything ever again in the "Friendly City."
Now, I’m not an anarchist and I understand that we need government to pave our roads and police our streets and even, occasionally, teach our children the “Three R’s.” We must pay taxes to fund these worthwhile projects. Yet, taxes, like government, should be kept to a minimum.
If these R.I.N.O. (Republican In Name Only) Republicans really wanted to get money for the schools, they would try some good, old fashioned Reaganomics. Cut taxes! Yes, I said, “cut taxes!” Make Athens a haven from sales tax oppression.
Imagine if we lowered our sales tax to eight or seven or, even, six percent? People would drive for miles for the savings. Our retail stores would be swamped. Even more, industries would break their necks to build plants here. One or two percent to a corporation can result over a short time into millions in savings. Imagine the jobs coming to Athens and McMinn County! Are these RINO’s going to say that Reagan was wrong?
A final thought to those who vote for the tax rate hike. For those who trust politicians to keep their word and spend this money wisely and exactly as promised. For those who think they won’t see this same, sad scenario again within five years. I’ve got some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you. Best of all, the sales tax is only, hmmmmm, five percent? Besides, It’s for my kid.
It's just as well. If they had printed this one, I'm sure the "Republicans" in my county would have banished me, for sure. Although, after their support for a totally unneeded tax hike, I probably wouldn't have minded.
By the way, the tax was defeated by a two-to-one margin. Hallelujah!
************************************************************************************
So, here we go again. Sunquist tried his best to get a state income tax, Bredesen gave us the lottery tax and the legislature has tripled the cigarette tax. (Yet, strangely enough, they’ve made it almost impossible to light up in our fair state.) We even get legal liquor tax now. Yet, City Hall has decided that Athens is not paying enough taxes. And guess what! Oh, yeah, you got it. “It’s for the kids”! Sheesh! If the federal, state, county or city government comes up with one more tax “for the kids,” I won’t be able to afford to feed mine!
They tax everything from driving, to owning land, to buying a coke, to playing air hockey to buying a stick of gum. (Is oxygen taxed yet?) Still, they raise taxes every time we turn around and it’s all “for the kids”!
Who can say “no” to the “kids”? What sort of beast would tell the “kids” that we don’t have the money or aren’t willing to pay the money for their education? Certainly, anyone who is unwilling to make the small sacrifice of a silly, little half a percent sales tax must be a heartless cad. It’s only a little half a percent, isn’t it? Well, isn’t it?
The kids need pencils and paper and books and notebooks and squares and compasses and a myriad of other stuff. Someone has to pay for it. Sure, the parents buy lots of this stuff right out of pocket and also have raffles and bake sales along with other creative fund raising projects. Recently, I even had one little girl just walk up to me and flat out ask me for a donation for her school. At least she wasn’t trying to sale me some candle or discount card I really didn’t want or need. Still, It’s not enough.
From the band wagon we hear local politicians, Republican and Democrat, at last, shoulder-to-shoulder, playing in harmony a familiar tune, promising us that the school system needs, desperately needs this sales tax. After all, it’s just a silly half a percent. Well, I guess the Democrat and Republican politicians have found something they can agree on: Stick it to the consumer.
I’m certainly no mathematician, but it doesn’t take an Einstein to understand that there are only one hundred percents in one hundred percent. Today, one hundred dollars of groceries costs me one hundred and nine dollars. Now, that’s after Uncle Sam already has taken thirty plus percent of my income before I ever see it. (Oh, I’m sure Teddy Kennedy and "Little Jimmy" Duncan are spending it wisely though...not!) How many “percents” are left to take?
Now, fifty cents to a man making six figures a year isn’t much, though he, understandably, wants to keep his hard earned cash too. Yet, hit a poor man just a few times like that and you’re soon taking food out of his “kids” mouths.
You know, if you follow the politicians line of reasoning here, you’ll realize that they aren’t wanting to raise the sales tax enough. Why raise it a pitiful half a percent? Imagine how much money Athens could put in its coffers if the sales tax were fifty percent! Wow! Just think of it! Every car, t.v., computer and pound of ground round sold in Athens would gross the city fifty cents on the dollar. Of course, that’s only if anyone were stupid enough to buy anything ever again in the "Friendly City."
Now, I’m not an anarchist and I understand that we need government to pave our roads and police our streets and even, occasionally, teach our children the “Three R’s.” We must pay taxes to fund these worthwhile projects. Yet, taxes, like government, should be kept to a minimum.
If these R.I.N.O. (Republican In Name Only) Republicans really wanted to get money for the schools, they would try some good, old fashioned Reaganomics. Cut taxes! Yes, I said, “cut taxes!” Make Athens a haven from sales tax oppression.
Imagine if we lowered our sales tax to eight or seven or, even, six percent? People would drive for miles for the savings. Our retail stores would be swamped. Even more, industries would break their necks to build plants here. One or two percent to a corporation can result over a short time into millions in savings. Imagine the jobs coming to Athens and McMinn County! Are these RINO’s going to say that Reagan was wrong?
A final thought to those who vote for the tax rate hike. For those who trust politicians to keep their word and spend this money wisely and exactly as promised. For those who think they won’t see this same, sad scenario again within five years. I’ve got some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you. Best of all, the sales tax is only, hmmmmm, five percent? Besides, It’s for my kid.
Labels: Democrat, education, R.I.N.O., Republican, Ronald Reagan, taxes
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
"Hillary the Robot"
What do Hillary Clinton and Robby the Robot have in common? Both are monotones.
Remember in "Lost in Space" how Robot's excitedness was expressed by his simply getting louder? The only difference between "Good morning, Will Robinson" and "Danger, Will Robinson" was the volume.
Listen to Hillary in her speeches. She will drone on and on repeatedly hitting the same pitch making vain attempts at emphases by simply adding more decibels.
She persists with that effected, vapid, condescending tone of hers. She should just go ahead and scrape her nails on a chalkboard and get it over with. It would be about the same.
Granted, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were/are both excellent speakers. They're style was/is natural and they both came across, like them or not, as relaxed and affable.
You'd think bill could help her with a few speaking lessons. I suppose even he can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Remember in "Lost in Space" how Robot's excitedness was expressed by his simply getting louder? The only difference between "Good morning, Will Robinson" and "Danger, Will Robinson" was the volume.
Listen to Hillary in her speeches. She will drone on and on repeatedly hitting the same pitch making vain attempts at emphases by simply adding more decibels.
She persists with that effected, vapid, condescending tone of hers. She should just go ahead and scrape her nails on a chalkboard and get it over with. It would be about the same.
Granted, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were/are both excellent speakers. They're style was/is natural and they both came across, like them or not, as relaxed and affable.
You'd think bill could help her with a few speaking lessons. I suppose even he can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Labels: Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Lost in Space, politics, public speaking, Ronald Reagan
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
The Greatest American
I have been keeping up with the "Greatest American" on the Discovery Channel. It's mostly interesting, but sometimes, sadly reflective of the ignorance of our government educated citizenry. I think Elvis and Walt Disney were cool, but they should not be listed among the top twenty-five greatest Americans. (Oprah and Ali definitely don't belong.)
My easy choice for the single greatest American ever is George Washington. Without him, we wouldn't have a country in which to debate who the greatest of us is.
I was very pleased to see those who made it to the top five. The list we have now is arguably inclusive of the greatest of our citizens. They include, in no particular order:
1. Dr. Martin Luther King
2. President Ronald Reagan
3. President Abraham Lincoln
4. Benjamin Franklin
5. President/General George Washington.
All of these affected our country in ways that are immeasurable and, as time goes by, becomes more recognizable and, hopefully, more appreciated. (By the way, George W. Bush pulled in a tight sixth place.)
The contributions of all these Americans should easily overwhelm, in so far as our honoring them is concerned , their vices. They all were men of imperfection who rose to the tasks presented them and moved, or formed, this nation in ways in which we could never fully repay them, except, perchance, to live our lives as honorably as we can.
I must say, though, that I was shocked to hear the derogatory remarks made about some against the candidates on the show. One young black man stood up and remarked that Washington couldn't qualify for greatness because he was a slave owner. So, perhaps at least half of our founding fathers are disqualified from being called "great" because of that reason? Perhaps they should be disqualified simply because they didn't believe in universal suffrage. They felt that only land-owning, white males over the age of twenty-one should have the vote. (Incidentally, I don't believe in universal suffrage myself.)
Perhaps people would like to disqualify Dr. King because of alleged Marxist ties and rumored infidelity. Lincoln was against things like interracial marriage and he was for segregation, so, I suppose that disqualifies him. Franklin was renowned as a bit of a party animal, so to speak, and even liked the French! Should that disqualify him? Should Reagan be written off for Iran-country even though he is the single most salient person responsible for the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe. I don't think you could write off these men's contribution to our freedoms for any personal shortcomings that may have plagued them.
Well, anyway, it's just a t.v. show and doesn't amount to anything much. I do find it interesting to hear the opinions of those involved with the show and their reasons for supporting the various candidates. You actually can even pick up a little history by watching. Still, all it really proves is that many people will vote on just about anything between American Idol seasons.
Labels: Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan
