Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below Testosterone boy
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atlantabiolab said:
You had me thinking you were an antagonist then you go and make me all dizzy again. J/K
Could not agree more...........I'm so mad that it is hard to think about making money.
A challenging chore to start?.................
- Thread starter Testosterone boy
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You had me thinking you were an antagonist then you go and make me all dizzy again. J/K
Could not agree more...........I'm so mad that it is hard to think about making money.
atlantabiolab
New member
Testosterone boy said:
I think you misconstrued my post. The idea that is being thrown around that a tax cut is really a tax cut for the wealthy is irrational. The left seems to think that tax cuts should go disproportionately to those who pay none or little of the tax burden of society, for as they claim the rich really don't "need" their money.
What is irrational about this administration is it's unbrideled waste of tax revenues and national credit, not the idea of relieving the public of its tax burden.
Testosterone boy
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atlantabiolab said:
You are complicating the fact that this "tax cut" really only affects the wealthy.....much like getting rid of a sales tax on yachts.
"Relieving the public of its tax burden" LOL...........they are simply passing a massive deficit to the next administration while padding their enormous pockets.
"Why do you not worry about the financial cost of public education yet you worry about the cost of insurance rates? The first is paid for by the nation, without their consent, while the latter is paid privately."
Atlanta: Perhaps I was not entirely clear. I'm a woman and that has a tendency to happen. I worry a great deal about education costs. After all, I am a tax payer. Getting the most bang for the buck does not include putting McD's or any other fast food chain in schools.
With all due respect, I disagree with you regarding health care costs being private. In order to sell insurance to state government, insurance companies are told by the legislature what procedures will and will not be covered. Specific to Alaska, the legislature wants chemical dependency, obesity related illnesses, mental health issues covered. Naturally, this leads to increased premiums.
As stated earlier, state gov. pays $600 per month for my coverage alone. I am not sure how many state employees Alaska currently has. Say we only have 2,000 (very low ball figure). 2,000 employees x 600/month = 1.2 million per month in insurance. Then look at the yearly cost for our small state. Cannot even fathom how much a state like California pays in insurance coverage for government employees per year.
If government employees were healthier (fewer smokers, chemically dependent persons, obese individuals, mentally stable folks) the average rate would be significantly lower. This would, at least in theory, translate to more available money for public projects/programs or to reduce state deficit. If the health of our nation continues to decline, insurance rates will undoubtedly increase as a result. More government money will be allocated to pay for the health of its employees at the expense of the public.
And finally... attacking private industry. I don't have any qualms about that. When the lines between private companies and government become so blurred you cannot distinguish one from the other, its time for change.
Testboy: You think we will wind up like Rome? Our cities fill with greed and laziness while the barbarians wait at the gates?
Atlanta: Perhaps I was not entirely clear. I'm a woman and that has a tendency to happen. I worry a great deal about education costs. After all, I am a tax payer. Getting the most bang for the buck does not include putting McD's or any other fast food chain in schools.
With all due respect, I disagree with you regarding health care costs being private. In order to sell insurance to state government, insurance companies are told by the legislature what procedures will and will not be covered. Specific to Alaska, the legislature wants chemical dependency, obesity related illnesses, mental health issues covered. Naturally, this leads to increased premiums.
As stated earlier, state gov. pays $600 per month for my coverage alone. I am not sure how many state employees Alaska currently has. Say we only have 2,000 (very low ball figure). 2,000 employees x 600/month = 1.2 million per month in insurance. Then look at the yearly cost for our small state. Cannot even fathom how much a state like California pays in insurance coverage for government employees per year.
If government employees were healthier (fewer smokers, chemically dependent persons, obese individuals, mentally stable folks) the average rate would be significantly lower. This would, at least in theory, translate to more available money for public projects/programs or to reduce state deficit. If the health of our nation continues to decline, insurance rates will undoubtedly increase as a result. More government money will be allocated to pay for the health of its employees at the expense of the public.
And finally... attacking private industry. I don't have any qualms about that. When the lines between private companies and government become so blurred you cannot distinguish one from the other, its time for change.
Testboy: You think we will wind up like Rome? Our cities fill with greed and laziness while the barbarians wait at the gates?
Testosterone boy
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staw said:
The differece between Rome and US is that we are filled with greed and laziness while Bushbarians run the show.
I alternate between being furious , disgusted, fed up, and gave up.
These people just don't get what is as obvious as a 12 foot grizzly rearing up, bearing its fangs and growling from 2 yards away.
We don't have a chance if most of the people just tow the official line. Mental laziness!!!
atlantabiolab
New member
staw said:
And what precisely does putting a McDonald's in the school do that is different than them, or another fast food chain, being a mile down the road. I hope you realize that the kids who leave are not going to find tofu burgers or bean curd.
The McDonald's is not the problem with public education, the public education is the problem. This is an institution which prides itself with promoting illiterates to graduation. That teaches multi-culturalism and sensitivity classes to kids who can't do basic math.
These are all functions of government growth. The number of government employees is beyond necessity, since a large portion of these programs, which employ them, are wastes of tax money
But you still have not understood my post. The health of others is only a concern when you are forced to pay for the health of others. In a capitalist society, which we are not, one pays for HIS/HER services, not those of the millions of citizens in his country. In a socialized system, which we are mutating to, we all pay for the services of each other. So which system is better? The one where I pay for myself and you pay for yourself or the system where I pay for the bad habits of Joe Six Pack? The first one allows for personal freedom: if I wanna eat like shit and drink Jack Daniels for breakfast, lunch and dinner, then I suffer the consequences and have to pay for them. In the latter, I live without a care and everyone else picks up the tab. In this scenario the consequences are clear: choices become legislated, because you are a burden to the system.
It is time for a change, but you request a band-aid, instead of a cure. The private industry is not the problem, the governmental system is. Government legislates what people and businesses can do, not the businesses.
It is happening. They are called Mexicans.
atlantabiolab
New member
Testosterone boy said:
Ridiculous. While I feel that this tax cut is not going to make much difference, since the root of the problem is income taxation, what would you propose, as a more reasonable measure?
I explained that I see the unrestrained spending of money as the real problem, but I am not going to sacrifice my personal interests to hope that they see the errors of their ways and do everything right.
Testosterone boy
New member
atlantabiolab said:
Obvious.....you have to spend less money when you are making less. They are spending MORE, much more while making less, much less I would bet though the numbers will be massaged. This is a disaster being created.
I outlined some of my pet ideas when I made the thread about T boy running for King/ puppet/pres in 2004. I like a flat tax with an increase in the minimum wage.
A large percentage of rich people work harder and smarter, I have no problem with that but we should not help them while basically ignoring the rest. I'm also believe that if the government unfairly steals from them, they are more likely to be unscrupulous with money making schemes.
Bush is wasting record amounts of money with absolutely crappy ideas while promoting tax cuts for the rich? I see a train heading this way....it says National Bancruptcy R&R.
Atlanta: Kids who drive during the lunch hour have a choice. And while it is true that many will choose McD's, Taco Bell, etc., some will not. There have actually been a number of healthy joints popping up near high schools that get high traffic from students during the lunch hour. I know because I have had the misfortune of trying to eat at those places during lunch.
For the kids who stay in for lunch... the school should provide healthy alternatives. To not do so is to the detriment of the student population. And perhaps eventually to society, if we all someday have to pick up the tab.
Is McD's the problem w/ public education? No of course not. We completely agree. Several years ago, I attended a well regarded college. I had to take a few years off. When I returned, the student body had completely changed. Many did not know how to speak in complete sentences. They wrote poorly constructed papers. Mortifying that any high school would graduate these kids.
Morevover, there was actually a petition started by parents to discontinue all honors courses in high schools because it made the average student feel "bad." Solution: dumb down the school. Brilliant.
My position on health care (short version). You wanna be a government employee and eat McD's, krispy cremes, smoke, drink like a fish and get obese, go ahead. Just don't ask the legislature to raise insurance premiums to cover the cost of your bad habits. It raises the cost not only for government employees, but the overall cost of government. Being a state employee, I have the pleasure of seeing money wasted on a daily basis.
Private companies, large corporations in particular, have dictated what government does. Ultimately, its the government that pass the laws and the legislature that pass the bills. But that is not without input from private companies. Or even private groups, such as doctors, attorneys, dentists, real estate agents and the like.
The cure? I have no idea. But so long as private corporations and government share the same bed, there can be no solution.
For the kids who stay in for lunch... the school should provide healthy alternatives. To not do so is to the detriment of the student population. And perhaps eventually to society, if we all someday have to pick up the tab.
Is McD's the problem w/ public education? No of course not. We completely agree. Several years ago, I attended a well regarded college. I had to take a few years off. When I returned, the student body had completely changed. Many did not know how to speak in complete sentences. They wrote poorly constructed papers. Mortifying that any high school would graduate these kids.
Morevover, there was actually a petition started by parents to discontinue all honors courses in high schools because it made the average student feel "bad." Solution: dumb down the school. Brilliant.
My position on health care (short version). You wanna be a government employee and eat McD's, krispy cremes, smoke, drink like a fish and get obese, go ahead. Just don't ask the legislature to raise insurance premiums to cover the cost of your bad habits. It raises the cost not only for government employees, but the overall cost of government. Being a state employee, I have the pleasure of seeing money wasted on a daily basis.
Private companies, large corporations in particular, have dictated what government does. Ultimately, its the government that pass the laws and the legislature that pass the bills. But that is not without input from private companies. Or even private groups, such as doctors, attorneys, dentists, real estate agents and the like.
The cure? I have no idea. But so long as private corporations and government share the same bed, there can be no solution.
Testosterone boy
New member
Were you grading papers at the university?
