Us presidential election 2004

[Rishon 0]

Ah screw polls.

You find one that says Kerry 49%, and then you can find one just as easily that says Bush 49%.

Polls prove nothing, and are good for little other than to illustrate that the country is in turmoil.

Yeah, pretty much.

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

Statistics prove everything. Innit.

[Rishon 0]

Statistics prove everything. Innit.

Not Really. Right now, ANYONE could win this election, just because you pull ahead in the polls doesn't mean you won't get voted for on Election Day. Half the people in the country don't even take these stupid polls.

[billybob2002 0]

Time for some "humor":

http://kerrylove.ytmnd.com/

[Rishon 0]

Time for some "humor":

http://kerrylove.ytmnd.com/

Dear god!!! SHIELD YOUR EYES!!!!

[walker 0]

Hi all

As billybob2002 said time for some humour

http://www.markfiore.com/animation/fear.html

This one is still my favourite though

http://www.markfiore.com/animation/wmd.html

Kind Regards Walker

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

Rishon-

Quote[/b] ]Not Really. Right now, ANYONE could win this election, just because you pull ahead in the polls doesn't mean you won't get voted for on Election Day. Half the people in the country don't even take these stupid polls.

Thats right. Everything includes a given statement and the opposite of said statement. I was hinting at the inefficaciousness inherent in statistics, especially notable when used to gauge public opinion in the run up to an election.

See, you thought i referred to 'proof' literally but not 'everything' whereas i actually intended 'everything' to be taken literally but not 'proof' . Sort of thing.

Spam (the meat product) is utterly disgusting i might add.

[Rishon 0]

Yeah, that wasn't funny.

Good Job killing Funny Time Walker...

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

Ill tell you whats funny:the way noone gives a shit about you until you start acting like an ayshole. yesh

[Rishon 0]

Ill tell you whats funny:the way noone gives a shit about you until you start acting like a bunghole. yesh yesh

I guess that means people REALLY CARE ABOUT ME!!!

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

Shhhh. I changed it to keep with the times. Vote Kerry! Rah Rah Rah!

Now i can sleep soundly.

M.ust...stay...o.on..t.t.topic...

[Rishon 0]

I have a question. I really don't care about this, being in the Army takes care of this for me.

But, how are you going to feel when Kerry starts to cut back on tax refunds and your taxes go up? You won't be able to afford things because of this, I'd be PRETTY angry.

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

Living in another country, i will feel mildly amused and pleasantly stimulated. Yowser! I think there was something in that funny cigarette.

[Rishon 0]

Living in another country, i will feel mildly amused and pleasantly stimulated. Yowser! I think there was something in that funny cigarette.

Well, then why are you even talking here? You can't vote?!

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

"Well, then why are you even talking here?"

This is a question that haunts my mind no end. But to influence peoples views through debate is kind of cool probably. Anyway paying taxes can be fun! Just think of all the poor little kiddies youre saving from poverty and destitution..

[walker 0]

Hi all

Time for some more humour.

http://www.ericblumrich.com/nazi.html

Kind Regards Walker

[Rishon 0]

Hi all

Time for some more humour.

http://www.ericblumrich.com/nazi.html

Kind Regards Walker

Yeah, thats funny.

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

No spam urrhgh

[Schoeler 0]

I have a question. I really don't care about this, being in the Army takes care of this for me.

But, how are you going to feel when Kerry starts to cut back on tax refunds and your taxes go up? You won't be able to afford things because of this, I'd be PRETTY angry.

I'm not going to feel bad at all, Kerry's tax plan calls for rolling back the cut for only the wealthiest 5% of americans. Considering that these people make thousands of times the annual income of the middle class I really don't give a shit for their awful plight. Maybe now, they'll pay their fair share and my kids can be eligible for things like student loans, grants and health care.

[Rishon 0]

Well, Nationalized Healthcare doesn't matter. The Wealthier people get it done faster anyway, as they can get it done privately, and your kids will get stuck on HUGE waiting lists. You want National Healthcare? Go move to canada. Also, to get all this stuff, we'd have to raise taxes. In other countries its 35%. If I had to pay 35% of what I earn't to the Government, I'd be angry as hell.

[Schoeler 0]

I think you need to look deeper into the Kerry plan for tax cuts and health care. He isn't going to raise your taxes to 35%. This government wastes more money on pork that could be going towards that healthcare. Kerry probably won't make much of a dent in that trend, but he's definitely better than the corporate lackey Bush. Look at Bush's latest drug plan, big pharmaceutical companies were the only real beneficiaries. You should be pissed that your government no longer looks after your best interests, but rather cowtows to their corporate financier handlers. This is no longer a democracy.

[denoir 0]

In other countries its 35%. If I had to pay 35% of what I earn't to the Government, I'd be angry as hell.

Here in Sweden, a country that has one of the highest tax rates in the world, we have a base tax of around 30%. In addition we have a thing called "margin tax" that is progressive. For up to the middle of the middle class, it's nothing. Ranging from higher middle class and upwards it can be as much as 25% - yielding a total of 55%. That's a lot. On the other hand if you need a heart surgery, the state will pay it. If you get a disabled child, the state will pay for the additional costs it brings. If you lose your job, you have a solid social security. University tuitions and such things are all paid by the state etc

Now Sweden isn't a perfect example - IMO our taxes are too high in relation to what we get, but that's another issue related to how the government handles the money it gets.

The US on the other hand still basically has a laissez faire model for government - survival of the fittest.  You have a clear majority of the richest people in the world - but at the price of having about 12% of the people living below the poverty line. America's internal economic politics is based on the idea that it's all up to the individual. That if you work hard enough, success is guaranteed.

IMO it's a very naive idea that doesn't quite fit with reality. Primarily because people start off with different prequisites. You'll have very different chances of success in life if you are Bill Gates Junior or if you are born in some slum ghetto.

Bottom line there is however that it's your call - what kind of society you wish to have. Supporting the strongest rather than the weakest is quite a profitable policy for the country. If you see the development in the world though, it's going in the other direction. The most socially progressive countries such as the Europeans ones, Canda and Japan are examples of where the government has a big social role to play. The fundamental idea there is that the society should provide a guarantee of solid prequisites for existance for all its citizens, regardless of who they are and what they do. And as an effect countries like Sweden and Canada have around 0% people living below the poverty line.

So that's one aspect of taxes and what you can achieve with them. That is an ideological choice you have to make.

The reason why the US taxes must be raised on the other hand is the lovely deficit that has now reached over 500 billion USD. And you have a national debt of over 7 trillion USD. That has to be paid, and I don't think even Santa Claus has such deep pockets. The only income that the government has is taxes. So that's how you'll be paying for that.

So you shouldn't blame Kerry for removing tax cuts. You should blame Bush for going from a 700 billion dollar surplus to a 500 billion dollar deficit. He's the one that spent your money (in addition of course to unfavourable macroeconomic trends in recent years).

[Rishon 0]

Yes, you do have a point about this Denoir. Bush spent 10 million dollars to see if Cow's Flatulation (Farting) Would affect the atmosphere. Really stupid.

I only care about my family getting NO money, because, as you know MANY americans are in Debt, and these Tax Raises are going to KILL their Income. I couldn't care about the Deficeit. It doesn't affect me whatsoever, If Kerry can fix this, I'd elect him. But, He won't. He's just selling crap so he will win. I don't think he will capitalize on it, but then again, GB Jnr. hasn't done much good either. Either way, I really don't care, I'll cast my vote and move the hell on, Just so long as Kerry doesn't do anything stupid, like Lower the Military's Budget.

[blackdog~ 0]

http://www.grouchymedia.com/other_videos/divine_intervention/download.cfm

The Rush Limbaugh flash movie was funny.

[Schoeler 0]

Yes, you do have a point about this Denoir. Bush spent 10 million dollars to see if Cow's Flatulation (Farting) Would affect the atmosphere. Really stupid.

I only care about my family getting NO money, because, as you know MANY americans are in Debt, and these Tax Raises are going to KILL their Income. I couldn't care about the Deficeit. It doesn't affect me whatsoever, If Kerry can fix this, I'd elect him. But, He won't. He's just selling crap so he will win. I don't think he will capitalize on it, but then again, GB Jnr. hasn't done much good either. Either way, I really don't care, I'll cast my vote and move the hell on, Just so long as Kerry doesn't do anything stupid, like Lower the Military's Budget.  

The really funny aspect to all this is that as a member of the middle class, you didn't really get a tax cut at all. Those federal dollars that went to funding important programs like road maintenance, education, law enforcement, emergency medical care, and even homeland security had to be made up on the State level. You now pay higher sales tax, property tax and State income tax to cover the deficit. Where the State can't or won't cover the losses of federal supplements, you have lost out on all those goods and services. In effect, you are paying the same if not more in taxes than you were before and the local and State governments are having a rough go of it. Bush essentially fucked you in the ass, kissed you on the face and made you feel like you asked for it it to happen. The problem is, that nagging soreness just won't go away.