A car of interest....

[nookandcrannycar]

Taxes are the downfall of civilization. Europe is about to hit the fan and dissolve, that is the only lesson anyone should take about doing anything "like europe."

:c lap:

Taxes for vehicles are absurd as they are. There should only be one, sales tax when you buy it. The idea of a government taxing something you already own is beyond ludicrous. I honestly don't understand how the person who thought up that idea lived to enact it. Just like income tax is insane. That is one of the reasons why Lincoln should not be touted as much as he was. He did some purely evil things, and got amazingly lucky in winning the civil war.

A little stronger than I would have put it, but .

[jayeh]

Originally Posted by tooter

And you're right, because the US has adopted the European model of government.

In what way?????!!!!????

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

What!!!!! People just look at the way they channel their money, IMO, the wrong way. Paying more per mile than I need to = money that is flushed down a toilet that I can never get back to invest in something else. Also, where tooter lives and where I used to live (SF Bay Area) buying a fuel efficient car is take as a political statement and putting forward a sign of intelligence.

Most people just assume I can't afford anything more, or that I'm a terrible driver when they see my car. Then when they find out I live downtown they understand. I could maybe fit a Corolla in my parking spot but it would be tight!

Here small cars are surprisingly popular, right out into the rural areas. I was shocked at all the 90's tercels I saw a trip out of the east coast of Canada recently.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by jayeh

Most people just assume I can't afford anything more

I sometimes get that vibe when I go to places in the Houston metro that are more 'Texas-centric' (which, among other things = more pickups and more large SUVs....as opposed to near my area 58 percent of the people were born outside of Texas)

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by jayeh

In what way?????!!!!????

I would guess tooter means re the types of things the government is choosing to spend money on (ObamaCare, for example), rather than the structure of the government. Although, with the POTUS disregarding the separation of powers set forth in our constitution, and our congress failing to impeach and try him for this, some might feel that it is debatable what form of government we have (effectively) in the United States.

[tooter]

tooter wrote:
And you're right, because the US has adopted the European model of government.

Originally Posted by jayeh

In what way?????!!!!????

America has adopted the European model of a taxing regulating litigating cradle-to-grave benefits dispensing liberal socialist bureaucratic welfare state...

...and only because that is what the political majority have demanded it to be.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by tooter

America has adopted the European model of a taxing regulating litigating cradle-to-grave benefits dispensing liberal socialist bureaucratic welfare state...

...and only because that is what the political majority have demanded it to be.

...and we are going in the wrong direction while some other countries are going in the right direction. The U.S. has the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world. Russia abolished its inheritance tax. Russia has a VAT, but they have a flat personal income tax rate of 13 percent and a tax on dividends of only 9 percent (just a few examples of different, better policies that the U.S. could adopt). People are rightly praising Lady Thatcher today while noting her passing. The U.S. needs a 'kick in the pants' akin to what she gave the UK when she became Prime Minister.

[jayeh]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Many of us who don't want it do not feel that way because we want to 'fight against healthcare'. We feel the way we do because what Obama CLAIMED was the impetus for healthcare reform (getting more people covered) could have been accomplished by expanding current programs (such as Medicaid, or even giving everyone the choice US Federal Employees have). After Obama took office (and the debate was renewed) several congressmen (on different committees) proposed giving the public the same insurance options that US Federal Employees have. Not one of these proposals even got out of committee. I think most people in the U.S. would have liked to see a solution that covered more people, but not ObamaCare - a top down solution that changes almost everything. Also, we don't like being lied to...and this whole process has been frought with lies coming (mainly) from Obama (you can keep the coverage you have...you can keep the doctor you have....premiums will decrease an average of $2500 per year for a family...and on and on (the list of lies is as long as both of my arms). If ObamaCare is so great, then why are any exemptions needed?....and... When was the last time you heard White House Press Secretary Jay Carney answer a question directly or really even at all? I don't think I ever have. IMO, he tries to obfuscate nearly everything.

I just don't get it! I don't even agree with the concept of for profit healthcare.

Originally Posted by tooter

America has adopted the European model of a taxing regulating litigating cradle-to-grave benefits dispensing liberal socialist bureaucratic welfare state...

...and only because that is what the political majority have demanded it to be.

I don't understand how anyone could think the united states is anywhere close to that!

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

...and we are going in the wrong direction while some other countries are going in the right direction. The U.S. has the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world. Russia abolished its inheritance tax. Russia has a VAT, but they have a flat personal income tax rate of 13 percent and a tax on dividends of only 9 percent (just a few examples of different, better policies that the U.S. could adopt). People are rightly praising Lady Thatcher today while noting her passing. The U.S. needs a 'kick in the pants' akin to what she gave the UK when she became Prime Minister.

You might want to check your sources on that statement about the corporate taxes.

I guess I'm just a socialist at heart!

[tooter]

Originally Posted by jayeh

I don't understand how anyone could think the united states is anywhere close to that!

Oh really?

47,000,000 people are on government food stamps.

1 out of every 4 children eat government food in a government school.

The majority in America have created the government they deserve in their own image.

I guess I'm just a socialist at heart!

Exactly.

[jayeh]

Originally Posted by tooter

Oh really?

47,000,000 people are on government food stamps.

1 out of every 4 children eat government food in a government school.

The majority in America have created the government they deserve in their own image.

That is proof enough for me that something is wrong with the system!

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by tooter

Oh really?

47,000,000 people are on government food stamps.

1 out of every 4 children eat government food in a government school.

The majority in America have created the government they deserve in their own image.




Exactly.

You left out the 60 million illegals.

I think Americas 15 minutes are up...it was a nice ride while it lasted..

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by jayeh

I just don't get it! I don't even agree with the concept of for profit healthcare.

So it's okay that Obama lied to us because we know his goal is a single payer system . Not that this would be true of any of my neighbors, but if my neighbor down the street is the same age and also doesn't smoke, but weighs 500 pounds and drinks a bottle of vodka a day (I don't drink and am not obese), why should we pay the same for health insurance? ObamaCare only allows physical location, age, and smoker vs non-smoker to be taken into consideration re insurance rates.

I don't understand how anyone could think the united states is anywhere close to that!

Our national debt is already a fair amount higher per capita than Greece. Some people think that doesn't matter because of the different nature of our economy. I still think it matters. Some people think that conservatives in the U.S. are selfish because we want to cut government spending and we don't want to pay higher taxes. I say what could possibly be more selfish than to borrow money for excessive things that are desired (but not needed) now (what many liberals want) and make kids, grandkids, great grandkids, great great grandkids, etc. (who have no say in the matter) pay that money back.

You might want to check your sources on that statement about the corporate taxes.

In late March of 2012 the corporate tax rate in Japan dipped just below ours, giving the U.S. the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world. Liberals here will say that is a conservative talking point and is inaccurate because the U.S. has the second lowest corporate tax rate among such countries when expressed as a percentage of GDP. IMO, that is liberal drivel. Talk to the CEO of a company headquartered outside the U.S. who is thinking about relocating his company from its current location. He's not going to care what the U.S. corporate tax rate is as a percentagle of GDP. He's going to care what his company would have to pay.

I guess I'm just a socialist at heart!

I guess so .

[jayeh]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

So it's okay that Obama lied to us because we know his goal is a single payer system . Not that this would be true of any of my neighbors, but if my neighbor down the street is the same age and also doesn't smoke, but weighs 500 pounds and drinks a bottle of vodka a day (I don't drink and am not obese), why should we pay the same for health insurance? ObamaCare only allows physical location, age, and smoker vs non-smoker to be taken into consideration re insurance rates.

I don't know the answer to that, but here alcohol and cigarettes are taxed to the sky so it kind of evens out.

I'm also shocked by how much people pay for health insurance in the first place. I was reading that somebody my age would pay about what I pay in a year for income tax for their health insurance alone, plus about the same amount of income tax!

I'm fascinated by the social programs in the US. They seem to be somewhat jumbled and inefficient and with a great variance by state.