Thanks much ladies and gentlemen. Great stuff. I took the liberty of posting to the blog so I could, at the very least reference for future posts. Come back often...
Joe Grifford.
This is one of those times when I wish there was a "love" and not just a "like" button. As you know Ralph, I also run a business. The tax burden is bad enough, but there's also the tremendous amount of time I must spend complying with tax... requirements(federal and state income, social security, and unemployment among others). When you see how OUR money gets wasted by government, it's all the more infuriating. Most of the folks who we have select to create and enforce these regulations have NO experience in running a business. They have no idea as to the real impact of their actions.See More
22 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Jay Tiegs.
if the American taxpayer had to write a check each month for their tax bill people would pay more attention. Somehow the government has fooled us by taking taxes out of our paycheck and giving many a "bonus" refund check at the end of the year. I work for DOD and I see first hand the fraud waste and abuse of tax dollars. The government is too big.
21 hours ago · UnlikeLike · 1 personYou like this..
Melanie Greer Carlson
Washington is broken, there's no disputing that. However, I am a little confused ... Liberal Entitlements? I hear these words and I have to ask, which "socialist" program should we cut? Social Security and Medicare are the two biggest “e...ntitlements” provided by the government, representing nearly half of the overall budget. Are you suggesting Liberals are the only group supporting these programs? Should it be the government’s responsibility to pay benefits to the elderly, or disabled who cannot work, or provide low cost medical resources to these same individuals? I just had this conversation with my niece, who is a tax attorney for one of the biggest corporations in this country. She was explaining how large corporations are able to reduce, or eliminate their tax liabilities through “losses or capital investments”. Anyone who has ever run a business knows “on paper” and with good accountants, companies can “skirt” much of their tax liabilities if not all. One way or the other, taxes pay for these “entitlements” and it’s up to all of us to pick up the slack left by large corporations. Just saying … that’s the reality.See More
20 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Melanie Greer Carlson
I want to be clear ... I'm refering to LARGE CORPORATIONS, who by LAW, must do everything in their power to MAKE MONEY FOR THEIR STOCKHOLDERS ... not smaller businesses.
20 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Joe Griffard
Melanie - As you said those companies have a fiduciary duty to earn the most they can for their stockholders. Who are the shareholders of those corporations? We the people. If they pay too much in taxes we are hurt by it. If you think t...hey are making "too much" money, one way you can "defend" yourself against that is to own their shares. From the stand point of the owner of a smaller business, I can tell you that I enjoy a few tax benefits, but I can't afford a staff of attorneys and accountants to help me avoid everything. The administrative burdens are a major hassle too.See More
20 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Chris Nitzsche
"Burden?". How about "Blessing." I know you guys work hard, as I do, for nice homes, cars, fleets of high-zoot bikes, fabulous ski vacations, etc, but let's not suggest that the recipients of these 'entitlement programs' are somehow living... the dream. Tell ya what, how 'bout trading places w/ a single mom of six kids and no job (but FREE foodstamps) for a few months?
Btw, doesnt the military budget (A govt program) dwarf all the rest? And who goes to war? The sons of "successful small business owners?" Not from what I saw. Mostly inner-city & rural POOR kids. Talk about a burden....See More
17 hours ago · LikeUnlike · 1 personLoading....
Russ Smith
What infuriates me are the extension of unemployment benefits. I heard an interview with an out of work Engineer yesterday that had been laid off for almost 2 years now. He complained that his $678 every 2 weeks was not enough to pay all his bills. I just do not understand why this person would not go out and find a job or 2 washing dishes or working in fast food. Is it because he is too good to do these jobs or that the government is basically paying him $10/hr to sit at home?
15 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Tom Valvo
@Chris--Military and Homeland Security spending approx $780 billion. Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid together over $1.4 trillion! And that is not including other entitlements, which pushes the total beyond $1.6 trillion. So no, mili...tary spending does not "dwarf" the rest.
By the way, what is the single mom doing with 6 kids? Please dont' tell me the atypical case of the mother who lost her husband to death or divorce. Let's talk about the lion's share who are pumping out kids, unmarried, each one with a different father.See More
13 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Ralph Pfremmer Well now. Thatswhatimtalkingbout.
I might also add that BEPA has two rules. One, we don't use the current system, the fire circle that keeps the members in dispute because the rules are written by our own government, entitled with its ow...n purpose, to feed itself. Those who play the game subscribe to the system. We simply think that the system is what it is, and that it does not merit acknowledgment when trying to navigate our endeavor.
Two, we look ahead to knew ideas, those also not purposed from the backdrop of the current system. It is out of the box thinking that keeps our small and large businesses afloat, learning to navigate , instead of waiting for recovery. Refusing to do the same old thing rather than fall into the community of entitlement.See More
12 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Mark Clervi
Just don't go all Galt on us.
12 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Ralph Pfremmer
Where the hell is John Galt?
12 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Chris Nitzsche
@Tom: Not "atypical" at all. Single moms w/ 6 kids is all too typical in poverty-stricken areas, both inner city and rural, sad to say. You're right, it's stupid, wrong and disgusting...but it's also a fact. Simply "cutting them off" isn't... the answer. We're going to pay for it in one way or another. The gap between the "haves" and the "have nots" is increasing exponentially. We're losing the middle class...not to the poor....to the rich. When 1% or 2% of population tie up 50+% of the wealth, that's a problem. Doesn't leave much for the rest of us.
There are plenty of entitlements for the rich, the poor and those of us in the middle. Singling out one class as the "entitlement class" without also pointing fingers at ourselves (I'm on a business trip right now....my dinner, airfare, hotel and rental car will be write offs) is not fair nor is it correct.See More
10 hours ago · LikeUnlike · 1 personLoading....
Tom Valvo
@Chris--here is the problem. Your analysis suggests the economy is merely a zero sum game--the only question is how it is "distributed". Thus your comment about "not leaving much for the rest of us."
I prefer to look at how can we continu...e to gow the pie so that everyone can benefit. That is a philospohical and political chasm that is seemingly impossible to bridge. I believe in the inherent power freedom and personal initiative that has created the most remarkable economic engine the world has evern known, no matter how flawed it is at times. Your approach seems to suggest there exists only a finite amount of benefit that is somehow unfairly concentrated within a very small segment of the ultra-wealthy.
I am neither ultra-wealthy nor of a "priveleged class". I have been able to provide a very comfortable life for me and my family through hard work and perserverance. There is NO other nation on earth that presents such an opportunity as right here.See More
10 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Mike Briner
@Tom The economy certainly isn't zero-sum, but over the last 30-40 years the benefits of growth have been skewing towards the richest of society, and that is only likely to continue. The purchasing power of middle class incomes, in real t...erms, has stagnated or eroded over this period. I'm not saying the richest of society are to blame for everyone's problems, but if their share of wealth continues to increase, while everyone else struggles, then the pie is getting smaller for everyone else. Unfortunately, due to increasing population, more global competition, and dearer resources, we aren't likely to see experience any rapid and long-term growth in our economy which might otherwise help to "raise all boats".See More
8 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Mike Briner
Ralph, I feel for what you have said in your piece. I agree the system is dysfunctional, but I think party politics are the big issue, not just branding the other sides as liberals or conservatives (or worse). There is no compromise betwe...en the parties, and we the average citizens are becoming ever more distrustful of each other based on our individual politics. You said the debt never gets paid down, however the debt was being paid down in the 90s, then it took off again in the 00s. We need competent people in government and we need them to make thoughtful, and sometimes painful compromises, and be truthful with the people about why that needs to occur. Obama put together a bipartisan commission to come up solutions to our deficits and their report is dead on arrival because neither party wants to admit that they need to concede some points of pride for the greater good.See More
8 hours ago · LikeUnlike.
Ralph Pfremmer
Mike, I have made it pretty clear that the combined political spectrum is the issue. It is broken, useless, and I prefer not to play in that sandbox, nor do I suggest anyone else for fear of exactly what you said, distrustful of each other... based on individual politics. My goal is to provide a perspective, expose the governement for what it is, not indulge in what our governement (and the system that fuels it) says it is.
Unfortunaly individual politics fall in to the spectrum, into the broken system, the manusha, the gridlock, the song that never ends; where they want us to play. It is hardly intelectual enough to continue to acknowledge. I look at the politicians, guarding their posts, playing the coveted game in their dark suits and white shirts in the same light as a Sunday morning TV preacher, seeking a hand out, begging for something to sustain their purpose.
Liberalism is some delicious low hanging fruit for a pissed off entreprenuer (a middle class entreprenuer who's money is tied up in his business which equates to the payrolls I have to make each week). Perhaps I'll muster up some Cheney stuff.
BEPA doesnt recognize or acknowledge the current political spectrum as a bases, a benchmark or a springboard from one condition to the other. It is as simple as pulling back to our own personal understanding of civil liberties. Lets face it, that is where we all stand if shit goes down, martial law against enough people saying enough is enough. More on this later.See More
about a minute ago · LikeUnlike.
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