How Was Your Tax Day?

Did you throw a party this April 15? Do you enjoy getting taxed for your hard work? Isn't that an odd concept? Getting taxed for hard work? (or not so hard in some cases but profitable)

According to taxfoundation.org the percentage of non income tax payers is on the rise.

http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/25962.html

There's a 47% of non income tax payers rumor floating around out there for 2009 taxes. I don't know if that's true or not, but the above graphic should be of concern to you and here's why.


1. Baby boomers are all in the process of retiring or making plans to retire and while many of them have saved a nest egg for retirement, they will all still be planning to get their social security checks and medicare benefits while retired. If we have fewer people paying into the tax system than are relying on benefits and programs that income taxes pay for, we have an unsustainable system.


2. Unsustainable systems encourage and result in negative population growth which makes the number receiving services to paying for the services get larger and larger over time. See Europe as an example which has had this problem since 2000.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_decline for more information and sources.

3. Where there is a decrease income to the federal government from income taxes, there are 2 options; Make cuts to programs and services (which I'm on board with across the board including Medicare and Medicaid) and/or increase taxes. We currently don't have leadership willing to make cuts across the board to everything. We as a nation are apparently to dependant on the Government to privatize social security. Look at your SS statement next time it comes in. Big cuts are on the way in just a few years if it doesn't get fixed.

4. If the health care bill that was passed doesn't get overturned and is successfully funded, that will mean a lot more people will be receiving services from the government which is funded by we the people left paying taxes. I don't know about you, but I already pay more than my fair share. I don't want to pay any more. Those of you willing to pay more than your fair share, go right ahead. There's no law against paying more.

These are just some examples of why this statistic should concern you. What is my solution you ask? Please visit http://www.fairtax.org/. The fair tax repeals the income tax established in the 16th amendment and instates a consumption tax. That means everyone that consumes pays taxes whether they are here legally or illegally, doing business within the law or under the table, earning currently taxable income or not, and receiving government services or not.

Article I Section. 8. of the U.S. Constitution
Clause 1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

The 16th Amendment was ratified by the states in 1913 allowing for collection of income tax. I don't know about you, but this amendment sounds unconstitutional to me.

A vote for Lola is a vote for sanity that has been long absent from our government.

So You Want to Know What I Think About the Health Care Bill

I have been in mourning for the last few weeks in preparation for this day. Why? because I knew begging you to call and write your congressmen would do no good. Why? because if you have democratic congressmen most of them had no intention of listening to you unless you were for the health care bill. Though if I saw polls correctly only a slight majority of Americans are vehemently opposed to this bill.

Why?

Because over time we've become a society that slowly allows the government to take over our lives in the name of providing for us or in the name of safety, and after a little while we become used to and dependent upon those provisions and so we let them keep taking more and more of our tax dollars as long as they keep providing for our needs.

This is why I'm in mourning. I no longer believe that a majority of Americans care about liberty and freedom. I believe freedom loving Americans are in the minority and because of how our system is set up, we won't find actual representation in Washington unless we all move into the same districts and can elect our own representatives.

Don't tell me the Republicans are going to step up and represent us, because where were they on health care when they held the house and the senate in the 90's? They could have introduced and passed legislation to increase competition across state lines for health insurance and introduced legislation prohibits denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Then they could have put the parameters around pre-existing conditions that they could be subject to higher premiums or patient portions as negotiated between the patient and the insurance companies. But the republicans did nothing when they had the chance so don't tell me they are going to suddenly step up and start representing freedom loving Americans. Hannity and Limbaugh can sell it if they want, but I'm not buying. Running on repealing the legislation in November seems disingenuous to me.

Nancy Pelosi made some comment after the Health Care Bill passed comparing it to Social Security and Medicare passing. While I disagree with her view of it being a good thing, she's right. Social Security and Medicare are bankrupting this country and Health Care will be the nail in the bankruptcy coffin. Next time you get a social security statement in the mail read it.

This is from my statement received in February of this year:

"In 2016 we will begin paying more in benefits than we collect in taxes. Without changes, by 2037 the Social Security Trust Fund will be exhausted* and there will be enough money to pay only about 76 cents for each dollar of scheduled benefits...."

What do you think is going to happen with health care if the government is in charge of it? As it is, premiums will go up for everyone and/or insurance companies will go bankrupt until there's no one left but the government to bail us all out and that's how they'll get the 'universal coverage' they (and many Americans) want so badly.

Do I hope the Republican platform of repeal works in November? Sure I do, but here's how I would like to see it happen; All republicans that are up for re election get booted in their republican primary in favor of their opponent, whoever it is. Let's get rid of the old republican blood that is more than happy to spend our money on things like corporate bailouts and get fresh blood in there. If Sarah Palin were a real 'maverick' she'd be campaigning against John McCain instead of for him. Instead of campaigning for Rick Perry here in Texas for governor, she'd have campaigned for Debra Medina. Who is she you ask. Exactly my point. I will be voting for the libertarian candidate. Out with the old, in with the new.

Merry Christmas from the Halls of Congress!!!

Well tomorrow morning bright and early, before many of us are even awake, the Senate is going to pass their $871 Billion version of health care. While there is not public option in this version, how many of you want to go in the hole for an $871 Billion Christmas present?

Our only hope is that the House won't give in on not having a public option and that it ends up going no where. But I fear they are so desperate to pass something, that they'll come to a one sided agreement.

Never mind that a majority of us oppose this bill.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform

Never mind that they bought the 60th vote, and probably the 59th and 58th. I just haven't been paying as close attention to who 58 and 59 were and what they got for it.

We should all be ecstatic because after all, Christmas is about going further and further into debt right??? Remember to thank you Senators for their generous gift to you at your expense.

On a brighter note;

I Lola, do wish each and everyone of you a joyous Holidays with your families and friends. I hope you are all taking some extra vacation time over the next week and a half or so.

Oh No!!!

Sorry about the title. It's my sarcastic way of adding to the hysteria over the Saturday night vote.

Let me tell you why the sarcasm. That vote was just to continue debating or not about the bill. Yeah Yeah Republicans didn't have any input in the bill. Well if you refuse to debate about it, you certainly won't get your points across.

I agree I don't want the bill to pass either but debate is debate and you better start debating it! That's your job!! So stop whining and start debating.

What I find interesting is how the following NY Times article talks about the cost of the Senate bill at $800+Billion like it's a bargain over the $1.03 Trillion House bill.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/health/policy/20health.html?_r=2&ref=health
Keep in mind that the federal government couldn't accurately estimate or even over estimate the cost of something like this. Trust me, it's well underestimated.

But who among us can actually imagine $800 billion? Let me break it down for you.
http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html
At the time of this post, the U.S. population is listed at 307,996,114. Keep in mind that number is not working adults only. It includes children, retirees, stay at home moms, the unemployed, etc etc. That comes out to more than $2,597 per person. So if your family has 2 people think $5,200 or for a family of 4 more than $10,400. That's on top of the taxes you currently pay for this that and the other government programs. But don't forget you have to pay for those people that aren't contributing tax dollars. So add some more money onto your family's total to cover their share.

I'm just saying $800 billion is NOT a bargain for health care that they say is only going to cover 31 million people as opposed to the Houses versions 36 million. So they expect me to believe that only about 11% of the population is going to need the governments help? What do they think I'm stupid? I guess they aren't concerned about me though, just about the masses.

On a related note, if you don't think senator's votes on specific pieces of legislation aren't bought.
Check this out how Senator Mary Landrieu's vote to support the health care bill was purchased.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/11/the-100-million-health-care-vote.html

Don't think your Senator can be bought on either side of the aisle? I'd like to remind you of TARP and the "Stimulus" bills.

Call your senators. Call other senators. Or Write them. Tell them what you think.