HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A new year is supposed to be a way for many of us to "clean the plate" and do some things differently.
Especially if they are things that aren't working.
Like...
RELIGION IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!!
I don't care if a presidential candidate believes in a God or doesn't believe in a God. I don't care if a presidential candidate is a Christian, a Jew, a Christ believing Mormon or an Atheist. It's none of my business.
What is my business is when I see world leaders making a "God" justification for what they do that affects millions or billions of people.
The terrorists that we're fighting are led by people who claim that their "God" (Allah) is the voice that (in essence) tells them that they're right when they fight us.
We have people in the White House who (in essence) say that their/our "God" tells us that we're right when we fight the Allah "God" people.
QUESTION: How many "Gods" are there? And who determines which "God" is right?!?
And if our leaders are basing decisions that affect the rest of Americans and maybe people in other parts of the world based on voices they're hearing that the rest of us aren't hearing, I want different leaders.
Here's something else. Some of our leaders claim to be "Born Again". It has a nice sound to it, but when you keep screwing up after you've been "Born Again", the question I have is, "Can you be 'Born AGAIN'?!?" The old, "third time's the charm" theory, right?
Here's a great quote from Gandhi who said, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ."
I'm not suggesting that I totally agree with that, (I don't) but it is something to think about, isn't it?
Here's a term that has been used by people in the military for as long as I can remember; "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!" Think about that. Do most of us believe that the higher power so many people worship and pay homage to, condones the KILLING of people?!?
Here's something else that needs changing...
THE WAY THE I.R.S. DOES BUSINESS!!!
And yeah, maybe it's time to eliminate the I.R.S. Or to totally restructure they way they do business.
In the early 80's, I was doing a radio talk show on KMPC here in Los Angeles, a station that was then owned by legendary Cowboy actor, Gene Autry. This was the first of three different times that I worked for a man I loved and had the pleasure of writing, producing and narrating a 7-hour "Gene Autry Special" that was aired on many stations across the country.
For a number of weeks, I did a series of broadcasts with the great journalist Jack Anderson on KMPC and what we were advocating was a "flat tax" for all Americans. The more we talked about it, the more calls we got from listeners. This subject also prompted the only negative message I ever got from Gene Autry about anything I was doing on KMPC. The message I got was, "Scott? We don't need no talk about no flat tax on this radio station."
That's when I knew that a "flat tax" would be bad for the most privileged of us and good for the rest of us.
I bring this us up because of a tax proposal that presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has made. A 23% sales tax that would (in essence) eliminate the I.R.S. as we now know it. As well as darn near every deduction you can think of. In other words, Mike Huckabee's "flat tax", if you will. There's more to it than what I'm describing, but it's instructional to see who's doing most of the howling about this. Mike Huckabee's sales tax proposal is also a major reason he's gotten a big surge in the polls, too.
One particular group that has gone after Huckabee are the very rich folks who financed the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign against John Kerry.
The money isn't coming from or being sanctioned by the Swift Boat Veterans who for reasons known only to themselves allowed these rich folks to use them like plow mules in the Kerry campaign.
FOLLOW THE MONEY!!!!
When I see that the elitists don't like Huckabee's tax idea, I know he's on to something. Something that would be good for most of us.
But Huckabee is another presidential candidate that I would love even more if he'd dial down the religion thing.
IT IS LONG PAST TIME TO RECONSIDER THE WISDOM OF THE LOTTERY AND ALL THIS EXPANSION OF INDIAN CASINOS!!!!!!!!
Again...This is a Happy New Year column and the topics are changes we should consider for this new year. "Resolutions", perhaps?
QUESTION: Who's the idiot who thought that having state lotteries was/is a GOOD idea?!? Who's the idiot who thought that Indian Casinos on darn near every corner was/is a GOOD idea?!?
Well, whoever it was, that person was/is WRONG!!!
I'm a gambler. I love to play poker. Card rooms are okay. They've been around a long time. I also love video poker. You used to have to go to Nevada or Atlantic City to play video poker. Or blackjack. Or craps. Or roulette, etc., etc.
And yeah, the idea of playing the lottery was cool! At first. But in the last few years I've begun to see what all this easy to get to gambling is doing! And has been doing to too many of us!
IT IS TOO EASY TO BECOME ADDICTED TO GAMBLING!!!!
And do you know what that addiction leads to. People going bankrupt, becoming homeless, becoming criminals in order to eat because of the money lost on gambling that is ENCOURAGED by our leaders who SANCTION this idocy!!!
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
If we don't get about the business of dialing back the easy availability of gambling except where it used to be done exclusively (Nevada and Atlantic City), we the taxpayers are going to be the ones who will end up paying through the nose for problems caused by all this gambling. Just like we're going to be paying through the nose for helping to bail out this housing foreclosure mess and this stupid cash guzzling war!!!
WHEW!!!
I feel so much better!
Any thoughts or comments? Write to scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. I answer all responses. If you send your response straight to the blog, I have no way of knowing how to respond to you.
We do need to make changes, gang!
Here's hoping that '08 will be great! For most of us instead of just a few of us!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
P.S. I'm still working on some projects, so I'm not ready to resume any kind of writing schedule, but when I write the next one, be assured that at least one of the subjects will be about something that makes me say, "Whaaaat?!?"
Especially if they are things that aren't working.
Like...
RELIGION IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!!
I don't care if a presidential candidate believes in a God or doesn't believe in a God. I don't care if a presidential candidate is a Christian, a Jew, a Christ believing Mormon or an Atheist. It's none of my business.
What is my business is when I see world leaders making a "God" justification for what they do that affects millions or billions of people.
The terrorists that we're fighting are led by people who claim that their "God" (Allah) is the voice that (in essence) tells them that they're right when they fight us.
We have people in the White House who (in essence) say that their/our "God" tells us that we're right when we fight the Allah "God" people.
QUESTION: How many "Gods" are there? And who determines which "God" is right?!?
And if our leaders are basing decisions that affect the rest of Americans and maybe people in other parts of the world based on voices they're hearing that the rest of us aren't hearing, I want different leaders.
Here's something else. Some of our leaders claim to be "Born Again". It has a nice sound to it, but when you keep screwing up after you've been "Born Again", the question I have is, "Can you be 'Born AGAIN'?!?" The old, "third time's the charm" theory, right?
Here's a great quote from Gandhi who said, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ."
I'm not suggesting that I totally agree with that, (I don't) but it is something to think about, isn't it?
Here's a term that has been used by people in the military for as long as I can remember; "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!" Think about that. Do most of us believe that the higher power so many people worship and pay homage to, condones the KILLING of people?!?
Here's something else that needs changing...
THE WAY THE I.R.S. DOES BUSINESS!!!
And yeah, maybe it's time to eliminate the I.R.S. Or to totally restructure they way they do business.
In the early 80's, I was doing a radio talk show on KMPC here in Los Angeles, a station that was then owned by legendary Cowboy actor, Gene Autry. This was the first of three different times that I worked for a man I loved and had the pleasure of writing, producing and narrating a 7-hour "Gene Autry Special" that was aired on many stations across the country.
For a number of weeks, I did a series of broadcasts with the great journalist Jack Anderson on KMPC and what we were advocating was a "flat tax" for all Americans. The more we talked about it, the more calls we got from listeners. This subject also prompted the only negative message I ever got from Gene Autry about anything I was doing on KMPC. The message I got was, "Scott? We don't need no talk about no flat tax on this radio station."
That's when I knew that a "flat tax" would be bad for the most privileged of us and good for the rest of us.
I bring this us up because of a tax proposal that presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has made. A 23% sales tax that would (in essence) eliminate the I.R.S. as we now know it. As well as darn near every deduction you can think of. In other words, Mike Huckabee's "flat tax", if you will. There's more to it than what I'm describing, but it's instructional to see who's doing most of the howling about this. Mike Huckabee's sales tax proposal is also a major reason he's gotten a big surge in the polls, too.
One particular group that has gone after Huckabee are the very rich folks who financed the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign against John Kerry.
The money isn't coming from or being sanctioned by the Swift Boat Veterans who for reasons known only to themselves allowed these rich folks to use them like plow mules in the Kerry campaign.
FOLLOW THE MONEY!!!!
When I see that the elitists don't like Huckabee's tax idea, I know he's on to something. Something that would be good for most of us.
But Huckabee is another presidential candidate that I would love even more if he'd dial down the religion thing.
IT IS LONG PAST TIME TO RECONSIDER THE WISDOM OF THE LOTTERY AND ALL THIS EXPANSION OF INDIAN CASINOS!!!!!!!!
Again...This is a Happy New Year column and the topics are changes we should consider for this new year. "Resolutions", perhaps?
QUESTION: Who's the idiot who thought that having state lotteries was/is a GOOD idea?!? Who's the idiot who thought that Indian Casinos on darn near every corner was/is a GOOD idea?!?
Well, whoever it was, that person was/is WRONG!!!
I'm a gambler. I love to play poker. Card rooms are okay. They've been around a long time. I also love video poker. You used to have to go to Nevada or Atlantic City to play video poker. Or blackjack. Or craps. Or roulette, etc., etc.
And yeah, the idea of playing the lottery was cool! At first. But in the last few years I've begun to see what all this easy to get to gambling is doing! And has been doing to too many of us!
IT IS TOO EASY TO BECOME ADDICTED TO GAMBLING!!!!
And do you know what that addiction leads to. People going bankrupt, becoming homeless, becoming criminals in order to eat because of the money lost on gambling that is ENCOURAGED by our leaders who SANCTION this idocy!!!
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
If we don't get about the business of dialing back the easy availability of gambling except where it used to be done exclusively (Nevada and Atlantic City), we the taxpayers are going to be the ones who will end up paying through the nose for problems caused by all this gambling. Just like we're going to be paying through the nose for helping to bail out this housing foreclosure mess and this stupid cash guzzling war!!!
WHEW!!!
I feel so much better!
Any thoughts or comments? Write to scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. I answer all responses. If you send your response straight to the blog, I have no way of knowing how to respond to you.
We do need to make changes, gang!
Here's hoping that '08 will be great! For most of us instead of just a few of us!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
P.S. I'm still working on some projects, so I'm not ready to resume any kind of writing schedule, but when I write the next one, be assured that at least one of the subjects will be about something that makes me say, "Whaaaat?!?"
posted by Scott St. James at 10:04 PM
4 Comments:
Do most of us believe that the higher power so many people worship and pay homage to, condones the KILLING of people?!?
Do most of us believe that homo sapien of earth is at the zenith of the Creator's concerns in this cosmos He created?
Gostei muito desse post e seu blog é muito interessante, vou passar por aqui sempre =) Depois dá uma passada lá no meu site, que é sobre o CresceNet, espero que goste. O endereço dele é http://www.provedorcrescenet.com . Um abraço.
Giuliani, McCain & Romney promise to bust the budget
In the ABC debate held Saturday 1/5/08,
http://www.youdecide2008.com/2008/01/06/video-abc-news-republican-debate-from-new-hampshire-1-5-08/
Giuliani said: “We should increase the size of our military…. [by] 25 - 30 percent… If I’m president, I’ll do it immediately.”
McCain confirmed that he also wanted to drastically increase the size of the military.
And Romney echoed their desire for a much larger military.
All of this will cost a lot. How do they plan on paying for it?
How much will they raise taxes?
How much more money will they borrow?
How much more money will they create out of thin air?
Giuliani also said he would cut taxes & reduce the deficit.
McCain claims to be a 'fiscally responsible deficit hawk.'
But that's preposterous! Here's why:
Including all supplemental appropriations, FY2007/8 military expenditures are well over $600 billion per year...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2008/defense.html
...and U.S. military spending is already higher than the rest of the world combined...
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/spending.htm
...driving us deeper in debt by more than a half-trillion dollars* every year.
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np
If Social Security and Medicare taxes & benefits are put in the famous mythical "lockbox," here's what it will take to stop this gusher of red ink: cut federal government expenditures by nearly 25%, or raise corporate & individual income taxes by almost 33%.
The truth is they can’t do any of this without making our financial problems a lot worse.
Any claim to the contrary, such as "growing our way out of this," is nothing but disingenuous spin.
Why do we need to spend even more to combat a few thousand radical jihadists, who have no conventional military?
Why don’t we deal with terrorists in the way provided for in the constitution: Marque & Reprisal?
*Aside from Social Security & Medicare, the federal government takes in $1.65 Trillion, but spends over a half-trillion more than that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget,_2007
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np
Fiscal Year Date Federal Debt Debt increase
FY1999 9/30/1999 $5,656 Billion
FY2000 10/1/1999 $5,653 Billion
FY2000 9/29/2000 $5,674 Billion $ 18
FY2001 10/2/2000 $5,662 Billion $ 9
FY2001 9/28/2001 $5,807 Billion $133
FY2002 10/1/2001 $5,806 Billion $145
FY2002 9/30/2002 $6,228 Billion $421
FY2003 10/1/2002 $6,215 Billion $409
FY2003 9/30/2003 $6,783 Billion $555
FY2004 10/1/2003 $6,805 Billion $589
FY2004 9/30/2004 $7,379 Billion $596
FY2005 10/1/2004 $7,410 Billion $605
FY2005 9/30/2005 $7,933 Billion $554
FY2006 10/3/2005 $7,971 Billion $561
FY2006 9/29/2006 $8,507 Billion $574
FY2007 10/2/2006 $8,548 Billion $578
FY2007 9/28/2007 $9,008 Billion $501
FY2008 10/1/2007 $9,063 Billion $514
Scott could be correct about a flat or sales tax hurting the very rich by eliminating their deductions.
But let's also consider the poor, who now pay zero income tax and spend all of their income on sales-taxed necessities (except food). Wouldn't a flat income tax or a high sales tax only hurt them? A high sales tax would be especially hurtful to those scraping by on Social Security.
Speaking of Social Security: Wouldn't the simplest way to garner more revenue only from the wealthy be to eliminate the wages cap on Social Security payments? If that were done, the affluent would be subject to the same flat tax rate that those below the cap already have to pay.
As an example, if the cap were removed, one who earns $1 million per year would pay about $70,000 more Social Security tax, yet pay no more (as a percentage) than one who earns minimum wage.
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