before u vote next tuesday, Remember This,

[98valk]

AMERICA,

THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL!!!!

IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER
ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR.


IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER
ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.


IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER
ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.


IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER
ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.


IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER
ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.


IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER
ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.


IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY
YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.


IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET!!!

A JOB,
A DRIVERS LICENSE,
SOCIAL SECURITY CARD,
WELFARE,
FOOD STAMPS,
CREDIT CARDS,
SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE,
FREE EDUCATION,
FREE HEALTH CARE,
A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON,
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE
THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY'S FLAG WHILE YOU
PROTEST THAT YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH RESPECT
AND, IN MANY INSTANCES, YOU CAN VOTE.


I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION!!!
PLEASE KEEP!!! THIS GOING......FORWARD TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY
IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!


You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.


You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.


You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.


You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.


You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.  (inciting class hatred, right out of "Rules for Radicals"  have u actually listened to Obama's speeches?, he does it all of the time)


You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.


You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

......Abraham Lincoln


It's important to understand why things work. If you don't understand, then you can't think for yourself, and all you can do is repeat the mistakes of your teachers, who were repeating what they learned in a book from other people who just were repeating what they heard...  Dr. J. Bookspan


I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. Already they have raised up a monied aristocracy that has set the government at defiance. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs.
Thomas Jefferson


I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
Thomas Jefferson

Liberty is to the collective body, what health is to every individual body. Without health no pleasure can be tasted by man; without liberty, no happiness can be enjoyed by society.
Thomas Jefferson

[croaker]

Could someone please give me an example of the "rich being destroyed?"   

[98valk]

WWII, the dictators of the Axis powers and the emperor/god of Japan.

[croaker]

WWII, the dictators of the Axis powers and the emperor/god of Japan.

I meant in the context of your original post.  I just don't see where rich people have been destroyed or are being destroyed or are being asked to hand over the keys to their first, or second homes.  Just don't see that at all.  I know a guy who was a regular joe, a bit awkward sometimes, but generally a decent guy to drink beer with.  Twelve years ago he married into a wealthy family.  I knew his wife, not in the biblical sense, but she was a good egg as well.  I don't even recognize them today.  Last week he sent me some typical, internet cut and paste, corporate apologist rant about how the wealthy have it so bad in this country.  I kept reading it wondering how the guy I knew way back when could have bought such blatant hogwash.  But he isn't that guy anymore.  He sees his new friends having to cut back on the length of their European vacation this year and views it as an assault on their lifestyle.  I don't equate having to send your kid to a state college instead of Princeton with having to pull bottles out of the garbage so your kid has something to eat.  But hey, that's just me.

[alph]

maybe if we put up a toll booth, then we can make a little cash off 'em!!

[grizs50]

We are alway more righteous then the next guy because we have to justify where our thinking has left us!

[G-Man]

Rich have been defined by a household making $250K or more.  These people already pay 50% of the taxes (60% to the local municipalities) and account for leass than 5 or 6% of the population.  As we do have a tiered scale by which we pay taxes, these people are paying a disproportionate amount of taxes compared to those who earn less, while utilizing disproportionately fewer services.  

Yes, there are the extreme rich who aren't hurt by routinely increasing taxes and property taxes, but this only accounts for less than 1% of the population.  If the rest are continually overtaxed and made to shoulder half the burdeon to the point where they have to shut down businesses and lay off workers, how and who does this help?  We should be relieving the burdeon of these people so that they can get back to earning, creating, and hiring.  Does this not make sense?  

[PAVALKER]

And to add to the humor of it......

    Which side of the fence?
    If you ever wondered which side of the fence you sit on, this is a great test!   


    If a Republican doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one.
    If a Democrat doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

    If a Republican likes guns he usually buys many guns to share with his friends.
    If a Democrat wants to commit suicide, he borrows a gun from his Republican friend.
     

    If a Republican is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat.
    If a Democrat is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.   

    If a Republican is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
    If a Democrat is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.   

    If a Republican is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
    A Democrat wonders who is going to take care of him   

    If a Republican doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.
    Democrats demand that those they don't like be shut down.   

    If a Republican is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church.
    A Democrat non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced.

    If a Republican decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.
    A Democrat demands that the rest of us pay for his.   

    If  a Republican reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can have a good laugh.
    A Democrat will delete it because he's "offended".

 

[JimC]

CA,
YOu forgot FREE CELL PHONE

[croaker]

G-man, yeah it would make sense if that's how it works, but it isn't.  The engine that drives a modern economy is the middle class.  That middle class has been decimated by the obsession for cheap labor and higher profit taking.  There is no question now that during the past 30 years a smaller and smaller percentage of people have been doing very well, while a growing majority have seen their wages and standard of living cut.  Their are many reasons for this, but mostly because all the decisions that affect our economy are made by people who control congress or own it.  The people who own congress, are they the poor or middle class?  No.  So the system has been tilted toward profit making at the expense of that middle class engine.  This is not class warfare or ideology, it is reasonable observation.  During Ike's reign the top tax bracket paid 90%, Nixon 70%, Reagan's first term 50%  Do see the trend?  If you were to chart the loss of manufacturing jobs and the gap between the poor and the wealthy you would see it going up while the income tax rates were going down.  

[DIGGER]

http://www.morningstartv.com/oak-initiative/marxism-america

[grizs50]

(RANT ON)>What ever happened to being responsible for your self and making your own way? By crying foul everytime someone else makes a profit, then you are not minding your own "BUSINESS" that is to say, your thinking has put you where you are, get a "BUSINESS" and mind "IT" before you think you can mind someone else's

No one is made better by taking money from them by taxes, Yet as citizens we agreed to a reasonable tax to cover the community expenses.

Housing illegals is not a community expense! Running their butts back home and defending our boarders should be!

The American worker for the most part has priced himself out of a job, if he feels entitled to a bigger piece of the pie then he needs to own and "MIND" his own business.

When America get's back to 90% business owner and 10% worker it will be a much better place, way more people will understand how business truely works.

Btw I am a business man and I mind my own business, I am and Real Estate Agent, and when the economy went to crap I didn't stand on the corner beggin, I didn't go to capital hill demanding more money, I didn't cry on my friends shoulder and I didn't get on a forum and start crabbing about how crappy my life was, NOPE, I went and started another busness. And I help like minded people do the same thing!

So stop your whining, pull your zipper around front, pull your big boy pants on and go make your way in the world! (RANT OFF)

[G-Man]

G-man, yeah it would make sense if that's how it works, but it isn't.  The engine that drives a modern economy is the middle class.  That middle class has been decimated by the obsession for cheap labor and higher profit taking.  There is no question now that during the past 30 years a smaller and smaller percentage of people have been doing very well, while a growing majority have seen their wages and standard of living cut.  Their are many reasons for this, but mostly because all the decisions that affect our economy are made by people who control congress or own it.  The people who own congress, are they the poor or middle class?  No.  So the system has been tilted toward profit making at the expense of that middle class engine.  This is not class warfare or ideology, it is reasonable observation.  During Ike's reign the top tax bracket paid 90%, Nixon 70%, Reagan's first term 50%  Do see the trend?  If you were to chart the loss of manufacturing jobs and the gap between the poor and the wealthy you would see it going up while the income tax rates were going down.  

There have been many posts here explaining these "trends" so I'm not going into them again. 

OK, lets tax these people more.  There not gonna want to lose their homes that they sacrificed and worked hard for, so they'll lay off one of the delivery guys in the store they own.  Or maybe they won't open that second pizzaria that would hire 6 people.  I guess you don't own a business.  I have.  You've already found the cheapest place for paper clips and cleaning supplies, so when less money comes in, or more money is going out, you need to recoupe by cutting staff.  This is what's happening now in the private medical offices around the country.  Obamacare cut reimbursements to physicians by 21.5%.  If I lost 20% of my income, I'd have to sell my house.  Instead, there goes a medical assistant, or a receptionist.  That's the real world.

[G-Man]

BTW,  Do you really think you're entitle to 90, 80, or even 50% of a persons earned wages?  I understand that it is widely believed that those who earn a lot of money really don't work for it or deserve it.  I get that loud and clear.  But who are you to determine this?  I heard Obama say "at some point, you make enough money".  Who determines this? 

[Walküre]

AMERICA,


You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.


You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.


You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.


You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

Actually, in the words of George Santayana, who, in his Reason in Common Sense, The Life of Reason, Vol.1, wrote "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it", nothing could be further from the truth. Many have bought into this prevarication brought on by the wealthy, who's sole intent is to perpetuate their wealth. What a crock. Stay with me, and I'll explain...

The biggest lies, are that if you tax the wealthy, that they won't spend money, which create jobs. Not true. The wealthy will continue to spend money. They might have to work a little harder to make their $250 million a year, but they are up to the task.

No one can argue, that in (most) of our lifetimes, here on the forums, the US was at it's biggest boom from the years right after the war, 1947 or 48, until the late '70's-early '80's. From 1947 to 1981, taxes on the very wealthiest, varied from 70% to 92%, but averaging 82.61%.

I'm not going to go into the reasons that the "big giveaway" began in the early '80's, and culminated in the late '80's - suffice it to say, that it happened. In 1982, taxes on the top income went from ~70% to ~50%.

I don't have the figure on the chart, for the last 7 years. But they are close to 2003.

All the tea partiers want to take the country back, to the days of low debt, and tremendous advances. SIMPLE!!! Just take the taxes back to where they were in the year I was born, 1953, and put anyone making almost a half million a year, $400,000 (just exactly HOW MANY of our forum members, reside in THAT neighborhood, I'd like to know...), back into those tax percentages, and we'd probably be back to the surplus that the Repub's were left with in 2000, and squandered.

Here's the charts - very easy to look up. And the bottom graph SHOWS where the taxes were, and you can figure out yourself, how they coincide with the "growth years" and where most people, were doing the best.

http://crbest.com/taxes/

Take the time, folks, to learn the truth...

[Alaskamike]

If you discourage investment and business with high taxes, unrealistic regulation and more and more government control, you hamper the very "evil" corporations that employ so many.
Workers want raises, good jobs, medical care paid for, vacations, security, safe working conditions.  They deserve all of this.  
It astounds me that so many believe the very corporations and small businesses that create these opportunities are somehow evil and need to be hamstrung with high taxes, regulations and government control.   It is surely biting the hand that feeds you.  
“We need to redistribute the wealth”,  these very words from the mouth of Obama.  This statement echoes the statements and belief of Socialism and is an evil no less that stealing in my estimation.    
What I have, I have worked for – hard.   I would guess this is the same for you.  If I feel led to give of my resources to help those who have need, this is my business and I give it freely.  But if you force me to divide my property, give away my second car, my motorcycle,  or furnish someone else’s home, just because you think my stuff is too nice, too expensive, or that somehow I don’t deserve the food and housing I have there will be a fight.
I don’t care if you make $20K a year or 2 million, there will always be those who think you have too much and don’t deserve it and want to take it from you.    In the not too distant past we called this theft.   Today we call it ‘re-distributing the wealth’.
Socialism, Marxism, and Communism all function with these basic principles:  The Government knows best, and must be obeyed at any cost.  Everyone deserves the same benefits of resource as everyone else, no matter their real contribution (except of course those in Power, they can live like Kings and Queens at the people’s expense).  And,  Capitalism is an evil; all business must be strictly controlled if not owned by the government.
Incentive to be great, to work hard, to innovate, to invent, to discover new ground and new ways of doing things, to work 12 hour days, is discouraged if not extinguished in these systems.  Why do you think they are folding all over the world?   Why are they rioting in France because the government has said they must raise the retirement age from 60 to 62?    The people feel entitled to be taken care of no matter the damage to their society.
We must turn this around.   We will quickly cease to be a great nation at the pace and the direction we are going.   You do not have to be a political scientist to know this…. you don’t have to be a genius….Just look around and think.

[98valk]

#1 reason jobs leave this country is the govt itself/the people in the lime light and the ones behind the politicians due to the various tax policies and EPA and OSHA regulations. They have a place but are now out of control. Interesting fact every new vehicle for the last 15+yrs has actually been an air filtering machine for the atmoshpere. The air going into a vehicle is dirtier than what comes out of the tail pipe all at $5-8K additional cost to the consumer per vehicle. Now include cabin filters into this clean the air. The planet itself puts out more air pollution than man ever could every year. The insurance companies such as Buffet push a lot of this to line their pockets. greed, power and fear drive most of this.
It will not change until Jesus the Christ returns.

1. http://dailycaller.com/2010/06/25/united-states-could-have-highest-corporate-tax-rate-within-a-year/

2.  http://www.google.com/search?q=jobs+caused+to+leave+USA+by+epa+regulations&hl=en&sa=2

3. not as bad as the EPA
http://www.google.com/search?q=jobs+lost+due+to+osha+regulations&btnG=Search&hl=en&sa=2

http://www.lawfulpath.com/ref/greening.shtml

It's important to understand why things work. If you don't understand, then you can't think for yourself, and all you can do is repeat the mistakes of your teachers, who were repeating what they learned in a book from other people who just were repeating what they heard...  Dr. J. Bookspan

[DIGGER]

AMERICA,


You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.


You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.


You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.


You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

Actually, in the words of George Santayana, who, in his Reason in Common Sense, The Life of Reason, Vol.1, wrote "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it", nothing could be further from the truth. Many have bought into this prevarication brought on by the wealthy, who's sole intent is to perpetuate their wealth. What a crock. Stay with me, and I'll explain...

The biggest lies, are that if you tax the wealthy, that they won't spend money, which create jobs. Not true. The wealthy will continue to spend money. They might have to work a little harder to make their $250 million a year, but they are up to the task.

No one can argue, that in (most) of our lifetimes, here on the forums, the US was at it's biggest boom from the years right after the war, 1947 or 48, until the late '70's-early '80's. From 1947 to 1981, taxes on the very wealthiest, varied from 70% to 92%, but averaging 82.61%.

I'm not going to go into the reasons that the "big giveaway" began in the early '80's, and culminated in the late '80's - suffice it to say, that it happened. In 1982, taxes on the top income went from ~70% to ~50%.

I don't have the figure on the chart, for the last 7 years. But they are close to 2003.

All the tea partiers want to take the country back, to the days of low debt, and tremendous advances. SIMPLE!!! Just take the taxes back to where they were in the year I was born, 1953, and put anyone making almost a half million a year, $400,000 (just exactly HOW MANY of our forum members, reside in THAT neighborhood, I'd like to know...), back into those tax percentages, and we'd probably be back to the surplus that the Repub's were left with in 2000, and squandered.

Here's the charts - very easy to look up. And the bottom graph SHOWS where the taxes were, and you can figure out yourself, how they coincide with the "growth years" and where most people, were doing the best.

http://crbest.com/taxes/

Take the time, folks, to learn the truth...

my older brother now 63 yrs old is somewhat of a real estate guru in the Houston Area.   He has his own real estate company for the last 35 yrs in the Houston area that has specialized in the richie River Oaks and Memorial area for the last 20 yrs.   He will tell you right now that the last 2 yrs 50 percent of his real estate deals in those rich areas is small company owners of 20-100 worker size that they are selling out their businesses or closing their businesses and moving their companies to foreign countries.  I had lunch with him the other day and he was telling me that about a couple weeks ago he took a client to lunch that was a billionaire.  The guy is selling out and moving operations to a foreign country.   My brother asked the guy "Where does a person want to put his money right now."   The guy responded that he has been systimatically moving his American money into more stable foreign monetary systems and that the American Dollar was on a collision course with economic collapse.  Scary stuff.

[RoadKill]

Why would any one want to work hard to make money anyhow ? LIFE IS TOO SHORT ! I'm getting a Mexican birth certificate forged up for free healthcare at the local emergency room (incase i get a cold)and applied for social security numbers for my cats (one of them is disabled and cannot work,one is a minor and his daddy died so we get his dads social security for 16 more yrs and the other was born a crack baby with special needs). Then I will be free to grow and harvest pot and make tons of meth,collect money from my "workin girlz" and pay ZERO taxes while living in low rent Gov't housing FREE,playing the casino with my welfare credit card,and shoplifting at Wall-Mart. All that will be time consuming enough that I may have to hire (JOB CREATION)  a few pimps,some "runners" and a whole freaking distribution network,not to mention the "ho's" already on the payroll. THAT is how small bidness works in Americuh !  Obama didnt do it...Voters ALLOWED it !

[john]

how far we have gone down the Marxist path.

 http://www.morningstartv.com/oak-initiative/marxism-america

[x]

how far we have gone down the Marxist path.

 http://www.morningstartv.com/oak-initiative/marxism-america

Ha ha ha ha ha .....    ho ho ho....    hee hee hee hee...     ar ar ar ar 

[Flat6Valk]

great post CA EXHAUST COATINGS!

Croaker please dont take this personally, but really you dont get it (losing liberties, national status, the history of our country and the direction its going, as well as you will not understand what happened when you cant do things like ride your Valk because someone else wont let you). 

Im not on a bandwagon but I am mad as heck about our situation and disgusted about how we got in this situation.

Everyone needs a history lesson or a refresher course.

We have fought for our freedoms, still do, but inside our government we are letting leaders kill and steal our freedoms.  Worst still..........too many dont know it.

GET OUT AND VOTE TUESDAY!!!!!  VOTE FOR FREEDOM.

[croaker]

I don't take it personally  , but jingoistic, repetitive babble irritates me as I expect it would anyone who has taken the time to think for himself.  Honestly, to listen to much of this you would think the country was being run by hippies and socialists.  How could people who can't ride a bicycle without training wheels takeover or run a country.  It's a lie.  It's a lie that serves the people who do make all the decisions very well.  If anyone wants to they can see for themselves. 
Goering said it well:
"“Naturally the common people don’t want war. But after all, it is the
leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it’s always a
simple matter to drag people along whether it is a democracy or a
fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.
Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of
the leaders.  This is easy.  All you have to do is tell them they are
being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and
for exposing the country to danger.  It works the same in every
country.” 

And it works the same when you are trying to gain political power and distract the populace from what is really happening.  Unless you really believe that AIG, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Citigroup, Moody's, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury dept are all run by illegal immigrants, hippies and socialists...?  An if'n you do, there's no help for ya.   

[Walküre]

Croaker - you got it 100% correct - if someone wants to rile the populace, all they have to do is tickle the hot spots. Here, and lately, it's "communism", Marxism, socialism, freedom, patriotism, ad infinitum.

The corporations have pretty much gotten their way - currently, they are the only ones with money - the economy IS on a rebound, as evidenced by the stock market. Yet, the corp's have discovered, that they can survive, by brow-beating those that ARE working, and getting them to put out 110%, and the hard-working Americans, are willing to do it. If they can "get by" with 70% of their workforce, do you  think they'll hire more people?? Hell, no! Leaner, is better - after all, it's ALL about the almighty dollar...

And, since they are the only ones with money (well, except Meg Whitman), they are dropping millions upon millions, into the campaigns that they think will further their agenda. No taxes, no regulation, no oversight...meaning no competition, and no accountability. Can you imagine life under a government, brought to you by the same people who brought you the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (also referred to as the BP oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the BP oil disaster or the Macondo blowout)??? Wonderful future for our children, eh??

As for the billionaire mentioned, as well as the other "business men", taking their money and jobs off-shore...do you think lower taxes would change their minds? Hell, no!! What a great "American"...America is what made it possible for him to MAKE the billion, but he's not "patriotic" enough to KEEP the billion here?? I'm the first to agree, it's HIS money, and he can do what he wants with it - but don't you DARE defend him as doing the right thing... Did I mention it's "ALL about the almighty dollar..."??

But, as long as they can convince people to vote against their best interests, by using the above-mentioned "hot spots", they will continue to prevail, at least until the masses take the blinders off...

And by the way, it IS all about the almight dollar - "I want it ALL, and I want it NOW!!!"

R

[98valk]

Croaker - you got it 100% correct - if someone wants to rile the populace, all they have to do is tickle the hot spots. Here, and lately, it's "communism", Marxism, socialism, freedom, patriotism, ad infinitum.

The corporations have pretty much gotten their way - currently, they are the only ones with money - the economy IS on a rebound, as evidenced by the stock market. Yet, the corp's have discovered, that they can survive, by brow-beating those that ARE working, and getting them to put out 110%, and the hard-working Americans, are willing to do it. If they can "get by" with 70% of their workforce, do you  think they'll hire more people?? Hell, no! Leaner, is better - after all, it's ALL about the almighty dollar...

And, since they are the only ones with money (well, except Meg Whitman), they are dropping millions upon millions, into the campaigns that they think will further their agenda. No taxes, no regulation, no oversight...meaning no competition, and no accountability. Can you imagine life under a government, brought to you by the same people who brought you the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (also referred to as the BP oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the BP oil disaster or the Macondo blowout)??? Wonderful future for our children, eh??

As for the billionaire mentioned, as well as the other "business men", taking their money and jobs off-shore...do you think lower taxes would change their minds? Hell, no!! What a great "American"...America is what made it possible for him to MAKE the billion, but he's not "patriotic" enough to KEEP the billion here?? I'm the first to agree, it's HIS money, and he can do what he wants with it - but don't you DARE defend him as doing the right thing... Did I mention it's "ALL about the almighty dollar..."??

But, as long as they can convince people to vote against their best interests, by using the above-mentioned "hot spots", they will continue to prevail, at least until the masses take the blinders off...

And by the way, it IS all about the almight dollar - "I want it ALL, and I want it NOW!!!"

R

which of these 10 steps are not going on?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/24/usa.comment

how about these 10?

http://www.criminalgovernment.com/docs/planks.html

http://www.greaterthings.com/Constitution/Associates/10Marx_planks.htm


Is the Federal Reserve a branch of the United States Government?


politicians are self serving, they are the ones who passed NAFTA and signed by who?

[croaker]

All you have to do to determine who runs things (into the ground in our case, unfortunately) is follow the money.  Did mouth breathing hippies and latte socialists get a TARP bailout?  Ummmm.  No.  Is the Fed printing money today and offering TRILLIONS in guarantees of debt to commies and flag burners...gays?  No.  Okay history buffs, were hippies and socialists responsible for the dereg that led to the S&L scandals in the 80's, the Enron, Duke energy scandal in the nineties (for which my state is still paying billions) No.  Were hippies in charge at the SEC as Madoff made off?  Were socialists responsible for coming up with CDO's, ARMs, or tax dodges like the Double Dutch thingy?  Umm.  No.  Okay.  But were socialist malcontents waving banners and going on TV proclaiming how great it would be to ship millions of jobs overseas?  Nope.  

I'm not an Obama apologist, I can't stand the guy, but not because he is a muslim, socialist, which he clearly is not.  But because he is an arrogant shill for the same people who pull the strings behind BOTH parties.  I think illegal immigrants should be deported immediately, men and women.  And if they are caught a second time or commit any violent crime they should be sent to an island off the coast of Maine for twenty years.  Hey, they want to be here?  Let 'em be there.  And I consider a flat 15-20% tax for everyone, no loopholes, no deductions as the only "Fair tax".  Corporations included, 20% no dodges, loopholes etc.  But none of that is going to happen until we stop beating up each other and start working together as Americans.

[98valk]

All you have to do to determine who runs things (into the ground in our case, unfortunately) is follow the money.  Did mouth breathing hippies and latte socialists get a TARP bailout?  Ummmm.  No.  Is the Fed printing money today and offering TRILLIONS in guarantees of debt to commies and flag burners...gays?  No.  Okay history buffs, were hippies and socialists responsible for the dereg that led to the S&L scandals in the 80's, the Enron, Duke energy scandal in the nineties (for which my state is still paying billions) No.  Were hippies in charge at the SEC as Madoff made off?  Were socialists responsible for coming up with CDO's, ARMs, or tax dodges like the Double Dutch thingy?  Umm.  No.  Okay.  But were socialist malcontents waving banners and going on TV proclaiming how great it would be to ship millions of jobs overseas?  Nope.  

I'm not an Obama apologist, I can't stand the guy, but not because he is a muslim, socialist, which he clearly is not.  But because he is an arrogant shill for the same people who pull the strings behind BOTH parties.  I think illegal immigrants should be deported immediately, men and women.  And if they are caught a second time or commit any violent crime they should be sent to an island off the coast of Maine for twenty years.  Hey, they want to be here?  Let 'em be there.  And I consider a flat 15-20% tax for everyone, no loopholes, no deductions as the only "Fair tax".  Corporations included, 20% no dodges, loopholes etc.  But none of that is going to happen until we stop beating up each other and start working together as Americans.

some history u might like

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/founding-fathers-vision-prosperity-has-been-destroyed

[croaker]

Croaker - you got it 100% correct - if someone wants to rile the populace, all they have to do is tickle the hot spots. Here, and lately, it's "communism", Marxism, socialism, freedom, patriotism, ad infinitum.

The corporations have pretty much gotten their way - currently, they are the only ones with money - the economy IS on a rebound, as evidenced by the stock market. Yet, the corp's have discovered, that they can survive, by brow-beating those that ARE working, and getting them to put out 110%, and the hard-working Americans, are willing to do it. If they can "get by" with 70% of their workforce, do you  think they'll hire more people?? Hell, no! Leaner, is better - after all, it's ALL about the almighty dollar...

And, since they are the only ones with money (well, except Meg Whitman), they are dropping millions upon millions, into the campaigns that they think will further their agenda. No taxes, no regulation, no oversight...meaning no competition, and no accountability. Can you imagine life under a government, brought to you by the same people who brought you the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (also referred to as the BP oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the BP oil disaster or the Macondo blowout)??? Wonderful future for our children, eh??

As for the billionaire mentioned, as well as the other "business men", taking their money and jobs off-shore...do you think lower taxes would change their minds? Hell, no!! What a great "American"...America is what made it possible for him to MAKE the billion, but he's not "patriotic" enough to KEEP the billion here?? I'm the first to agree, it's HIS money, and he can do what he wants with it - but don't you DARE defend him as doing the right thing... Did I mention it's "ALL about the almighty dollar..."??

But, as long as they can convince people to vote against their best interests, by using the above-mentioned "hot spots", they will continue to prevail, at least until the masses take the blinders off...

And by the way, it IS all about the almight dollar - "I want it ALL, and I want it NOW!!!"

R

which of these 10 steps are not going on?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/24/usa.comment

Ummm.  You do realize that your reference is directly referring to events that happened during the Bush admin, right?  So...seemingly we are in agreement then.  BOTH parties blow hard.

[Billy]

I find it interesting that Tyler Durden of the Zerohedge blog is an alias of  Daniel K. Ivandjiiski. Note that  Daniel K. Ivandjiiski was disbarred from the Securities industry for insider trading back in 2008.

Guess he would know first hand how the Founding Fathers destroyed his prosperity.