The 2% payroll tax break is a disaster for Social Security. Yeah, you do "pay for someone else's retirement" but that is how it works, the current worker pays for those that are receiving social security.
Social Security is solvent for the next 29 years, those who say it isn't are LIARS and this is the first in a series of steps for conservatives to trick the American people by saying "hey you get more money". But not adding that you get more money today by robbing yourself tomorrow.
I wish the author of this article had thought that phrase out a little more. Irresponsible.
I'm conflicted on the tax cuts. On one hand, we must continue to support the unemployed. On the other, I fear for the long term economic health of the United States. Hopefully Congress will look more deeply into the debt reduction strategies offered by the Obama's debt commission panel. www.compoundingreturns.blogspot.com
It's the 'American Way' because we have too many old people (read: Baby Boomers) who care less about the Youth of this nation than they do their own silvery pockets. Also, Corporations (who are usually headed by said old people) have vastly more power over the handful of consumers willing to stand up to them. Trust me when I say that if we were to elect a 30-something into the high-profile public offices, things would be radically changed. Maybe not for the worse, but certainly better than now.
With the high cost of printable checks (for quickbooks), I've found that it's easier to pay home business expenses online using bill pay. You'll use less checks and save on shipping. You'll save a lot of money by going paperless with paying bills.
Isn't just saying "tax the rich!" a bandaid and not a long-term solution to deficit problems? This is like a person always saying, "I'm broke, therefore I must make more money", as opposed to looking into where their money is going in the first place.
I certainly don't agree with the extension of the tax breaks for the rich but I believe that the bigger issue, and the aspect that should have been the center of this issue, is the GOP holding unemployment benefits to ransom so that they could win the unneeded tax breaks for rich people.
The one thing in this that I give Obama credit for is that he has at least been honest that this compromise was the wrong thing for the country but that he did it to get the unemployment benefits from under the thumb of the GOP.
Many people give up too quickly on their New Years Resolution because they make their goals too difficult to obtain. Rather than saying that you want to lose 20 pounds, why not set the goal at 5 pounds? Inch by inch, anything's a cinch. Yard by yard, anything's hard.
Such good ideas, Paul! And I love that most of these are intangible or consumable gifts that don't take up space. I hate when I unwrap another "thing" for which I need to find space. Gift me "Angry Birds" for my iPad and I'm a happy camper.
Great tips, Jenn! Bartering has worked well for me. For instance, I provided free content to a newspaper in exchange for ad space, and I did some copy work for a designer friend in exchange for redesign comps of my website. Both easily would have cost me hundreds of dollars otherwise. Now to find a masseuse who wants to trade...
Although they wouldn't be able to enjoy their gift until the summer, you could barter lawn care. This could save them a load of money over the summer months when getting their grass cut usually starts around $50 a week.
You’re forgetting the other parts of the story. You are only looking at it from a consumption perspective. Let’s look at it from the other perspective.
Ten men walk into a bar:
1 is unemployed.
4 have blue collar jobs.
2 have white collar jobs.
1 works for some government agency.
1 is a small business owner.
1 is a banker and owns many international conglomerates.
They all pay different prices for their beer as you stated. Then the banker forecloses on the unemployed person because he can’t pay his mortgage. Next, he sees that his companies are paying too much for wages and fires 2 blue collar workers and outsources their jobs to China. You now 3 unemployed workers; so everyone chips in a little more to pay for beers for the unemployed. The other 2 blue collar workers are forced to take pay cuts because fewer people are buying their goods. Then the 2 white collar jobs take pay cuts and try to compete for the 2 blue collar jobs that are left. The banker now threatens more people with eviction for falling behind on their mortgage. The banker then convinces the middle 5 to borrow more money to pay more for their beers. Eventually everyone turns on the government worker because he is the only one left with a pension. It’s unfair that he still gets a pension. Never mind the fact that his contributions to his pension were spent by the state instead of being invested. He should have to suffer too. His job is outsourced as well. The banker has to evict more people from their houses. Seeing that it’s becoming a hostile bar and seeing that he is paying for 60% of everyone beer, he looks for an exit strategy.
9 men walk into a bar and can’t afford the beer. They leave. The small business owner closes his business because nobody can afford his beer.
Rich people pay higher taxes because they benefit from the system more. If they didn’t benefit from the system, they wouldn’t be rich.
I have a question: why did the writer of this article title it "The Obama Tax-Cut Deal" -- there are no tax cuts in the deal! In fact, the estate tax (affectionately known as 'The Death Tax') makes a return. So this should really be called 'The Obama Tax Increase Deal'. Oh, and unemployment is extended for another year. So, to review:
1. Taxes aren't going up significantly. (Not a tax 'cut', just a refusal to raise taxes.)
2. The estate tax makes a comeback.
3. More unemployment benefits (subsidizing unemployment further, increasing our debt).
And it's all headed up by a picture of Obama smiling like a retard. It should be captioned, "We decided not to cut our own throats completely, hooray for us!"
I didn't mean to take issue with the author. He's right not to fall into the trap of striving for "balance" where there's clearly a right and a wrong. I just wanted to contrast his handling of the history parts of the story (where he takes a strong position) and his handling of the people in his story (where he provides a careful statement of what they've said, even if it doesn't match his own view).
Ever heard of the case of the missing money? Capitalism's success in screwing the workers by lowering wages thus creating immense profits.Capitalism will always have the flaw of severely unequal distribution of wealth giving immense power to the already wealthy 1%. Our only hope is capitalism without capitalists, worker owned firms, publicly owned firms or even new corporate governance. I hope to one day see an end to slavery although people are so weak that they will never take a stand against it. Worker rights are nonexistent. I for one refuse to play by their rules.
Another thing to do is to work your new habit into your routine if you can instead of adding it on top of your usual routine. A big part of how I got into shape is I started riding my bike. Rather than making time in the morning or evening for a ride, I just left my car at home when I went to work/school.
Another one - I just found a new webpage of free Christmas cards that you can download and print at home. They also have some animated and non-animated e-cards. It's a modest selection, but they are really well done and elegant - look much more classy than most I've seen and used:
Even though that statement appeared in the document it followed the statement "If you do volunteer work for a qualified organization, the following questions and answers may apply to you." The specific details of the case above were not disclosed, so it could have been treated differently the the case addressed in the question and answer section.
The 2% payroll tax break is a disaster for Social Security. Yeah, you do "pay for someone else's retirement" but that is how it works, the current worker pays for those that are receiving social security.
Social Security is solvent for the next 29 years, those who say it isn't are LIARS and this is the first in a series of steps for conservatives to trick the American people by saying "hey you get more money". But not adding that you get more money today by robbing yourself tomorrow.
I wish the author of this article had thought that phrase out a little more. Irresponsible.
I'm conflicted on the tax cuts. On one hand, we must continue to support the unemployed. On the other, I fear for the long term economic health of the United States. Hopefully Congress will look more deeply into the debt reduction strategies offered by the Obama's debt commission panel.
www.compoundingreturns.blogspot.com
when you recieve services instead of cash you dont have to worry about tax implications . Another plus for bartering
It's the 'American Way' because we have too many old people (read: Baby Boomers) who care less about the Youth of this nation than they do their own silvery pockets. Also, Corporations (who are usually headed by said old people) have vastly more power over the handful of consumers willing to stand up to them. Trust me when I say that if we were to elect a 30-something into the high-profile public offices, things would be radically changed. Maybe not for the worse, but certainly better than now.
With the high cost of printable checks (for quickbooks), I've found that it's easier to pay home business expenses online using bill pay. You'll use less checks and save on shipping. You'll save a lot of money by going paperless with paying bills.
Because cutting spending = cutting jobs. You want to do that in this economy?
Completely irresponsible.
The answer is that any savings you think you will garner will become worthless as the money becomes worthless.
This overall lack of fiscal conservatism will sooner rather than later, cause a lack of faith in buying US backed bonds.
This will cause interest rates to go up. So for every "penny" you save in tax cuts, you'll pay back in additional interest over time.
or MAYBE the Gov't spends a bit less, no?
Isn't just saying "tax the rich!" a bandaid and not a long-term solution to deficit problems? This is like a person always saying, "I'm broke, therefore I must make more money", as opposed to looking into where their money is going in the first place.
I certainly don't agree with the extension of the tax breaks for the rich but I believe that the bigger issue, and the aspect that should have been the center of this issue, is the GOP holding unemployment benefits to ransom so that they could win the unneeded tax breaks for rich people.
The one thing in this that I give Obama credit for is that he has at least been honest that this compromise was the wrong thing for the country but that he did it to get the unemployment benefits from under the thumb of the GOP.
Many people give up too quickly on their New Years Resolution because they make their goals too difficult to obtain. Rather than saying that you want to lose 20 pounds, why not set the goal at 5 pounds? Inch by inch, anything's a cinch. Yard by yard, anything's hard.
How about cutting spending _and_ taxes?
Such good ideas, Paul! And I love that most of these are intangible or consumable gifts that don't take up space. I hate when I unwrap another "thing" for which I need to find space. Gift me "Angry Birds" for my iPad and I'm a happy camper.
Great tips, Jenn! Bartering has worked well for me. For instance, I provided free content to a newspaper in exchange for ad space, and I did some copy work for a designer friend in exchange for redesign comps of my website. Both easily would have cost me hundreds of dollars otherwise. Now to find a masseuse who wants to trade...
Although they wouldn't be able to enjoy their gift until the summer, you could barter lawn care. This could save them a load of money over the summer months when getting their grass cut usually starts around $50 a week.
You’re forgetting the other parts of the story. You are only looking at it from a consumption perspective. Let’s look at it from the other perspective.
Ten men walk into a bar:
1 is unemployed.
4 have blue collar jobs.
2 have white collar jobs.
1 works for some government agency.
1 is a small business owner.
1 is a banker and owns many international conglomerates.
They all pay different prices for their beer as you stated. Then the banker forecloses on the unemployed person because he can’t pay his mortgage. Next, he sees that his companies are paying too much for wages and fires 2 blue collar workers and outsources their jobs to China. You now 3 unemployed workers; so everyone chips in a little more to pay for beers for the unemployed. The other 2 blue collar workers are forced to take pay cuts because fewer people are buying their goods. Then the 2 white collar jobs take pay cuts and try to compete for the 2 blue collar jobs that are left. The banker now threatens more people with eviction for falling behind on their mortgage. The banker then convinces the middle 5 to borrow more money to pay more for their beers. Eventually everyone turns on the government worker because he is the only one left with a pension. It’s unfair that he still gets a pension. Never mind the fact that his contributions to his pension were spent by the state instead of being invested. He should have to suffer too. His job is outsourced as well. The banker has to evict more people from their houses. Seeing that it’s becoming a hostile bar and seeing that he is paying for 60% of everyone beer, he looks for an exit strategy.
9 men walk into a bar and can’t afford the beer. They leave. The small business owner closes his business because nobody can afford his beer.
Rich people pay higher taxes because they benefit from the system more. If they didn’t benefit from the system, they wouldn’t be rich.
I have a question: why did the writer of this article title it "The Obama Tax-Cut Deal" -- there are no tax cuts in the deal! In fact, the estate tax (affectionately known as 'The Death Tax') makes a return. So this should really be called 'The Obama Tax Increase Deal'. Oh, and unemployment is extended for another year. So, to review:
1. Taxes aren't going up significantly. (Not a tax 'cut', just a refusal to raise taxes.)
2. The estate tax makes a comeback.
3. More unemployment benefits (subsidizing unemployment further, increasing our debt).
And it's all headed up by a picture of Obama smiling like a retard. It should be captioned, "We decided not to cut our own throats completely, hooray for us!"
Thank you very kindly for that clarification. Makes perfect sense to me, and I appreciate it, and your pleasant tone.
I have put the book on hold at the local library, thanks to your review.
I didn't mean to take issue with the author. He's right not to fall into the trap of striving for "balance" where there's clearly a right and a wrong. I just wanted to contrast his handling of the history parts of the story (where he takes a strong position) and his handling of the people in his story (where he provides a careful statement of what they've said, even if it doesn't match his own view).
I find it hard to believe that you seem to be taking issue with the author because he doesn't present a balanced view on the history of 'the grid.'
Support for Mr. Rosen's dim view is, I think it's fair to say, vast and easily found.
Just one recent example that piqued my interest: The Art of Not Being Governed by James C. Scott, reviewed here - http://mises.org/daily/4881
The copper is coated in zinc and then heated over a bunsen burner for the copper and zinc to combine and turn into brass.
Ever heard of the case of the missing money? Capitalism's success in screwing the workers by lowering wages thus creating immense profits.Capitalism will always have the flaw of severely unequal distribution of wealth giving immense power to the already wealthy 1%. Our only hope is capitalism without capitalists, worker owned firms, publicly owned firms or even new corporate governance. I hope to one day see an end to slavery although people are so weak that they will never take a stand against it. Worker rights are nonexistent. I for one refuse to play by their rules.
Another thing to do is to work your new habit into your routine if you can instead of adding it on top of your usual routine. A big part of how I got into shape is I started riding my bike. Rather than making time in the morning or evening for a ride, I just left my car at home when I went to work/school.
I've used free e-card sites in the past and love them!
http://123greetings.com is a staple for these types of things and has everything.
Another one - I just found a new webpage of free Christmas cards that you can download and print at home. They also have some animated and non-animated e-cards. It's a modest selection, but they are really well done and elegant - look much more classy than most I've seen and used:
http://freephotocourse.com/christmas-pictures-and-e-cards.html
Merry Christmas and keep saving!
Jennie
i make lemonade!
Even though that statement appeared in the document it followed the statement "If you do volunteer work for a qualified organization, the following questions and answers may apply to you." The specific details of the case above were not disclosed, so it could have been treated differently the the case addressed in the question and answer section.