From the office of Congressman Andy Harris:
Rep. Andy Harris Statement on April Unemployment Report
WASHINGTON D.C. – Rep. Andy Harris released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released their April unemployment report:
“Today’s weak job numbers show that the President’s policies of taxing job creators and encouraging higher gasoline prices for all consumers simply don’t work. The labor force participation rate is at its lowest point in 30 years. If all of those individuals who have been pushed out of the labor force by these policies were seeking work today we would have a real unemployment rate of 11 percent. Hard-working Americans deserve better than a historically high sustained unemployment rate and policies that are only making the situation worse. It’s time for the President to work with the House Republicans, who have already passed and sent several bills to the Senate, for positive job growth and prosperity for all Americans.”
Dear Mr. Harris,
If you promise to work with my President on reducing defense as well as the rest of the budget in accordance with the mandatory sequestration that was worked out last August – to allow Government to continue to function, I will vote for you.
If you promise to demand spending cuts with a coherent revenue increases to offset the deficit – like any family would – I will vote for you.
If you will join the rest of Congress in actually doing the job you are paid to do, and get along, I will vote for you.
If you can do none of these things, I will be happy to vote for your opponent, whoever they may be. Just to avoid a blaring reminder of what is presently wrong with Washington.
Thank you.
Porter, he has indicated a willingness to work with the democrats. What he has not done is yield to the demands of the democrats. There is a huge difference and the stalemate in that despised house called Congress is the democrats defining bi-partisanship as the democrats making the demand and the republicans yielding to all of the demands.
Neither party has any claim to the moral high ground in this perpetual stalemate. They both insist that the other party do things THEIR way, and then act all hurt and insist that the other side is against bipartisanship. In order for governance to work, the two parties need to define their positions and then compromise to find the middle ground. Neither party is interested in doing that (largely because they start running for re-election before they even get sworn in).
Shame on the Donkey AND the Elephant. Now, more than ever, this country needs a viable third party to force the other two into doing their jobs.
Only if the third party represents compromise. If the third party has its own agenda that represents a lukewarm similarity to the goals of either party and not representative of recognizing the needs each represents – it won’t matter. Neither side is going to get what they want. Thus, we’re all losing the way it is. Mr. Harris, or anyone in those halls of Congress, might call 1600 Pennsylvania home for at least 4 years if he championed and won the cause of compromise. Of course, tasting the crumbs of partisanship assembled here – who would want to represent real compromise? Their own party would cannibalize them… shame on them? No, shame on us.
Henry Clay could have never been elected President. And neither would anyone in his mold.
Sometimes the pinnacle of your career is not what job you have, but what you do with the job you’re given.
You have flipped the script haven’t you? That scenario is in reverse. The obstructionism is by Andy Harris, the avowed freshmen Tea Party congress and their sycophantic, coerced so called mainstream Republicans. Their uncompromising behavior on and demogoging of any legislation that the president proposes has caused the gridlock and is the cause of little more being done other than whatr the president can accomplish without the help of and in spite of congress on his own.
Harris, his compatriots and followers (not in congress he has none he’s a newbie but, that definitive number of constituents at home a small number compared to those that disagree)are hypocrites. I’m not giving a bigger stage because many see right through him. He’s just your hero.
Many, in the name of civility, decency in the face of indecency have not spoken in efforts to be tolerant, understanding and in hopes of developing common ground.
However, Harris, the hijacked Republican party (who are currently serving up it’s own senior intelligensia as breafast for neophyte brats within the party) motivated by obnoxious tea party extremists are unyielding, uncompromising, unstatesmanlike, churlish, puerile hatemongers who wish everyone to look like sound like and think like them. If not, they are branded the enemy. Remember, you’d have The President breakdown and just go along with the lie that he isn’t even from this country. You and Andy Harris are unyielding about that mistruth. That is just for starters. Want to go down the list?
So, get it straight Arturro, it is the right wing that does not know compromise. If, ypu don’t believe they are the idiots that have to characterize themselves as “Real Americans”
I was born here, trace my ancestry to back before the civil war, am an ex-Marine and have always served this country. Yet, I’m not a real American by the right wing’s standards. Therefore, by your calculation is it reasonable to assume that a fair compromise is for me to avow I am not a “REAL AMERICAN” of the same quality as American
like yourself. No thanks!
AND, I do not have to yield, nor, does the President have to yield forfeiting principles of fairmindedness, civil rights, equality, freedom, opportunity, decency, tolerance of diversity, and respect for others in order to stand for compromise just because misinformed extremists want to ply this tactic of reversing accusations.
You people are funny. You spend all of your time threatening, flashing veiled hate, exclusivity, and intimidation to many of your “fellow Americans” (remember that phrase from Lyndon Baines Johnson) until, you think they’ve capitulated. After you think you have people intimidated people sufficently you make these outrageous claims that you won’t yield to any opposition be they democrat or anybody different from you because they won’t compromise.
That is sheer an utter hypocrisy. Get your facts straight and add some integrity to your premises. Nobody’s intimidated nor, are they stupid.
“unyielding, uncompromising, unstatesmanlike, churlish, puerile hatemongers ” – I love it! A perfect description of the GOP!
Fabulous literary style! Great use of big words. Terribly shallow on fact though.
It would be nice if, you had some, could think and speak extemporaneously enough to express your own ideas as opposed to rehearsing and reciting someone elses talking points.
Now, wouldn’t that be something Mr. Last Word?
Remind me who was president 30 years ago when the labor force participation rate was lower?
My guess is that Carter was at the helm when those numbers fell.
Well 30 years ago when they where so low Reagan was at the helm and had been for two years. That would make him responsible!!!!!!
aahh,.. Andy..Andy.. just a quick question.. What have you done for the people you represent.. no political BS, no party line.. just what have you done for the people of MD.
Government isn’t easy, it’s compromise and working to make things better for all. It just doesn’t get done when all the representatives do is pound their chest and say our way is better and I won’t listen or work with you.
One More Former Student,
One of the best things Congessman Harris has done is to refuse to knuckle under to all of the political crap that says if you want to be seen as “going along to get along” then you have to recognize how great the Dems are and let them have their way. Otherwise they will paint you as an obstructionist. I have heard what the Dems want and my best advice to the Congressman is I would much, much rather he be an obstructionist than knuckle under to that crap. You and Porter aren’t going to vote for him anyway so who cares what you think. Harris is there to represent the MAJORITY who voted for him not the few that didn’t.
Just like the time before when his predecessor was voted in by the majority to protest the loss of the moderation of Wayne Gilchrist. There really is no satisfying some of you.
Obviously you don’tt know Civics. Harris is there to represent ALL who live in the MD-1 weather they voted for him or not. Just like Obama is President of the US for everyone not just those that voted for him!
Is this the same principal that Mikulski and Cardin follow? I suspect that idea of representing all only applies if you agree with him or her.
Again, there is no satisfying some people. If you’re at the fringe and believe steadfastly in gun confiscation you will infuriate the middle. If you are the fringe and believe that government dictates moral behavior (whatever subjective view you feel that requires) you will infuriate the middle. Some of us just want government to leave us alone and they take that position to the extent they feel they shouldn’t have to pay for what anyone else wants. And some feel government should be involved in every aspect of life because the individual can’t be trusted to make their own correct choices. That’s why the middle elects people – it’s the fat chunky part of the bell curve – not the whispy narrow edges. If you fail to appeal to the middle and the more moderate aspects of either side, then you will not win office. The fringe must either cope or be regarded as disenfranchised. And if you feel that you are disenfranchised, you can always come here and let us know how you feel.
Arturo,
It is exactly the same principal that Mikulski and Cardin and Reid and Pelosi and O’Malley follow.
Not.
As one of our recent former presidents was fond of saying “Getting elected means you reward your friends and punish your enemies”. A fine example of the Dem/Lib thought process in action. Of course he might have taken it a little too far with that bloody lip he gave to Paula Jones.
Alot more than Harris. Mikulski tends to hold meetings at times that all people can attend unlike Harris who only holds them when Seniors can make them!
You have probably benefited from much legislation that they have sponsored supported though, you won’t acknowledge it.
Alex…my sentiment regarding the President! Get use to it for the next 4 years! LOL
Ah, but when the Dems had the House, Senate and White House there was no vaunted compromise. There was “We won”. There was a ramming through of whatever they wanted with glee, even when the majority of the country was against it. They went so far as to shut down incoming communications when they got too inundated with negative missives from the people. Then they did what they wanted to do. That is how the Left compromises.
The minority leadership was not invited to the White House for the first 18 months of this Administration. They were TOTALLY shut out of the legislative process.
Then the historic 2010 midterm election gave the minority the House, and that alone allowed some slowing of the Leftist juggernaught that was bulldozing it’s ideology over the country.
The Left only bleats for “compromise” when they can’t bully their way to their goals. Then they suddenly become the most reasonable people in the room. (sarc)
We, our country, are at an ideological crossroads. Do we want to remain a Constitutional Republic, or become a Socialist country ala Europe.
I for one do not want compromise with radical Leftists who despise their country and want to “transform” it.
Each “compromise” being an incremental move in the direction of that “transformation”.
I want them DEFEATED and removed from power. I want them relegated back to the fringe kookdom that they crawled out from.
Restoration, not Transformation. The 2012 vote will be the one to decide which branch of the crossroad that we take as a nation.
In the meantime, no compromise with the radical Left.
Hold the line until we send you re-enforcements, Dr. Harris.
Ever been to Europe? It’s really nice. Good quality mass transit, clean streets and communities. I had a hard time finding a landfill – only because ours begin to dominate the skyline. Belittle all you want, I’m sure they probably think we’re a bunch of Yahoos without class or any real culture. Oh wait, I’ve talked to them… and they do think we are a bunch of classless Yahoos without a regard for the way all things are inter related. All that and $8 gas. I’m really not clear on why you hate “Socialist” Europe so much. Travel broadens the mind. Give it a shot.
As the European Union collapses, since they’re running out of other peoples money.
No thank you, I prefer a Constitutional Republic.
Obviously you think Americans are a bunch of yahoo’s too.
Go live in the socialist stink pot of Europe if we embarrass you so much, then.
Take your Jihadist loving Party with you, too.
I feel the hate Bruce. Keep it up. It only creates more polarization. Any other labels you care to throw out… have you missed any categories that you can use to denigrate someone else just because you disagree with them? I see similarities and areas for compromise and agreement, apparently you thrive on simple uneducated dissent which only perpetuates the current situation. I really pity you for your tone of animosity.
Actually, you’re the one doing the denigrating. But I like the way you do it in such an educated fashion.
Duh, I wish I was as smart as you…then I’d vote for a Chicago thug for President. Your brilliance is truly amazing…I’d think that the financially failing European Union was a superior form of govt, and I’d be able to arrogantly call anyone who disagreed with me uneducated. Hubris, thy name is David.
“Restoration, not Transformation.”
The battle cry of scared nostalgic people.
The leverage used by right wing facists.
Kneejerk reaction to lack of personal control of change.
Often the people who expouse the virtues of bootstrapping, independence, and societal selection are the same people who have great difficulty in handling change.
Wow !! I’m impressed. A poetic commie…
Okay! I’ll play tit-for-tat. But, just this once.
“Ah, but when the Dems had the House, Senate and White House there was no vaunted compromise. There was “We won”. There was a ramming through of whatever they wanted with glee, even when the majority of the country was against it. They went so far as to shut down incoming communications when they got too inundated with negative missives from the people. Then they did what they wanted to do. That is how the Left compromises.”
How many pieces of legislation are referred to in “it”? And, whatever they want implies that it = more than one piece of legislation. And, the majority of the country has been against many things. Any one of them could’ve been the “it” you speak of.
“That is how the Left compromises.”
Here we go again. So, by that statement there was no compromise in instituting or extending the Bush Tax cuts? Nor, was there any compromise in allowing the president to commit the military to war with Iraq.
“Then the historic 2010 midterm election gave the minority the House, and that alone allowed some slowing of the Leftist juggernaught that was bulldozing it’s ideology over the country.”
Historic, by whose terms? Is this the first time the house has changed party majority? I think not. And, “juggernaut” by your terms I see. If, the left was such an inexorable force then why has the congress been able to thwart the majority of any legislation by just sitting back and filibustering any and everything proposed in the last 3 years basically stopping all newly proposed legislation the president has put forth. What’s so, interesting those that filibuster don’t even have to stand their and filibuster and it’s still called the same thing. They get to save their voices for when they need to come and B.S. you.
“The Left only bleats for “compromise” when they can’t bully their way to their goals.”
Bullying? Who brings guns to political rallies, calls names, and spits on legislators? Was that those angry leftist? I think not.
“We, our country…”
The first thing you’ve sad that I can agree on. It is your country as much as it is mine. But, it is mine too! And, I wish success and happiness for you, as much as, I want it for me and everyone else.
“ideological crossroads…”
Yes, ideas, not threats, demagoguery or hatred. That’s what Intelligent people do. They work through ideas for the greater good not wish others annihilation because, they happen to be different. That is why we are a union and not a confederacy because of common cause, purpose and a means to transact in it.
“Do we want to remain a Constitutional Republic, or become a Socialist country ala Europe.”
I like western Europe. Have you been? I can assure you, it ain’t the U.S.S.R. and they aren’t cultrurally deprived. No offense to Russian people or other the tramsitional states in the problems of transforming from the U.S.S. R.
“I for one do not want compromise with radical Leftists who despise their country and want to “transform” it.
I want them DEFEATED and removed from power. I want them relegated back to the fringe kookdom that they crawled out from.”
Restoration, not Transformation. The 2012 vote will be the one to decide which branch of the crossroad that we take as a nation.
In the meantime, no compromise with the radical Left.
Hold the line until we send you re-enforcements, Dr. Harris.”
Here we go with the absolutism and demagoguery. So you are at war with your fellow Americans? Or, as you have now switched, we are not your fellow Americans.
I rest my case. I won’t characterize you in a final statement. Thsat wouldn’t be decent. Somebody hasd to set the example.
Would you consider compromise with the independent, centrist center?
Richard,
I would be amenable to compromise and consideration of sound ideas with an independent centrist.
I like many adults have some specific points of view. They do span a wide range of topics, taking into account a number of ideologies, considering the ideas, and inteprepting the schools of thought, and basis of their logic. I am not totally an objectivist, an absolutist, a rationalist nor, pragmatist. AND,…my points of view are fallible just as are everyone else’s. Therefore, I am willing to grow, learn with the purpose of reaching agreement for the greater good.
So far, the President has worked with the Republicans on ideas that they proposed themselves, such as the individual mandate in the health care law, cap and trade and the DREAM Act. While the Republicans used to be strong champions of these ideas, they suddenly are against them. Why? It is because President Obama decides to work with the Republicans and use those ideas and in an effort to score political points, the Republicans in Congress are against anything that the President does, even if it’s enacting an idea that originated from the Republican side of the aisle. Harris’s suggestion that the President work with the Republican members of Congress carries no weight until they are actually ready to work with the President and not run to FOX News or their local Tea Party gathering to besmirch his efforts, even if it is working with the Republicans on ideas proposed by Republicans.
Vote Wendy Rosen for Congress in November!
Tom Myers
President, Young Democrats of Harford County
Wendy Rosen for Congress? Oh, good, she will be easy to beat. Dem/Lib of the worst sort. Not that there is a good sort. As Bruce O’H says “restoration not transformation’. In response to the Dem/Lib plea for “Can’t we all just get along?” the answer is no we can’t. And we are not going to. Personally, I’m not interested in getting along with Dem/Libs.
Oh, and CDEV, Obama might ‘represent’ me but he sure as heck isn’t going to represent my interests and beliefs. Likewise with MOM. For those of you who think they know civics, that is the distinction. So by that definition Harris does represent you but he is not going to represent your interests because they are opposed to what he stands for and what he was elected to do. My interests start with no more taxes. Since Obama and MOM are elected to represent me do you think they are going to not raise taxes?
Just the kind of homespun invective that makes us all happy to share the planet with you.
To whom are you addressing your comment?
My guess is Alex, whose comment was above it.
Representing you and doing what you want are two different things. Regardless of my dislike for Harris he is my representative and owes me the common curtosey of a reponse and listening to my opinion, even if the answer may be No.
Well, CDEV, the answer is No. Any more questions?
The answer to what is no? I didn’t ask a question?
@ Mr. Myers, our own little Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
I notice that you don’t refute my remarks about the first 18 months of Dem rule of this Administration. Instead you obfuscate about the agenda of the Left, saying, falsely that they were originally Repub concepts.
This being based on studies by Conservative think tanks, that refuted the concepts after honest review.
But that is the way of the Left. You MUST lie to get your agenda accepted by the electorate. If they knew what your true motives were, you wouldn’t have a chance.
I thought Obama Care was similar to ROmney’s plan in Mass and also similar to a plan suggested in the COntract for America in opposition to Hilary Care. Parry passed the MD version of the Dream act in Texas. I believe several GOP lawmakers where invited to the whitehouse to work on helathcare and they declined. In some cases when theya accepted the GOP yanked the leash and they changed their mind.
Republicans were told their opinion was not necessary in crafting Obamacare and the Dems did not know what was in the bill. It was similar to the stimulus in which lobbyists wrote the bills and were rewarded.
Wasn’t is Nancy Pelosi who said we have to approve the bill to see what was in it? The fact this was rammed through Congress without being thoroughly read, studied and vetted is scandalous. But….. it had to be done immediately and now we are finding out how much it will really cost and how much power has been designated to faceless, unaccountable bureaucrats.
Our freedoms are being eroded everyday by these people and the sooner America wakes up to this, the better.
The original Senate bill was crafted by a group of 6 3 where republicans, Grassley, Snowe & Enzi.
In February, 2010 the House GOP was invited to attend a summit on the Health Bill. They opted to not attend.
Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Inhofe and Enzi all got invited to the white house and three had the meeting set before they canceled!
The final bill was similar to a bill introduced in 1993 by Chafee and a 1994 bill by Nickles.
Obama has not worked with Republicans. Obamacare was passed with no GOP votes. He told them ‘I won, you lost, get over it.’ Pelosi and Reid had the same attitudes. Now the chatter from Obama is that we need to work together. Where was that 3 years ago?
I have no interest in working with Reid, Pelosi and Obama. It is a disgrace this government has operated without a budget since Obama was elected. They refuse to pass a budget because they are not adult enough to make the tough decisions. The sooner they are out of power, the better this country will be.
We need statesmen, who will tell the American people the truth. Tough decisions need to be made and the current crop in Washington seems incapable of doing such. Once someone does head in that direction, they are criticized as uncaring, etc. Your post perpetuates that.
Then you need to be willing to accept the fact that the budget cannot be tamed by cutting alone. Either raise revenue or cut across the board 40% – and this includes Defense spending. After all it is only White Man’s Welfare.
Ah, there it is. I thought it was taking you guys a long time to get to the racist part. Only thing is, you showed yours. Look, that’s not right. You’re supposed to make people on the Right out to be the racists. Not advertize your own racism.
They can’t help themselves! It’s at the forefront of all their thought process. That’s why everything is never their fault, you are always wrong and they are always right.
Bruce, I work for the Department of Defense. We have 12 Government employees and 30 contractors. Testing is going down. They need to be let go. If they aren’t let go, how should we pay them? They do the same job that I do, but at a considerably greater cost to the government – despite my benefits. Everything about them duplicates the management of a similar government operation. And in some cases, the ridiculous decision has been made to make some functions, contractor only. This is in direct conflict with the policy of “No personal services”. Defense can afford the cuts, and if you want to believe they are more entitled to free government money because they are part of defense, then you are simply a hypocrite.
Mr Porter, I never once said that I was against ANY cuts, ANYWHERE in our obscenely bloated Federal govt, that are valid.
I merely pointed out your racist comment. I find it revealing that you made no reply to that aspect of my comment, but instead resorted to calling me names.
Why stop at the “white man”? Let’s hear your views on Christians and Jews.
No reply because your comment was simply based on your skewed perception of what you think I am. It was not worthy of a response, but now you have your sought after response. I appreciate your invective, I just don’t feel it’s necessary to respond each time to the ramblings of someone as hateful and opinionated as yourself.
Mr.Porter
You yourself have in the past commented on the peculiar nature of government contractors. Painting them with a broad brush is not generally your form but in this case I think you’ve overstepped yourself.
Letting go of contractors may be beneficial to the bottom line but it hardly fixes the problems with federal employment. I have worked for years in a position where my base pay and overhead combined is less than the same federal position’s base pay alone. To add to that I often do the jobs of two federal employees, meanwhile my contract company collects a hefty fee from the federal government and I subsist on substandard pay in a weak job market.
If given a chance many contractors would supplant entrenched federal employees and take the same federal job at a lower salary and benefits than the current holders of these unique positions.
If there is going to be a mass exodus of contractors can we at least open up the federal positions to healthy free market competition?
I grow tired of the likes of Battelle, SAIC, Kelly, etc… reaping great rewards from what amounts to slavery while equivalent federal employees with job security sit back and whine about a potential pay freeze.
Captain Obvious, it’s all about personal responsibility in the end. A manager knows that another division is unable to perform the work they are paid to do because they are “just doing the best that they can”. So I am told to not only cope with that fact, but also I am required to still perform at a level that these people I criticize (Often other federal employees) could not touch. With a management that actually believes the lie that other people are just doing the best they can, we are confined to the model of Federal Employment which states that in order to get along you need to go along. I don’t subscribe to this and it infuriates me when my boss makes the observation that he too has problems with people in other sections that fail to perform. The solution is to act on your beliefs and within the dictates of your policies. Hiring temporary workers to perform a job that is inherently government kills the chance for corporate memory when hard times arrive. Many of the are highly motivated to outperform a Federal employee. What can I say? People are short sighted. I was a contractor to government employees for five years before coming back here for a Government job. I am not happy with our relations with the contractors… many of them should be hired to permanent positions within the Federal Government. But eliminate the deadweight that exists first. Supervisors can do this, but it’s hard, and as much as they talk openly themselves about how bad the efficiency is inside with Government employees, many of them do not have the spine to actually do the things they mutter about. I called my boss a hypocrite when he told me that he despises other groups for their lethargy. But he does nothing except let the situation continue, and allow the rest of us to be upset, get slowed down in our jobs and become frustrated that nothing ever gets fixed. In many ways this a lot like congress, everyone wants to get rid of the other guy’s representative without getting rid of their own when he fails to perform.
The budget can, and must, be balanced by cutting spending. Otherwise, we are demanding more Americans sacrifice their freedom to the federal government. The growth of the federal government, stacked up on top of local and state, is weighing down any economic progress for the middle class of this country.
Making the rich pay more is class warfare. The top 10% already pay 90% of the bill. It is time to examine all government spending and eliminate all that is not essential and begin to enforce the enumerated powers set forth in the Constitution, which worked for over 150 years. We have a bloated government that is out of control.
While cutting spending is an integral part of the equation raising revenues will also be required if you truly want to balance the budget and start to pay off the debt. I challenge you to find a way to do that without raising revenues. The Ryan budget, which is not balanced, also lowers the tax rate and has unidentified tax loop holes eliminated. I think you can keep the same rates but you would have to eliminate ALL loopholes and deductions. This would mean an increase in the amount you pay.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, though the people who I’m directing to seem to either just ignore it or not understand the concept.
Saying the top 10% of earners pay 90% of the taxes is a complete red herring. If the top 10% are earning 90% of the income in this country then they SHOULD be paying 90% of the taxes brought in by the government. I don’t know if the top 10% of earners make 90% of the income or not, but I’ve never seen any numbers about that stat anywhere.
Just to use some simple number to illustrate my point let’s assume the country has 2 people earning money and paying taxes. Joe makes $1 million/year and Bob makes $50k/year. Joe pays $200k/year in taxes and Bob pays $10k/year in taxes for a total tax revenue of $210k/year. Now Joe paid 95% of the total tax revenue, but both Bob and Joe paid 20% of their income in taxes. Joe makes 20x what Bob makes and he also pays 20x (in dollar amount) the taxes Bob pays. That is fair.
Now having said all that, I don’t for one second believe that our current tax code is remotely fair. It desperately needs a major overhaul (basically scrap all 40,000 pages of it and start over from scratch eliminating all deductions, credits, loopholes, and making just a flat tax rate across the board on all income, regardless of the source, above the poverty line.)
CDEV,
What is the difference between a tax loophole and a tax deduction?
tomato tomato…. either way it should be a simple tax table based on your actual income. No exemptions, No deductable income, No Credits etc. We could than eliminate tons of jobs at the IRS since it would be very easy to calculate taxes. Less money in auditing. If you made an “error” the most likely cause would be fraud!
CDEV makes a good point about absolutely no deductions and everyone pays on their gross. Unfortunately I’m not sure how we would ever get back to that. BUt it would make a ton of sense. The tax code has been tweaked for decades adding every sort of deduction and loophole, often because lobbying groups have influenced Congress (I personally would use the term ‘bribed’) and/or the government has wanted to provide incentive to taxpayers to support causes like non-profits, long term investment in companies, increasing energy supply, etc.
CDEV & ALEX R,
Are you suggesting that only people be taxed? Should entities be taxed, eg., business and corporations? Such as tax the local decoy makers business, and then tax the money that the decoy maker has left as profit after having his/her business taxed. Tax the wood and tools the decoy maker buys for making decoys (sales tax), tax the utility bill that the business receives, phone bill, etc.. Is this what you are suggesting?
The supreme court has declared that corporations are people, so only taxing people ought to cover them too.
Mike I am suggesting income taxes should be made so easy…..a caveman can do it but capt. obvious is correct. The should pay taxes on income like individuals who also pay sales taxes on goods they buy etc.!
Until both sides lose this “winner take all” mentality this country is going to continue to go down the tubes. Some of keep commenting about Obama’s first 18 months in office when the Democrats controlled Congress and the White House and just passed what they with a “We won, get over it attitude.” If the Republicans had been in the same position they would’ve been doing exactly the same thing. That is exactly why nothing can get accomplished in D.C. and if the country wasn’t so screwed up right now, I’d actually be pretty happy about it because then they wouldn’t be able to muck it up. Unfortunately, we need some major changes from revamping the tax code (which would include raising taxes on some people, I’m sure) to making some significant spending cuts in all areas of the government including Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, and Defense.
I don’t like Obama as President and probably won’t vote for him in November (just like I didn’t vote for him 4 years ago, though I almost did because McCain tied himself to that idiot Palin), but I like Congress even less and I almost certainly will be voting against every incumbent on the ballot. They don’t deserve to serve in Washington and they definitely don’t deserve the hundreds of thousands of dollars in pay and benefits they receive. If Congress can’t get their heads out of their asses long enough to pass a budget (and and actual budget, not these stupid extensions that they’ve been passing for years to keep things running) then the first thing that should go are their paychecks and health benefits.
I personally think we should take a hint from the Vatican and lock them all in a room and provide them with basic food until they pass a budget that is at a minimum deficiet nuetral. Don’t care who leads it just get er done!
Hey I was wondering if anyone knows why victory cAb was pUlled over near post road. E.Belair rD here in aberdeen Md AboUt midnite all I saw was a man being handcUffed n tHe police had what looked like a gun the person had. Does anyone kn anything boUt tHis please let me kn I take victory Cab w my grandchildren. I wAnt to kn if its sAve to still do
Perhaps you could go out on the street and shout your question to the sky in order to get a definitive answer to your question.
Rep Harris,
Comprehensive tax reform and bringing back manufacturing jobs to America, those are what you need to spend your time on. Once you get these fixed, focus on health care and immigration law reform. Please don’t let the religious right hijack your attention.
CptnObvious & David A. Porter,
I like the discussion that the 2 of you are having. Even though, you tend to be doing a hatchet job on each other’s work efforts by generalizing about the opposing side.
Then you diverge into discussing who you think the supervisor should fire to make things efficient. Funny I’ve not heard the word mentoring, teamwork, or development taking place anywhere in the discussion.
Could this be the I in team I’ve been hearing about?
I don’t see it that way at all. In all my time reading these boards and my much shorter time actually posting; I have found Mr.Porter’s comments to be mostly reasonable and realistic.
I don’t think we disagree that there are some serious issues with abuse of federal positions as well as the contract positions which support them.
Not all feds are incompetent and not all contractors are mercenaries.
Yes some of them, feds and contractors alike, should be fired.
The question is how do we properly reward or punish those that deserve it while we operate in an environment where surpervisors simply say “not my problem”. This does not encourage efficiency, only status quo operations which leads to a continuation of a dysfunctional system.