There is no valid reason to eliminate the so called DEATH TAX", there is no such thing. YES, there is an estate tax which is the same thing. The Bush right wing are greedy rich folks who feel they are above helping others and unwilling to share the burden of a democracy. The rich feel trickle down is the answer, Ronnie Reagan style. The actual truth of a democracy means: OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE. NOT, for the rich only. The "ESTATE" tax was originally implemented for what reason? Here is the answer: In the old countries where most of the newcomers came from to the "NEW WORLD", they were looking for a new life, freedoms from religious persecution, unlawful dictators, etc. When a "FAMILY" passes on wealth on and on without paying taxes accumulated from said society, what do you end up with? Right, a "FEW" very wealthy famlies running the whole show. That in a nutshell means running the Government. Do you want that for your children? Examples: The Italians have had approx 50 different governments since WWII, corrupt, corrupt. How about Mexico? Those are just 2 examples, anyone for this country being like RUSSIA after the fall? Putin took back the oil company because the oligrach owners felt they were above paying taxes to share the burden of a society. Democrats in general have feelings for "ALL" members of a society. Why is that such a hard thing to understand unless someone is a "GREEDY GUTS"? Thank You
PS, taxes are not the problem of this country, the problem is that the taxes are not being paid by the right folks, especially the corporations are not paying the fair share. The deficit proves guite vividly this to be true. The problem is the "CREDIT BUBBLE" amoung others. Why are houses running up in price? Easy fancy dancy mortgages. If anyone thinks home prices can keep going up as wages do not keep up also believe in the tooth fairy. The stock mkt is telling us the interest rates are going up a lot higher than the wizards on cnbc say: Like they even know We are living on borrowed false wealth, but it will not last. This puppy is going to bring heartache to many people as it grows into a raging pit bull foaming at the mouth when the supply of cheap money from abroad dries up. Yes, the biggest baddest military in the world is dependent on others to keep it's head above water. Do not forget, only a few years ago the debt burden put Russia in the crapper. Are we next? OVER AND OUT, gonna get work done, have a good weekend. How about them dare WHITE SOX?
Quote from Hamlet: Quote from science_trader: Quote from Hamlet: Name a country that the US brought democracy to? How about preserving it in most of Europe in WW2 for starters. You clearly forget those countries were ALREADY democracies before the war ! Other examples ? Common, you will find one if you look for... See dictionary for meaning of "preserve". Is not preserving democracies (not to mention sovereignties) even MORE important than creating one? Maybe the US got involved late and maybe they are not soley responsible for victory but who would argue that their involvement was THE turning point of the war? Still not able to give a single example.... Bombing Iraq towns and their water/power plants? That was during the first 2 weeks of the war. Done, may I remind you, for nothing. There was no WMD in Irak, it is now OBVIOUS to everyone, even to the blinds. US had nothing to do there. Getting rid of Saddam Hussein has come long after as an objective of the war. You are so much influenced by your politicians and their discourse that you seem to have become completely blind. I am not influenced by anyone or any politics, but solely by my own thinking, reason and logic and I conclude based on all of the BIG PICTURE facts that the US action in Iraq was the right choice. Of course it's the right choice. It's a very good way for the US to keep a strong influence in the zone as their relationships with the Saoud family is deteriorating at a very fast pace. But it's a very selfish reason, isn't it ? Is Afghanistan perfect? No. It's a hundred times better than it was. It is no longer a terrorist haven where al queda roams and rules freely. The terrorist training camps are gone. Where are you taking this 'hundred times better' ??? Would the US be a better country if it was abandoning all its US army bases throughout the world ??? No, and the world would cease to exist as you know it. I would be very happy about that. I say it is a hundred times better because of the state of Afghanistan then vs. now and in the future. It was once ruled by Al Queda. Women were not allowed to get an education. Men went there from around the globe, to the home base of Bin Laden, to be trained as terrorists and killers of Western civilians. I could go on and on. The country did a 180 degree turn, do your own homework... you won't hear much about it on the evening news though... Why then did the US not do anything about it before 9/11 ? You seem jealous of Haliburton and other rich companies. Why? It seems they have products or services that people want or need, and so they sell them. That is capitalism. If you envy their money and success then why don't you develop products or services that people want or need too. There are start-up success stories every day. Instead of detesting someone else's success, improve your own. Are you so blind not to see the connections between these industries and the US government ? If these companies are so successful in their respective businesses, why then do they need to spend so much time and efforts for lobbying in Washington ? Lobbying is a way of life in US govt, love it or hate it. It is done by the large corporations as well as special interest groups representing people from all walks of life. I see you understand now what was meant by the poster on the Haliburton case. The poor pay for the war? That is incorrect. The top earners pay the majority of the tax revenue. The poors pay for the war because all the tax revenues that should serve as a 'social lift' to fight inequalities are used in a stupid war whose result is evident everyday. Social lift most effectively come from within oneself rather than a govt handout. The govt is much more effective at large scale efforts, like fighting terrorists and rogue govts who mean to do us harm and end our way of life. This is a typical 'american dream' vision. If you still believe in that, then good for you.... And by the way, ending your way of life could be a very good thing in my opinion.... As a conclusion I would say it's always very funny to hear these kind of arguments, it's like listening to US TV channels or to Michael Moore... and a proof of how much most people in your country are under their influence without having an ounce of critical view on what is going on around them.
This last statement shows how ill-informed you are; please do some research on Michael Moore. My statements are my own opinions based on the facts as I know them. Most TV channels of course have a bias towards their own country, what else would you expect? I'd see the same bias in your country. Intelligent people can have independant thought, can't you? As an aside, I am not 100% pro US, nor 100% pro any political party, but I will argue the points individually for any issue based on the facts, without any bias. I crititcize the US or any party just as easily as I defend it, based on right and wrong.
Since when did Michael Moore become a creditable source of the fact? If you research on his sources you will find it to be the biggest laugh in the world. I am not a Republican nor Demoncrat. Sorry for the interruption in the posts but thought the guys view a few posts ago was kinda funny since I feel he is the biggest conspiracy theorist alive, but also the most wealthy..... hmmm maybe there is a connection there :/
At least someone with an ounce of critical mind. It's amazing how black/white today's world can be. US govt propaganda is so strong that their opponents are running in Moore's arms. As you say, he is making tons of money on this. I'm still impressed how people who hate Bush strictly believe in what Moore says. The perfect example is when he stated in Fahrenheit 9/11 that '"In his first eight months in office before September 11th, George W. Bush was on vacation, according to the Washington Post, forty-two percent of the time." which is of course not true and includes the weekends. But everytime something happens this old point is coming back in whatever discussion.
What my country has done for the world ? Never heard of the Red Cross ? Never heard of all the meetings my country has welcomed between US and UdSSR and other countries at war as a neutral country ? Never heard of the Geneva Initiative for the Palestinian case ? and as an example, my country has given 3x more than yours (whatever if you report it to GDP or per capita) to tsunami victims... (well, I personally think the word shouldn't have given so much for this tsunami and better share this money with other horrors in this world). You know, we spend more time and money trying to SOLVE the problems of this world with our small means rather than marketing our actions to the others. If you believe your country is really doing somthing for the rest of the world, it's just because you are told so, but do they really do something or is this just a big show ? I'm still waiting for this list of countries saved by the US... Oh no, I don't hate the US, I just ignore their presence and won't put a step in this country as long as it is applying a regime of fear and security. Do you realize that most americans living here in Europe (and I meet people with a lot of different political views) are so ashamed when they realize, seen from the outside, how pathetic their country's behavior or their TV channels are. How can you know the facts without a biased view when you live in the US ? This country is literally eaten up by a huge propaganda of the fear (and this was so long before Bush came to power). I don't have any TV at home and I'm always really impressed to watch an american channel when I am in a hotel somewhere : just hearing the tone of the journalist says a lot. I know this Michael Moore really well and I can say I am a very strong opponent to this guy. My ideal world ? Perhaps first get rid of american interventionism in the world which usually doesn't solve the problems but postpone them and with time all these small problems become huge problems... And finally the best of the best : you don't need to believe in the 'american dream', you see proof of it every day. I imagine you are talking about what just happened in the New-Orleans...
Since the Bush "Leave no child behind" program has been exposed to be a fraud, the school test scores in Texas were rigged. The Bush administration has decided it needs a new program to get the base tickled pink, so it came up with this new mantra for the proposed never ending tax cuts in front of ever larger deficits. "LEAVE NO MILLIONAIRE BEHIND"...
Here's another tidbit , then i am OUTTA here. Bush nominates a "STAFF" person to the supreme court, spare me Please. Bush says, "TRUST ME ON THIS", WOW, is that a stretch or what? He lied about the WMD's and failed to mention that the terror attack on NY was not connected to the invasion of anothers country that just so happeded to be floating in oil. We saw the crony he choose for FEMA in action in New orleans, plus we saw all the great results of the homeland security in action. good thing we spent billions and billions over there or else the results might not have been so grand. Trust me he says, HA HA HA