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Things you dislike about your country.

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JWC
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13 Jun 2012, 2:17 pm

Sweetleaf wrote:
JWC wrote:
Sweetleaf wrote:
JWC wrote:
visagrunt wrote:
JWC wrote:
It may be that simple in Canada, but not here in the US.

Short version is, I got a large Christmas bonus. My company usually doesn't give Christmas bonuses, so I hadn't taken that into account. If it hadn't been for that bonus, I wouldn't have bumped up a bracket and would have been fine. Ironic thing is the increase in tax liability was waaaaaay more than the bonus that caused it. I'd have been better off if I hadn't gotten the bonus.


Nonsense.

The only income that gets taxed in the top bracket is the amount of income that exceeds the threshold for that bracket.

Suppose that the threshold for the top bracket is $50,000. If you earn $49,999 in salary, and you receive a $100 bonus, your total income will be $50,099. $50,000 will be taxed in the lower brackets, and only $99 will be taxed in the higher bracket.

If your tax liability was larger than your bonus, then your accountant is a mental m***et who cannot do basic arithmetic.


Oooor, may be I just misunderstood his explanation. Fact is, it's my money. I earned it. If I had sat at home and done nothing, the gov't would have less income to tax. But I don't, therefore the gov't takes more and more every year. I am being punished for my achievements with an ever-increasing tax burden.


If you want to see it that way, why see taxes as a punishment though? it's not its a way of making sure public services and help for citizens who need it is provided. I guess I don't see why someone should complain over having to pay taxes because it might go to someone less fortunate if they own a car, house, enough money for food, toiletries whatever entertainment they choose or nice vacations? But I imagine you must be renting some cheap apparentment in the bad area of town, have to take the bus or walk to work when you can't afford the bus and you probably can hardly put enough food on the table. In that case I guess I see your point and taxation is a punishment for you, but maybe the first description describes you better.


The first scenario is pretty close to where I started. Second scenario is a fair description of my life at this time. What enabled me to progress from the first to the second is realizing that my life is my challenge. It is not my place to ask for others to fight that challenge for me, they have their own challenges to face.


why are you putting 'my' in bold? Also its great you don't want any help or whatever...thing is some people need help, hence the reason for the social safety network not everyone can just pull themselves out of that through sheer willpower. If you can great but be careful of falling into the 'everyone else can do everything I can' mentallity. I don't see what is so shameful about using programs in place for what they are for. Yes SSI is so that people with disabilities who have not been able to work because of it can have a little something to live on, EBT exists so people who cant afford enough food to feed themselves or their families can, Unemployment exists so people can still pay bills and have something to live on while they try and gain more employment(obviously losing a job is stressful and being totally broke and losing what you have and ending up homeless does not really help.....yeah try getting a job if you can't provide an adress because you lost your house that is just one issu with that I can see. I could continue but I think that about covers it for now.

How is having these programs in place asking for others to fight ones challenges? its just help.....what is so bad about that, oh wait let me guess its your money? Though realistically, I highly doubt its specifically all the money you paid in taxes going specifically to welfare programs. But if you could decide what would your portion of tax money go to?


We all have problems. Some people's problems are financial, other's are not. Forcing others to solve one's financial problems does nothing but needlessly spread that burden among others. But remember, those others have their own problems to deal with. Thanks to welfare and other entitlement programs they now have to provide for the financial problems of the poor on top of having to deal with their own problems.

If I could decide, the money I pay in taxes would go into my savings account.



Robdemanc
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13 Jun 2012, 2:20 pm

England has too rigid class structure.



Sweetleaf
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13 Jun 2012, 2:23 pm

JWC wrote:
We all have problems. Some people's problems are financial, other's are not. Forcing others to solve one's financial problems does nothing but needlessly spread that burden among others. But remember, those others have their own problems to deal with. Thanks to welfare and other entitlement programs they now have to provide for the financial problems of the poor on top of having to deal with their own problems.

If I could decide, the money I pay in taxes would go into my savings account.


Of course everyone has problems...but I don't see how having programs in place to help the public is forcing anyone to solve other peoples problems? Besides what do you suggest as an alternative...without SSI what should people with a disability that prevents them from functioning on a job do to get by? without unemployment how are people supposed to afford bills and such until they get another job? Without food stamps what should people do if they can't afford food, I guess for this there are food shelves but considering homeless people cannot get EBT(I looked it up) I think non homeless people struggling to afford food taking from a food shelf would be detrimental because then it leaves nothing for the homeless.

I guess if the poor and disabled just dissapeared your life would be better, so the government should base it's policies on your happiness at the expense of the poor.


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JWC
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13 Jun 2012, 2:32 pm

Sweetleaf wrote:
Of course everyone has problems...but I don't see how having programs in place to help the public is forcing anyone to solve other peoples problems?

The people without the financial problems are the one's who are footing the bill, hence it becomes their problem, too.

I guess if the poor and disabled just dissapeared your life would be better, so the government should base it's policies on your happiness at the expense of the poor.


That's ridiculous, I've said nothing of the sort. How is it at the expense of the poor? I'm not forcing them to pay my bills. The gov't should have nothing to do with it. If financially responsible people weren't forced to give up 30% of their income to the gov't, they'd probably be a lot more willing to voluntarily donate more money to charitable causes and/or give a helping hand to a family member in need. Whatever happens, it will be at the expense of those who have something to give, not of those in need.



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13 Jun 2012, 2:34 pm

I really dsilike Hollywood remaking old movies all the time.



Sweetleaf
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13 Jun 2012, 2:41 pm

JWC wrote:
Sweetleaf wrote:
Of course everyone has problems...but I don't see how having programs in place to help the public is forcing anyone to solve other peoples problems?

The people without the financial problems are the one's who are footing the bill, hence it becomes their problem, too.

I guess if the poor and disabled just dissapeared your life would be better, so the government should base it's policies on your happiness at the expense of the poor.


That's ridiculous, I've said nothing of the sort. How is it at the expense of the poor? I'm not forcing them to pay my bills. The gov't should have nothing to do with it. If financially responsible people weren't forced to give up 30% of their income to the gov't, they'd probably be a lot more willing to voluntarily donate more money to charitable causes and/or give a helping hand to a family member in need. Whatever happens, it will be at the expense of those who have something to give, not of those in need.


Well apparently having welfare in place is forcing you to solve other peoples problems...so I was getting the impression you feel these things should be abolished, yet you have no alternative to offer so that kind of leaves just cutting those programs and leaving the people who need them to figuritively and sometimes litterally be left to die.

I can see taxation being too high, but what i don't understand is why the anger is always directed at 'those damn poor and disabled people on welfare.' Also it would be very nice of chairity and the helping hands of family members and friends adequately adressed the problem, but it doesn't hence the welfare programs. I mean this isn't fantasy land in which everyone is willing to donate to chairity and help others now is it? Taking away programs to help those in need and leaving them with nothing is at their expense. If it is a matter of you thinking taxes are too high well its the government who's in charge of that...not the people who don't have anywhere else to turn then welfare programs that are provided for the purpose of helping. Also I question the notion that those with more money are nessisarily financially responsible.


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JWC
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13 Jun 2012, 2:44 pm

Sweetleaf wrote:
JWC wrote:
Sweetleaf wrote:
Of course everyone has problems...but I don't see how having programs in place to help the public is forcing anyone to solve other peoples problems?

The people without the financial problems are the one's who are footing the bill, hence it becomes their problem, too.

I guess if the poor and disabled just dissapeared your life would be better, so the government should base it's policies on your happiness at the expense of the poor.


That's ridiculous, I've said nothing of the sort. How is it at the expense of the poor? I'm not forcing them to pay my bills. The gov't should have nothing to do with it. If financially responsible people weren't forced to give up 30% of their income to the gov't, they'd probably be a lot more willing to voluntarily donate more money to charitable causes and/or give a helping hand to a family member in need. Whatever happens, it will be at the expense of those who have something to give, not of those in need.


Well apparently having welfare in place is forcing you to solve other peoples problems...so I was getting the impression you feel these things should be abolished, yet you have no alternative to offer so that kind of leaves just cutting those programs and leaving the people who need them to figuritively and sometimes litterally be left to die.

I can see taxation being too high, but what i don't understand is why the anger is always directed at 'those damn poor and disabled people on welfare.' Also it would be very nice of chairity and the helping hands of family members and friends adequately adressed the problem, but it doesn't hence the welfare programs. I mean this isn't fantasy land in which everyone is willing to donate to chairity and help others now is it? Taking away programs to help those in need and leaving them with nothing is at their expense. If it is a matter of you thinking taxes are too high well its the government who's in charge of that...not the people who don't have anywhere else to turn then welfare programs that are provided for the purpose of helping. Also I question the notion that those with more money are nessisarily financially responsible.


My gripe is, and always has been, with the gov't.



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13 Jun 2012, 2:51 pm

I hate the lack of American Nationalism in the Media.



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13 Jun 2012, 6:06 pm

JWC wrote:
Oooor, may be I just misunderstood his explanation. Fact is, it's my money. I earned it. If I had sat at home and done nothing, the gov't would have less income to tax. But I don't, therefore the gov't takes more and more every year. I am being punished for my achievements with an ever-increasing tax burden.


Fact is, it never hurts you to earn an extra dollar. Period.

You are not being punished for anything, and so long as you persist in your martyr complex, you will continue the pointless excuse for a legislature that your country is currently cursed with.

By all means hold the government to account for how much you are taxed, and the results that government achieves with those taxes. But you have gone to the unsupportable position of questioning the legitimacy of government and taxation ab initio. The former is the action of a responsible citizen. The latter is the action of an irresponsible one.


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13 Jun 2012, 7:44 pm

Joker wrote:
I hate the lack of American Nationalism in the Media.


What, you mean a lack of "AMERICA, HELLZ YEAH?"

'Cause if that's what you're looking for, switch on Fox. If you'd like something, I dunno, remotely less stupid, go elsewhere.


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13 Jun 2012, 7:46 pm

JWC wrote:
My gripe is, and always has been, with the gov't.


Ok well that's not the impression I was getting, but I'm not always right obviously.


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13 Jun 2012, 7:48 pm

Lord_Gareth wrote:
Joker wrote:
I hate the lack of American Nationalism in the Media.


What, you mean a lack of "AMERICA, HELLZ YEAH?"

'Cause if that's what you're looking for, switch on Fox. If you'd like something, I dunno, remotely less stupid, go elsewhere.


All nationalism leads to is 'I'm better than you because I'm 'insert nationality.' and you're not.' And quite frankly I do not find myself better than people of other nations just because I live in the U.S. Besides our government sucks and being nationalistic kind of goes along with supporting and going along with the government.


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13 Jun 2012, 7:51 pm

Sweetleaf wrote:
Lord_Gareth wrote:
Joker wrote:
I hate the lack of American Nationalism in the Media.


What, you mean a lack of "AMERICA, HELLZ YEAH?"

'Cause if that's what you're looking for, switch on Fox. If you'd like something, I dunno, remotely less stupid, go elsewhere.


All nationalism leads to is 'I'm better than you because I'm 'insert nationality.' and you're not.' And quite frankly I do not find myself better than people of other nations just because I live in the U.S. Besides our government sucks and being nationalistic kind of goes along with supporting and going along with the government.


Not really Natonalistic also promotes protecting your country.



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13 Jun 2012, 8:08 pm

Joker wrote:
Sweetleaf wrote:
Lord_Gareth wrote:
Joker wrote:
I hate the lack of American Nationalism in the Media.


What, you mean a lack of "AMERICA, HELLZ YEAH?"

'Cause if that's what you're looking for, switch on Fox. If you'd like something, I dunno, remotely less stupid, go elsewhere.


All nationalism leads to is 'I'm better than you because I'm 'insert nationality.' and you're not.' And quite frankly I do not find myself better than people of other nations just because I live in the U.S. Besides our government sucks and being nationalistic kind of goes along with supporting and going along with the government.


Not really Natonalistic also promotes protecting your country.


No, common interest promotes protecting your country. After all, you're living in it. Someone showing up and wrecking the joint might be a tad inconvenient. Nationalism has this gigantic track record of going Horrifically Wrong, and has zero instances of ever going morally or politically right. It's a mental freaking disease.


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13 Jun 2012, 8:11 pm

Joker wrote:
Sweetleaf wrote:
Lord_Gareth wrote:
Joker wrote:
I hate the lack of American Nationalism in the Media.


What, you mean a lack of "AMERICA, HELLZ YEAH?"

'Cause if that's what you're looking for, switch on Fox. If you'd like something, I dunno, remotely less stupid, go elsewhere.


All nationalism leads to is 'I'm better than you because I'm 'insert nationality.' and you're not.' And quite frankly I do not find myself better than people of other nations just because I live in the U.S. Besides our government sucks and being nationalistic kind of goes along with supporting and going along with the government.


Not really Natonalistic also promotes protecting your country.


Well that is part of it obviously to be a nationalist one has to be willing to die for the nation and obviuosly the government since the government runs the nation you are claiming should be praised. Protection should be for you know protection not asserting some holier than thou attitude which kind of comes with nationalism. It would be better if there wern't any but like that's going to happen.


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Joker
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13 Jun 2012, 8:14 pm

Sweetleaf wrote:
Joker wrote:
Sweetleaf wrote:
Lord_Gareth wrote:
Joker wrote:
I hate the lack of American Nationalism in the Media.


What, you mean a lack of "AMERICA, HELLZ YEAH?"

'Cause if that's what you're looking for, switch on Fox. If you'd like something, I dunno, remotely less stupid, go elsewhere.


All nationalism leads to is 'I'm better than you because I'm 'insert nationality.' and you're not.' And quite frankly I do not find myself better than people of other nations just because I live in the U.S. Besides our government sucks and being nationalistic kind of goes along with supporting and going along with the government.


Not really Natonalistic also promotes protecting your country.


Well that is part of it obviously to be a nationalist one has to be willing to die for the nation and obviuosly the government since the government runs the nation you are claiming should be praised. Protection should be for you know protection not asserting some holier than thou attitude which kind of comes with nationalism. It would be better if there wern't any but like that's going to happen.


I happen to be a outspoken American Nationalist