Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

[Kepler]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

How the EU VAT works.

Taxing consumption is in some ways more intuitive than taxing income -- the former is a unit of "things I can afford" and the latter is a unit of "value I am providing" (or "money daddy left me to feed my coke habit"). According to the EU website small producers don't have to add the VAT to their sales price; in a quick browse I didn't see where survival basics were given any break, but presumably you don't have to provide that assistance in the tax code if you avail yourself of other welfare measures.

I wonder if there has been enough time with VATs in place to study their effect during economic downturns, when you want to encourage consumption to stop the loss of jobs. Same problem with any tax of course -- less money equals less purchasing power -- but it seems much more direct with a VAT.

[Handyman]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

My favorite part (aside from the Hannity-Gingrich = Beavis & Butthead comparison ) is how Obama is advocating the same things as that d@ mn flaming liberal, Ronald Reagan, in regards to nuclear disarmament.

Well Reagan was the Governor of California...a bastion of liberal pot-smoking gayness! Obviously it rubbed off on him and tainted his good conservative notions!

[SPIN CONTROL]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

Sorry, Jager boy, but watch the Daily Show clip. No restrictions in the cast of biological attack. Please address your apology to the White House, care of B. Obama.

So Gates is a liar. Got it.

[Handyman]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

So Gates is a liar. Got it.

I will answer your question with a question: Is he involved in politics?

If your answer is yes, then the the answer is yes

[rufus]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

The question is what gives the gov't the right to more of that person's income? What additional benefit are they getting?

Not getting their Mcmansions plundered by starving mobs of poor people?

[huskyfan]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

Stupak is retiring "to spend more time with his family" thats politico speak for "didn't have a chance in hell of winning"

its foolish to let your enemy know how you are going to respond to an attack.
the "element of surprise" and all that.

[walrus]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

So Gates is a liar. Got it.

I'd be shocked if he wasn't.

[walrus]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

Stupak is retiring "to spend more time with his family" thats politico speak for "didn't have a chance in hell of winning".

What a shame. Must be that deal he made with the devil

[SPIN CONTROL]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

I'd be shocked if he wasn't.

Yeah but wouldn't you lie to give the impression that your a big bad bully rather than lie to make yourself look a like a 12 year old schoolgirl?

[pirate]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

Yeah, it's called the earned income tax credit. You get paid for working, not simply living. It was started in 1975 and was greatly expanded by Reagan (and later by Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II) as a way to encourage people to stop sitting on their asses and contribute to society.

There is no way around the fact that people are given more money than they paid in...as I said yesterday, doesn't matter who thought it up, it is still wrong in my opinion.

It couldn't have been that hard to put in line 105 - If the amount of your refund is greater than the amount on line 13, put a 0 in this box...that will be the amount of your refund.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

Stupak is retiring "to spend more time with his family" thats politico speak for "didn't have a chance in hell of winning"

What makes you say that? I may not be from the UP, but up until this healthcare hullabaloo, I know that Stupak was highly respected by a majority of his constituents, winning by 65%+ landslides in many re-elections. He originally ran on a platform of fighting for healthcare reform, so why is it suddenly a surprise and "betrayal" that he worked to get the recent bill passed?

The UP is not as "red" as everyone thinks it is. The old mine worker roots still run deep. Here's a by-county slice of the 2008 map:

*****http://i6.***********.com/albums/y227/association330/2008-MI.jpg******

Granted, many Yooper Democrats are moderate ones. Still, I have a hard time believing that the race would've been anything more than simply "competitive" compared to the usual.

Nonetheless, he's made his decision so I guess it's not worth debating.

[geezer]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

What makes you say that? etc.

That's all true, but the reason he didn't stand a chance is because of the resentment from the left wing of his own party. Have you seen the abortion lobby ads hammering him for taking too long to support the bill? They already had a primary challenger running a month ago. It was nearly as vicious as the attacks he's seen from the right since flipping.
Moderate he is, leaving him a man without a base. It was hopeless. I don't blame him a bit for getting out.

As well, he was recently named as a co-defendant in a minor scandal involving cheap rent (gifts/bribes) for congressmen in the "C Street House". Couldn't have helped with the "fed up" factor.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

That's all true, but the reason he didn't stand a chance is because of the resentment from the left wing of his own party. Have you seen the abortion lobby ads hammering him for taking too long to support the bill? They already had a primary challenger running a month ago. It was nearly as vicious as the attacks he's seen from the right since flipping.
Moderate he is, leaving him a man without a base. It was hopeless. I don't blame him a bit for getting out.

Ah, so both sides are claiming "victory" here. Makes more sense now.

[Rover]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

So Gates is a liar. Got it.

Read 'em and weep.
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3. Each Party shall, in exercising its national sovereignty,
have the right to withdraw from this Treaty if it decides that
extraordinary events related to the subject matter of this
Treaty have jeopardized its supreme interests.
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http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/140035.pdf

Article 14, #3.

[ScottM]

Re: Obama 10: Rahm it through.....even in the shower.

How the EU VAT works.

Taxing consumption is in some ways more intuitive than taxing income -- the former is a unit of "things I can afford" and the latter is a unit of "value I am providing" (or "money daddy left me to feed my coke habit").

I wonder if there has been enough time with VATs in place to study their effect during economic downturns, when you want to encourage consumption to stop the loss of jobs. Same problem with any tax of course -- less money equals less purchasing power -- but it seems much more direct with a VAT.

VATs have been around since WWII, and probably before. It's be a long time since I reviewed any of the Euro VAT provisions, but some countries did allow lower income folks an offset or credit on their income taxes to avoid potentially regressive effects. Moreover, everyone pays VAT, corporations, individuals, foreigners operating in your country, etc. To avoid the economic barriers for foreign investors, you can also apply for VAT refunds from the taxing jurisdiction. One of the interesting facets of VAT is that a person effectively controls their own tax liability based on what they consume.