We all have our opinions (some of them very strong) on this subject. Some feel that taxing the hell out of people stifles growth and sends small business owners (which pay most of our taxes) running for the hills vs. investing and growing their companies which would mean paying more taxes vs. making more money. These people believe in “sharing the prosperity” of others so that all can be rewarded for the work of few.

As you probably know, I’m not one of those people. I don’t feel entitled to “share” in the prosperity of others. I do think my success should be dependent on my own work, and not the work of others. That being said, below is a list of my thoughts on specific tax policies (some of my views just might surprise you, so please read on):

1. Social Security.  This is a regressive tax.  Under the current law, we all only have to pay taxes on our first $97,500 of wages. This essentially works out as a tax break for everyone that earns over that amount. I think to be fair, ALL earnings should be subject to social security withholding. An immediate change in this area just might help us save the system we have all come to think of as (at least partially) our retirement cushion.  Although the system is actually in better shape than it was in the 90s, something needs to be done to curb the massive impact baby boomers will have on the system.  Is it fair that removing the cap means we all pay more than the people currently receiving benefits?  No.  But life isn’t fair.  Sometimes we have to pay the price for lack of foresight in the past.

2. The gas tax. A necessary evil, I think we need to look at what exactly this money is being used for. Given the current state of our roads and bridges, I’m highly doubtful the money is being spent where it is needed.

3.  Alcohol and cigarette taxes.  Yes, yes, and yes!!!!  I agree that these luxury goods need to be taxed, and significantly so.  Because we don’t need these items to live.  Or to feed our families.  But those who do use these vices to the extreme cost society billions and billions of dollars in increased insurance premiums and taxes for entitlement programs.  There are many, many current and ex-smokers currently receiving medical benefits through Medicare and Medicaid.  We are all paying to keep these people with self-induced chronic diseases alive.  Yes, tax cigarettes and alcohol.

4.  A “fat” tax on snacks and fast food.  Yes.  Again, these things are not necessary to live, but they do cause a slow death which we all wind up paying for with increased taxes for entitlement programs to cover treatments for obesity and diseases caused by obesity.  Also, we all pay astronomical insurance rates because of the burden that people who over-indulge themselves put on the system.  I also believe those diagnosed with self-induced obesity (not caused by endocrine problems) should pay much higher insurance premiums than those of us who actually bother to exercise and at least try to keep our eating in check.  Not a tax issue or politically correct view, but it’s my view -  so there!

To summarize….take the cap off social security withholding to save the program and make sure we all pay our fair share, examine where the gas tax dollars are going, tax the hell out of luxury items and junk food, and make lazy self-indulgers pay their fair share of insurance premiums.

Oh, one more thing…not a popular opinion with many, I know…but….if we want corporations to pay taxes on facilities where they produce goods and pay entitlement taxes for the people that work for them, then we are going to HAVE to stop taxing the hell out of them.  It just seems silly to me that they find it easier to make a profit by producing their goods half way around the world, creating the need to pay high shipping costs to get the products back here to sell than it is to pay very high property and other taxes to produce goods and provide jobs here at home.  This is a very twisted scenario that could be easily fixed by treating American-based companies as fairly as we treat foreign competition.

That is all.  Thoughts?

It appears that Argentina’s first lady has won the presidency in that country.  Yes, good for her.  And it appears she was actually working on her political career in tandem with her spouse, and at times was more successful than her husband:

 …she won her first national election, as senator for Santa Cruz province, when Kirchner was a mere state official — the governor. She is now a senator for powerful Buenos Aires province.

At the end of the article, I saw this which I found quite interesting:

Argentina’s 27.1 million registered voters are required by law to cast ballots….

If only we had the same law on the books here.  It would be VERY interesting if all voted in the election instead of the usually less than 50% of eligible voters that bother to get up off their butts to go vote.

I will say that I would hope that when a woman runs for office, people that vote for her do so based on her views and not merely the fact that she is a woman.  But then that wouldn’t be politically correct, would it?

P.S.  No wonder I haven’t seen the spouse online today…there must be much celebrating in Buenos Aires where he is currently laying over!

See? Says so…right here.

You Are an Old Soul

You are an experienced soul who appreciates tradition.
Mellow and wise, you like to be with others but also to be alone.
Down to earth, you are sensible and impatient.
A creature of habit, it takes you a while to warm up to new people.
You hate injustice, and you’re very protective of family and friends.
A bit demanding, you expect proper behavior from others.
Extremely independent you don’t mind living or being alone.
But when you find love, you tend to want marriage right away.

Souls you are most compatible with: Warrior Soul and Visionary Soul
What Kind of Soul Are You?

I must have actually answered that one truthfully! Swiped from Paula.

Well, I think that’s a bit extreme, don’t you?  Seems a church in Massachusetts has banned the books to “protect the weak” from being tempted to pursue the occult and witchcraft and the like.  You can read the full article here.

…St. Joseph’s pastor, the Rev. Ron Barker, removed the books, declaring that the themes of witchcraft and sorcery were inappropriate for a Catholic school.

I think that’s a bit ridiculous.  If they’re going to remove Harry Potter, if you follow that logic they must get rid of Cinderella and any other book that contains even the slightest bit of fantasy.

Hey, don’t get me wrong.  I don’t think schools should have inappropriate literature on the shelves for just anybody to read.  Like sex ed books for 2nd graders, for example.  They do need to monitor what is available for students to read.

I do think it’s more than a coincidence that the books were pulled right on the heals of the revelation that one of the characters in the series is gay (even though it is never mentioned in the books and the character never does or says anything that would tip the reader off regarding his private life).

I just feel sorry for the kids on this one.  It seems this Reverend has taken matters into his own hands, as the Catholic church as a whole has approved the Harry Potter movies as appropriate viewing for kids and adults alike.

I think if I were a parent of one of the kids that go to that school, I’d buy him the whole series myself so he didn’t miss out on what most kids truly enjoy reading.

Thoughts?  Do you think Harry Potter is appropriate for kids to read, or will it turn them into power-seeking wanna-be witches?

Seriously, we should at least give them the proper tools if we’re gonna let them out when we KNOW they will be tempted to do it again. Sad, but at least he checked himself in the only way he knew would do the trick. You can read about it here.

But they ARE my “In Between” jeans!!!  That’s right, it’s time to break out the jeans (finally) here in the Big D.  So as I was going through my stack, I noticed my in between jeans and realized I had not even tried them on since last winter.

So I tried them on….AND THEY FIT!!  They don’t just kinda sorta if I suck in real hard and lay down to zip them fit…they no-kidding, it’s the real deal – fit!

So here I sit, comfortably wearing my in between jeans.  Wondering.  If I’ve lost any weight.  Because seriously…I don’t want to jinx the wearing of these jeans with actually finding out what the scale says.

I have to say that trying on the next smaller pair of jeans and having them fit is WAY better than trying them on and not being able to zip them!

Very, very tired. The weather keeps changing from rain to sunshine and it’s really done a number on my allergies. Plus, my sister flew in last Sunday for a business meeting and she stayed through Wednesday morning. She did have one good afternoon where she could sit by the pool and enjoy some relatively nice weather so that was good.

Anyway…..while I’ve been not writing anything I HAVE been watching the news (of course). So I have a few notes:

1. Seriously….someone needs to find Britney some underwear. Nobody wants to see that. And someone near her needs to make sure she takes the drug tests…unless she knows she can’t pass and in that case they need to send her to rehab. Those poor kids. They’re the ones that are paying the price.

2. On the fondling dentist….that one chick that kept going back….what, did he not do it right the first time? Seriously, I would have been OUTTA there the first time he even started doing it…I mean, the VERY instant hands went anywhere near the hem of my shirt! But maybe that’s just me…..

3. On Rush auctioning off Harry Reid’s letter signed by many democrats on the “phony soldier” comment clearly taken out of context….I think it’s outstanding the proceeds will actually go to support soldiers’ children so they can go to college. Jerks.

4. On the whole S-chip thing. Although I do think poor kids should get medical care, I agree that adults should not be included in the program (but this is the fault of the states for doing it and the Bush administration for granting the waivers). And I do not think families that make $82,000 a year that already have private insurance should be included in the program. Has Canada taught us nothing about nationalized health care? Have you seen the news about hospitals turning away mothers in labor because the state has not provided enough hospital capacity to serve the population? Clearly, nationalized health care does not work as shown in Canada and other countries.

5. On the Pakistan bombings. Bhutto is a true hero for democracy, and it is sad that where democracy goes, so does the violence against it. So sad, those bombings.

6. Not so sure I agree (okay, I definitely don’t agree) with that Maine middle school handing out birth control to kids. As things stand now, if parents sign a form saying the health center can provide care for ANY type of illness (colds, stitches, sprains, whatever), then the kids can get the birth control without the parents’ knowledge. This includes the pill, people. Yeah, some kids (sadly) at that age are doing things they shouldn’t. But the pill has medical implications and can have a very negative impact on a girl’s health in the long-term if not prescribed or taken properly. And some girls with family histories of cancer could greatly increase their chance of getting the disease. I believe it’s impossible to get a true family history from an 11-year-old, both because kids lie, and also because they wouldn’t have the information to give.

7. On the Ellen dog adoption thing. Yes, she should have followed the rules. But no, I don’t think the dog should have been taken from the home. Seems like they did it just because they could, and did not investigate how the kids interact with the dog. Those pet adoption groups do, in most cases, have the animal’s best interest in mind. But they should have some common sense and see past their strict rules on a case by case basis when warranted.

8. On that senator’s rant against Bush and the war…I think a lot of people in his party behind closed doors feel the same way, but they’re smart enough not to say it in public. It will cost them too many votes.

9. Did Hillary win the election while I was out having fun with my sister? Oh, wait….I guess she didn’t. But it sure seems like she’s acting like she did. I think someone on her team should give her a slice of humble pie. It might help her win more friends and influence more people (well, not me because I’m immune….but possibly others).

I’m sure there are other stories I could comment on. But now I must go clean, for we are having friends over for dinner. Prime Rib on the rotisserie. Yummy.

Well, a window really…but it seems to work for him. See?

Either that, or he’s stalking his reflection. Now, go visit The Friday Ark.

Seriously…a sammich or maybe an apple or carrots or at least a grape or two….

A hungry 6-year-old grabbed his grandmother’s car keys, positioned his child seat behind the steering wheel and tried to drive himself to an Applebee’s restaurant.

You can see the full article here. Poor little hungry boy. What else was he supposed to do?

I know…you’re wondering what the hell is going through my head. Let me give you some background here….my sister and my cousin went to a family cabin with their spouses and pre-school age boys whom are five days apart in age. They are both only children – but they do go to daycare and have been around other kids.

Okay, so……it’s a football weekend and the guys decide to go to a bar and watch a college football game, leaving their wives (oh – I guess I should mention both of the wives are newly pregnant with their second children) and their pre-school age boys at the cabin. Well, if we’re getting technical the families were all out watching the game and the girls decided to leave early and get the boys home while the guys finished watching the game. But still…pregnant wives left alone with two pre-schoolers.

Anyway…where there are two young boys, there is friction. There just is. Especially with two young boys that rule the roost at their own homes when they are not at pre-school. Being the parent of an only child who is male….I can say from experience that only child boys need their alone time and can only take so much of someone else when they are having time with their parents.

That being said….of course….after some time passed, the trouble ensued. These boys are cousins and know how to push each other’s buttons. There was some teasing the day before. And there was some biting.

Cut to the next day when the two newly pregnant working mothers on a long weekend when the husbands were out drinking and watching a game…decided….it was a good idea to give the boys buckets o’ rocks to play with (well if we’re being honest they were more like small stones from the path outside the cabin – but still….buckets o’rocks). What do you think happened?

Oh yes….one of the boys decided to dump his bucket o’ rocks over the head of his cousin, who was quietly playing with his own bucket o’ rocks.

Maybe it’s just me….but somehow I think that only child pre-school boys and buckets o’rocks don’t mix.

What say you?

P.S. I’m sure they’re wondering what they were thinking at the time, but I can totally understand why rocks for toys seemed like a good idea if it kept the boys quiet for a while.