Reply By: danielost Posted: Friday, August 03, 2007
The longer we delay acting the more costly it will become when we have no choice like in the bridge collapse!


“then tell congress to get to work on it. and stop trying to spend the money on a universal medical program”


I did not propose universal Health. However the Bush and Giuliani plans of granting tax credits to buy private insurance only help those that pay a substantial amount of tax. Of the 47 Million who do not have coverage the Bush/Giuliani plan deals with about 3 Million.

I will tell my congressman and Senators to:

END the Iraq war exception to fight al-Qaeda.

Increase the tax rates on the top 10%

Eliminate the pork and earmarks

Demand stronger enforcement of tax laws is increased especially small business.

Simplify the current tax system – Keep the progressive rates and eliminate all but the basic deductions like Mortgage Interest, Local and State Taxes, Medical, Cash donations to Charities and causality losses not covered by Insurance!

No, you're right, it was the bridge, not the road.

I didn't realize it had passed, and you're right on the Congressional balance. I stand corrected.

The trick of how to fix it, though, is to begin by realizing that both parties have their share of bozos (and good guys). Blaming one person or group of persons for such monumental failure without looking at the other guy is ridiculous. The truth is, in my opinion, this SHOULD have been federal responsibility. The bridge was over a waterway that forms the boundary between two states, meaning it should have been a federal priority due to its need for interstate commerce, which does fall under the jurisdiction of Congress. In addition, it is an INTERSTATE highway, not a state or county road. To my understanding, this would almost certainly make it a federal priority.

The bridge to nowhere is just a top of the head example I can give of money that should have gone to repair this bridge before it collapsed. I'm sure closer research would yield even more examples of money ill spent that could have been sent here. If 70,000 of our bridges meet the same criteria, 70,000 bridges need to be fixed.

In my hometown, there was a bridge collapse just 6 months ago. The only thing that kept it from the CNN front page was the fact that, fortunately, nobody died. They just reopened the roadway, but in the wake of the collapse, they evaluated the other bridges and found they had a lot of work to do.

These bridges do make a good metaphor, though, for the trust we place in our government. I'll have to let my thoughts coagulate for that one, though.

hmmm. I don't see deductions for dependents or EIC on there...seems ColGene wants to up the taxes on the poor, too!

Reply By: Adventure-Dude Posted: Friday, August 03, 2007
Col,

“I still await your rebuttal in WWW Link.”

I have answered that question. I would end the U.S. Involvement in Iraq except for dealing with al-Qaeda operations, Move some of the troops from Iraq to Afghanistan and if Pakistan does not eliminate al-Qaeda in the border regions of Pakistan, I would attack them with air, armed drones and I would consider short incursions if needed. However I would take those steps only if Pakistan does deal with al-Qaeda in their country!

Reply By: Gideon MacLeish Posted: Friday, August 03, 2007
Simplify the current tax system – Keep the progressive rates and eliminate all but the basic deductions like Mortgage Interest, Local and State Taxes, Medical, Cash donations to Charities and causality losses not covered by Insurance!


hmmm. I don't see deductions for dependents or EIC on there...seems ColGene wants to up the taxes on the poor, too!


No I would increase the deductions for exemptions and dependent children and keep the lower tax rates for the lower middle income (10% bracket). I would also increase the AMT amount and index it to cost of living. The ONLY people that would pay more taxes under my plan are the top 10%. Middle income would pay less and the poor would pay nothing.

What do you think's fair for the rich to pay, Col? 90%? 95%? How much should we punish them for providing JOBS that improve the lives of the poor?

Ah yes, the good American way of equality for all. Nothing like letting the poor live off the rest of us, nothing like lowering money from Middle-income who could pay what they pay just fine and best of all, make those who make more money because the rest of us are just too damn stupid to get passed poor or middle-income and we waste the very little we go on things the rich ones make. I'm glad you don't run at all for any political position. You would give the best incentive to all poor, above poor and illegals to just let the Gov't pay everything for them.

Reply By: Gideon MacLeish Posted: Friday, August 03, 2007
What do you think's fair for the rich to pay, Col? 90%? 95%? How much should we punish them for providing JOBS that improve the lives of the poor?


I have said many times I would return the rates on the top 10% that were in effect in 2000. That is NOTHING like 90%. I believe the top rate was 39% and THAT IS NOT TOO MUCH!!! I would have a $2 Million per person exemption from estate tax, deferral of the tax if family farms or business pass to the family. Then I would apply the rates that were in effect in 2000.

The Jobs that are being created are FOR THE POOR and with the wages that these jobs pay and the lack of benefits, anyone who gets these jobs will remain POOR!

Reply By: CharlesCS1 Posted: Friday, August 03, 2007
The ONLY people that would pay more taxes under my plan are the top 10%. Middle income would pay less and the poor would pay nothing.


Ah yes, the good American way of equality for all. Nothing like letting the poor live off the rest of us, nothing like lowering money from Middle-income who could pay what they pay just fine and best of all, make those who make more money because the rest of us are just too damn stupid to get passed poor or middle-income and we waste the very little we go on things the rich ones make. I'm glad you don't run at all for any political position. You would give the best incentive to all poor, above poor and illegals to just let the Gov't pay everything for them.


YES those poor mistreated RICH!!!!!

did you guys see what gene tried to do with one of my posts. that he misquoted

WWW Link

And yet this is still somehow Bush's fault.

More nonsense that you can't back up.  Once again you have to paint the gloom and doom picture that everyone is poor and they are just victims of evil rich people. 

Reply By: Adventure-Dude Posted: Friday, August 03, 2007
Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said billions of dollars were available for road and bridge repairs.


WWW Link

“And yet this is still somehow Bush's fault.” YES the lack of leadership from Bush is his fault!


Bush wasted 1/2 Trillion so far in Iraq. By the time all the Bills are paid from Iraq the estimates is that we will have spent a TRILLION dollars. The estimate to repair not just bridges but Dams, Sewers/ water systems. Electric Grid is $1.7 TRILLION. As I said, the lack of leadership from Bush in just about everything is the issue. Energy, Infrastructure, Border security, Medicare, Social Security, Trade, the deficit, education, Health care, Katrina. Show us ONE of these issues Bush and his leadership has resolved or even begun to improve? HE HAS DONE NOTHING but give the wealthy and Big Oil tax cuts! When the democrats try to fix things like granting Farm Subsidies to people with annual incomes of up to $2.5 Million he threatens to VETO fixing that obvious mistake. When the Democrats try and cover 3.3 Million children with health care by increasing the tax on Tobacco Bush threatens to veto the bill. When the democrats want to grant our armed forces an additional ½ % pay increase Bush Threatens to VETO the bill.

The reason nothing is getting done in Congress is because Bush threatens to VETO everything and the GUTLESS GOP members in Congress refuse to override his veto. Hell Bush said he might VETO the bill Congress passed to strengthen ethics in Congress.

How do you sleep at night, Col? I can tell anyone without a criminal record how to make $30-40,000 a year very quickly if they just SHOW UP TO WORK everyday. The common denominator I have found among the chronically poor is a high absentee rate from work. They can't make money if they aren't there to do it, and they won't advance unless they bring value to their employer!

We have NO OBLIGATION to buy X-Boxes for the lazy!

WOW! When was your last psych evaluation Col?

From previous link:

"Engineers had decided to periodically inspect the steel superstructure beneath the Interstate 35W bridge and bolt on reinforcing plates where any flaws were found. But that work, which Pawlenty said fit in the state's budget, was postponed by resurfacing and repair work that was going on when the bridge buckled and fell."

Hmmm, I suppose you are going to tell me that it was Bush's decision to do the resurfacing and repair work instead of reinforcing the superstructure.

For being such an important bridge THESE engineers are the one's I look to blame. Bush's 'leadership' had nothing to do with their decision.

This bridge was deemed problematic back in 1990. I fail to see the connection with Bush here.