What is Rich?

January 19, 2010 in capitalism | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Taking from what we think is rich can be dangerous to our lives! If we ask our bosses how they file taxes, they may say they file taxes for the company with their personal taxes.

If your boss paid him or herself 65K per year and you and the 15 other employess made an average of 34K  per year, is your boss considered rich? Are they rich if their tax return says they made 312K company profit plus the 65K in salary for a total of $377,000?

Well lets look at this carefully. The annual salaries of the 15 employees will be $510,000 for the next year and with the owners salary that will be a total of $575,000.00 not including benefits.  This is not enough to carry the company another year and this certainly does not include the rent, utilities and other expenses that are necessary to run a normal business. As the demands and volume of sales have slowed, many still have a job but thousands do not. By adding to the tax burden you will be effectively taking money that would be used for salaries!

If the government determines that it will now tax the “RICH” owner another 5% for the Health Care Bills in Congress what will that mean? Generally speaking without regard for the losses/expenses or the standard 38% taxes that are paid already on profits, you would be looking at another tax of 5% of $312,000 or $15,600. If you were the owner and you had to pay an additional $15,600 in taxes what would you do?

Obviously you want to keep your doors open and keep working as this is your future. The employees may be the only place to cut! Should you lower the pay for everyone? Should you go to four day work weeks? Should you reduce benefits? Even force everyone onto a government approved health insurance?

Probably what you would decide to do is to lay someone off or reduce someone to part-time, which would make sense.

Hateful People

September 14, 2009 in Politics Today, people | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Have you ever noticed some people are very hateful. There seems to be no main reason for their posture, however, they are just mean.

Mean spirited people are hard to deal with and cause a disruption to our own core being. Their attitude and slant is at most insulting and at least battery to our ears. There are more and more people out there with this type of behavior and politics seems to enhance their narrow view. I imagine it like a telescope. They can see far away into their own point of view but have no peripheral vision. That small stream of light  only adding a dim view at the end of their tunnel.

Making waves for the sake of it and stirring the pot because they can is the root of the streak. Some people are just miserable and they are not happy until they make you miserable too. I have been there and it feels like you have fallen into a shark tank at the Sea Aquarium.

To all my dear friends out there, my advice to you would be to avoid them at every cost. To run away as far as you can go to find others with a more sensible and kind spirit. You will be far happier and live far longer.

900 Billion Dollars – Fact or Fiction

September 10, 2009 in Politics Today, health insurance | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

When we hear 900 billion dollars it is hard to even believe what we are hearing and how to relate to those numbers. It seems not so long ago when we heard millions that we were surprised.

Why is it that when we have approximately 47 million people needing health insurance, including 15-18 million illegal aliens, it will cost 900 billion dollars and when we remove the illegal aliens from the total it will still cost 900 billion dollars?

Our President stated that the plan will not include illegal aliens.

Out of the 47 million people needing health insurance 12-15 million of those people are supposedly young people who could get insurance but have decided to wait. Now the President is demanding that they buy insurance. Ok then, if we remove that number from the 47 million and remove the illegal aliens too then the number is 17 million people needing health insurance! But our President still said it would cost 900 billion dollars.

Our Democrats and Republicans in Congress have stated that 5-7 million people of the 47 million people needing health insurance should actually be on Medicare or Medicaid but have not signed up for some reason. If we find those individuals and assist them with signing onto the appropriate program and then subtract them from the 47 million people, we now have 12 million people who need insurance. Will this still cost us 900 billion dollars

How many new departments and new government jobs are being created to oversee the program? Where are the 900 billion dollars going?

This is complex I assure you but if it will cost us 900 billion to provide health insurance to 47 million americans over 10 years it should not cost us 900 billion to cover 12 million over ten years.

Think about that! Just simply think about that!

If we are going to help those individuals with some sort of insurance, subsidy or tax benefit that should be exactly what we do.

No more and no less!

Capitalists

September 10, 2009 in capitalism | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Well again we are looking at all those people who make over $250,000 per year. Lets tax them, they say. Those people are wealthy and compared to me they are rich, some say. It is all so curious to me after working my whole life that I have never felt that way. I have always worked hard and earned a good paycheck for the work I did. Sure there have been times when I wanted more money and several times when I even needed more money but I have never resented others because they had more than me.

Usually I just worked more hours or worked harder and learned more. That way I could get a promotion and actually earn more. There is more responsibility that comes with that promotion though. It is harder when you supervise people, as many employees do not work hard or smart. There are people that just want to “give you a hard time” too and those people can cause a big headache.

I have spoken to 9 people over the past two weeks and asked them about the proposed taxation. Although it is hard to believe, all have said they felt that people who make over $250000 are rich. Wow! I was so surprised to hear that.

Then in the same conversation I have asked it they knew that most small business owners file their companies profits on their personal income taxes and they responded “no” they did not know that. Well lets take a look at that….. If your boss or company owner makes $400000 for the company and they file that on their income tax then it looks like they make oodles of money, right? Well not exactly. That money will be taxed just like everyone elses income but the differance is that same money is really company money. It  will need to be used to pay for your salary, the rent and utilities and insurance of of everyone where you work. Not one person that I spoke to realized that fact. They told me they have heard that but did not really understand what it meant to them as an employee.

To make the facts even simplier,  I said,  “what if everyone who wanted these rich people taxed at a higher rate would mean less money for the company to continue operating and you might loose your job” well that really got them thinking!! Of course they didn’t want to loose their job and they responeded that if they knew that, then they really didn’t think they were rich at all. All of those people started to think about the others they work with and how hard their boss really works too. They know that the $400000 might only carry their company for 4-5 months and if times slowed down that would mean certain lay offs or termination. Well the light went on with 9 people!

I then told them to tell their friends that things are not always as they seem. Their boss is taking a risk, using all their profits to keep everyone working and probably praying that taxes are not increased any more.

Not our Children, please!

September 5, 2009 in President addressing students | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Everyone seems so excited about the President speaking to our school age children. It has become another fire storm like so many other issues we have all be experiencing on a daily basis.

The right says stay away from our children and the left says the right are paranoid and are acting crazy. I am not so sure.

Each of us must act and be responsible in the world today. Certainly if you agree with and support the president then you would not think it peculiar that he would want to address the children on their first day back to school. This however would not be the case if you were not a supporter of the president, or if you were, but are not so sure now. There have been quite a few odd reports that have been investigated as of late and that has given rise to many taking a step back and asking questions.

Given the information that is available in libraries, books and the internet, it is not so hard to confirm many of the opinions and stories out there and determine for yourself.

Taking this into account one shouldn’t wonder why some parents want to keep their children at home that day. People are smart and when they hear about the teachers receiving outlines and instructions for making posters of the presidents objectives and having children answer questions like “How can I help the president?” one might be alarmed if one did not support those same objectives.

If you hear a story about college students going to a party and that there is a substantial amount of liquor at the party, what would you think. If the story continues with the students break the party up at two am and get into their cars to go back to campus, what do you think the end of this story is? Well this is how parents feel. They have heard and seen parts of the story (the President and Washington) and although they do not know what the ending of the story will be, the initial details are enough to make them stop and take a pause.

Where is America going?

August 29, 2009 in Politics Today | Tags: , , , , | 2 comments

As I listen to the news it saddens me to see where we are going. Little bits and pieces of our heritage being tossed aside for more radical ideals. Are you seeing it too?

This is not to be denied, especially if you watch several networks to get the various aspects of the changes. I would suggest that you try not to watch just one channel or listen to just one station all the time. The views vary dramatically between them and even between the mostly right and mostly left sides,  but all are saying the same things. We are changing as a nation and government is growing, and growing fast!

Do you remember not so long ago, you would watch some local news for 20-30 minutes for basic events, sports and weather and then turn on the national news for your 30 minute update? Have those minutes turned to hours? They have for me. I have never been so concerned about our future. It seems like 4-5 hours per day as I  try to stay atop of the issues and some days even more than that, I must confess.

The question must be then, “Do we want to change?” and if so, to where and what? Many friends have had discussions in the recent weeks about their choice at the last election.  They hoped for change in their ability to get jobs, they hoped for simplistic tax codes, they hoped for change in cooperation between both parties, they hoped schools would strengthen education levels, but no one hoped for huge social programs and a greater dependency on the government.

Normal people want normal things. A good job, a fair wage, decent benefits, vacation and holiday pay and the right to do what they think is best for them. Most Americans work or have worked for small companies. Have you seen any jobs created in those areas? Why not? Where in the huge 780 billion dollar stimulus package was the tax cut for small business? Certainly a 50 billion dollar tax cut to small businesses could provide tens of thousands  of jobs to Americans. Why was that not included in the stimulus package? Could it be that our government does not want to create private sector jobs? Why not? Could it be that the more people out of work that must look to the government for help could be exactly what the government wants from us? It appears to be a possibility. The more people out of work the more they might support government expansion. People must remember however, that if things change to much it might never go back the way it was. Exercise caution everyone as being dependent is not the answer to problems, it will only create more problems and take from you even more than that.

Sure most of us pay taxes, that is a part of life for most of us, but we have never seen waste and unprecedented spending to this degree. The constant assault on the average person is a daily occurrence and it is wearing hard on all of us.

Don’t give up everyone. Continue to listen carefully. Check the facts of what you hear. Much of what is being said by some is the true. Not always obvious, but truthful when you do your homework. Be vigilant, for you, your family, your friends and your country. It is more important now than ever before.

Living longer could be dangerous to your health

August 21, 2009 in Politics Today | Tags: , , , | 1 comment

Americans should be afraid of aging. As we near retirement age, or are there already, we can see how our government wants us to be cared for. Not with the utmost aggressive care and concern, but with graphs, life expectancy data and 500 billion in  reduced Medicare Benefits.

No, there is not, nor will there be an actual Death Panel who sits in an office  determining each individual case. That was a metaphor.  The terms of your care are to be written in a pamphlet. You have lived longer than originally expected. It is not 1965 any more when you may live to be 72-76 years of age. You may now live to be 79-81.

This gradual extension to our lives as been a complication to the government. We are using more and more of the Medicare and Social Security funds by living longer, years longer. Congress has also been so kind to use designated Social Security Funds and Medicare Funds to prop up some ear marks or pork barrel project and the balances in these accounts are nearing the end. What will the government do? Replace the funds? Use some of the Stimulus Fund to pay back what has already been stolen?

I am not one for conspiracy theories and usually form logical answers to questions at hand. The issue of Health Care/Insurance Reform however has me stumped. Why if so many Americans like their Health Care/Insurance, would our government want to dramatically change and take that from us?

Could it be that the plan would be to reverse our life expectancy? Just tweak it a little,  every year until we revert back to living to a lesser age? Say that of  the expectancy in 1965? Would that help Medicare and Social Security? Well my guess would be that it would! If tens of  thousands of us were encouraged to have fewer operations, fewer tests, fewer treatments and just take pain killing drugs, think of the savings to those plans.

In 20 years we could be level with the board, so to speak, in the Social Security and Medicare Funds if our elderly and retired citizens just die a little bit earlier.

So many citizens from both parties do not want an overhaul. They want pre-existing conditions covered and lower premiums perhaps, but on a whole they do not want to loose coverage. People are afraid of the government at this point. They have never seen anything like this in their lives. Taking such control over what is sacred. Citizens are disgusted and outraged.

It just makes me sick! I think I will call and make a doctors appointment now before I have to wait 6 months to get one. I’m sure my blood pressure is up!!

Health Care/Insurance Reform

August 20, 2009 in Politics Today | Tags: , , | 1 comment

Certainly an overwhelming majority of Americans want Health Insurance Coverage of some sort. Many have their coverage provided by their employer, funded partially by their employer, or have coverage through a stand alone policy.

It is important that we consider everyone in this debate. It is a serious issue. It is personal. It should not be based on one political side or the other, but more of a moral issue.  Americans should have Health Insurance Coverage if they want it and need it.

I have listened very carefully to the input from both sides and have seen how ugly matters have become. Personal political views have permeated the effort and diluted the very heart of the issue.

Two very important threads to Health Care is of course the care itself and then the cost. Why, when we developed this coverage, have we not had the doctors in congress design a practical base plan? Why have the lawyers in congress not developed some legal reforms to bring down costs of malpractice insurance?

Several physicians in congress have stated that they were never consulted about the bill. It was in a general sense”put in front of them” for a vote of approval. Seem odd to you?

Executive Salaries

August 20, 2009 in Politics Today, Uncategorized | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

If the “Pay Tsar” will allow a 7 million dollar salary to the CEO of AIG after they took 85 billion in bailout money from the taxpayers, what could be next?

Well now Congress (Waxman) has asked our Health Insurance Companies to supply detailed information to congress by September 4th, on all of their executives pay, bonuses and corporate getaways. Congress is trying to hurt the insurance companies that the majority of Americans want to keep. If they can’t get their bill through congress in the normal process the will try to hurt whatever stands in there way.

Considering this effects a majority of Americans who have already asked to keep their policies, this is an out rage.