Something to ponder!

[Ian K]

Percentage wise our property taxes maybe low but when the average price of a starter home in Burbank, CA is still $550K the actual amount is quite staggering. I know a lot of people in Cali who make $15-$25 an hour working in our car world as fabricators or technicians. They are excluded from the american dream of home ownership. Hiking the property taxes would only make it worse as it also hurts those who rent.
The disparity between employment in the lip service professions and those who actually work for a living is eye opening in our state. This is solely caused by the cheap labor that can be gotten on every street corner.
A fake social security number from a street vendor on Alvarado Street, a faint knowledge of cars and whoop de doo you are Mr. Goodwrench. Disgruntled the old Mr. Goodwrench quits and moves to Oregon.....
I have seen so many skilled people leave so.cal. I often wonder who is left.

Prop 13 is one of the many reasons why housing prices in CA skyrocketed. Imagine
some fancy ARM loan on a $500K house. Total payments, including property tax, are,
let's say $1800/month, of which approximately $416.67 are the monthly taxes. Now,
imagine if Prop 13 were not around, and the tax rate was 3%, still below US average.
That monthly tax burden leaps to $1250, making that monthly payment rise by over
$800 to $2633.33/month. That monthly isn't so attractive anymore.

Ian

 

[Doug S.]

We just yesterday lost another policeman in Houston, TX......he was working undercover, running a sting, and the party who shot him was an illegal immigrant, as were the other two in his little "gang".

Not long ago Joe Horn of Houston, TX, took it upon himself to defend the property of his out of town neighbor. He did the right thing, called the police, and was attempting to follow the suggestion of the dispatcher that he hold on till the police could get there, but the two perps exited the residence with the neighbor's possessions on their backs. Joe told the dispatcher what he was going to do and he did it. The resolution of the case against Joe is still pending.

Turns out the two perps had been previously deported by the U.S. to Columbia for engaging in criminal activities, been banned from the U.S. forever, and yet had managed to find their way back into the U.S. to prey on those who believe in working and paying for their own acquisitions.

You should have heard the bleeding hearts suggesting that Joe did the wrong thing---somehow, they have not suggested that the perp who shot the policeman yesterday did the wrong thing.

I've maintained that we are headed for the anarchy represented my Mel Gibson's movie "Mad Max".....please pardon me for thinking this, but in this messed up world with all the do-gooders thinking we should protect those illegal aliens who tresspass on our hallowed ground, perhaps that is the only way this thing will work out right. It is obvious our government does not have the right orientation.....wanna bet that the perp who shot the policeman yesterday will get adequate legal representation AT PUBLIC EXPENSE? Wanna bet that the same bleeding hearts will say he got a raw deal?

IMHO, the only answer is to bring our soldiers home from the middle east and station one every 100 yards along the U.S.-Mexico border, each holding an automatic weapon with orders to shoot. Sure, seems harsh to me, too, but nothing else we've done has worked.

Like Pete, I'm rushing to get the flame-suit on.......I, too, am sick and tired of the illegal immigrants getting considerations our own citizens can't get, and like the news announcer in "Network" I want to fling my window open and scream at the top of my lungs "I'm MAD AS HELL and I'm NOT going to take it anymore!""

Doug

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

+1 Doug good on:thumbsup: you.

 

[WEGENER Engineering]

Prop 13 is one of the many reasons why housing prices in CA skyrocketed. Imagine
some fancy ARM loan on a $500K house. Total payments, including property tax, are,
let's say $1800/month, of which approximately $416.67 are the monthly taxes. Now,
imagine if Prop 13 were not around, and the tax rate was 3%, still below US average.
That monthly tax burden leaps to $1250, making that monthly payment rise by over
$800 to $2633.33/month. That monthly isn't so attractive anymore.

Ian

You make that sound like its a good thing. How about the old guy who worked as a line mechanic somewhere trying to enjoy retirement. Property taxes mean that he is never free, never secure. It's like renting from the most evil and sinister landlord possible. Property taxes should be abolished. The school system is not worth any of the money spent on it, the police does not protect you and the fire-dpt. is too busy filming pro democrat firemen's union commercials.
As a tax paying law abiding citizen you get nothing in return from the government. Heck -even the roads are bad because all that registration money gets used to feed welfare and illegals.
I wonder how much longer it will take for people to get so upset that they do something about it.

 

[Scott Calabro]

If only I could post!

 

[Brian Hamilton]

I agree 100% with Doug. It's absolutely insane the reasoning behind most of these programs. Well, let me rephrase that... The thinking behind the programs is sound. I am all for giving a helping hand when needed. WHEN NEEDED! There is a time limit for NEED!! You don't NEED welfare for the rest of your life if you're a friggin able body person. GET OUT AND GET YOUR ASS A JOB!!! Oh man, I'm going to go off on this... I need to get off here. LOL

Anyway, yeah. Hate it. I'm not going to whine anymore.

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

If only I could post!

Scott, I sure as heck don't have a problem with you posting anything you feel like!

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

I think welfare is reparation that we never agreed on, it's been over 50 years, enough already! If politicians were made to use the goofy programs they make for us (proposed healthcare, social security, etc) I guarantee things would change. One term in Washington gets you about 5 times social secutity.

 

[Al Jones]

Hmmmm, Faili has been conspicuously absent on this thread. Maybe he's stuck in Guadalajara........
I agree on politicians being forced to use the programs they legislate for us. The changes would be radical and done quickly. And support of illegal aliens is a discriminatory,unconstitutional practice. The city of New Haven decided to issue ID cards to illegals. Now they get to use programs that a regular resident cannot if they didn't apply for a card. It also enables them to access city services and some private services like banking. I think we should block them from employment. Then we wouldn't have to SEND them home and some of the jobs could go to legal residents who now need them.

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

Al, Where are you in Cheshire? I lived on Greensloop for a while while I was building my wife's divorce settlement in Killingworth. Miss it a little, very little!

 

[Ian K]

You make that sound like its a good thing. How about the old guy who worked as a line mechanic somewhere trying to enjoy retirement. Property taxes mean that he is never free, never secure. It's like renting from the most evil and sinister landlord possible. Property taxes should be abolished. The school system is not worth any of the money spent on it, the police does not protect you and the fire-dpt. is too busy filming pro democrat firemen's union commercials.
As a tax paying law abiding citizen you get nothing in return from the government. Heck -even the roads are bad because all that registration money gets used to feed welfare and illegals.
I wonder how much longer it will take for people to get so upset that they do something about it.

I am not saying it is a good thing, because the problem is the over inflated prices.
If the house were more realistically priced, at say $325K, the tax is $9750 per
year, or $812.50/month. So, $312.50 more per month than the current 1% of $500K
value, but less than $1250/month if 3% on $500K. And 3% is still less than the US
average. The problem is, looking at it now, it is almost impossible to raise property
taxes (and I am not talking due to the 2/3 vote) solely based upon current prices
(note, not values, prices). If CA property taxes had been correctly managed, then the
"old guy" would still be fine. Property values would not be as high as they are now, so
the crunch would not be as drastic. And, he would get the tax write off as well.

Also, I highly disagree that we get nothing in return. A major repaving of a main
street right near my house is being completed. My pre-K son has benefited significantly
from a tax sponsored pre-K program in our local district (at 5 years old, he can easily
count to 100, and when prodded a bit, go further, and recognize number up to 999, he
knows his alphabet forwards and backwards, he understands rhyming and alliteration -
though he doesn't know what the word alliteration is, he understands and properly counts
syllables, and can read a number of small words by sounding out the letters).

Also, living in San Diego, I can certainly appreciate the job the firemen do. And, while the
PD may be struggling, which is no fault of their own but really a lack of resources and issues
of having their hands tied, we have seen some good results of police work.

I think Income Tax should be either abolished, or trimmed significantly and simplified, and
normalized property taxes and use taxes applied. Staples/necessities like normal food and
clothing (no "luxury" items of this ilk) should not be taxed since they are necessary for
survival.

Ian

 

[Bill Musarra]

Ian and others,
If you want to make taxes "fair" look at these sites, that have a good chance of being seriously considered:

Americans For Fair Taxation:

The Fairtax Calculator

Americans For Fair Taxation: Americans For Fair Taxation

The original book was written by one of my representatives, John Linder and talk show host Neal Boortz.

On illegals, get ready for the slick tricks of the Obama team. They have moved the census from the the Commerce Department, to under the executive branch of the government(read the president). The so called Stimulus bill that had the 9000 earmarks and was over 900 Billion, that is yet to stimulate anything other than the ire of a lot of Americans, includes over 100 Million(may be more, not sure) for...... drum roll....... ACORN. the same comunity organizers that Mr. Obama worked for, and has been indicted in 14 states for voter registration fraud. Acorn is to recruit a hugh number of census takers. You know who they will include in the census? As many of the illegals as they can round up inflating the census numbers for the areas that they want to increase the voting strenght for the Democrats. The number of seats in the House is determined by population!! More important is the number of Electorial votes is based on population!!

ACORN Census 2010 Connection Angers Conservatives - HispanicBusiness.com

ACORN to Play Role in 2010 Census - Political News - FOXNews.com

 

[Ian K]

Ian and others,
If you want to make taxes "fair" look at these sites, that have a good chance of being seriously considered:

Americans For Fair Taxation:

The Fairtax Calculator

Americans For Fair Taxation: Americans For Fair Taxation

The original book was written by one of my representatives, John Linder and talk show host Neal Boortz.

Yep, that is the kind of Use Tax I am talking about.

On illegals, get ready for the slick tricks of the Obama team. They have moved the census from the the Commerce Department, to under the executive branch of the government(read the president). The so called Stimulus bill that had the 9000 earmarks and was over 900 Billion, that is yet to stimulate anything other than the ire of a lot of Americans, includes over 100 Million(may be more, not sure) for...... drum roll....... ACORN. the same comunity organizers that Mr. Obama worked for, and has been indicted in 14 states for voter registration fraud.

This is not quite true:

FactCheck.org: Does the stimulus bill include a $5.2 billion payoff for ACORN?

ACORN can compete against 100s if not 1000s of agencies and programs for that money.

As far as the actual indictments, well, most of them have already played out as being
fraud on ACORN, not by ACORN. Basically, anytime you pay people per voter reg, you
can expect some falsification by those registrars. In some cases, these indictments
were either dropped entirely, or the indicted person plead guilty. In once case, a woman
falsified three registrations for a total of $24.

Acorn is to recruit a hugh number of census takers. You know who they will include in the census? As many of the illegals as they can round up inflating the census numbers for the areas that they want to increase the voting strenght for the Democrats. The number of seats in the House is determined by population!! More important is the number of Electorial votes is based on population!!

ACORN Census 2010 Connection Angers Conservatives - HispanicBusiness.com

ACORN to Play Role in 2010 Census - Political News - FOXNews.com

And this is also not true:

FactCheck.org: Is ACORN providing workers for the 2010 census?

Ian

 

[WEGENER Engineering]

I just went on Factcheck.org and they said that it is not true that 95% of "moderates" are actually democrat intellectuals who are too elitist to be boxed in by a party affiliation.....

 

[Steve C]

More to Ponder:

Subject: American Suicide


FOR THOSE OF YOU ON THE 'CONSERVATIVE' SIDE OF THE FENCE, READ THIS AND LEARN TO UNDERSTAND YOUR FEELINGS BETTER THAN EVER. FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT ON THE 'CONSERVATIVE' SIDE OF THE FENCE, PLEASE READ AND LEARN A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT.

Wherever you stand, please take the time to read this; it ought to scare the pants off you!

We know Dick Lamm as the former Governor of Colorado. In that context his thoughts are particularly poignant. Last week there was an immigration overpopulation conference in Washington, DC, filled to capacity by many of America's finest minds and leaders. A brilliant college professor by the name of Victor Hansen Davis talked about his latest book, 'Mexifornia,' explaining how immigration - both legal and illegal was destroying the entire state of California. He said it would march across the country until it destroyed all vestiges of The American Dream.

Moments later, former Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm stood up and gave a stunning speech on how to destroy America. The audience sat spellbound as he described eight methods for the destruction of the United States. He said, 'If you believe that America is too smug, too self-satisfied, too rich, then let's destroy America. It is not that hard to do. No nation in history has survived the ravages of time. Arnold Toynbee observed that all great civilizations rise and fall ,and that 'An autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide.''

'Here is how they do it,' Lamm said: 'First, to destroy America, turn America into a bilingual or multi-lingual and bicultural country.'History shows that no nation can survive the tension, conflict, and antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures. It is a blessing for an individual to be bilingual; however, it is a curse for a society to be bilingual. The historical scholar, Seymour Lipset, put it this way: 'The histories of bilingual and bi-cultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy.' Canada,Belgium, Malaysia, and Lebanon all face crises of national existence in which minorities press for autonomy, if not independence. Pakistan and Cyprus have divided. Nigeria suppressed an ethnic rebellion. France faces difficulties with Basques, Bretons, and Corsicans.'.

Lamm went on: Second, to destroy America, 'Invent' multiculturalism' and encourage immigrants to maintain their culture.Make it an article of belief that all cultures are equal That there are no cultural differences. Make it an article of faith that the Black and Hispanic dropout rates are due solely to prejudice and discrimination by the majority. Every other explanation is out of bounds.

Third, 'We could make the United States an 'Hispanic Quebec' without much effort. The key is to celebrate diversity rather than unity. As Benjamin Schwarz said in the Atlantic Monthly recently: 'The apparent success of our own multiethnic and multicultural experiment might have been achieved not by tolerance but by hegemony. Without the dominance that once dictated ethnocentricity and what it meant to be an American, we are left with only tolerance and pluralism to hold us together.'Lamm said, 'I would encourage all immigrants to keep their own language and culture. I would replace the melting pot metaphor with the salad bowl metaphor. It is important to ensure that we have various cultural subgroups living in America enforcing their differences rather than as Americans, emphasizing their similarities.'

'Fourth, I would make our fastest growing demographic group the least educated. I would add a second underclass, unassimilated, undereducated, and antagonistic to our population. I would have this second underclass have a 50% dropout rate from high school.'

'My fifth point for destroying America would be to get big foundations and business to give these efforts lots of money. I would invest in ethnic identity, and I would establish the cult of' Victimology.' I would get all minorities to think that their lack of success was the fault of the majority. I would start a grievance industry blaming all minority failure on the majority population.'

'My sixth plan for America's downfall would include dual citizenship,and promote divided loyalties. I would celebrate diversity over unity. I would stress differences rather than similarities. Diverse people worldwide are mostly engaged in hating each other - that is, when they are not killing each other A diverse, peaceful, or stable society is against most historical precedent. People undervalue the unity it takes to keep a nation together. Look at the ancient Greeks. The Greeks believed that they belonged to the same race; they possessed a common Language and literature; and they worshipped the same gods. All Greece took part in the Olympic games. A common enemy, Persia, threatened their liberty. Yet all these bonds were not strong enough to overcome two factors: local patriotism and geographical conditions that nurtured political divisions. Greece fell. 'E. Pluribus Unum' --From many, one. In that historical reality, if we put the emphasis on the 'pluribus' instead of the 'Unum,' we will balkanize America as surely as Kosovo.'

'Next to last, I would place all subjects off limits; make it taboo to talk about anything against the cult of 'diversity.' I would find a word similar to 'heretic' in the 16th century - that stopped discussion and paralyzed thinking. Words like 'racist' or 'xenophobe' halt discussion and debate. Having made America a bilingual/bicultural country, having established multi-culturism, having the large foundations fund the doctrine of 'Victimology,' I would next make it impossible to enforce our immigration laws. I would develop a mantra: That because immigration has been good for America, it must always be good. I would make every individual immigrant symmetric and ignore the cumulative impact of millions of them.'

In the last minute of his speech, Governor Lamm wiped his brow. Profound silence followed. Finally he said, 'Lastly, I would censor Victor Hanson Davis's book 'Mexifornia.' His book is dangerous. It exposes the plan to destroy America. If you feel America deserves to be destroyed, don't read that book.'

There was no applause. A chilling fear quietly rose like anominous cloud above every attendee at the conference. Every American in that room knew that everything Lamm enumerated was proceeding methodically,quietly, darkly, yet pervasively across the United States today. Discussion is being suppressed. Over 100 languages are ripping the foundation of our educational system and national cohesiveness. Even barbaric cultures that practice female genital mutilation are growing as we celebrate 'diversity.' American jobs are vanishing into the Third World as corporations create a Third World in America - take note of California and other states - to date, ten million illegal aliens and growing fast. It is reminiscent of George Orwell's book '1984.' In that story, three slogans are engraved in the Ministry of Truth Building :'War is peace,' 'Freedom is slavery,' and 'Ignorance is strength.'

Governor Lamm walked back to his seat. It dawned on everyone at the conference that our nation and the future of this great democracy is deeply in trouble and worsening fast. If we don't get this immigration monster stopped within three years, it will rage like a California wildfire and destroy everything in its path especially The American Dream.

Steve C P2125 (from liberal Boston Mass)

 

[Duncan Potter]

The above is the biggest load of claptrap I have read in a long time.

Canada is in danger because it is multicultural? Then Iran must be in great shape because it is mono-linguistic and mono-theistic. Spain of course, is falling apart at the seams.

We all have to be the same color, worship the same god?

Bullshit!

Immigrants are the problem? We are all descendants of immigrants. Immigrants holding onto aspects of their heritage are the problem? Lets ostracize them and blame them for every problem, that should help them integrate!

I guess it's all right to hold on to your heritage if you are white, christian, and of anglo-saxon extraction.

That junk was generated by the most "brilliant" minds of the conservative wing of the conservative wing. It shows.

rant mode off - take your best shot.

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

Steve, That about sums it up!
Ducan, You are a moron!

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

The bottom line…


DIVORCE AGREEMENT


THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY WELL PUT AND I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT'S BY A YOUNG PERSON, A STUDENT!!! WHATEVER HE RUNS FOR, I'LL VOTE FOR HIM.

OUTSTANDING.


Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950's, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has run its course. Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.

Here is a model separation agreement:

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.

We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU. Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military. You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell (You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them).

We'll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street. You can have your beloved homeless, homeboys, hippies and illegal aliens. We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks. We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood .

You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us. You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security.

We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values... You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N. but we will no longer be paying the bill.

We'll keep the SUVs, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Subaru station wagon you can find.

You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors. We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right. We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the National Anthem. I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute Imagine, I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, Kum Ba Ya or We Are the World.

We'll practice trickle down economics and you can give trickle up poverty your best shot. Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name and our flag.

Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to other like minded liberal and conservative patriots and if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you ANWAR which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.


Sincerely,

John J. Wall
Law Student and an American

P.S. Also, please take Barbara Streisand, Jane Fonda & Nancy Pelosi

 

[Jack]

Good one Al...

 

[WEGENER Engineering]

I Like It!!
It would essentially be most of the big cities on one side and rural America and small towns on the other. A simple vote on a November tuesday and no more tyranny.
What a wonderful world it would be....
One more suggestion to improve life would be to ban high altitude commercial jetplanes and only allow radial engine propliners to that the good people on the ground can enjoy executive travel too. Love that drone of radials.....