Where on the political spectrum do you lie? (Mods: Please don't move!)

[cigar no baka]

Joshua, thanks for the link showing us some specific numbers.

I've always been confused by the whole "double taxation" argument used to defend gutting taxes on inheritances and stock dividends. The backpack I have taken to classes for the past three years is starting to shred. Before September, I'll have to buy a new one. When I do, I can expect to pay a tax....on the same income I already paid taxes on. Two days ago, I sent in my phone bill and there was a tax charge on that as well....on top of the taxes I already had withheld from paycheck. With the exception of food items, a tax is incurred every time there is a transfer of ownership. Perhaps that is unfair. But should we accept the premise that the only transfer of ownership that should NOT be subject to taxation is when multi-millionaires shift their assets to heirs and heiresses?

If only half as much indignation that is given to the "death tax" (which affects a few hundred heirs and heiresses) could be given to the "birth tax"....the nearly $20,000 bill every newborn receives as their share of the national debt.

Your argument is specious in my situation. The inhertiance came before the changes in the law so a huge chunk of it was STOLEN by the federal government. That's my stance and I'm sticking to it.

[Amanda]

It's unfortunate the situation with your relatives (was it grandparents?) occurred. I don't blame you for being upset that their modest inheritance was so thoroughly confiscated. Nonetheless, there is a wide expanse of middle ground in between public seizure of Grandpa Johnson's piggy bank before they lower him into the ground and being able to pass on hundreds of millions of tax-free inheritance assets. Efforts were made multiple times in the last decade to accommodate people like your grandparents by raising the eligibility threshold to as high as $8 million, but ideologues in Congress wouldn't budge without an all-or-nothing repeal of the tax. Supporting the developing plutocracy slated to become law in 2010 will not bring your grandparents' inheritance back.

[cigarsarge]

Is this a thread on politics that no one is getting pissed and posting alot of crap? Shows people can disagree and not flame each other.

[reaganyouth84]

Just saw these 2 links on a website, both are pretty funny. Enjoy!

http://democraticleaders.ytmnd.com/ This one is titled "Democratic Leaders"

http://crayons1.ytmnd.com/ This one is titled "Mind Fuck"
-Mike

[Amanda]

reaganyouth, the first of the two links you provided inadvertently spelled out what will be the downfall of the Republican Party. I know, I know, you were just joking, but indulge me a little here....

As much vitriol as is spewed out about "Democratic leaders," your link is correct. They are not leading anything right now. The modern conservative movement has gained its momentum by generating a manic rage against a "liberal establishment." When Congress was teeming with a corrupt and arrogant Democratic leadership, the conservative movement was successful in putting Newt Gingrich in charge. Then they replaced Bill Clinton with George Bush....then they swelled the ranks of hard-right ideologues in Congress...somewhere in between they created their own media so that conservatives don't have to hear any news story or editorial that doesn't concur with their pre-conceived notion of reality...and now they're ridding the courts by trading in one brand of "activist judge" for another. The problem is.....the movement is running out of bogeymen to blame society's ills on.....and that's a pretty big consequence of absolute power when the entire movement is built on foaming-at-the-mouth anger about a "liberal establishment" that has been thoroughly dismantled.

[Bkcloud114]

are you here to talk about anything but politics?? Every one of your post is either in this thread or has something to do with government, politics or mentions politicians........

And Yes.... I do know this is the Politics forum

[Amanda]

bk, I assume you are addressing me in your post. I'm quite passionate about politics, but have generally kept the discussion in this one thread where I feel it is appropriate until the moderator tells me differently. I have been keeping up with the posts on the Cigar Board, but probably haven't posted on there in a week or so. I'll probably be on another cigar kick soon and will be posting regularly about that again before long.