Romney: Palestinians do not want peace

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by August

No stranger than your idea that our nation could somehow pay for over 300 million peoples food, shelter and medical attention.

It's not strange to someone who lives in a union, consisting of 500 million people, which does this.
and: you guys over there do it, too - see my next reply:

Originally Posted by August

I mean if we can i'm wasting my time going to work every day...

My guess is that you want a better life quality than buying your meals from food stamps, living in a project or being forced to go to the ER for medical care.
All these are things that are paid/subsided by tax money. I am not talking about quality or quantity, that's a whole other topic worth discussing.

I'm talking about that basic human needs that should be covered. To me, education is also one of those. Covering the basic needs, that would really mean to level the playing field. If people want better food than ramen, then they should get their asses up and do something about.

I also think that a social net that's worthy of its name, would significantly reduce petty crime and all the costs that are associated with it.

[August]

Originally Posted by Penguin

It's not strange to someone who lives in a union, consisting of 500 million people, which does this.
and: you guys over there do it, too - see my next reply:

You said everyone should have a right to those things. I'm saying that no nation or union could ever afford to give those things to everyone. As for education that is already paid for. I know because I have to pay for it through my property taxes. I suppose you want me to pay for college too?

[Platapus]

I wonder what percentage of companies don't pay taxes?

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Platapus

I wonder what percentage of companies don't pay taxes?

None. Non-profit organizations do not pay taxes.

[soopaman2]

Hmm, lol.

Yes it barely set off my satire radar.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by Platapus

I wonder what percentage of companies don't pay taxes?

You have to be careful with statistics about this. If you look at something that says "X number of corporations didn't pay income tax" be careful that it doesn't include S corps, as they never pay income tax, by definition. The tax liability for the profits made by S corps flow through to and are divided amongst the shareholders to be reported on their individual tax returns.

This is a sampling, but 26 profitable Fortune 500 companies paid no taxes or actually got a rebate every year since 2008:
http://www.ctj.org/pdf/notax2012.pdf

And of course any company that loses money can carry those losses forward to be deducted from profits made in any of the next seven years. And those losses are transferable/saleable to another company in the case of bankruptcy, too.

I know more about this stuff than I care to, lol.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

You have to be careful with statistics about this. If you look at something that says "X number of corporations didn't pay income tax" be careful that it doesn't include S corps, as they never pay income tax, by definition. The tax liability for the profits made by S corps flow through to and are divided amongst the shareholders to be reported on their individual tax returns.

This is a sampling, but 26 profitable Fortune 500 companies paid no taxes or actually got a rebate every year since 2008:
http://www.ctj.org/pdf/notax2012.pdf

And of course any company that loses money can carry those losses forward to be deducted from profits made in any of the next seven years. And those losses are transferable/saleable to another company in the case of bankruptcy, too.

I know more about this stuff than I care to, lol.

Deferred taxes.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Platapus

I wonder what percentage of companies don't pay taxes?

We have had a thread on that some years ago, a US senator I think illustrating how many of the big players do not pay at all any net taxes - but even have net beenmfits from the state/tax payers.

Last year, there was this news:

http://thenewpolitical.com/2011/04/0...e-tax-evasion/

This is not by rando m chan ce. Loopholes are wanted, like backdoors in Microisoft software. They are made sure for by lobbyism the industry invests into, and due to the interest of the vultures forming this political system, which is rotten from skin to bones. It's all plutocracy. Plus that big business is globalised, and international palyers now. It doe snot know national loyalties anymore. It's playground is the world, not just one country. The money evades in a 24 hours-cycle, revolving around the Earth in its race to escape being taxed.

And banks - play roulette already again as if never anything has happened, while having been bailed out just short time ago with billions. Nobody has learned anything. Political gangster nevertheless have the nerve to call that "economical recovering".

Like in Berlin, you have wonderful wide and long straight alleys in Washington. Like for Berlin I strongly recommend to prettify the lamppost alongside them by hanging politicians and lobbyists and their clever smart lawyers onto them. That would be a sight of great hope and renewal. When we run out of decoration, we can ask Wall Street and Frankfurt and Brussel for more any time. It seems it is in very rich supply.

[August]

Originally Posted by Skybird

I strongly recommend to prettify the lamppost alongside them by hanging politicians and lobbyists and their clever smart lawyers onto them. That would be a sight of great hope and renewal. When we run out of decoration, we can ask Wall Street and Frankfurt and Brussel for more any time. It seems it is in very rich supply.

Talking about killing people again Sky? Why would we ever want to do that? So people like you can replace them as our new leaders?

[soopaman2]

Originally Posted by August

Talking about killing people again Sky? Why would we ever want to do that? So people like you can replace them as our new leaders?

I can kinda get skybirds animosity, after all it is not like I lack any extreme moments on here. Sometimes you can just get so angry about some of the stuff that goes on.

Though I will commend you on your level headedness, and logical common sense.

We may not have it the best, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

For instance, quite a few times I critisized our policies, and our Congress, and our president, even suggested only a revolution could fix it.

Say We were in China, and I said the same thing. Where would I be?

Not here, in my home, talking to you guys on this forum.

Sure I trash Mitt, but if he were to win, I would respect him as my president. We may be flawed, and have our problems, but nobody (IMHO) has it better than us.

Mitt should have also stated the Israelis are not interested in peace either, but catering to the Jewish voter is important.

[nikimcbee]

Sure I trash Mitt, but if he were to win, I would respect him as my president. We may be flawed, and have our problems, but nobody (IMHO) has it better than us.

Mitt should have also stated the Israelis are not interested in peace either, but catering to the Jewish voter is important.

Part of me says, this is just election year saber-rattling. I'm just waiting for North Korea to show up and threaten something.

[August]

Originally Posted by soopaman2

I can kinda get skybirds animosity, after all it is not like I lack any extreme moments on here. Sometimes you can just get so angry about some of the stuff that goes on.

I see what you're saying but a lot of folks jumped all over 1480 for making statements that were a heckuva lot more vague whereas Skybird seems to make a habit of demanding bloodshed.

Though I will commend you on your level headedness, and logical common sense.

Flattery will get you everywhere...

We may not have it the best, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

For instance, quite a few times I critisized our policies, and our Congress, and our president, even suggested only a revolution could fix it.

Say We were in China, and I said the same thing. Where would I be?

Not here, in my home, talking to you guys on this forum.

Sure I trash Mitt, but if he were to win, I would respect him as my president. We may be flawed, and have our problems, but nobody (IMHO) has it better than us.

That was well said.

I think what foreigners like Sky have a hard time understanding is that it's always been this way in America and whatever our flaws we've made it work for a couple of centuries now. It's a track record that few can compete with.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by August

Talking about killing people again Sky? Why would we ever want to do that? So people like you can replace them as our new leaders?

Why was the French revolution so bloody?

Because peacefully they would not have gotten rid of the aristocratic rotten elite tyranning them.

You cannot vote today's plutocracy out of office. Globalised big business also has left democratric checks&balances behind, and must no longer plays by the rules of laws undersotod and designed by the people. The justice system got hijacked. We live in post-democratic times already. Only few have noticed so far. And most of who did, shy away from what that means.

You are paying tribute and respect to principles that played a role in the past. You have fallen out of the present. By what the US were founded on, as a "philosophical fundament" and principles, I agree with that very much and like it. But I cannot bring the modern present, the relaity of the US today, into congruency with tese ideals. The state as is, and how it was meant a long time ago, are lightyears apart.

The fundament of your nation got hijacked by corrupt, small elites. You deny it. To me you are standing attention to a dead monument only.

This hijacking has taken place with practically all nations in the Westm, it seems to me. I do not accept a single nation in the West being called "democratic" anymore.

Read my sig, and take note of the author. Eisenhower was not the first issuing a warning.

Why was the French revolution so bloody?

Because peacefully they would not have gotten rid of the aristocratic rotten elite tyranning them.

Most people would say the revolution was only so bloody after they had already got rid of the rotten elite from power and the revolutionaries started slaughtering the revolutionaries in a long running frenzy of infighting and paranoia.