One for Ira - walmart workers sitting by the phone?

[madjack]

...some interesting pie charts....
for year 2007......


for the past year...


who "owns" our national debt...


madjack

p.s. keep in mind that the first two are for "discretionary" spending and does not include "supplemental" funding which is where a big chunk of Howdy Doody's war funding comes from.......MJ

[Laredo]

The Bush administration has routinely HIDDEN more than $1 billion monthly in costs of the war since it started, and has cut veterans' benefits and service dependents' benefits (things like health insurance for spouses and kids -- don't come yapping to me about how the Republicans support the troops because it is a LIE).

The idea that people on welfare drive Cadillacs and own plasma tvs makes my head hurt -- and the hating on the poor that I see throughout America makes me want to throw up.

Try growing up in a place where the schools SUCK -- the buildings are falling down, the administration couldn't care less about the kids, and the teachers are forced to go over and over and over and over the same test-mandated crapola again and again and again until even bright kids are so sick of it they don't give a $h!t anymore, and then the best-paying jobs available are at Mickey D's on the night shift (and even those are reserved for the "in" groups).

Then come whine to me about how hard it is to be a six-figure income family of four too stupid not to pay as you go and how you deserve tax breaks because money's being stolen out of your pocket to feed "useless layabouts." (Yeah, in fact, it is; but they have names like ArcherDanielsMidland, McDonnell-Douglas, and Halliburton.)

Just don't go there unless you've lived on a reservation, in a ghetto, or been on welfare. I've been on relief twice in my life and unemployment twice as well and I can guarantee you that neither of those conditions is a picnic.

[Joseph]

Andrew, as much as some folks here would like you to believe otherwise, this country has the stupidest, most ill-informed electorate on the planet.
Barring NONE.
And it's on BOTH sides of the aisle!
For God's sake--it's a miracle if we get a 40% voter turnout in the FIRST place!

No argument there.

But as Joseph would like to poo-poo what this new democratic-controlled House and Senate represent...

The represent S2D2. (Same sh**, Different Day.) Or in the words of Roger Daltry:
Meet the new boss.
Same as the old boss.

and retreating from his now stated libertarian BELIEFS but not voting record (and what the hell is that supposed to mean anyway?),

That is a very good question. I have never retreated from either my beliefs or my voting record, so just exactly WHAT in the hell are you talking about?
Once again – I am not now nor have I ever been a member of the Libertarian Party. My beliefs are Libertarian, but I believe that if the Libertarian Party ever gained power, they would go the way of both Republicans and Democrats. Power does that. Frankly, I believe we should abolish the party system altogether and require individuals running for office to declare exactly what they believe and what they stand for on specific issues. Hey, I can dream, can’t I?

here are the facts:
We now have Nancy Pelosi as third in line to the presidency. A WOMAN!

An undeniable fact. My question is, so what?

The Republicans were KILLED in the recent election because even registered Republicans were disgusted with this dope of a president and the Republican politicians that supported him at every beckon call.

That is not a fact, it is your opinion, to which you are welcome. (And if that is the case, kindly explain Joe Lieberman.) In my opinion they lost because they turned their backs on the Conservative principles that got them elected in the first place. Meanwhile, the Democrats picked up seats because they had several new candidates posing as Conservatives. We’ll see how they vote.

Pelosi comes from SAN FRANCISCO, that horrible alien planet that believes in sexual rights (gay or straight, that's your private matter)

Which is where my Libertarian beliefs cause me to part company with Conservatives. I don’t give a flying flip what consenting adults do behind closed doors. Just out of curiosity, Ira – how many gay and lesbian friends do you have? It has no bearing on the topic, I’m just curious.

..stem cell research (because science will cure horrible diseases),

This is not only not a fact, it is a BIG lie! No one has a problem with stem cell research – the issue is EMBRYONIC stem cell research. Stem cell research has already resulted in many cures and treatments and holds out hope for many more. It is also very well funded, both by the government and by private industry. But there is no evidence – none whatsoever – that EMBRYONIC stem cell research will lead anywhere. In fact, where embryonic stem cells have been used in treatment, the results have either been non-existent or disastrous. Which is why those who want the grant money to do it must turn to the government – no one else in their right mind will fund it.

and a decent minum wage.

But why so little? Why not $15 and hour? Why not $50? Better still, why not put everyone from burger flippers to CEOs on a fixed salary of say, $150,000 a year?

And Joseph--before you start spewing some crap that Bush was for a minimum wage increase too, the fact is, he had to start appearing to agree to it when he was TOLD he had to. Probably by his shoeshine boy.

I don’t give a rat’s patoot whether he was for it or against it – I’m against it. Show me in the Constitution where the Federal Government is allowed to tell business what they must pay their employees or what benefits they must provide?

Yes, our president is indeed that stupid

Same GPA at Yale as Kerry. You ignored that last time, and I’ll bet you’ll ignore it again.

and unprincipled,

Au contraire – it’s his absolute refusal to compromise on his principles that have caused him so many problems. The record shows he promised to do a number of things if elected, and he has either done or tried to do every one of them. You libs have no idea how to deal with that.

But gee--what happened today? The very first day of Democratic control?
Minimum wage will be increased...lobbyist reforms so NO gifts whatsoever can be accepted by lawmakers...and the "push" is on to adopt this "radical" new philosophy:

I notice that while there is a commendable push to have the sponsors of “earmarks” (the true source of pork barrel spending) identified, there is no attempt to do away with them.

That ALL over-the-budget spending must be paid for by either cutting spending in other areas

Which will never happen. Ever.

--or by tax increases.

Which is purely stupid. Even with the war, the Bush tax cuts resulted in increased revenue to the government. But then, Dems don’t want revenue, they want control. Control of every aspect of our lives.

And the Republicans are crying bloody murder, because all they hear are "tax increases," and this could affect their cherished Iraq War.

Rather, because every one with half a brain realizes that out of control Federal spending will never be reigned in by placing additional burdens on the American people. Or as my favorite bumper sticker reads, “Why does a “tax break” give me back two bucks but a “moderate tax increase” costs me two hundred?

For years and years and years, the Republicans have tried to bullshit us as the "responsible" party for fiscal responsibility, but after Reagan, Bush 1 and Bush 2...and then with a STELLAR performance and fiscal balance sheet by Clinton in-between...

Excuse me? Now THAT is pure bullshit revisionist history. His hand was forced by the newly elected Republican Congress which was swept into office by the “Contract with America.”

that illusion has been totally shattered.

I’ll not deny that my illusions of optimism, first after the “revolution” of 1994 followed by the capture of the Senate and the White House have been shattered. That's OK - your turn is coming.

You can't lie with the numbers, the CONFIDENCE and lack of fear that this country lived with under Clinton.

And under Reagan. And under Bush 41. That wasn’t confidence, it was naiveté. War or no war, 9/11 changed that forever. Except for those who chose to forget.
Tell me, Ira - when an American city is nuked under the new rules that the Dems propose for limiting our ability to identify terrorists and thwart their activities, what will your excuse be?

The Republican party is despicable, with many of their own members realizing it.

The big difference is that when a Republican is accused of wrong-doing (possible sexual misconduct indicated by naughty e-mails to underage interns, say), the party doesn’t even wait for it to be proven before throwing that member under the bus and kicking him out of Congress. But when a Democrat is proven guilty (say, actually HAVING sex with an underage intern, or being caught with $90,000 of bribe money in the freezer), they rally around him and make sure he keeps his seat. THAT is despicable. And it’s not a question of the members realizing it - they all know it and they don’t care.

And for once in six very long, miserable years...Americans here are starting to feel HOPEFUL again.

Speak for yourself. I remember forty years of Democrats running the place and it’s not a pleasant memory. Personally, I’m hopeful they try to establish their socialist agenda and the American people wake up and throw every last one of them – Republican and Democrat – out on their ears.

Joseph--wanna make a bet on who's gonna be president in 2008? A REAL bet, with REAL money on the line?
I'll do it right now.

Nope - I haven’t a clue who will even be running. But I’ll bet you a case of Budweiser (for you) against a bottle of Tullemore Dew (for me) that it won’t be Hillary.

But more important, remember that Bush and everyone else in that damn party accusing every Dem who was against going to war of being unpatriotic, stupid, a BAD American. This was the order and tone of the day then, and to say that this wasn't the climate is to simply ignore history.

Bullshit. Give me a quote from Bush or anyone else that said that – just ONE! What Bush said (and which has been taken out of context by libs ever since) was, “If you’re not with us, you’re against us.” He was not addressing ANY American when he said that. “Us” meant America. “You” was referring to the other nations of the world.

Why, Hussein had weapons of mass destruction!

Yes, he did. And we found them – over 500. But Dan Rather wouldn’t tell you that, would he?

Terrorists operated from the country!

Again, show me where that was ever claimed. It wasn’t. It wasn’t even on the table. Rather, it was the threat the Hussein regime posed by having WMDs and ignoring seventeen sanctions by the UN while Clinton slept.

Man, everyone is entitled to their own opinion--but no one is entitled to their own FACTS.

You certainly seem to think you are so entitled…

Yeah, the Dems made a big mistake by giving into this arm-twisting, but to say that they really WANTED to engage in this debacle just ain't the truth.

If so, that clearly demonstrates how they lack anything that resembles principles – they blow whichever way the wind blows. The are from the “if it feels good, do it” generation, except now it’s “if it’s popular (and will help you get elected), do it,” and never mind whether or not you think it’s bad for the country…

Joseph

[Nitetimes]

You can take the tax hikes and shove them up somebodies arse. I don't have any desire to pay for the bums that don't want to work and all the other achey breaky heart bs that the dems always think I should be responsible for.

I'm going to give you ONE opportunity to retract this. Think, just think:
How much money have we spent on Iraq? Are THESE the bums you're talking about?

Never happen, sorry!!!
Apparently not enough, they are still kicking and being a general pain in the ass.

WHY DO SOME PEOPLE LIVE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT TAX INCREASES PAY FOR SOME IMAGINARY POPULATION OF LOAFERS!? THE MONEY THAT GOES FOR WELFARE IS A PITTANCE COMPARED TO OTHER GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES!

Oh, nothing imaginary about it. I see them every day. The money that goes to welfare comes out of my tax money as well so I don't care if it's a pittance or not I don't want to give them any more.

Taxes are already too high as far as I'm concerned, I have no interest in the government looking out for me so why should I have any desire to give them more money.
The government needs trimmed not padded with more tax dollars.
Typical Dem logic, let's pay more taxes so we get more. OF WHAT???
Let's pay n NO taxes and let everyone fend for themselves.





.

[Laredo]

I'm going to get off this thread before I commit major felonies.

Joseph, boy, if you really believe WMD were "found" in Iraq, I have some swampland outside Tucson. We should talk.

As for the rest of your contentions -- they sure look like GOP talking points to me, and I'll join Ira on this: GOP spin is LIES.

[Nitetimes]

As for the rest of your contentions -- they sure look like GOP talking points to me, and I'll join Ira on this: GOP spin is LIES.

And the Dem party always tells you the truth about everything right.

[Nitetimes]

The idea that people on welfare drive Cadillacs and own plasma tvs makes my head hurt -- and the hating on the poor that I see throughout America makes me want to throw up.

You've never been to the cities where this happens have you? I've seen it first hand in Pittsburgh. And it happens more frequently than you might want to admit.
I don't hate the poor, I just have no use for the lazy or second, third or forth generation welfare bums. You know, the 19 year old kids with 'back problems' that have never worked a day in their life or the 15-16 year old mothers that will most likely never work and conveniently don't know who the father is. Yep we got them all around here and they aren't in short supply either.
Once they learn to work the system they live within it.

[Joseph]

Joseph, boy, if you really believe WMD were "found" in Iraq, I have some swampland outside Tucson. We should talk.

I've posted this before, but here it is again. Yes - over five hundred and probably more to be found. The spin the libmedia put on this is (when they could no longer ignore it completely) was "They're pre-1991 so they don't count." Riiiiight...

Joseph

[Joseph]

...some interesting pie charts....

Interesting indeed. And the source is... ?

Joseph

[Miriam C.]

The idea that people on welfare drive Cadillacs and own plasma tvs makes my head hurt -- and the hating on the poor that I see throughout America makes me want to throw up.

You've never been to the cities where this happens have you? I've seen it first hand in Pittsburgh. And it happens more frequently than you might want to admit.
I don't hate the poor, I just have no use for the lazy or second, third or forth generation welfare bums. You know, the 19 year old kids with 'back problems' that have never worked a day in their life or the 15-16 year old mothers that will most likely never work and conveniently don't know who the father is. Yep we got them all around here and they aren't in short supply either.

Once they learn to work the system they live within it.

I guess your Department of Social Services isn't doing it's job. Around here to get cash assistance having children isn't enough. If over 16 and not in school you are off to work or no assistance at all. Jobs are not easy to find because so many places are gone.

BTW- If they let me keep my taxes I promise to support and help some young person with a child till they can survive at a decent level.

[Joseph]

Forgot to deal with this one.

As for the rest of your contentions -- they sure look like GOP talking points to me, and I'll join Ira on this: GOP spin is LIES.

I'll not deny that I have much in common with the GOP - or at least, what it used to be under Reagan. But there's also no denying that the current crop lied to us when running on a platform of smaller government and less spending, because once in complete control they proceeded to grow the government and spend our money in a way to make Democrats envious.

Oddly enough, while writing to Ira I got a call from some clown from the GOP. I told him I was done with them and hung up.

Joseph

[Elumia]

From the copyright, looks like the charts come from here:
http://www.nationalpriorities.org/

Those charts are for federal taxes it appears. Since many programs are only state funded not federally the dollars will seem skewed towards military spending as states don't fund the military as it is a federal responsibility.

It would be interesting to see how all tax dollars are spent as I pay Sales tax, Income tax, property tax, gas tax, excise tax you name it tax in addition to "California refund value" on my budweiser that goes into the blue curbside bin - 4 cents a can that I can't get refunded anywhere except a recycling center where they would pay me the same if I didn't pay CRV... Lottery tickets are 50% tax. Think about all the local revenue generated by selective enforcement of traffic laws and unreasonably slow speed limits. So if the tax revenue isn't enough, there are ways for those in power to increase revenues without calling it "tax".

If you give a drunk sailor 10 bucks it will soon be out of his pocket an into another's with little accounting of how he spent it.....

[Leon]

If you give a drunk sailor 10 bucks it will soon be out of his pocket an into another's with little accounting of how he spent it.....

If you want to try something interesting, next time you see someone holding a sign that says they need money for food, offer them a meal or a job. I've done it and have been cursed at when I do.

[PaulC]

This has made for interesting reading to an outsider. As I have stated elsewhere, it does not matter what you say or think, they will do anything they need to do to retain power.
As for "the Pirates" claim, and related paperwork, the main points I picked up from that one page was that the chemicals where degraded(gone off), that the regime "could" have WMD and they had "assessed" the potential for sales etc.
Man, how much spin is in that. They are talking about a thimbleful of weapons compared to what the "superpowers" have probably forgotten they have stored around their own country.
The stuff they found may have had the potential to kill or maim.
They thought that there might be weapons still around, even though they found none.
And to top it off, they inferred that the weapons that they had not found could be on-sold to terrorist organisations.
Joseph, Give me and everyone else a break.
Cheers
Paul

[Miriam C.]

1. All countries have weapons of mass distruction.
2. All governments tax and spend
3. What does any of this have to do with Walmart screwing thier employees out of earn time.

Ira---My daughter works for a local hospital and they made her work Christmas and New Years. She didn't mind because she would get overtime pay and maybe get her car fixed.

They cut her hours for the next 3 weeks to make up for the overtime pay. She is worse off than before.