Ways to stimulate the economy.

2

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 41
    randycat99randycat99 Posts: 1,919member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by SDW2001

    It is getting better. And it would be better still if the government didn't tax away half of our incomes.



    I think what I was commenting on was the economy, and what you are commenting on is major tax reform which could have entirely unpredictable consequences (good or bad) on the economy vs. just saying it will make it "better still".



    You won't have to argue with me about less income taxes. I think everybody wants that. The part that doesn't quite fly with me is the "half" part. If you are making $200,000/300,000/500,000 per year, "half" is still not nearly as bad situation as a mere 10% when you are making below $20,000/yr. The former still affords you quite a comfortable living, just not as "lavish" as an MTV depiction of "living large". So what if you can't afford that 3rd SUV you had your eye on. You will still be living the American Dream (delux) quite intact. Just enjoy yourself.



    The latter case, you might not make your rent. If your car breaksdown, you are seriously "out in the street".



    So maybe what this is suggesting is that below a certain annual income, things should be more "socialist"-oriented. Above that, capitalist all the way for those who "make it", for as far up as you can fathom. Paying 50/60/70% (!!!) taxes and still end up being "rich" sure beats being poor anyday. Just remember that somewhere along the way, 50,000 poor shmucks do hard labor till the day they die to make that 1 guy at the top as rich as he/she is.



    ...just my thoughts from Joe Everybody from the street.
  • Reply 22 of 41
    finboyfinboy Posts: 383member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Naderfan

    Well, I'll just have to go with what Lewis Black says:



    "Tax cuts won't do anything for the economy, unless we all line up and spend them at exactly the same time. Even that won't stimulate the economy, but at least it'll be fun."









    He's either quoted WAY out of context, or he be an eediot.



    Quote:



    The problem with tax cuts now is that a lot of people use the money to pay off loans, credit cards, or just save it. When the economy is this bad and after people have spent so much on credit cards and whatnot, people are more likely to stick to buying just stuff they need and paying off what they already own.




    And that's bad how exactly? I use my tax cut to pay down my debt (since it's My F*cking Money(tm) anyway) and that's somehow BAD? Don't think so.



    I guess it could be bad if postal workers used their tax cut to stock up on shotgun shells. Geez, since things are so bad, that must be next.



    I challenge your statement that "when the economy is this bad." It ain't that bad for most folks. Sure spins better when it's bad, though.
  • Reply 23 of 41
    finboyfinboy Posts: 383member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by trick fall

    Tax cuts for the rich won't alone heal the economy.



    Thank Jebus nobody has proposed any "tax cuts for the rich" yet.
  • Reply 24 of 41
    chinneychinney Posts: 1,019member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by SDW2001

    What people fail to understand is that the IRS definition of "rich" includes people that make 92,000 a year...even for combined incomes.



    The problem with this argument is that most of the proposed new tax cuts will go to those who make much more than $92,000 a year. In any case, if you think that it is difficult to live on $92,000 a year, how much harder do you think it is to support a family on minimum wage?



    Quote:

    "Tax Cuts for the Rich" is just class warfare political bullshit spewed forth by the Democratic party.



    Sure there is class warfare in the United States. It's being waged by the already fabulously wealthy rich who want to deprive the poor and lower middle class of the few tax provided services that they have.



    Quote:

    Look, without getting a whole big thing here, the best way the government can stimluate the economy is by taking and spending less of our money.



    The United States already has lower taxes than most every Western country. However, unlike pretty well every other Western country, it does not even have a universal public health care system. More tax cuts are not the solution.
  • Reply 25 of 41
    Legalize marajuana and the gov't can ad another tax grab. The Liberal gov't up here is thinking of doing exactly that.
  • Reply 26 of 41
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    stiffened your thumb

    An' apply rotation on her sugar plum

    poke it 'n stroke it till your wrist gets numb
  • Reply 27 of 41
    thuh freakthuh freak Posts: 2,664member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mac OS X Addict

    Legalize marajuana and the gov't can ad another tax grab. The Liberal gov't up here is thinking of doing exactly that.



    you speak too soon. Chretien said they'd decriminalize, not legalize; so the penalty for <30g (i think the cutoff is 30) is a ticket instead of a jail cell. they still don't have plans to make it legal.



    as for the economy: the best way i can see to quickly turn it around, is to give wall street a great deal of perhaps fraudulent hope. then they'll start buying like crazy, thinking the econ is turning around, and with the markets' rise, everyone gains.
  • Reply 28 of 41
    thttht Posts: 5,421member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by SDW2001

    Thoughts? What else can be done?



    Tell the politicians to stop dinking around with it.
  • Reply 29 of 41
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bunge

    stiffened your thumb

    An' apply rotation on her sugar plum

    poke it 'n stroke it till your wrist gets numb




    I knew there was a reason we got along.







    No one else here knows their Zappa, apparently.
  • Reply 30 of 41
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by SDW2001

    Please, no BS political rhetoric here.



    I think that not just tax cuts, but total tax reform is needed. I'm in favor of the tax cuts the admin proposes, though I think they could go further.



    But other than that, what is left? Interest rates are extremely low. Credit is widely available. The money supply is fine. Energy prices are going down.



    Thoughts? What else can be done?




    I would imagine that raising taxes on certain sectors at the national level would help fund all kinds of things (like schools and business incentives) which would in turn bring all kinds of money to local economies.



    I'd gladly pay more in taxes if I knew it were going to fund things I want (like national health care and free public university education).
  • Reply 31 of 41
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by midwinter



    No one else here knows their Zappa, apparently.




    It's a damn shame too.
  • Reply 32 of 41
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bunge

    It's a damn shame too.



    Man. All day long I've been singing "Billy the Mountain"...he's coating his legs with aunt Jemima syrup up and down....
  • Reply 33 of 41
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by midwinter

    Man. All day long I've been singing "Billy the Mountain"...he's coating his legs with aunt Jemima syrup up and down....



    What album is that from? Don't recognize it...



    I am the slime on your video though.
  • Reply 34 of 41
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bunge

    What album is that from? Don't recognize it...



    I am the slime on your video though.




    Oh. My. God.



    It's the *entire* second side of Just Another Band From LA.



    Go get it NOW.
  • Reply 35 of 41
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by midwinter

    Oh. My. God.



    It's the *entire* second side of Just Another Band From LA.



    Go get it NOW.




    My favorite local CD hangout has it for $10.99. I'll have to report back later.



    And purchasing a CD will help stimulate the economy, correct?
  • Reply 36 of 41
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bunge

    My favorite local CD hangout has it for $10.99. I'll have to report back later.



    And purchasing a CD will help stimulate the economy, correct?




    yes. it's actually THE primary means by which the Bush admin hopes to arouse, titillate, spur, and otherwise make the economy all hot and bothered like it was, you know, before everything sucked this bad. Never underestimate the power of Frank Zappa CD sales!



    You won't regret the purchase.



    Cheers

    Scott
  • Reply 37 of 41
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by midwinter



    You won't regret the purchase.




    I don't even regret the purchase of Thing Fish.
  • Reply 38 of 41
    kneelbeforezodkneelbeforezod Posts: 1,120member
    The economy would also be stimulated if people bought more pot and porn and left the borders open for migrant workers.



    see?
  • Reply 39 of 41
    finboyfinboy Posts: 383member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Chinney



    Sure there is class warfare in the United States. It's being waged by the already fabulously wealthy rich who want to deprive the poor and lower middle class of the few tax provided services that they have.





  • Reply 40 of 41
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kneelbeforezod

    The economy would also be stimulated if people bought more pot and porn and left the borders open for migrant workers.



    see?




    Well, if my recent trip through Missouri is any indication, MO ought to be a real economic powerhouse in the next few years.
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