What's a Billion?

[wtm442]

This is too true to be very funny

The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.


A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.


While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans. It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), asked the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number, what does it mean?

A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you each get $516,528.

B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012.

Washington, D.C. HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken??



Tax his land,
Tax his wage,
Tax his bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirts,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think.

Tax his booze,
Tax his beers,
If he cries,
Tax his tears.

Tax his bills,
Tax his gas,
Tax his notes,
Tax his cash.

Tax him good and let him know
That after taxes, he h as no dough.

If he hollers,
Tax him more,
Tax him until he's good and sore.

Tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in which he lays.
Put these words upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me to my doom!'

And when he's gone,
We won't relax,
We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!!

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Perm it Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),
Liquor Tax,
Luxury Tax,
Marriage License Tax,
Medicare Tax,
Property Tax,
Real Estate Tax,
Service charge taxes,
Social Security Tax,
Road Usage Tax (Truckers),
Sales Taxes,
Recreational Vehicle Tax,
School Tax,
State Income Tax,
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
Telephone Federal Excise Tax,
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax,
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
Telephone State and Local Tax,
Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
Utility Tax,
Vehicle License Registration Tax,
Vehicle Sales Tax,
Watercraft Registration Tax,
Well Permit Tax,
Workers Compensation Tax.

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened? Can you spell ‘politicians?’

And I still have to 'press 1' for English.

[Ron61]

Actually Warren some of our places are modernizing and you don't press 1 for English. You have no choice as they just play the Spanish version and you have to listen to that until it is finished before you can start pressing buttons in hope of getting to whatever it is you are looking for. I did print out 18 pages from the Get Human Database telling ways to shortcut the many menus.

Ron

[Ronbo]

Not only the sheer number of taxes but the % levels are continually increased.

Think about a 30% income tax. You get a raise, government gets more. when times are tough you take a pay cut and... government increases the percentage.

A govenment on a fixed percentage has the incentive to increase the prosparity of it's citizens. As you can see there is no such incentive in place.

Not to mention higher income people pay higher amounts (as well as higher percentage) yet they receive less benefits.

Worst yet are these "hidden" corporate taxes that you pay in higher prices. No business should be taxed, businesses have no rights, can't vote and therefore can't protect themselves.

There should only be a fixed percentage income tax, no other taxes. If you get too much taxes you see it on your pay stub and the citizens roll a gallows in front of city hall to let the politicians know they went to far.

[Wes Tausend]

...

Pretty good Warren. Also pretty shocking to those of us on "the buck starts here" working end.

At least it's our country that we're "improving" in New Orleans. The cost is the same to rebuild cities anywhere, one might assume ...maybe a bit more if still under constant threat and ongoing destruction.

Check this out:
( National Priorities Project | Bringing the Federal Budget Home ) Wonder how long it'll take to get to 500.

And, unlike New Orleans, we knew the inevitable result before it occurred:
( YouTube - Cheney '94: Invading Baghdad Would Create Quagmire C-SPAN )

I have thus theory that what we need to do is pass a law that income tax cannot be automatically witheld any longer. At the end of the year, or better yet, quarterly, everybody has to write out and sign a check to the feds. Just like those of us that have ever been in our own business have, and still do. When a person periodically signs a check for thousands and sends it away to neverland, it really strikes home. None of this out-of-sight/out-of-mind with-holding BS. We need some real time suffering.

I think it's just fine if we-the-people are legally required to keep appropriate taxes in a bank account ...earning interest. Don't want any excuses for not having the money ready to part with, now do we? I just want the tears.


...

[427 S/O]

From 'federalbudget.com'.......

Currently, there is more being payed into the Social Security Trust Fund than is being paid out to beneficiaries. What's left over each month is routinely being "borrowed" and used as if it were general budget revenue. Government agencies using that money promise to pay it back (IOUs). All of the money in the Social Security Trust Fund has been spent! That's part of the National Debt. So Social Security is just a very large tax collection tool.


They have been doing this for ...years...I remember the first time I heard SS was being used for 'something else'. Lady Bird ask for and got 50 Million to beautify the nations expressways.

[trularin]

Are you all saying we need some reform??

[wtm442]

Originally Posted by 427 S/O

Currently, there is more being payed into the Social Security Trust Fund than is being paid out to beneficiaries.

So what? I paid into SS for about 40 years. I will start collecting in 2 short years. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Therefore, for everyone still working ... stop bellyaching .... get off your a$$ and put MORE into SS. Get a higher paying job. I'll need it! Plus all us baby boomers are retiring soon. We will really suck out that $$$$.

If it runs out of money, I hope its the day after I die!

Me, me, me. Its mine .... waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (second time being 3 years old is fun)