important info for our times

[Ron61]

427Sharpe,

Sorry that you feel I dodged your post about what I pay for taxes. As I am on disability I don't pay much now but when I was working over 40% of my pay went for Federal and State taxes. In fact when I had the breakdown and the Social Security office sent a woman to talk to me she told me that I had paid in more taxes in the three months that I had worked before the breakdown than her total yearly gross was. I was always above the set limits back then for Social Security near June or July. I have never tried to get out of paying taxes and only ask that others pay their share also. If I had not lived as the doctors all said, then I would not be here in this discussion. If my health had lasted and I had avoided the breakdown I would be as well off as many of you as I had a lot of investments and was not counting on Social Security as part of my retirement.

And Ron and Wes both dodged the central issue of my post: how much of YOUR money are you willing to give to the feds?

It would seem from what I have told you above that I paid far more into taxes than I will ever live to receive any benefits from. I had never planned on Social Security as being much of my retirement but things beyond my control changed that. I sent you a PM with some of my background so maybe you can understand why I didn't answer you with a flat statement. As for Wes and I dodging your post I never saw anything in it that singled us out.
Edited to correct name.

Ron

[427sharpe]

And this is exactly how the 'safety net' should work. My basic disagreement with the system as it stands is that benefits are provided/given to people who have never carried their fair share into the fund. I would not expect anybody living today on SSN to have paid as much into the system as they will draw out. BUT I think the 'mission creep' that the liberals like to see in SSN is the major point that causes the funds future failure. Of course the debate extends to how will we pay for it as the nation goes thru my baby-boom generation. I just don't expect it to be there for me when the time comes (not that far off ) and I don't want my kids paying the enormous burden. I just wish more ablebodied people took care of themselves
as opposed to wanting/expecting the government to do so.
And to top it all off, I think it was Wes and Excalibur I meant to politely 'call out'...maybe time to increase the ginkoba!

[Excaliber]

Ginkoba? Had to look that one up. I might want to get some of that... It's been an entertaining and enlightening thread all things considered.

[cobra de capell]

Wall Street Investment Firms and the Dow Jones were abuzz today with the news that Barack Obama is investing in a new firm that will begin manufacturing "Reverend Wrights Crackers", a division of the newly formed Trinity Cracker Company of Chicago. According to sources, crackers will need to be a necessary element of his campaign if he is to win the Democratic Party nomination.

"From New York to San Diego and Seattle to Miami, this country is full of crackers. Crackers can be found not only in Georgia and Alabama, but California, Washington State and North Dakota. You can't get away from it, crackers are everywhere."

"We want to capitalize on this rare opportunity for all people of color to use crackers to enable us to win the nomination. Each purchase of crackers will provide 15 cents to the campaign of Senator Obama, a worthwhile and worthy cause. We feel this product will go well with chili, soup, and as a useful topping on Green Bean Casserole. The best part is, when you're done using the crackers, you just throw the remainder out or place them under a bus. They make a cool crunchy sound."

Developing..

[427 S/O]

I'm still trying to figure out if I'm a 'typical white person'.????

[Ron61]

Perry,

NO

I don't think there is such a thing any more.

Ron

[Excaliber]

When I was a 'hippie' I worried about traveling through Texas, red neck country. It's like that for most of us, fear of the unknown, justified or not. Theres parts of the Islands I wouldn't want to be stranded in after dark. I was freakin' out when I got lost in Japan (Kyoto) and couldn't find a soul that spoke english (stay with the group, the name tag is a GOOD thing). Conversely, I had the BEST time in Kyoto as a result of getting lost. Broke down once in Florida, nightmare getting help! Broke down in North Dakota, met the nicest folks, had a great time! You just never know what lays ahead...

[Wes Tausend]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

When I was a 'hippie' I worried... . . . . . . .

. . . . ...Broke down in North Dakota, met the nicest folks, had a great time! You just never know what lays ahead...

So who'd you meet in North Dakota, Ernie?

A lot of us know each other by first name here...


...

[Ron61]

Darn Wes,

I never realized that you were a Hippie too. I used to hang around the Mission Street area of San Francisco when that was all Hippies and I bought some great shirts and other things they made for very cheap prices. Back then you were safer among them than in many parts of the city. Then the dopers moved in and that ruined everything.
But I was not a Hippie. I refused to walk naked the length of the street to be officially recognized as one.

Ron

[427sharpe]

Originally Posted by 427 S/O

I'm still trying to figure out if I'm a 'typical white person'.????

I am...overworked, underpaid and WAY overtaxed!

[427 S/O]

I mean..how does a 'typical white person' conduct his day?. I thought about it when O referred to us as 'typical white people'.?? I'm not extreme, I 'try' to do the right thing, and it bugs me when I don't. I listen, but sound off when I know it's BS, I take people at their word until they screw me, which has happened more times than I want to remember.
I am a little predudice, I would not live in a black community, The few times I drove into one, they all had bars on the doors and windows. No thanks!. I set up my business as a owner/operator, no employees!. I once ask the father of a teenage boy in my neighbor hood if his son would like to cut my grass for $$, he said 'good luck', he won't even cut ours. I quit loaning tools because the borrowers forget to bring them back. I will only loan tools now 'if' they do their work in my driveway. I've been in the company of some vile talking people, and it makes me uncomfortable.