Politics you SHOULD be talking about

crazyeights · Post by **crazyeights** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

I always liked his skit about "having a place for his stuff" Those who know his material will know exactly what I'm referring to.
I beleive that he released it on vinyl also.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

Man...wish I was the man that had Madonna's water company, or how about those shops that they spend all that shopping spree money at! Oh, or even maybe just the clerk that got commission on the sales? Heck to even work at the water company that bottles that precious water...I know that I have a job...and probably benefits with insurance.

BTW...I don't buy too much into the fact that so many americans don't have insurance. If they don't, they still can get medical treatment. In fact, they can not be turned away from any emergency room. And those with chronic conditions, well, they qualify for the blue card from welfare. It took me five years of working at PSU to get into a position to get my benefits. There are jobs at the University that someone can get their feet in the door too. (Not to mention other companies as well) I told my children to build a good work history while they are young so that when the time comes and they need a full time job with benefits they can get one. My children (who are no in their twenties) have done that....and my son has insurance. My daughter will graduate from college soon and I'm pretty darn sure she will have no problem getting a job with benefits because her employer will bring her on full time because of her record.

I'm all for the gov. stepping up and helping those that really need. But stop with the handouts. Or at least, don't hand out a bunch more.

BTW...yes, that $5000 tax rebate for insurance will go directly to the insurance company. But, that's $5000 less a year that I pay towards my insurance for my family. And, even if I do not get the cost of my insurance deducted from the federal income for taxes, I am still saving money.

Neither candidate has a real good plan. I'll vote for the best of two evils. But, I'm looking harder at the local and state level elections this time around. I just wish our governor was up for re-election.

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

The people who get free treatment at the hospital. The fee is passed on in higher prices to you.

Honestly Lisa, I don't know why you are so happy with the way things are. But if you do not want your taxes lowered. If you don't care that the cost of health care is going up. If you think Palin will be a good president in the event that McCain doesn't live four mor years. By all means - vote for McCain.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

undercoverjoe wrote: Oh, and all rich guys are evil, so we can't let them make more money, even if it will help many local residents get better jobs.

Poor people do not hire employees. So sometimes we need those evil rich guys who hand out paychecks on Fridays.

Okay, so do we now have to pretend that rich guys are all bighearted lugs who always have my best interests in mind? I've been doing a lot of pretending for awhile now... I had to pretend Big Oil was broke so they could get a 20 billion tax break, I had to pretend there was no time to accept bids in Iraq (no-bid contract for megabillions, Cheney's company), had to pretend NewsCorp is "fair and balanced," had to pretend Dubai Ports Inc. could safely run ports on our soil, had to pretend Katrina was the reason gasoline shot up nearly $2 per gallon, had to pretend that Enron/Adelphia/Worldcomm/AIG/Lehman/WaMu and others only want what's best for you and me. Apparently my world is a goddamn fairy-tale, all the pretending I've had to endure, and that's just corporate, the government side is even worse. Big Business does not give a flying fingerbang about you, Joe. Your corporate employer can cut you loose tomorrow, and there's nothing you can do. A local guy would have to look you in the face while he downsized you.
I'm sick to death of all this "poor people don't hand out the money." Sure, they do. To Enron/Adelphia/Worldcomm/etc. Where the hell do you think the money comes from to pay the giant executive salaries?
ME.
I pay the bills that put the fatasses in yachts and castles and platinum parachutes. I pay for the oil speculators. I pay for $100 hospital gowns I never wore. I pay for deregulation. I pay for selling bad loans. Me. I paid Lee Raymond a hundred million a year to rape me at the gas pump.
You sit atop a very high horse, Joe. You villify poor people and aggrandize the rich, but you're one pink slip away from being poor. Do you think your employer would rather lay off you, or their board of directors? You're a bright guy, and I'm guessing you try to do a good job... will that matter? Blue-collar manufacturing jobs are very rare now, we washed them all out with NAFTA and the Race to Chinese Labor... you don't think the white-collar sector is headed for the laundry now? Every damn bank in the world is going to be laying off big chunks of their workforce... that's going to mean what it did for manufacturing: an overabundance of guys who've accrued decades of experience sitting at desks. A lot of smart people are going to be competing for work. A lot of my C-Cor friends have been working at WalMart for the last 7 years... ever wonder why I'm so venomously anti-corporate? Could it be that I watched good people who worked for 20 years lose the only job they've had, and now have to spend their latter years humping Chinese goods onto store shelves for less money and lesser benefits? Do you think C-Cor's CEO ever shops at WalMart?
Yes, Joe, poor people DO hand out the paychecks. Every time I pay for a hyperinflated gallon of gasoline, or an insurance co-pay, or a mortgage payment, or sign my tax bill, I HAND OUT THE PAYCHECKS. When I can vote out a dirty CEO, then the "free market" will be the Free Market. Until then, I'll VOTE for the people who support the little guy.----->JMS

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

Hawk wrote:The people who get free treatment at the hospital. The fee is passed on in higher prices to you.

Honestly Lisa, I don't know why you are so happy with the way things are. But if you do not want your taxes lowered. If you don't care that the cost of health care is going up. If you think Palin will be a good president in the event that McCain doesn't live four mor years. By all means - vote for McCain.

Or put a curse on both of their houses and vote for a third party candidate. Why do always have to choose between the least of two assholes?

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

John, the way of the world is there will always be rich people. Some evil, some nice, just like every other group.

I know you do not like it if some of them will get richer if taxes are lowered. You could make a post 3 times longer but it comes down that fact.

I am for all people getting tax cuts, rich and poor, and when rich people and corporations get tax cuts, business grows and jobs are created.

You seem to be mad at corporations that leave this area. Why would they stay and pay the highest corp. tax rate in the US? And then why would any corp. stay in the US with the second highest corp. tax rates in the whole world? I am actually surprised that any do stay at all.

Again, we need to lower local corp. taxes, national corp. taxes, capital gains taxes and all income taxes. We have to shrink the bloated monster that is the US government.

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

undercoverjoe wrote:John, the way of the world is there will always be rich people. Some evil, some nice, just like every other group.

I know you do not like it if some of them will get richer if taxes are lowered. You could make a post 3 times longer but it comes down that fact.

I am for all people getting tax cuts, rich and poor, and when rich people and corporations get tax cuts, business grows and jobs are created.

You seem to be mad at corporations that leave this area. Why would they stay and pay the highest corp. tax rate in the US? And then why would any corp. stay in the US with the second highest corp. tax rates in the whole world? I am actually surprised that any do stay at all.

Again, we need to lower local corp. taxes, national corp. taxes, capital gains taxes and all income taxes. We have to shrink the bloated monster that is the US government.

Perhaps some companies leave the USA for slave labor in China . With Bush induced tax cuts.

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

Hawk wrote:
undercoverjoe wrote:John, the way of the world is there will always be rich people. Some evil, some nice, just like every other group.

I know you do not like it if some of them will get richer if taxes are lowered. You could make a post 3 times longer but it comes down that fact.

I am for all people getting tax cuts, rich and poor, and when rich people and corporations get tax cuts, business grows and jobs are created.

You seem to be mad at corporations that leave this area. Why would they stay and pay the highest corp. tax rate in the US? And then why would any corp. stay in the US with the second highest corp. tax rates in the whole world? I am actually surprised that any do stay at all.

Again, we need to lower local corp. taxes, national corp. taxes, capital gains taxes and all income taxes. We have to shrink the bloated monster that is the US government.
Perhaps some companies leave the USA for slave labor in China . With Bush induced tax cuts.

Source please.

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

undercoverjoe wrote:You seem to be mad at corporations that leave this area. Why would they stay and pay the highest corp. tax rate in the US? And then why would any corp. stay in the US with the second highest corp. tax rates in the whole world? I am actually surprised that any do stay at all.

Don't you get it Joe? We have to spank them and ground them.

If they aren't allowed to go across the street, how can they run away to China?

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

There are too many documented sources for china slave labor. It's easy to find.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

undercoverjoe wrote:I know you do not like it if some of them will get richer if taxes are lowered. You could make a post 3 times longer but it comes down that fact.

You could, too, but you'd still be wrong.
Oh, and if you'd make a long post, I'd read it, like I read them all. I don't pick out the parts I agree with and dismiss the rest. That's the difference between a conservative and a Neoconservative. I'm a really verbal person, but I'm an effin-A good listener, too, and I'm sick of apologizing to people who aren't as verbal.
You want it boiled down to a sentence:

The Neoconservative Movement is the worst thing to happen to America since World War II, and they are going bye-bye.

(smiles widely)----------->JMS

Dark Soul · Post by **Dark Soul** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

Lisa, we're not talking about people in need of immediate medical attention. Of course we all know that an ER won't turn anyone away. But the problem with Americans having trouble with health insurance is a well-known and documented problem. It gets discussed in the news quite a bit. Once again, you're not really in possession of the facts. I strongly suggest you do your own research. I know quite a few people who can't get health insurance. For example, a friend of mine has been trying for a long time to get coverage and has been turned down by five different companies who refuse to cover her because she has bipolar disorder. Another person I know can't get coverage because she has a rare condition that insurance companies either won't cover at all or will only cover if she pays ridiculous premiums for it.

The blue card you mentioned is a joke. There are a lot of things it doesn't cover, and if you happen to be stuck with one of those things, you're screwed. And you have to remember that not everyone makes as much money as you do. Just because insurance is available doesn't mean it's affordable. I know a lot of people who could get health insurance tomorrow, but it's just too expensive for them. I happen to be one of them. It's also worth mentioning that one of the reasons for the financial crisis we're in at the moment is that many people have medical bills they can't possibly pay because their insurance companies won't cover the treatment. So what happens? Insurance premiums go up, co-pays go up, and the list of things insurance companies are willing to cover gets shorter.

As I said, don't take my word for it. Do your own research. And by that I don't mean read a news website. Look for nonpartisan nonprofit sites that report the unbiased truth.

Dark Soul · Post by **Dark Soul** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

Songsmith: I hear ya talkin' man! Preach on, brother!

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

Dark Soul wrote:

Feeling sick yet? If not, here's a few more mind-bogglers for ya:

Liza Minnelli reportedly spent $4 million on her 2002 wedding to music producer David Gest.

Singer Mariah Carey owns a penthouse worth $9 million, which reportedly contains 500 pairs of high heels.

Kate Hudson reportedly owns a pair of $30,000 pajamas.

Madonna once bought a pair of diamond-encrusted false eyelashes. Price: $10,000. She also reportedly spends $10,000 every month on specially blessed Kabbalah water. That's $120,000 a year...for WATER!!!

And here's my favorite...

On the TV documentary "Living With Michael Jackson", wacko Jacko blew a whopping (hope you're sitting down) $6,000,000 in a matter of hours on a single shopping spree!

You forgot to mention those Super Sweet 16 Parties on MTV. I get violent anytime I see those things on television. However, if any spoiled Beverly Hills rich girls want to hire bad daZe for their party, our contact information is on our website.

Frankly, it seems to be this mindset in America that if you are poor, then you are automatically lazy and a dim-bulb. If you are rich, then hey, you must be innovative, industrious, and highly intelligent. I don't hate the rich. I don't particuarly want to be rich - in the words of a great urban philospher, "Mo' money, mo' problems."

However, I can't help but share some of the indignation that Johnny does over the blatant greed and corruption prevalent in both big business and big government. I come from a blue-collar background, and I make no bones about it. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. With a little help from my parents and grandparents, I'm going to my destination via the labor of my back, the intelligence of my mind, and the sweat upon my bass strings. I've used every personal asset that I have to take a stab at reaching middle-class, which is something my parents always dreamt about. I am literally the posterchild for the PASSHE college system by being a lower-class person who took advantage of an affordable education and showed that I have all of the necessary attributes to be successful. Sorry if that offends all of the people who are against any form of socialization, but I think that a chance at education is a right, not a privilege. America's going to have to invest in innovators and knowledge workers anyways if it hopes to have a labor force that is more than gas station attendants and shelf stockers, but that's a whole 'nother tangent for a whole 'nother time.

My point is that just because you're rich doesn't mean you're a better person; just because you're lower-class doesn't mean you're lazy and a loser. None of my bandmates are rich; I know for a fact they all bust their asses at their day gigs, and all three of them are intelligent individuals. For the record, I don't have health insurance either, but I hope that doesn't make me less of a person. Actually, many of the people here wouldn't be able to keep up my schedule. Getting on Rockpage is a treat for me.

Wow, this was another bassist_25 tangent. LOL

Dark Soul · Post by **Dark Soul** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

crazyeights wrote:I always liked his skit about "having a place for his stuff" Those who know his material will know exactly what I'm referring to.
I beleive that he released it on vinyl also.

OMG yes! That was so damned funny! One of my favorite skits from him. I thought the whole "Carlin On Campus" show was funny.

Dark Soul · Post by **Dark Soul** » Sunday Oct 19, 2008

Bassist_25: I agree with you, man. I don't hate rich people, either. I'm sure there are plenty of nice people who happen to be rich. But I do believe, and this is based partly on personal experience and not just what I see in the media, rich people should understand that eventually you reach a point where you're so wealthy that you become financially obese and you should have compassion for those less fortunate and share the wealth. I'm very poor, but I still give what I can to charities when I can afford it. If I ever became wealthy I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing I have plenty of money while there are people in the world with nothing. The greed in this world makes me sick. We as a species still have a long way to go...