Finally!! Obama takes a step in the right direction!

[scfire86]

What's funny for me to read is the local GOP has claimed this $18B is nothing but fingernail clippings when taken in context of the total budget.

Yet $18B is roughly equivalent to the total amount of federal earmarks that GOP's like to claim is indicative of widespread government "waste." Except those earmarks that go to GOP districts.

[hwoods]

You'll appreciate the irony of this idiotboy. It's easy to make ends meet when you own slaves. Which all three did. And even with that advantage one died flat broke.

I'll pass.

OK, lets fix it. Effective immediately, all illegal immigrants are hereby declared to be Slaves. Fixed that. May I help the next in line please??......

[ScareCrow57]

You'll appreciate the irony of this idiotboy. It's easy to make ends meet when you own slaves. Which all three did. And even with that advantage one died flat broke.

I'll pass.

Mikhail Gorbachev and Fidel Castro had an entire country of slaves. How did that work out?

[ScareCrow57]

What's funny for me to read is the local GOP has claimed this $18B is nothing but fingernail clippings when taken in context of the total budget.

Yet $18B is roughly equivalent to the total amount of federal earmarks that GOP's like to claim is indicative of widespread government "waste." Except those earmarks that go to GOP districts.

Why is everything an us vs them with you? It isn't about democrat vs republican. It's about the excessive government brought on by both parties. There are NO Conservatives in government. There are two groups of spenders, one of which spends more than the other. And yes. 18 billion is only 0.5% of the entire budget, but it’s a start.

[westofd1]

lets keep our money here in america! lets not give it away to none americans or to countries not part of the united states of america.

[ActionGoose]

lets keep our money here in america! lets not give it away to none americans or to countries not part of the united states of america.

You're kidding right? Protectionism in 2009 would be like digging a big hole, filling it with our GDP, and setting it on fire.

[westofd1]

absolutely not! im sick of having to work til june just to pay taxes so people not u.s. citizens get the free ride on our programs.

[westofd1]

absolutely not! im sick of having to work til june just to pay taxes so people not u.s. citizens get the free ride on our programs.

[ScareCrow57]

absolutely not! im sick of having to work til june just to pay taxes so people not u.s. citizens get the free ride on our programs.

I would also like to include the lazy on welfare in that list.

I have no problem paying for needed services, but social programs are uneeded.

[ActionGoose]

I would also like to include the lazy on welfare in that list.

I have no problem paying for needed services, but social programs are uneeded.

New for 2010: A La Carte taxation! Don't like a budgeted item, don't pay for it!

[scfire86]

absolutely not! im sick of having to work til june just to pay taxes so people not u.s. citizens get the free ride on our programs.

What about the people who are US citizens that get a free ride. Like bankers and auto execs?

[westofd1]

id take alot away there too. the way i see it with the government bailout. the upper officials want us the paying people to go to the bank and borrow money that really is ours, to refinance, or purchase new homes, cars, p'ups, and whatever else. then turn around and pay our money with interest back to the banks. paying to use our money..

[ScareCrow57]

What about the people who are US citizens that get a free ride. Like bankers and auto execs?

Maybe you missed it. The only ones happy with these bailouts are

1. The execs who received the bailouts
2. The Idiots in the administrations who pushed for them
3. The Idiots running the house and senate.

[ScareCrow57]

New for 2010: A La Carte taxation! Don't like a budgeted item, don't pay for it!

Sign me UP!!!!

Given the option to take stimulus funds or pay no taxes I would have taken no taxes. It's great the way the Federal government will tax the states, skim off the top and give back 70 cents on the dollar.

[Jonathan Bastian]

You're kidding right? Protectionism in 2009 would be like digging a big hole, filling it with our GDP, and setting it on fire.

Protectionism is different than stopping overseas grants. Protectionism is establishing tariffs and other impediments to imports in order to allegedly bolster domestic producers. This, as you imply, is disasterous.

Sending $2.5 million to China to teach prostitutes not to get drunk, however, is probably not the most effective use of our limited tax dollars (this is apparently a REAL grant issued by the NIH).

Well, at least our tax dollars USED to be limited...we are now spending like drunken sailors on shore-leave for the first time in 4 months. Only our hangover will last MUCH longer...

[Jonathan Bastian]

What about the people who are US citizens that get a free ride. Like bankers and auto execs?

Free ride? The head of GM lost his job because the President didn't like his plan.

One of these big, bad execs probably pays 25-30% of his (or her) salary as income taxes. He then pays excise taxes on his expensive cars, on top of all his normal sales and property taxes. He probably pays property tax on more than one property, grandly supporting schools that he probably does not send his kids to, because he opts for a more competent and successful private system that costs extra. If he (or she) is a religious person, he probably donates another 10% or more to churches and charities.

Compare this to the single parent of two, working for $9. He (or she) qualifies for free/reduced pricing on medical care, dental care and school lunch. He may get food stamps, free daycare and may get free education benefits as well as be in a special category that allows him (or her) to apply for special programs open only to people with specific genetic qualities. He probably doesn't pay ANY federal income tax and may not pay any state income tax. He may even get a tax refund for money he never paid. He probably pays a paltry share of the actual cost of educating his two kids.

Yeah, I see how those big, bad execs are getting such a free ride. Be careful what you wish for...if you overly tax the successful, you will merely drive them to be less successful or to be successful elsewhere. Then, who will pay the taxes?

[Jonathan Bastian]

Just caught a blurb on FOX news siteing that Obama is also cutting the Fed Death benifit in half. Funny how they only mentioned that it affects police.

the funding was at 110 mil now down to 60 mil ish. Don't know if that means that those who die in the line of duty only get half of what the payout use to be or what.

So, roughly 140 cops and 110 firefighters die per year. That's 250 deaths with a benefit near $315,000. That's $78.75 million in benefits. $32 million went to administrative costs?!?

[MarcusKspn]

The only question I have is this:

Why should I have to pay anything because a Firefighter somewhere dies?

Are we paying the family of a teacher who dies? Are we paying anything to the family of a construction worker who dies? Why should anyone pay taxes to pay one of our families for our death?

If we are that concerned about the family of a brother being able to go on with their lives and help them with expenses after the death of a loved one, then we should establish a charity and donate the money to support one another. I would have no problem with that at all, and I would give plenty to such a good cause.

But why does the single mom of 3 kids have to pay taxes to support my wife if I die?

[ScareCrow57]

75% of what taxpayer money goes for satisfies some special interests. If we all got that 75% we could support our own special interest. Those special interest that don't get enough money are more than likely not worth the cost.

We the people need to decide how our money is spent, not some government dingbat.

[Jonathan Bastian]

The only question I have is this:

Why should I have to pay anything because a Firefighter somewhere dies?

Are we paying the family of a teacher who dies? Are we paying anything to the family of a construction worker who dies? Why should anyone pay taxes to pay one of our families for our death?

The same reason you pay taxes used to pay farmers NOT to grow stuff; to pay cities to pave the roads that they should have been paving with their own money; to pay states to enforce their own traffic laws; to help local FDs buy air packs because local taxpayers are too cheap; and the list goes on and on! The federal government spends OUR money on a huge amount of projects, many of which probably shouldn't be a federal issue. That employees lots of federal government employees, which is good for DC, bad for the taxpayers.

But why does the single mom of 3 kids have to pay taxes to support my wife if I die?

I assure you, unless the single mom (or dad) is an A-list Hollywood star (or one of those big, bad executives scfire hates), she probably isn't paying one CENT in federal income taxes. In fact, with the "Earned Income Tax Credit," if she makes less than $15 or $20 an hour, she probably gets a tax rebate above and beyond anything that may have been witheld over the course of a tax year.