Posted on 12/16/2007 5:00:37 AM PST by Alas Babylon!
Could you at least consider the idea that the government is selling space on the highway signs? The buyer of that space does it voluntarily. Not every single business near the exit ramp chooses to purchase the advertising space, so it is a buy/sell transaction, not a take tax transaction.
No, the businesses are paying that tax. If those businesses were paying that same amount of money to a private concern, it would be a bill, a fee, a charge, a price -- anything BUT a tax. Get it????? By the way, when a government creates a monopoly for itself by outlawing competition, for good reasons or bad, then "choice" takes on an entirely different meaning and in any case, is irrelevant: the topic is TAX, and if it's being charged by and paid to the government, it is a TAX, choice aside. You can choose not to have a driver's license -- it doesn't alter the fact that the "fees" the DMV charges for the license are a form of taxation. Choice is irrelevant; the charger and recipient of the money is what matter in this discussion.
My guess is that you are and have always been employed by someone else, never actually run or operated your own business or been self-employed so that you had to set your own rates with regard to the marketplace. If you had or did, you'd understand that consumers are who foot the bill for what businesses pay in the way of fees or taxes. So yes, the consumers who patronize that business indirectly pay the business's bills AND taxes. Choice or not -- if the dollar amount is going to the government, it's a tax and it's still paid by individuals like you and me.
The bottom line that goes over your head: money charged by and for a government entity is a TAX, not matter how you slice it. Anyone can whitewash it by calling it a "fee," but becuase it is charged by the government to fund the government, it is a TAX. Romney has nothing to do with it except that this time, he happens to be the politician trying to pretend that government-created monopolies charge "fees," not taxes, and you're sucker enough to buy it. It's not about Romney, it's about suckers like you, dear.
Your only recourse is to attribute to "hate" Clint and my objection to Romney's penchant for whitewashing government taxation as "fees." Very weak thinking on your part.
I've read the exact same on Democratic Underground many times.
"The government owns your money via the treasury."
"The government owns the national parks via the US Dept of the Interior."
This is liberal thinking and the beginning of tyranny. Why post to a future ZOT?
Here's the deal: the government through force of law has prohibited other free-market venues; when it comes to money paid to the government in order to obtain something, no matter whether it's a building fee or a driver's license or a boat registration, it's still a government monopoly and the prices it charges are a form of taxation.
In this particular example of highway signage, the government has skewed the free market by prohibiting private billboards, big towering pole signs, etc. The McDonalds and Arby's and mom-and-pop restaurants on the sides of interstate highways used to make their own signs and they worked great (until nanny staters decided they were just too ugly!!! and used the law to step in and screw up the private marketplace); those businesses would probably NEVER opt for space on highway sign over a private billboard of their own -- but the government has outlawed all options other than not advertising at all. Granted, that is a choice, but a losing choice -- so these businesses are in affect forced to engage in what you call a buy/sell transaction, but which is really a form taxation because the money is charged by and paid to a government entity.
***— it’s an easy mistake to make, and I sympathize.***
%%%%%
LOL!
We will have to agree to disagree. You have your definition of ‘tax’ and I have mine.
“good answer. money talks with the Suits.’
That’s right you can’t send ‘em all to jail but taking out the money hurts share holders.
“FOX continues to prove why it is considered so vapid with its interview of baseball’s George Mitchell “
Fox News just loves legal crap. Look at all the lawyers on staff.
Yes, and your definition of “tax” is incomplete in order to favor Romney’s sweet-talking bull. :^)
Thanks for the thoughtful comments, rod. We really are nearing a point of no return where the American people will have to decide if they intend and are willing to do what is necessary to reassert control over their own nation. These are perilous times, indeed...
Don’t forget I promised to buy you a good lunch or dinner sometime when you’re up Myrtle Beach or Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach way. It won’t match what snugs tantalizes us with each week, of course... /grin
“The problem is that Miami became Havana.”
Sad, isn’t it. Bleeds all the way down to at least Islamorada. Cold up here on Charlotte Harbor. Even the mullet have vanished.
Hi Bah ... just reading through what I missed yesterday.
When I read this, I thought I remembered that she had had
twins a couple of years ago ... found this, FYI:
http://www.pollingcompany.com/viewPage.asp?pid=30
Kellyanne (formerly “Fitzpatrick”) is a native of South Jersey. She is married to George T. Conway III. They reside in New York City with their toddler twins, George Anthony and Claudia Marie.
How nice, STARWISE. I know the wonder of having twins.
I think her twins are about to get a new brother or sister.
Oh great ... that didn’t come up.
Are you the Momma of twins ??? ;)
Yes :)
Fabulous ... I bet it’s been
an interesting adventure .. ;)
Identical?
They are fraternal. They are just amazing. Have been that way from the beginning. I could not believe my good fortune.
Still can’t.
That’s wonderful, Bah .. it is a true
blessing from god. How old are they?
They are now 28 (can that be true?).
Their sister, who is 11 months older, just got engaged. She will have wonderful looking bride’s maids. They are all gorgeous. They look like their grandmothers.
Thank you Miss Didi,
I could not remember the newspaper and I believe Democrats will use this should Huckabee win the nomination.
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