Posted on 02/28/2009 7:49:58 AM PST by Publius
In that thread (Chapter 1), go straight to Post #9. One of our book club members hit it on the first try.
Whoa! President Reagan was not elected after being foisted off on the American people by the mainstream media. There is hardly any resemblance between Obama and Reagan.
For starters, FReshman US Senator vs. two terms as Governor of California? No comparison. Obama is not ready for prime time; he knows it, and he knows we know it. Reagan was ready for prime time, and he showed it every day.
I’m not saying he was always correct, but he always had the best interests of the US uppermost in his mind. Obama doesn’t.
Obama is a great speaker and politician, but he is, in reality, a Marxist copycat who is following the LIEberal/Socialist/Marxist playbook page by page.
The mainstream media DID foist him off on us, because they are of a like mind. Witness all the hard questions Obama was asked and the pass the media gave Joe Biden on his almost daily verbal gaffes!
HST, enough voters bought his story to get him elected — well, that and the “voting irregularities” we don’t hear about, again thanks to the mainstream media.
I agree with you: Democrats will over-reach and spend themselves out of office; 2010 strikes me as a good time to eject them and elect a solid conservative Congress.
Obama reminds me of many things, but a new car is not one of them. It may be an apt analogy, but I’m not as charitable as you are.
There is another reason why politicians and show-biz people congregate. Congressman Charlie Rose of North Carolina once said, “Politics is show business for ugly people.” They are all in the same business.
Agreed.
I have friends in the business, so I am aware of how that operates (both corporate and leased). I think that the protagonists could be expected to own the efficient means and keep them operational, especially if they are in a corporate pool
You could use the old standard...And this is your business because:
Good one. Another response that I've heard is-
'Socialization? that's not a problem. Every morning before homeschooling I take them into the bathroom, beat them up and steal their lunch money.'
I stated things badly.
What I meant is that Republicans need to avoid blaming MSM for Obama.
MSM is a convenient scapegoat and allows Republicans to ignore their own egregious behavior.
The only comparison I’m trying to make when it comes to Ronald Reagan is that he managed to get elected in spite of MSM opposition.
I can think of several new cars that looked good on the lot, but turned out to be horrible cars. For instance, pretty much any 1970’s MG Midget. The TR-7. Or, the Cadillac Cimarron.
Sorry, got off on a tangent.
Anyway, I just don’t know how this is going to be fixed. I do believe Atlas Shrugged foretold the end result of business getting in bed with government. The only way I see business and government being split is a complete change in the tax code.
All, and I mean, all tax breaks for business need to be eliminated. However, once that’s done, the cap gains needs to be reduced considerably. Along with corporate taxes being reduced a lot.
Then, tort reform needs to be enacted. Loser pays needs to be instituted.
Right now, I’m concerned that we’re headed for a French style revolution. The seeds have been sewn, because our elected leaders are completely out of touch with the common man.
I just don’t see much difference between “Let them eat cake” and “they don’t care about these porky little amendments.”
BTTT
This is also one of my fears. I don't think that those who call for a revolution of this type have studied history. That action is only a last, desperate resort. There are many other ways to influence those in power. In my opinion we must 'Starve the Beast'. Atlas Shrugged is Rands take on how this may play out but it is not the only possibility. Trying to avoid any spoilers, I'd suggest looking up 'shrugging' and also 'gulching' on the 'net.
=^..^=
I think you are absolutely right. Maybe if “shrugging” on a small scale has an effect, it won’t have to happen on a large scale. For example, Rush was talking the other day about New York and how 40,000 people pay the majority of the taxes that run the city for everyone else. And if even half of those 40,000 decide they’ve had enough of carrying that load, (while all the while being vilified for being greedy, rich fat-cats) and move away, it will have a major impact.
Your tagline makes me wonder - is anyone on this thread actively “shrugging” or planning to do so, and if so, in what way?
...is anyone on this thread actively shrugging or planning to do so...
Shrugging will mean different things to different people, depending on their circumstances. Rand, I believe, would agree that her depiction of shrugging is not possible in the real world. She used her writing as a way to teach us about Objectivism. Atlas Shrugged is fiction and should not be taken as an instruction book. The ideas presented are perfectly valid though each individual will need to adapt them to their individual situation.
I am shrugging and know of others who are doing it as well. The main focus is to reduce the amount of taxable income that you need in order to live your desired lifestyle. Be aware that just about anything that you do has tax consequences that are detrimental to you. Some people confuse shrugging with shirking or slacking. There is nothing easy about shrugging, if anything it is more work. It requires that with anything you do, you first ask yourself who benefits. If the answer is not satisfactory, reexamine the need to spend your life doing it. Repeat.
A few practical suggestions would be...
Learn where every dollar you pay in taxes goes. Understand that it is _your_ money before it becomes theirs.
Consider that every dollar that you spend is actually costing you about $1.40 of your life. Time is money and unfortunately our time on earth is limited. Is that purchase really necessary?
Take control of your income. Consult a tax expert. Setting up a small business is a great way to reduce your taxable income. Specialize in something that you enjoy doing. You don't need to quit a current job to do this, in fact,you can transfer some of your earnings to your own business thereby reducing your taxes.
This brings us to understanding the difference between tax evasion and tax avoidance. The first one is illegal the second is completely legal. I don't recommend breaking the law, that's not what shrugging is about.
I could go on but I won't. Keep in mind that your life belongs to you, not someone who claims to own it.
“Have you ever held a job, usually in a union shop, where quality was discouraged because it showed everyone else up? “
Years ago, my wife asked a bunch of us rednecks to install a bathroom in her classroom, so the wheelchair kids could be attended to.
Boy, did the union put a stop to that.
Excellent point - we read AS and reoild in horror, the other side loudly proclaims, “Aha! The instruction manual!”
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