Muscatine

Hi GH

Agreed basically, but to most of those 12-15 million getting those checks or not getting them any longer, they most likely don't have the hope of any jobs, or at least  any that compared to what they use to earn. So many without a family sustaining income even if employed, that the effort to give something to provide a roof and food might be viewed differently. I agree too that there are some who just gave up or are about to. I'm one of those unfortunate enough to know that feeling. I tried for several years to fight off my ailments and keep working until I got a helicopter ride to the operating room. Now 14 years later I couldn't find a job to save a life. The are many like me out there too and unless any of us actually walked a mile in another's shoes:::well we have to be careful how we put it I guess, especially since there are areas that still have some jobs outside particular skills. Why the rules have changed for search requirements is odd. I don't know about 400 a week. Right now::: I know that would be alot less than we need. Is that really what they get? We could make it on that I guess with buku adjustments and cutting back on meds, but gasoline gets to 500 or more a month not to mention rents, food, medicines, insurances, incidentals etc. all the while life keeps getting more expensive and the jobs are just futile for the most part:::I'd think that one should at least have to look for work. I'd say the "perpetual" potential is a bit of a stretch, but I can see how we get that impression at least.

I really think we need a national birth control plan. Just way too many babies in this world with no idea how to manage their needs and::: well I sound kinda judgemental there I guess. Sorry.

Lucy

Hi Mal

I- like most Americans just hate taxes. We get taxed to death in this nation. I read a breakdown not long ago, that we work to almost May to pay the taxes on everything. And, OH MY GOD the double and triple taxes finally served upon most our goods and services. But I do recall that was the point GHW Bush offered when he went back on his promise of "No New Taxes" Unlike some of our leaders, he realized wisely so, that our increasingly taxless structure, always does more harm in the long run than good. Then things get worse and those who finally get wise, start to rescind those cuts to strengthen the tax base::: and they suffer for it. All because it shouldn't have been offered in the first place, at least the way they have been structured the past decade.  Instead of being targeted to those who actually contributed to our economy, the American worker.

Even though I don't like that man, Clinton, he did preside over the longest recover we ever had. Unlike those tax cuts of the past admin. and the devastating results we have been facing for far too long now, Clinton took a republican congressional majority and did more economically than either of his predecessors. It took two wars, several major tax cuts for the richest ten percent, devastating deregulation of banking and trading industries, unending socialistic stimulus packages, and relentless job killing free trade deals to finally destroy our total economy. But taxes are bad when you don't have the money to pay them any longer. Agreed.

But for me, if there was ANY way to push gas prices to a fair price again, I think the whole economy would start to stand again in a quick way. Instead those rotten apples just keep unloading those BILLIONS $ and BILLIONS $ and just watch the rest of the basket rot. All the while they are buying up every alternative resource while our heads are turned. So sooner or later, if there comes a real reason that we have no choice but to go to alternatives, they will own those too. Capitalism's poster children for greed and our ultimate and total undoing.

Lucy

I guess I'm not going to get an answer to either of these questions.   It's understandable.   You can't answer them.
The idea that lowering taxes increases revenue is just a slogan repeated over and over again by the selfish who don't want to contribute their fair share to maintain a civilized society. 

When it's believed by enough, and acted upon, it serves the purpose of starving government so it can't provide services and enforce regulations.   That's what the people who currently call themselves conservatives want, an unregulated business ennvironment and don't help those who can't help themselves.   They forget that other things suffer too, like roads, schools, parks, clean air, clean water, police and fire protection, etc.   Or maybe they just don't care.

If I've asked the wrong guy, please anybody chime in.