Words from the SoapBox

Most people just want to do their taxes and get it over with! So much so that, we never pause to learn why $20 went here or there. But, it’s your money and you worked hard for it. You should know what you’re spending it on. You might be pleasantly surprised. You also might be offended. Either way, you should educate yourself.

Unemployment
We all understand that some of our hard earned dollars go to those who aren’t earning any dollars at all. Regardless of your political opinion on the matter, a fact that individuals of any political party typically aren’t aware of is that, the percentage removed from your income each year in the form of taxes for unemployment varies with that unemployment rate! So, as you can imagine, they’ve raised in these past few years.

Prisons
Not only is the job of a cop a dangerous one, it’s actually low paying. And possibly getting lower. Here’s a sad fact: a predication has been made that, not long from now, taxes will be funding more prison’s than the salaries of the police force! My friend’s husband is a cop and, his salary keeps dropping so low, my friend is having to teach extra and extra singing lessons! She’s sort of shocked by it because every always told her becoming a voice coach was a bad move financially, since those in the field of art and theater tend to struggle to make ends meet. Yet here she is, bringing home the bread by teaching kids how to sing. And then you have her husband who is struggling financially, yet puts his life in danger daily.

Government Loans
How do you like that? You pay for interest. That’s right, for money nobody even gets to use. But, the government has to borrow money to solve its problems, right? Well, maybe. But that’s a political discussion.

Tax Collectors
This fact will just make you wish you could drop your tax payment right off in the White House’s mailbox! Some of that money you cough up goes towards collecting that exact same money. These poor professionals are already so unpopular just because of what their job entails. Combine that with the fact that you’re funding their paycheck.

Preparing Taxes
This is not something your actual tax dollars go towards, but it’s just a fun (our foul) fact. Americans spend $27.7 billion a year just getting their taxes ready. The stress of being audited makes us shell out quite a bit.

Retired Military
You know you’re funding the war in Iraq. But did you also know you’re funding the life of any living soldier who ever served in any war for the U.S. Yup. Included in that 54% of your taxes that go to military, some of them are past military.

Jia Kang, director of the Institute of Fiscal Science, yesterday in the “Sixth China Real Estate Industry Analysis and Forecast for Summit,” said real estate regulation and control in recent months has reached a new deal “to curb housing prices in some cities” results, it can not withdraw troops, the follow-up should be action to promote institutional development.

Long-term real estate regulatory framework is the “two-rail co-ordination” of the system construction, to make full use of tax that control means, in particular, to maintain links in the housing tax. Jia Kang said that regulation should be the real estate market and the protection of rail-track “two-rail co-ordination” framework, protection of rail, the Government should pay attention to at least three points: first the government must manage the planning, housing land supply should have a reasonable top-level planning; second, to control water shed, we should first hold up the effective supply of low-cost housing in low-rent housing on top of the sandwich layer should also provide for the effective supply of public rental; Third, management guidance, as guidance private capital and the government’s plans are agreed to form a cohesive force to the development and construction. Track in the market, the Government must not only control the planning, management rules, the most important thing is to control taxes. He believes that the regulation of tax revenue can not be ignored.

Management tried to trade links with the means to affect the tax regulation of real estate so running is not enough to control taxes, but also to maintain links in the collection. He believes that prominent problem is that the system is now missing, that link does not maintain a decent tax system. Real estate tax is to increase the positive effect of housing market demand in medium weight, reduce housing vacancy rate, to promote real estate speculation and investment in restraint. Although the real estate tax rates will not change the first-tier cities in the next few decades rising trend, but it will promote the healthy development of the real estate industry is relatively stable, reducing the bubble, the distribution of income.

The current property tax levy for all aspects of understanding is very unified, highly controversial, decision makers must be cautious, and Shanghai, Chongqing is willing to pilot, the pilot program must be gradual, starting with easier operation, such as increment from start with the most high-end, and in this should be preceded by Nu Li conveyed the message out to society, should Ji family members to eat low-income assurance, let them know that they push this Gaige right has no effect on Housing All. In addition, middle-income people have to spread the message of this reform Government will definitely consider the first set of housing Bufu Gai, Er on how Diao Jie Gao Duan, some are very Rou Xing, Jian Jin’s.

In the long term, property tax is the trend, if the second half of Chongqing, Shanghai, or some move to the performance of house prices there would be a callback, but not very deep, long look at gradually higher prices or trends, investment opportunities still exists, but some good lots Beijing real estate like no matter how much stimulation is not a callback.

The price for the current hot issue, but the market price on the transaction price tracks the average price of a statistical result, with the live rail security has been home to the underpinning of the two levels of independent members of society, if the Government can guarantee the supply rail to provide them, how kind of price changes, the Government should not interfere too much. Therefore, no price discussions on the issue of housing supply. To this end, he suggested that the departments concerned for a period in the newspaper, while prices of the period of protection should be reported to the specific circumstances of the supply room; In addition, transactions can try to lower high school filed by commercial houses, and then determine the specific price.

Author Bio: I am a professional editor from China Suppliers, and my work is to promote a free online trade platform. http://www.frbiz.com/ contain a great deal of information about yourself basement waterproofing,house air fresheners,reed diffuser oil, welcome to visit!

I would like to bring issue with one of the more overlooked aspects of the ‘drug war’, particularly in regards to marijuana prohibition. This is the unnecessary and out right debilitating effect it has on the resources of law enforcement and your hard earned tax dollars. Cannabis Prohibition accounts of 5.54% of all arrests in the United States. The U.S. Government spends $10.7 annually in criminal justice expenses on marijuana prohibition alone.

In 1999, a study showed that 60,000 people were behind bars for a marijuana crime, costing taxpayers an estimated $1.2 billion. In 2002, at least 8,400 state prison inmates served time simply for marijuana possession. Thus, the U.S. Government spends approximately $11.9 billion annually to fight marijuana use. Let us not forget that this is our tax money at work here. This is an outrage and it is the rational citizens duty to fight it. This money could be used even out side of law enforcement if that is what us taxpayers wanted. Education, health care, ad infinitum.

Is there not a more appropriate way to channel this money through law enforcement; perhaps fighting real crime? The vast majority of marijuana related crimes are victimless crimes in which no one is hurt or suffers any damages. Those crimes that do involve violence or theft may largely be due to prohibition itself. If marijuana were regulated prices would fall far below street value and likely eliminate the violence associated with the criminal marketplace.

This money, our money, should be funneled into more important law enforcement initiatives. Those of which actually protect us from something. For example this money could go towards resources to better protect ourselves from violent criminals, theft, and other criminal acts where innocent people are victimized.

Police officers often times masquerade as civilians or “dope heads” in order to arrest marijuana users. Rather than going under cover to bust College students, which in some cases costs the student financial aid and student loans; or the elderly person down the street who uses it to relieve her arthritis pain; or the worker who uses it to unwind after a long day of physically demanding or mentally tedious labor in the same way millions of people use alcohol; or perhaps the cancer patient who finds the side effects of prescribed medication too harsh…

…why not have the officer dress in an expensive suit and ‘weed out’ would-be bribe takers and other white-collar crime and corruption in big business and politicians. Those crimes which are really screwing us.

Next time a medical marijuana, decriminalization, or legalization bill is proposed in your state, get active! Contact your representatives and tell them how you feel. They will listen – especially if you are not the only one voicing your concern. So share this with your friends and family. Remember marijuana law reform is not just going to benefit those people who use it, it will benefit everyone! We are all paying for this nonsense, let us say NO to marijuana prohibition.

Author Bio: Fore more cannabis info see: cannabutter, cooking with cannabis, and marijuana tincture.

Cider with high alcohol content can be bought in supermarkets extremely cheaply and it has become the drink of choice with young adolescents. It is commonly referred to as white cider and can be purchased in large 2 or 3 litre bottles for very little money indeed.

Binge drinking among young adults in the UK is truly a problem, a health hazard for those involved and fore sure a tax burden waiting to happen in later years so far as the health service is concerned if this culture continues. There still a significant cost to the health service dealing with the adverse effects of smoking and with obesity and alcohol abuse on the rise, from a cost perspective these are bound to take over where smoking left off. Add the fact that it’s young kids (14 and 15 year olds) abusing white cider and not only is it a cost problem tomorrow for our health service, it is also a problem today with anti-social behaviour.

I like to think that I drink responsibly, some would argue that I like my white wine a little too much but everyone has to have a vice don’t they? Weekends of course are the worst (or should that be best) when many of my friend congregate for a pre-dinner drinks in our village pub and when it comes to Summertime, there’s nothing better than a super chilled pint of dry cider. In fact it the weekend ritual starts a lot earlier than tea time.

Saturday morning I’ll search the internet for some easy barbecue recipes and then nip out to buy any ingredients that I’m short of. Next I prepare one of the great barbecue marinades that I love (thinking about it, many of these involve cider too!) and then sit back and relax. Before heading over the road for my pint of cider, I light the barbecue charcoal safe in the knowledge that when I return in an hour, the charcoal will be absolutely perfect for the evenings grill.

So whilst I’m all for taking preventative measures to reduce binge drinking and to deter youths from getting drunk on high strength white cider, is it fair that the likes of you and me that drink responsibly should have to carry the financial burden?

In the UK at the moment there’s a groundswell amongst folks like me to make a protest to the government and I have to say that I was tempted to join in. What form is this protest going to take I hear you ask. A petition to number 11 Downing Street maybe? Surely there isn’t enough anger and support to arrange a demonstration at the centre of the government in Whitehall? Well you’re right on that score.

The protest will be for everyone who wants to show their support should buy a copy of “I am a cider drinker” by The Wurzels and try and knock Lady Gaga off the number one spot in the UK pop charts! Well you have to laugh but will it have any effect?

For sure it’s not going to make Alistair Darling make a U-turn and similarly we’re all going to get punished whether we are cider drinkers or not by hearing this West Country ditty for the next few weeks. It’s enough to drive a man to drink!

Author Bio: Paul Yates writes Easy Barbecue Recipes. All the best BBQ tips and information together with recipes for grilling, smoking and hotplate cooking. Some super barbecue marinades too!

Sometimes asking a friend to help with tax debt can be the best tax help situation for you in the long run. (more…)

I went to Vegas, won a bunch of money, and then discovered that my gambling debt also involved tax payment. Fortunately my tax attorneys were able to help. (more…)

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Interesting tid bit of information.

Your Social Security

Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (& some older ones) didn’t know this. It’s easy to check out, if you don’t believe it.  Be sure and show it to your kids. They need a little history lesson on what’s what and it doesn’t matter whether you are Democrat or Republican. Facts are Facts!!!

Social Security Cards up until the 1980s expressly stated the number and card were not to be used for identification purposes. Since nearly everyone in the United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the message was removed.

An old Social Security card with the “NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION” message.

Our Social Security

Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised:

1.) That participation in the Program would be completely voluntary, no longer Voluntary!

2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into the Program, now 7.65% on the first $90,000.

3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year, no longer tax deductible.

4.) That the money the participants put into the independent ‘Trust Fund’ rather than into the general operating fund, and therefore, would only be used to fund the Social Security
Retirement Program, and no other Government program, and, under Johnson the money was moved to the General Fund and Spent.

5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income. Under Clinton & Gore up to 85% of your Social Security can be Taxed.

Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month — and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the Federal government to ‘put away’ — you may be interested in the following:

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ———

Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the independent ‘Trust Fund’ and put it into the general fund so that Congress could spend it?

A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the democratically controlled House and Senate.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ———

Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?

A: The Democratic Party.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ———

Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities?

A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the ‘tie-breaking’ deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ———

Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?

AND MY FAVORITE:

A: That’s right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!

———— — ———— ——— —– ———— ———

Then, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!

And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it!

If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe changes will evolve. Maybe not, some Democrats are awfully sure of what isn’t so.

But it’s worth a try. How many people can YOU send this to?

Actions speak louder than bumper stickers.

AND CONGRESS GIVES THEMSELVES 100% RETIREMENT FOR ONLY SERVING ONE TERM!!!