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Non-Tech : Who Really Pays Taxes? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: kvkkc1 who wrote (405)	8/17/2000 5:58:42 PM
From: ztect	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 666

kvkkc1...suprise... I don't have a problem with eliminating Social Security and Medicare except for those truly in need, as they were originally intended. AGREE. Social Security was intended as insurance for those that needed it. SS is not an annuity or an entitlement. I pay home, car and health insurance, and hopefully don't need to use it. SS should be the same. Means test and possibly raise the retirement age. The fraud that is prevalent in Gov't contracting should be exposed. AGREE. Especially regarding companies that have committed fraud and continue to get contracts. Farm and corporate subsidies can go. AGREE especially those farm subsidies that go to large corporations. Also add mining companies, and insurance from the government to rebuild in flood plains and other areas of repeated natural destruction. The war on drugs is a failure AGREE, but doubt that we agree on the solution. I'm with George Will, William Buckley, Kurt Scmote (sp?) and others who believe you got to remove the profit incentive. This drug war is partly what has put a burden on the judicial system. Do you know what the case loads of Assistant DA's are, as well as the case loads of Public Defenders? Resources are squandered. Defense spending needs to be refocused. AGREE. Not an expert on this, so hope I don't sound too naive, but some of the inefficiencies seem to come from the competition between the different services for procurements. ALways seems strange to me when Congress authorizes money for weapon systems that the Pentagon doesn't want. Plus in reference to your question about some questionable programs- the B-1 quickly became obsolete, and the Osprey helicopter keeps crashing. Have read about a number of other defiencies like wiring in jets, but would have to do a little research and recall. HUD should be privatized. AGREE in principle. Housing recipients could receive vouchers like food stamps which they use to pay private landlords. Though such a system could be construed as welfare, it would put the government out of the housing business all together. Note, regarding previous comments concerning privatization of services, when a city or municipality uses a private company rather than employees on the payroll, the local government becomes the contractor rather than the employer. Tax dollars are still needed though to fulfill those contracts, but the private contractors are much better (typically) and efficient than the city workers, since that is their only business that they have to compete to get and fulfill contracts. (Using trash collection as just one example, if every one hired their own trash collectors and government wasn't the slightest bit involved, then what would happen to rates and what would happen if your neighbors who you don't know were negligent? Sounds inefficient and messy to me). Note though that whenever the government is in position as contractor, campaign finance reform is even more necessary since procurement should be based on the best services provided at the best prices rather than "pay to play", that is Mr K gave money to your campaign thus now Mr K expects to get city contracts for his company (this is how its works in Philadelphia). You also raised the bigger issue of what should be provided at the Federal, State, and Local levels, and who should have jurisdiction over raising and spending dollars on what . Part of this argument should go back and look at the reason for Federalism as a means to make up for the economic disparities betw. States. Part of this argument should also deal with the State subsidies given to private corporations because of states competing for "jobs"... Anyway, completely off topic...and I hope people don't take offense, but both Bush and Gore have daughters who are some serious babes. Keep them away from the slickster. LOL z btw. During the Reagan administration, the Senate was in Republican Control from the beginning of 1981 to the end of 1986. senate.gov Howard Baker and Bob Dole were Majority Leaders during these 97th, 98th and 99th Congresses... so lets properly recount the history.. senate.gov Interesting site by the way: senate.gov