tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post7249291526722243867..comments2023-06-13T04:53:25.935-05:00Comments on On the left in Victoria: Taxing the WealthyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post-38575545422297552442013-01-08T16:29:30.917-06:002013-01-08T16:29:30.917-06:00Usually it's "one man's savings is an...Usually it's "one man's savings is another man's waste of opportunity."<br /><br />I have a difficult time convincing my republican friends that when interest rates are near zero it's time to borrow for infrastructure repair and they come back and tell the usually "we incur a $1 trillion a year in deficits as it is and you want us to borrow more."...I have to remind them we in the Great Depression when we spend all that money going to war....lol<br /><br />You'll really have to make adjustments when you become old enough for Medicare...:-)<br /><br />Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02668070524354374505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post-83093978758604048302013-01-08T14:44:30.021-06:002013-01-08T14:44:30.021-06:00I guess now you know why I'm in the saving-pen...I guess now you know why I'm in the saving-pennies-adds-up mode.<br />It's been quite an experience rethinking our whole lifestyle and making small adjustments, knowing in the longrun, it will all add up.<br />I know a Country doesn't run that way, but still, you gotta start somewhere.born2Bmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00089087764341576162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post-46655045995201968842013-01-08T14:40:26.911-06:002013-01-08T14:40:26.911-06:00I have no idea what my tax returns are going to be...I have no idea what my tax returns are going to be like this year, since my husband retired August 1st, and our pension check is about half of his former earnings.<br />Guess I'll just have to wait to see if it hurts, or helps.born2Bmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00089087764341576162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post-83331052886776346002013-01-08T14:30:42.567-06:002013-01-08T14:30:42.567-06:00WASHINGTON — Following the January tax law changes...WASHINGTON — Following the January tax law changes made by Congress under the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA), the Internal Revenue Service announced today it plans to open the 2013 filing season and begin processing individual income tax returns on Jan. 30.<br /><br />The IRS will begin accepting tax returns on that date after updating forms and completing programming and testing of its processing systems. This will reflect the bulk of the late tax law changes enacted Jan. 2. The announcement means that the vast majority of tax filers -- more than 120 million households -- should be able to start filing tax returns starting Jan 30.<br />Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02668070524354374505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post-71128173537812577812013-01-08T14:16:26.942-06:002013-01-08T14:16:26.942-06:00Congresspersons are actually working less these da...Congresspersons are actually working less these days;I think the house will only meet for 126 days this year.<br /><br />I understand what you are saying but in reality it doesn't usually work that way. These days it takes a millionaire to run(campaign costs) or they will be beholden to the lobbyist,so cutting off the perks won't change things ...IMO..Believe me,the tea party is not working for perks,committee chairs,or pork for their district;they have a single goal of reducing the size of government so it can be drowned in a bathtub. If it takes destroying our fragile economy;so be it.<br /> <br />I ask the same question;what contemplates serving the people since we are so diverse and polarized?...The legislators who want to shut down government unless they get some serious tax cuts are applauded for their action by their constituents. Over 100,000 Texas taxpayers want to leave the union.<br /><br />Yes the government has the largest union representation and as you know that's why they have good benefits and pensions. That's part II or IV of a continuing blog that asks " who says the public employees should not make more than the private sector?)...:-) Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02668070524354374505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post-28385572651778628082013-01-08T13:48:26.161-06:002013-01-08T13:48:26.161-06:00The funny part, and I don't mean HAHA, the gov...The funny part, and I don't mean HAHA, the government is the largest Union in the Country and they just refuse to put that label on it, in fear of being called a hypocrite.born2Bmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00089087764341576162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post-9772467335990783972013-01-08T13:46:50.355-06:002013-01-08T13:46:50.355-06:00Mike, I guess yes, it has to be fair. For what th...Mike, I guess yes, it has to be fair. For what they make, they can afford to pay for health insurance and save for their own retirement.<br />Lifelong payments for working so few years is not exactly a smart thing to do, nor would any company do that for it's employees.<br />Maybe without those perks, we'd actually get people in office that want to serve the people.<br />And, maybe an houly pay, or performance pay would be in order too. They work so few hours for what they get.born2Bmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00089087764341576162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post-79998926990793168632013-01-08T13:25:25.491-06:002013-01-08T13:25:25.491-06:00But it's only one party who is advocating shut...But it's only one party who is advocating shutting down the government. Should we punish both for the actions of one party? back in 19995 New Gingrich and the GOP shut down the government twice.<br /><br />We have 435 congressional districts and only 35 of them are competitive.<br /><br />I wonder how many people would vote against their own interest in Texas..Quite a few or Rick Perry would not have been elected all those times and neither would have all the crazy republicans our state keeps sending to Washington.<br /><br />Good questions.<br /><br />Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02668070524354374505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post-45004371502075518902013-01-08T13:03:42.782-06:002013-01-08T13:03:42.782-06:00I just wish we had a magic wand and could put them...I just wish we had a magic wand and could put them in our place for a few months. Should we be paying for their healthcare, pensions, travel expenses, etc., when they deny those things to the average American?<br />Delaying tax refunds won't hurt them a bit, so why should they care?<br />Maybe us little people should start one of those petitions to equal things out a bit.born2Bmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00089087764341576162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674561724432497133.post-81055093435588588292013-01-08T11:39:53.031-06:002013-01-08T11:39:53.031-06:00 A question for those of you expecting to get a re... A question for those of you expecting to get a refund within the next month or so and especially since the IRS has already said there will probably be a delay this year.<br /><br />Is this the time for the GOP to threaten to shut down the government unless they get the spending cuts they want?Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02668070524354374505noreply@blogger.com