I think I am going to throw up.

[darthtang aw]

There is a corporation here in the U.S. that made 26 billion in American Profits the last 5 years.Their Taxes paid on 26 billion? The Irs paid them a little over 4 billion dollars. On 26 billion in profits NO TAXES WERE PAID!
Can you name this corproration?

 

[2quills]

G.E. (generally exempt)...oh, I mean general electric.

 

[reefraff]

I own a bunch of GE stock. A no brainer considering Obama's buddy buddy relationship with the CEO and his green agenda.

 

[spanko]

socialism is for the people not the socialist.
Corporatism and cronyism in politics results in these types of favors. You can bet Jeff is also giving large contributions to the reelection of Mr. Obama.

 

[darthtang aw]

Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///forum/thread/384770/i-think-i-am-going-to-throw-up#post_3372005
socialism is for the people not the socialist.
Corporatism and cronyism in politics results in these types of favors. You can bet Jeff is also giving large contributions to the reelection of Mr. Obama.
The already gave Rangle (oops I meant New York schools) millions. coincidentally after rangle changed his mind as head of the means and ways committee on closing the major loophole that allows this corporation and a few others to avoid paying taxes.

 

[spanko]

I wish everyone if the gubment would just quit f'ing around and institute a flat tax period.

 

[darthtang aw]

If we did that you would see a rise in unemployment....roughly about 3%.

 

[spanko]

Why do you say this?

 

[darthtang aw]

Why do you say this?

Many accountants and lobbyists would be out of a job.....ge employs over 300 people in the tax/lobying department alone.......their sole job is to set up and maintain situations as I have stated for their corporations taxes. Flat tax would eliminatethe need of the company to maintain that many jobs in this sector. Not that I care...just saying.
I think the federal budget savings outweigh the unemployment increase.
Darth (callous) Tang

 

[spanko]

I am for the accountants and lobbyists our of a job immediately and the market creating "real" jobs for them later. In your example the 3% rise would be a short lived thing IMO, and probably the country better off without the "need" for lobbyists.

 

[reefraff]

I don't know if getting ride of lobbyists is a good idea or not. They buy government officials a lot of trips. At least why they are off vacationing we know they can't stick it to us any further.

 

[darthtang aw]

Lobbyists are a designed part of our governmental system...removing lobbyists completely would be like removing you freedom of speech or to vote. Lo byists do the same thing we do...the petition their government officials. We are no different when we write our congressman then donate to his campain if they vote the way we like.
Lobbyists aren't the problem. That would be like saying voters are the reason congress is corrupt.

 

[spanko]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darthtang AW http:///forum/thread/384770/i-think-i-am-going-to-throw-up#post_3372875
Lobbyists are a designed part of our governmental system...removing lobbyists completely would be like removing you freedom of speech or to vote. Lo byists do the same thing we do...the petition their government officials. We are no different when we write our congressman then donate to his campain if they vote the way we like.
Lobbyists aren't the problem. That would be like saying voters are the reason congress is corrupt.
Except that lobbyists have mucho dinero to "influance" our elected officials to do things that they want done which can be the opposite of what we want done.

 

[slice]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darthtang AW http:///forum/thread/384770/i-think-i-am-going-to-throw-up#post_3372875
Lobbyists are a designed part of our governmental system...No, Lobbyist are a consequence of our governmental system. removing lobbyists completely would be like removing you freedom of speech or to vote. More like removing collective bargaining for selected groups Lo byists do the same thing we do...the petition their government officials. We are no different when we write our congressman then donate to his campain if they vote the way we like. This should be the only difference, but...
Lobbyists aren't the problem. That would be like saying voters are the reason congress is corrupt. Who voted corrupt politicians into power then re-elected them?
**Sidebar**
How did the term "Lobbyist" start? Petitioners knew that US Grant would go across the street to the Willard Hotel to have a few drinks in the evening, so they would wait in the hotel's lobby until Grant got so snookered they could talk him into whatever they asked for. Hence the term "Lobbyist".
[/sidebar]
One way to deflect a lot of this tripe would be to repeal the 17th amendment, the biggest power-grab of the Federals in history.

 

[darthtang aw]

Except that lobbyists have mucho dinero to "influance" our elected officials to do things that they want done which can be the opposite of what we want done. 
 
Is it the fault of the lobbyist or the fault of the congressman. Again the lobbyist is after the congressman to push through or support their ideals...no different than us. No different. Take the monetary issue out of the equation and lobbyist do for their company what we do for ourselves.

 

[spanko]

Can't take the money issue out, it is there. And the lobbyist does it on the behest of the .....company (read especially GE here).......or agenda group(read PETA...NAACP....Christian Conservatives here) or whatever companyagenda group you want to add, to gain a heads up on us.
I agree about the lobbyist or the congressman though, if we had people with some morals in office the lobbyist for the most part would go the way of the T-Rex. Corporatism is reigning supreme, capitalism and the constitution are all but dead.

 

[darthtang aw]

The 17th amendment would not change this. No taxation without representation. The catalyst for our country. Since corporate entities are taxed in an d of themselves they have the RIGHT to lobby for themselves or higher lobbyists to represent themselves before the congress. Is it wrong for you to higher someone to petition and contact your congressman for you on your behalf as well as make donations? This is essentially what lobbyists are.
Stop and think about it. Who was the first person you ever heard state how bad or evil lobbyists are. In most cases people hear this from politicians. Why do you think that is?

 

[spanko]

The 17th did help to change this for the worse. We do have taxation all the time without representation. Is it right for the Fed to tax you and I and to send those dollars to other states to help with projects - education etc. etc. in other states? I believe these things should all happen on a state level, not at the federal. Again then at least you have the choice to get away from what you don't like.

 

[darthtang aw]

The 17th did help to change this for the worse. We do have taxation all the time without representation. Is it right for the Fed to tax you and I and to send those dollars to other states to help with projects - education etc. etc. in other states? I believe these things should all happen on a state level, not at the federal. Again then at least you have the choice to get away from what you don't like.
And your telling me you can't contact your congressman about it?

 

[darthtang aw]

Again I ask.......who first stated the lobbyists were bad. Who first stated a congressman was in the lobbyists pocket...was it a congressman? Hell obama used this same schtick...and he is also in the pocket of lobbyists...not the same as before....but lobbyists none the less. All congressmen are in lobbyists pockets. As there are lobbyists for everything. Proabortion lobbyists or anti abortion lobbyists...either way the congressman deals with one of these lobbyists. Again...lobbyists are not the issue...this is the system. When you or I contact or donate a congressman we become lobbyists.
The issue is not lobbyi g...the issue is stupid laws and policies made by congressman. You are falling for the shell game. If a congressman does n ot listen to lobbying groups I don't want him in office. Many of these lobbying groups further my interests as well as yours.