Do you feel like your vote really counts?

[B_Alt33]

I have been on this board now back and forth and really it does not go anywhere. But I do have a question and was curious about a strategy.

Taxes I have often though about this. Every year I file my taxes just like the rest, not much fun but hey its America. But when I file my taxes I should also be able to allocate how those taxes are used. Why can't we have a simple matrix that when we file taxes we must then assign as a % the taxes accordingly. So I am in a 39% tax bracket taking that 39% I should have the right to split it up the way I feel it necessary. As long as I split up the 39%. Excluding Military, police, fire, state troopers that would be an automate flat % and in some respects education which could be say 10% just for shits.

So the balance or 29% would need to be split and to Welfare, Social Security, pet projects, worthless other government programs etc. Once all the returns are collected the government would then aggregate all the data and simply know much of the budget will go to each program. The ones that can not sustain themselves must be cut.

This would be true democracy not what this sudodemocracy that have now.

Term limits - 2 terms and your out can not try again for 2 terms
Cut Washington pay by half
Completely remove corporations ability to contribute to elections
Remove all of the lobbyist (that is a stretch)

 

[Gillette]

This would be true democracy not what this sudodemocracy that have now.

Sudodemocracy?
Pseudo

Always interesting to see education discussed by someone lacking any evidence of it.

Taxes I have often though about this.

No question that you must find thought taxing.

 

[midlifebear]

Gillette: You are a fine human being and a highly valued member of LPSG. Thank you.

So it's not for nothing that my screen displays:

Alt33
This message is hidden because Alt33 is on your ignore list.

 

[MercyfulFate]

Locally it matters. Nationally? No.

 

[B_VinylBoy]

It counts for something, obviously. At the same time I don't put too much value into it. It's just one out of millions, and depending on where you live the outcome of certain elections become way too obvious. Being that I've lived in Massachusetts and New York all my life, most elections come and go with everyone knowing what the outcome is going to be even before I get to the polls. With most presidential elections, it would have to be close to a miracle for the Democrat to not win those states. Local elections are not so cut & dry, but they usually go for the person who isn't as thoroughly batshit. Massachusetts has a reputation to go against the grain and vote for Republicans as well (like Scott Brown & William Weld). But even they start to demonstrate that they're not the usual, blind ideologue once they get into office.

Regardless, I still vote anyhow just to be part of something bigger than myself. Even if the contribution is small, it's still fun and exciting to participate.

 

[houtx48]

Of course my vote counts, just because it does not always go my way is not a reason not to be heard. Was this some kind of back handed way of getting people not to vote? I thought with the Bush tax code the top bracket was 35% on anything over 350k?

 

[B_Alt33]

from the stand point of taxes do you really feel that the money is being spent based on how you would spend or how some bureaucrat "thinks" it should be spent.

Gillette I only wish I could be as smart and intellectual as you.

 

[B_VinylBoy]

from the stand point of taxes do you really feel that the money is being spent based on how you would spend or how some bureaucrat "thinks" it should be spent.

From that standpoint, I already know that my taxes are being spent on both. It's contributed to things I like and others not so much. I understand that there are many different types of people with different points of views who need (or require) things that I, myself, may not need or want. That doesn't make them anymore irrelevant than the next. However, I do tend to believe that my tax dollars should be used more towards the people who need the help most, financially, physically and mentally.

I know if it was up to me, the mass majority of my funds would go to Education, Technology, the Environment and boosting the financial & social infrastructures of our poor neighborhoods. That may sound noble, however, in my desires to focus on one or a few areas others can be neglected. I elect people into office in hopes that they can somehow find a reasonable balance between the two since I know that I inherently wouldn't. That is not always analyzed through the narrow view of monetary funding. Help from our government should be administered based of off need and not just off of a person's wants.

I don't expect any any politician in Congress to see things exactly my way every single time. But I do want to see a real effort to try and meet the demands of everyone even if some groups decide to reject it.

 

[SilverTrain]

The United States is a democratic republic.

This is something I'm hoping children still learn in school.

Democracy

Republic

A relevant quote from the "Democracy" article:

"Representative democracy involves the selection of government officials by the people being represented. If the head of state is also democratically elected then it is called a democratic republic. The most common mechanisms involve election of the candidate with a majority or a plurality of the votes.

Representatives may be elected or become diplomatic representatives by a particular district (or constituency), or represent the entire electorate proportionally, with some systems using a combination of the two. Some representative democracies also incorporate elements of direct democracy, such as referendums. A characteristic of representative democracy is that while the representatives are elected by the people to act in their interest, they retain the freedom to exercise their own judgment as how best to do so."

[Emphasis added, Ed.]

 

[B_Alt33]

VB see I knew we could agree on something there Education. I would rather a majority of my taxes go to pay a large majority of the college tuition. I believe a well educated society would fix a lot of the current problems. But that is my question wouldn't you rather allocate your taxes to the technology, education and things you believe in rather than the government?

We may differ on individual allocations Education you may allocation 10% I allocate 10%, Health Reform you may allocate 10% but I decide on 5% and so on. At the end of the day those programs can only work with the monies that have been allocated. If they can not sustain themselves then unfortunately they are cut. Eventually this country would get down to a smaller number of programs that are fully funded and in part accepted by the tax payers.

This would also eliminate all the bickering in Washington and the gamesmanship that goes on trying to get on program funded more than another.

 

[Industrialsize]

I have been on this board now back and forth and really it does not go anywhere. But I do have a question and was curious about a strategy.

Taxes I have often though about this. Every year I file my taxes just like the rest, not much fun but hey its America. But when I file my taxes I should also be able to allocate how those taxes are used. Why can't we have a simple matrix that when we file taxes we must then assign as a % the taxes accordingly. So I am in a 39% tax bracket taking that 39% I should have the right to split it up the way I feel it necessary. As long as I split up the 39%. Excluding Military, police, fire, state troopers that would be an automate flat % and in some respects education which could be say 10% just for shits.

So the balance or 29% would need to be split and to Welfare, Social Security, pet projects, worthless other government programs etc. Once all the returns are collected the government would then aggregate all the data and simply know much of the budget will go to each program. The ones that can not sustain themselves must be cut.

This would be true democracy not what this sudodemocracy that have now.

Term limits - 2 terms and your out can not try again for 2 terms
Cut Washington pay by half
Completely remove corporations ability to contribute to elections
Remove all of the lobbyist (that is a stretch)

The top tax bracket in the country is 35%, not 39%. It seems like someone who is actually in the top tax bracket would know that.......jus' sayin'

 

[B_VinylBoy]

VB see I knew we could agree on something there Education. I would rather a majority of my taxes go to pay a large majority of the college tuition. I believe a well educated society would fix a lot of the current problems. But that is my question wouldn't you rather allocate your taxes to the technology, education and things you believe in rather than the government?

It has to be both. The education allows us to learn how to do it, and the funding for the technology comes into play from our government when that education leads to innovations that can help progress our country further. For instance, I'm a major supporter of high speed rail. Being that I live in New York and go back and forth between there and Boston frequently, I get to utilize it through the use of Amtrak and the Acela Train. It's much more accessible and easier to deal with than flying, and in many ways more comfortable and time effective. With some trains achieving speeds ranging anywhere from 120 mph up to the current record of 361 mph, its contribution to society worldwide is obvious:

1. Fewer cars on the road. That's better for the environment.
2. Faster commuting times for access to employment opportunities in other cities
3. More jobs created for the implementing of the high speed rail as well as its operation
4. Boosts on tourism. Which means more revenue for states to generate.

I could go on, but I think you see where this is going...

The current administration has been pushing for this for a while now. Several GOP members always want to say they can't afford it and always try to vote it down... alas, if we could end the wars overseas and cut down the excessive military spending, our government may be able to generate the right kind of money to fund such a program.

 

[B_Alt33]

But there needs to be a high enough demand for the technology. We can't just build railroads and invest billions if no one will use it. There has been very little technology driven from government funds. Facebook for example started in a college door and is now one of the most technology driven company around same with Google or Microsoft. Look at the expansion of tablet computers new technology not driven by government but demand in the market for the product.

The other issue is who decided who gets the government tech funds? I own a software company and I would love some government money free of charge. I tried and did not get a dime even though I employ over 14 people I get nothing. And we are a technology company. So there is a real issue when giving government control to distribute the funds. You and I know the only ones who get it are the large multinationals that support the campaigns.