The Revolutionary War Began on Less Than 2% (Tax)

Hello friends, it is Sunday.  Today is the day that I blog on whatever happens to be on my mind.  That is actually what it says on my updated Blog Schedule.

I also just posted my weekly blog on TV Junction Function.  It was about Fox's new show Sleepy Hollow.  In my quest to find YouTube footage for that blog, I came across this short scene, which is one of my favorites thus far from this show.  I ABSOLUTELY HAD TO SHARE it with YOU.




Of course, you must understand that Ichabod Crane through crazy supernatural events awoke in present-day Sleepy Hollow (along with The Headless Horseman) and is frequently incensed over things like taxation that modern day Americans have come to accept as "necessary."  If we had more participants of the American Revolution alive and well today there WOULD be people flocking in the street.  I can't wait until he hears about our country's 16 trillion dollar debt and our President, Senate, and House of Representatives failing the people again and RAISING the debt ceiling.  That episode will rock the house.  Maybe just my house.  But, still.

I know that the Government Shutdown has been on many people's minds ever since it shut down.  So, I am going to give a bit of information on what I think and ask you what you think.  There were two issues that were on the table: defunding/delaying the Affordable Care Act and NOT raising the debt ceiling.

I am disappointed in ALL of our representatives for signing the ACA into law without reading it.  I am even more disgusted that after they got a handle on it they took a vote and exempted themselves from it.  Laws should NOT work that way.  You shouldn't be able to sign a bill into law for EVERYONE ELSE and then say, "But it's not good enough for us, so we are exempting ourselves."  That goes for any law... not just the ACA.  So, the time to duke it out over the ACA was BEFORE it was signed into law.  And shame on Nancy Pelosi for telling everyone "not to read it, just sign it."  These people are signing something into LAW FOR THE COUNTRY.  Of course they should read it.  Thoroughly.  It is a HUGE decision.  Instead, it was pushed through the Senate and Congress.  No one had time to read it.  Everyone who voted for it should be summarily thrown out. Democrats and Republicans.  They failed to do their job.

So, here we are now and people are getting wind of all the "kinks" in the ACA and not liking it.  So, the Republicans decided to show that they were supporting the wishes of their constituents and did battle now.  Well, folks that was too little, too late.  Every Republican who got on the soapbox knew it was a losing battle.  The Senate wasn't going to budge and allow for even a delay of the roll-out.  They made it clear that they were "not negotiating."  So why do it?  I have tons of my own ideas, but I am interested in yours.

Now, the debt ceiling.... does anyone, party aside, really think that raising the debt ceiling is a good idea???  When Bush was doing it, Obama said this on March 16, 2006 on the Senate floor:  “The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. government can’t pay its own bills. ... I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America’s debt limit.”  Well, okay.  I agree with you Senator.  Of course, now President Obama says that it is imperative to raise the debt ceiling so that we meet our financial obligations.

Let's step back and look at this money thing like it's a budget.  Even though Congress hasn't passed one in years.  Let's try to imagine.  To best do this, let's make it smaller and something to which everyone can relate.  Let's make it a budget for a household of four.  Let's say that there is $100,000.00 coming in annually after taxes.  Let's say that 25% of is spent on a mortgage payment.  ($25,000.00)  So, now we have $75,000.00 to spend.  Let's say that $20,000.00 of that is spent on car payments and insurance.  We are down to $55,000.00.  Let's say that $8,000.00 is spent on utility and cell phone bills annually.  Now, we are down $47,000.00.  Let's say that $11,000.00 is spent on grocery bills and eating out.  That makes it $36,000.00  $10,000.00 was spent on vacation(s).  That makes it $26,000.00.  The teenager turned 16 and needed a car.  The parents paid $7,000.00 for a used model.  That leaves $19,000.00.  With three cars and a teenage driver their insurance went up and that cost another $1,500 annually.  That leaves $17,500.00.  Entertainment for family, kids, and allowance comes to $6,000.00 annually.  That leaves $11,500.00.  Gas for all vehicles costs $7,500.00 annually.  That leaves $4,000.00.  And this couple has four credit cards that are maxed out.  Just to make the minimum payments on all four of them costs $12,000.00 annually... and that leaves no chance of paying them off.  That is merely covering the interest.  They are now $-6,000.00.  So, to solve this problem they have applied and will receive a new credit card which they will use to shift the balances around until they spend so much on it that it, too, hits the limit.

So, what did they put on the cards?  A new boat and the annual insurance, membership to the local country club, three golf courses (they love to golf), charitable gifts to the "best" and most "noteworthy" charities, new furniture, a spa for their house, and the list goes on.

Using the plan of just raising the debt ceiling to pay those bills is THE SAME as getting a fifth credit card.  This management plan by our government suggests that this is EXACTLY WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.  (And many people do.)  That fifth card raises the family's personal debt ceiling.  Our government tells us that this is the responsible way of handling your finances.  It is how the government handles theirs.  But, I ask you, does this seem like the responsible way of handling debt?  Or does your Bullshit Meter tell you that this family needs to cut back and find a way to live within their income AND get rid of some bills so that they can pay down those credit cards???  That means if their kids don't have the newest IPhone, IPad, and IPod the world isn't going to stop turning.

When you are on the verge of filing Bankruptcy (whether you choose to believe it or not), you get rid of everything extra.  Believe me, the taxes of the average citizen pay for a lot of Extra.  That doesn't mean tampering with people's social security or withholding help from people who really need it.  If you would like a small list of the garbage your taxes pay for (to the tune of wildly outrageous sums) you can look over this list my friend JJ, The Disconnected Writer, found and posted in a bit aptly titled "As Rome Burned" on his blog.

If you can justify continuing to spend money on that junk (and lots more like it) than I guess it's worth opening that new line of credit for 16 trillion plus dollars.  But, I just don't see it.  I think we can start to get rid of some of the idiocy and save future generations a lot of pain.

So, where do you stand on raising the debt ceiling and why??? And what about the ACA??? Bring it on.  This is your opportunity to tell me what you really think.