Joe the Boater

Four Suns said:
The government did a fine job with Social Security... Can't wait to see how they handle health care.
Click to expand...

I take Vets (patients) to the VA hospital. The Government is already in the health care business and they do a miserable job, just ask a Veteran. If the politicians cared about our nation's heros they would close the VA's and give the same health care benefits to them that they receive for their "part-time" job in Washington.
 
I am a little down on the US right now.. Both of my parents were imigrants that grew up poor and came to this country in the 50’s. I was raised with a very blue collar work ethic. I got my first job at 13, 1 day after I left the 8th grade. (cleaning cages for a Vet) I worked 7 days a week over the summer and then worked 2 jobs while going to college full time. I have never paid a penny in interest on credit cards. I have only borrowed money to finance a new car or my house, all of which I could afford. I have done well over the years. My house is just about paid off after 16 years and I paid cash for my boat.

However, it seems that there are large portions of the US population that have totally buried themselves with debt and purchased things that they could never hope to pay for and now the rest of us have to pay to bail them out. The US economy/business model has adjusted to meet these inflated consumer demands and now the whole thing is falling apart.

There is a huge mall that is being built next to Giants Stadium in meadowlands. It was suppose to open this fall. It has an indoor ski slope. It was reported as being the largest construction job in NJ last year. I don’t know what bank financed that monstrosity, but this thing is going to turn into the largest vacant mall in the Northeast. I bet it will be years before they fill ½ with new tenants.
 
Not entirely true. the US economy business model was FORCED to lend money to unqualified people in the name of equality by the democrates. That is why we are in the mess we are in.
 
Times and attitudes have sure changed. I remember my grandmother at family get togethers. The first thing out of her mouth wasn't how are you and what you been doing, it was "are you working?"
 
The next word was "Are you saving your money?"

and Gary, they are no longer called tennis shoes. They are called Jordans.
 
TurtleTone said:
The next word was "Are you saving your money?"

and Gary, they are no longer called tennis shoes. They are called Jordans.
Click to expand...
My granny could have straightened out DC. Bop some guys on the head with a pot, tell them "you can't just sit around, now get out there and do something or you won't get any supper". She was a great motivator.
 
I cannot complain about this country and I am not down on it. As a matter of fact I am extremely grateful to this country and its people.

What is happening right now was long, long overdue and anyone who followed how "wealth generation" worked in this country knew it was going to happen. I came here 20 years ago with $12000 and that was all I had ... became a US citizen in 1999 and my family is doing very well these day, of course also due to serious common sense and non-exhuberant behavior and financial responsibility on our part.

This country has been the best thing for me that has ever happened. I would not be anywhere close to where I am now were it not for the US, its economy, its wealth and its people.
 
They already found Joe the Boater before they found Joe the Plumber. Joe the Boater is Joe Six Pack.
 
Wow. What a thread. A few comments;

1) The question that was raised by Joe the Plumber was legitimate. I actually thought it was addressed well by Obama during the debate.

2) The question, however, was also a setup. A hypothetical question raised by an individual portraying himself as something he was not. Which is why the press is stomping all over it. Is this any different than the crazy smack raised regarding S-chip families last year?

3) Personally, I am totally bored by how the media is handling Joe-the-plumber. OK. . .the original question was not legit. Big deal. Hopefully, Obama and Biden will move off of it. While not down to the level of the "foreign terrorist" meme of the McCain campaign last week. . .it reflects poorly on what has been a basically decent campaign thus far.

4) Gary; Aren't employee salaries an expense for a small buisness? Your vitriol in this thread suggests that tax wise they are treated as an asset?
 
__________________________________________________ _____________________________________
Last edited by First Born; Today at 9:19 AM. Reason: I'm God around here

Last edited by Four Suns; Today at 06:23 PM.
progress.gif

​
:huh::huh::huh::huh::huh:​
 
Gary; I was a bit confused by your earlier post. Thanks for clarifying. I understand your point now.

I understand completely about the "depreciating assets stuff" for a software company. Isn't the asset depreciation curve something like 5 years? I could see how that would be a big problem for a software company where everything goes obsolete in 18 months. But wouldn't the answers be different for something like a machine shop where the equipment like lathes and trucks actually last much longer than 5 years?

- - - - - -

This question, of course, misses the broader point which is that $250K is not really all that much money for a buisness that employs 5-10 people. And isn't that a "small" buisness?

I think, overall, both candidates are screwed come next year. Tax revenue will be way down. Expenses (due to recession related entitlements and inflation) will be way up. I think the real issue will be "Which guy will be more of a grown up and recognize that buisness as usual won't work?".

So far, I am not impressed with either candidate's candor on this topic. But I do know how the Republicans have handled public finances when they held both houses and the executive from 2000-2006.
 
Four Suns said:
I also heard that his name isn't really "Joe". And he kicked his dog once... and hates cats.
Click to expand...

I frickin' hate cats too...

What's also lost in the discussion of small businesses is that they CREATE JOBS where there weren't any.

I run a software company and employ 10 people, and we're in our 9th year. For all the risk I take on (loans, leases, legal liability, etc. - anyone who says you can exempt yourself from risk by incorporating hasn't done it...) the government rewards me with absolutely nothing. Sure I'm in Canada and not the US, but our tax systems are ultimately fairly similar. Small business gets no credit or incentive to hire, yet we pay tax upon tax upon tax. How about a $25K per employee tax break when calculating corporate tax? How about a smaller credit on our personal returns? I just don't think small business is provided any incentive to create wealth and jobs. On top of that, here in Ontario we collect 13% on all our revenue to give to the government as sales tax - and don't get anything in return. (actually, we get .05% back on what we collect for the province, but it costs me way more to account for it than that...)

You want to create jobs and create wealth? Give small business a reward for doing it and it will happen.

I mean I really hate cats...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,350
Messages
1,430,884
Members
61,197
Latest member
Larry Hogg
Back
Top