It has been a very long time since I read the Federalist Papers by Thomas Jefferson. Very long. But I remember that he indicated that taxes were also a way to allow the freedom of somewhat deviant behavior, say smoking, but to burden that behavior with taxes as societies way of controlling the deviant behavior. Larry Barnes <[log in to unmask]> wrote in message news:9jpr7u0hr0@enews3.newsguy.com... > I thought Congress was only to create taxes need to 'protect' us from our > enemies and to build our infrastructure? > > Where did all these social taxes come from? When did Congress decide they > needed to meddle in social problems (and attempt to eliminate them with a > tax)? > > I thought social problems were to be resolved by the local community? > What's good for New York won't necessarily work for any other state. We > need to return government to the people (not the lobbyist) and give the > community back there tax dollars instead of Congress 'pork barreling' our > money for their state (community) votes. > > Larry A. Barnes > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Nick Demos [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2001 12:23 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] OT: Federal Budget Surplus.... > > > AMEN > > Nick D. > > > Exactly. Why in the Hell is G-Dumb-Ya "giving" us a tax cut/"refund" when > > we owe $2,000,000,000,000 to Social security, and another > > $3,000,000,000,000 to the federal deficit? He is another one wanting to > > spend the surplus before it's here. Plus, he says he is only going to pay > > down the "easy" debt (About $3 trillion out of the $5 trillion). And the > > other $2 trillion will remain. I mean, I want lower taxes...who doesn't? > > But I want the debt paid off, Social Security and Medicare fully funded > > again, FIRST. Pay off the debts, then the budget will look fantastic in > > the year 2010. The 34% of the budget that currently goes to debt interest > > will be freed up for other programs or, even better, a 34% tax cut! The > > government already does far more than it is supposed to. There are > > currently over 20 cabinet positions, each with their own agencies. Do you > > know how many cabinet positions FDR had? Answer: 4. Cut the government, > > cut the debt, then cut our taxes. IN THAT ORDER. > > > > My soap box just broke under the weight of all that hot air. I bid you > all > > well. > > > > Randy Keefer > > > > On Mon, 23 Jul 2001 11:55:22 -0500, Jerry Fochtman > <[log in to unmask]> > > wrote: > > > > >The thing that bothers me is that the billions of dollars > > >currently in the Social Security funds are used in determining > > >the fact that our federal budget will have a surplus. When > > >in fact that by current law, the government cannot use these > > >funds for anything except for paying retirement benefits. > > >So the bottom line is, there is actually several billion > > >dollars less than reported that can actually be used for > > >various programs. And if, as predicted, these funds run-out > > >in the 2021+ timeframe, the impact on the budget will be > > >an obligation to pay the benefits for all those that > > >contributed. > > > > > >This accounting 'slight of hand' was done back in the 80's > > >whereby previously, these funds were not reflected in the > > >budget. > > > > > >Also, did you know that the only thing that these funds can > > >be invested in is treasury bonds/bills at what are usually > > >fairly low rates of return when compared to other forms of > > >secured investment? One item Bush/others wanted to do was > > >at least allow the funds to be able to invest a part of these > > >monies in other securities to try and enhance the overall > > >rate of return for the future benefit of the participants. > > > > > >While I'm on my soap-box, I also dislike politicians who > > >feel obligated to spend the projected surplus, especially > > >before it is a reality, simply because its there. I'd > > >rather see them buy-down some of the national debt, although > > >I do realize that having some debt is actually good for > > >our overall economy. > > > > > >* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * > > >* etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html * > > > > * To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * > > * etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html * > > * To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * > * etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html * > > * To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * > * etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html * > * To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * * etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *