yup I'm still breathing

Yes I'm still here, frankly I've just come to the conclusion that as long as we are a nation of consumers we're destined to fail. I know that election year should be the time this type of blog would be going like gangbusters but I know that I'm not in a position to make any real changes and to be honest I'm not really sure how much I want to put in writing knowing where this place is headed.

With that said just know that if I think it will really happen I'll be voting for Ron Paul, however I will not throw my vote away and risk another 4 years of "change"

Obama Ordered To Denver Bunker By US Military | EUTimes.net

Kind of makes you wonder what's going on? Is it Comet Elenin? Are we preparing for a war that will come to this soil? OR is it just another "exercise"?

Read the article below and let me know what you think.

Obama Ordered To Denver Bunker By US Military | EUTimes.net:

-mike

The Brits warn Americans about guns and gun laws.

Just makes we want to buy some on the black market that are unregistered.

Who Doesn't Pay Taxes?

I read a blog post a few weeks ago on rural-revolution about the whole debt fiasco. Since then I have been following the comments on the post and can't believe the mentality of some of the people in this country. There are people that honestly believe that if you do not pay income tax you are somehow evil and not doing your fair share. The latest one was;

Anonymous said...

EVERYONE should pay something - honestly, if you dont pay, you shouldnt be allowed to vote...

So if I'm smart enough to keep my "income" below the level to have to pay income taxes I give up my right to choose the next idiot in Washington? Have you actually been brainwashed enough to believe you're not taxed all day every day for everything you do? This is not even taking into account that income tax is illegal.

Do you want to see a partial list of where you're taxed?


List of taxes paid by Americans
(Source: www.electivedecisions.wordpress.com)
1. Accounts Receivable Tax
2. Accounting and Tax Preparation (cost to taxpayers $300 billion)
3. Accumulated Earnings Tax
4. Accumulation Distribution of Trusts
5. Activity Fee (Dumping Permit Fee)
6 . Air Tax (PA coin-operated vacuums)
7. Aircraft Jet Fuel Tax
8. Aircraft Excise Tax
9 . Alcohol Fuels Tax
10. Alcoholic Beverage Tax
11. Alternative Minimum Tax – Amt
12. Ambulance Services (Air Ambulance Services, SD)
13. Ammunition Tax
14. Amusement Tax (MA, VA, MD)
15. Animal Slaughter Tax (WI, others, Per Animal)
16. Annual Custodial Fees (Ira Accounts)
17. Ballast Water Management Fee (Marine Invasive Species)
18. Biodiesel Fuel Tax
19. Blueberry Tax (Maine)
20. Bribe Taxes (Pay If You Dare)
21. Brothel licensing fees
22. Building Permit Tax
23. Capital Gains Tax
24. California Interstate User Diesel Fuel Tax
25. California Redemption Value (Can and Bottle Tax)
26. CDL License Tax
27. Charter Boat Captain License
28. Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Fee
29. Cigarette Tax
30. Cigarette Tax Stamp (Acts) (Distributors)
31. Compressed Natural Gas Tax
32. Commercial Activity Tax (OH – for Service Providers)
33. Corporate Income Tax
34. Court Fines (Indirect Taxes)
35. County Property Tax
36. Disposable Diapers Tax (Wisconsin)
37. Disposal Fee (Any Landfill Dumping)
38. Dog License Tax
39. Duck Hunting Tax Stamp (PA, others)
40. Electronic Waste Recycling Fee (E-Waste)
41. Emergency Telephone User Surcharge
42. Environmental Fee (CA – HazMat Fees)
43. Estate Tax (Death Tax, to be reinstated)
44. Excise Taxes
45. Facility Fee (CA – HazMat Fees)
46. FDIC tax (insurance premium on bank deposits)
47. Federal Income Tax
48. Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
49. Fiduciary Income Tax (Estates and Trusts)
50. Fishing License Tax
51. Flush Tax (MD Tax For Producing Wastewater)
52. Food License Tax
53. Fountain Soda Drink Tax (Chicago – 9%)
54. Franchise Tax
55. Fresh Fruit (CA, if Purchased From A Vending Machine)
56. Fuel Gross Receipts Tax (Retail/Distributor)
57. Fuel Permit Tax
58. Fur Clothing Tax (MN)
59. Garbage Tax
60. Gasoline Tax (475 Cents Per Gallon)
61. Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax
62. Generator Fee (Recycled Waste Fee)
63. Gift Tax
64. Gross Receipts Tax
65. Habitat Stamp (Hunting/Fishing in some states)
66. Hamburger Tax
67. Hazardous Substances Fees: Generator, Facility, Disposal
68. Highway Access Fee
69. Household Employment Taxes
70. Hunting License Tax
71. Illegal Drug Possession (No Carolina)
72. Individual Income Tax
73. Inheritance Tax
74. Insect Control Hazardous Materials License
75. Insurance Premium Tax
76. Intangible Tax (Leases Of Govt. Owned Real Property)
77. Integrated Waste Management Fee
78. Interstate User Diesel Fuel Tax
79. Inventory Tax
80. IRA Rollover Tax (a transfer of IRA money)
81. IRA Early Withdrawal Tax
82. IRS Interest Charges
83. IRS Penalties (Tax On Top Of Tax)
84. Jock Tax (income earned by athletes in some states)
85. Kerosene, Distillate, & Stove Oil Taxes
86. Kiddie Tax (Child’s Earned Interest Form 8615)
87. Land Gains and Real Estate Withholding
88. Lead Poisoning Prevention Fee (Occupational)
89. Lease Severance Tax
90. Library Tax
91. Liquid Natural Gas Tax
92. Liquid Petroleum Gas Tax
93. Liquor Tax
94. Litigation Tax (TN Imposes Varies With the Offense)
95. LLC/PLLC Corporate Registration Tax
96. Local Income Tax
97. Lodging Taxes
98. Lump-Sum Distributions
99. Luxury Taxes
100. Make-Up Tax (Ohio, applying in a salon is taxable)
101. Marriage License Tax
102. Meal Tax
103. Medicare Tax
104. Mello-Roos Taxes (Special Taxes and Assessments)
105. Migratory Waterfowl Stamp (addition to hunting license)
106. Minnow Dealers License (Retail – For One Shop)
107. Minnow Dealers License (Distributor – For One+ Shops)
108. Mobile Home Ad Valorem Taxes
109. Motor Fuel Tax (For Suppliers)
110. Motor Vehicle Tax
111. Music and Dramatic Performing Rights Tax
112. Nudity Tax (Utah)
113. Nursery Registration (Buying and selling plants)
114. Occupancy Inspection Fees
115. Occupation Taxes and Fees (Various Professional Fees)
116. Oil and Gas Assessment Tax
117. Oil Spill Response, Prevention, and Administration Fee
118. Parking Space Taxes
119. Pass-Through Withholding
120. Pay-Phone Calls Tax (Indiana)
121. Percolation Test Fee
122. Personal Property Tax
123. Personal Holding Company (undistributed earnings)
124. Pest Control License
125. Petroleum Business Tax
126. Playing Card Tax (Al)
127. Pole Tax (TX – A $5 Cover Charge On Strip Clubs)
128. Profit from Illegal Drug Dealing
129. Property Tax
130. Property Transfer Tax (DE, ownership transfer between parties)
131. Prostitution Tax (NV – Prostitute Work Permits)
132. Poultry Registered Premises License (Sales License)
133. Rain Water Tax (Runoff after a Storm)
134. Rat Control Fee (CA)
135. Real Estate Tax
136. Recreational Vehicle Tax
137. Refrigerator and Freezer Recycling Fees
138. Regional Transit Taxing Authority (Trains)
139. Road Usage Tax
140. Room Tax (Hotel Rooms)
141. Sales Tax (State)
142. Sales Tax (City)
143. Sales And Use Tax (Sellers Permit)
144. School Tax
145. Service Charge Tax
146. Self Employment Tax
147. Septic And Drain Field Inspection Fees
148. Sex Sales Tax (UT, when nude people perform services)
149. Sewer & Water Tax
150. Social Security Tax
151. Sparkler and Novelties Tax (WV Sellers of Sparklers, etc)
152. Special Assessment Tax (Not Ad Valorem)
153. State Documentary Stamp Tax on Notes (FL RE Tax)
154. State Franchise Tax
155. State Income Tax
156. State Park Fees
157. State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
158. Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) Fuel Tax
159. Stud Fees (Kentucky’s Thoroughbred Sex Tax)
160. Tangible Personal Property Tax
161. Tattoo Tax (AR Tax On Tattoos)
162. Telephone 911 Service Tax (some states)
163. Telephone Federal Excise Tax
164. Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
165. Telephone Federal Surcharge Taxes
166. Telephone State Surcharge Taxes
167. Telephone Local Surcharge Taxes
168. Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
169. Telephone Recurring Charges Tax
170. Telephone Universal Access Tax
171. Telephone Non-Recurring Charges Tax
172. Telephone State Usage Charge Tax
173. Telephone Local Usage Charge Tax
174. Tire Recycling Fee
175. Tobacco Tax (Cigar, Pipe, Consumer Tax)
176. Tobacco Tax (Cigar, Pipe, Dealer Tax)
177. Toll Road Taxes
178. Toll Bridge Taxes
179. Toll Tunnel Taxes
180. Tourism or Concession License Fee
181. Traffic Fines (Indirect Taxation)
182. Transportable Treatment Unit Fee (Small Facility)
183. Trailer Registration Tax
184. Trout Stamp (Addendum To Fish License)
185. Use Taxes (On Out-Of-State Purchases)
186. Utility Taxes
187. Unemployment Tax
188. Underground Storage Tank Maintenance Fee
189. Underpayment of Estimated Tax (Form 2210)
190. Unreported Tip Income (Social Security and Medicare Tax)
191. Vehicle License
192. Vehicle Recovery Tax (CO, to find stolen cars)
193. Vehicle Registration Tax
194. Vehicle Sales Tax
195. Wagering Tax (Tax on Gambling Winnings)
196. Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) Fuel Tax
197. Water Rights Fee
198. Watercraft Registration Tax
199. Waterfowl Stamp Tax
200. Well Permit Tax
201. Wiring Inspection Fees
202. Workers Compensation Tax

Over 200 places where they've found a way to take more money away from you every day yet you need to pay more.

Where does it end? At the end of the next revolution....

White House adviser is an idiot.

OK, this blog has been ignored long enough. This whole budget, debt ceiling, credit rating crap is showing the feds for what they are.  This country was founded to cut government and it's daily impact on our lives. Somehow though they have managed to turn this into an elected monarchy and feel they have the right to tell us what to do and how much to pay for it.

In an AP story today;

The adviser to President Barack Obama, David Axelrod, tells CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday that the decision by the Standard & Poor's credit agency to downgrade the U.S. from AAA to AA+ for the first time was strongly influenced by weeks of standoff between Democrats and Republicans over the debt.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House adviser is blaming the downgrade of the U.S. credit rating on tea party Republicans, whom he says were unwilling to compromise on how to reduce the federal debt.
Axelrod calls the action, in his words, "a tea party downgrade" and says it's clearly on the backs of lawmakers who were willing to see the country default to get their way.
Axelrod also criticized GOP presidential candidates for not speaking up in favor of compromise.

Are you freakin' kidding me? The out of control spending with screams of tax more! tax more! has nothing to do with it? Those that actually want to solve the problem by just saying enough is enough are? Senator Obama was the one that said to raise the debt ceiling is financially irresponsible yet now if it doesn't get raised and President Obama doesn't get a trillion dollar blank check then he's not going to pay social security?

I seriously thing it's in the genetic makeup of politicians to make promises they're incapable of keeping and to not accept responsibility for anything negative, and take credit for everything positive even if they were on the other side of teh planet when it happened. 

What does it matter?

Through some careful thought and prayers I've decided to keep this blog, but change the style of posting. In reality we will never "fix" the current political system in this country because it's not the political system that's broken. It's corporations in general that are the problem.

I recently read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and at first thought I have finally read an author that thought the way I did. What I've realized though is she only got part of it right and another part very wrong. She believes in less government and telling them to butt out of our lives which I agree with completely but her problem is she favors the corporate life which is where I am beginning to understand the problem lies. (no pun intended) Her choices leave you with be a slave to the government or slaves to corporations. I choose neither.

My other blog Dreaming of a Country Life is our story getting to true freedom. Our own land, growing/raising our own food, and zero debt. the problem is that is also going against what our government really wants for us so I still need to wear the tinfoil fedora now and then.

I also refuse to walk away from God as she would have everyone do. I do have serious questions about what I've been taught a Christian really is, but those will be answered by a higher power and as long as what I do is based on scripture I can't go wrong.

-mike

Union Rights?

Everyone else seems to have chimed in on the Wisconsin union situation so I figured I'd throw my two cents in. I think I can boil it down to two words. 

UNIONS SUCK

There all better now. 

Honestly I have never run into a union worker that was under the age of 60 that wasn't either lazy or stupid. Stupid in the fact that they couldn't see through the veil that the union had thrown over their heads. Lazy in the fact that they thought it was a great thing that they got paid for doing nothing just because the union negotiated it that way. 

Look, if you aren't happy with the work you do, the conditions you work in, the people you work for, or the wages you get paid the answer to your problem is very simple. Quit and go get another job. Nobody if forcing you to work there. The department of labor doesn't assign you a job and keep you from seeking employment elsewhere. Do you honestly think that your union rep really cares what your standard of living is? Nope, he has one thing on his mind. Get you more money so he can charge more dues so he has a job and a high standard of living. Does that union rep give you part of his pay when you're out of work? Nope. 

Now if you and your fellow co-workers feel that what you do is so specialized that nobody else can do it and you want to ask your employer for a raise as a group go ahead and do so. But don't think that you have a right to stop working and keep him from finding a replacement for you if he refuses. You're hired to do a job period. You get paid to do that job period. You refuse to do that job you get fired and replaced period. Why is this so hard to understand? 

What if your mechanic decided that the job that should cost $40.00 is now going to cost you $80.00 and if you refuse he's going to sue you and keep any other mechanic from working on your car? Would you stand for that? Why should your employer? 

I used to work for a company that did work for the MD-11 aircraft for McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach. Part of my job was to drive over to the line and pick up parts we needed to do some pre-assembly work. I had a grievance filed against what I was doing many times and for the life of me couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. It was finally explained that whenever you see a parts truck running around the grounds there were always two guys in it. One was allowed to drive the truck but couldn't touch the parts. The other could touch the parts but wasn't allowed to drive the truck. Two separate unions and I was "taking another mans job" by working efficiently. We won't even talk about the part where the person in the parts cage spent 7 hours of her day putting together puzzles and was getting paid $65.00 an hour. 

If you drive by McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach now it's a shopping mall. They went out of business because they couldn't compete. 

I know a few people that are in construction unions that are laid off and rather than accept a lower paying job are sitting on their butts collecting unemployment, paying union dues from that unemployment and waiting for the union to get them a job. 

In the meantime I work my $10.00 an hour job and continue to pay my bills and have even managed to buy some property all while living "below the poverty level" 

For those of you that work government jobs let me remind you what you are. You are a PUBLIC SERVANT. You should not expect pay or benefits any higher than the public sector. In fact you should expect less. You don't like the work, go get another job. The freakin' government is too big anyway.