[Windwalker]

Originally Posted by golfhobo

100 years ago, men didn't DIVORCE their wives, leaving them to support WAY too many kids with NO WAY to work and make equal wages!

And, women did not divorce their husbands because... "I just didn't love him anymore"....

[GMAN]

There is something to be said for tradition. Things were much simpler when only men were allowed to vote and earn the living. Men and women worked together rather than against one another. Children were raised not turned loose on society.

[Windwalker]

As I said in another post...

Back in the '50s, he worked and supported the family, she took care of the house and the kids.

In the '70s and '80s, they both had to work to make ends meet.

Today, a man must have two wives, and all 3 working to make ends meet.

By 2015, he's going to have to have 3 wives, and all 4 of them working full time.

Bush did not start the trend, he simply didn't stop it, and neither will the new kid on the block.

How about tax breaks for companies whose employees earn an average of over $40,000 each, and extra taxes for those whose employees earn an average of less than $40,000. And, those taxes to be like "windfall profits tax" on executive bonuses and golden parachutes.

(Bet you'd get Sam Walton's attention on that one today.)

[GMAN]

I am not sure that both husband and wife had to work to make ends meet in the 1970's and 1980's forward. They may have had to work to buy all the useless toys they wanted. There were likely some who needed to work, but not most. That behavior also fueled inflation and higher prices. My wife hasn't worked but a couple of times since we have been married. And we have been married for more than 29 years. She didn't have to work during those times, it is just something she wanted to do. Even then she only worked for a short time. I know a number of men who's wives don't work. Women came into the workforce enmasse during WWII. After the war some of them stayed in the workforce. During the late 1960's and early 1970's when womens lib came into vogue, it started to become unpopular for women to stay home with the kids. They were told that they were unworthy if they stayed home. They were also told that they needed a career outside the house to be fulfilled. Taking care of home and children is a full time job, if done well. As can be seen with the children of today, their philosophy hasn't worked.

[Windwalker]

Most couples I know, require both to work in order to make ends meet. And, for many, even that is not stretching far enough these days. I've mentioned before, one couple that have been paying their mortgage for 27 years, and their house was foreclosed on about a year and a half ago. Just 3 years left to go and they lost it. I know that it varies from one area of the country to another, but for the last 3 years, or more, I've been seeing people moving to look for something better. In this area, it's been really bad.

I got some really good miles last week, for the first time in about a year. A told dispatch I need about 6 to 8 more weeks of the same. "YOU AND EVERY OTHER DRIVER IN THE COMPANY". And, it's my understanding that we are not the only company like that.

More than one family in this area has taken in someone else that can't afford a home, and they help with the household expenses.

[GMAN]

That is a shame about your friends losing their home, especially after 27 years. There are some programs that are supposed to help people who are in foreclosure. I don't know what was available at the time your friends lost their home. Banks are more willing to help today since there are so many people who are in difficulty. I think the government is also putting more pressure on lenders to work with them.

I know some couples are in a situation today where both must work to make ends meet. It is good that some families are taking in others to help both. The economy is worse in some areas than others. I hope you can get more miles, Windwalker. I don't think any of us are making the money we would like. The economy is off and there are still more trucks than freight. Until the economy turns around or more people leave this industry things are not likely to get much better.

[Windwalker]

Originally Posted by GMAN

That is a shame about your friends losing their home, especially after 27 years. There are some programs that are supposed to help people who are in foreclosure. I don't know what was available at the time your friends lost their home. Banks are more willing to help today since there are so many people who are in difficulty. I think the government is also putting more pressure on lenders to work with them.

In that instance, 10 years ago, they had a small motorhome, 2 jet-skis, a Harley Davidson, and a couple of other things. By the time they lost their home, all the extras had been sold, and they were not able to hold on for 3 more years. Freezing the interest rates (a Bush initiative negotiated with the mortgage companies) did no good at all. It wasn't the interest rates that were going up. And, they are not the only ones that are in that kind of boat. There are people here that, 10 years ago, had unblemished credit. Today, because of the effects of the economy, they can't borrow a nickel to buy a toothpick. As I list at the bottom of each of my posts, the economy of the "BLUE-COLLAR WORKER" has been distroyed. And, until the spending power of the "masses" is restored, the cash-flow that keeps the economy going is not going to be there. There MUST be something left over after the gas stations and the grocery stores in order to turn things around. I don't see that happening with the programs that are currently being tried.

Some of the things I suggest may be quite radical, but then, in some areas of the country, this is a depression. It's a recession in places like NE and WY, but in CA and FL, it's been a depression for a while now.

[GMAN]

The more taxes we pay the less we have to spend. The Obama administration is already talking about raising taxes to pay for the stimulus tax and to pay for health care (Big surprise :roll: ). The higher taxes go the less money the average citizen will have to spend. The economy will not recover until people once again gain confidence and start spending. The government would do better to lower taxes.

[Windwalker]

Originally Posted by GMAN

The more taxes we pay the less we have to spend. The Obama administration is already talking about raising taxes to pay for the stimulus tax and to pay for health care (Big surprise :roll: ). The higher taxes go the less money the average citizen will have to spend. The economy will not recover until people once again gain confidence and start spending. The government would do better to lower taxes.

He talked about raising taxes even before he was elected. What is needed is a radical overhaul of the tax structure.

Currently, (I believe) if you make less than $3,000/year, you do not have to pay any taxes. It's been like that ever since I can remember. That figure needs to be raised by a factor of about 10. Then, the crossover point where you go from paying less tax to where you pay more tax needs to be set about $80,000 to $100,000.

Bonuses and golden parachutes are currently taxed, but need to be put into their own classification, and taxed at the time they are given (arranged for). A new exec comes into a company, and they give him/her a golden parachute, the tax comes off THEN, not later, and at a greater percentage.

Also, corporate tax to be structured according to the average income of their labor. The higher the average income of labor, the better tha tax rate of the company. Actually, it makes sense because the higher the wages of labor, the more tax they will pay, and will most likely total more than the company pays. But it would also provide more cash for those that need it in order to keep a cash flow in our economy.

[GMAN]

We need to cut government spending. If we went back to a constitutional government we could get rid of at least 2/3 of our government. With a smaller government comes less need for taxes. We will always need some taxes to support our government. I believe that we can get along with much less government, which will result in putting more people back into the private sector. All of these workers can pay taxes. With more people working for private industry and a much smaller government payroll, there will be less need for high taxes. A flat tax could work better in this situation. It would be more fair. No matter what the politicians say or promise it will be the middle class who will pay most of the taxes, regardless of the tax rates.