Spiny, well said.

Yeah Spiny,

Campaign finance reform! Vote McCain!

I agree about the social programs. Before we created all of these we had a certain percentage of poor and homeless. Now we have welfare etc. and guess what, we have the same percentage of poor and homeless. Some folks just don't want to work. No one wants to see inocent children on the streets but capable adults need to put up or shut up. Sorry.

Throwing money at problems has never been the answer. Take our schools. Money has done nothing. Streamline things a bit and people, by necessity tend to shape up.

JMHO

"congressman tailgater"
I like the sound of that...

But please, everyone, beware of "Campaign Finance Reform".
It is actually "government funded campaign financing". Let's call a spade a spade here. When my tax dollars PAY for some liberal schmuck to put posters on my neighbors lawn, that isn't "Reform".

McCain had great intentions, but oftentimes the cure is worse than the disease.

Here in Massachusetts, the liberal voiting public recently passed a "Clean Elections" bill that is nothing short of government funded campaigns. And some Democratic governor wanna-be surped up $3 million of our states funds to pay for a television ad campaing that resulted in him finishing a distant 4th in the primaries.

A great use of funds while we're in a deficit situation. (a hint of sarcasm, please).

For a little light reading some information on the Federal Income Tax

History of the Federal Income Tax
The Personal Income Tax

During America’s first century, the federal government raised the bulk of its revenue from tariffs, excise taxes, and property taxes. (During the Civil War, an income tax was temporarily imposed in the North.) However, great industries had been established and great fortunes had been made by the end of the nineteenth century, and populist reformers were advocating for reform of the monopolies and trusts and for fairer treatment of citizens. These populist sentiments led Congress to enact a highly progressive income tax in 1894, but it was declared unconstitutional the following year. This led eventually to the passage of the Sixteenth Amendment, which empowered Congress to levy an income tax. Woodrow Wilson signed the modern personal income tax into law in October 1913.

There were many similarities between this early personal income tax and today’s version—rates were graduated, home mortgage interest and tax payments to state and local governments were deductible, and interest on state and local bonds was excluded. Charitable contributions became deductible in 1917. Unlike today’s tax, however, the original personal income tax applied only to the wealthiest Americans. Rates ranged from 1 percent to 7 percent,8 and well over 90 percent of the population were exempt from filing.

http://www.tcf.org/Publications/Basics/Tax/History.html 


As it has been pointed out there are no easy, simple solutions to tax issues. Even purchasing at a site such as C-Bid has tax ramifications if you consider your own local taxes that are.. or are not collected from your puchases. But the one thing that I am sure of is that I am fortunate to live in the best country on earth and we have the ability and opportunity to debate (and effect change) on these issues and many more.

John