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Thoughts from an old progressive
Roy Pratt

The Big Lie

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012, at 9:29 AM
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  • YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE TO HIGH ROY...YOU ARE CONSIDERED SOMETHING OTHER THAN RIGHT WING SO THEY WONT LISTEN

    .....HOW ARE YOU DOING???????? I get hung up and forgot to ask sorry....anyhow looks like a good day.HOWS THE KID AND HOW ARE THINGS GOING????? HAVE A GREAT DAY

    -- Posted by lamont on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 11:08 AM
  • So it's OK to take what's not ours?

    As far as opportunities, the industry I earned my living at has all but disappeared in this country. I came here to be close to my son. Please don't assume why I came here.

    I don't care how you try to rationalize it, wealth redistribution is wealth redistribution.

    Just imagine this state if it received federal dollars on a 1:1 ratio.

    Nice try, but facts are facts. I don't see the Red states turning down money that isn't theirs.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 12:06 PM
  • *

    Roy,

    That is part of being a group and agreeing to pay for certain things as a group. Many of this countries resources are shared from one state to the others. Water comes to my mind at the moment. Perhaps the states that get the benefits of energy production, crop production, water and other resources should be left to there own demise and perhaps they should pull their own weight in those instances as well!

    We live in this country as a society and sometimes it is not equal. It is not a utopian world we live.

    Can it be better, you bet. We can start by enforcing our laws and making individuals responsible for there lives. Reducing the never ending social endowments to those who either do not belong in this country or are in the never ending cycle of the welfare state.

    As far as the reds states turning down money, Do you turn down money when you think you need it and can put it to good use? Why should the States need the money from the federal government any way?

    BECAUSE THEY TAKE TO MUCH AND THEN WASTE IT!

    Just my 2 Cents,

    Thanks for sharing your space.

    Grumpy

    -- Posted by IdahoGrumpy on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 12:33 PM
  • My whole point behind this blog is to show that there are those out there who go on and on about Socialism and Communism, but have no qualms about being on the receiving end and seemingly always being able to justify being on the receiving end.

    If you added up the GDP of the Red vs the Blue, just who do you think would be on top?

    Natural resources are one thing, money is another.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 1:13 PM
  • This is one of the best blogs I have read.

    Good Job Roy!

    -- Posted by MsMarylin on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 2:30 PM
  • Thanks MsM

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 2:35 PM
  • POINT.......PROVEN........GO ROY !!!!!!!!!

    -- Posted by lamont on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 2:39 PM
  • Think what you will Mike. This about reality and hypocrisy.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 3:09 PM
  • *

    I cannot agree with the concept that WEALTH and Dollars are the same thing.

    Idaho has taken in more dollars that the citizenry of Idaho paid out in dollars, and that is TRUTH.

    At the same time, IDAHO has SHARED huge wealth to the nation and even the world.

    For example, MHAFB, has been home to 3 generations of bombers, the Titan intercontinental ballistic missile, several generations of tactical fighter/bombers and now visiting units from outside of our borders.

    MHAFB has been on nearly every base closure list I can remember, because of the DOLLARS America has invested in the facility.

    The facitily has an abundance of days that aircraft can fly unfettered by bad weather. Those days provide opportunity to TRAIN for the critical mission of defending OUR freedom.

    MHAFB also has a wide diversity of terrain within a few minutes flight of the base, allowing training to replicate actual flight conditions in almost ANY part of the world where EVIL may arise.

    The safety of a nation and perhaps a world is WEALTH.

    Might that justify the dispersal of federal dollars?

    Beside, the true WEALTH of Idaho is her PEOPLE, not the silver and gold hidden below the surface.

    -- Posted by wh67 on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 4:08 PM
  • CJW, I will look for newer data. Also for Mike. WE, the citizens of the U.S. are the largest holders of U.S. debt!

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 5:04 PM
  • This appears to be 2 years old. Not much different.

    http://visualeconomics.creditloan.com/united-states-federal-tax-dollars/

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 5:12 PM
  • An article from 2011, very interesting. And Buckshot, when I came here with 100K to spend, no one seemed to mind where the money came from or my politics.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 5:21 PM
  • Buckshot, try looking at Australia.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 5:21 PM
  • Just what do you call wealth redistribution then??

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 5:25 PM
  • My point was, when it came to money, all anyone saw was green.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 5:38 PM
  • I forgot, check out Scandinavia and New Zealand.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 6:00 PM
  • I respectfully do not agree with you Roy. I appreciate the fact that you put these things out there for debate.

    I think that people get tangled up with statistics which are subject to the author's point of view.

    What is real and relevant is that we have to all quit point fingers and get down to work on demanding that those who handle our tax dollars be accountable for every penny.

    It won't happen because we have too many cooks trying to stir the pot and and the soup is getting watered down with each election.

    Instead of an occupy movement, we need a check-book movement. Make each elected official accountable for their expenditures. No more ear-marks either. If we cannot rein in the endless requests for money, we will never be solvent again.

    I don't think that anyone quite gets it. If we take away the campaigning and shorten the election process, those dollars could be used elsewhere. That is where wealth distribution should be directed. Our voices are not being heard over the din of fundraisers. Take those away and tell them to be creative in getting elected, see what happens.

    Think about it. 10 individuals who donate $37.500 per plate, could support an animal shelter with those funds. Or a women s shelter.

    What would happen if each elected official donated $100,000 per fund-raiser toward a certain charity or need within the community. The big dollar contributors are the ones who should be ashamed. It is their money that perpetuates the endless cycle of graft and greed.

    What would happen if Obama showed up at a fund-raiser and actually told everyone that all of the contributions collected that night would be used for the budget for a homeless shelter or an infrastructure project.?

    The sheer hypocrisy of this entire process is what needs to be addressed. Not Red States or Blue States, but those who have been entrusted with our money. Who live on the best that life can offer and tell us that they are working hard for us.

    Drop this junk about he or she started it. And demand accountability now. Regardless of party leanings.

    -- Posted by KH Gal on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 6:48 PM
  • *

    A fellow once ran for President as a Democrat. From IDAHO, one of the strongest Republican states in America.

    As a freshman representative, he went to bat for dozens of civilian workers at MHAFB to secure re-imbursement for the mileage that the U.S. Post Office and other civil service agencies had billed the U.S. Air Force for, yet never paid to the people that had it coming.

    He later travelled the globe seeking peaceful resolution to several crises at the REQUEST of Republican and Democratic Presidents. And he SUCCEEDED several times.

    He was deeply opposed to the loss of life in Vietnam and made no qualms about it. Yet he absolutely believed in the need for a strong military.

    I had the great honor of shaking his hand and looking him in the eye in 1968. We even talked for a few minutes about his role in my Dad's campaign to get DOLLARS for his co-workers. He told me he remembered the incident and I belive he DID.

    I was deeply saddened by his untimely passing a short time later.

    Frank Church, an Idaho Native, an Idaho TREASURE a Natonal leader and a world DIPLOMAT.

    That is wealth I can support and the kind that MUST be freely dispersed.

    -- Posted by wh67 on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 6:49 PM
  • Bravo Bonnie! You got it!!!!

    And Warren, thank you!

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Feb 12, 2012, at 7:13 PM
  • Buckshot, just how do YOU define an Independent? We come in all flavors.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Mon, Feb 13, 2012, at 6:01 AM
  • And while your at it, find any blog posting where I supported "free healthcare" or I supported the Democratic party.

    You sir are so filled with hate that you have a hard time seeing the whole picture it seems.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Mon, Feb 13, 2012, at 6:14 AM
  • *

    In our federal election system we need term limits. You run and get elected the first time, then for the second term getting reelected would require a higher percentage of the votes eventually making it imposable to win and letting someone else in the saddle for a while.

    Grumpy

    -- Posted by IdahoGrumpy on Mon, Feb 13, 2012, at 12:14 PM
  • *

    Right on, Grumpy.

    And you have every reason to be grumpy.

    -- Posted by wh67 on Mon, Feb 13, 2012, at 1:30 PM
  • *

    Could it be that WE the PEOPLE are to BLAME for this mess?

    WE the members of the SILENT Majority?

    WE the poeple of Idaho VOTED FOR term LIMITs only to let our ELECTED officials over-ride that mandate?

    After the influx of out of state folks seeking the COMFORT of this STATE's governing precepts, WE the PEOPLE of Idaho sent a NEW guy to Washington. That new guy was instumental in defeating the term limit intiative.

    He is now YOUR sitting junior U. S. Senator. I sure as HE_ _ didn't vote for him.

    The folks inside the beltway are being watched by more eyes and ears than ever in the history of mankind. The news media, left and right, is starting to soften the rhetoric and admit that some things they report are just plain EVIL. There seems to be a growing sentiment that a HAND UP is better than a HAND OUT...

    And thankfully, this generation we baby boomers raised and educated are NOT happy with the half truths we fed them.

    -- Posted by wh67 on Mon, Feb 13, 2012, at 2:31 PM
  • Truth or Fiction

    This link will break it down to what is truth what is fiction and what is under investigation and what is not so accurate

    http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/o/obama-report-card.htm

    -- Posted by MsMarylin on Mon, Feb 13, 2012, at 2:59 PM
  • Buckshot61 and you thought I was only trying to discredit the story you posted wrote by some character I have never heard of. I thought my link was fair in showing what was fiction and what was accurate or still under investigation...

    And by the way the story was wrote by whoever and send via emails

    -- Posted by MsMarylin on Mon, Feb 13, 2012, at 6:53 PM
  • I am pretty sure that most conservatives don't mind paying taxes as much as how the money is spent.

    We can quibble all day long on who is responsible, the real solution lies with our own voting records and those who have been elected to office.

    -- Posted by KH Gal on Tue, Feb 14, 2012, at 9:38 AM
  • I wonder how the indoctrination is going in our public schools with this mind set? Attack the military and famers/ranchers?

    And fallow land is not what the government wants when they inspect. They want natural growth.

    Now people who get a retirement check are fleas?

    And none of those examples are redistribution of wealth. They are earned.

    A prime example of redistibution of wealth is the American education system.

    -- Posted by skeeter on Tue, Feb 14, 2012, at 5:07 PM
  • Buckshot, Warren Buffet said he paid a lower tax rate!

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Feb 14, 2012, at 7:54 PM
  • And Mitt Romney paid a tax rate of 13% Newt paid 31%. I guess Newt isn't as smart.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Feb 14, 2012, at 7:56 PM
  • Doesn't surprise me in the slightest. There has to be a way to make things more fair. I know that folks that don't make much end up not paying. Kinda of hard to pay anything when you can barely cover food, rent and utilities. That being said, in this state at least, they do pay sales tax on everything including food, which I think is just down right WRONG! Other states that have sales tax, they pay that, plus fuel taxes, utility taxes. You know what I mean. All the little taxes we don't think about most of the time. If we figure a reasonable cutoff amount of income that would be exempt from federal income taxes for everybody, no more long form, and all those other forms, and everybody pay say 10% on everything over the exempted amount, that would seem to be about as fair as you could get. This would include all types of income.

    Corporate taxes, if you shipped jobs offshore and then brought 50% of them back, 5 year tax holiday, bring back 100%, 15 year tax holiday. Close all the loopholes for every business, and I figure 20% could be fair. Not the lowest in the world, but not the highest either.

    Any comments?

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Feb 14, 2012, at 9:28 PM
  • Buffet made a comment to the effect that he makes his money moving money around, not working for it. He said the same thing about Mitt.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Wed, Feb 15, 2012, at 7:30 PM
  • JYD......THAT WAS PERSONAL AND INSULTING.....YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT,,,,,MY THOUGHTS...

    THANKYOU FOR DOING YOUR BEST.within the system you work in and the frame work as dictated by the state of idaho.My grandaughter is an A student and does take what advance classes that are offered that she qualify's for.She could be challenged more but we try to augment what you cant teach.Some of the problems is the local enviroment.My other granddaughter same age will graduate h.s at 16 and the school she attends also lets them take courses in college and she will recieve her h.s diploma and an associates degree at the same time.....but that is in new york.YES the H.S. is public but requires and entrance exam......I understand your frustration I dont know to many teachers that teach down. So again thankyou for your efforts.MY brother taught 35 yrs in the N.Y. system he often talked of the frustration of the system and the parents non involvment so I know it's not and easy job.

    PLEASE CONSIDER THE SOURCE AND CONTINUE TO DO YOUR BEST A LOT OF US UNDERSTAND.

    -- Posted by lamont on Wed, Feb 15, 2012, at 11:22 PM
  • -- Posted by Dave Thompson on Thu, Feb 16, 2012, at 11:51 AM
  • ENOUGH ALREADY........IF teachers were allowed to teach and not have to deal with the political garbage it would be a great thing...If parents would get invoved and not use the schools as a babysitting source the young would get the basics. Money will not solve those problems in the school itself but it might if people didnt have to work 2 and 3 jobs to survive.Again for me it is the administration of a system where the administrators are caught up in the poletics of the system.Children should not be pawns in a game of gotcha.Teachers should not bear the rath of scorn because they are tasked with doing what WE told them to do through the school board and in our case TOM LUNA.SET THE CURRICULUM AND AS LONG AS EACH TEACHERS COVERS THE MATERIAL HOW THEY DO IT IS UP TO THEM JUST AS LONG AS IT IS ALL COVERED.....I WOULD BET A LOT OF MONEY THAT THE KIDS WOULD LEARN A LOT MORE AND THE SIDE AFFECT WOULD BE IT WOULDNT COST US ANYMORE.......EVERY PLACE IT HAS BEEN DONE(CHARTERS and PRIVATE) the kids learning is enchanced.GET off the teachers and get onto the boards and administrators........MY OPINION

    -- Posted by lamont on Thu, Feb 16, 2012, at 12:58 PM
  • Just a quick not Idaho schools came in 22nd back in 2010. That's not a bad number considering we are down in the bottom on other things....... We are on the bottom on what we have available for Mentally Challenged people.

    -- Posted by MsMarylin on Thu, Feb 16, 2012, at 4:01 PM
  • Not funny !

    -- Posted by MsMarylin on Thu, Feb 16, 2012, at 6:46 PM
  • The way you have listed things aren't quite clear.

    % of pop. on assistance pop of the whole country?

    How does this correlate to whether a state receives more dollars back from the federal government than it sends?

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Feb 21, 2012, at 7:46 PM
  • Interesting Buckshot, but the fact remains the same as to the distribution of federal revenue.

    My best guess is that California still sends more than it gets. You seem to have justified it at one time due to Idaho's larger senior population. That still doesn't make it right.

    Who has how many and how many tax dollars are spent on what seems to be a bit of a red herring

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Wed, Feb 22, 2012, at 5:46 PM
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