nanny state Mentality

[EmporerEJ]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

I'm afraid it'll only get worse.

The baby boomers are aging. We're seeing the last of a generation with pension funds. Many of the new folks hitting retirement age in the next decade or two will have to do so with what they've saved themselves and whatever is left of social security, which is on course to be nothing.

These people have worked their whole lives knowing someday they'll retire and have had retirement investment options available to them. Many will retire with little to no networth beyond maybe the house that they live in and an increasing number will still have mortgage payments at age 65+. They're gonna scream like raped apes for the government to take care of them.

Yes, and that's our problem because.......?

[Rcourt64]

Originally Posted by EmporerEJ

Yes, and that's our problem because.......?

I say Tax the shit outta those electric gizmo's used for sexual pleasure, and leave the sexual spirited hard working naked babes alone !!!!.....

[Nymph]

Originally Posted by Rcourt64

I say Tax the shit outta those electric gizmo's used for sexual pleasure, and leave the sexual spirited hard working naked babes alone !!!!.....

ohhhh, if only there were men that could last as long as those electric gizmos.....

[EmporerEJ]

Originally Posted by Rcourt64

I say Tax the shit outta those electric gizmo's used for sexual pleasure, and leave the sexual spirited hard working naked babes alone !!!!.....

Well gee...thanks allot.
Now you want me to carry the load.... (pun Definitely intended)

[RawAlex]

The problem is that governments feel that they can tax sin businesses and products almost without issue. Smokes, booze, adult material, etc.

On the other hand, the undercharge for services. How much do you pay to plate you car each year? How many cars in your state? How much is the budget to maintain the roads in your state? Figure out how cheap your plates are.

[EmporerEJ]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

The problem is that governments feel that they can tax sin businesses and products almost without issue. Smokes, booze, adult material, etc.

On the other hand, the undercharge for services. How much do you pay to plate you car each year? How many cars in your state? How much is the budget to maintain the roads in your state? Figure out how cheap your plates are.

Hmmmm...I don't know where to begin. First of all, My "state" isn't a "state," it's a commonwealth. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. If, by "you," you mean "your" in the 3rd person, then my "state" doesn't matter. This story is about Florida.
I'm not sure what their "plate" charge is, and I'm really sure it has no bearing on the issue. The issue is about selective taxation on a particular business for an unrelated expense to regulate/operate/monitor that business. We add to that, the wrinkle that this business, dancing, enjoys a higher level of constitutional protection because it's also a free speech/expression-art form, issue.

I'm not sure how you are equating "license plates" to that? (You did mean license plates, i.e registration, right? Not Chrome plating the bumpers or some other form of "plating?")

[RawAlex]

Originally Posted by EmporerEJ

Hmmmm...I don't know where to begin. First of all, My "state" isn't a "state," it's a commonwealth. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. If, by "you," you mean "your" in the 3rd person, then my "state" doesn't matter. This story is about Florida.
I'm not sure what their "plate" charge is, and I'm really sure it has no bearing on the issue. The issue is about selective taxation on a particular business for an unrelated expense to regulate/operate/monitor that business. We add to that, the wrinkle that this business, dancing, enjoys a higher level of constitutional protection because it's also a free speech/expression-art form, issue.

I'm not sure how you are equating "license plates" to that? (You did mean license plates, i.e registration, right? Not Chrome plating the bumpers or some other form of "plating?")

*sigh* License plate. That thing with the number and / or letters on the car that allows you to drive the car on the street, aka the registration. In most places, it is a yearly fee. Some states (Hate to tell you that Pennsylvania is a state, even if you want to call it something else) use a sticker or tag system to mark the year as paid, others require smog testing or similar.

The concept is this: Things like strip clubs, beer, smokes and other "sin" items are tax disproportionately to other forms of taxation or fees, because the government knows that they can get away with it. Conversely, things that people would complain about, like the price of putting their car on the road or building permits, example, are kept significantly lower than their costs to make people happy.

I am sorry if this basic concept is beyond the understanding of someone from such an important place as a Commonwealth.

[EmporerEJ]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

*sigh* License plate. That thing with the number and / or letters on the car that allows you to drive the car on the street, aka the registration. In most places, it is a yearly fee. Some states (Hate to tell you that Pennsylvania is a state, even if you want to call it something else) use a sticker or tag system to mark the year as paid, others require smog testing or similar.

The concept is this: Things like strip clubs, beer, smokes and other "sin" items are tax disproportionately to other forms of taxation or fees, because the government knows that they can get away with it. Conversely, things that people would complain about, like the price of putting their car on the road or building permits, example, are kept significantly lower than their costs to make people happy.

I am sorry if this basic concept is beyond the understanding of someone from such an important place as a Commonwealth.

(Commonwealth argument aside, as it's off topic, and really not all that important,)

Ummmm...YEA. That's exactly my point. But I don't think the people of Virginia would agree with you on that. As their "Random Tax" (As I prefer to call it,) That is, the automobile Citation is now about $3,000, and they will allow you to pay that in 3 yearly installments of $1,000 each.

And, believe it or not, they do refer to cigarettes, booze, et taxes as "sin taxes" here. (Gotta love that.)
But again, I contend those taxes are different. "Free Speech" is one of the big three enumerated. The others, are not.

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by EmporerEJ

Yes, and that's our problem because.......?

It's tax time. Makes me selfish. I bust my ass and this is the time of year I get to see how much of my earnings goes to the government so others can sit on their ass and make an existence off government services.

I live in Atlanta.

Let me tell you how bad it is in Atlanta.

Here, the main hospital in the city is Grady Memorial, it is a government run facility. It is also the only level 3 trauma center anywhere near the city proper. You can imagine what a zoo the emergency room is. It's chaos 24/7.

Now Atlanta is a town where we definitely have a significant portion of the urban population who feel entitled and know how to play every game there is to get as much as they can from the government as well as any mark who might venture down their street. They were attempting to hustle us the other night when we ventured into town for the Van Halen concert.

Ok, so let's say you dont have a car, dont have cab fare, but you need to go downtown and you live out on the east side a little ways. Know how you get downtown? Easy, you dial 911, say you're having chest pains and having a hard time breathing. An ambulance will quickly arrive and take you to Grady Memorial. You'll quickly be dumped in a room, queue'd up and left alone. You just walk out. Do your shopping or whatever.

Happens multiple times every day, has for at least a decade. The local news has reported on it, still the city takes no action to prevent it. Out comes the race card, how dare you want to lock up an old lady who wanted nothing more than to get downtown so she could see her grand chilluns...

[EmporerEJ]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

Let me tell you how bad it is in Atlanta.

Here, the main hospital in the city is Grady Memorial, it is a government run facility. It is also the only level 3 trauma center anywhere near the city proper. You can imagine what a zoo the emergency room is. It's chaos 24/7.

Now Atlanta is a town where we definitely have a significant portion of the urban population who feel entitled and know how to play every game there is to get as much as they can from the government as well as any mark who might venture down their street. They were attempting to hustle us the other night when we ventured into town for the Van Halen concert.

Ok, so let's say you dont have a car, dont have cab fare, but you need to go downtown and you live out on the east side a little ways. Know how you get downtown? Easy, you dial 911, say you're having chest pains and having a hard time breathing. An ambulance will quickly arrive and take you to Grady Memorial. You'll quickly be dumped in a room, queue'd up and left alone. You just walk out. Do your shopping or whatever.

Happens multiple times every day, has for at least a decade. The local news has reported on it, still the city takes no action to prevent it. Out comes the race card, how dare you want to lock up an old lady who wanted nothing more than to get downtown so she could see her grand chilluns...

Gotta love it.