Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom How about killing off tax exemptions like children and mortgage credit. If you can't afford having a child then don't have them. If you can't afford the house. Then don't but it. Why do so many people expect the Federal Government to provide them with a check for nothing.
Originally Posted By StillThePassHolder "<The Child Support Program is getting 1.7 billion less over the next five years.> Less than what?" A dishonest, obfuscating question if there ever was one.
Originally Posted By StillThePassHolder "How about killing off tax exemptions like children and mortgage credit." It'll never happen for a myriad of reasons.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Why do so many people expect the Federal Government to provide them with a check for nothing.<< People aren't getting a check from the gov't in the examples you gave. They are getting to keep some of their own tax money. Big difference.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <A dishonest, obfuscating question if there ever was one.> I think what is dishonest and obfuscating is throwing out numbers without context.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <People aren't getting a check from the gov't in the examples you gave. They are getting to keep some of their own tax money.> The earned income credit is not letting people keep some of their tax money. It gives out money.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Tom mentioned the child credit and mortgage credit, not the earned income credit, I think.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I'm thinking of the standard per-child deduction, and the standard mortgage interest deductions.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer The mortgage interest deduction and the child credit are very helpful to the middle and lower class, and it benefits our society to encourage home ownership and families.
Originally Posted By cape cod joe Especially since we paid over $50,000 in interest last year on our primary residence alone. We are agreeing more and more as you prognosticated Tom.
Originally Posted By cmpaley >>The mortgage interest deduction and the child credit are very helpful to the middle and lower class, and it benefits our society to encourage home ownership and families.<< You forget, Tom, that to the conservative, the government doesn't exist to benefit society but to punish the undesirable.
Originally Posted By cape cod joe I'll let conservatives answer cm-but post 72 seems very insulting> not to me being an independent but to some rational people who may be registered Republicans. to be lumped as not wanting to benefit society is a terrible label to put on them as human beings. Don't you think?
Originally Posted By cmpaley Well, think about it, CCJ. Everything the government does is "punishment." The Right calls progressive tax rates "punishing achievement." The only solution the Right has to the problems surrounding undocumented immigration is harassment and punishment of the immigrants who tend to be poor (but not the businesss that benefit from exploitation of the immigrants). The Right wants to eliminate programs that serve the people as a whole while retaining law enforcement powers over the people. The Right calls almost all regulation a form of "punishment." Seems to me that my assessment is pretty accurate. Personally, I am for a balance where the government does both: works for the common good as well as punishes those who harm the common good and ensure that the dignity of every human person is protected.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <Tom mentioned the child credit and mortgage credit, not the earned income credit, I think.> True.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <You forget, Tom, that to the conservative, the government doesn't exist to benefit society but to punish the undesirable.> How could he forget something that isn't true?
Originally Posted By cmpaley >><You forget, Tom, that to the conservative, the government doesn't exist to benefit society but to punish the undesirable.> How could he forget something that isn't true?<< Perhaps you can tell us, Mr. Conservative, what the purpose of government is. This time, I would actually welcome some opinion sources because this goes right to the heart of your ideology.
Originally Posted By cape cod joe cm-anent post 74-------Isn't that just poor semantics by the Elephants?
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <Perhaps you can tell us, Mr. Conservative, what the purpose of government is.> Provide for the common defense. Promote the general welfare. Secure the blessings of liberty.
Originally Posted By cmpaley You left out "to form a more perfect union" and "establish tranquility," but considering the tone of the debate lately...I think it's appropriate that you did.
