Gr,
I have to respectfully disagree. I mind being taxed on my modest investments. What I don't like is the 90% of people on welfare who choose not to work. Yes, some people need it, and I'm all for that, but the majority don't need it and just abuse it. You should see some of these checks every month that these people get, its absolutely atrocious. Yes, some people get lucky and get born with money. But, some work their ass off for it as well. I'm not wealthy, but completely resent the fact that everyones solution to everything is to tax the rich more. And GR, you are more then welcome to voice your opinion, thats why america is great, but without being in the highest income bracket it just dosen't mean much to me. Not if you wanted to tax your income bracket more, It would carry much more weight, because it directly affects you. It's always easier to take someone elses money then your own. Just my opinion

If you're just a regular guy that makes a salary, I don't think think there are too many loopholes. Even if you make a good salary of $150,000-$200,000, I still don't think there's much you can do. But if a person has their own company, there is all kinds of creative accounting that a person can do. And the more money a person makes, the more they can afford to spend on the best accountants and tax attorneys that know all the loopholes.

I am far from an expert on the subject, but I know that there is all kinds of creative accounting that goes on.

Yes, I do know where his fortune came from. He was an incredibly successful businessman.

When he took over as CEO at Searle, they were $28 million in the red. When he left 4 year later, they were $128 million in the black. Searle is a pharmaceutical company known for products such as Dramamine, Metamucil, and an early birth control pill.

He left Searle and became Chairman and CEO of General Instruments, where he did an amazing job. General Instruments is a leader in broadband transmissions, distributions, and access control technologies.

After leaving General Instruments, he became Chairman of the Board of Gilead Sciences, which is a huge pharmaceutical company.

Rumsfeld was incredibly successful everywhere he went. He was regarded as a guy who could go into a company and turn things around in a relatively quick time.

Most people think I know a little bit about politics. I do have a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA.

UCLA has consistently ranked in the top 25 universities in the country.

You say that I don't understand politics. What is it about politics that you think I don't understand?

1st round goes to Rupert! Way to bring it, Rup? Mera?:D

Okay, leave out the good stuff.

Remember Searle also put out Nutrasweet. I wonder how much impact THAT had on the bottom line. And i wonder how he got that by the FDA. HMMMMMM.

How about his dealings with North Korea later. Or Sadaam earlier? HMMMM.

Does anyone else realize that BOTH times he was the Sec of Defense that neither of the presidents he served were elected by popular vote? HMMMMM.

What about his dealings with North Korea? What about his dealings with Saddam? You tell me. What about them?

Searle put out Nutrasweet? So? Nutrasweet is still around. When I drink coffee once a year, I use nutrasweet. They are still flourishing. Here is a link to their website: http://www.nutrasweet.com

Rumsfeld was Sec of Defense under Presidents that did not win the popular election. So? How is this relevant to anything? Was Ford not supposed to have a Defense Secreatry? Was Bush not supposed to have a Defense Secretary? Rumsfled could not have been any more qualified.

Hey Dalkhani, What about the Carlyle Group? Ooooooh. LOL. As if that means something. I love it when you make these veiled accusations which imply some type of wrongdoing when there is no evidence of any wrongdoing.

"HMMMM", as you would say. As if that means anything.

What I think is hilarious is that not one but two republican presidents passed on Rumsfeld and Bush HW even went as far as push Cheney PAST Rumsfeld. Think he knew something? Think Reagan knew something? Obviously, Rumsfeld didnt do too well in this job SO THEY MUST HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING.

The FDA objected to passing Nutrasweet. Maybe you should go back and look up how that came about. Use that BA of yours.

Yes, the Carlyle group. Does anything more need to be said?

Rumsfeld was a complete failure as was this administration. A group of historians that were polled say that this will go down as one of the five WORST ever.

HMMMMMMMMMMM

Your original contention was that this was one of the best foreign policy teams ever assembled. Obviously, that wasnt the case.

I agree the tax code could be simplified and many loopholes should be closed (most having to do with corporate welfare), but how would you handle taxing dividends? The big problem with the flat tax proposals (besides the fact that it would effectively raise taxes on the poor and middle class because the wealthy would be the ones most benefiting from a flat tax) is that dividends are excluded from taxation. Which would permit the super-rich to live tax-free.

In my opinion, one needs to look at who is proposing a tax reform to figure out who would most benefit. Flat tax seems to be a pet of the super-rich. Wonder why? Because it will cost them less money and shift the burden onto the poor and middle-class.

Interestingly, the Earned Income Tax Credit is pretty popular with both parties because it's an efficient, inexpensive way to get a little extra money into the hands of working families. More effective than raising the minimum wage, because most minimum wage workers are teenagers.

The main reform that urgently needs fixing is the alternative minimum tax. Raise the threshold, already! (not that I'm anywhere near the threshold. Sigh...)

Yeah, it would be lovely if if worked that way, but theories have a way of falling apart in reality. When you come down to it, communism is a perfectly nice idea in theory (everyone contributing to the comfort and survival of everyone else-- heck, it was first advocated in the Bible) but it's a complete mess in reality. 'Cause people likes to haves themselves some stuff, you know? Who doesn't like having stuff? I like having stuff.

Maybe Gandhi and Mother Teresa didn't like having stuff.

And maybe the naked guy on East 60th Street who poops on the sidewalk. He doesn't seem so into stuff. Including clothing and toilet paper.

YIKES!!!
I find myself agreeing with Baba!
Actually, communism isn't a "deal" I buy into, but it works for some.
How about those Shakers?
They didn't know much about sex, but boy o boy could they make chairs!
And talk about dancing!!!
Jerry Spinger and Tucker Carlson would have been put to shame!

Dancing rules:
#1- Never look at your feet.
#2- Don't let your lips move to reveal that you're counting the beat.
#3- If you step on your partner's toes, don't stop dancin' to apologize. It's expected in the game.
#4- Shake, shake, shake...shake your bootie!

Excellent point, and my 10th-grade World Cultures teacher, Mrs. Bej (Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year 1987), would not be pleased that I forgot about kibbutzes.

So, maybe communism works in small, close-knit communities?