Does this get in your craw?

[deathwish2]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news . . . but this is all HOGWASH!!

* It is a standard arrangement that the Secret Service provide payment to homeowners for space used by the agency in such situations. The Clintons did not take it upon themselves to "charge the Secret Service rent."
* The amount provided is based on a government formula, not set by the homeowner. In the Clintons' case, this amount is $1,100. (Note that this figure was not chosen by the Clintons, and it is well short of their monthly mortgage payment.)

* Most importantly, although regulations call for the payment of this amount, the Clintons have not accepted any money from the Secret Service.

For the full story . . .
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/landlord.htm

My Source for debunking this and other myths . . .
http://www.snopes.com/

--Deathwish

When it comes to
woodworking and buying
tools, I always think back to
my grandfathers advice on
golf . . . "it's not the arrows,
it's the indian.''

[davejack69]

Guess I will never believe anything I read at the Snopes Urban Legend page again!!! :)

Seriously though, the point that should be made is that the Clintons are the worst we have ever had. As far as government handouts go, he had the most expensive office payments of any living president, by something like 300%. I forget the numbers, but I am sure they can be found by anyone who wants to look them up, I think it was something like $75,000 per period for Reagan, $110,000 or so for Bush senior and about $300,000 or more for what Clinton wanted. I don't know if he got that office, because of the hoopla over Harlem. The point is he either tried or succeded in stealing money again, because there is no need for that kind of expense.

Obviously I lean republican. Let me say however that as far as what he did as president, I think he was OK to pretty decent. It was his lying, stealing, selling of the White House, and cheapening of the Office of the President that burns me up. If Hillary had divorced him like she should have, I might even consider voting for her. Her staying married shows she is complacent in his crimes, and that guarantees I wouldn't vote for her if Beavis and Butthead were the republican candidates.

Just because most of our government officials are crooks doesn't mean we should sit back and let them continue.

Dave

[TWS]

I think the waste of money down in Trent Lott's district is worse. He professes to be a 'hard-liner' on government spending. To think that half completed hull is sitting in the shipyard, waiting for someone to think of an excuse to finish it gets my goat.

But then I remember his now famous quote on excess government spending projects and it comes into perspective....
"It's only pork if someone else spends it!"

The Clintons are great at spending our money on themselves, but they don't seem to pretend otherwise....

Tom

[Randall]

[logical]

I happen to be from Trent Lott's district. I am very conservative and can't stand Mr. Lott. He gave his balls away when he became a college cheerleader and never got them back. He is NO leader.

Now, with the new laws regarding campaign finanace reform, we can no longer say his name in a political ad 60 days prior to an election for fear of going to jail.

So much for free speech. The incumbents have made it almost impossible to for them to be unseated. Not one, not one mind you, of the politicians has the intestinal fortitute to "do the right thing."

I could go on for hours.
Don't get me started on China. Lord have mercy on us if we ever have to go to war with them. We would have to ask them to sell us tanks and weapons to use against them.

Same thing with NAFTA. How can we have free trade with countries that don't have the same standards as us? We have just lost another manufacturing company here in MS to Mexico.

The policitcians said that the "jobs that nobody wanted to do" would be the only ones lost to Mexico. But they don't understand that the job structure here is stacked like building blocks. Take the bottom block out of the stack and the stack doesn't stay in the air, it comes down by one block. Therefore, the jobs just above those that "nobody wants to do" now become the BOTTOM TIER jobs and the pay slides accordingly and then those jobs get eyed for export to Mexico. The only exception to this is the executive level jobs, they do float in mid-air. Special people, no?

If we weren't taxed to death to support countries that hate us, we could afford to purchase shoes made by an AMERICAN manufacturer instead of shoes shipped from China and sold in Wal-Mart for $9. We could afford $30 to $40 on items that are now $9 because we would have our own money to spend and companies would come home and hire American workers.

The American economy would improve greatly if we would do that one thing. I doubt our leaders will ever see the light and vote to stop supporting the world.

Damn.

Wes

[deathwish2]

>If we weren't taxed to death to support countries that hate
>us, we could afford to purchase shoes made by an AMERICAN
>manufacturer instead of shoes shipped from China and sold in
>Wal-Mart for $9. We could afford $30 to $40 on items that
>are now $9 because we would have our own money to spend and
>companies would come home and hire American workers.

So we should cut taxes and let inflation take its course?? That didn't work in the 80's . . . Reaganomics was a scam . . . the reason we are saddled with a debt today is the cuts in taxes made in the early 80's.

George W took this a step further, he sent us all a 'tax rebate' when he 'thought' there was going to be a 'surplus'. In my household, if there is a surplus it is used to pay down debt for things I have bought in the past (mortgage, car loan . . .etc.). This money is merely a high-interest loan from the government, the small sum sent to us will cost each of us about double by the time we pay it back through the beaurocracy in the form of taxes so that it eventually gets to the fund that goes to the debt. Bush and all of his greedy corporate friends do not want to see the end of the debt, that would mean the end of issuance of T-bills/bonds and their guarantees for them. And yes, I cashed my check and used it to pay my own debt, I did not make the rules, but I play by them.

In a nutshell, if you owe money, there is no surplus.

Now to your point Dave . . .

After the end of the Reagan Administration, through which Reagan drew both his Presidential Salary AND his Social Security Benefits that he was entitled to, he was 78 and was ready to retire. If the office in question was costing the taxpayers $75,000/year THEN and he is now totally incapacitated, I for one am outraged. Bush Senior on the other hand made no secret of using government airplanes and crew to go skydiving on his birthday a few years back . . . show me even one former paratrooper that could get this treatment from their old unit.

Clinton left office at age 55 and has is receiving more press for what he is doing, not because what he is doing is any worse or better, but becuase of what the republicans accused him of . . . which turned out to be a waterfront trailer park that no one got rich on . . . nothing at all compared to Haliburton Corp . . . just wait and see.

--Deathwish

When it comes to
woodworking and buying
tools, I always think back to
my grandfathers advice on
golf . . . "it's not the arrows,
it's the indian.''

[logical]

DON'T LET FACTS GET IN YOUR WAY!!

You didn't read my thoughts correctly. I didn't say we should cut taxes, which I think we should, but that we should QUIT SENDING OUR TAX MONEY TO COUNTRIES THAT HATE US!!!!! We wouldn't have a problem financing ANYTHING HERE AT HOME IF WE DID.

I don't have any idea how any right thinking, rational person could be a liberal. I guess some people won't be content until everyone is as miserable as they themselves are.

Oh, by the way, deathwish2. You seem to be an economic neophyte. You may be good in the woodshop but you know squat about what makes the economy run. I have run a couple of small businesses in my day and high taxes are what cause companies to RUN, not walk, away from this country.

The more that run, the more you have to take from the ones that stay until the viscious cycle has run around several more times. Soon there will be none left. i.e. There are NO American manufacturers of televisions anymore and scarce few textile plants left. Companies are not in business to give away earnings to people who don't deserve (earn) it.


GHUA (God help us all)
Wes

"My dog ate the parrot"

[Lou_williams]

I find most of this more unresponsible and unwoodworking than most of the threads you have lock up.

Please let this crap die.

[davejack69]

Well it is just talking. Nobody has to read this.

I for one can not understand what it is that Democrats think. I believe in my heart they are wrong, wrong, wrong.

Even so - they have as much of a right to their opinions as I do. That is what makes this country great. I disagree with a lot that was said here. However, I am glad these points were made because they make us think. I am sick of Americans making decisions because the media and politicians tell us something is true. We need to start thinking for ourselves. Maybe posts like this will lead one more person to think for themselves. If that happens, it is worth it.

P.S. This post is not meant to imply that anyone here does not think for themselves, it is expressing generalities only, and I have no knowledge of any specific person here. So - no offense intended.

Dave

[deathwish2]

>Well it is just talking. Nobody has to read this.
Right you are . . . so why not continue . . .

>I for one can not understand what it is that Democrats
>think. I believe in my heart they are wrong, wrong, wrong.

Woodworking is just a hobby for me, it helps me to feel like I've made something, which I don't really get to do at work, although what I do is a craft, it is all computerized now. Most of you have probably seen or used my work at some point in the last 20 years.

I make my living in an industry that, with great success, figures out why we do the things we do, with our lives and our money. I know from a demographic standpoint that the vast majority of woodworking enthusiasts are not in a position to be helped by the capital gains tax cuts at the high thresholds that the GOP supports. When the people at those levels have more money they go and buy new cars and boats . . . most of them buy cars with three pointed stars on the grill, not blue ovals. YES, there will always be an exception or two . . . there are millionaires with table saws . . . most of which you'll find were $4000 units made in Europe.

I for one, NEVER make a decision based on one issue or fact, but a lot of people do. Presently, I find the administration in the white house DISGUSTING . . . their agenda slanted and their morals more questionable than any previous administration. I am not however a Democrat, I am unenrolled and choose who to vote for based on what they want to do for the country and our free way of life. If I had to classify myself, I'm probably closest to the Libertarians, though I've never voted for one, they want a smaller government and that is fine with me. If you think that it is Clinton's fault the economy is in the toilet you are wrong, corporate greed put it there, the kind that the likes of Bush, Cheney and the rest of the crew in the District has made their living on and continue to support.

Nearly a third of the people who vote for Republicans, would rather vote for a Democrat, but won't, because of one issue, choice. The religious groups (known collectively as the religious RIGHT) have been duped by the Republicans, The most sensible argument I've ever heard was from a Democrat, to quote WJ Clinton "Abortion should be legal, safe and rare." This showed me he was against the practice, but supported the right to safe access to it.

Individual rights are what has made this country great, the republicans want to limit them.

I own two vehicles, a full-sized Ford Conversion Van (Made in Indiana) and a Mazda Protege (Made in Japan). Neither decision was made because of where the product was made, but rather that each decision gave me more quality for the dollar over its competition. But if you've had the experiences I've had with compact American cars, you would never consider one again. American car companies in their desperate attempt to meet CAFE levels, make their cars cheaply and design the engines and drivetrains to do well on the EPA tests, to aid in selling the volume necessary to help bring down their levels so they can sell more high-priced gas-guzzling SUVs. The EPA bases their highway mileage tests on driving 55 . . . which is unrealistic when the national average Speed Limit is 65 . . . 100 in some places.

By the way, there is more US made content in a Honda Accord than a Ford Taurus, though both are ASSEMBLED here. Government regulations prevent an import 'brand' from saying it is an american car, no matter the content of US made parts. I'm not saying its un-American to buy the Taurus, because the corporate level profits stay here, rather than going overseas, but the blue collar workers making the parts don't really care what car they go in, as long as they make them.

If you can't buy an American made TV, that is because the last company to make them here, Zenith, made goods that were equivalent to the Korean made Wal-Mart doorbuster price point goods, and priced it like a Sony Trinitron. If you bought one them, you were a fool, you were duped, and it's almost definitely been replaced by now because of failure.

You use the footwear analogy, I buy american made sneakers from New Balance. This may seem the patriotic thing to do, but that is not why I buy them, I buy them because they are the ONLY company that gives me several choices below $100 a pair in a 13EE . . . no other company does, if they did, I would consider them, but until they do, their product just isn't for me. I'd love to be able to buy $9 Wal-Mart shoes . . . they'd be nice for mowing the lawn . . . Wes, if that is where you are shopping, let me know when they carry my size.

--Deathwish

When it comes to
woodworking and buying
tools, I always think back to
my grandfathers advice on
golf . . . "it's not the arrows,
it's the indian.''