Cruzin'

[neoplacebo]

I've been subjected to about three (so far) vile and hideous tv ads from Ted Cruz, who suggests anyone as batshit crazy as him call up and sign a petition to abolish the IRS. Nobody has mentioned this so far, so I'm wondering if this is actually happening, or if it's just the mushrooms and the guns. I suppose they could abolish the IRS, since the government takes your money out of your paycheck or else relies on you to report what you make. But coming from Cruz, it just makes me suspicious. What does everyone else think? Abolish the IRS or guns and mushrooms?

[Cowboy]

Save the mushrooms.

[O Really]

You could "abolish" the IRS by changing its name and maybe moving around a few in the organization. But you can't actually get rid of its function, even if it needs fewer people because of automation. Let's say the agency formerly known as the IRS created an app to keep track of all individual income and expenses (hoo boy, wouldn't the Big Brother people love that!), and it "filed" taxes automatically. That information would go to a large database where a financial program called RAKEIN would keep track of it. So you've gotten rid of all the people except the IT geeks who run the program, but you've still got the same function the formerly named IRS was doing. Cruz isn't really a certified idiot, he's just pandering to the idiots he wants votes from. How on earth did you get on his list, Neo? Been lurking some teabagger sites?

[O Really]

neoplacebo said "tv ads from Ted Cruz", might be the shows he watches.

I know it's lefty heresy but I might be okay with some modified version of a flat tax, massive simplification of the tax code, increased sales taxes and/or institution of a value added tax given the massive inefficiency, intrusiveness and gaming of the current structure. It wouldn't eliminate the IRS but it could make it far smaller. This would give us all more time for the important things in life - guns and mushrooms.

I have no problem with either a flat tax or changing to a national sales tax. The state of Pennsylvania has had basically a flat state tax for years. The filing form is pretty simple. I think the only deduction is for contributions to a 529 education savings plan. No reason why something similar wouldn't work nationwide.

Of course, it isn't the IRS that's made the rat's nest of conflicting and unintelligible rules we have. Every one of those kinky deductions and exceptions resulted from some bill passed in Congress, most probably originally to benefit some particular person or persons or to influence consumer behaviour. Very few have anything to do with actually collecting money.

[neoplacebo]

How on earth did you get on his list, Neo? Been lurking some teabagger sites?

No, this was on WLOS. I have DirecTV. Maybe they're profiling me. Boy, I sure got them fooled. This is why it pays off to go and buy stuff you never use, like tampons and lipstick in my case. I like to keep the bastards guessing.

[neoplacebo]

Flat tax is the way to go; just like "sales" tax. It's the same for everybody. Corporate tax would be different, and sort of based on gross profit. The way it is now, corporations paying zero tax and getting millions in refunds, to me, is like what they used to say about "rock and roll has got to go." Well, maybe that's not a good analogy.....

[billy.pilgrim]

neoplacebo said "tv ads from Ted Cruz", might be the shows he watches.

I know it's lefty heresy but I might be okay with some modified version of a flat tax, massive simplification of the tax code, increased sales taxes and/or institution of a value added tax given the massive inefficiency, intrusiveness and gaming of the current structure. It wouldn't eliminate the IRS but it could make it far smaller. This would give us all more time for the important things in life - guns and mushrooms.

I have no problem with either a flat tax or changing to a national sales tax. The state of Pennsylvania has had basically a flat state tax for years. The filing form is pretty simple. I think the only deduction is for contributions to a 529 education savings plan. No reason why something similar wouldn't work nationwide.

Of course, it isn't the IRS that's made the rat's nest of conflicting and unintelligible rules we have. Every one of those kinky deductions and exceptions resulted from some bill passed in Congress, most probably originally to benefit some particular person or persons or to influence consumer behaviour. Very few have anything to do with actually collecting money.

Service fees would solve more problems than a flat tax and offer the taxpayer the benefit of opting out of paying much of their taxes and creating jobs by moving closer to the republicon’s “free market”

That walmart tractor trailer truck requires about $6,000,000.00/year in road construction and maintenance but pays about $15,000.00 in taxes. We have the ability to charge trucks for the wear and tear and construction costs they cause – at $6,000,000.00, some companies may bring a few jobs back from china.
Same vein – charge for all the free protection out navy provides the shipping companies and oil companies to protect their chinese cargo
Or the subsidized use of ports to off-load the crap
Or the subsidized use of rail lines to move the crap
And charge the shipper for all inspections required

Damn – what do you know – that free market them cons rave about says it’s cheaper to keep the jobs at home

Or at thousands of smaller scales, say, well to do citizen with his fishing boat has trouble in the Gulf and calls the trusty Coast Guard (financed by all the taxpayers without boats) to tow his home. Coast Guard is great and one of those things where all of us benefit, but the guy with the boat could have just as easily paid the full cost of the rescue or purchased free market insurance to pay for a tow.

Much still has to be paid by all for the overall benefit to society, but we spend so much subsidizing corporations and the “few”, that substantial change could be made without resorting to the increased tax on the poor that a flat tax offers.

and lastly no one should even discuss a flat tax until the 1% includes a flat rate in the social security discussion – currently paid almost entirely by the middle class and the working poor.


the flat tax is just another bs bumper sticker lie that "sounds good" - follow the money - this lie comes from the same aristocracy that brought us trickle down voodoo and job creators and too big to fail and on and on

[Troll Patrol]

neoplacebo said "tv ads from Ted Cruz", might be the shows he watches.

I know it's lefty heresy but I might be okay with some modified version of a flat tax, massive simplification of the tax code, increased sales taxes and/or institution of a value added tax given the massive inefficiency, intrusiveness and gaming of the current structure. It wouldn't eliminate the IRS but it could make it far smaller. This would give us all more time for the important things in life - guns and mushrooms.

I have no problem with either a flat tax or changing to a national sales tax. The state of Pennsylvania has had basically a flat state tax for years. The filing form is pretty simple. I think the only deduction is for contributions to a 529 education savings plan. No reason why something similar wouldn't work nationwide.

Of course, it isn't the IRS that's made the rat's nest of conflicting and unintelligible rules we have. Every one of those kinky deductions and exceptions resulted from some bill passed in Congress, most probably originally to benefit some particular person or persons or to influence consumer behaviour. Very few have anything to do with actually collecting money.

Service fees would solve more problems than a flat tax and offer the taxpayer the benefit of opting out of paying much of their taxes and creating jobs by moving closer to the republicon’s “free market”

That walmart tractor trailer truck requires about $6,000,000.00/year in road construction and maintenance but pays about $15,000.00 in taxes. We have the ability to charge trucks for the wear and tear and construction costs they cause – at $6,000,000.00, some companies may bring a few jobs back from china.
Same vein – charge for all the free protection out navy provides the shipping companies and oil companies to protect their chinese cargo
Or the subsidized use of ports to off-load the crap
Or the subsidized use of rail lines to move the crap
And charge the shipper for all inspections required

Damn – what do you know – that free market them cons rave about says it’s cheaper to keep the jobs at home

Or at thousands of smaller scales, say, well to do citizen with his fishing boat has trouble in the Gulf and calls the trusty Coast Guard (financed by all the taxpayers without boats) to tow his home. Coast Guard is great and one of those things where all of us benefit, but the guy with the boat could have just as easily paid the full cost of the rescue or purchased free market insurance to pay for a tow.

Much still has to be paid by all for the overall benefit to society, but we spend so much subsidizing corporations and the “few”, that substantial change could be made without resorting to the increased tax on the poor that a flat tax offers.

and lastly no one should even discuss a flat tax until the 1% includes a flat rate in the social security discussion – currently paid almost entirely by the middle class and the working poor.


the flat tax is just another bs bumper sticker lie that "sounds good" - follow the money - this lie comes from the same aristocracy that brought us trickle down voodoo and job creators and too big to fail and on and on

Billy, Billy, Billy, just what is your source for the $6,000,000 cost of each Walmart truck per year?

[billy.pilgrim]

Jump Ted, jump

[Ulysses]

Well, as much as I dislike Ted, he did ok getting out of that $6 million truck cab without falling and injuring himself.

[Vrede too]

Well, as much as I dislike Ted, he did ok getting out of that $6 million truck cab without falling and injuring himself.

That's "ok"? it looked pretty cautious and awkward to me.

"$6 million truck cab"? Try $200,000+ for a new "High-end" tractor cab:
https://www.durabakcompany.com/blogs/du ... truck-cost
Hint: billy.pilgrim never said that the price of a tractor cab is $6 million. Pay attention.

(signature: obsessed butthurt )

Awww. , Useless. So much for "Ignored". You fail again. Plus, Useless, you've been busted too many times for anyone to believe you're not reading my posts, anyhow. It's just your excuse for cowering. Awww.

[neoplacebo]

Gazpacho. I have twelve six million dollar dump trucks at my diamond mine just to haul away chips and throwbacks. Space lasers manipulated by Jews ensure good weather at the mine head. Hell, I've got it made. One day Ted Cruz showed up and a bunch of migrants beat the hell out of him for two hours. I laughed my ass off.

[Ulysses]

Upon re-reading the post, I have a slight question about the $6 million price tag assigned to "Walmart Tractor Trailer Trucks". Now, apparently the claim is that this what the infrastructure costs to run such a truck (roads, bridges, etc.). But it seems logical that more than one such vehicle can traverse this infrastructure, thus lowering the cost per vehicle by $6 million/# of vehicles? Then this would mean the trucks don't actually cost all of $6 million, but some fraction thereof. No?

Just trying to be as fair as possible to truckin'.

[Vrede too]

Service fees would solve more problems than a flat tax and offer the taxpayer the benefit of opting out of paying much of their taxes and creating jobs by moving closer to the republicon’s “free market”

That walmart tractor trailer truck requires about $6,000,000.00/year in road construction and maintenance but pays about $15,000.00 in taxes. We have the ability to charge trucks for the wear and tear and construction costs they cause – at $6,000,000.00, some companies may bring a few jobs back from china....

Well, as much as I dislike Ted, he did ok getting out of that $6 million truck cab without falling and injuring himself.

That's "ok"? it looked pretty cautious and awkward to me.

"$6 million truck cab"? Try $200,000+ for a new "High-end" tractor cab:
https://www.durabakcompany.com/blogs/du ... truck-cost
Hint: billy.pilgrim never said that the price of a tractor cab is $6 million. Pay attention.

Useless busts himself reading my supposedly ignored posts again, not that he'll ever have the balls to admit it, to admit that he screwed up royally or to admit that I was correct:

Upon re-reading the post, I have a slight question about the $6 million price tag assigned to "Walmart Tractor Trailer Trucks". Now, apparently the claim is that this what the infrastructure costs to run such a truck (roads, bridges, etc.). But it seems logical that more than one such vehicle can traverse this infrastructure, thus lowering the cost per vehicle by $6 million/# of vehicles? Then this would mean the trucks don't actually cost all of $6 million, but some fraction thereof. No?

Just trying to be as fair as possible to truckin'.

Idk if billy.pilgrim's 2013 figure is correct, but it's OBVIOUS that he's talking about costs to the public per truck. Otherwise, it would be gibberish. Duh.

[neoplacebo]

The six million is the amount of the government subsidy WalMart gets for each truck they buy. They abandoned their old scheme of "hiring" so many people that none of them could work enough time to make a living so a lot of them went on welfare and food stamps which means the government was subsidizing the company payroll. Those bastards are pretty slick, but not too slick. Hell, they're in Arkansas and might even hire Sarah Sanders and give her a big, fat, ugly paycheck. sick

[Ulysses]

The six million is the amount of the government subsidy WalMart gets for each truck they buy. They abandoned their old scheme of "hiring" so many people that none of them could work enough time to make a living so a lot of them went on welfare and food stamps which means the government was subsidizing the company payroll. Those bastards are pretty slick, but not too slick. Hell, they're in Arkansas and might even hire Sarah Sanders and give her a big, fat, ugly paycheck. sick

That makes little intuitive sense.

Do you any link(s) to actual published articles that clearly state the infrastructure costs of tractor-trailers is actually $6 million/truck?

[neoplacebo]

Don't be so superstitious.

[Ulysses]

Don't be so superstitious.

Do you have any link(s) to actual published articles that clearly state the infrastructure costs of tractor-trailers is actually $6 million/truck?

[neoplacebo]

Don't be so superstitious.

Do you have any link(s) to actual published articles that clearly state the infrastructure costs of tractor-trailers is actually $6 million/truck?

No. There are none. My comment was intended to highlight how WalMart games the system to its advantage at the expense of its workforce. I suspect you're the only one who has taken that comment as factual. But it would not surprise me to discover that some statistician has laid out the operating expense for a WalMart tractor trailer rig over the term of its useful life.....initial cost, maintenance, fuel, driver, inspection fees, safety inspections. Hell, it may be more than six million. And if it were, I have no doubt WalMart would take advantage of that.

[Ulysses]

Don't be so superstitious.

Do you have any link(s) to actual published articles that clearly state the infrastructure costs of tractor-trailers is actually $6 million/truck?

No. There are none. My comment was intended to highlight how WalMart games the system to its advantage at the expense of its workforce. I suspect you're the only one who has taken that comment as factual. But it would not surprise me to discover that some statistician has laid out the operating expense for a WalMart tractor trailer rig over the term of its useful life.....initial cost, maintenance, fuel, driver, inspection fees, safety inspections. Hell, it may be more than six million. And if it were, I have no doubt WalMart would take advantage of that.

OK, but you were not the one first to make the $6 million claim. It was Billy P., back in 2013, and he was called out on that by Troll Patrol back then, viz:

Troll Patrol » Sun Jul 14, 2013 8:41 am

"Billy, Billy, Billy, just what is your source for the $6,000,000 cost of each Walmart truck per year?"

AFAIK Billy never provided any evidence to support the $6 million figure, so I asked you. You have declined to provide the requested evidence of the $6 million figure. Hence I conclude that $6 million per tractor trailer figure is BS.

That's all.