That's why the honor system doesn't work. Regulate, baby, regulate!!

Amen to that!

Regulation is a function that government CAN and SHOULD do with vigilance. The challenge is with the speed of technological change, many of our laws are lagging somewhat behind the marketplace. This is essential work for all levels of government, and should be a legislative priority.

The rich do hire people, but I make a shitty maid.

How's your groundskeeping?

I think business gets too many tax breaks but, from my experience, the big companies have a profit margin that will be met. If they have increased taxes that money will be cut from the biggest cost they have which is usually manpower and wages.

I wonder if Jerry Brown's 13 percent flat tax proposal will be dusted off again for his run as California Governor?

For those of you not familiar, when Jerry Brown ran against Bill Clinton for the Democratic nomination for President in 1992, he proposed the elimination of all forms of federal tax -- the works: no income tax, payroll tax, social security tax, etc. -- to be replaced by a flat tax. No loopholes, no exemptions, no tax code to be rigged by lobbists for special business interests.

The plan was elegant in its simplicity, and did not deter individuals from earning more and being penalized by moving into a higher tax bracket. Similarly, businesses would have "cost certainty" when it came to taxes. Really, the only downside to the plan was a lot of tax attorneys would need to look for honest work.

I wonder if they are working on a variant at the state level for California, and if that might be a solution to making California more resident and business friendly?

Republicans will let people starve to death on faith but because democrats have faith that the sun rises every day, it's all the same and vote republican, but you're bigger than that, so tut-tut on anyone who deals with politics realistically?

I'm assuming this was in reference to one of my posts. Just so I'm following, Mike, the "sun rising every day" is the blissful taxpayers, effective government and grateful underclass, correct? I think we've got two out of the three. Don't know about the happy taxpayers. That might no longer be a gimme.

And I don't recall ever saying that the Republicans are better than the Democrats (or vice versa for that matter). Each party has their strengths and weaknesses, and I haven't tied my fortunes to one or the other.

By the way, William, I'd like to point out that in my original message I didn't frame the discussion as "Republican vs. Democrat" as you seem to have in your reply. I think that kind of Red/Blue thinking gets things off track.

***************

I never made it a "Republican vs. Democrat" debate either. I've been around this board a mite longer than you, and there a number of people who are absolutely convinced that Clinton was wholly responsible for the downsizing of the military and had absolutely nothing to do with getting a balanced budget. I put that in parentheses to nip any moron using "peace dividend" in that way. They weren't directed at you. So I apologize if you took it that way.

I'm still not convinced that some mass training program went on to get people off welfare and into the workforce. It sure as hell didn't happen where I lived down in Georgia. If it did where you lived, that's awesome.

Otherwise, no harm, no foul. I'm just getting frustrated in my old age
that everything seems to become so partisan. So very hard to find
common ground when everyone stakes out their turf.

A side note, that illustrates the problem and brings us full circle to the
origins of this thread. I'm certain you've heard about James Levin, the
fellow behind CrashTheTeaParty.org. It was a simple enough plan:
show up at rallies with offensive signs, pretending to be Tea Partiers,
to make them the villains we know them to be. All that fool has
accomplished is to throw into doubt some of those truly offensive
pictures that Jodi shared with us. How many are real and how many
have been (as they say in the TV industry) sweetened? The stupid
clown just brought the movement he's against some cover.

More and more we're seeing games like that, and it grows tiresome.

Edited by Matthew McCallum on 16 April 2010 at 5:37pm

Another reason for the high unemployment and poverty rates in Shasta
County was (is) it is much cheaper to live here compared to the Bay Area
or the LA region. A lot of peopleon social assistance move north because
it makes their payments go farther.

Working for the Community Employment Center was very rewarding. It
was fantastic to see the joy on people's faces when they were able to
accomplish things that others had told them they never could do. A lot of
broken people out there. It was very humbling to play a small part in
healing a few.

Edited by Matthew McCallum on 16 April 2010 at 6:14pm

How do you use regulation to make a business hire more people, or pay more?

The reason western people need a higher income is because we want stuff. When I look at myself the more I made the more I got, when money was tight I did without.

I know there are execption.

23 But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich.

24 Jesus looking at him said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to
enter the kingdom of God!

25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a
rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

26 Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?"

27 But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."