Liberalism is an Addiction: The Left-Wing Whiners

[Warph]

You know, I'm really sorry that I disappointed jerry.... and sdm, I have no idea why ol' Bert left out abortion.  Look.... quite honestly, I haven't the foggiest notion what makes liberals tick.  For instance, why do they so vehemently object to making English our official language?  It's not as if people who speak it badly -- people such as Robert Byrd and Ms. Boxer --would have to relinquish their senate seats.  I neither know nor care if other countries print their ballots in more than one language, but it seems obvious to me that if you're unable to read English, you have no business voting in our elections.  I feel the same way about people who don't pay income taxes.  If you're still getting an allowance from mom and dad, I really object to your vote canceling out mine. 

It amazes me that Barack Obama continues to score points for having opposed the war in Iraq.  But, considering how much the left-wing media adores this guy -- and let us never forget that Obama has managed to send shivers up Chris Matthews' leg -- I suppose nothing should surprise me.  I mean, Sen. Obama is a man who's been around for nearly 47 years and apparently every single person who is near and dear to him is a creep I would cross the street to avoid.  Also, isn't it high time that people quit oohing and ahing about his oratorical skills?  I'm willing to grant that so long as he is reading the work of his speech writers, he's okay.  But ask him a question off the cuff and he turns into Mortimer Snerd.  Still, I suppose if I were desperately trying to pass myself off as a centralist when I was really a left-wing radical, I'd get nervous, too.   

And another thing, Liberals are forever denying that the mainstream media is predominantly left-wing.  That's because the MSM mirrors their own prejudices so closely that everything they read in the New York Times or see on CBS, MS/NBC or CNN strikes them as factual and impartial, whereas the rest of us on the right view it as leftist propaganda.  But there are times when the truth is so blatant that you'd think that even the most besotted lefty would have to acknowledge that widespread journalistic bias is more than an idle rumor.  For instance, didn't it seem a little odd that even though the National Enquirer broke the news about John Edwards and his tootsie late in 2007, it wasn't until about a week after the Enquirer ran a second story about the scuzzy affair eight or nine months later that the MSM deigned to mention it?  Does any liberal seriously believe that if it had been, say, Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee who'd been shacking up with Rielle Hunter that the media would have buried the story for even a single day?  Perhaps it's time that the New York Times surrender its boastful motto, "All the News That's Fit to Print," to the far more responsible National Enquirer.  Heck, if the Enquirer got the scoop on John Edwards tom-catting around with Ms. Hunter, just maybe they've been right all along, and we actually have been invaded by space aliens and perhaps there really are herds of three-headed cattle roaming the range.

Believe it or not, I have friends and relatives who are liberals and I dislike making blanket statements about them and their apparent lack of patriotism, intellectual honesty, and intestinal fortitude.  But, really, don't you sometimes get the idea that there's a huge scientific experiment taking place...... the left-wingers, being tested with meds whose side effects included galloping gullibility and a loss of nerve and commonsense, while the rest of us on the right are in a control group taking placebos.

[greatguns]

The democrat men and their women.  The republican men and their men.

[sixdogsmom]

  Good going GG!! 

[Teresa]

  But, really, don't you sometimes get the idea that there's a huge scientific experiment taking place...... the left-wingers, being tested with meds whose side effects included galloping gullibility and a loss of nerve and commonsense, while the rest of us on the right are in a control group taking placebos.

Yeah, I DO wonder that Warph................

[pam]

 

Look.... quite honestly, I haven't the foggiest notion what makes liberals tick.

Most of the liberals I know, what makes em tick is rebellin against what they percieve as the injustice of the established ways be they right or wrong.Anybody with ANY intelligence has got to admit that some of the established ways are if not outright wrong, way outdated.

They are sick of the way things are and have been but they really don't know how to change it for the better. They want everybody to have what they want and need but they don't know how to do that without causin a huge mess like all this politically correct crap. They are sick of bein judged by what they consider outdated standards. They take the judge not lest you be judged literally but then they turn around and do the same thing to the other side. 

Liberals know things have to change or they die. Conservatives want to hold things the same till they die from lack. They are both operatin from a place of fear. The liberals from fear of too much authority and the conservatives from fear of not ENOUGH authority.

Till they both learn to come together and compromise there is gonna be namecallin and ridicule and nothin is gonna be any different.

[Diane Amberg]

WARPH, the states that have no income tax, such as big ol' Texas, will be angry at you for revoking their voting privileges!

[Warph]

WARPH, the states that have no income tax, such as big ol' Texas, will be angry at you for revoking their voting privileges!

Let Them eat Cake.  As far as Texas is concerned, make that Taco's.

But you're right, Diana.  Texas is one of only seven states that does not tax individual wage income so Texas residents pay no personal state income tax.  But...... look at what Texas gets taxed with.  The Texas Comptroller's office serves the state by collecting more than 60 separate taxes, fees and assessments, including local sales taxes collected on behalf of more than 1,500 cities, counties and other local governments around the state.  State taxes and fees will generate an estimated $77.5 billion in the state's 2008-09 budget period.  That will buy a lot of Taco's!  Below is a few of their Taxes:

Texas Taxes and Tax Rates
The chart below provides a quick overview of tax rates for all taxes administered by the Comptroller. You can find detailed information such as forms, publications, statutes, rules and more on any of these taxes by clicking the tax type in the chart.
Tax Rate
911 Emergency Service Fee $0.50 per month for each local exchange access line or equivalent local exchange access line
911 Wireless Emergency Service Fee $0.50 per month for each wireless telecommunications connection
911 Equalization Charge 1% of the customer's intrastate long-distance charges each month
Automobile Theft Prevention Authority Assessment $1 per motor vehicle year
Automotive Oil Sales Fee $0.01 per quart of automotive oil imported or sold in Texas
Battery Sales Fee $2 per battery of less than 12 volts. $3 per battery with a capacity of 12 volts or more
Boat and Boat Motor 6 1/4% (.0625) of sales price less trade in allowance 
Cement Production Tax $0.55 per ton or $0.0275 for each 100 pounds or fraction of 100 pounds of taxable cement
Cigarette Tax For a conventional package of 20 cigarettes, the tax is $1.41 cents per pack. For a package of 25 cigarettes, the tax is $1.76 cents per pack 
Cigar and Tobacco Products Tax Cigars
one cent per 10 or fraction of 10 on cigars weighing three pounds or less per thousand;
$7.50 per thousand on cigars that weigh more than three pounds per thousand, sell at factory list price, exclusive of any trade discount, special discount, or deal, for 3.3 cents or less each;
$11 per thousand on cigars that weigh more than three pounds per thousand, sell at factory list price, exclusive of any trade discount, special discount, or deal, for more than 3.3 cents each and contain no substantial amount of non-tobacco ingredients; and
$15 per thousand on cigars that weigh more than three pounds per thousand, sell at factory list price, exclusive of any trade discount, special discount, or deal, for more than 3.3 cents each and contain a substantial amount of non-tobacco ingredients.
Other Tobacco Products (smoking or pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff)
40 percent of the manufacturer's list price, exclusive of any trade discount, special discount, or deal.

Cigarette and Tobacco Products Outdoor Advertising Fee 10% (.10) of the gross sales price of any outdoor advertising of cigarettes or tobacco products in Texas
Coastal Protection Fee The tax rate on returns for transfers after September 1, 2005 is 1.333 cents per barrel of crude oil or condensate.
The tax rate for returns for transfers prior to September 1, 2005, is 2 cents per barrel of crude oil or condensate.
The rate can vary or the fee can be suspended, depending on the balance in the Coastal Protection Fund.
Coin Operated Machines Tax Registration certificate: $150; occupation tax permit: $60; general business license: $200 for 50 or fewer machines, $400 for 51-200 machines, $500 for 201 or more machines; import license: $500; repair license: $50
Controlled Substances Tax Marihuana: $3.50 per gram, 4 oz. minimum; Other Substances: $200 per gram, 7 g. minimum; $2000 per 50 dosage units, 50 minimum, 50 unit increment
Crude Oil Production Tax Oil production tax: 4.6% (.046) of market value of oil
Diesel Fuel $0.20 per gallon of diesel fuel
Fireworks Tax 2% (in addition to sales tax)
Franchise (Corporate and Bank) 1.0% (.01) for most entities

0.5% (.005) for qualifying wholesalers and retailers 0.575% for those entities with $10 million or less in Total Revenue (annualized per 12 month period on which the report is based) electing the E-Z Computation 
Gasoline $0.20 per gallon of gasoline
Hotel Occupancy Tax 6% (.06) of the cost of a room
Inheritance Tax Texas portion of the maximum allowed federal credit for state death tax
Insurance Maintenance Tax Varies each year as adopted by the Texas Department of Insurance and the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission
Insurance Premium Tax (Independently procured, Surplus Lines and Unauthorized) 4.85% (.0485) of taxable premiums
Insurance Premium Tax (Licensed Insurers) Life, Accident and Health insurers: 1.75% (.0175)
Property and Casualty insurers: 1.6% (.016)
Reciprocal or Interinsurance Exchanges: 1.7% (.017)
Title insurers: 1.35% (.0135)
International Fuels Tax Agreement Tax rate is set by each of the member jurisdictions. Interstate carriers based in Texas report fuel tax paid in all member jurisdictions
Liquefied Gas Tax $0.15 per gallon; Prepaid users: based on mileage and registered gross weight of vehicle
Loan Administration Fee $0.50 of each administrative fee charged for a secondary mortgage loan; $1 of each administrative fee charged for a non-real property loan
Manufactured Housing Sales and Use Tax 5% of 65% or .0325 of the sales price stated on invoice
Miscellaneous Gross Receipts Tax Percentage of gross receipts from business done in incorporated cities and towns, according to population:
1,000 to 2,499 = .581% (.00581)
2,500 to 9,999 = 1.07% (.0107)
10,000 or more = 1.997% (.01997)

Mixed Beverage Tax 14% (.14) of gross receipts
Motor Vehicle Gross Rental Receipts 10% (for contracts of 1-30 days) of gross receipts, less discount and separately stated fees for insurance, fuel, and damage assessments. 6 1/4% (.0625) for contracts exceeding 30 days but no longer than 180 days
Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax 6 1/4% (.0625) of sales price less trade in allowance
Motor Vehicle Seller-Financed Sales Tax 6 1/4 % (.0625) of gross receipts
Motor Vehicle Registration Surcharge 10% of the total fees due for the registration of the truck-tractor or commercial motor vehicles
Motor Vehicle Surcharge The rate for model years 1996 and earlier is 2.5 percent of the total consideration paid for the vehicle, while the rate for model years 1997 and later is 1 percent
Natural Gas Production Tax Gas: 7.5% (.075) of market value of gas. Condensate Production Tax: 4.6% (.046) of market value of gas
Office of Public Insurance Counsel Assessment Property and Casualty insurers: $.057 per policy in force at year end
Life, Accident, and Health insurers: $.057 per initial policy or certificate of coverage placed in force during the year
Health Maintenance Organizations: $.057 per initial policy or certificate of coverage placed in force during the year
**Title insurers: $.057 per new owner policy written during the calendar year 
**Oil Well Service Tax 2.42% (.0242) of taxable services
**Oyster Sales Fee $1 per 300 pound barrel of oysters taken from Texas waters
**Pari-Mutuel Tax Horse and Greyhound
1% for live pools in excess of $100 million but less than $200 million
2% for live pools in excess of $200 million but less than $300 million
3% for live pools in excess of $300 million but less than $400 million
4% for live pools in excess of $400 million but less than $500 million
5% for live pools in excess of $500 million
1% for simulcast pools (same species and cross species)
Petroleum Products Delivery Fee $ 3.75: Less than 2,500
$ 7.50: 2,500 but less than 5,000
$11.75: 5,000 but less than 8,000
$15.00: 8,000 but less than 10,000
$ 7.50: Each 5,000 gallon increment on 10,000 gallons or more 
Public Utility Gross Receipts Assessment 1/6 of 1% (.001667) of gross receipts from rates charged to the ultimate customers in Texas
Retail Charge Account Delinquency Fee $0.50 for each delinquency charge in excess of $10
Retaliatory Tax If the aggregate tax, assessment, and fee burden of another state exceeds the aggregate burden in Texas based on the same amount of premium writings, a retaliatory tax is imposed equal to the difference between the states
Sales and Use Tax State - 6 1/4% (.0625)
City - 1% (.01) - 2% (.02), depending on local rate.
County - 1/2% (.005) - 1.5% (.015), depending on local rate.
Transit - 1/4 % (.0025) - 1% (.01), depending on local rate.
Special Purpose Districts - 1/8% (.00125) - 2% (.02), depending on local rate 
School Fund Benefit Fee .04875 per gallon of diesel fuel
Sulphur Production Tax $1.03 per long ton of sulphur produced
Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Surcharge 2% (in addition to sales tax) on the sales or lease price of off-road, heavy duty diesel equipment
Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Fund Assessment Rate is set based on the premium volume each year to generate $15 million in revenue