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By J. Patrick Coolican (contact) 
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013 | 2 a.m.
J. Patrick Coolican
Sun coverage
We often hear critiques of Nevada’s tax system — that it is unstable and at the mercy of boom-and-bust cycles, that it relies too heavily on the tourism and development industries.
But we rarely hear about our tax system’s biggest problem: It’s regressive, meaning the poor pay a bigger portion of their income in taxes than the middle class, and the middle class pay more than the rich.
So I was heartened to hear former state Sen. Sheila Leslie emphasize this point in a speech Wednesday to the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada in advance of Gov. Brian Sandoval’s State of the State address and the upcoming legislative session.
“What if we were to tax the rich as much as the poor in our state?” she said.
Indeed, according to a 2009 analysis released by the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy, the richest 1 percent of Nevadans pay an effective state and local tax rate of 1.6 percent while the poorest 20 percent of Nevadans paid 8.9 percent.
The middle 60 percent pay 6.1 percent in state and local taxes.
Why does our tax system weigh down the backs of the middle class and the poor?
Because we rely heavily on the sales tax. It's the largest single revenue source for the general fund — and it is by definition regressive. A person who earns $500,000 per year, for instance, will spend only a small fraction on taxable goods. Their other money is either saved and invested or goes to pay for services, such as landscaping or private tutoring, which are not subject to sales taxes.
A poor person, by contrast, may make $15,000 and be forced to spend nearly all of it to survive, with much of the money spent on taxable goods. Hence the disparity.
A middle-class resident falls somewhere in the middle.
The injustice is exacerbated because the poorest children have less opportunity to rise into the middle class — once considered an inarguable plank of the social contract — because they often attend mediocre, underfunded schools.
A class war? You bet there is, and in Nevada, the rich are winning in a landslide.
Any Nevada tax reform proposal that doesn’t address this unjust disparity is not even worth discussing.
Of course, the easiest method for tax equity would be an income tax. If you don’t want the rich to pay more, fine; everybody could pay the same percentage of their income. A flat tax. Conservatives love this at the federal level, so why not here in Nevada?
In Nevada, however, the suggestion of an income tax tends to be treated like a ribeye at a convention of vegetarians. Still, it’s the best solution.
Barring that, Leslie recommended the next best thing: taxing corporations that are getting something pretty close to a free ride.
“Nevada is one of three states that do not tax corporate profits," she said. "What if these highly profitable mega-corporations paid a nominal percentage of their profits in taxes to Nevada like they do in other states?” A good question.
Of course, Nevada’s status as a tax haven for corporations has led to widespread prosperity here, right? Oh, guess not.
Leslie also advocated raising taxes on gold mining companies, which enjoy some of the most favorable tax treatment in the country, if not the world, on a nonrenewable resource that can only be found in a handful of places, including Nevada.
I often hear from lobbyists for mining companies and other corporate interests that these ideas wouldn’t really solve our revenue problem or amount to enough money to properly fund our schools. Perhaps, but so what? It would get us part of the way there, so it’s worth doing.
But again, let’s put aside the toxic question of tax increases and focus instead on tax fairness. Assume the same level of revenue. Why should the poor sacrifice more than the rich?
Sandoval has made it clear he has no intention of doing anything about the rank unfairness of our tax system.
I’ll be happily surprised if the Democrats offer a forceful alternative, but I wouldn’t count on it. They usually answer to the same masters.
In Leslie’s words, “Nothing is more powerful in Nevada than the gambling, mining and banking cabal of lobbying interests and their lawmaker friends ...”
Well the basic theme of Nevada taxes has been to tax the visitors to our casinos
Compared to other states we get a disproportional amount of taxes off tourists
Elimination of sales taxes will shift all the burden on to residences of Nevada - go figure
Bob, get off your high horse. You and your fellow republicans have been singing that same old song every time tax increases are discussed. Not every person in the lower and middle classes are on public assistance and those that are, how many are actually abusing the system? Of course there will be exceptions, just as the rich abuse the system to escape from their legal obligation to pay their fair share. And don't tell me that they pay what they are legally obligated as it is the rich who lobby for the tax benefits that benefit no one but the wealthy. I bring up the special tax treatment of Steve Wynns art collection that was on display at one of his resorts. How many people benefit from that deduction? How many people benefit from a mortgage interest deduction on second homes? Need I say more? It's high time the rich pay their fair share AND follow the same rules applied to everyone, without special treatment.
You want to talk regressive taxation? Let's take a look at the "working man's" taxes, otherwise known as the various useless work cards required in Nevada. To work at a convenience store, you need a health card (if food is prepared there), a TAM card and in some cases a sheriff's card.
The above cards are not cheap. The TAM card is a joke. When was the last time a bartender cut you off? The health card is silly. Yes, you should wash your hands after using the restroom. Didn't mom teach us that?
The sheriff's card and various background checks are even worse. There's nothing like paying 40+ dollars for a blank piece of paper.
@Bob, I don't know anyone in Nevada who is a generational welfare recipient. We have TANF, medicaid and food stamps (EBT). That's about it. Oh wait, we have section 8, which benefits the property investors here.
@Bob_Realist
While the problem you mention does exist,what does it have to do with the subject of the article ?
The taxation of the poor..
I agree that casinos and mining need to be taxed at higher rates. Since most elected officials in Nevada are Democrats starting with Reid, I can't wait to see them, all of them, go after mining and casinos to raise taxes. Dollars to donuts it won't happen.
Ha, ha, the jokes on us. The "poor," meaning those on government subsidies, aren't even spending their own money so, in reality, it costs them nothing out of pocket. The bleeding-hearts can't seem to find enough things to shed a tear over when it comes to "redistributing the wealth." Obviously, the state of NV is suffering from the same disease as Washington, DC: too much spending, not a lack of revenue. I was "poor" at one time (though not on the government dole) and I made ends meet until I increased my earnings. I have no doubt I am not unusual and that since most folks are not born with the proverbial "Silver Spoon" in their mouths, they, like I, worked hard, moved up and are all the better for it. That's something the leftists never enter into their Commie equation. They have this cockamamie attitude that the rest of us are dummies and cannot get through life without being dependent on them. To them I say: Shove it!
In order to tax mining the state constitution must be changed which requires legislative action, sonmething that will never happen. Gaming has always ridden for free in Nevada because of the money they give legislators. They call it campaign contributions most of us call it bribes. A large number of the poor, lower middle class and less educated smoke and drink, habits that are heavly taxed. This group also has a tendency to puchase things from neighborhood convience stores hence the payment of more taxes. The only way to change the system and spread the tax burden in Nevada is by ballot initiative.
"Fair Share" definition: More.
Tax the rich the same % as the poor spend on their cigarettes.
I feel that the study if flawed.
Using the same numbers as in the article.
The person making $15,000 per year in theory is going to be spending most of their money on Housing, Food, Medical. All items that do not have a sales tax on them. How is the burden put on them when the expenditures they make are not taxed? They might find a way to buy a used car, once again not taxed.
The person making $500.000 is not going to spend all of their money as stated. They save, invest for the future and are not a burden on our society. He might step up and buy that $75,000 car and the sales tax on that car alone is going to be more than most in this state will pay all year.
You have to look at how the money is spent, not how much is earned to use this argument.
The other arguments posted here hold true also. Who's money are the poor spending?
Why would anybody in their right mind want to even think about raising or "equalizing" taxes with so much of it already going to people here illegally?
Having an income tax will be more expensive for the poor. They will be taxed twice, as the sales tax will not be going away. I do not know of a state that has decreased sales taxes after instituting an income based tax system.
Motorsports says:
"The right's hate for people of color, poor people, old people and women has driven their desire to see the rich get corporate welfare."
I'm all for casinos and mining paying more in taxes as they should.
My suggestion to Motor is since we have a Democratic Nevada, he as well as all of us should pressure our elected offcials to go after mining and casinos to pay their fair share.
Motor we're behind you all the way. Go man Go!
You know who doesn't pay their "fair share" of taxes? The poor. Most of them don't pay any income tax. Yet they receive welfare, section 8 housing, free school meals, free medical, free Obama phones, etc. Who is it that actually funds those freebies.....the rest of us who work and pay much higher tax rates. How is that fair?
There are also those who choose to work part time or for cash, so that they can continue with the freebies. Make a little bit more money and they risk losing some of the free government cheese.
The simple solution is a flat tax. Everybody pays the same PERCENTAGE...no matter what it is. Nothing is more fair than that.
The problem is that the poor are unable to support the rest in the style to which they have become accustomed.
@Bob_Realist oh yeah the 'secrets' passed on to children and grandchildren. You mean those secrets like how a family of 3 can get a cash welfare grant of $340 a month for a max of 4 years. Wow, that's a very valuable secret. I'm sorry Bob, but you need to find a dumber audience before you try to spew that ancient 'welfare queen' crap. Most of the poor in Nevada are actually working poor, and they remain in poverty even while employed thanks to the policies that your tea party has brainwashed you into adoring- no benefits,no pensions, no job security, work for minimum wage and be happy you have a job. The world was not always like that Bob, at one time people who took the initiative to get a job could ultimately benefit from it and move into the middle class.
Enjoyed the article, Mr. Coolican.
This is yet another in a long list of reasons why the voters of the Great State of Nevada need to flex their muscles in the voting booth.
Don't give me this crap that Governor Sandoval is a "moderate" Republican. He isn't. If he had the majority of the rest of State Government as Tea/Republicans, you can bet your last bottom dollar he would go crazy. He would gladly turn Nevada into another Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin combined. You would see personhood amendments, more taxes on the middle class to give more tax breaks to casinos/mining, closing down of any and all abortion clinics, the defunding of Planned Parenthood, arm all teachers with handguns, but take away the books, desks and pencils they need in order to learn, bust apart more unions (especially the teachers union), all out World War Women, and any and all efforts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security combined. If Governor Sandoval had a majority in the State Government, all of this and more would happen. And he would smile and laugh that he can stick it to us without our interference.
He is a Governor that is stifled right now. And he knows it. If you look closely at his record, he pretty much just stays out of the public eye of Nevadans. But, there are exceptions. Any single time someone comes forth with something to make the mining interests pay a more fair share of taxes, BAM! He steps up and gives a speech in defense of not taxing them. EVERY SINGLE TIME. I say he still runs interference for his old job as a lobbyist for the lawyer firm Jones Vargas. This Governor thing is a sideline gig.
The only way to fix any thing that Mr. Coolican is talking about in this article is to get out there and vote and get rid of this totally radical and extreme ideology that the entire Tea/Republican Party is hawking continually. You listen to their crapola, it will get Nevada nowhere.
Everyone should pay their fair share of taxes. Everyone should have the same opportunities here but we do not. It is terribly one sided. The corporate sector always deflects blame on things like welfare or the Unions but the truth is it is just unequal and unfair to the non wealthy. The welfare system is broken. Like many agencies designed to help people it becomes riddled with loopholes that allow it to be taken advantage of and a complaint platform for the wealthy who use it as a excuse as to why the system is unbalanced.
We wont fix the system that helps the poor stay poor because we would have to admit that there is also a system that helps the rich stay rich and we would have to fix that too. The conservative Republican corporate model is designed to take as much as possible from every place it can find and sink it's teeth into. Taxes are controlled by that very same corporate mentality. The poor don't control anything the middle class pays for it all and the wealthy make sure it stays that way.
The good news is if your illegal you can get all that money back and then some! 10k a year credit is nothing to sneeze at. What a country!
Illegal immigrants could receive more than $7 billion this year in federal tax credits, according to one estimate, thanks to a loophole in the law that allows people not authorized to work to reap the government payments with no questions asked.
Sen. Jeff Sessions' office calculated that, based on recent trends, illegal immigrants could receive roughly $7.4 billion through a provision known as the Additional Child Tax Credit. That's more than quadruple what the payout was four years ago, but the payments have been steadily increasing over the past decade.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/08/...
This article is exactly right. Unfortunately, most people do not understand or even know about the regressive tax system in the US.
The poor pay more unemployment taxes, social security tax, income tax, sales taxes, worker's compensation taxes, and so on as a percent of income. These taxes ARE NOT APPLIED TO INCOME OVER $100,000. THIS IS A FACT.
If you don't understand this, do some real research.
This rich people run this country and the 99% are screwed.
Disagree with the statement that the poor pay more in taxes. Most of the really poor live off of the middle class taxes. Sales taxes don't create a stable base and never have. You can't depend on consumers to spend what they don't have. Tourists that stay in these huge resorts and don't have to go any other place to spend money do not raise money for the state. No one wants an income tax. But the corporations in NV get a huge break by not paying taxes. Mining has stripped NV clean of its resources and does NOT pay it's fair share. With Sandoval in office they never will. Gaming pay their share? Not a chance. Banking is in the same category. And all of this tax favorable status has done nothing to get NV going. Our economy still stinks. Diversity is given the proverbial tongue but nothing is really being done to move away from what has always been. Fewer industries keep NV handcuffed to them. NV is a haven for the rich to make more and keep more and put the burden on those with less.
Comment removed by moderator. Post attributed to author who did not write it.
"This is yet another in a long list of reasons why the voters of the Great State of Nevada need to flex their muscles in the voting booth".......... Nevada voters, strong as an ox and just as smart! Six straight years of major economic decline with approximately 90% of all the revenue generated in this state leaving in the way of Corporate Gaming, Banking, Mining, Insurance, Housing, government unions and 170,000 Immigration related problems. There's your sign, it's the Teabagger's alright!
Who wouldn't love to see a change.
I see Obama has allowed his tax cut to expire, especially hitting the people who are making under 112K. Of course, the ones here in Nurse Ratchett's anti-tea party group won't be affected.
I thought property tax was the largest general fund revenue source? Not sales tax.
Can anyone verify this?
Look at the money I could save if I didn't have to buy beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, rolling papers, blunts, starbucks, energy drinks, water pipes, and brillo pads to name a few essentials. Are toupees taxable? I hear they are on sale.
<<The "poor," meaning those on government subsidies, aren't even spending their own money so, in reality, it costs them nothing out of pocket>>
@Fink:
How do you figure this one??? Where are your facts? Enlighten us. Or is this just what you think is happening because you don't know any better?
Some rough ideas:
1) Legalize mj & prositution, and along with alcohol & tobacco, implement a sales tax of 15% on those. Control sales & distribution (vendor, sales & deistribution licensing fees).
2) Cap statewide sales tax at 5% on sales & services, with the only exemption being for whole unprocessed foods.
3) Impose a flat 1% income tax based on the Federal adjusted income.
4) Convert all state & local government pension plans to a transferable individual fixed benefit plan (like a 401k). Eliminate open-ended taxpayer obligations.
5) Require a valid NV ID and some measure of work for receipt of welfare except for those medically certified as unable to work. Even if it's 1-2 days a week picking up trash in vacant lots. Controlled use benefit cards along with weekly personal interviews. Consider some sort of discounted education/training option, and increased effot at job placement. Weed out fraud & the indolent.
6) Create a non-renewable resource transport/extraction fee to capture more revenue from mining, especially when the processing (and processing jobs) occur out of state.
7) Exapnd schools hours and annual number of days & raise standards, with no increase in pay or benefits (increases will be based on student achievement).
The poor are paying too much in taxes.
Is this from someone's stand-up routine?
I agree. Repeal the sales tax. Problem solved.
Today, the many rich people will see a reduction in net pay on their paychecks.
Hey....wait a minute....those "rich" people are making less than $95k a year.
Obama has raise taxes on those peolpe?????
What is going on?
Is everbody a "rich" person now?
Motorsports you're again pointing the finger at the Reps. Come on man, talk to our Democratic politicians and tell them to go after casinos and mining for more taxes. Don't give up the fight and point the finger. Remember you won the election in Movember. You keep reminding us. Get after those mining companies and casinos. Talk to our Democratic politicians. Stop with the whining. We're behind you all the way.
Oh and have a talk to Reid since one of his pork projects he added to Obamcare protects gun rights.
The article is typical liberal / progressive tripe written by someone short on math skills.
Someone making $15k would have to spend MORE THAN THEY MADE on taxable goods to pay "8.9%" of their income in taxes since the current sales tax rate is less than 8%.
I also love the author's statement those making $500k will spend only a small percent on taxable services...what a load...like he has the first clue what those folks buy in taxable goods.
Also someone making $500k will now pay $150K in FEDERAL INCOME TAX, much of which will come back to the state and put in the pockets of the "poor".
Society is tired on this lame song and dance...get off yer azzz, get to work, stop making kids you can't afford. Try it you'll do fine.
"1) Legalize mj & prositution, and along with alcohol & tobacco, implement a sales tax of 15% on those. Control sales & distribution (vendor, sales & deistribution licensing fees)."
Hey NLV, are you proposing the poor pay MORE in taxes??
MAYBE if the state/federal government did something about the illegals, wages would go up and there would not be so many "poor" people in las vegas??
Nevada's Lord and Master Sandoval is corporate mining's "gatekeeper" and a member in good standing with big corporate's government party where labels such as Republican/Democrat are only there to confuse those who let themselves be confused easily. All Gov. Sandoval's actions conform to the big corporate government party's vision of control and profits for a few at the top.
If you really want to do the best thing for Nevada. Impeach Obama and Reid
Bob, and what about the increasing degradation in our demographics? More and more illegals are seeking sanctuary in Nevada as Arizona and elsewhere says NOT HERE. We're getting more and more large families that use the government support system as a way of life and more keep moving here. I would think that the State and metro areas would want to attract Snow Birds and retirees--the people who can afford houses and condos designed with aging gracefully in mind. (LARGE bathrooms, no double sinks, walk in tubs, large showers, back yards, garages, one story buildings, close to bus lines and groceries.) Instead we denigrate those who have worked and worked, paid and paid, in favor of those who want and want and need and need without every working.
Public theft through taxation is immoral and can never be deemed fair, right and/or moral -- the cultural objective should be the elimination of all forms of taxation by making the practice criminal while focusing upon moral alternatives to social funding NEEDS, not wants.
"Reforming" a practice (i.e. taxation) which should never be socially tolerated to begin with is foolish while revealing a warped, disturbing and immoral "who can WE steal from next" cultural mind-set.
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The 2011 Barrick Mining annual report is out. This is a link to the Barrick Annual Report for 2011.
http://www.barrick.com/theme/barrick/fil...........................
Barrick Mining either owns outright, or is a partner in a joint venture in 7 gold mines in Nevada. To determine my estimate a profits for 2011, I assumed the price of gold at $1500 per ounce, or less. The current price for gold is in excess of $1750 per ounce. The first four mines listed are totally owned by Barrick Mining. In 2011, according to their own figures, Barrick Mining produced almost 97 TONS of gold from their Nevada Mines. That is same weight as 16 full size, original HUMMERS. Barrick Mining has reported record profits and dividends in both 2010 and 2011. Barrick paid a total of $47,300,000 in local and state taxes last year.
The Cortez Hills Mine produced 1.42 Million (44.375 tons) ounces of Gold at a cost of $245 per ounce. If you assume a conservative profit of $1000 per ounce, you get a profit for the Cortez Hill mine of $1,420,000,000.
Bald Mountain Mine produced 93,000 ounces (2.9 tons) at a cost of $558 per ounce. Assuming a profit of $900 per ounce for the Bald Mountain Mine, you get a profit of $83,700,000.
The Gold Strike mine produced 1.09 MILLION ounces (34.0625 Tons) at a cost of $511 per ounce. Again assuming a profit of $900 per ounce for the Gold Strike mine, you get a profit of $981,000,000.
Ruby Hill mine produced 127,000 ounces (3.96875 tons) at a cost of $334 per ounce. Assuming a profit of $1000 per ounce for Ruby Hill, you get a profit of $127,000,000.
Barrick Mining is involved in three joint ventures in Nevada.
Barrick owns 33% of the Marigold mine. Barrick's share of production was 51,000 ounces (1.59675 Tons) at a cost of $761 per ounce. For the Marigold mine, assume a profit of $700 per ounce. The total profit would be $35,700,000.
Barrick owns 50% of the Round Mountain mine. Barrick's share was 178,000 ounces (5.5625 Tons) at a cost of $612 per ounce. Assuming a profit of $800 per ounce for the Round Mountain mine, we get a total profit of $142,400,000.
Barrick owns 75% of the Turquoise Ridge mine which produced 135,000 ounces (4.21875 Tons) at a cost of $569 per ounce. Finally for the Turquoise Ridge mine, assume a profit of $700 per ounce. This would give a profit of $ 94,500,000.
Barrick is actively exploring in the Carlin Trace in Nevada. The Carlin Trace is one of the richest gold deposts in the world. Barrick's annual report shows that 44% of the companies income comes from North America. Don't forget that Barrick is also mining silver along with the gold in Nevada. If you add all of the projected and conservative profits, the total is $2,884,300,000. The mining industry in Nevada is also actively mining silver, copper, lithum and many other minerals.
Wow. Not one mention of how our 19th century tax structure is a barrier to economic development. The current structure penalizes business start-ups right out of the gate with sales and payroll (MBT) taxes. An Oregon model (income tax but no sales tax) has no such penalties on new and expanding businesses because their taxes kick in only after a company generates INCOME. So there's the solution that would make most happy, ditch the sales tax and implement an income tax. If you think I'm wrong, please research Oregon's GDP growth since they increased their income taxes in 2008 (during the recession!). www.bea.gov.
I dare the writer and all his loony followers to checkout a Walmart in a low income neighborhood, the first weekend of the month. Stand there and count how many people use EBT/Welfare cards versus who uses a Bank card.
Than come back and tell me the majority of people making under $15K are NOT feeding from the Obama trough. They are. Thus they are not paying higher taxes. because its NOT money they earned. It's my tax money being spent by others.
Yes, that's why illegals by the millions risk their lives crossing the border and then start dropping anchor babies...because this country treats the "poor" so badly.
Old News. Even if we begin taxing the wealthier nevada citizens they still wouldn't pay much because they derive larger shares of thier income from investments and such which don't get taxed as earned income. We live under a plutocratic state government too, the fininacially powerful pick the candidates on both party tickets and finance thier campaigns, they don't care who wins , its always thier man that gets elected and owes them favor in the legislature.
Here a tax, there a tax everywhere yet another tax on tax. Taxes are on everything, clothes, vehicles, gasoline, homes, income, TV, telephone, internet and utilities. If those of your persuasion don't like a tax you hire a lobbyist to negate that tax. Then this becomes a redistribution tax, everyone else makes up the difference. Perhaps the tax base doesn't need expansion as much as it needs modification. We can't tax our way to prosperity but taxing and spending appropriately on quality education will secure everyone's future. I fail to understand why we don't target the millennium scholarship funds more toward what we need, health care professionals for example. Those accepting full ride scholarships for advance degrees would be required to stay here and practice their profession or pay back the money.
Some politicians seem to believe that social behavior can be altered by selective taxing and other seem to think that paying no tax is best for society. It is musical chairs and its time to stop the music,take note, and make some real sense out of how we tax. Taxes are necessary in order to provide the infrastructure society needs to be productive. Today our system is broken. If it isn't realigned we may eventually have more tax collectors, lobbyists and tax consultants than taxpayers.
One overriding truth about state and local taxes is that 99.99 percent of us pay property taxes. Whether you live in a home or an apartment you ultimately pay property tax. If you own a business property or lease you're the ultimate property tax payer. It defies common sense as to why government needs to have a hundred ways to collect taxes. A consolidated tax collection system makes sense. Taxpayers can see how much in total they are paying in taxes while the cost of tax collection and evasion is significantly reduced. This system also allows taxpayers to better focus upon where and how their taxes are being spent. Just as today, taxes would be apportioned according to the taxpayers lifestyle and/or business endeavor.
Our elected officials will vehemently object to moving to a near singular tax system primarily based upon property taxes. They will point to the extreme downturn in property values and the loss of tax revenue. But here in Nevada this was ultimately their fault. They didn't foresee the need to have a larger rainy day fund nor did they cap the reduction of residential property taxes at 3% annually just as they did the increase. About the only other taxes that make sense are those special taxes imposed upon gaming, tourism, mineral extraction and transportation fuels. Fat chance any of this will happen. It takes political courage and that's rare given that votes and campaign contributions negate courage 99 out of 100 times.
Las Vegas has changed. Once we were a unique opportunity to experience casino gambling at an has oasis in the desert. Now we offer the shared experience of 2 million people crammed into one drought stricken valley.
Nevada hasn't changed so much. We still have a Legislature that meets for 120 days in odd-numbered (or maybe it's just numb) years and searches for its brains, heart, and courage while the men from gaming, mining, and corporations stand behind the curtain and pull the levers of power.
Rely on welfare for decades: the Moms who "raise" those pictured in the headlines for major crimes eventually age-out cause they reach a point where they can't get pregnant. Then, they can "raise" their grand kids, foster kids, adopted kids and get media attention for "caring" for the abandoned. While they have kids in the household they get EVERYTHING covered. SSI and SSDI are used. Lawsuits and claims.... Then there is always the option of being in so much "pain" that they get MEDICAID-funded nursing home care. The SAME INDIVIDUALS are ABUSING THE PROGRAMS their entire lives. Anyone want to explore how few of the welfare moms learned to read and write? Anyone want to explain how many ever had stable relationships--something other than conning a man (or woman) into supporting her because she's having his baby. WHEN will parents and teachers explain to pre-pubescent girls that you don't get a loving long-term relationship by weighting down someone else with crying babies? Maybe looking for a partnership where both adults support (financially, emotionally, otherwise) each other. Show yourself that you can support yourself. And then impress your would-be significant other that you have a proven record of self reliance and can be depended upon to help him out. That'll attract "better" partners than anything else.
This man is a dangerous Maoist and must, for the sake of our Republic, be stopped from spreading his toxic Marxist-Leninist ideology!
@Roberta, You are spot on.
I'd be all for it except the poor keep sticking it to us. Having kids we pay for and giving food stamps for candy bars needs to end. The earned income tax credit is WELFARE and as long as that is in place, the poor have no room to complain.
Motor Sports: I've been employed in the government programs and KNOW that many "WANT" to be on welfare--or perhaps we should spare semantics and explain that they don't realize they have any other options--because many didn't learn to read and write in K-12, many didn't see or here how you find or hold a job, how to live on low-income by finding a room mate. K-12 is just not responsive to the needs of self-reliant life styles and working your way up the employment later without having kids in your teen years. (Thank you, Spock.) We must INSIST that teens and young adults make their own way without government programs to fund ever "option." What about the options they find and can do?
To make more changes towards affluent society.
Is it a must, there have to be a poor -, impecunious -, middle -, prosperous -, and rich category in our social minds. In every country. Is this a vestige of our backward "will o' the wisp". You wouldn't allow everyone a piece of welfare.
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I repeatedly point out that individuals often take the easy way out instead of paying the dues toward a successful career, successful employment. They don't do homework. They drop out of school. They rely on government, church, private welfare. They get pregnant as teens without considering the impact on THEIR lives. I'm suggesting that NOT providing easy options for the short term means that INDIVIDUALS must be self reliant and concerned about their long term. Many seem to think Mom and Dad will take care of me. When the parents are maxed out, the individuals turn to other relatives, friends, strangers, Craig's List, social welfare, churches, non-profits....anything but taking care of it themselves. It is NOT helping someone by giving them free anything. If they are not willing to pay a price, some price, it is of no value to them. Think furniture, food, a job, health care, housing. Barter is wonderful but you gotta be willing to work / pay for what you want.