bills_fan

I disagree. I think that $250k a year is a very different numebr if the individual lives in NYC/SF/other high cost areas vs. Buffalo/Pitts/Cleveland/other medium cost areas vs. rural America. I think a blanket one-size-fits-all number is not the way to go. I'd argue that 250k in a high cost area = 150k in a medium cost area = 100k in a low cost area. Why tax everyone based on a blanket number? Personally, I'd lower tax rates for everyone, eliminate all deductions except for charitable contributions and state/local taxes and ensure that every single American paid at least some taxes to incentivize everyone to watch government spending. To me, thats a good start on a fair system.

Perhaps. But is purchasing a home to get the tax benefit (vs. renting) within the scope of the discussion? What about 401(k) or Roth contributions saving for retirement? I don't really think it is necessarily to lessen the tax burden, more to save for retirement and rely less on an uncertain Social Security. But you say "wealthy" people should bear a more significant tax burden than they already do. Define the term "wealthy", because it really does matter.

No trading curbs between 2 and 4 pm. Market can fall without any curbs.

Thats a little bit of revisionist history with respect to Clinton. The National Debt (the real number to be concerned with) leveled out during Clinton and did not rise, but he did not reduce it either. Bush, on the other hand, is like a 16 year old girl with Daddy's credit card on her first trip to the mall with her friends.

Hint...They already do pay more...much more. Also, define "wealthy." I thinkw e can all agree Warren Buffet falls within the group, but bring it down a few dozen levels. Where do you draw the line?

Third on that list...but yeah.

I can't believe 36 people voted for politicians??? WTF... A Bills SB victory would rank up there with my wedding and the birth of my son as one of the greatest feelings of my life (I imagine). How often I have lived and died with this team??? As a Yankee fan, I felt a little bit of this especially after the 96 World Series win. But my depth of love for the Bills is far deeper and greater...might actually be the only time in my life that I was reduced to tears... I've often said...ONCE we win, I can die in peace. That sentiment has not changed. There will be another politician in 4 years to make a bunch of promises and line his own pocket at taxpayer expense. It truly does not matter all that much. Go Bills!

So, if you are wheelchairbound, you can never get bombed? Else be charged with DUI? If I was wheelchairbound, I might consider bombed a preferable state of being.

I love that place. Haven't been there in years, but used to go all the time. My grandfather lived around the corner and I spent a lot of time with him. Making me hungry...

I thought Butler looked real good last year. He really seemed to get better as the year wore on. This year, I thought he would be a real strength of the line. A guy really coming into his own. That has not happened (to my untrained eye)...why? He just does not seem to have the strength/leverage to push his guy around. He did that last year, especially at the end of the year.

Listen to the Senator. He knows what he is talking about. If you do some of what he suggested, you will have a great weekend.

Agreed. But having 40% of the people with no incentive to watch government spending is just as bad. Every American should pay taxes. I have heard no argument against this.

Despite the fact that I disagree with him vehemently about this, I think he set his threshold too low for what he is trying to do. Make the threshold $1 million and you may get less opposition. I still think its wrong to penalize any success, but treating Warren Buffet and the plumber making $275k the same is blatantly unfair.

Wow! Hopefully this is not TG just trying to CYA. If this is true and Peterson nixed the Bills offer of a 3rd (and maybe a 6th, depending on reports), shame on Peterson. KC's loss.

Anyone who does not understand what "too big to fail" means should read these articles. Falls into the be careful what you wish for phase. No way LEH should have been allowed to fail, a brokered Bear-style sale to Barclays...fine. Derivatives http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/conte...04000160047.htm Reserve Fund http://www.usnews.com/blogs/new-money/2008...s-may-lose.html http://www.financialweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll...8/REG/809189988 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...&refer=home CDS (Anyone wondering why the equity/commodity/credit (partially) markets were so f*cked last week). http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2008/10/09...man-cds-unwind/ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business...yed-960345.html

Yep, I'm thinking Gonzalez sandwich in the secondary....pow!

You can't. And this is a nicely nuanced question, given that consumer spending acounts for 70% of GDP. And, to deal with this problem, I would ensure every person in America pays taxes (has a skin in the game). I'd cut government spending and run a surplus. Use the surplus to pay off the debt. Yes, I would put us into a technical recession (defined as negative GDP growth). Better recession than what would occur down the line. Once the debt is repaid (and a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution is passed, ensuring it did not happen ever again), then we can look at tax cuts vs. government spending, using the surplus that had paid our debt. But the immediate problem will not be an easy fix.

Everyone must have a skin in the game, or else there is no incentive for voters to control and restrain spending.

From the comments section of the Yahoo Rumor link...not sure if true or not?

When the entire US Federal budget goes to servicing the interest on the national debt, at the expense of Medicare/Social Security/military spending/etc., you will have one of two options... 1- US citizens living in abject poverty due to excessive spending of prior generations (Note, I'm talking about within the next 20 years) 2- The US defaults on its debt and declares bankruptcy leading to a global revolution I really don't want to contemplate either scenario. Gov't spending MUST be reduced. There is no possible way the economy can expand enough to cover the ineterest on this level of debt. If anyone knows how, I'd be glad to listen.

Take a look at this graph... http://www.cedarcomm.com/~stevelm1/usdebt.htm Just awful. This is unsustainable and will break the US as a nation if it is not reigned in. Obama is proposing massive new government spending programs. McCain forgot what he proposed, but knows its expensive. Where is Ross Perot when you need him? If he ran today...he just might win. Prediction...within 25 years, there will be a new viable 3rd party, dedicated to fiscal conservatism/social libertarianism that will elect a President. The Republicans will be marginalized to the South, the Democrats to the left coast and certain Northeast/Midwest industrial areas. This is ridiculous.

My email to Tony... Hey Tony Big time Bills fan here. Please accept the trade to the Bills. We are the 2nd youngest team in the league, sit at 4-1 right now, with a pretty easy schedule to get to 11-5. We're building a dominant team, with huge fan support. Check out this link from when we beat the Raiders...remember this is one of three Bills bars in New York City. Our fans are loud, proud and ready to roll out the red carpet for you. Lets go win that Super Bowl together!!!

Back in 1988, a young Bills team reached out to KC for a veteran player and multiple Pro Bowler who helped stabilize a young D-Line. Is TG this team's version of Art Still? History repeats itself?

Not a timer...all in on the 401(k). Just thinking about putting some cash to work in a few weeks.

I'd still be on the sidelines, until the WaMu CDS settled on 10/23. Today is bull. Setting up for the big one later this week? Hope not. I'd rather not be the first one in...be careful here. The second mouse usually gets the cheese, cause the first is caught by the trap.