<p>Well, maybe it is the democrats falt. maybe they should be held accountable.</p>
<p>I personally believe that the fact that gay marriage is even an issue is the republican’s fault. Why on earth wouldn’t you let a goverernment seperate from religion not let them marry? Its not a religious question, but a legal one.</p>
<p>In order to get something in politics, you have to give something. Only problem is that no one wants to give</p>
<p>“Well its also her money”</p>
<p>Is it? She deveoped, financed and set about the bulding of the Hilton Hotel chain? </p>
<p>As far as the 8 million being recirclated, how many times? 
As I said how many refridgerators can Paris buy or need?</p>
<p>Partisan alert</p>
<p>"You obviously have not studied the bill</p>
<p>The richest estates, including Paris Hiltons, would be taxed still"</p>
<p>And as I pointed out, if you’re a person of great wealth, you’ve already taken care of this problem many times and many ways over. The means have always been there. How is it Warren Buffet can pay a lesser percentage of his income than his office assistant? He has a good accountant. </p>
<p>Are you in this situation of wealth? You have not looked at the many already legal ways to shelter, pass on and move taxable wealth to minimize taxes on your estate. Heck, while no real millionaires (unless we die), we’ve minimized our estate tax liability through different trusts, gifts and other means. It isn’t that hard to do, nor is it expensive. </p>
<p>Please don’t imply there aren’t means inplace NOW to minimize taxes. No family farms can be lost, no business sold, no keepsakes put to auction, provided a little planning takes place. Will they still pay taxes? sure, but no where close to the entire estate if they plan ahead a bit. </p>
<p>I guess that’s the dirty little secret of this whole thing, if you plan ahead and take action your tax liability will be dramatically reduced. If you do nothing, you’ll pay for doing nothing. Isn’t this in the same vien as rewarding the poor with a higher minimum wage? Are we rewarding the rich for not planning? </p>
<p>As far as the minimum wage side, I live in a state that provides a greater amount than the feds call for. The people who also are tipped as part of their employment would actually receive a paycut with tips being factored in to be part of the minimum wage. Which is better… a kid going to school in AZ working at a nation chain diner for a $2.30 per hour base + tips or the same kid on summer break working here for $7.35 + tips? Where do you think he makes his money to spend in AZ? </p>
<p>One would also expect prices to be considerably lower for foodservice in AZ since labor costs are around $5 less. Guess what? no decernable difference in prices I as the consumer pay for my food in this national chain resturant.</p>
<p>Not everyone gets to earn tips</p>
<p>Bmanbs2, no.</p>
<p>I am not really in favor of raising the minimum wage, and I am a fan of the estate tax.</p>
<p>so where can we improve?</p>
<p>Where can improve the economy or improve the partisanship?</p>
<p>“Not everyone gets to earn tips”</p>
<p>So why allow for a law that would reduce minimums in 7 states? Why not leave those states alone? They’ve already “suffered” with a higher than federal minimum wage and done OK, why mess with them? Why is it OK to make them go backward?</p>
<p>Partisianship went out the window with the “hammer”.</p>
<p>Sorry. I thought you were arguing to keep minimum wage down, saying tips would suffice</p>
<p>It’s not ok to keep minimum wage down. it needs to go up</p>
<p>DeLay’s fall from House Majority Leader helped, but he still holds office, and still rant’s and raves.</p>
<p>Yet when Dashle didn’t get re-elected, we lost a moderate in the senate. Now Reed is worse, but not terribly so in comparison to say, Clinton. I don’t think hillary has actually done anyting in office but yell at republicans and reinfoce partisianship, but I hope I’m wrong. Please tell me if I am; I will appreciate it.</p>
<p>And to all that say Dashle lost just because they brought in someone from out of state, Clinton did the exact same thing. Both Clinton and the guy who beat Dashle is in the wrong</p>
<p>Interesting approach:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>^Thats the best thing I’ve heard in a long time, maybe ever.</p>
<p>How do I sign up?</p>
<p>Needless to say, I’m stoked</p>
<p>PM me about volunteering for Unity08</p>
<p>The closest thing to a moderate in the upcoming elections that I can find is Mark Warner…but since I’m registered Independant I don’t have a say in the democratic primaries. Talk radio has gotten very partisan…minus the likes of Michael Savage, who it seems is against everyone</p>
<p>What about Glenn Beck? I’ve only started to occasionally hear him, so I don’t have that great of an idea about him</p>
<p>See, I’m in the middle, I don’t support the screamers at both ends. Unfortunately, if you seek middle ground, you getted stomped on right now. </p>
<p>It’s the style in play in politics right now. In a few months we may have the democrats in control of darn near everything because the GOP got too greedy. Things will swing too far left for the good of the country. </p>
<p>America is at it’s best when one party doesn’t control all three branches. That way they HAVE to work together BEFORE they foist anything on us. The ability to push through legislation or tax “reforms” without real agreement hurts America as a nation. </p>
<p>What we’ve seen lately is just “screw you” laws and legislation from the GOP (sorry, can’t call them the right as that would imply they are) which in a few months will be countered with “well screw you too” laws and legislation from the demos. That return “screw you” might last 8 years and then the GOP will try again. When will it change? I’m not guessing anytime soon. </p>
<p>The GOP has pushed this country into things it couldn’t afford and the Demo’s will as well, as only those who yell the loudest are heard.</p>
<p>^ so true .</p>
<p>Agree with Opie 100%. And I think there are far more of us who sit in the middle than the fringetypes on either end. In the last analysis, most Americans really care about the same things: education, family, health care, jobs, the economy and national security. It is the whackjobs on either side who have driven in wedge issues that are very deliberately deflecting from the common issues we all share. </p>
<p>And no party, GOP, Dem, Green or other, should ever again control all three branches of government. It will take decades to undo the damage of the last five years.</p>
<p>So join up with the unity '08 thing</p>
<p>“And no party, GOP, Dem, Green or other, should ever again control all three branches of government. It will take decades to undo the damage of the last five years.”</p>
<p>Whoa! Don’t like democracy much, do you? Interestingly, in the early 80s Lloyd Cutler, who had been Carter’s counsel, argued forcefully that the U.S. should adopt a parliamentary system to avoid the legislative deadlocks that seem endemic to our government even when the same party controls the Presidency and both houses of Congress. </p>
<p>And, by the way, I assume that’s what you mean by “three branches of government”. I don’t think that any party “controls” the federal judiciary. There have been a number of political activists appointed to the Supreme Court, but they are an interesting mixed bag when they get there. As are the non-political types.</p>
<p>Politicians and partisan operatives: Hugo Black, Earl Warren, Byron White, Abe Fortas, William Rehnquist, Sandra O’Connor.</p>
<p>Non-politicians: William Brennan, Thurgood Marshall, Lewis Powell, Harry Blackmun, John Stevens, Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Ruth Ginsburg.</p>