Blockhead
01-07-2008, 12:23 AM
If you could change something about the way this country is run for the betterment of the American people, what would it be? Give us something that's rarely, if ever, even discussed.
I think one of my all time favorites would be two-part tax reform.
Part 1: Raising the bar with regards to tax exemption. If you're making under $20,000 a year, odds are, you need every penny. I think the majority of single moms in this region of the country fall into this category, and I'm in favor of anything that takes away unnecessary hardships from our kids.
Part 2: Change the laws regarding overtime wages. This country is built on the backs of wage workers. They're/We're long overdue a bone being thrown to them/us.
Anyone who has worked somewhere that allowed, or mandated, a lot of overtime know that once you hit that 50 hour mark, you start thinking about how much money you're losing due to the unfair tax laws that bump you into a higher tax bracket because of your number of hours being paid time & a half.
When I worked at Resinall, they let us have all the OT we wanted, provided we didn't exceed the 16hr legal maximum for consecutive hours worked. This was really great, especially considering the number of days off we had. I think we may have worked an average of 2 full weeks per month. But with all the 12hr shifts, we were never under 40hrs per week. The problem came when, as stated before, we hit that 50 hour mark. Guys would be in the break room beating on calculators trying to figure out how many more hours they could get before Uncle Sam started raping them.
I tell that story for one reason. We have the workers in this country who are willing to put in the extra time and effort, but they're being punished for their hard work. This is nothing short of criminal.
Solution?
Make all overtime wages tax free. Tax the original 40 hours at their normal rate. But once their time hits 40.01, Sam gets nothing. Nothing except some much more highly motivated workers
We complain about laziness. We complain about coworkers who do just enough to get by. This tax reform would absolutely serve to change this in a drastic way.
I also believe this should apply to part-time jobs people do on the side to make ends meet. If your regular job gets you 40 hours, your part time job should be tax free.
There'll always be those who insist that we can't afford to lose those tax dollars. I disagree wholeheartedly.
1. Having a "pork" watchdog group in Washington would alone be enough to make up the difference. Probably 50 fold.
2. We complain about being one of, if not the fattest countries in the world. Alright. So we establish a "trash tax" that makes fast food and high-sugar snacks much less appealing.
3. As a means of easing the shock of the above tax, fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc become 100% tax free. I'm no vegan or naked PETA sponsor or anything silly like that. But the reality is that we're cramming tons of literal garbage down our gullets every year and our health, and our children's health, is suffering for it.
4. It's my understanding that not only the president, but everyone we send to Washington continues to receive their full salary and benefits until they die. Now, I may be in the majority here. But I'm of the mind that these people aren't earning they pay while they're in office. Why on earth would we continue to pay these people after they've left office?
I don't know if the same luxury applies to local officials. But, if it does, they lose too.
Hmm. Well, now we all see why Blockhead doesn't get into political discussions. Longwinded rants, and the unwavering belief that only I can save this country from itself.
I think one of my all time favorites would be two-part tax reform.
Part 1: Raising the bar with regards to tax exemption. If you're making under $20,000 a year, odds are, you need every penny. I think the majority of single moms in this region of the country fall into this category, and I'm in favor of anything that takes away unnecessary hardships from our kids.
Part 2: Change the laws regarding overtime wages. This country is built on the backs of wage workers. They're/We're long overdue a bone being thrown to them/us.
Anyone who has worked somewhere that allowed, or mandated, a lot of overtime know that once you hit that 50 hour mark, you start thinking about how much money you're losing due to the unfair tax laws that bump you into a higher tax bracket because of your number of hours being paid time & a half.
When I worked at Resinall, they let us have all the OT we wanted, provided we didn't exceed the 16hr legal maximum for consecutive hours worked. This was really great, especially considering the number of days off we had. I think we may have worked an average of 2 full weeks per month. But with all the 12hr shifts, we were never under 40hrs per week. The problem came when, as stated before, we hit that 50 hour mark. Guys would be in the break room beating on calculators trying to figure out how many more hours they could get before Uncle Sam started raping them.
I tell that story for one reason. We have the workers in this country who are willing to put in the extra time and effort, but they're being punished for their hard work. This is nothing short of criminal.
Solution?
Make all overtime wages tax free. Tax the original 40 hours at their normal rate. But once their time hits 40.01, Sam gets nothing. Nothing except some much more highly motivated workers
We complain about laziness. We complain about coworkers who do just enough to get by. This tax reform would absolutely serve to change this in a drastic way.
I also believe this should apply to part-time jobs people do on the side to make ends meet. If your regular job gets you 40 hours, your part time job should be tax free.
There'll always be those who insist that we can't afford to lose those tax dollars. I disagree wholeheartedly.
1. Having a "pork" watchdog group in Washington would alone be enough to make up the difference. Probably 50 fold.
2. We complain about being one of, if not the fattest countries in the world. Alright. So we establish a "trash tax" that makes fast food and high-sugar snacks much less appealing.
3. As a means of easing the shock of the above tax, fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc become 100% tax free. I'm no vegan or naked PETA sponsor or anything silly like that. But the reality is that we're cramming tons of literal garbage down our gullets every year and our health, and our children's health, is suffering for it.
4. It's my understanding that not only the president, but everyone we send to Washington continues to receive their full salary and benefits until they die. Now, I may be in the majority here. But I'm of the mind that these people aren't earning they pay while they're in office. Why on earth would we continue to pay these people after they've left office?
I don't know if the same luxury applies to local officials. But, if it does, they lose too.
Hmm. Well, now we all see why Blockhead doesn't get into political discussions. Longwinded rants, and the unwavering belief that only I can save this country from itself.