Politics and religion.

[caseysmom]

I am asking because I truly don't know...is the date thing or using a helicopter or whatever normal for the President? I am not trying to start anything but hasn't this always been done?

[blue]

I am asking because I truly don't know...is the date thing or using a helicopter or whatever normal for the President? I am not trying to start anything but hasn't this always been done?

Ill bet you a dollar if Shrub had done it would have been worldwide front page news. On the other hand Shub never told us we need watch our spending while the .gov keeps pouring out $$$.

The only problem I have with the date thing is that .gov paid for the press to tag along.

[RICHARD]

I am asking because I truly don't know...is the date thing or using a helicopter or whatever normal for the President? I am not trying to start anything but hasn't this always been done?

Yes,
But BO said that after the election, he would take the wife on a "date night".

Now, I don't mind spending a penny on taking care of the POTUS for work related trips, but with GM, Pontiac, banks and the Titanic going under, like why doesn't he get a sitter and rent some movies or porn on the cable/satellite?

There was a shot of about 100 NYC cops standing around waiting for the prez to show up.

Other people said that it was a slap in the face to the rest of the country where, most of us are very aware of what we spend on a date/shopping/perks. He spends money on very trivial things.

He just showed that maybe he doesn't really care about saving my and your money.

Of course, he could have cancelled the Statue of Liberty photo fiasco and gone to see it while he was in town?

[caseysmom]

Yes,
But BO said that after the election, he would take the wife on a "date night".

Now, I don't mind spending a penny on taking care of the POTUS for work related trips, but with GM, Pontiac, banks and the Titanic going under, like why doesn't he get a sitter and rent some movies or porn on the cable/satellite?

There was a shot of about 100 NYC cops standing around waiting for the prez to show up.

Other people said that it was a slap in the face to the rest of the country where, most of us are very aware of what we spend on a date/shopping/perks. He spends money on very trivial things.

He just showed that maybe he doesn't really care about saving my and your money.

Of course, he could have cancelled the Statue of Liberty photo fiasco and gone to see it while he was in town?

I tend to agree with you there. Our lovely gov keeps cutting our salaries...yes I am a state employee...(don't do it, its too easy). Honestly a lot of people I work with work our butts off and he has taken ten percent already and now he is after another 5 percent, in our line of work private industry already makes about double what we do. They paid a consultant 1.3 mill to do what I could have done in a few months if they let me...and our guv was suppose to make it all better

I have been cutting back, but I feel even worse for a lot of other folks and to be honest any extravagance does make me feel guilty. I would like to be Obama act accordingly.

[RICHARD]

I tend to agree with you there. Our lovely gov keeps cutting our salaries...yes I am a state employee...(don't do it, its too easy). Honestly a lot of people I work with work our butts off and he has taken ten percent already and now he is after another 5 percent,

ANd you hang on every report in the media when they discuss the state's budget and any cutbacks in the workforce.

I feel your pain.

See, I like the politicians who give you a vague promise of the things to come.
I tend to be very suspicious of the ones that give you a detailed list of what the want to do. Far different from what they can do!

We will make it out of this mess.

We'll have to tighten our belts a bit.

I just don't like it when politicians pass on the belt tightening and go have their entire wardrobes taken in, on our dime.

[caseysmom]

ANd you hang on every report in the media when they discuss the state's budget and any cutbacks in the workforce.

I feel your pain.

See, I like the politicians who give you a vague promise of the things to come.
I tend to be very suspicious of the ones that give you a detailed list of what the want to do. Far different from what they can do!

We will make it out of this mess.

We'll have to tighten our belts a bit.

I just don't like it when politicians pass on the belt tightening and go have their entire wardrobes taken in, on our dime.

Well I have been with the state for 25 years so I would have to shoot my boss If this foot crud doesn't do me in my job is secure just not sure how much I will get but alas there are those worse off so I won't whine about it. We hired a guy from the private sector and he needs some good cheese to go with all that whine about the money

[smokey the elder]

OK, I can't resist lobbing this grenade...*dons fireproof jammies*

California set itself up for this mess by passing Proposition 13 (I think) which makes it nearly impossible to raise taxes. Unfortunately, many states are forced to raise taxes during a recession. I know Libertarian types like blue are going to jump all over my s*** for this, but if folks want the Gov't to provide for them, they have to be willing to pay for it.

*ducks away from the torrent of flames I can see emerging in the distance*

[RICHARD]

OK, I can't resist lobbing this grenade...*dons fireproof jammies*

California set itself up for this mess by passing Proposition 13 (I think) which makes it nearly impossible to raise taxes. Unfortunately, many states are forced to raise taxes during a recession. I know Libertarian types like blue are going to jump all over my s*** for this, but if folks want the Gov't to provide for them, they have to be willing to pay for it.

*ducks away from the torrent of flames I can see emerging in the distance*

Correct!

Prop 13 caused quite a stir at the time..The F-wads that voted FOR the measure, way back when, were the ones that complained the most about the shortage of services long after they forgot they voted it in.

-------------------------

Here's a little trivia about Howard Jarvis-the author of Prop 13.

Jarvis played a small part/sight gag in the movie, AIRPLANE!

At the beginning of the movie, Robert Hays drives a cab to the front of the airport terminal. Hays leaves the cab, with Jarvis in the rear at the curb.

At the end of the movie Jarvis, with the meter in the cab still running, is shown waiting for Hays to come back.

[blue]

OK, I can't resist lobbing this grenade...*dons fireproof jammies*

California set itself up for this mess by passing Proposition 13 (I think) which makes it nearly impossible to raise taxes. Unfortunately, many states are forced to raise taxes during a recession. I know Libertarian types like blue are going to jump all over my s*** for this, but if folks want the Gov't to provide for them, they have to be willing to pay for it.

*ducks away from the torrent of flames I can see emerging in the distance*

Why would I jump your sh!t for that? The Kalifornia .gov is reaping what they have sown, they taxed and taxed and taxed, user fees up the ying yang and they still dont have enough enough for those with their hands out. The ones paying for the .gov programs put their feet down and good for them.

I cant see how raising taxes make things better.