Another first for Obama!

[Bangkoktraveler]

Got to agree.

[kamui]

Another problem I see with the current USA is not only about loss of patriotism of the people, but about the structures:

 

Your parliamentary system, which might have been a role model previouslsy, seems to be paralyzed by a Byzantine set of rules which are extremely hard to understand by outsiders.

Probably the worst rule is the Filibuster. It could be that the Filibuster will be *one* reason for the demise of the USA. Because of the Filibuster it will became almost impossible for ANY president to create new laws against the will of the opposition. Soon the whole US will become as ungovernable as California.

 

K-Street, of course is another reason.

 

But don't forget the US media of which most have given up their role as observers. I wonder if there is any other democracy which the media are as biased and manipulative as in the USA?

 

I am always surprised when Americans think that by just changing the politicans, everything will change. Obama is IMHO a fine example. His ideas got lost in Washington in the struggle between the senate and the congress. I am mean, he can't even name a new head of the TSA without the consent of the Repubs...

 

And as soon as the Democrats lose their supermajority (see Filibuster) Obama's fate will be sealed.

[Old Hippie]

Where is Lee Harvey Oswald when the country really needs him?

 

HH

 

Those kind of thoughts are the reason why the USA almost probably will never really recover from the troubles of the 1990s.

You Americans lost the will to work together for your country and even prefer for ideological reasons that the country go down even deeper.

 

 

You got that in 1 dude! But try explaining that to the guys who insist on partisan bullshit. Then try and change anything here. Americans are too busy worrying about "Dancing with the stars and the big game" than the important things that really effect them/us.

 

"...Soon the whole US will become as ungovernable as California..."

 

don't get me started on this topic! Prop 8 is killing people, and it needs to go and go fast! The problems/abuse it causes are deep and just plain redicules as they are just plain stupid. Made sense in principle at first, then went to shit. Of course the only way to change it is to vote it out...but who the fuck is going to vote out a bill that keeps their property taxes so low the state has no money...?

 

O.k. for those who don't know, in a nut shell Prop 8 basically guarantees your property taxes will stay relatively low...based on I think 1% of the sale price of your home...

 

So, if you had a home when prop 8 passed, the tax is based on the value at that time...regardless of the value now...but, if I buy a home today, I get taxed on the zillion $$ it costs...both of us can sign the property over to our kids, then their kids etc, and the tax base stays the same...so, if I have a home I bought 20 years ago, worth 1Mil, I pay a much lower tax than the guy buying a 1 mil home today fair? fuck no, of course not. Fair that your neighbor inherited the house and pays 1/10 of what you do? fuck no...wonder why the state has no money? fuck no...if you own a home, and have really super low taxes, you gonna vote to have them go up 1000%? hell fuckin no! so it will not change.

 

Of course, if the tax laws changed, and the tax was based on the value of the home, then of course you'd see home prices fall in line with wages and averages...a better way in the long run.

[dave32]

KuStsFW4EmQ

[Hugh_Hoy]

Hey Dude...it was Prop 13. IMO, historic legislation and the only thing that has enabled elderly, retired folks from being taxed out of a home they'd lived in for decades. The legislator's in Sacramento HATE that law, cuz it's something they can't increase taxes on. And that, by itself, is wonderful.

 

And, actually, the house IS reappraised after the death of an owner and title is transferred to, for instance, an off-spring. (However, if the property is in a trust and not put in the name of an off-spring, the tax will remain the same.)

 

Prop 13 is a great protection against a greedy state Government that wastes billions of $$$ yearly.

 

HH

[kamui]

Prop 13 is a great protection against a greedy state Government that wastes billions of $$$ yearly.

 

HH

 

All those public schools, roads and bridges, air traffic control, consumer protection, e.g., who really needs this boring stuff.

:content:

[Hugh_Hoy]

Not necessary to tax people out of their homes to take care of those things.

 

HH

[rchapstick]

Where is Lee Harvey Oswald when the country really needs him?

 

HH

 

 

Wow, what a true patriot you are HH!

[dave32]

Where is Lee Harvey Oswald when the country really needs him?

 

HH

 

 

Wow' date=' what a true patriot you are HH![/quote']

 

I also did a double-take on that one. I'm not interested in getting in a flame war, but...

 

Maybe we are fucked.

 

[Bangkoktraveler]

When we switched from the American dream being the ownership of a home to the ownership of a tube of KY, we are fucked. This year and next year will be straining years.