http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20670001&sid=apWu9PvexGoE
Interesting reading from Mark Fisher on the fall of Rome and the comparison to the downward trend in the US.
"While the U.S. ascended quite differently, it also used its position as a superpower to fuel economic expansion. Because the country had the strongest military and economy in the post-World War II era, the U.S. dollar became the de facto global reserve currency, ensuring endless competitive advantages -- which have vanished in the last decade.
Americans have become less productive while relying more on social safety-net programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security -- and now expanded health-care insurance. Worse, like the ancient Romans, a sense of entitlement has replaced the drive and motivation we once championed. With easy access to abundant government handouts, it’s no wonder so many jobless people have stopped looking for work."
This should ruin your Happy Tax Day!
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31 comments:
Never in our life time have things been in such a poor condition. It makes us ponder as to where we as a country are headed.
I wonder if the masses realize our situation. We will find out in November.
The suppression of information in a community, town, city, county, state, or nation in decline is more likely to hasten its demise than its rejuvenation. In our community information that could have been used to help individuals and the community adapt to change has been suppressed. If the intent of those who caused property taxes to increase beyond what could be afforded had been known much economic loss could have been avoided. Community actions based on known information might have prevented wasteful spending by the PISD, the loss of property owners, and the demise of businesses that once contributed to the tax base.
You are not likely to read much that is critical of candidates for public office or about our tax dependent entities in the Pittsburg Gazette (PG). The publisher of the PG has decided to limit those who exercise their freedom of speech to two Letters to the Editor (LTE) per year. The LTEs may be censored and may or may not be approved. This control of information may be a prelude of things to come in Camp County. The control of information makes it much easier to influence the outcomes of local elections and to obligate property owners to higher taxes.
The publisher of the PG has taken on a great responsibility in controlling information in our county. Why would the publisher of the PG, a weekly newspaper with a small circulation and few LTEs discriminate against those who call attention to the behavior and activities those seeking public office and to those holding elected and appointed positions? Does this remind anyone of what happened in several countries where the control of information was unopposed? Does this remind anyone of the actions of the information ministers in Fascist Italy and in Nazi Germany? Will rumors and the ONLY TAXPAYER MONEY blog become our main sources of community information?
Time may be running out for property tax payers and citizens for better schools to ban together, to share community information, and to act together to create a thriving community?
Time has expired.
It is difficult for me to determine who is more wordy, "Taxes R Us" or
"SuperSuper." It is not difficult, however, to determine who is more intelligent and who presents the better argument: "Taxes R Us" wins by a landslide. This is the difference between conservatives and liberals. While conservatives present facts, liberals present feelings because, for the most part, they are inarticulate and dwell on what they feel is owed to them by virtue of their "needs" and "wants." Don't think so? Listen to Obama and the Dems in Congress and follow the trail right down to the local level....I call it trickle- down politics. Socialism is alive and well in Camp County!.
in regards to supersuper, the only thing that stands out more than your jealousy is your lack of probably more than an 8th grade grammar class.
SuperSuper sounds like he (she) is really in the know. It is a dead give away that he (she) is not by the stupid posts that are made.
Excuse me, Bubba Hawkins.
Are you getting those DUI's in Dallas again?
Why don't you have another drink or whatever you use to get "high" these days.
supersuper,you fit in very well with all of the other little nazi's. If you're not bubba carter then you fell off the same potatoe wagon. I worked for the ex-board member you're referring to. He spent countless hoursmtrying to fix a field built in the 70's with not enough crown down the center. He made me work weekends when he didnot get paid a dime two different summers adding crown to the field while the school paid for the dirt from a different contractor. When the four stooges,whom I suspect you are a member, put the turf on the field the coring group cut the main water line under the track, this was the real problem, not the lies and propoganda,blaming a man who has donated probably 200 hours trying to repair the old field before the four stooges overtaxed and stoled people's savings. Why is it bubba paid less property taxes on his gym than the much smaller daycare down the street,and is still paying less! Why does the former board member, furniture man/slum lord pay less on his rent houses than other like properties. Is it because he served on the appraisal board and bubba was the village idiot who did all of wellman's dirty work, more than likely
supersuper the nonsense left the board when the village idiot left town. we sure miss ol bubba. We don't have near as much to laugh about and the girls at the Princedale don't get accosted near as much. It is a shame my old mean ex-boss ran him out of town, just like he did that crooked Supt back in '99 when I worked for him. bobcat has always been good at sweeping up the trash
supersuper r u really bubba. the great entrepreneur who failed at every business you tried to start in your hometown except the one you married into, now it makes sense, all of the jealousy and envy you have of bobcat. Just because, you were nothing but a caretaker at an apartment complex till you married Jeri. You are really a piece of work, after being run out of town after all of your inept decisions, now you want to keep trying to run things here.
Super Discrimination
SuperSuper has apparently recognized and approved of the possible discrimination by the publisher of the Pittsburg Gazette against one writer who submitted a number of letters to the editor.
Apparently, SuperSuper is sensitive to facts and opinions that are critical of the motives and actions of those in control of our tax-dependent entities. Apparently, SuperSuper would like to link critics to the “crazy left” and himself or herself to the sane or the right. Few of us are fooled by SuperSuper’s lame effort to be identified as a conservative. Based on past and recent blogs SuperSuper appears to be just another socialist pretending to change colors.
Apparently, SuperSuper has forgotten that it is “the birthright of every American citizen” to ridicule and criticize the actions of our elected and appointed public officials. This right is “enshrined in the First Amendment. Brave men and women have shed blood to defend that freedom.”
As far as the defeat of a former school board member, several school board members and others in the PISD community of influence ganged up on him to punish him for opposing their costly pet projects. The spread of false rumors about him is common knowledge. The misleading ads in the Pittsburg Gazette by two school board members, which appeared just prior to the school board election, are matters of record. Few who voted against him had attended school board meetings at which contentious issues were discussed. Most who voted against him did so because of false rumors.
There is one lie that was started by one or more school board members that should be recognized as a lie. That lie is that it was this former school board member’s fault that a 1.5 million dollar plus carpet had to be put on the ground of the football stadium. Telling and retelling by of this lie by SuperSuper and those with special ties to the PISD will not make this lie true. The former school board member recommended a much less costly solution to a simple drainage problem. This is a matter of public record.
It was most fortunate for the property tax payers of Camp County, however, that this school board member opposed the plans of a few for an unneeded new high school and more athletic facilities.
As for the budget facts, these can be requested as public records from the PISD and other tax-dependent entities.
Super Advice
I doubt that the person who identifies himself or herself as SuperSuper is the PISD Super.
I know the real Super. SuperSuper appears to lack an understanding of modern psychology and logical thinking. How could such a person ever become a Super? I think that a real Super would have their blogs edited. If this is the real Super, then we have some very great problems.
SuperSuper seems full of “Pleasantville” advice. SuperSuper states or implies that others, who think differently than the critics, will listen to or be influenced by those who are positive. SuperSuper states that those who are negative or critical of others harm themselves more than they harm others, that most people who read the writings of critics show their disgust by rolling their eyes, and that people who encounter those who have been critical of the actions of figures in Camp County cross streets to avoid contact with them.
There are many self-educated and formally educated people in Camp County whose minds have evolved beyond the mindsets of those stuck in Pleasantville. It is well known that thinking is more than talking and listening. Most thoughtful people understand that their initial perceptions are not always reality and even our senses are often unreliable. Many of those who voted for the presidential candidate who promised hope and positive change now wish they had better understood his intent and had some change...in their pockets.
SuperSuper seems to think that everyone should keep their thoughts that are critical of the elected and appointed leadership to themselves in order to avoid harm to themselves. That might be good advice for those working for a tyrant. SuperSuper fails to realize that some of us are not fearful of others, nor are we concerned about what most people “think” of us.
SuperSuper describes the ways in which some of his or her more childish followers show their emotions. I doubt that most mature humans act out their emotions in these obviously immature ways. The only local person that I have met who continues to act in this manner is the one who uses the phrase “ bad mouthing” the PISD and community leaders.
I will try to be concise in the future. Or maybe, I should just break my blog down into mini blogs like SuperSuper.
Two great posts Taxes R Us. It is refreshing reading something from an intelligent mind.
It seems as some of the truths have been revealed. That puts a little different perspective on things. We all know for sure now that there is an idiot in the house.
supersuper, that same tired old story of how bobcat caused the four stooges to build the synthetic field has been told exclusively by bubba. I bet you blame bobcat for tsunami's, earthquakes and other natural and unnatural disasters because people like u can not understand people like him. Someone who will stand up instead of gang up. Now since we know either who you are or at the very least, what kind of person u r, I must close. whos's the biggest fool, the fool or the one who associates with the fool? I will not converse with u, the fool, any longer
Bubba must be homesick. Please, do not encourage him to retun home. Leave him out of sight, out of mind. Pittsburg is much better off without his craziness.
I have spent a good part of the past two days reading postings on this blog site and am concerned. I see a tremendous amount of animosity in the community, arguments both for and against the PISD and some current and even past school board members.To me,some of the comments are so personal and vicious that I think they might well meet the definition of slander in a court of law. I don't mind taking a position on an issue or presenting my side of an argument as long as I have some basis for my stance other than anger or retaliation. I have considered Mr. Brison a detriment to the school board for several years and have voted that way in past elections because of his penchant for spending taxpayer money too freely. I think that the Superintendent has not served the community well , especially in pushing for the 70 million dollar school bond a few years back and having what seems to be an obsession for athletic programs. But while I disagree with these individuals and feel that we would be better served with "new blood" in both positions, I see no need to vilify them simply because I have a platform where I can make disparaging remarks while hiding behind a pseudonym without any accountability. Shrill words and harsh rhetoric will not change the attitude of voters in Camp County. A coordinated effort of calm logic and common sense might. Just a suggestion.
the owner of the blog wants facts and not personal attacks. How is this for a fact? 3 of the board members now serving are aware that Compass Builders, the construction manager who has just been hired without any bidding process, is the same ones who built an ex-supt a lake house after the supt left Pittsburg and after the supt had funneled approximately 12 million dollars worth of work to them. Not that anything is illegal,but it does not pass the smell test. This new multi-use athletic facility proposed to be built at the high school started out as a cafetorium at the Junior High. How are board members led down a path like this when they have children in portable classrooms, teachers without adequate necessities, high school students eating in the weather because board members want to build a new high school instead of addressing needs, almost zero vocational, no science labs and no long range planning. I'll tell you because I was at the budget meetings. You have board members who stated their children and grandchildren did not need vocational. They were too busy traveling to Europe or were just too plain busy to meet to work on long range planning or hammer out a difficult budget. These board members who violate state laws, causing tax dollars to be spent to protect them should be removed(Brison and Arnwine) because of their petty vindictiveness. These board members too busy to meet need to let someone else have their positions. The position does not make you someone, if you do your job and make the hard decisions while taking the high road instead of the much easier low road most like to take, you will not be liked, but you might be respected. Our board has no leadership today or in several years. Too many have their own agendas, whether it is their children, grandchildren,band,athletics,their wife who is a teacher or countless other reasons. When you elect someone just because you go to church with them or like their wife, you are doing an injustice to not only yourself, but everyone else in the community. When you accept gossip for truth instead of finding out for yourself the real truth you are doing yourself a terrible injustice. Most of you probably know who I am and think I have regrets or am unhappy because of election losses, quite the contrary, I was in the arena and tried,now it is your turn.
The posting by beentheredoneit is powerful and is something that should be read and digested by everyone in the community, regardless of political affiliation. While I agree with OurMoney that personal attacks are unwarranted and counter productive, we have to listen to those who have had experiences like beentheredoneit and heed their warnings. Scary!
I agree. Excellent post!
Good luck in the elections to the people running. It's all for the kids, the people on this blog have forgot about that along time ago. People that call others names and bash them only have problems in their own lives and have nothing else in their life to look forward to except for things like this. Keep up the great work school board, superintendent, and PISD. The community supports you and our kids. Thanks for doing whats right with what you have. Don't listen to these old guys, it just happens with age with some men.
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