Taxes, Insurances, Licenses.....Enough Already!

[OhioChick]

I'm so damn tired of being taxed to death to begin with. Your employer takes out Federal, State, etc., etc., etc. You save money and yet again, it gets taxed. Someone dies and leaves you a small amount of money.....taxed once again. (Today I read here about a possible higher gas tax??)

Then, there is life insurance, health insurance, car insurance, insurance for your home, rental, etc. etc. etc.

Utility bills, gas bills, phone bills, etc. have all skyrocketed. I won't even start on how the price of food has risen in this mess of an economy.

Health care is another issue.....makes my blood pressure rise.

With so many losing their jobs and homes at astronomical numbers....how is one expected to survive?

Now, I must go write out checks for my dogs to have licenses, at $20 bucks a pop....up $5 bucks from last year. Ridiculous.

Where are the "golden parachutes" for the average middle class (or the poor) that are struggling right now?

I've been pissed for a while now. Thanks for listening to me vent.

On edit to add: I don't mind paying high taxes if there's a reasonable return on investment.

[BlooInBloo]

1. I don't mind paying for government, actually...

But I do expect a return on that investment.

[OhioChick]

3. Key phrase being:

"return on that investment."

Do you feel that you're getting a satisfactory return on that investment over the last 8 years?

[BlooInBloo]

4. Of course not.

[OhioChick]

7. I knew that!

:hi:

[BlooInBloo]

16. Of course, your OP didn't mention anything about being ok with paying for government...

either with or without a return on the investment.

That's the difference.

[OhioChick]

27. Did a quick edit job.....thanks. n/t

[virgogal]

2. Hmmm ! You sound like a Republican. Try Denmark for

a while---taxed to high heaven. Makes us look like a tax bargain.

[Lex]

5. and the happiest and healthiest people in the world too

iirc

[OhioChick]

6. Complaining about job loss/foreclosures

As well as being pissed how my tax dollars are spent (rising costs in everything one purchases) makes me sound like a Republican??

[sarcasmo]

75. That's funny, I guess I am a Republican too.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

8. A Repuke? OHIO CHICK?

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

[OhioChick]

10. ......

:hi:

[Earth Bound Misfit]

14. ...

:hi: :fistbump:

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. You have got to be kidding

She is a long time DUer. How insulting for you to call her a repuke.

[OhioChick]

21. Thank you....

A "54"-poster calling me a Republican. :eyes:

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. I started to point that out

Some days this place is insane. That damn thread criticizing John Travolta's religion for his son's death is still right up there at the top. And the threads this week slamming Cynthia McKinney made me want to puke.

Maybe I am just outgrowing DU :shrug:

[OhioChick]

28. I read over the John Travolta thread....

And I'm not even touching that. :scared:

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. Here, I started a different Travolta thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4756227&mesg_id=4756227

[OhioChick]

38. Thanks....I'll check it out. n/t

[yardwork]

33. DU has gotten very conservative in the past year or so.

I notice it on every thread. Airline throws Muslim people off a flight and won't let them reboard? Somebody posts that it's all the passengers' fault for insisting on wearing those scarves. Drug-dealer father abandons his children in the snow, where they freeze to death? Something thinks we're being too hard on the father.

And so on and so forth. Every single thread has at least one freeper lookalike in it these days.

[proud2BlibKansan]

40. Very true

I was hoping it would get better after the election but so far it has not.

[OhioChick]

41. I've noticed the same. n/t

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

46. We got moles.

Got to get out the traps.

[yardwork]

48. Varmints!

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

50. Pesky Varmints at that!

We need this guy:

[yardwork]

52. We've had eight years of that guy! LOL!

[nebenaube]

64. well... let's see

I'm a father, I live in the tundra of Wisconsin and I'd take the kids, make sure they are warm and get fed. THEN I WOULD GO FIND THE FATHER AND BEAT THE FUCKING CRAP OUT OF HIM, THEN CALL THE COPS TO COME GET US BOTH... Certain in the fact that no jury here would convict me for it either.

[CreekDog]

88. While I agree that there are crank conservatives here, they are vastly outnumbered

take your example and i'll bet you that for that one message, there were many, many more taking issue with that reasoning. think about that ratio. it doesn't make us conservative and no more than the past year.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

45. Just another member...

Of The Order of Our Lady of Perpetual Outrage, you know? ;-)

[virgogal]

34. I said she SOUNDED like a Republican,not that she was one. I also

wasn't aware I had to check the length of time as a member of DU before I,a new member, could make a comment to a poster.

Who knew ?

[proud2BlibKansan]

42. Some of us have been here for YEARS and we stand up for each other

My advice to a new poster is to be careful before you pull out that "R" word. :hi:

[virgogal]

71. Thanks !

[silverojo]

63. I understand

People here get rather pissy when newbies (anyone under 1000+ posts, LOL) "dare" to disagree with a long-timer. As long as I've been here, I (and many others) have been called a Freeper. Yeah, right...I'm a fourth generation Democrat, who volunteered and pounded the pavement for Walter Mondale--in a SOLIDLY RED STATE, no less. That's why people get pretty pissed when being accused of Republicanism. ;)

That said...the OP wasn't complaining about taxes, so much as wondering how the hell we're supposed to pay for taxes (AND food, utilities, etc.), given the state of the economy.

Welcome to DU...just be careful about tossing around the R-word or the F-word (Freeper = a member of the insanely right-wing Free Republic forum).

[virgogal]

72. Thanks!

[ChromeFoundry]

25. Whoa there 54 posts... best be careful where you are making accusations.

This isn't Denmark the last time I checked.

[virgogal]

73. How many posts do you need before you can make "accusations"?

100?

500?

[ChromeFoundry]

74. General rule is if the user has been on for less than a month...

and starts flinging shit at long-standing, DONATING members... they are usually just another asshole that is awarded a spot on the ignore list, prior to being tombstoned.

I don't think there is an actual number. But as a rule of thumb it should be a value on the IQ scale somewhere north of "Feeble-minded".

[virgogal]

91. So "DONATING" members have more say than non-donating

members?.

My SS check doesn't make too many allowances for any kind of donation

Guess I'll have to stop giving opinions.

Sad !

[OhioChick]

92. Get over yourself. n/t

[Azlady]

56. OhioChick a fReEpeR! That is a BIG NOT!!!!! N/t

[OhioChick]

58. Not a chance, sister!

:fistbump:

[Greyhound]

83. Me thinks you made a boo-boo on this one. I for one, would love to pay the

same level of taxes as the Danes if we received the same benefits and consideration they do. As it stands we pay about half our income in taxes and "fees", while getting nothing but abuse.

[dflprincess]

9. In 2009 if someone dies and leaves you 3.5 million or more you'll be taxed

I wish I could consider that a "small amount of money".

[Duckhunter935]

12. Where can I get a small amount of money like that.

I have been working my but off for many years and have not found it yet.

[OhioChick]

15. Several years ago....

A friend's uncle passed away and left her $40K. After the inheritance tax.....she got less than $20K.

Maybe that's changed now. :shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. Yes it has changed

We inherited money from both of our parents and paid no taxes on it. I think you have to inherit $2 million to be taxed.

[OhioChick]

31. Oh, I see.

At least something got changed for the better.

[Historic NY]

51. Its tax against the estate...I'm still haven't settled my Uncles estate

from 04...the freaking lawyers & IRS have been getting the cash. Its a small estate under NY laws less than 100k. Its made me so sick I just want to light the money on fire. I even had the church call looking for their small %, I told them they had a better chance of getting it from Rome and hung up. Never ever divide your estate into per-cents & never never ever... not spell out an amount a church or other non-profit should get. Meanwhile the saga continues and the lawyer are f--king winning.:mad: Two of his sisters who could have use a few bucks have died his surviving brother doesn't now even know who he is. He wasn't rich he just wanted to make a few other people lives better.

[OhioChick]

54. I'm sorry to hear that.

That's a shame.

[yodoobo]

11. You should feel patriotic when paying those taxes

and proud that you have the abilities to earn the money to do so. Finally you should feel warm and good that they are going to help your neighbors.

Oh i understand that its difficult sometimes. Next week I have to write out a big property tax payment and its going to hurt to do so as I really don't have the money.

Nonetheless, its important to remember that those taxes which you hate paying, will be put to far greater good and better use than you could possibly do so yourself.

Only those who live in a civilized society have this privilege.

[yardwork]

18. Put to far greater good and better use than I could myself?????

I wouldn't have invaded and occupied Iraq, for starters.

Compared to this bunch of criminals and buffoons, I'm a fiscal genius.

[OhioChick]

19. That's right.....

We're fighting them over in Iraq so they don't come here. Need that tax money coming in. :eyes:

[yodoobo]

44. The military spending is an obvious exception

We need to work on that.

[AwakeAtLast]

69. I sure felt 'patriotic' when my tax money went to companies who then

spent their money on golden parachutes and expensive spa hotel retreats.

My husband felt so appreciated as an Iraq War Veteran, too!

:yoiks:

[dixiegrrrrl]

70. That was funny !!!!!

But you forgot the sarcasm tag.
People might take you seriously without it.

[Lorien]

78. Like Iraq, Afghanistan and bank bailouts?

if my tax money were going towards universal health care, education, infrastructure, social security, food programs, renewable energy, public transportation, etc. I'd be thrilled, but half or more is being spent in some very destructive ways.

[Greyhound]

84. And some maintain that propaganda doesn't work.

:rofl:

[yardwork]

13. It's not the taxes, it's what our government spends them on.

Suppose the U.S. took our taxes and used them to fund universal health care for everyone - that would reduce your cost of health insurance and/or health care quite a bit. Furthermore, everyone would get health care when they needed it instead of waiting until their illness hits crisis mode. That would reduce the number of people losing work and their homes due to disability, debt, and early death.

If we had used the trillions we've spent trashing Iraq on universal health care for everyone in the U.S. imagine how much better off everybody would be.

And don't even get me started on the Wall Street bailout and multi-million dollar bonuses to the people who caused it.

[OhioChick]

23. You're absolutely right. n/t

[yardwork]

29. I share your frustration. We, the ordinary people, pay taxes for little in return,

while the guys in charge, who created a huge mess, get to pocket billions.

We should be outraged. Your outrage is very rational!

[OhioChick]

37. I'm irate....

Yet, it puzzles me to see so many people living in a fantasyland out there.

[PassingFair]

77. It's funny, the freepers say the SAME THING.

Only THEY'RE mad that their tax dollars
are being spent on abortions and
"welfare queens" and drunken freeloaders.

:wow:

Taxes will always be a necessity, and we
NEVER get to decide how they get spent.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Health care

I went to the doctor today and got a prescription along with a coupon for $50 off. I am scared to fill it now :scare:

[OhioChick]

24. Wow....

If it's $50 bucks off.......how much does it cost???

I hope it's not too much for you.

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. I am afraid to find out.

:scared: LOL

I do have a wonderful doctor. She gave me samples and told me to take all of them before I fill the scrip.

[OhioChick]

36. That's good.

Our physician usually gives us samples, as well. You can always check various pharmacies to inquire about the cost if it is high. (Unless you have to use a certain pharmacy) It may help to save you a few bucks in the long run.

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. Did you ever hear about the army doctor who refused to serve in the Gulf War

and went to prison?

That's my doctor. She is awesome. She treats a lot of uninsured patients. She is also active in our local peace movement. That's how I met her.

[OhioChick]

43. No, I haven't.

You're quite fortunate to have her as your physician. She sounds like a gem!

[proud2BlibKansan]

49. It was a big story at the time

But maybe it was big here because she was local. Yes, she is a gem. She told me today I needed to exercise more so she suggested I walk up and down the sidewalk at our anti-war vigils. And you know, I can do that. LOL

[Horse with no Name]

47. Hey my docs have been giving me piles of those

They work great! You can even download them online from the drug site.
I have them for my Advair, Veramyst and Vesicare.

[proud2BlibKansan]

55. But how much is this med going to cost me if the coupon is for $50??

[Horse with no Name]

57. It pays the copay generally if you have prescription coverage.

These are basically "perks" for the patients to be on their drugs without copays.

[proud2BlibKansan]

59. Is there anywhere I can go online and find out how much certain meds cost?

My doctor put me on a bunch of meds today. I am afraid to go fill them all till I know what they cost. And as much as I hate WallMart, I am wondering if I should check to see if they are on their $4 list.

[Horse with no Name]

60. Do you have a Kroger or a Ralphs?

They also offer the $4 scripts.
Do you have a Costco nearby? If not--by all means, use Walmart and don't feel one bit of guilt.

If you want to pm a list of them I am pretty resourceful and can help you find cheap alternatives if you want.
:hi:

[OhioChick]

61. Try doing a search on your local drugstores,

Costco, Target, etc. (I believe this option is still available online)

In the past when my kid needed expensive scripts, I'd check around to see who was cheaper.

[OhioChick]

62. Try Costco ....just to get an idea

http://www.costco.com/Pharmacy/frameset.asp?trg=HCFrame.asp&hcban=Banner.asp&hctar=finddrugs.asp&catid=678&fromscript=1&Article=pricing%20information&log=

[Azlady]

65. Do you have a Costco by chance?

They are usually even cheaper then Wallyworld. Also some of the local grocery stores with pharmacy services are now doing the $4 meds.
Costco use to have a list of drugs that you could get for $4 but they also have a 90 day one for $9 now.

[kcass1954]

86. Publix has a list of antibiotics that they'll fill for free.

From their website at http://www.publix.com/wellness/pharmacy/Home.do


Now the Publix Pharmacy makes you feel even better with FREE antibiotics.*

Publix wants to help you with your health-care costs, so we're happy to be able to give you a great deal on certain antibiotics doctors often prescribe. New or current customers: bring in your prescription for one of the oral antibiotics listed below to your neighborhood Publix Pharmacy and receive it FREE, up to a 14-day supply. There are no limits on the number of prescriptions you can have filled. And they're FREE to you regardless of your prescription insurance provider.
Amoxicillin
Cephalexin
Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP)
Ciprofloxacin (excluding Ciprofloxacin XR)
Penicillin VK
Ampicillin
Erythromycin Stearate and Ethylsuccinate
Doxycycline Hyclate (capsules)

*Oral antibiotics only.

[ixion]

35. that's the truth... off to the Greatest with you...

happy to be rec #5

[jgraz]

53. We're paying the taxes that the rich refuse to pay

Every dollar hidden away in an offshore account is a dollar that state and local governments need to make up somehow.

[Azlady]

66. Oh I was pissed when I read this article about those

companies popping up, saying they can cut what you owe on your credit card debt anywhere from 20-75%.... Folks, guess what. If you do this and get the credit card company to reduce your balance... if they reduce more then $600, then it has to be reported to the IRS so the balance that was paid off gets TAXED! I was just blown away! How many people do this and then find out after the fact and end up with a big tax bill.

[scorpiogirl]

76. We did!

We got an old credit card my husband was in collections on reduced by $1,500. That's exactly what happened. It was reported as income and we had to pay taxes on it. No breaks, no way!

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

67. It's getting tough out there

I tried opening my own law office a while back. Apart from salaries for assistants, I had to pay four kinds of insurance: health, workers comp, premises liability, and malpractice. The rent kept going up and up on me and the utilities, telephone, and postage costs were impressive. The worst of it was the extremely high cost of advertising in phone books and such (incredible, really) and where I live and work, there's so much competition that an attorney can't get by without advertising. On top of that I have bar dues to pay every year and continuing legal education costs. The latter is becoming pretty high and you have to attend these classes (it's become a major money-making industry that lawyers are forced into). I didn't like it, but I was forced to close shop and go back to working for someone else. I'm not making too much money now but I'm getting by. Small business owners are struggling, too.

[OneBlueSky]

68. yeah, it's getting pretty bad . . . case in point . . .

my property taxes have been going up steadily and in large percentages for the past five or six years, ever since the national utility company that owns some local power plants sued for a recalculation of their assessments -- and won . . . not just for the future, but retroactively for ten years! . . . so not only are their current and future taxes reduced considerably, we are also having to repay them for the amount they were "overtaxed" in the past decade . . .

if that weren't bad enough, the coal-fired power plant they own a few miles from here was ordered to upgrade their emissions controls by installing new, state-of-the-art equipment . . . rather than comply and pay for the new equipment, the company decided to just close the plant and, in order to reduce their taxes as much as possible, completely dismantle it so that they're taxed only on the land value, not on any site improvements . . .

the result is that our property taxes next year will be taking another huge jump . . . they've already more than doubled, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them double again . . . my income isn't even close to keeping up, and there will come a point where I just won't be able to afford to live here anymore . . . the power companies in question, though, continue to make record profits . . . what's wrong with this picture? . . .

[madville]

79. I get sick of taxes also

I have to pay Georgia state income tax even though I live in Florida. My employer is based in GA and that is where the office is. So I have had to pay GA state income tax to the tune of about $2,000 this year and will probably owe them more when my return is done.

Gas taxes, income taxes, land line phone taxes, cable tv taxes, cell phone taxes, utility taxes, sales taxes, cigarette taxes, alcohol taxes, airline taxes, hotel taxes, rental car taxes, registration on vehicles, registration on my little boat, registration fees for the trailer the boat rides on, hunting license, fishing license, property taxes, school taxes tied to your house, garbage taxes, (insert yell here)

That doesn't even count all the different kinds of insurance, some of which we are required to carry by law or if you have a house financed.

It really starts to get depressing when you think about it. I start thinking about a cabin in the woods with no electricity (just kidding), but I would still have to pay freaking property taxes and to send other peoples' kids to school.

Feels good to rant about it anyway, I know some of this goes to essential services but the governments collect a pile of money from us everyday and they constantly need more or run out.

[fed_up_mother]

81. Out of all taxes, I hate property taxes the most

Our house will be paid for in a couple of years assuming we are still employed long enough to pay it off. However, our mediocre retirement income will probably force us to sell the house, which just absolutely sucks. This is the house I want my kids and grandkids to come back to, and with the gang growing, I can't imagine downsizing. It's not like this is a mansion. :(

Other taxes would be fine if we actually had healthcare, better schools, etc.

[Pithlet]

82. Wait a minute. Are you sure about paying GA taxes? I've never heard of such a thing.

You pay taxes based on where you live. Not based on where your job is based. You need to talk to a tax professional. I've never heard of a person paying taxes based on where their employer is based. I've worked in one state while living in another. I still payed taxes based on the state I lived in.

[madville]

89. Yes

I've worked on and off in GA over the last 13 years. Even if you are a non-resident but more than 5% of your income or $5,000 is earned working in GA you have to pay GA state income tax on your full income. Now if I worked for a FL company that did business in GA and lived in FL, I wouldn't have to pay. But since I work for a GA company and do about 75% of my work in GA I have to pay income tax there even though I am not a GA resident or eligible for any of their services.

[OhioChick]

90. I pay Ohio State tax,

Tax where I live, as well as tax to the city in which I'm employed.

[raouldukelives]

80. I hear ya

Last year the city changed the parking in front of my home and the rest of the block into 2 hour parking zones. I was able purchase a permit from the city for $5 to be able to park. So I figure fine, $5 ain't a big deal. Go in to renew a week ago and it's now $30. I'm assuming I should start saving now for the $180 charge next year.

[Occam Bandage]

85. Everyone wants the government to address their issues,

and yet nobody wants to pay the government to address their neighbors'.

[OhioChick]

87. My neighbors want the government to

address their issues as well, which in fact are the same as mine.