LGP Political Discussion Thread - Latest news at top

[Rylan]

People of LGP seem to be in foul moods lately...what gives?

[MWB]

What good is a metal detector w/o an armed guard??? Seriously!

To prevent kids from bringing in guns or knives, knowingly or unwittingly.

You make no sense. (with all due respect)

If I'm looking to just 'show off'... OK, the metal detector w/o a guard works. But there rely wasn't a threat there to begin with.

If I'm Adam Lanza, your metal detector w/o an armed guard means diddley squat...

You get hat right?

I said almost exactly that in my first response, with all due respect.

[Alejandro Rojas]

http://boston.com/community/blogs/crime ... p_Emailed2

Myths about mass shootings

[Shyster]

People of LGP seem to be in foul moods lately...what gives?

The hockey season is almost certainly kaput, all our taxes are going way up in 11 days, the economy still sucks, government remains packed with great whopping morons at all levels, and a large chunk of the population is screaming for more gun laws, which I could not possibly oppose more. It's enough to make me a little cranky.

[Alejandro Rojas]

Good read

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... sacre.html

Key paragraph

But now is not a good time to have a cost-benefit discussion, and there may never be a good time. The two sides are too far apart: gun control is mostly advocated by people who do not own guns, or want to own guns, and for them it is therefore a zero cost policy. Maybe a negative cost policy, because–apart from the violence–they have a fairly intense cultural antipathy for people who spend a lot of time playing with guns.

[MWB]

http://boston.com/community/blogs/crime_punishment/2012/12/top_10_myths_about_mass_shooti.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed2

Myths about mass shootings

A lot of those "realities" to counter the myths are opinions. Some not that well thought out.

Don't practice lockdowns? Seemed to be somewhat effective, and they aren't traumatic.

[Alejandro Rojas]

[columbia]

For those of you reaching for the shaft of your derringer after that NRA speech....

NRA Blames Violent Video Games for Newtown, But Partnered With Company That Makes Them
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/12 ... o-game-too

[doublem]

what is this 2% tax everyone is talking about, how will it effect poor people like me?

[Shyster]

what is this 2% tax everyone is talking about, how will it effect poor people like me?

It will make your taxes go up 2% for every dollar you make. For the last several years, the Social Security FICA tax was cut by 2% as a "stimulus" measure. That cut is expiring as of the end of the month. So starting in January, the amount of FICA tax withheld from your paychecks (if you are employed by someone else) will go up 2%. If you self-employed, you should start withholding an additional 2%.

[doublem]

I'm getting a 4% raise thingy for medical coverage so that's that.

[mac5155]

You'll still be taxed on that raise too. Obviously won't hurt you that bad but yeah.

[ExPatriatePen]

You'll still be taxed on that raise too. Obviously won't hurt you that bad but yeah.

Y'all do realize that the 2% FICA increase is only one piece of the tax increase you'll be seeing in your paycheck in two weeks right?

I'm starting to think that most Americans are still in denial and have no idea that their pocket is about to be picked. They seem to think that the tax increase will only be for 'the other guy' and not for them.

[columbia]

Police Dept. to Use Internet to Try to Stop Mass Shootings
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/21/nyreg ... .html?_r=0

Some people really like Patriot Act style government, it would seem.

[mac5155]

You'll still be taxed on that raise too. Obviously won't hurt you that bad but yeah.

Y'all do realize that the 2% FICA increase is only one piece of the tax increase you'll be seeing in your paycheck in two weeks right?

I'm starting to think that most Americans are still in denial and have no idea that their pocket is about to be picked. They seem to think that the tax increase will only be for 'the other guy' and not for them.

No I know. I was more or less saying that justifying the 2% tax increase Shyster was talking about by saying "well I got a 4% raise" seemed kind of counterproductive.

[mac5155]

It would appear if you make more than $40k a year you cannot deduct student loan interest in 2013. Is this correct?

[Troy Loney]

Where are you seeing this?

[shmenguin]

It would appear if you make more than $40k a year you cannot deduct student loan interest in 2013. Is this correct?

What is it currently, like 50 or 60?

[ExPatriatePen]

Police Dept. to Use Internet to Try to Stop Mass Shootings
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/21/nyreg ... .html?_r=0

Some people really like Patriot Act style government, it would seem.

Oh no, don't fear the government. They only have your best interests at heart.

[Geezer]

Police Dept. to Use Internet to Try to Stop Mass Shootings
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/21/nyreg ... .html?_r=0

Some people really like Patriot Act style government, it would seem.

Oh no, don't fear the government. They only have your best interests at heart.

The terrifying part is their deciding what people's best interests are. The intrusion of big government is bad enough. The fact that the liberal agenda certainly doesn't match what a big chunk of our citizen's best intersts are.
The Big Bro era.

[Geezer]

Police Dept. to Use Internet to Try to Stop Mass Shootings
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/21/nyreg ... .html?_r=0

Some people really like Patriot Act style government, it would seem.

Oh no, don't fear the government. They only have your best interests at heart.

The terrifying part is their deciding what people's best interests are. The intrusion of big government is bad enough. The fact that the liberal agenda certainly doesn't match what a big chunk of our citizen's best intersts are.
The Big Bro Barry era.

[Gaucho]

Dum de dum.

[Geezer]

People that want stuff want big government as do the groups that continually vote for a powerful federal approach. Government workers, unions, and others trade votes for favored treatment; quid pro quo. Those who prefer minimal government and relying on a more free market approach oppose what's basically the government party. Most people have mixed views since this country is in a continual decline that they want to stop but trust politicians.
What puzzles me is the majority of people seem to not trust the integrity and intelligence of politicians to solve problems but increasingly give these clowns more control over their lives. There's little hope for America's future.

[Gaucho]

Doom de doom.

[Shyster]

I'm starting to think that most Americans are still in denial and have no idea that their pocket is about to be picked. They seem to think that the tax increase will only be for 'the other guy' and not for them.

I found a great online calculator that will let you directly compare pre- and post-cliff tax impacts. Go to http://interactive.taxfoundation.org/ta ... calculator. You can even punch in your deductions and exemptions and see how those may be affected.

I pulled out my 2011 tax forms and punched the same numbers into the calculator. The result would be an additional $229 in income tax and an overall increase of $1,283 adding in the increase in FICA tax.