Taxes

The number one rule every student learns in Econ 101 or Political Science 101 is this:

PEOPLE PAY TAXES.

Corporations don't pay taxes, businesses don't pay taxes, dead people don't pay taxes, nor do Coops.

So the next time there are tax questions on ballots, forget all the arguments pro and con.  If the tax is on inheritance, businesses, non-profits, corporations, etc.;  you can bet that people will pay it.  It will always be passed on through price increases or some other means to the guy at the bottom who is still breathing.  The businesses and corporations will not asorb the cost, it will always be passed on to a person somewhere.

American Security

Has it hit any of you yet that while the government talks about increasing security at the airports and keeping America safe, all of the real security measures were accomplished by ordinary citizens like you and me.
9/11. The terrorists accomplished their goals while the US Military watched with one exception: Flight 93. Who saved that terrorist from flying his hijacked plane into its intended target? Yup, it was the passengers on board. Anyone who had bought a ticket and was on the plane (plain Joe and Jane), by a quirk of fate did more than the US military could accomplish with the three other planes.

The Shoe bomber. He was first noticed by both passengers and a stewardess who secured him before he could light his bomb. Again it was people without training who just acted according to common sense.

The underpants bomber. Again, passengers took him out before he could accomplish his deed and bring down the plane. The flight landed safely, the President enjoyed Hawaii, and the reporters had a feeding frenzy while common citizens used common sense.

If the Government, whose solution to protect us is to throw billions of dollars at TSA and airport security (who have accomplished nothing except slow down our travel time while increasing both our flying costs and taxes), would simply pass a law that would protect well intended citizens acting in extreme situations to protect life and property, we might accomplish more than has been accomplished in the last decade to 'protect' America.

Politics 3A

I think I left off an important comparison between unions and political parties. The solution is always more money! I have never heard either one ever say:
"Perhaps we could do without more and just cut back. We are willing to trim our expenses and try to live within our means instead of asking for a raise or tax increase."