So... which stories / topics / issues motivate you to comment here this weekend?
Possibilities:
Fisker Automotive tries to refute accusations that its Karma electric hybrid (actually the lithium ion battery pack within) sparked a house fire in Sugar Land, Texas, that destroyed the $100,000 Karm and two other vehicles. Officials have yet to confirm that point. In fact, in its campaign to douse the bad publicity, Fisker counters that fireworks were found either inside or around the vehicles in the garage. Also Fisker contends the car's battery pack was NOT being charged at the time of the fire and remained intact. Still, such publicity could further undercut Fisker Automotive.
An Associated Press story today underscores the paradoxes of the debate over President Obama's health-care overhaul, and the practical effect if the U.S. Supreme Court torpedoes the individual mandate:
WASHINGTON -- Cancer patient Kathy Watson voted Republican in 2008 and believes the government has no right telling Americans to get health insurance. Nonetheless, she says she'd be dead if it weren't for President Obama's health-care law.
Now the Florida small businesswoman is worried the Supreme Court will strike down her lifeline. Under the law, Watson and nearly 62,000 other "uninsurable" patients are getting coverage through a little-known program for people who have been turned away by insurance companies because of pre-existing medical conditions.
"Without it, I would have been dead on March 2," Watson said of the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, known as PCIP. That's when she was hospitalized for a life-threatening respiratory infection.
It's not clear how the Supreme Court will rule on Obama's law, but Watson's case illustrates the potential impact of tying everything in the far-reaching legislation to the fate of one provision, the unprecedented requirement that most Americans carry health insurance...
Now, consider this article from POLITICO:
"Right infighting over health-care"
Thirty minutes. That's the roughly time it took for conservatives to jump all over Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and his leadership team after the GOP's game plan for dealing with President Obama's health care law leaked to the media.
Their gripe? Republicans would try to replicate popular parts of Obama's health care law if the Supreme Court overturns the law this summer.
Rather than sending out news releases or rushing to cable TV for a rant, conservatives blasted House Republican leadership on a private Google e-mail group called The Repeal Coalition. The group is chock-full of think-tank types, some Republican leadership staffers and conservative activists, according to sources in the group...
Prosecutors in Philadelphia have rested their case in the landmark clergy child sex abuse trial.
A Catholic priest with Hollywood-star good looks and a doctorate in moral theology who appeared often on the TV networks as an ecclesiastical expert and advocate for the Holy See - the Reverend Thomas Williams - is now stepping down from public ministry from the theologically rigidly conservative Catholic order, the Legion of Christ. That, after he acknowledged a physical relationship with a woman, and fathering a child from that relationship. Katie Couric once jokingly called Williams, "Father-What-a-Waste". Allegations of child sexual abuse, sexual escapades, and financial mismanagement have rocked the Legion of Christ, founded in Mexico in 1941, and highly favored by the late Pope John Paul II.
From The HILL:
"Fury over birth-control mandate trails HHS Sec. Sebelius to Georgetown"
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will visit Georgetown University on Friday for a speech that has raised Catholic ire in light of the Obama Administration's birth-control coverage mandate.
The Jesuit school has defended its invitation amid an onslaught of criticism from conservative Catholic groups and the archbishop of Washington, who recently denounced Sebelius's work as "the most direct challenge to religious liberty in recent history."
---------------------------
But Georgetown University's President John DeGioia insists a university - even a Catholic university - must stand committed to the free exchange of ideas. DeGioia insists the platform given the HHS secretary does not necessarily represent an endorsement of Sebelius or the Administration's views. Plus, she's the spouse and mother of Georgetown graduates.
Twists in the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin case:
Prosecutors release documents, photos, and video to defense attorneys for George Zimmerman. A photo shows Zimmerman with a bloody nose from the night of the fight. A paramedic's report says Zimmerman suffered a one-inch laceration on his head and a forehead abrasion. But an investigator recommended that Zimmerman be arrested on manslaughter charges. Medical examiners found evidence of marijuana in Trayvon Martin's system, according to the autopsy.
From NATIONAL JOURNAL:
President Obama on Friday launches an unprecedented exercise in summitry spread over four days and two cities, during which he will meet with more than 60 world leaders from four continents and grapple with issues ranging from the Eurozone economic crisis to the next steps in Afghanistan and the proper international responses to Syria and Iran -- all against the backdrop of a U.S. political campaign intently watched by the allies.
Facebook goes public on the New York Stock Exchange... with an incredible frenzy. Can it last? Was General Motors onto something when it dropped paid advertising from the social network? Or does Facebook represent such an addiction to its users that investors can't stay away?
The problem with the health care debate is that we are lumping two separate unrelated issues together.
(1) Yes, the insurance companies should be required to cover the "uninsurables" as they can do this and still make billions in profit each year.
(2) No, people who cannot afford health care coverage should not be forced into buying a premium. If you can't afford a policy, the government's hefty fine does nothing to help you. If anything, Obamacare makes it worse because on top of not having health insurance, you also owe a penalty to the government.
Solution: tax the oil companies and the banks to pay for everybody's healthcare. Don't punish people for the crime of being poor and uninsured.
Allan Loudell
Fri, May 18, 2012 1:01pm
Wow... teatime. You favor a new tax?
Am I reading you correctly?
Allan Loudell
Mike from Delaware
Fri, May 18, 2012 1:16pm
Teatime: I like your solution. Works for me.
mrpizza
Fri, May 18, 2012 1:29pm
Once again, you people are being fooled. If you tax the oil companies as Teatime proposes, it will just be added to the price you pay for gasoline and other petroleum products. When will you guys ever figure out that YOU'RE the one that pays no matter what?
Mike from Delaware
Fri, May 18, 2012 3:33pm
Mr.pizza: Are you saying that corporations shouldn't be taxed because they'll just raise the price on us? Well if that's how its going to be then maybe the government should restrict the oil brought up out of the ground and our waters and what's refined in America to only be allowed to be sold in America. Then they can't take the oil they're getting here and ship over seas where they can sell it for far more than $3./gal as they now do. That's why drill baby drill won't solve our problems. So maybe these oil companies should rethink how badly they want to stick it to the American public, because with the freedoms they have here they are making fantastic money and being greedy might end up costing them. I also believe we should stop corporate welfare for the oil companies, no tax breaks, no perks. These companies are minting money faster than the US government,they don't need tax payer help. It's the tax payer who needs help.
These oil companies do not run this country, and if they try the government can always nationalize the oil wells and refineries in America. Obviously that would not be a good thing, but the American public if pushed hard and far enough could easily demand such action. So those greedy oil barrons shouldn't kill their golden goose.
Mike from Delaware
Fri, May 18, 2012 5:48pm
Cancer survivor Kathy Watson, sounds like many elderly senior citizens, who don't care about anyone else. They don't care if others, like poor kids lose the school lunch program, or would prefer it if Mass Transit stops getting any subsidies from the government. If the people can't afford the price to ride the bus or train, too bad walk, let the bus and train lines go out of business, etc, etc. Of course then those folks would not be able to work and would end up on Welfare where they go from being a tax payer to a slug taking rather than giving. Same with healthcare, why should it be our problem if someone can't afford healthcare, as we don't want any of those evil government programs, because anything done by the government is evil and socialistic, but no body better touch my Social Security or my Medicare coverage. What they don't realize is that they can't have it both ways.
That's exactly the problem. Those people programs are what the conservatives and GOP want to cut FIRST. I say, cut all the other crap, like funding to NPR/PBS, cut all foreign aid even to Israel, cut back all those almost 1000 military bases overseas by 3/4ths and cut back how many military folks we have over seas. Start charging nation's for our men/women, equipment, expertise, etc, to be stationed to help them in their nation. We pay them is that crazy or what??
Cut Congressional staffs, how many secretaries, and helpers do these folks really need? Cut out limos, let them buy their own vehicle or take DC mass transit. Let them fly home via commercial airlines, Nancy Pelosi doesn't need her own aircraft at tax payer expense. Hey one time Biden is a good example, he took Amtrak.
Yes, I know, these are small things that don't amount to much, but eventually those small things add up and become real money. That's what we should be doing BEFORE we cut a dime of things that actually help the people. Cut back office staff in the Federal government. Private sector businesses did that years ago, so why not the government? Why not state government too? Those government bureaucrats need to live like the rest of us do. Cut backs, the remaining employees doing more multitasking with less folks, same pay. Welcome to the real world.
I agree with Kathy Watson, those provisions of Obamacare are important and are helping those who do need that help, like Ms. Watson. Hopefully she's learning a lesson, that those "evil government programs" for the most part are actually helping many folks, the lesser than thee, who do need that help. THAT's just another reason I'm not a Republican. THEY don't give a hoot about the little guy. I've got other issues with the DEMS and so I end up being a registered Independent.
Bottomline is cut all the other stuff FIRST, then let's see where we are. Second, eliminate the ceiling on FCIA tax so anyone working continues to pay even once they get past $109,000/yr salary. Oprah and Rush both pay one time in January the FICA tax, because they make so much they cross over the threshold in January, yet you and I get to pay each month year in and year out. Time for that to change. Third, keep Bush tax cuts for all except that wealthiest 2%. They've been raking it in for the past 30+ years while the rest of us have been stagnate. Fourth, All income should be taxed the same, not investments being given a better tax rate than earning a paycheck. Fifth, cut all corporate tax breaks UNLESS that company is moving jobs back to America for legal Americans, or is creating new jobs in America for legal Americans. None should get any sort of break of perk to move jobs overseas or hire illegal aliens in America. The penalty for that should be so stiff that those companies would no longer look at it as "the price of doing business", but would seriously hurt THEIR bottom line. Because THEIR illegal actions HURT the American bottom line and should not be rewarded.
I believe any TEA party Congressional person who's signed on to Grover Norquest's pledge should publicly say they're unsigning that pledge today and will start working with DEMS to get this nation moving again, or be unelected in November. Enough is Enough. This Grid Lock is killing us. Time to start finding ways to make things work again. Neither side has all the answers, so the truth sets in the middle ground. Time for both sides to go there and get this nation moving again. That's my rant for today. Your turn.
mrpizza
Sat, May 19, 2012 12:37am
MFD: I didn't say don't tax oil companies, and many of the points you brought up in answer to my statement are valid and should be examined. However, that doesn't change the fact that in the end, we're the ones who pay. We are John Q. Public, caught in the middle of the argument between government and industry, neither of which are without sin.
In fact, any new tax imposed by government for any ostensible purpose is usually never used for that ostensible purpose. For example, money received by states from cigarette company settlements were supposed to be used to provide "healthcare for children". Instead, the money in most cases went into the general stew pot and used for the general porkulus spending.
Perhaps it's time we start taxing GOVERNMENT.
mrpizza
Sat, May 19, 2012 8:30am
Following is another reminder that the government that governs least governs best. This is a reply President Reagan made to a young boy's request for disaster relief funds (yes, this letter IS authentic):
Seventh-grader Andy Smith from Irmo, South Carolina, wrote Reagan in 1984: "Today my mother declared my bedroom a disaster area. I would like to request federal funds to hire a crew to clean up my room."
Reagan's reply:
Dear Andy:
I'm sorry to be so late in answering your letter but as you know I've been in China and found your letter here upon my return.
Your application for disaster relief has been duly noted but I must point out one technical problem; the authority declaring the disaster is supposed to make the request. In this case your mother.
However setting that aside I'll have to point out the larger problem of available funds. This has been a year of disasters, 539 hurricanes as of May 4th and several more since, numerous floods, forest fires, drought in Texas and a number of earthquakes. What I'm getting at is that funds are dangerously low.
May I make a suggestion? This administration, believing that government has done many things that could better be done by volunteers at the local level, has sponsored a Private Sector Initiative program, calling upon people to practice voluntarism in the solving of a number of local problems.
Your situation appears to be a natural. I'm sure your mother was fully justified in proclaiming your room a disaster. Therefore you are in an excellent position to launch another volunteer program to go along with the more than 3,000 already underway in our nation—congratulations.
Give my best regards to your mother.
Sincerely, Ronald Reagan
mrpizza
Sat, May 19, 2012 8:57am
Here's an interesting topic for debate. If texting or other cellphone use while driving causes an accident, should the person on the other end of the communication also be held liable? That very question is currently being played out in a New Jersey case:
Also, I want to add a rhetorical question to the mix, should the plaintiffs in this case win: If it's determined that an accident was caused by the driver being distracted by something playing on the radio, should the radio station also be sued?
Mike from Delaware
Sat, May 19, 2012 11:14am
Mrpizza: I love Reagan's letter. He had a natural wit. The other thing I find interesting is that kid, apparently had been following the news and knew about disaster relief funding. That's impressive. How many kids today would know about such things.
We probably couldn't tax government, but maybe we can get a refund since we're not satisfied with the product we purchased (them) - heh heh.
The only problem with that texting bill proposed in NJ is, how would you prove the person knew the person they were texting to was driving? Same with the radio. Not all folks listen to the radio in their cars. More political correctness. We're not responsible for our actions, there's someone else always to be blamed.
No, the total responsibility is with the operator (driver) of the vehicle. They are the "captain of that ship". It is THEIR responsibility to operate that vehicle in a safe manner. I advocate an extremely stiff fine of at least $1000/per occurrence for anyone caught texting or talking on a cellphone handsfree included while driving. The fine goes to $5000/per occurrence IF they're involved in any way in an accident. I've had so many close calls of nearly being rear ended while sitting at a traffic light by some knucklehead on a cellphone it isn't funny.
If in an accident, the cops should be required to check out the person's cellphone/texting log via their cell provider to see whether or not the person was on their cellphone and whether or not they were texting during that time of the accident. So this way if the person tosses away the cellphone, the cops still can make the case and collect that $5000. fine.
Make THAT the law and give it much publicity in all forms of media including when people have been busted so folks know the law is being vigorously enforced and you'll see the amount of people talking and texting while driving drop. You've got to make the punishment bad enough so that its NOT worth taking the chance of getting caught. The law they have now is rarely enforced (never see anything anywhere of people being busted for talking on a cellphone) and apparently the fines are not stiff enough so it's made no difference as I see almost every car on the road with the driver either talking or texting on a hand held device. Yes, there are those with the hands free too, but frankly they too should not be allowed to be used while driving. Talking on a phone is not the same thing as talking to someone in the car. If you've got to use the cellphone or text, pull off the road, park it and talk.
Mike from Delaware
Sat, May 19, 2012 11:43am
The Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case evidence is looking more like Martin was beating Zimmerman pretty well. Martin had the chemical in a small amount that you get from smoking Pot in his blood stream (interesting Dave Ross on CBS radio mentioned that drug can be in your body for up to a month so that isn't proof that he was high that night, but that yes he did use Pot).
Given my understanding of the Florida law (which is based on what I've heard in the media), it appears that the defense case for that George Martin feared for his life may be proved and his use of shooting the gun was OK under Florida law. Unless the Prosecution can prove that Zimmerman started the fight, then I believe his defense of using the gun would be null and void. So far (based on what I've heard in the media), they've not found any eye witnesses who saw the beginning of the fight(who attacked who), so the only word we have is that of Zimmerman.
The fact that Zimmerman disobeyed the police command to not pursue Martin, but did continue in his pursuit will be the thorn that will probably cause more anger from Martin's supporters, like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson who are all geared up as they believe the trial won't be fair (given that crazy law they have it probably won't be fair). Their attitude will be, that Zimmerman should not walk off Scott free, because IF he'd obey those legal police orders, Martin would be alive today. So in their eyes and I have to agree with them, Zimmerman did instigate it and should receive some sort of punishment, that includes some real jail time for his part that caused himself to be in a spot where he feared for his life. Zimmerman caused the problem, so in essence he started the fight and Martin was finishing it when Zimmerman shot him. Unless Martin jumped Zimmerman from behind, Zimmerman had the advantage and all he had to say to Martin was I've got a gun, before they got that close to each other. It appears that Zimmerman wanted to fight the kid rather than apprehend him, because anyone else would have pulled their gun to stop any potential danger or fight or flight.
The problem is, the way it appears from the meida, that Florida law is written, my guess is, Zimmerman will get off Scott free and then there will be rioting by the black community in many cities as Al and Jesse will whip them up into a frenzy as the black community will view this as another time the establishment white government has stuck it to them. Not a pretty picture, but that's how I see this and hope it doesn't end this way.
Mike from Delaware
Sat, May 19, 2012 12:19pm
Allan posted: "Georgetown University's President John DeGioia insists a university - even a Catholic university - must stand committed to the free exchange of ideas."
Good thing for Mr. DeGioia he didn't live back in the 1500's or he'd have been treated like Martin Luther was by the Catholic Church where there it had been declared OK if Luther was killed, etc, (Luther's story is quite interesting) thus the reason today there is a Lutheran Church and the other Protestant churches. Of course, he could have been tortured and / or beheaded too by the Inquisition.
So it will be interesting to see if Mr. DeGioia gets to keep his job, a minor sort of punishment (when compared to what used to be the norm for disobeying Catholic teaching). Of course that would raise the question of how the Catholic Church doesn't excommunicate the famous people who publicly say they are Pro-Choice (pro abortion) like VP Biden or move to Rome so they can't be prosecuted those bad American priests who've molested kids. The Catholic Church, more so than the others, seems to have a real double standard on who and how they discipline their flock. That's not to say the other denominations haven't done stupid things either, but the Catholic Church seems to do it far more often with no shame for having done it.
The Catholic Church always has had the fear that if you're exposed to different ideas you might change and leave. As a kid I remember the priests and nuns telling us it was a sin to even visit a Protestant church, they were going to hell, etc, etc. All my friends in my neighborhood then were Methodists. When I spent the night at their houses I went with their family to the Methodist church. When they spent the night at my house, they went with us to the Catholic church. We both got to learn about the others church. We both worship the same Risen Christ, just have different ways of doing it with some different beliefs. Actually truth be told I had more fun at the Methodist church. Their Sunday School was actually fun, the nuns teaching Catholic Sunday were never fun. No wonder they didn't want you to visit the other guys church. Their minister did the service in English and the Priest said the Mass in Latin, other than the Scripture readings and the sermon and when he was telling you why we were having 3 collections that week.
Yes, I did eventually leave the Catholic Church, but that wasn't until I was 25 years old and it had nothing to do with visiting my friends church as a 10 year old.
I've been to many churches over the years and what I've learned is that God has a remnant of believers in each church and the hypocrites too. But I believe that you can worship at any Christian Church and God knows YOUR heart of where you love is. God knows if you are one of his (he's knows his sheep). So I totally disagree with Catholics who say that Protestants won't make the grade and I disagree with Protestants who say, that Catholics won't make the grade. None of us are God, only he knows for sure who his real followers are, and I believe they are scattered all over the various denominations in Christendom. You are saved by Christ, NOT the Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, Assembly of God churches, etc, etc. None of us have all the truth, we are flawed humans. So let us focus more on Christ and bringing his word and his love and grace to the world. Each flavor of Christ's Church will appeal to some part of the human world.
teatime
Sat, May 19, 2012 2:29pm
Another very simple way of covering health insurance without raising taxes on working and poor class americans.
Simply don't invade other countries. Nations like Japan, Australia, Sweden, Romania, Ivory Coast, Kenya, France, Italy, Zimbabwe, China, Russia, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Ghana, Greece, Nigeria, and dozens of other countries do not feel the urgent need to randomly start wars for no reason.
By sharp contrast, decided to invade and occupy Iraq for 10 years, for no particular reason and, in addtion to the heavy death toll, it has cost our taxpayers $586-billion during the past decade according to the Associated Press.
I know this is hard for us, but let's try not to randomly invade countries in the next ten years for no reason. The money saved could be easily be used to pay for everybody's health care, free college, and lower taxes.
Why are all the other countries in the world while the U.S. is looking to start a new war every two years? Is this a videogame?
teatime
Sat, May 19, 2012 2:31pm
...why are all the other countries of the world living peacefully, while the United States looks to start a new war every two years for no reason?
Mike from Delaware
Sat, May 19, 2012 6:44pm
Teatime: Good point.
mrpizza
Sun, May 20, 2012 12:21pm
MFD: I think there's too much of an obsession with cellphones and other devices, regardless of whether it's in a car or otherwise. I do enjoy a good phone conversation ocassionaly, but people these days are just talk talk talk. Yeah, I respect their freedom to do so, but are they really free?
I also want to carry over a post I just made under the "traffic legislation" topic, just in case you didn't go back there to see it:
MFD: Here's a great compromise idea. Have the federal government make the traffic laws for the interstate as well as secondary federal highways indicated by a "police shield" logo such as 40 and 13. Then, the state should make the laws governing 896, 72, etc. That would help keep it constitutional.
Mike from Delaware
Sun, May 20, 2012 4:15pm
Mrpizza: Here's an example of the problem with what you suggest. You, Mrs. Pizza, and your family go on a vacation to South Carolina. You get on I-95 South, decide to stop in DC on the way to see the sights. They have their own rules of the road, you get a ticket, because ignorance of the law is no excuse, even if you're from out of state. So you pay the fine and continue on your way on I-95 South. You decide to visit Historic Williamsburg Va and take the exit off of I-95 and get on Va Rt.3 (making this number up have no clue what that state route is) again the rules of the road in Virginia are different than here in Delaware, again you get pulled over, this time instead of a DC cop it's a friendly Va State trooper. You get to make a "donation" to the home of Jefferson and Washington. You get back on I-95 and decide to make a stop to the outer banks in North Carolina and while driving on NC Rt.45 (again a made up number) you no knowing broke one of THEIR rules and unfortunately that good ole boy NC State Trooper pulls you over. You're looking at his beer belly, mirrored sun glasses, as he walks up to your car window and says, You in a heap of trouble boy. So you get hit with another fine or 30 days in jail. Mrs. Pizza says to pay the fine, she's not spending 30 days in jail and has frankly had enough of "southern hospitality" and wishes to just go back home to the North. So you pay the fine and never do make it to South Carolina.
That's the problem with doing what you suggest. An out of stater would be easy pickings for any state. I picked on the South, but the Northern states including Delaware would be picking the pockets too of out of staters who dared to leave the US/Interstate roads to travel on state Rts.
The other part of that could end up being the yahoos in Sussex County who really hate those of us above the Canal and frankly wish we'd all stay up here and not jam up their highways on weekends in the summer to us THEIR beach could then come up with their own crazy rules of the road that would make travel to Lewes,Rehoboth, Fenwick Island, etc, a worse hassle than it is now.
No this is an issue where the nation needs common traffic laws. We all drive on the right, etc. Yes local areas set the speed limits. Even highway signage, stripping of the roads, etc, is common in all 50 states so that its easier to read and understand. Safety is part of the reason there needs to be some uniformity or we'd have more accidents than we now have.
Again, there are some things that NEED to be regulated by the larger Federal government. Basic traffic laws are one of those.
Mike from Delaware
Sun, May 20, 2012 4:16pm
I agree with you Mr. Pizza about the obsession with cell phones. I have one that I rarely turn on.
kavips
Sun, May 20, 2012 8:41pm
Whoa... Above is one giant misconception... That taxing oil companies will raise our gas prices... No, No, No...
The needle that pops the balloon? When they paid higher taxes and had less tax write-offs, gas was cheaper...
How can that be? Well look at yourself, if taxes are up, do you cut back on paying your bills, cut back on food, cut back on buying a new car? No. You just have less money to spend for extras.
Same with corporations. If you raise the tax, no cost factors filter in. They just make less. And that happens all the time. BP went through a giant loss because of the Gulf disaster. They didn't make money. Did they raise there prices higher than everyone else because they made no money?
No.
Tax them. Tax them until the price goes down... I'm amazed how few smart people understand simple macroeconomics...
kavips
Sun, May 20, 2012 8:44pm
When you raise taxes, especially capital gains, the economy takes off... See if you can figure out how.. I'll get back with an explanation later. Have to hit the road... Hope all of you enjoyed the greatest weather weekend in memory... lol ... :)
mrpizza
Sun, May 20, 2012 9:55pm
MFD: We both know all this debate about traffic laws is academic. I've found that even in the southern states if you behave yourself and watch your speed it's unlikely you'll have a problem with Smokey. Also, I doubt that the way traffic laws are passed is going to change much. For about 20 years, there was a uniform federal speed limit of 55 - not that very many people obeyed it anyway. Along came the congress of the 1990's and some of the excesses of the 70's were repealed, this being the most obvious.
The greatness of the American system is that it's self-correcting, and that's how we've avoided tyranny - so far.
kavips: I take no position on your relationship between taxing oil companies and prices going down, however when they overtax us and we have to cut back on travel, that drives the price down for sure.
I'm sure the oil company execs don't have to be concerned about the price of anything. They do well regardless, and I don't necessarily begrudge that.
kavips
Mon, May 21, 2012 9:56pm
Im confused: Why would anyone stop driving if capital gains tax rates go up, especially if they could deduct the cost of driving @$1.00 per mile from their federal income tax owed?
mrpizza
Tue, May 22, 2012 9:43pm
kavips: Capital gains taxes are only imposed when property is sold and there's a profit. For example, if you bought a home 30 years ago for $60,000 and sold it today for $300,000, then there would be a capital gains tax charged based on the amount of $240,000, unless you re-invest that money in another property within 60 days. Such a tax would also apply if selling stock, but only if you kept the money rather than spend it on something of like kind.
Mike from Delaware
Wed, May 23, 2012 7:59am
Isn't there a one time thing where when you sell your house you don't have to pay taxes on the capital gains. Seems like you had to be over 45 years of age or something like that.
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