How much IS a billion?

[Moses]

The next time you hear a politician use the
Word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
Whether you want the 'politicians' spending
YOUR tax money.
A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
But one advertising agency did a good job of
Putting that figure into some perspective in
One of its releases.


A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were
Living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20
Minutes, at the rate our government is spending
it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans . It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean?

A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of
New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you
Each get $516,528.

B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in
New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family get
$2,066,012.

Washington, D.C . HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken??

Guess we'll need more taxes;


Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Perm it Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),
Liquor Tax,
Luxury Tax,
Marriage License Tax,
Medicare Tax,
Property Tax,
Real Estate Tax,
Service charge taxes,
Social Security Tax,
Road Usage Tax (Truckers),
Sales Taxes,
Recreational Vehicle Tax,
School Tax,
State Income Tax,
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
Telephone Federal Excise Tax,
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fe e Tax,
Telephone Federal, State and Local Su rcharge Tax,
Telephone Minimum Usage Su rcharge Tax,
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
Telephone State and Local Tax,
Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
Utility Tax,
Vehicle License Registration Tax,
Vehicle Sales Tax,
Watercraft Registration Tax,
Well Permit Tax,
Workers Compensation Tax.


Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago,
And our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt and had the largest middle class in the world.


What the heck happened?????

[MRM]

That makes a good point except almost all of the calculations are wrong. A billion seconds ago would be about 1975, for instance.

[Superman]

I'm in the public works construction industry, and I think things have indeed gotten out of control. What makes construction contractors think that a bridge overpass needs to take most of a year to construct at a cost of $20 million? I think we should audit those private firms. They're overcharging you taxpayers. And the funny thing is.....they're ALL doing it.

So.....I say we tell them to take a hike. Who needs bridges, anyway? Onramps and driving lanes. And then there are those pesky, expensive water projects. You have no idea what those construction contractors are charging you for those. I say let's just re-use the non-potable effluent from waste water treatment plants to shower with, and drink bottled water.

Too many fire stations, too. When was the last time you needed a fire truck? Maybe we don't need fire and police protection. It's very expensive.

[VaSteve]

I'm with Supe on this one. If you haven't been around Washington, you almost have no idea how vast the gov't is or how much it's providing to the nation in terms of services.

Having worked with the gov't, I can tell you many many stories about what can't get done with the money currently brought in. Not saying I want more taxes, but it would AMAZE you how the most powerful nation is still getting by on computer systems developed in the 1970s. All that made for TV technology you see in the movies? Just that, fiction.

[Hugh R]

Supe

I don't think too many people here have problems with the gubmit sticking to what its supposed to do, namely doing that things that probably don't make sense for the individual to do. Like roads, water supply, flood control (unless you in the Gulf of course, Hey Mule that was a joke!), common defense, waterways, police, fire etc. I think a lot of people here realize that everyone can't have their own septic system or out house, especially if your in the city, or dump all your trash in the backyard. My guess is most people here don't like things like the gubmit (politicians like Hillary) talking about bailing out stupid or greedy homebuyers who can't make their monthly note, or trying to mandate interest rate roll back or freezes, like Hillary and many others are proposing. Add on that subsidized housing (if you can't afford to live in Los Angeles, maybe you shouldn't).

[VaSteve]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Add on that subsidized housing (if you can't afford to live in Los Angeles, maybe you shouldn't).

If you can't live in LA, should all the jobs be there? I'm being serious....why do all jobs have to be in the big cities? I find that lots of back off stuff is located in expensive places. Why? Labor pool? If you put it elsewhere (like a factory) will people follow? Don't know. I live 45 min outside DC with no traffic. I have a good paying job but have to commute in. There's a lot of office buildings near me they have just built. Why not put the work out here?

[Hugh R]

I agree, but when I said live in LA, I sort of meant Southern California. Lots of jobs are in the outlying areas. In a bigger sense, I meant if you can't afford to live in Southern California and you need (want) federal subsidized housing vouchers, maybe you should live in a place that you can afford, like in the middle of nowhere in some big square state in the middle of the country.

Actually, Santa Barbara is having a real problem because the police, fire, city employees, store clerks, housekeepers have to live upwards of 50 or more miles away to find anything close to what they can afford. Many firemen live 100 or more miles away and drive in for 3-4 days/nights and then go back home.

[911Rob]

voujá dé?

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by MRM

That makes a good point except almost all of the calculations are wrong. A billion seconds ago would be about 1975, for instance.

You forgot to account for inflation.

[oldE]

Moses,

Are you channelling Fastpat?

I'm pretty sure he posted pretty much the same thing, (or the tax part of it) about three years ago.

The 'billion' part has been around, by and large for a couple of decades. That's why the calculation appeared to be off.

Food for thought, though.

Thanks
Les

[Moses]

Originally Posted by oldE

Moses,

Are you channelling Fastpat?

Thanks
Les

Maybe! I liked reading his stuff. I didn't agree with everything he said, but he was bright and brought a different perspective to this board.

[tabs]

OOOOH..FK it just let the government take all my money, they will take good care of me...won't they?

[djmcmath]

Any government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take everything you have.

[Moneyguy1]

"A government that attempts to be everything to everyone ultimately becomes nothing to anyone".

(Don't know who said it)

[911Rob]

Originally Posted by oldE

Moses,
Are you channelling Fastpat?
I'm pretty sure he posted pretty much the same thing
Thanks, Les

Originally Posted by 911Rob

voujá dé?

Haven't we been here before?