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Wow...I promised myself not to comment in the political threads. I have friends here and see no reason for this temporary insanity that happens every four years to jeopardize those friendships.

However this thread slipped under my political detection radar.

Jack you are to be commended for protecting your own...your waiters and waitresses. Some servers I have known over the years actually had to "redistribute" some of their tips back to the owner of the restaurant. They were below the poverty level...he owned properties all over the county.

I see this story as an analogy...

The writer feeling that those of us who are blessed enough to have jobs and homes should be able to keep all the money we earn.
The "homeless" being some guy on the street corner with a smart sign who expects something for nothing.

The homeless these days are just as likely to be women with families. Husband left...she can't get anything but part time jobs, no benefits, etc. By the way, some people who work are still homeless and they pay taxes. I just delivered some supplies for our local shelterhouse for battered women. Those women will be "homeless" for a while until they can get their lives put back together. I have no idea how this place is funded. Probably some of my wealth has been "redistributed" there. I'm good with that.

Taxes are a part of life in this country. I am more concerned about what the tax dollars are spent on.

And since I'm a peaceful soul....a war whose purpose is unclear to me is difficult. Saddam is dead. There are no WMD. And we don't seem to be spending nearly enough of those tax dollars to put the soldiers injured or "damaged" back together again. Some of our VA hospitals are in deplorable condition.

If we wish to participate in the world, there are many worthy places/causes we can invest in.


I know for a fact that people on this board are some of the most generous on earth. You are givers and I love all of you for it....no matter which side of this political insanity you fall on.

It has been awful to see our members fighting over politics the past few months. Hopefully we can all be friends again when the election is over and we concentrate on stuff like Buffett concerts, flockings, BN Feud and who did what at the tailgate!

That's what we need...a good game of BN Feud or Pin the Picture....

Well I ALMOST made it to November....

Good post, Nancy. Reasonable people like you are the ones that should be posting here.

I knew a girl with a master's degree whose life kind of fell apart for awhile when her mother passed away (they had lived together). She lost her job, the house, etc. Ended up working at Taco Bell ....and was still homeless even with the job.

nutmeg wrote:Wow...I promised myself not to comment in the political threads. I have friends here and see no reason for this temporary insanity that happens every four years to jeopardize those friendships.

However this thread slipped under my political detection radar.

Jack you are to be commended for protecting your own...your waiters and waitresses. Some servers I have known over the years actually had to "redistribute" some of their tips back to the owner of the restaurant. They were below the poverty level...he owned properties all over the county.

I see this story as an analogy...

The writer feeling that those of us who are blessed enough to have jobs and homes should be able to keep all the money we earn.
The "homeless" being some guy on the street corner with a smart sign who expects something for nothing.

The homeless these days are just as likely to be women with families. Husband left...she can't get anything but part time jobs, no benefits, etc. By the way, some people who work are still homeless and they pay taxes. I just delivered some supplies for our local shelterhouse for battered women. Those women will be "homeless" for a while until they can get their lives put back together. I have no idea how this place is funded. Probably some of my wealth has been "redistributed" there. I'm good with that.

Taxes are a part of life in this country. I am more concerned about what the tax dollars are spent on.

And since I'm a peaceful soul....a war whose purpose is unclear to me is difficult. Saddam is dead. There are no WMD. And we don't seem to be spending nearly enough of those tax dollars to put the soldiers injured or "damaged" back together again. Some of our VA hospitals are in deplorable condition.

If we wish to participate in the world, there are many worthy places/causes we can invest in.


I know for a fact that people on this board are some of the most generous on earth. You are givers and I love all of you for it....no matter which side of this political insanity you fall on.

It has been awful to see our members fighting over politics the past few months. Hopefully we can all be friends again when the election is over and we concentrate on stuff like Buffet concerts, flockings, BN Feud and who did what at the tailgate!

That's what we need...a good game of BN Feud or Pin the Picture....

Well I ALMOST made it to November....

It's all the infighting that has made me consider leaving..... for good. It is because of the infighting I have cut down on my posting.

And on that note, I wish everyone well and hope to see everyone again.

I guess I just don't understand the reluctance to discuss politics and to have discussions where folks generally disagree. I think, in fact I know it is possible to do so without yelling, without name calling, and without destroying very good friendships.

I find it useful to hear other viewpoints so I better understand all sides of an issue understanding that we probably won't change minds.

I think this is important stuff, and fun stuff to discuss and that if we are going to have any chance at all of ending some of the divide in this country, it will only come from having conversation and developing greater understanding and appreciation for all perspectives.

It isn't us vs them-we are all in this together and we need to continue to talk to find common ground.

Well said, ejr.

I think the political discussions have been great ... with very few exceptions, they've stayed civil ...

If there's been any other disagreements, I've missed them, because I've spent my time in the political threads.

I can see both sides of it...what nutmeg said and what Ellen said...

can I agree with both?

of course, I'm prejudice to anyone who has a feline in their sig line/avatar....

I do think it's time to being 'em home and whoever is elected we've got to get this country back on line.....


and keep gasoline below $2.50/gal.

I'm so sick of seeing and hearing both of them on commercial TV I could puke. I'll read, or watch really bad movies to avoid them.

For anyone to say it really is not important is rediculous. We are talking about voting for and electing our next leader to represent us and our country.

To say that the original scenario, no matter if truth or fiction, is hurtful to the wait staff. I still see the humor and irony in it.
Stop and think about wealth redistribution being hurtful
to the customers and taxpayers. The customers will have less money to spend and to donate to charitable cause. Consider what it means to the waitstaff as taxpayers and what it means to the customer. There are two sides to every coin.

Who knows best how to spend the money you earned? You or the goverment?
Nothing wrong with paying your fair share. There is no need to kill small businesses though. Is there? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the small taxpayer?

Does anyone really know when the original income tax came about and who it affected? Without looking it up that is.

ejr wrote:I guess I just don't understand the reluctance to discuss politics and to have discussions where folks generally disagree. I think, in fact I know it is possible to do so without yelling, without name calling, and without destroying very good friendships.

I find it useful to hear other viewpoints so I better understand all sides of an issue understanding that we probably won't change minds.

I think this is important stuff, and fun stuff to discuss and that if we are going to have any chance at all of ending some of the divide in this country, it will only come from having conversation and developing greater understanding and appreciation for all perspectives.

It isn't us vs them-we are all in this together and we need to continue to talk to find common ground.

You know . . . aside from being a Cubs fan you're alright. Myabe next year Tiger! But the discussion is important . . . the problem is the stubborness in the extremes. I mean knowledge is power and people need to educate themselves to each other. HELL if my wife were anything like me I'd stay home and "do" myself. The fact she's different excites me. The fact all of you are different excites me. I can plead my case for Obama and hear someone elses case for McCain and I won't think any less of them . . . . The worst part about this is the democratic system playing itself out by design and people carrying on like they are going to pick up their toys and go to another sandbox . . .