Where you stand depends on where you sit.

Post #350,387 by Another Scott 11/10/11 7:37:59 AM Reply	Where you stand depends on where you sit. (Not speaking for Beep, of course.) If you've been brought up to believe that: 1) the federal government can't do anything right; 2) bureaucrats in Washington only want to increase their power and take more and more money out of people's pockets to give it to the undeserving; 3) there is a conspiracy among the "elites" to control common people and turn the USA into a Socialist/Communist/Trilateral Commission/Atheist controlled police state; 4) the only way to find out what's "really" happening is to listen to right-wing talk radio and read right-wing sites on the Web; etc., then it's not really surprising that you get outraged by reports like these. If you think with your gut and aren't willing to consider that there might be a reasonable explanation for things coming out of Washington, then you're probably a Republican of some sort. "What's the matter with Kansas?" by Franks covers this pretty well, specifically with respect to how anti-abortion dogma ended up as a bedrock of the Republican party. It's a fairly recent development. Other aspects are quite old - e.g. the father of the Koch brothers was a founder of the John Birch Society - http://en.wikipedia....h#Political_views FWIW. Cheers, Scott.
Post #350,388 by beepster 11/10/11 7:42:18 AM Reply	Even if not a "tax" it is definite "scope creep" of the government. The fact that government is now expected to administer a promotional campaign for tree importers, cow farmers, pig farmers (the other white meat)...is unnecessary and wasteful. We can have all sorts of nice things....but we've built reliance on the government in order to provide them. That's just plain stupid. Sure, understanding today's complex world of the future is a little like having bees live in your head. But...there they are.
Post #350,392 by crazy 11/10/11 8:15:40 AM Reply	Ehh Side show distraction. How much does it affect the corner lot? How much do they sell? >500 trees? Tree costs between 20-100, let's average to 40. 40 * 500 = 20,000 for the threshold of paying and tracking. $20K - assume $10K profit BEFORE accounting for time spent or hiring someone to man the lot for 1 month. Or cost of the lot. Assume cost of lot for $2K for the month (I just made that up, is it reasonable?). Lot / sales guy paid $10 per hour * 60 hours per week * 4 weeks = $2,400. So assume around $5,500 income for the month's sales if hiring someone to help, else it is worth around $8K for the month if doing it yourself. How many people cross the threshold, feel the bite, and is it enough to matter to them individually, as opposed to the trivial amount the big guys feel. And they will probably slap a ticket on the tree explaining the $5 price increase is due to the amount of overhead they have in dealing with the law, and make $4.85 more profit per tree. Like gas price increases get buried in the taxes. Nah, doesn't bother me. Entertains yes, bothers, no. Too small to matter in either revenue or individual pain experienced. But is a sideshow distraction.
Post #350,424 by S1mon_Jester 11/10/11 7:07:33 PM Reply	Lost my post eariler - but I agree with BP This is definitely scope creep. Some Industry Counsel lobbied and got a "tax\|fee\|money" on their industry so they could promote the industry. My initial thought - isn't that what the Industry Counsel is for? That's why industry counsels charge memberships/fees so that they can go buy airtime for their industry. These guys got everyone in the industry...even those who don't belong to the counsel and may have no trouble selling their stock...to pay this tax\|fee\|money. That said, those decrying Obama for doing this would be the same ones proposing said fee if they were in power. Their "Is a new tax on Christmas trees the best President Obama can do?" is pure hypocrisy. REPUBLICANS passed the 1996 "Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act". http://www.govtrack....pd?bill=h104-2854 Wah! Obama is doing what Congress said the President CAN do and HAS BEEN DOING!
Post #350,425 by S1mon_Jester 11/10/11 7:13:01 PM Reply	And has been doing might as well include the links. Here are links to all current national Research and Promotion Programs Beef Â CattlemenÂs Beef Promotion and Research Board http://www.beefboard.org/ Blueberries Â U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council http://www.blueberry.org/ Cotton: The Cotton Board http://www.cottonboard.org/ Dairy -- National Dairy Promotion and Research Board http://www.dairychec...om/DairyCheckoff/ Eggs Â American Egg Board http://www.aeb.org Fluid Milk Â National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board http://www.whymilk.com/ Hass Avocados Â Hass Avocado Board http://www.avocadocentral.com/abouthab/ Honey Â National Honey Board http://www.nhb.org/ Lamb Â American Lamb Board http://www.americanlambboard.org/ Mangos Â National Mango Board http://www.nationalmangoboard.com/ Mohair Â Mohair Council of America http://www.mohairusa.com/ Mushrooms Â Mushroom Council http://www.mushroomcouncil.org/ Peanuts Â National Peanut Board http://www.nationalpeanutboard.org/ Popcorn Â Popcorn Board http://www.popcorn.org/ Pork National Pork Board http://www.pork.orgPork Checkoff Potatoes Â U.S. Potato Board http://www.healthypotato.com/ Soybeans Â United Soybean Board http://www.unitedsoybean.org/ Watermelon Â National Watermelon Promotion Board http://www.watermelon.org/ Source: http://www.soybeanch....com/programs.htm BTW: Look at the co-sponors of the original bill. One name did jump out at me: John Boehner.
Post #350,396 by boxley 11/10/11 10:05:58 AM Reply	I will take 3 for the win Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free American and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 55 years. meep

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