'Biden's inflation crisis is here': Inflation jumps to 5%

[pondwater]

Unstated is the alternative: for the children to be homeless and starving.

So, um, yeah: that IS what I mean.

They wouldn't be homeless. Mom would be forced to go get a job

[Spider-Dan]

They wouldn't be homeless. Mom would be forced to go get a job

I believe someone was making the point earlier in this very thread that many adults on assistance would choose to be homeless rather than work.  So yeah, it is entirely possible that they would be homeless.  (note: homeless children exist today)

I think this is, at least, a more realistic approach:

So at that point, take the kids and declare her a unfit mother.  And yes, pay for her to be surgically sterilized.

Do you support the state confiscating the children of those who are too poor, followed by their immediate sterilization?

The people who would be most affected by this policy are... not who you might be intending.  The majority of people receiving government assistance in America are definitely not people of color, and they're probably not Democrats, either.

[Dolphster]

Yes, we all know about the welfare queens driving their Cadillacs to go pick up free government lobsters.  St. Ronnie told this "story" many times.

Weird that if I tell a story about the pastor of a tax-exempt church who arrives in his private jet and has his personal driver take him to his 10,000 sqft mansion, no one thinks this is a reason to eliminate the tax exemption for churches.  Yet both of these are examples of abusing the system to take advantage of the taxpayer.

I wouldn't say that "no one" thinks that douchebag pastors using the tax exemption for churches as a way to fund their lavish lifestyle is a reason to eliminate the tax exemption for churches.  I wish they never had tax exemption in the first place.  Religion and insurance are the two biggest money scams in the world. 

PS, your "government lobsters" remark was funny.  I may have to steal that one from you.

[Sunstroke]

I wouldn't say that "no one" thinks that douchebag pastors using the tax exemption for churches as a way to fund their lavish lifestyle is a reason to eliminate the tax exemption for churches.  I wish they never had tax exemption in the first place.  Religion and insurance are the two biggest money scams in the world. 

Amen! 

PS, your "government lobsters" remark was funny.  I may have to steal that one from you.

Yeah, I'm stealing that bad boy as well. Perfect amount of smarminess.

[pondwater]

I believe someone was making the point earlier in this very thread that many adults on assistance would choose to be homeless rather than work.  So yeah, it is entirely possible that they would be homeless.  (note: homeless children exist today)

Nope, those type people will work. But only when they have to.

[Spider-Dan]

I wouldn't say that "no one" thinks that douchebag pastors using the tax exemption for churches as a way to fund their lavish lifestyle is a reason to eliminate the tax exemption for churches.  I wish they never had tax exemption in the first place.

I get where you're coming from with this statement, but I don't think you're disagreeing with me.  Essentially, you're not saying you think churches should have their tax exemption removed because there are megachurches with insanely wealthy pastors; rather, you don't think churches should ever have been given an exemption at all, regardless of their income.  (A position I would agree with.)

My point was about claims of "taking advantage of the system to cheat the taxpayer." I wouldn't necessarily level that charge at a church that uses the vast majority of its income to help the community (feeding the hungry, helping the poor with utility bills, etc), but I absolutely do indict megachurches for fleecing taxpayers.

[Dolphster]

I get where you're coming from with this statement, but I don't think you're disagreeing with me.  Essentially, you're not saying you think churches should have their tax exemption removed because there are megachurches with insanely wealthy pastors; rather, you don't think churches should ever have been given an exemption at all, regardless of their income.  (A position I would agree with.)

My point was about claims of "taking advantage of the system to cheat the taxpayer." I wouldn't necessarily level that charge at a church that uses the vast majority of its income to help the community (feeding the hungry, helping the poor with utility bills, etc), but I absolutely do indict megachurches for fleecing taxpayers.

Sorry, I re-read what I had typed and it wasn't very clear.  But yes, I don't think ANY churches should have tax exempt status.  And I'm glad you pointed out that some churches do good in the community in the manners that you listed.  Even though I'm an atheist, I have nothing against "believers" or churches in general.  For the most part, I try to be a live and let live kind of person.  But the tax free status just makes it way too easy to cheat the system.  Whether it is the megachurch pastor buying a private jet (to reach more of the masses to spread the Good Word no doubt, LOL) or the small town pastor who might fudge the books a little to buy the wife a nice little something or spend an extra week at Disney World on vacation.  Just too much temptation and too little oversight in that tax exempt status.  Churches say they are "in the business of saving souls".  Okay, so businesses should be taxed. 

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Sorry, I re-read what I had typed and it wasn't very clear.  But yes, I don't think ANY churches should have tax exempt status.  And I'm glad you pointed out that some churches do good in the community in the manners that you listed.  Even though I'm an atheist, I have nothing against "believers" or churches in general.  For the most part, I try to be a live and let live kind of person.  But the tax free status just makes it way too easy to cheat the system.  Whether it is the megachurch pastor buying a private jet (to reach more of the masses to spread the Good Word no doubt, LOL) or the small town pastor who might fudge the books a little to buy the wife a nice little something or spend an extra week at Disney World on vacation.  Just too much temptation and too little oversight in that tax exempt status.  Churches say they are "in the business of saving souls".  Okay, so businesses should be taxed. 

I support a middle ground.  To the extent that a church is engaging in truely charitable endeavors such as operating a food bank or homeless shelter they should have those activities be tax exempt.  To the extent they are a social club, catering venue, political organizations, etc they should be taxed.

[Dolphster]

I support a middle ground.  To the extent that a church is engaging in truely charitable endeavors such as operating a food bank or homeless shelter they should have those activities be tax exempt.  To the extent they are a social club, catering venue, political organizations, etc they should be taxed.

That makes sense.  This might be the first time you've ever convinced me to change my mind in order to agree with you on something.  LOL   

[Dave Gray]

Churches are tough.

I think that most churches do honest community work.  There are some scammy mega-church-type situations, but they are the great minority.

However, the mission statement of a church isn't a charity: it's prosthelytizing, which I don't think the government should consider a charitable act.

A church is a business.  Bottom line.

So, when Publix does charity work, they write off that portion, but they still have to pay taxes for the other parts of their business.
My MAIN ISSUE is that it's hard to say what is charity and what isn't, when it comes to churches.  Like, if you're traveling to Ghana to give out bread to a village, if they're willing to listen to your stories about Jesus, is that charity?  I don't think so, that's marketing.

[Dolphster]

if you're traveling to Ghana to give out bread to a village, if they're willing to listen to your stories about Jesus, is that charity?  I don't think so, that's marketing.

Kind of like sitting through a shitty and boring Timeshare sales pitch just so you can get the free set of golf clubs?     Yeah, I did that once.  lol

[pondwater]

So someone succeeded in pivoting from Biden's inflation to taxing evil churches. I don't give a shit, tax all the churches until they don't exist anymore. It still won't fix the problem of the government printing astronomical amounts of of money and debasing the currency. One thing is true, eventually the whole thing will crash and burn if you continue to spend more than you make. Math is fun, use math...