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if you change the laws that affect the rich, you get the loudest screams, because they are paying the most attention, and they use their money to protect their money, hire the lobbyists, influence Washington, media coverage, etc


Understandably you get the loudest screams from the rich. They are paying the most attention because they are also paying the most tax. The top 1% of earners pay something like 42% of the taxes in the United States last I heard. Here is some information that supports that statement.

Tax Payers

That's a helluva curve for the 80/20 rule. Nearly half the wage earners paid nearly all the income tax! Apparently under the current administration that curve will get steeper.

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Hope would be, that health promotes health, when people start getting better, they feel better, and that gives them enthusiasm for continuing in that direction.


I think this would be the case for a small portion of those that are not under the care of a physician. I also can't help but think that if they previously never subjected themselves for routine exams, many wouldn't be inclined to start. I might be completely wrong. Also, if they treated their bodies like crap before, that may well continue. Old habits die hard. Also, access to health care or a health care plan does not beget good health. There is free will. A doctor cannot control for an individual their diet, their exercise, their stress levels, etc. All a doctor can do is attempt to diagnose a malady and attempt to treat it using the tools within their toolbox. The patient and their body has to do the rest.

I'm kind of split on these “sin” taxes. At one level I'd like to see junk food (including soda pop) taxed to discourage consumption since there is a detrimental effect on society, but on the other if the consumer wants to eat or drink those foodstuffs in question, it is their freewill. I mean, such a tax basically amounts to the government dictating what you should/should not consume. Should they tax such items, I'd like to see the amount in tax listed alongside the price on the grocery store shelf as opposed to burying/hiding it on a receipt after the item has been purchased.

It's nice to know that Obama wants to root out some of undesirable influence. However, it occurs to me as disingenuous.

Lobbyists As Cabinet Members

India Daily
UK Telegraph (See Number 3)

(Lack of) Transparency In Government

MSNBC

Visitors (Lobbyists) To White House

The Reporter (AP Service)

Kind Regards,
Jay

Almost all of us long for peace and freedom; but very few of us have much enthusiasm for the thoughts, feelings, and actions that make for peace and freedom. - Aldous Huxley

Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now. - Thomas Jefferson