More thoughts on a subject we probably shouldn’t waste much time on – the actual price of a Death Star.

Still, it *is* an interesting thought project.

Great graphs. Check ’em out. I mean, you already know that conservative states are freeloaders, it is just nice to see the facts show the truth of it.

Yes, those folks who hate welfare when it is poor kids, single mothers, and loathe anyone unemployed and collecting on monies they helped put into the system are the biggest recipients of government aid, taking in FAR more than they are taxed.

Taxed enough already? I don’t think so. The facts, as usual, prove the Baggers to be liars.

Jay Bookman has been pretty astute in trying to figure out all the nuances in our immigration system, such as it is. Particularly since Georgia has been front and center in the debate since passing their draconian law last year. Here is a slightly old article on how even those Republicans trying to be level-headed are faced with trying to address and explain some very complicated ideas to their very simple- and single-minded constituents.

Watched this earlier today. Good stuff.

Willard isn’t one of us.

I mean, we already knew that, but he won’t tell us how much he makes so it doesn’t have a definite mark.

However, we DO know he made almost $400k in speaking fees, a number he has now said is not very much.

His “not very much” is enough, by itself, to put him into the top 1% of American earners.

It is certainly more than my family has pulled in together over a year. Hell, over a few years to be honest. Prior to our move, we were doing okay, or so we thought.

We were barely making a down payment on what Romney thinks is “not very much”.

No kidding.

I’d even settle for making “not very much” Mitt Money.

Gingrich, and the rest of the GOP, want you to believe that the only people on food stamps are black and lazy. Or at least minorities. And only Democrats.

And for some weird reason, they think people are proud of taking welfare. I have never understood that argument. Then again, I don’t get capital gains tax cuts, farm subsidies or pay a pittance to dig out federal resources and then overcharge consumers, the way most of the GOP’s biggest contributors do. THOSE guys are VERY proud of their government handouts.

So maybe that is where the get the idea.

Marketplace covers the truth on this. Many of these folks are elderly or under 18, but also many of them actually have jobs, just not great ones.

I am certainly not saying that I am happy about how much money is spent on elections – and by where it comes from most of the time. That said, being the system we currently have, these numbers make that knowledge a little easier to swallow.

The House GOP doesn’t care about you. Want proof? They supposed no-taxes party has already derailed plans to tax millionaires to pay for unemployment extensions and tax cuts for middle class families.

Now they won’t pass a bill to do either thing if they can’t get a guarantee on an oil pipeline that will only benefit foreign oil companies.

What does another $40 in your paycheck mean to you? Tell the White House so they can share your story.

Republicans like to villainize those who aren’t paying income tax. I mean, not the rich billionaires who don’t because they have unscrupulous accountants. No, I mean the the elderly, the poor, those in college. Those who contribute sale taxes, payroll taxes, or either have contributed or are going to once they get a degree.

Basically, folks who are part of society rather than abusing it without paying for their take.

And that’s what this is all about. I doubt very few of the Occupy Wall Street folks are against making money. They certainly aren’t against paying for a system that allows you to get rich, contrary to FAUXNews and other conservatives.

Are there some socialists in the mix? Damn right. How much of Europe operates under a socialist idea that you can make up to a certain amount and after that, the taxes hike up considerably? Many of the more prosperous nations do so. Hell, the US used to do it.

Profit with responsibility. If you aren’t paying for the roads and rails that help you ship goods, you aren’t doing right by your community. If you don’t pay for the navy protecting your oil tankers or the army fighting for resource access, you are cheating the society that lets you get rich.

There used to be responsibility and a sense of shame over not doing your part. Now there is a political party that will let you off the hook on all of that, which them damns poor people for not giving more than they already have.

Shameful.