How many zeros in a billion?

[JohnP]

Go this in my email today and thought I'd share. Feel free to pass it along. For our friends abroad, this might give you some idea into the frustration many of us in the US of A are feeling:

How many zeros in a billion?

The next time you hear a politician use the
word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
whether you want the 'politicians' spending
YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
but one advertising agency did a good job of
putting that figure into some perspective in
one of it's releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago the Roman Empire ruled the known world.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours & 20 minutes, at the rate
our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain...

let's take a look at New Orleans ...

It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for


250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number...

What does it mean?

A. Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans
(every man, woman, & child) you each get $516,528.

B. Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your
home gets $1,329,787.

C. Or... if you are a family of four... your family gets
$2,066,012.



Washington, D. C HELLO!

Are all your calculators broken??

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL License Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)

IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Tax

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service charge taxes

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax (Truckers)

Sales Taxes

Recreational Vehicle Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State and

Local Surcharge Tax

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges

Tax Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Tax

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago... our nation was the
most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt...

We had the largest middle class in the world...

Dad worked 1 job & Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened?

Can you spell 'corrupt politicians? '

And I still have to press '1' for English.

I hope this goes around the USA at least 100 times

What the heck happened????

 

[Nelly]

Very thought provoking J, some of it I understand what your saying but the bit about New Orleans leaves me unsure?
Are you saying that New Orleans isn't worth re-building and protecting from future disaster? 250 billion is truly an astonishingly, mind boggling figure to comprehend.
If this is taken into true perspective the poor will still be penniless and it won't transform the state of New Orleans into millionaires.
The problem lies with as you have pointed out corruption and:

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL License Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)

IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Tax

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service charge taxes

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax (Truckers)

Sales Taxes

Recreational Vehicle Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State and

Local Surcharge Tax

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges

Tax Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Tax

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

Nelly

 

[Jman]

It is definitely irritating. I have friends with dire circumstances trying to make it under ridiculous conditions. It is getting harder and harder to survive for many really good people out there - not just slackers and system leeches. The way our economic system and laws are going now a days, it encourages people to give up and become system leeches causing a snowball effect of taxes the working class will soon no longer be able to carry either. Something has to give.:spank:

 

[Nelly]

It is definitely irritating. I have friends with dire circumstances trying to make it under ridiculous conditions. It is getting harder and harder to survive for many really good people out there - not just slackers and system leeches. The way our economic system and laws are going now a days, it encourages people to give up and become system leeches causing a snowball effect of taxes the working class will soon no longer be able to carry either. Something has to give.:spank:

We are experiencing the same problems in the UK, sadly we now have a generation that see the social system as a life choice. It pi55es me off no end.

Nelly

 

[Jman]

I doubt those people would ever see those figures in New Orleans.

 

[Nelly]

I doubt those people would ever see those figures in New Orleans.

Perhaps, if the investment was made in the beginning to maintain flood defenses; the actual figure to repair the damage would be a fraction of the 250 billion now needed?

Nelly

 

[Hellgate]

Or we could just give them a rubber raft for the next time.

 

[Jman]

Perhaps, if the investment was made in the beginning to maintain flood defenses; the actual figure to repair the damage would be a fraction of the 250 billion now needed?

Nelly

That may be too logical for our politicians to handle. I still think building there in the first place was not a very good idea. One of the reasons I moved away from Florida.

 

[Nelly]

Or we could just give them a rubber raft for the next time.

Yeah where is Noha when you need him?

Nelly

 

[JohnP]

Here are things as I see it:

1. The U.S. doesn't have $250 billion. This would have to be 100% borrowed money.
2. $50 billion or so already poured into post-Katrina New Orleans, including a ton of money to "fix" the levys. From what I understand, the city still in perilous condition while billions were squandered by the state and federal goverment.
3. The coast of Texas is in pretty sad shape after Ike...another $250 billion for them too?
4. Of $250 billion, my guess is that less than $5 billion would actually go to solving the problems in New Orleans. From what I have heard Mississippi was also devastated by Katrina but the distaster and reconstruction was handed infiniately better than in Louisana. So is rewarding utter impotence with $250 billion the right thing to do?

Just take a look at went into the $700 billion bank "bailout" bill to "buy" votes to get it passed...from my local newspaper:


It wasn't just banks that got bailed out. NASCAR, toy arrow makers, rum importers and TV producers made out big under the $700 billion bailout plan.

Congress dropped in some four dozen "sweeteners" to persuade skeptical lawmakers to sign the deal.

Some of those provisions:

Extending an expired provision that gives Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands a rebate against excise taxes charged on imported rum. The rebate, at $13.50 per proof gallon, helps finance local infrastructure projects. The cost is $192 million.

Establishing a new tax credit ranging from $2,500 to $7,500 for purchasers of plug-in electric-drive vehicles. Cost: $758 million.

Extending tax credits that expired at the end of 2007 for certain domestic corporations involved in American Samoa economic development. Cost: $33 million.

Extending a credit of up to $10,000 for the training of mine rescue team members. The credit expires at the end of this year and the one-year extension costs $4 million.

Enacting President Bush's proposal to erase the debt of the black lung disability trust fund at a cost of $1.3 billion.

Extending for one year a seven-year depreciation timetable that NASCAR and other motorsport racing facilities have had for some years, the same tax break that amusement parks enjoy. Without the extension, the tracks would have to depreciate the cost of their improvements over 15 years, raising their taxes by $100 million.

Extending for five years a program that reduces import duties on some wool fabrics. The tariff relief benefits U.S. worsted wool fabric producers that use imported fibers and yarns. Cost: $148 million.

Increasing the single-year deduction in production costs, from $15 million to $20 million, that film and TV productions may take if the costs are incurred in economically depressed areas. In an effort to keep film and TV productions in the U.S., it also allows more companies to use a domestic production deduction. Cost: $478 million.

Allowing commercial fishermen and others hurt by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska to average out damage awards over three years rather than taking a one-year hit from the IRS. Cost: $49 million.

Extending two programs that fund rural schools and rural communities that have been relying on declining income from logging on federal land or have low property tax bases because they are located on or next to federal lands. This is a major issue in the West. Cost: $3.3 billion.

Exempting wooden practice arrows used by children from an excise tax of 39 cents per arrow. Oregon's two senators and two Wisconsin representatives previously introduced legislation calling for the action, saying the tax was meant for more expensive archery arrows and is untenable for makers of toy arrows that may cost only about 30 cents apiece. The bill would affect about a half-dozen manufacturers nationwide, including one in Oregon; the Oregon senators said they didn't seek its addition to the bailout, however. Cost: $2 million.

Allowing employers to exempt from taxation what they spend on some fringe benefits for workers who commute to work by bicycle, for example reimbursing the cost of parking the bikes. Cost: $2 million.

 

[Jman]

It has been said that we have the best politicians money can buy. AND - you can find better but you can't pay more.

 

[Shafe716]

Go this in my email today and thought I'd share. Feel free to pass it along. For our friends abroad, this might give you some idea into the frustration many of us in the US of A are feeling:

How many zeros in a billion?

The next time you hear a politician use the
word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
whether you want the 'politicians' spending
YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
but one advertising agency did a good job of
putting that figure into some perspective in
one of it's releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago the Roman Empire ruled the known world.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours & 20 minutes, at the rate
our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain...

let's take a look at New Orleans ...

It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for


250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number...

What does it mean?

A. Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans
(every man, woman, & child) you each get $516,528.

B. Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your
home gets $1,329,787.

C. Or... if you are a family of four... your family gets
$2,066,012.



Washington, D. C HELLO!

Are all your calculators broken??

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL License Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)

IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Tax

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service charge taxes

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax (Truckers)

Sales Taxes

Recreational Vehicle Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State and

Local Surcharge Tax

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges

Tax Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Tax

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago... our nation was the
most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt...

We had the largest middle class in the world...

Dad worked 1 job & Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened?

Can you spell 'corrupt politicians? '

And I still have to press '1' for English.

I hope this goes around the USA at least 100 times

What the heck happened????

I feel like there was some important war that was fought over something like this...... I can't quite put my finger on it:ukops i mean:america::beer:

No offence to the Brits out there.

 

[CanadianFZ6]

I would agree that better spending would save a whole pile of money... But will it ever happen??? In the grand scheme of things I wouldn't sweat the 250 billion for rebuild of New Orleans when you already flushed 2 Trillion down the toilet in Iraq.... Here's a though (not offense to you yanks, really)... Have your govenment keep your military on a leash until you actually need them. Having that 2 Trillion you spent in Iraq would surely come in handy now that your economy is not doing well...:thumbup:

 

[BranNwebster]

One thing that bugs me is Property Tax. With Property Tax you never own property, it is just a long term lease. You don't pay taxes on your house your local government will sell it for what is owed, then the new owner will have the right to evict you by force. In Texas we don't have an income tax which I think would be better than property tax. But you know if income tax was ever imposed, property tax wouldn't go away.

 

[tom5796]

In Mass we have the next tea party brewing. Question 1 on the ballot in November is to eliminate a big one, the state income tax. (it received 45% of the votes in 2002 and hopefully will push through this year)

Where is all that money spent? here's an interesting read... Federal Budget Spending and the National Debt


Of particular note is this:

"Social Security is not part of the Federal Budget general fund. It is a separate account and has its own source of income. Social Security payments do not go into the general fund, they go in the Social Security trust fund, and should NOT be counted as general revenue. The trust fund is supposed to be used to pay future benefits. But....keep reading....

Currently, there is more being payed into the Social Security Trust Fund than is being paid out to beneficiaries. What's left over is routinely being "borrowed" and used as if it were general budget revenue. Government agencies using that money promise to pay it back (IOUs). All of the money in the Social Security Trust Fund has been spent! That's part of the National Debt. So Social Security is just a very large tax collection tool.

Beware the term "Social Security Surplus"; there is no such thing. Social Security is a Ponzi Scheme, there is never more in the Trust Fund than will ever be needed. Another Ponzi link.

Social Security will need to be fixed. Here is a debate page. And here is more information on the Root Problem with Social Security."



While there will always be corruption in any endeavor, I don't believe its rampant in government. Instead the wide-spread "corruption" is really the Socialization of the US government and the lemmings that that buy into the sound-bites espousing one program or another. Unfortunately both parties in the running are BIG GOVERNMENT, and unless another party gets a shot (say, the Libertarian Party, which most aligns with the original design principles of the founding fathers) we are set up for an ugly future. I guess one could say it is a corruption of the founder's intent. Not to be negative or anything. :Flash:

 

[tom5796]

I wouldn't sweat the 250 billion for rebuild of New Orleans when you already flushed 2 Trillion down the toilet in Iraq.... Here's a though (not offense to you yanks, really)... Have your govenment keep your military on a leash until you actually need them. Having that 2 Trillion you spent in Iraq would surely come in handy now that your economy is not doing well...:thumbup:

Citing individual usage cases are good sound-bites, but the real problem is the underlying insidious big government mentality of constantly increasing spending in the aggregate.

 

[TKarrade]

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

I may come off as a bit of a tool for this... but one of my pet peeves is chain letters.... and using them for political purposes even more so.

A billion seconds is about 31.7 years. This year is 2008. You do the math... this chain letter started out around 1990-1991 and has been sloshing around in the cesspool of the internet for the last 17 years. In 2005 someone decided to make it political by adding the Katrina stuff to it.
Snopes

Notice how it only mentions the democratic senator, not the Republican one who also sponsored the bill. David Vitter, R-La Nor did it mention that the 250 billion was for the entire gulf coast recovery effort... not just New Orleans.

If you're interested in seeing where exactly the money was supposed to go... check here :
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/local/gulfcoast/pdfs/budget_la_delegation_plan.pdf

Not all of it has been spent yet... after two years they didn't even spend half... $114 billion according to NPR. Not sure what the total is today.

Oh, and back to the original chain letter... many of those 'taxes' are just fees that the government has nothing to do with. Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax... come on... blame your telephone company not your senator.

-TK

 

[Nelly]

:

I feel like there was some important war that was fought over something like this...... I can't quite put my finger on it:ukops i mean:america::beer:

No offense to the Brits out there.

It seems like such a waste of time and effort that you may need to have to fight it all over again :america: V :america: , who's the winner? it isn't the poor folk.

Nelly

PS no offense taken?:beer::beer::beer:

 

[FZ1inNH]

No offence to the people of New Orleans but why would we want to rebuild a city that a major portion of is up to 4 meters below sea level? First concern is the rising ocean due to climate shift. The levees are only going to hold back just so much and for only so long. The gulf waters are rising and soon, even a minor storm will create a surge large enough to spill over the levees.

If it must be rebuilt, why not put the burden on the land owners and adhere to strict elevation requirements? Why not have them build places on stilts and make New Orleans just like Venice where we can have gondolas and water taxis?

I would love to have some oceanfront property but I have to admit, if I was worried that a natural disaster could destroy it, not once but EVERY year, I'd be the first to admit defeat and move elsewhere.

I guess I have to ask "Why?" And ask with total honesty.

 

[Nelly]

No offence to the people of New Orleans but why would we want to rebuild a city that a major portion of is up to 4 meters below sea level? First concern is the rising ocean due to climate shift. The levees are only going to hold back just so much and for only so long. The gulf waters are rising and soon, even a minor storm will create a surge large enough to spill over the levees.

If it must be rebuilt, why not put the burden on the land owners and adhere to strict elevation requirements? Why not have them build places on stilts and make New Orleans just like Venice where we can have gondolas and water taxis?

I would love to have some oceanfront property but I have to admit, if I was worried that a natural disaster could destroy it, not once but EVERY year, I'd be the first to admit defeat and move elsewhere.

I guess I have to ask \"Why?\" And ask with total honesty.

So what is your suggestion for Holland?

A whole country that has been quite literally re-claimed from the sea.
Global warming is a real threat to us all, that does not mean that we should all curl up and accept defeat without a fight.

Nelly