Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
@davidrmoran- You know very well that Brian is incapable of understanding that a federal government with the power to regulate its own monetary affairs works at a different level and upon significantly different basic economic principles than are required from any other lower entity, governmental or private. He and the other "balanced budget" religionists just can't get their minds around the concept.
@LewisBraham: This has nothing to do with being poor or Black. And, asking for an ID doesn't prevent anyone from voting. If all MLK needed to do was to obtain IDs for his congregation, 100% of them would've been registered and ALL would have voted.
Wiki: POLL TAX: Prior to the mid 20th century, a poll tax was implemented in some U.S. state and local jurisdictions and paying it was a pre-condition before one could exercise their right to vote. After this right was extended to all races by the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, many Southern states enacted poll tax laws as a means of restricting eligible voters; such laws often included a grandfather clause, which allowed any adult male whose father or grandfather had voted in a specific year prior to the abolition of slavery to vote without paying the tax. These laws, along with literacy tests and extra-legal intimidation,[12] achieved the desired effect of disenfranchising African-Americans, as well as poor whites. Often in US discussions, the term poll tax is used to mean a tax that must be paid in order to vote, rather than a capitation tax simply. The Twenty-fourth Amendment, ratified in 1964, prohibits both Congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax.
The government has a spending problem and without hard limits they will continue. Yes, the budget should be balanced. Yes, there should be term limits on all. And, yes I'm Taxed Enough Already.
@Crash: 'Poll tax'? What does that have to do with minorities being prevented from voting?
Dear @BrianW, you're just not paying attention. Those were not "poll taxes," strictly speaking, which one might expect to be just a token fee, when you show up to vote. These were taxes which, if not paid, would prevent that person from voting. So, the franchise to vote was no good at all, if you could not cough up what the tax man said you owed. It's been decided that such a way of operating is downright unconstitutional. The RIGHT to vote is not contingent upon how much money you have.
Such a thing does not exist anymore, as far as I know. I mean, the right to vote can no longer be taken from you for non-payment of taxes. But the same sort of thing is still a routine matter in some States. Where I lived, it was called "personal property tax." So, in addition to Federal, State, local, property, excise taxes, and sales taxes, there is a tax each year on your car. And a boat, off-road toys that make noise, etc. All that stuff.
I brought up the poll tax which was common in Southern states during the time of Dr. ML King, because YOU first asserted: "This has nothing to do with being poor or Black. And, asking for an ID doesn't prevent anyone from voting. If all MLK needed to do was to obtain IDs for his congregation, 100% of them would've been registered and ALL would have voted."
But the FACT is that there WERE blacks who could not vote due to the so-called poll-tax. Producing an ID would have done them no good. This is to say nothing of the deliberate attempt to suppress the black vote conducted by several States back then through a required "literacy test." (I bet you never heard of that one, either?)
@Old_Joe & hank: Here in the great state of WI. we have a wheel Tax. City by city it has rolled through the state. The latest I've heard the state capitol Madison, will be putting a $17 U O Me on their residents renewals. Lucky guys & gals I pay $20. Derf
@BrianW: great film. And at this point, I must admit to myself that the one on the other side of this debate is choosing to be willfully ignorant, refusing to see what's there to be seen. I shall waste no more time with you.
Comments
I'll see your delete and raise you one!
POLL TAX: Prior to the mid 20th century, a poll tax was implemented in some U.S. state and local jurisdictions and paying it was a pre-condition before one could exercise their right to vote. After this right was extended to all races by the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, many Southern states enacted poll tax laws as a means of restricting eligible voters; such laws often included a grandfather clause, which allowed any adult male whose father or grandfather had voted in a specific year prior to the abolition of slavery to vote without paying the tax. These laws, along with literacy tests and extra-legal intimidation,[12] achieved the desired effect of disenfranchising African-Americans, as well as poor whites. Often in US discussions, the term poll tax is used to mean a tax that must be paid in order to vote, rather than a capitation tax simply. The Twenty-fourth Amendment, ratified in 1964, prohibits both Congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax.
Such a thing does not exist anymore, as far as I know. I mean, the right to vote can no longer be taken from you for non-payment of taxes. But the same sort of thing is still a routine matter in some States. Where I lived, it was called "personal property tax." So, in addition to Federal, State, local, property, excise taxes, and sales taxes, there is a tax each year on your car. And a boat, off-road toys that make noise, etc. All that stuff.
I brought up the poll tax which was common in Southern states during the time of Dr. ML King, because YOU first asserted: "This has nothing to do with being poor or Black. And, asking for an ID doesn't prevent anyone from voting. If all MLK needed to do was to obtain IDs for his congregation, 100% of them would've been registered and ALL would have voted."
But the FACT is that there WERE blacks who could not vote due to the so-called poll-tax. Producing an ID would have done them no good. This is to say nothing of the deliberate attempt to suppress the black vote conducted by several States back then through a required "literacy test." (I bet you never heard of that one, either?)
Derf