Gail Phillips on sat 15 nov 03
Hi, all -
A friend of mine read a bit of this to me today, and I immediately thought
of how it might benefit Clayart people! Have a read -
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_email.asp?/news/990356.asp
for aol users -
href>http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_email.asp?/news/990356.asp
- Gail Phillips, Praying Mantis Pottery
Cecilia Wian on sat 15 nov 03
The only problem is that you actually have to spend the money to get the
deduction.
Oh yeah, and pay to fill the huge gas tanks and the insurance and the high
end maintenance.
Nice fantasy though.
Cecilia
----- Original Message -----
Subject: tax write off for your new vehicle?
> Hi, all -
> A friend of mine read a bit of this to me today, and I immediately thought
of how it might benefit Clayart people! Have a read -
> http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_email.asp?/news/990356.asp
> for aol users -
> href>http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_email.asp?/news/990356.asp
> - Gail Phillips, Praying Mantis Pottery
Norman van der Sluys on sun 16 nov 03
Larry Kruzan wrote:
>
> It my be hard for anti-establishment throwbacks to the 60's to understand,
> but it is tax moves like this that give our customers cash to spend on our
> pots, bowls, and plates or even our "Art". If everybody had to drive a
> aging Camry because they could do no better we would not sell a thing.
It amuses me whenever I realize that those of your persuasion look upon
laissez-faire capitalism as somehow modern and progressive. In fact,
your economic philosophy is the throwback, dating to the 18th century
and before. Those who do not study history are destined to repeat it.
Unfortunately, you will drag many of us more knowledgeable with you.
Thus we had the Enron scandal the other year that cost citizens and
businesses alike billions of dollars - dollars that could have been
spent on hand crafted pottery.
Your knee-jerk reaction to taxes is based on the assumption that money
taken in by the government simply disappears, with no value received in
return. Indeed, while this country has an extremely low tax rate, our
citizens do get little benefit from our taxes (unless you consider
foreign adventurism somehow to be a benefit.)
By contrast, if you look at the rest of the "developed" world, you will
find that its citizens receive solid value for their tax dollars. The
myth that government is always wasteful and inefficient is easily
disproved by the examination of large corporations, where "beaurocracy"
is just as entrenched as in government. Our health care industry is a
case in point. The objective of health care has been turned on its
head. Now it is about amassing fortunes rather than ministering to the
sick and promoting health in general.
This perversion is costing business billions of dollars every year, and
the US pays a good 30% more for heath care than any other nation, though
the quality of our care is rated 22nd or 23rd. It is costing us
considerably more than the taxes that would be required to fund a single
payer health care system`
Perhaps the most objectionable part of this antiquated economic theory
is that it postulates that greed is the only motivator in human society,
and that the value of human beings can be determined by examining their
wallets. The idea that we should promote the use of gas guzzling SUVs
so that potters can sell more mugs and bowls is ludicrous. It is not
just the priviledged class that buys our work, but many who, bombarded
by mass production consumerism, seek a more human connection with the
things that surround them in their homes.
--
Norman van der Sluys
Benona Pottery
Near the shore of Lake Michigan
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