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Episode 215 Looking for Something to Do?
Guilt can be a terrible thing. It can stop you in your tracks. Make a joyous moment send a jolt of sadness spinning around in your mind, "I don't really deserve this". It can take retirement and turn it into something some folks just can't stand. They, "have to be doing something". And by something they don't mean whittling. I have been trying to visualize someone who is retired sitting on their front porch and actually using a pocket knife to carve a little boat for their grandchild. I know it is whittling and I know most of us would refuse to participate in such an activity. But I honestly wonder what is wrong with that? Who speaks up for the whittlers of the world? Is the fault with the actual whittling or is it the guilt that rises up from the past.
This is Retirement Talk. I'm Del Lowery.
If you want to do something most of the world would consider worthwhile I have recently come across a perfect project. This project could be perfect no matter which side of the political spectrum you prefer.
I assume we all agree that we should all pay our fair share of taxes. We owe it to our country; we owe it to our children and we owe it to our founding fathers who struggled to insure life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
A group has recently sprung up in England that could, and should be duplicated. It was founded by 12; that's right 12 people, who were having a drink in a bar one night. It is now called UK Uncut. A recent news article referred to it as a left wing Tea Party.
These people were interested in preserving and protecting the good life that has been slowly developed in Great Britain over hundreds of years. Sort of like our Tea Party. They want to protect what is good about their heritage. One thing they have become very concerned with are budget cuts that seem to taking away many valuable social programs. The government doesn't have the money to pay for certain educational, medical, or poverty related programs. The programs are going to have to be cut for lack of tax revenue. This group wants their government budget "uncut".
That night this group of twelve people talked about the fact that many businesses or corporations are not paying their taxes. They knew that one company - Vodafone - was protesting paying around 6 billion dollars in taxes. They knew that if just that company - Vodafone - would be compelled to pay it's taxes all home subsidies programs could be continued. They would not have to be cut if this one business just paid what it owed. They tied the loss in tax revenue to a specific need in the country.
They decided to put out a plea on Twitter and Facebook for people to join them the next day at the store closest to them to protest their lack of paying their taxes and forcing these people on to the street. They next day they gathered not at Westminster or some government office but at the entrance to an elite hotel and an actual Vodafone store. They protested. Passersby asked what they were doing. When explained many of the passersby joined the protest. The following weeks saw the protests expand. On one Saturday Vodafone stores were closed all over the country
In a 2008 campaign speech Obama stated that in one building in the Cayman Islands 12000 corporations had their offices. In one building. He added, "It must be one big building". Imagine: why do these corporations have their phony offices in the Cayman Islands. There is a single answer; avoid taxes. They are referred to as Tax Havens.
They take money out of our towns; Bellingham, Des Moines, Jackson, Sarasota and all the others. They don't pay their fair share of taxes if any at all. Oh I know they will say they abide by the tax code or law. But we all know that they and their lobbyist have written that very law so that they can escape the tax. We know they are making money; that is why people buy their stock.
Why is it that we loyal citizens of the left and right pay our taxes out of our paychecks and they don't. We may qualify for one small write-off or another. Nothing like corporations. It matters not that write-offs are "legal". They are unethical. They are wrong.
These corporations use our roads, they use our police and fire protection; they use our garbage service, they use our schools to educate students so they will become good workers, they use our military to insure corporate protection across the world and yet refuse to support our government; local, state and nation. Yet, they avoid taxes. Is that not the greatest act of betrayal?
We all know that the minute corporations stop making money through our local store they will close and leave town. But they don't close down and leave town. They are making money. For the year 2008 the GAO, Government Accounting Office, reported that 87 of the top 100 corporations in America are using tax sheltering havens. You have many of these businesses in your town. Imagine if they were shut down on a local level across the country? And the issue; "not being patriotic"; betrayal; not paying taxes. Not a verify good image.
The action of the UK Uncut group in England would suggest that we picket our local stores. How unAmerican is it to not pay your taxes? If a business is open in your community, state or country it should; it must pay taxes or go straight out of business.
Now this is a project that some retired people might want to join. It has no name in this country. It is not organized. It is yet to happen. Wondering what you can do in your retirement to help relief that feeling of guilt? The USA Uncut. That could be a good one.
This is Retirement Talk.
Episode 215 Looking for Something to Do?
Guilt can be a terrible thing. It can stop you in your tracks. Make a joyous moment send a jolt of sadness spinning around in your mind, "I don't really deserve this". It can take retirement and turn it into something some folks just can't stand. They, "have to be doing something". And by something they don't mean whittling. I have been trying to visualize someone who is retired sitting on their front porch and actually using a pocket knife to carve a little boat for their grandchild. I know it is whittling and I know most of us would refuse to participate in such an activity. But I honestly wonder what is wrong with that? Who speaks up for the whittlers of the world? Is the fault with the actual whittling or is it the guilt that rises up from the past.
This is Retirement Talk. I'm Del Lowery.
If you want to do something most of the world would consider worthwhile I have recently come across a perfect project. This project could be perfect no matter which side of the political spectrum you prefer.
I assume we all agree that we should all pay our fair share of taxes. We owe it to our country; we owe it to our children and we owe it to our founding fathers who struggled to insure life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
A group has recently sprung up in England that could, and should be duplicated. It was founded by 12; that's right 12 people, who were having a drink in a bar one night. It is now called UK Uncut. A recent news article referred to it as a left wing Tea Party.
These people were interested in preserving and protecting the good life that has been slowly developed in Great Britain over hundreds of years. Sort of like our Tea Party. They want to protect what is good about their heritage. One thing they have become very concerned with are budget cuts that seem to taking away many valuable social programs. The government doesn't have the money to pay for certain educational, medical, or poverty related programs. The programs are going to have to be cut for lack of tax revenue. This group wants their government budget "uncut".
That night this group of twelve people talked about the fact that many businesses or corporations are not paying their taxes. They knew that one company - Vodafone - was protesting paying around 6 billion dollars in taxes. They knew that if just that company - Vodafone - would be compelled to pay it's taxes all home subsidies programs could be continued. They would not have to be cut if this one business just paid what it owed. They tied the loss in tax revenue to a specific need in the country.
They decided to put out a plea on Twitter and Facebook for people to join them the next day at the store closest to them to protest their lack of paying their taxes and forcing these people on to the street. They next day they gathered not at Westminster or some government office but at the entrance to an elite hotel and an actual Vodafone store. They protested. Passersby asked what they were doing. When explained many of the passersby joined the protest. The following weeks saw the protests expand. On one Saturday Vodafone stores were closed all over the country
In a 2008 campaign speech Obama stated that in one building in the Cayman Islands 12000 corporations had their offices. In one building. He added, "It must be one big building". Imagine: why do these corporations have their phony offices in the Cayman Islands. There is a single answer; avoid taxes. They are referred to as Tax Havens.
They take money out of our towns; Bellingham, Des Moines, Jackson, Sarasota and all the others. They don't pay their fair share of taxes if any at all. Oh I know they will say they abide by the tax code or law. But we all know that they and their lobbyist have written that very law so that they can escape the tax. We know they are making money; that is why people buy their stock.
Why is it that we loyal citizens of the left and right pay our taxes out of our paychecks and they don't. We may qualify for one small write-off or another. Nothing like corporations. It matters not that write-offs are "legal". They are unethical. They are wrong.
These corporations use our roads, they use our police and fire protection; they use our garbage service, they use our schools to educate students so they will become good workers, they use our military to insure corporate protection across the world and yet refuse to support our government; local, state and nation. Yet, they avoid taxes. Is that not the greatest act of betrayal?
We all know that the minute corporations stop making money through our local store they will close and leave town. But they don't close down and leave town. They are making money. For the year 2008 the GAO, Government Accounting Office, reported that 87 of the top 100 corporations in America are using tax sheltering havens. You have many of these businesses in your town. Imagine if they were shut down on a local level across the country? And the issue; "not being patriotic"; betrayal; not paying taxes. Not a verify good image.
The action of the UK Uncut group in England would suggest that we picket our local stores. How unAmerican is it to not pay your taxes? If a business is open in your community, state or country it should; it must pay taxes or go straight out of business.
Now this is a project that some retired people might want to join. It has no name in this country. It is not organized. It is yet to happen. Wondering what you can do in your retirement to help relief that feeling of guilt? The USA Uncut. That could be a good one.
This is Retirement Talk.
A resource from a listener: Best Free Online Degrees for Seniors guide is designed to assist seniors who aspire to enhance their intellect or consider starting a new career path. It features an overview of the top online degrees for seniors, emphasizing their numerous advantages, and a broad range of subjects to choose from. A friend's website: Terra Firma Designs: Fine Furniture, Stained Glass and woodworking workshops. Copyright 2010 RetirementTalk.org |
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