Posted by noa on March 3, 2003, at 19:50:03
In reply to Re: Political Stuff re Pensions, posted by mair on March 3, 2003, at 6:53:15
Frankly, I would rather not get my stupid $300 refund and see it go to necessary social programs, or to pay off some of our debts as a country, because as a single check for $300 (minus, of course the cost of administering the refund) it is rather low impact, but pooled with all the other $300 or $600 checks, it could have a much bigger impact for funding. I know that the refund impact is bigger on people of few means. In that case, provide a bigger earned income tax credit(I think this is one of Richard Nixon's better moments--he had some great liberal economic policies!), not a blanket refund!
But the double-speak isn't limited to Bush (I am just more suspicious of it with him). The supposed personal information privacy legislation that was passed during Clinton's time is really more of a personal information for sale at the highest bid legistlation! Sometimes when I see certain companies' "privacy policies" I have to laugh because they really are "disclosure policies", not privacy policies. I got such a policy, and the info was sent to me AFTER I had given them my information (a store credit deal for 3 months delayed payment for a big purchase I made--big mistake--definitely not worth it). I had to sign a "consent" form specifying my "privacy" preferences, (read "disclosure preferences") but the choices were all unacceptable in my view. It was essentially a choice between "we can give away your personal information to all of the companies in our huge circle of 'affiliates' (and btw, with huge corporations structured as they are these days, 'affiliates' can include just about anyone, it seems!), or we can give it away to any damn entity that asks us for it!"
well, you got me started!!
poster:noa
thread:205278
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030301/msgs/205629.html