I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!!

This is definitely a rant. I have given a lot of thought to this and then it all sort of started to make sense to me after a trip to a local store here in the town that I live.

Here it is:

I am a small business owner as was everyone in my immediate family. We are not and never have been big money people; in fact, we have always understood that our wealth would come by way of serving our community. We are rich in family and wonderful friends…no money can buy that. In short, we have paid our dues with hard work and dedication to our business and community. This economy is killing my business now and many others just like mine. It just seems like there is no end in sight.

Anyway, I frequent local (small business) shops whenever possible and there is usually reciprocation from those business owners. It works for everyone and frankly the quality and ethics of these small local businesses
far surpass the big corporate stores and chains. The other day I went to a local business here that manufactures and sells skateboards. I wanted to get a new deck for my son. I went into the store and purchased the skateboard deck and delivered to my son when got home from school. He was absolutely jazzed about it. He put the trucks and wheels on it immediately and was out rolling around in about 15 minutes from the time he got it. Now I don’t know if he tightened the hardware well enough or if everything was even installed correctly because he was out the door so quickly. No matter…everything seemed great because I could see him from the window in the kitchen and he was doing tricks and having a blast. Then I noticed the sound outside stopped. I looked out the window and he wasn’t there. Just as I was about to go outside and check the door opened and I heard the strained sound of my son’s voice, “Daaaaaaad”?

He broke the brand new deck. So off to the store we went with the broken deck and a couple of dollars to buy a new one. When I got there, the store owner remembered me and said, “Back so soon?” I didn’t even answer him, I just picked up the broken board and asked for another one. I went up to the register to pay for the deck and I waited for him to tell me the amount, again but that moment never came. He just looked up at me and said, “You’re all set.” He could tell by the look on my face that I was confused and he immediately gave a short explanation as to how his company stands behind his product. I thought to myself, how could anyone stand behind a product that gets intentionally abused the second it leaves the store? It was then that I realized that the guarantee wasn’t on the product, it was on the relationship with the community. This was something that I was very familiar with given my upbringing.

So there it was…still alive and still embraced by the business community. This thing is called “good will”. Forget about good will for a minute, and try to think back to a time when you bought something only to find that it didn’t work, was broken, or did not do what it was advertised to do. Did you get your money back? Or get a replacement? How hard was it?

Sorry about taking the long road to get here, but I think it is important to understand how I arrived at the conclusion of my own rant. This little transaction with the shop owner made me question a whole bunch of money and ethics related issues. I began to wonder what happens to my paycheck…really? I decided to take a look. I am not using real numbers here but the percentages are the same. Let’s say my paycheck is $750.

• Payroll tax $157.50 (that will never be returned)
• Paid electric bill and the usage tax was $16.50
• Bought a plane ticket for my wife to go visit family. Airport taxes over $35
• Deposited small amount into savings account, will inevitably pay taxes on interest accrued.
• Bought skateboard deck for my son and paid sales tax of $7
• Trip to grocery store, taxable items were taxed a total of $4
• Filled my car for the week (20 gal. gas) paid $0.534 per gallon in taxes for my state(!) total tax paid: $10.68
• Paid cell phone bill (family plan) usage tax $18

Now, I guess you can see where I’m going with this. $248.68 of my $750 paycheck is gone. That represents 1/3 of the money I worked all week for. The only asset besides a small amount of savings, is a skateboard deck, which will inevitably be broken in the next month or so. So I got nothing for my $248.68. This is infuriating.

Multiply that number by 52 (weeks in a year) and you get around $13,000. This money pays our government and our politicians to perform the services and deliver the product that they promote. This is crap! This isn’t even all of the taxes that we pay, just what was obvious to me at the moment. I suspect that about 40% of my income pays our government and politicians.

So, I spend thousands and thousands of dollars per year for a product and/or a service that is supposed to better my life, make it more convenient, make it easier to manage, or whatever and I get what I’ve (we’ve) got today. It’s no wonder that this nation is on the brink.

I have had it! I want my money back!

The product is broken, the service doesn’t work, and I have paid dearly for it. I am entitled to a refund!!!

US Government, Local and State Governments you owe me my money back. I will not accept a check because I know what a check from the government is worth. I will not accept the dollar either...that is worthless currency as well. I want you to pay me back in food (non-gmo). I want a house, land and enough organic food to support my family so that we can survive this nightmare that you have created for us. I estimate that you owe me approximately, $330,000.00 in unjust taxes that you have stolen from me over the last 20 years of my life. That should cover it. Oh yeah, if I lose my business because of this economic hell that you designed, you'll then owe me an additional couple of million.

BTW---This doesn't begin to scratch the surface regarding what you owe my family.

I want to start my own business, but I'm holding off right now.

I was thinking with the economy tanking businesses could use the barter system for goods trade, Just a thought.

Good point. I am currently engaged in and have been for some time, this very practice with local suppliers and other companies that I do business with. The problem is that this doesn't go as far as you would like to. It is also illegal from a tax perspective. We are handcuffed by the "rules" of business set by our governments and the IRS. BTW---we still get taxed on the value of our trades.

reply to post by MightyQuincunx


This movie called "Thrive" you might find interesting, its all over ATS and Youtube. I cant remember around what times but it shows how screwed up the banking system is and how its engineered to take your money. The whole system is set up to nickel and dime you down.

I have watched it and I think that it very clearly illustrates the problem. Unfortunately, not enough people are accessing this kind of information. It wakes you up a bit doesn't it?

Took me a while to get to your point, but I agree 100%.
I want my money back too, and my deceased parents' social security the US gov't stole, then kept for themselves.

They don't get anything from me anymore.

You don't get the most technologically advanced army in the world by paying for it with buttons.

reply to post by superman2012


Now tell me why we need the most technologically advanced militaries. Oh yeah...I remember...to justify all of those tax dollars. Don't get me started on government defense overspending. It's a load of crap and anyone who can perform the task of simple math can figure that one out.

I served my country ::correction:: served my government's special interests for too long and I am truly sorry that I ever did. I learned a lot in the military. I learned that this government could give a rat's ass about freedom and security for the people. They DO, however, care about assets.

reply to post by MightyQuincunx

I served my country ::correction:: served my government's special interests for too long and I am truly sorry that I ever did. I learned a lot in the military. I learned that this government could give a rat's ass about freedom and security for the people. They DO, however, care about assets.

Pay attention folks.... this is the exact type of soldier we all should support.
A brave soul who wants to serve their country, but refuses to serve for a lie and for a corporate world take over.

Let the terrorists try to "take away our freedoms"... my small NH town ALONE could wipe out the foreign Al CIAda forces invading. Think about how many "terrorists" it would take to overthrow this country, it's never going to happen! The ONLY forces taking away our freedoms are the domestic terrorists in power, period.

Originally posted by superman2012
You don't get the most technologically advanced army in the world by paying for it with buttons.

You don't get the world's largest air force and the world's second largest air force either paying in buttons. On the other had there are palces in the world that don't have a tax structure. Somalia comes to mind.

We probably don't really need two air forces though.

reply to post by MightyQuincunx


You are not going to be convinced about what I have to say, so this is not an attempt to change your mind. But the fact is you are over-stating your case considerably. You consumed a great deal during the week that you are blowing off as if it didn't exist.

Payroll tax $157.50 (that will never be returned)

Correct. Maybe it went to buy an A-10 Warthog, or maybe the GSA spent it on a lavish party. But tell me, was your town invaded this week by a group of mercenaries with machetes used to chop off your limbs? Were your neighbors slaughtered in the town square by an idiot with C-4 strapped to his torso who committed suicide and took a bunch of your relatives with him? Were you executed by the army because you wear glasses and that is a sign of weakness? Did you sleep peacefully this week without worry? Just wondering.

• Paid electric bill and the usage tax was $16.50

So you had electricity on at your house all week then, right? I'll bet you had running water, too. And your house was plenty warm. Toilets working okay? You do know that almost 2 billion people in the world do not have electricity.

• Bought a plane ticket for my wife to go visit family. Airport taxes over $35

And yet your wife saw her family! That's great. 200 years ago King George did not have the luxury of air transportation you do today. The cost of getting him the same distance your wife flew would have been more than a year's worth of your paychecks. Yet you did it for a couple hundred bucks. You get to fly not out of necessity, but just for a visit! That's luxury.

• Deposited small amount into savings account, will inevitably pay taxes on interest accrued.

Yet the principal is tax-paid money for you to do with as you please. And interest these days. well, let's just say you won't be paying many taxes on a 1% CD.

• Bought skateboard deck for my son and paid sales tax of $7

Yet he was "jazzed" about it and derived X amount of pleasure from it. It was a discretionary purchase on your part. Glad you could do it, spend a hundred bucks for a piece of sculpted wood that didn't even come with its own set of wheels. Thanks, Dad!

• Trip to grocery store, taxable items were taxed a total of $4

So, then. You had food to eat this week! Since you mention "taxable items" I assume the food itself was not taxed at all, same as in my state.

• Filled my car for the week (20 gal. gas) paid $0.534 per gallon in taxes for my state(!) total tax paid: $10.68

So you paid for your transportation this week. I'll bet at least some of those taxes go to pay for the roads you drive on. Or would you prefer dirt roads with no upkeep? No county roadgraders to help you out? No snowplows. Nobody to scrape up the bodies after a DUI. How do you think that stuff gets paid for? Pixie dust?

• Paid cell phone bill (family plan) usage tax $18

The magic of Star Trek come to life, everyone in your household with their own, personal telephone. Those taxes likely are collected by your small town, mostly. It's one of the ways they raise money to keep all those city departments like fire and police able to respond when you call 911.

Now, I guess you can see where I’m going with this. $248.68 of my $750 paycheck is gone. That represents 1/3 of the money I worked all week for. The only asset besides a small amount of savings, is a skateboard deck, which will inevitably be broken in the next month or so. So I got nothing for my $248.68. This is infuriating.

Yet for that entire week you lived in peace, ate your meals, heated your house, went anywhere you wanted to go, did whatever you thought you had to do in that wonderful small town you live in, which managed to keep the street light lit and the water flowing, disposed of your sewage, etc.

You know, several billion people live on $1.25 a day in this world. Their lifespans are shorter than yours because they are ravaged by disease. They have no clean water, no sanitation, no medical care. They are malnourished and under threat of starvation. They have scoured their land of every available scrap of fire wood. there isn't any left. Their "government," for all practical purposes, does not exist. they never know when a party of their "fellow citizens" is going to burn down their village because some scumbag warlord is trying to "liberate" them.

You, sir, are rich. You are living a plentiful life with luxuries you completely fail to recognize. You have discretionary income with which you buy frivolous things. Your tax rate is among the lowest in the first world. Try living in Sweden or Denmark and see what kind of taxes you pay.

And you want your money back?

Like I said. I'm not going to argue with you. I'm just going to answer your demand.

No.

Yup this the sad reality of the real world. Out of the $52,000 that I make before taxes. What I actually get is $33,000 after taxes. I pay the goverment $19,000 that's just only my job that's not including GST lol


Schuyler is right though we are spoiled in today's society. What have we become? We just gotta have all the luxuries. We're so materialistic, I'll be happier if we had less.

Or if everything was for free. Then that would be great too!

reply to post by schuyler


Nope...You're right. You are not going to change my mind. You can cut-up dialogue into tiny little pieces and try to make your point as anyone else could.

For your stinking record...here's something that you should document and archive:

The reason none of these atrocities face me directly is because I live in a hegemonic country that disrupts other countries' governments and people. The good ole USA resource rapes other countries promising their corrupt dictators and leaders...........uuuuuugh!!!

Why am I even trying with people like you. Pulling your head out of the sand may actually be a good starting point for you! I wish that you knew what I did for a living. I know first hand how other countries treat their people. I have been there AND I HAVE HELPED!!! I am still helping today while others sit around on their asses and bitch at people like me.

You have no clue WTF you are talking about. Do you know your country's history??? Is that in your archive???

Oh yeah...you can bet your ass that I will continue to work my ass off everyday to afford the little luxuries for my children. The alternative to your baseless rant is to take what I have left...live in squalor and then I can truly say that I have the right to be angry when someone or something steals from me. BUT i have no right to be pissed now because I have worked my balls off my entire life to support my family and others.

Oh god...I WISH THAT YOU KNEW WHAT I DID FOR A LIVING!!!!!!

No offense Schuyler, you really ought to stop running your mouth. Your government had nothing to do with freedom. THE PEOPLE are the only reason that we still have a few left.

Awww forget it...Bite my ass!!!

Mods feel free to ban me forever. A@#holes like this guy make this board suck.

Peace...Last Post!!!

banks are the biggest pieces of crap on earth. their services should be broken up.

a banks only purpose is to hold your money. in return they charge service fees etc. they should not loan money or play the stock market. they should say good morning, how can i help you, not why are you bothering me.

they shouldn't provide insurance of any kind or dabble in anything other than making sure your money is safe and easily accessible to you at anytime.

there should be separate independent businesses to provide the other services banks provide.

ie. a loaning and mortgage institution. all they do is handle loans. and not with your money, like banks, but with the money of the investors that started it. that way the only capital at risk is theirs, not yours.

third, financial investment firms cannot be affiliated with any bank, or provide any service a bank provides, or hold your money and loan it out. that is not their job.

you invest money with them in hopes of a return. their profit is a commission. and commission only so they have an incentive to make a profit. they should also be completely and utterly transparent.

right now, as it is, they profit from loans and buying risks. your investment is nothing more than extra capital they can invest, loan and profit from.

also, a financial investment corporation cannot use it's profits and reinvest it with itself. once profit is earned it cannot be used within the corporation. this creates a conflict of interest with its clients.

they can, however use profits to invest in other firms, or create independent subsidies to reinvest that money, with new clients and investors.

reply to post by spyder550


It's not the taxes that I'm personally concerned about, it's how our tax dollars are being spent. Being a politician does not entitle you to live lavishly off of the citizens dime. Public office should be sought because one wishes to enrich his/her country, not milk its citizens.

reply to post by JibbyJedi

They don't get anything from me anymore

.....then you shouldn't take anything anymore. Don't use the roads, hospitals, fire, police, utilities, or anything else we pay for jointly. If you do, then YOU will be the moocher.

reply to post by DestroyDestroyDestroy


Good words Spyder...I don't have a problem paying taxes. The concept works. Our government doesn't. My point was that I'll pay for anything that I want/need/desire. I am not looking for freebies. BUT I just want what I am paying for.

Other members here seem to think that I don't appreciate what I have versus what others don't. This couldn't be further from the truth. I just think this government is the epitome of false advertising!

This administration has done the polar opposite of what they stated they would do. That campaign was to justify the use of taxes..you know what I mean?

Originally posted by BellaSabre
reply to post by JibbyJedi

 

They don't get anything from me anymore

.....then you shouldn't take anything anymore. Don't use the roads, hospitals, fire, police, utilities, or anything else we pay for jointly. If you do, then YOU will be the moocher.

My property taxes are 4k per year, and I have to pay for auto registration and inspection, so I'm using the roads I paid for in the town I have no choice but to pay for... if I don't pay property taxes, that only go up every year, they'll steal my home that I own outright. Sounds fair to me. Whatever numbers they invent for homeowners to pay, we have no say in the matter, it's pay up or give it all up.

reply to post by MightyQuincunx


Amen!

I honestly do not have a problem with paying taxes.

What I do have a problem with is paying so many/much taxes and feeling like I got nothing for it.

Worse than that, I actually feel as though my taxes are being used to bring harm and difficulty into my life.

This sucks!

Great rant and totally on target.

We fund our own enslavement when we pay taxes
You guys can keep singing that same old song about roads and such but the fact is most of OUR tax dollars are spent on military or keeping the politicians fat and happy.
With local and the federal government getting bigger every second they need our money to pay the huge cost of keeping beast alive.
I don't have a problem with the idea of taxes, my problem id how it's being used to the detrement of us all.