on the phone:Donald Trump

[kimba1]

thank you
I really got no idea how to find that kind of information.

[Xavier_Onassis]

In 2007, the median annual household income rose 1.3% to $50,233.00 according to the Census Bureau.

And Inflation is running well over that.

First, there's the cost of fuel: gasoline and natural gas.
Then, there is the usual bit with health insurance: the employer has this NEW PLAN, with higher co-pays, fewer benefits and a higher premium, and the employee can take it or leave it: it's all there is.

[Amianthus]

Then, there is the usual bit with health insurance: the employer has this NEW PLAN, with higher co-pays, fewer benefits and a higher premium, and the employee can take it or leave it: it's all there is.

Anybody who isn't at the hospital a few times a year shouldn't ever use that type of insurance plan.

High deductible with an associated HSA is the way to go. I have a $5,000 deductible, then 100% up to $5,000,000. Costs like $400 a month with much of that paid by my employer. My contributions to the HSA are pre-tax, the amount rolls over from year to year, and when I go to the doctor, they file the claim, then the insurance company takes it out of my HSA so I don't need to take any money with me to the doctor. A modest monthly contribution to my HSA (less than $50) covers all of my normal expenses for the year.

Also, a BTW: I have never worked for an employer that had only one insurance plan. Ever. Must be a "union shop" thing.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Also, a BTW: I have never worked for an employer that had only one insurance plan. Ever. Must be a "union shop" thing.

Where I taught, they offered several plans. Every time they changed companies, however, the new plans all cost more and provided fewer benefits than the old plan.  Everyone has this same problem, no matter what the plan they have is. And that was my point. Inflation at around 6% and wage increases at 1.5% means that one more years has passed in which you are paid LESS in real dollars. This has been going on for a long time now. Productivity has increased a huge amount, but most employees have not benefited from it to any meaningful degree.
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I have never worked in any union plan. Years ago, when fate gave us a dolt for a college president that fired the entire science department a month before the fall term, my colleagues and I tried to form a union, and worked at getting a union contract for 11 long years. Reagan (though the goons he appointed to the NLRB) and his courts made it impossible to form a union at any private college or university with what is called the Yeshiva decision.

You have not seen the worst human scum until you have sat across the table from a goddamned unionbusting lawyer pretending to negotiate.

There is no right to organize in private higher education in the USA. It is possible only in theory.

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A high deductible means that you pay out of pocket up to the amount of the deductible, PLUS the $400 a month paid by you and your employer, doesn't it?

[Amianthus]

A high deductible means that you pay out of pocket up to the amount of the deductible, PLUS the $400 a month paid by you and your employer, doesn't it?

Yes, but that's the point of the HSA. However, unless you USE the insurance frequently, the difference in monthly premiums plus costs builds up to the deductible in under 2 years. After that period of time, you're saving money. And if anything catastrophic happens, you are completely covered (the HSA funds the deductible, then the insurance pays 100%). That's why they're frequently called "catastrophic policies". Also, many have one time premium payments for a decreasing term policy to cover the deductible while you're building up your HSA. The one I just signed up for earlier this year had one of those - it was a one time payment of $30, and if you had to go into the hospital the first month, they covered 100% of the deductible. If it was the second month, they covered a bit less, a bit less the third month, etc.

It's definitely the way to go if you're healthy. If you're in the hospital every year at least once or twice, you probably are better off with a more traditional policy (because you don't have the time to save up the deductible in the HSA). Plus, the HSA is completely portable - if you switch plans, you take your HSA with you to the new plan.

[Plane]

The Juniorbush taxcuts have already pitted one class against another. Those who benefit the most from our inherently unfair capitalist system pay the least percentage in taxes.

A lot of the Poor pay no income tax, is that who you mean?

[Knutey]

In 2007, the median annual household income rose 1.3% to $50,233.00 according to the Census Bureau.

Of course it did.The 2007 census reflected 2006 numbers before the effect of the Bushidiots incompetence took hold.  The rich got richer dragging the median up. Since then things have gotten rastically worse:
http://povertyblog.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/us-property-prices-come-down-poverty-goes-up/

[Xavier_Onassis]

The Juniorbush taxcuts have already pitted one class against another. Those who benefit the most from our inherently unfair capitalist system pay the least percentage in taxes.




A lot of the Poor pay no income tax, is that who you mean?
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No. Duh.  And of course not.

I mean the poor pay a higher percentage in TAXES of ALL KINDS.
If you spend most of your income on surviving, you pay sales taxes in nearly every state. There are no sales taxes on investments.
If you rent, you do nto get any 'homestead exemption', and you pay your landlord's much higher property taxes, included in your rent.
If you are employed, Social Security is slightly less than 14% of your wages.
If you drive, you pay gasoline taxes, license plate taxes and such.

The net result is that the poor make a tiny fraction of what the rich make, but pay a higher percent of what they earn in taxes.

[Knutey]

Every year, the percentage the wealthiest 2% earns has grown, and the percentage the poorest 50% earns has shrunk.

Did this not happen during the Clinton boom years?

Arent you tired of blaming everything on Bill even after almost 8 years of RW rule?

[BT]

Arent you tired of blaming everything on Bill even after almost 8 years of RW rule?

Who is blaming Clinton?

I'm trying to quantify a trend.

If it pleases you, was this happening all the way back to the Eisenhower admin?

[Plane]

The Juniorbush taxcuts have already pitted one class against another. Those who benefit the most from our inherently unfair capitalist system pay the least percentage in taxes.




A lot of the Poor pay no income tax, is that who you mean?
=================================================
No. Duh.  And of course not.

I mean the poor pay a higher percentage in TAXES of ALL KINDS.
If you spend most of your income on surviving, you pay sales taxes in nearly every state. There are no sales taxes on investments.
If you rent, you do nto get any 'homestead exemption', and you pay your landlord's much higher property taxes, included in your rent.
If you are employed, Social Security is slightly less than 14% of your wages.
If you drive, you pay gasoline taxes, license plate taxes and such.

The net result is that the poor make a tiny fraction of what the rich make, but pay a higher percent of what they earn in taxes.

Which of these things did Bush increase?

[Xavier_Onassis]

Which of these things did Bush increase?

This was unnecessary, as real wages under Junior Bush went DOWN.

Prices for rent, food and fuel went up precipitously, and wages either did not go up, went up more slowly than the cost of living, or, in the case of people who lost their good jobs and had to take crappier, lower paying jobs, the percentage of their incomes paid in taxes went UP, and their standard of living went DOWN



The wealthy got large tax breaks, and their incomes went up much faster, so the percentage of their income paid in taxes went DOWN.
This means that taxes, as a percentage of wages went DOWN and their standard of living went UP.

[Plane]

Which of these things did Bush increase?

This was unnecessary, as real wages under Junior Bush went DOWN.

Prices for rent, food and fuel went up precipitously, and wages either did not go up, went up more slowly than the cost of living, or, in the case of people who lost their good jobs and had to take crappier, lower paying jobs, the percentage of their incomes paid in taxes went UP, and their standard of living went DOWN



The wealthy got large tax breaks, and their incomes went up much faster, so the percentage of their income paid in taxes went DOWN.
This means that taxes, as a percentage of wages went DOWN and their standard of living went UP.

That seems kinda complicated , you don't mean that for most of the Bush Presidency most of us did very well , but not as well as you would have liked?

Untill quite recently buying power was increaseing across the board , but quite recently unemployment has gone up , the Dollar has gone down .

Is there any regret that so much whineing during the years that unemployment was down and the Dollar was up has robbed the complaint of strength now that it has become more legitimate?

I think we have had a slow economy for five months , and unwarranted complaining during a good economy for the previous five years.

If the economy continues to slow it may slide into what used to be called a "soft landing".

[Xavier_Onassis]

Untill quite recently buying power was increaseing across the board , but quite recently unemployment has gone up , the Dollar has gone down .
++++++++++++++++++++

This isn;t true.
______________________________________________
Is there any regret that so much whineing during the years that unemployment was down and the Dollar was up has robbed the complaint of strength now that it has become more legitimate?
What?
_________________________________________________
I think we have had a slow economy for five months , and unwarranted complaining during a good economy for the previous five years.
I bet that IS what you think. But it's not actually true. Why would people complain if they were not worse off?
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If the economy continues to slow it may slide into what used to be called a "soft landing".
That sounds like somewhat wishful thinking. I doubt you can describe a "soft landing". The economy never lands, it is a dynamic phenomena. It never slows down to a speed of zero, and it it did, that would be disasterous.
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Electing Obama would signal a major change in the world attitude about the world's economy being on a new track, and will tend to boost the economy. If troops leave Iraq, that would cause another boost.

McCain might cause a minor boost in the US, but not abroad, where he is seen as an elderly version of Juniorbush.

[Plane]

Untill quite recently buying power was increaseing across the board , but quite recently unemployment has gone up , the Dollar has gone down .
++++++++++++++++++++

This isn;t true.
______________________________________________
Is there any regret that so much whineing during the years that unemployment was down and the Dollar was up has robbed the complaint of strength now that it has become more legitimate?
What?
_________________________________________________
I think we have had a slow economy for five months , and unwarranted complaining during a good economy for the previous five years.
I bet that IS what you think. But it's not actually true. Why would people complain if they were not worse off?
---------------------------------------------------------
If the economy continues to slow it may slide into what used to be called a "soft landing".
That sounds like somewhat wishful thinking. I doubt you can describe a "soft landing". The economy never lands, it is a dynamic phenomena. It never slows down to a speed of zero, and it it did, that would be disasterous.
____________________________________________________

Electing Obama would signal a major change in the world attitude about the world's economy being on a new track, and will tend to boost the economy. If troops leave Iraq, that would cause another boost.

McCain might cause a minor boost in the US, but not abroad, where he is seen as an elderly version of Juniorbush.

Growth can slow , and it can reverse but the very sudden changes are the most upsetting .

Takeing a longer view , there is a lot of potential for recovering , even though things are slideing into reverse right now.

I just heard that Georgias unemployment has hit a 15 year high , this is quite sudden , we were doing quite well two months ago.