What is a billion?

What is a BILLION??? The next time you hear a politician use the word "billion" in a casual manner, think about whether you want the "politicians" spending your tax money. A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases. a. A billion seconds ago it was 1959. b. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive. c. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age. d. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet. e. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes , at the rate our government is spending it. While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans. It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division . Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean? a. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you each get $516,528. b. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, your home gets $1 ,329,787. c. Or, if you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012. Washington, D.C. HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken?? This is too true to be very funny Tax his land, Tax his wage, Tax his bed in which he lays. Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes is the rule. Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat. Tax his ties, Tax his shirts, Tax his work, Tax his dirt. Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think. Tax his booze, Tax his beers, If he cries, Tax his tears. Tax his bills, Tax his gas, Tax his notes, Tax his cash. Tax him good and let him know That after taxes, he has no dough. If he hollers, Tax him more, Tax him until he's good and sore. Tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in which he lays. Put these words upon his tomb, "Taxes drove me to my doom!" And when he's gone, We won't relax, We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!! Accounts Receivable Tax Building Permit Tax CDL License Tax Cigarette Tax Corporate Income Tax Dog License Tax Federal Income Tax Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) Fishing License Tax Food License Tax Fuel Permit Tax Gasoline Tax Hunting License Tax Inheritance Tax Inventory Tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax), IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Tax, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service charge taxes, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax (Truckers), Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Tax, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax. COMMENTS: Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and there was prosperity, absolutely no national debt, the largest middle class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What the hell happened????? Got this in an email, and thought I would share it. Responses? (and remember, BOTH current ruling parties have been in control during the past 100 years)...time for a change? What, and how? Making laws that protect workers has nothing to do with taxation. THAT is not where we went wrong, and the other examples show at best, no societal growth, when you take into account that environemental factors causing cancer in the workplace have replaced the lack of safety mechanisms. We just replaced one hazzard with another. Could this be because of the ineffectiveness of gov't? And their intrusion into tings that theyare nt qualified to deal with, and are poltically motivated to answer? Feo, they would suffer the same fate as the oil companies who are attached to the gov't teat... I also don't need to look to history to find homeless children in america. We have the infant mortality rate of a third world country. I don;t see how it gets worse than that. Also, seniors having to choose between medicine and food, and also being homeless.

Public Comments

1. a very large number
2. It started with FDR and snowballed from there,him and his GREAT SOCIETY. Government having it's hand in everything,including up your A**. Stalin would be proud.
3. Hmmmm
4. This has GOT to be one of the longest questions I have ever read.
5. "Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and there was prosperity, absolutely no national debt, the largest middle class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. " Actually, the rich paid the taxes back then and there were luxury taxes to be paid on luxury items. And, 100 years ago there was abject poverty in this country and senior citizens who had no money were homeless and there were alot of them. There were alot of homeless children as well. To say there was a large middle class 100 years ago isn't quite true. It was a growing middle class but the majority of people in this country were not middle class then. Many were poor farmers and sharecroppers. The poor in the cities out numbered the middle class and they worked in the factories under horrible conditions. Child labor laws were not implemented yet either. So, you need to do a little more digging into your history. The middle class is getting shafted though, you are right about that. And, the richest 3% and the corporations are making off like thieves with offshore accounts to avoid paying taxes and with huge government subsidies in the billions in the form of grants. Those are going to corporations that are already hugely profitable. And they are being paid to take their businesses to other countries by our tax dollars.
6. But, but but but... If we got rid of all those taxes, what would happen to the welfare babies attached to Uncle Sam's teat? That's RACISM! How DARE you suggest such a thing!