Lawmakers Give "spammed" New Meaning

[blim]

Hi All,

Actually this was in our April 2 newspaper--

OLYMPIA, Wash.--Lawmakers want to slip a secret ingredient into the state budget: Spam.

Along with tax increases on cigarettes and hard liquor, the recently released Senate budget proposal would slap a higher tax on canned meat.

Spam, Vienna sausages, potted ham, chili con carne--no tinned meat would be spared the higher tax rate. While the business tax is paid by the producer, taxes have a way of trickling down the food chain.

One taxpayer was outraged.

"They're actually raising taxes on poor people who can't really afford it.", said Richard Wilson. "You know they don't have much money if they're eating chili out of a can"

Even some who believe lawmakers should raise taxes to pay for human services felt a twinge of sorrow.

"I'm torn between my love for Vienna sausages and my love for state services," confessed Olympia lobbyist Lauren Moughon, who called the canned meat product a "guilty, guilty pleasure."

With a budget shortfall of $1.6 billion for the upcoming two-year budget cycle, legislators say they'll take money where they can get it--including a tin of meat.

"Guess I better stock up on jalapeno chili," said Debbie Culwell, a state employee on her lunch break.

Maybe our Muskegon Comical fell for an April Fools joke??? Found it funny none the less. *everyone join me in singing Monty Python's Spam Song* Liz

[robroy]

spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam

spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam

just in case you weren't sure of the words to the song

[thesidekickcat]

I haven't lived in Washington for many years, but since Vancouver, Wa, is so close

(just across the Columbia river from Portland and considered part of our metro area) we get some news on what is going on over there.

So I did see this on the news the other day. They treated it like it was a joke to slap a tax on food. The only question I have is I thought all human food (no beer or soda pop) was exempt from Wa. sales taxes??? If they are going to piecemeal put it back on bit by bit, then Washingtonians should be in an uproar. Some areas are up to about 9% sales tax. Not good for people trying to feed a family, or the many low income people, or the barely getting by seniors. This should be put on the ballot, all food exempt or all of it on sales tax not just some stuff one way or another. Or perhaps some politician recalls need to be considered for violating original sales tax policy

Oh well, even more people will be shopping in Oregon with our zero sales tax.

I am sure glad I moved out of Washington many years ago, and the best part was learning I didn't have to calculate ahead how much to "pay the governor" every time I bought something to be sure I had enough money to buy it.

Though we have our own problems here in Oregon with politicians and high property taxes and high income taxes. Ugh.

Both states have talked about "adding the missing third leg" to tax systems. But if Oregon slaps us with a sales tax, or Washington adds an income tax, then you will probably be reading about lynch mobs taking out the politicians that did it.

God bless everyone.

[blim]

Hi Sidekickcat,

So they honestly are considering something so silly as to tax canned meat?? I truly thought it was an April Fools prank that got past our paper's Editor! If so, that is outrageous--I take an 80 year old shopping every Tuesday and canned meat is the perfect for her to get her protein--good portion size and easy. Sure hope this doesn't go through.

In MI we don't pay tax on food (6% on fastfood and "goods" and ridiculous property, income, cigarette, liquor taxes) but healthy, non processed food is outrageously priced--the tourists are always complaining in the grocery stores. The grocers blame Michigan's short growing season---yet when I was in Denmark, which has a shorter season than we do, all us Mi folks were amazed at the cheap produce prices and eating like crazy!

[thesidekickcat]

As far as I know it was a real news story about canned meat to be taxed if Governor Gregoire (sp?) gets her budget passed with it still in it.

You might have heard, this was the governor (democrat) that had to wait for recount after recount after recount to win office due to the close horse race. Still many feel she is in office illegally, due to so many illegal ballots being counted as ok. including known felons, and dead voters. Lots of unhappy people after the election was certified with her as winner.

By the way, I don't know if it is just me or if anyone else thinks the same thing, but to me seeing her on tv news and in campaign ads I think she looks like Hillary Clinton enough at least to be a double in a movie for instance. Uncanny. Though I haven't heard anyone else mention the resemblence.

As for taxes on stuff, I can't remember if it was Oregon or Washington that wants to double ? the cigarette tax. The good news on that is that more people might consider quitting smoking due to cost?

Produce is high cost here too. And so is most other food unless it is on sale. The stores in this area do deep discount sales, rather than decent average prices. Even the stores that swear to be low cost every day are high price on alot of stuff. I buy sale items, bulk food, and do coupons when I can.

We are usually are in the top 2 or 3 for gasoline prices, to add more burden to the high cost of living here. Sure glad our little 1990 Subaru Justy gets good mileage still. About 35 mpg winter mix and a bit higher for summer mix. We want a new Subaru, but the mileage stinks! (not crazy about the colors either!) Our Justy is the 3rd Subaru we have had since 1970. Drive them til the repairs aren't feasible any more. But we have been pretty lucky with them, in spite of some having odd little annoying quirks here and there. And the good car mileage makes up for the few trips we drive the Motorhome (Ford engine) each year, which doesn't like passing gas stations, and has an ongoing love affair with repair shops! But it does keep us busy at times praying for it every mile, or inch, depending on how far we are from help!

God bless everyone.

[macmarauder]

spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam

spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam

just in case you weren't sure of the words to the song

now i have that song stuck in my head.

(inducing manual file extraction.)

(drill noises)

all better

(begin drooling)

[martymas]

hi team just caught the tail end of a ticker tape article on cnn.

email spammer legisilation to be looked into in the usa.by the consumer institute

it seems 156 spam emails about the pope alone.

but the bush administration .isnt to keen on the idea.

some thing about freedom of expression.

what a load of crap.

before the presedential election.

the republican party were screaming about how spamming was abusing peoples rights .

i posted about it many times.

now because they are down in the polls

they are starting this b-----t again.

spam is near impossable to stop .unless you get to the source.

i had mail washer .

which was supposed to block spam by bouncing the emails back.

how long did it last 2 years.

then the spammers started to change their addresses.

so now we are going round in a never ending cycle.

i get spam emails from medical suppliers .

and i block them. changed my email address 3 times.

tho that has been effective since .

but i read where most if it is generated by big bizness .

hiding behind an alias .

has any one seen the article in the usa news media

freedom of rights is all bu-----t .

it is freedom to exploit.

god i get angry when i see, all this stuff when some one wants to .

make them selves popular.

all that software that is supposed to stop this stuff

does nothing.

that is why when i see people on these boards sending links for these applications

to stop this stuff .i presume they are sales men for those companys.

if it does its job.

why dosent it do what it supposed to.

every day a new one emerges

so they cant be that successful.

ok it is early in the morning and ive had my gripe.

now some take me to task.

marty