The Weekly Soapbox

@nettermike Ok, so? She's openly turning down business and giving it to some other realtor. 😂

This is a real, recent post from Christine Barrera, a Detroit-area realtor affiliated with eXp Realty (she specializes in investor properties). “If you voted for Donald J. Trump, I am NOT the Realtor for you. Sorry.” Christine Barrera, a Realtor, made it clear she does not want Trump voters as clients. She doesn’t want you to call, text, email, or ask her for help buying a home if you are a Trump supporter.

@atensnut Education is a State thing, anyway. The US Constitution does not provide for a federal Dept of Education.

ABSOLUTELY!!! YES… WE DID! End the INDOCTRINATION of our kids. Over half of kids can’t read or do math at grade level.

@WallStreetApes @DLMetty Election eligibility laws are supposed to be built into each state's laws and Constitutions. Petition your state legislature regarding them.

This is the PERFECT example of why foreigners should not be allowed to run for office Zul Mohammed just ran for Mayor of Carrollton, Texas. He’s from Pakistan “No vet has made any sacrifice. I want to make that clear. I do not support the US military. No, I do not support the United States. I look down on both entities. I want to make that clear” I can’t think of a better example of why only natural born citizens should be allowed to run for office Also he is a Muslim, which further enforces the classic “I do not support the United States” We need new election eligibility laws

@elonmusk Only Californians can put a stop to that.

The reason ID is banned in California (and New York) elections is to enable large-scale fraud. When you combine no ID and mail-in voting, fraud is de facto legalized.

@cb_doge It belongs at the level of the individual states. Election integrity laws need to be passed in the individual state legislatures. There is more power that way, anyway, because of the Constitutional set up of our federation of states (Which is what the US is).

"In person voting with ID, End of Story." Election integrity starts with voter ID. Without it, democracy fails.

@j_pimen @FantasticCreat9 @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 Very true. Every service out there is important to the people being served by it.

@WeeklySoapbox @FantasticCreat9 @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 Ask that person what services they want to cut and they probably won’t be able to give you an answer. Cutting spending is great as an abstract idea but is very difficult to do

Property tax is theft too.

It's unconstitutional at the federal level. Elections belong to the individual states, not the federal government, per Art 1 Sec 4 of the US Constitution: "The times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof;" Also, Article II Sec 1 cl 2 "Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector." The US Constitution, in both Articles I and 2 specifically place eligibility requirements on candidates, not voters: Article I Sec 2 cl 2 "No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen." Article I Sec 3 cl 3 "No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen." Article II Sec 1 cl 5 "No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States." The 10th amendment underscores this: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." The SAVE act belongs with the individual states. Pass it there.

This is the only way to save democracy in America

@seano21401 @tlm202103 @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 Selling the house may not be very easy right now with these interest rates.

@tlm202103 @WeeklySoapbox @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 What’s that $200k house from 30+ years ago worth today? Most likely $600k. Sell house, invest money, get 5% income, generates $30k/yr or $2,500/mo & move to a nice apartment.

@ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 No, it isn't. It's how your neighborhhod pays for necessary things like pavement, sidewalks, streetlamps, schools, and your police and fire services, just to name a few.

You're preaching to the choir. While I hold that governments need revenue to operate, too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing, and the People need to stand firm in saying no to unneccessary programs that increase taxes. We have to live within our means, and so should our governments,

@WeeklySoapbox @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 We have retail/foods/products taxes; lottery; state; all investment taxes; what does that uses for then?? Minus those spend on international warring; donation; we’ll have plenty to supports school/police/fire services and don’t even get us stsrted those categories

Let me tell you something wonderful about teachers. Especially elementary school teachers. They are in class all day patiently working to teach our children important things while being given a set of rules and demands they must comply with, whether they like it or not. All day, these often noisy and highly active little angels whose parents insist can do no wrong give their teachers a run for their money. On parent-teacher conference day, the parents do it, too. These teachers are then up all night grading papers and planning the next lesson plan, classroom decorations and more. When parents refuse to send child school supplies for their child because they think the school should do it, their child's teacher, who likely makes less money than the parents, is out there purchasing them out of their own pocket with no reimbursement from school staff or admin for doing so. On top of that - our childrens' teachers pay out of their own pocket to cover field trips and lunches when parents refuse to cooperate. Again, with no reimbursement. And classroom tools and decorations? If you guessed "out of their pockets", you are correct. They do this willfully and without complaining, whether the student comes from a rich family or a poor family. Every time schools ask for more money, it seems that it goes toward admin salaries more than to the classroom, and that's not something I am happy about. Next, it looks like you may be conflating federal funding with local. Money being sent around the world is a federal issue and that comes out of federal taxes. Your elected representation are the ones you need to take those concerns to. Democrat or Republican, I see that, like me, you do not like how they are wasting taxpayer's dollars. Please do not vote for them next time around. It is the collective effort which makes up the democratic nature of our Republic that can effect true and positive change.

@WeeklySoapbox @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 If all taxes put in good usages for those you’d mentioned; why schools req parents to donate/fund-raising; why layoff police/firemen/women and saying “We don’t have enough fundings but plenty to donate to countries like Taiwan and warring around w/other countries

It's not as cut and dried as you think. Who knew 30 and 40 years ago that things would be this bad? Plus, you have to have money to save money, and not every job out there offers retirement plans and benefits. Social Security has becomea huge rip off with Congress tapping into the funds and not paying them back. Let's don't get me started on this.

@WeeklySoapbox @tlm202103 @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 That’s why they should have saved & invested more. Their financial illiteracy is now my problem?

When people go for years without paying their property taxes, the property is put up for public bidding, where another party invests the money to pay the delinquent property taxes, and they become the lien holder. When the owner finally pays the taxes, the lien holder is reimbursed for the lien with interest. In my state, after three years of paying property taxes that have not been redeemed, the lien holder can file a document stating their intent to own the property. After seven years of paying the property taxes, unredeemed, the lien holder becomes the new owner of record and has the right to evict the now former owner and take possession of the property. Meanwhile, in most states (if not all), if the property taxes remain unpaid and no one invests in it during tax lien sales, the government may put a lien on it but may also not take possession of it -- at their discretion and/or in accordance with state laws -- until the owner dies or decides to sell the property. At that time, the property taxes may be settled.

@WeeklySoapbox @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 Literally =/= effectively. You know that. The government can seize and sell a property for unpaid taxes levied on the home, homeowners effectively hold only a "privilege" to use the land rather than absolute ownership, similar to a tenant facing eviction.

I'm so sorry you are having to deal with that -- that really sux! My 2-cents: When you purchase items, request shipment via USPS, certified and insured. If it is lost or stolen, the insurance covers it and you can get your replacement. Meanwhile, do work with law enforcement and see if your local DA's office has a victim compensation program that can help replace that camera. Best wishes!

Bought a $1,742.80 camera online from BestBuy. The FedEx delivery driver stole it. FedEx admitted it. But BestBuy won’t give a refund. They said we need to “work with local law enforcement.” Thought everyone should know if you buy from @BestBuy and a @FedEx driver steals what you paid for, your money is gone. Neither company will make it right. I’ve spent over $30K at BestBuy and will never spend another penny there.

@Neon_Crusade @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 Rent has no right of ownership or inheritance.

@WeeklySoapbox @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 Yes it is. It wasn't always this way either, we were able to cover all that with minimal taxation. The govt turned temporary and or voluntary taxes into permanent ones. Property tax on a house is effectively rent, and it can spike if they think your home is worth more.

@Amy24119891 @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 DC is federal territory, and that is why the federal government is in charge of it as a city. Meanwhile, federal income tax is a thing for all states and US territories.

@WeeklySoapbox @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 Then why the hell am I federally taxed on my income as if I live in DC?

@JohnAlway @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 I can certainly agree with that, but privatized public schools would still have to obey government laes and standards.

@WeeklySoapbox @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 Too many things aren't. The schools especially would improve by orders of magnitude if not run by the government.

@EricLDaugh @PragmaticMaemae I would never have guessed he was supposed to be Charlie Kirk. Diesn't look anything like him. He just looks like some foolish person.

🚨 WTF?!? A leftist just dressed up as Charlie Kirk to reenact his assassination at the TPUSA women's conference, and they're saying "he deserved to die" I will never coexist with this scum Straight-up human garbage behavior. Never let them obtain power again!

I've been hearing a lot about that possibility lately. On the surface, it sounds alright, but I think taxes on durable goods above a certain thershhold would work out better. More affordable. Luxury items vs everyday needs. My personal idea would be taxing items from more expensive stores but not those from say, Walmart supercenters, because of the lower quality and lower prices - - Walmart supercenters shoppers tend to be lower income, and I think they should get a break.

@WeeklySoapbox @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 Consumption taxes should cover general community needs.

@TheUnCommonEra @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 In the US, we are a society. If you want to live without laws, and in a true state if nature, good luck finding some other country to accommodate you.

@WeeklySoapbox @ksorbs @hollyjo17724829 Oh bless your humanist heart. We absolutely still live in a state of nature, still bound by her laws. It doesnt matter what some state of men decree, you cant violate consent or undo scarcity. Sorry comrade.