Ruben Studdard (American Idol) boosting Tax Reform

[Dob Bole]

Apparently he's singing to support the fair tax stuff in Alabama:

http://www.geocities.com/sweetteademocrats/intro.htm


I hope that bill passes. It's good to see it getting some celebrity support, since the people running ads against it have all the money.

[wuushew]

1. you might want to double check your web link

[Dob Bole]

2. Thanks...

I meant "geocities," not "geocititties"

[Imalittleteapot]

3. If your link is a joke

it's not funny.:spank: If it's not a joke, please check your link.

[Dob Bole]

5. It wasn't...

Apparently someone has copyrighted the "misspelled geocities" site. I'm terrible sorry.

[Parche]

4. Idol me this

He is not a celebrity, they are not hand picked,
This ignorant American Idol thing is way too overblown

[joeybee12]

6. Studdard is not only NOT a celebrity...

...he's also not the American Idol. Voting was rigged. His vote tallies wouldn't have gotten him into the finals, much less winning it. Clay won, Kim was second, and I refuse to watch American Idol 3.

[Dob Bole]

7. On voting being rigged...

Did they use Diebold machines?

I never watched the first two American Idols, to be honest. Seemed kind of shallow.

[Isome]

8. Please, riddle me this someone...

Why the complaints about Reuben Studdard endorsing the effort? His celebrity, or lack of it, notwithstanding, he's entitled to offer his name recognition to any political cause he chooses. Not being an Alabamian, but subjected to much of Alabama's television programming, I understand Riley's belief in raising taxes as a part of the solution to the problem. In my view, he's gone out of his way to target entities with the best ability to pay them.

His plan, as I understand it, consists of tax hikes that would go towards education, healthcare and social programs. It would raise the taxes on corporations (that we already know don't pay their fair share), the property taxes for many companies, and farmerland owners (79% of the farms in Alabama would be exempt).

Critics of the plan say things like:

• SouthTrust Corp. CEO Wallace Malone, said "Riley’s tax package is too large"...
  
  
• Bob Riley’s tax plan shows Alfa Companies alone will pay $9 million in increased taxes annually, convincing evidence that revenue paid by Alabama’s insurance industry will increase
  
  
• Max W. Runge calculated that 497 of the state's 41,384 farms have more than 2,000 acres, and would be affected by the changes in current-use assessments. His final analysis was, "The bigger farms are going to pay more, and the ones that are over 2,000 acres -- it's really going to hit them hard because they don't get that current use."

I hear the loudest criticisms coming from the upper echelons of business. When they start squealing, it usually comes out in the end that there's nothing unfair going on, they just didn't want to do what the little guy does all the time: tighten his belt and pay the damn taxes due!