Progressive Taxation

Progressive taxation rates are unethical and need to be changed. The media likes to say the rich need to pay their fair share and I will show that if everyone paid the same percentage of their income without all the loopholes the current tax system has the government would be better off. This is an ethical issue that needs to be addressed by our current and future leaders to help eliminate the extraordinary amount of debt our country currently has to reimburse. Utilitarianism is that an action is right if it tends to promote happiness and wrong if it tends to produce the reverse of happiness [1].It also involves the happiness of the performer of the action but also that of everyone affected by it. This would lead the current system of progressive taxation since those involved in creating the current tax system believe it is fair to all involved. The poor would see the rich pay a higher percentage of their income to fund the government and the items that they provide. Unfortunately th is country has been using this type of taxation and now it has a tremendous debt to repay. So our current taxation system must not be working if we are not taking in the amount needed to pay our yearly government expenses.Relativism is the belief that everyone has their own version of the solution to the problem. It is also a concept that states points have no truth or validity, but only a subjective value [2]. The discussion of progressive taxation is not one that many people want to change. Everyone that thinks a fair taxation of a flat percentage is afraid it will not promote happiness among those that would have an increase in taxes. This theory would allow us to give the chance to try a flat tax to see if indeed it would increase the income this country generates along with removing tax loop holes allowing some people to avoid paying what they should.My view is more of the relativism type of view. I believe that for our country to avoid a horrible financial crisis we must try t o generate more income and everyone must pay their fair share which would be of an equal percentage of their income. Progression has been  in use somewhere in the world for thousands of years. It is safe to say the debate on its merits goes back at least that far. At the present most nations employ some form of progressive taxation. The first time there was a federal income tax it was imposed in 1861 as a means of financing the Civil War.The tax rates were decreased after the war and the income tax was allowed to expire in 1872. The concept of an income tax was controversial so when a new income tax was levied in 1894 it was challenged in the courts. In 1895 it was found to be unconstitutional. It was not until 1913, with the ratification of the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, that the first constitutionally sanctioned income tax was enacted. The first income tax was a progressive tax [3]. Today, we Americans are paying the highest taxes in our nation's history. The current ta x system is complex and includes several inequities.It penalizes those who are married by making them pay higher taxes than single individuals. Many Americans face a death tax that will claim a large portion of their estate after they die. We need to get rid of our confusing, unfair tax code and replace it with a simple flat tax with one rate with no deductions or special interest loopholes [4]. The overly complicated tax code creates an unnecessary burden on all Americans, with an annual compliance cost estimated to be $365 billion. The extensive nine million plus word document is complex and unfair.It inhibits saving, investment, and creating jobs along with imposing a heavy burden on American families. At the same time, the tax code reduces economic growth. The code is so complex with all of the deductions, credits, and other preferences added to the tax code by the special interest lobbyists. It is because of these loopholes, taxpayers with similar incomes can end up paying diff erent amounts in taxes. This uneven treatment of taxpayers is fundamentally unethical and is not part of the American value of equality under the law.The tax code should be replaced with a new code that is simple to understand, has low rates, that is flat and fair. The new flat tax as outlined in Heritage’s ‘Saving the American Dream’ plan, would replace the current tax system with a simple tax system that would allow America to achieve its full economic potential [5]. It has to be honest in order to help promote economic growth. It will do this while removing disparities in the tax code at the same time. The existing tax system is wrong, especially in its complication and its decrease of our economic audacity.The tax system is complex and it is forced upon all taxpayers. The low income must journey thru the extremely hard to understand Earned Income Credit. Those who can save some money must overcome the loss of confidence and go through the hassle of trying to understand the tax rates and manage the different forms of saving. Businesses investing in new equipment must pay extra to get equity capital and must then overcome the tax hurdles added on their vested interests. This results in a deranged tax system which results in a much smaller economy. The need for tax reform is clear.The tax reform proposals such as the traditional flat tax would only solve part of the problem by regenerating or changing the federal individual and corporate income taxes. A new flat tax would replace income taxes, as well as the death tax, payroll taxes and all tariffs not set aside for a trust fund. Under a flat tax taxpayers will handle a single tax. The design of a flat tax is because of the need for a more rational tax system. Unavoidable high tax rates combined with unethical rules have altered the economic decisions of businesses and families. This leaves the economy in a complete weaker position by these perversions.We need a stronger economy and that i s the goal of a flat tax. It would obtain this goal by achieving an economically neutral tax base and by lowering the tax rates. The amount of taxation and the degree of redistribution are questions that will need to be answered and be separate from the primary question of taxation. Simulations have suggested a flat tax would meet this test of generating enough revenue and would leave the allotment of the federal tax load fundamentally unchanged. A better economy would create more jobs, increased wages and greater economic safeness.The economy has enjoyed economic growth in recent decades along with too many recessions and high unemployment. While this has been happening China and India are regularly gaining strength, and America must act to match their rise. Tax reform would be a good place to start in gaining and advance America’s economic strength for the years ahead. The federal tax code is very complicated and hard for most to understand. Thanks to personal computers and tax software it has created an issue with policymakers in Washington to create tax complexities that tax professionals can have issues understanding.There are too many credits, exemptions and deductions and many of them are subject to special rules and only are allowed at certain amounts of income. With all of this complexity individual taxpayers suffer minor compared to the outrageous rules and exceptions businesses suffer thru. As bad as the complexity is the drain on the economic system by our federal tax system is worse. High tax rates have discouraged all levels of productive activity. Our corporate income tax rate is almost the highest in the industrialized world and higher than the average of our international competitors. The economy is further decreased y the existents system’s impulse to overtax saving which means people are discouraged from saving enough for their retirement and for the large investments. This steers consumers toward debt and everyone towards an a bbreviated economic security. These reactions will lead to a depressed level of national savings which will lower investment opportunities. The federal tax system should not be this hard to understand and damaging to the U. S. economy. It is this way because for many decades Congresses have twisted the system often creating two new issues while trying to solve one issue.The income tax has turned to be a bad decision from its outset. After many Congresses it continues to get worse without any exceptions. A stronger economy would be a vital role in advancing the federal finances. This would create better levels of tax revenue and create less spending needs for the unemployed. A strong economy offers increased wages and increased job opportunities to the citizens of our tax base. This would create less poverty and with less poverty comes fewer demands for welfare. A flat tax would be a complete reform of the entire federal tax system as with most previous tax reform proposals.The flat tax can be started as a single tax plan or as part of a more complete rewriting of our government’s federal fiscal policy. A flat tax would offer astounding understanding for individuals and businesses. It would create much greater clarity so that we taxpayers would be more convinced the taxes that are paid are in close to the amount of their neighbors. It will also allow taxpayers to be more informed about the costs of running our government. The flat tax will free the potential for the American economy to grow without being burdened by high tax rates.American taxpayers spend an average of 26. 5 hours processing and preparing their tax returns [6]. However companies and wealthy people hire teams of professionals to play the system. How is that fair? A flat tax treats everybody the same. You don’t have to worry about missing deductions that the other guy is taking. Other countries in the world have adopted the flat tax, even former Communist countries. Why can’t the United States? Those other countries have understood that a flat tax reduces the incentive to play the system.Because of its simplicity and low tax rate, a flat tax encourages people to stop cheating and honestly report their income. They can be assured that both the rich and the poor are paying the same rates and taking the same deductions. We save time and money and make our country more competitive in the world. A flat tax would replace our existing tax system with a very simple single rate system that would only tax individual’s incomes only once, offers businesses with an economical investment-friendly tax, and replace all federal income taxes along with payroll taxes.This will prove that progressive taxation rates need to be eliminated to allow for a fair and balanced tax rate that all Americans can feel is fair. We do not need to be overtaxed, but equally taxed. We need to save our country from bankruptcy and save it so our children’s children will have a p lace to call home. We need to keep America the greatest country in the world without having the future generations force to pay even higher taxes because our government officials can’t stop spending the money they do not have to spend. 1 – www. utilitarianism. com – Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, plato. stanford. edu 3 – Hoover Institution, Stanford University, www. hoover. org/publications/policy-review/article/72291 4 – Freedom Works, www. freedomworks. org/issues/flat-tax 5 – The Heritage Foundation, www. heritage. org/research/factsheets/2012/01/the-new-flat-tax-encourages-growth-and-job-creation 6 – David Keating, A Taxing Trend: The Rise in Complexity, Forms, and Paperwork Burdens (National Taxpayers Union, April 18, 2011), 13. Available at: http://www. ntu. org/news-and-issues/taxes/tax-reform/ntupp130. html (April 20, 2012)

Social Networking Addiction

The last decade witnessed an explosion of social networks such as Myspace and Facebook, which added a new social dimension to the web. While such networks have made people, communities and groups with shared interests stay more â€Å"connected,† Internet addiction and social network addiction in particular also started being recognized as psychological disorders all over the world. While several 90? studies focused on Internet addiction, the next decade saw the growth of a new addiction related to all manner of social networking sites, especially the current king of the jungle: Facebook. In a recent study from the University of Athens, Greek psychiatrists argued that a woman who had gone as far as losing her job on account of her compulsion to check and update her Facebook, could be identified as a â€Å"social network addict. † Of course, there are different levels of social network addiction. Another recent study carried out at a Czech University analyzed Facebook-related academic procrastination. Though based on a sample too small to draw any general conclusions, one interesting finding of the research was that people tended to be unaware of just how much time they really spent on Facebook, and the effect this might have on their academic performance. On the other hand, it has been noted that there may be a correlation between low self-esteem and a sense of social inadequacy and social network addiction. It seems that many types of social interaction which would present great challenges in the real world for certain types of individuals have been rendered much easier for them in the virtual world, thus putting them at a higher risk of becoming addicted to Facebook and the like. A Mexican study found that Facebook addicts (a category defined by reportedly spending over four hours everyday on Facebook) had a higher incidence of depression and lower physical and general self-esteem levels than less frequent Facebook users. There are many factors that determine the characteristics of Internet and social network addictions in different parts of the world. The nature and scope of these problems are not only affected by technological advancement and the number of computers connected to the Internet per capita and other such quantitative data, but cultural factors are also key in determining the local incidence of these addictions. While social network addiction is not included in the DSM IV, many researchers advocated its inclusion in DSM V, which is currently under way. For example, in a 2008 editorial for the American Journal of Psychiatry, IAD (Internet Addiction Disorder) inclusion advocate Dr. Jerald Block cited the case of South Korea, stating that: After a series of 10 cardiopulmonary-related deaths in Internet cafes  and a game-related murder, South Korea considers Internet addiction one of its most serious public health issues. Using data from 2006, the South Korean government estimates that approximately 210,000 South Korean children (2. %; ages 6–19) are afflicted and require treatment. About 80% of those needing treatment may need psychotropic medications, and perhaps 20% to 24% require hospitalization. Since the average South Korean high school student spends about 23 hours each week gaming, another 1. 2 million are believed to be at risk for addiction and to require basic counseling. In particular, therapists worry about the increasing number of individuals dropping out from school or work to spend time on computers. As of June 2007, South Korea has trained 1,043 counselors in the treatment of Internet addiction and enlistedover 190 hospitals and treatment centers. Nevertheless, the DSMV V draft released earlier this year revealed â€Å"work group members decided there was insufficient research data† to include Internet addiction in the newly created â€Å"behavioral addictions† category. It has been over 13 years since pioneer Kimberley S. Young adapted the DSM IV criteria for gambling addictions to define Internet addiction. While her proposed diagnosis criteria have virally spread (to use a familiar term related to social networking) all over the world, it seems that the scientific community is not yet ready to reach a consensus as to what this type of addiction entails. Social networks have changed the ways we interact with each other enormously. One thing that has changed dramatically is the concept of meeting people. This was brought to my attention a couple of weeks ago, when I met a musician for the first time, whom I had casually crossed online a couple of times. Oddly enough, none of us acted as if this were a â€Å"first meeting. † Another thing that called my attention was when another musician said from the stage â€Å"thank you for coming; because a lot of people say they are attending on Facebook but they never show up. † This also made me think about how much time we are devoting to talking about Facebook, even when we are offline, and how many times we log on to Facebook to show our friends something, even during actual person-to-person meetings or social gatherings. Every drug has a gratification component, and, if social networks are causing an addiction, they must have one too. A very interesting study from the University of Bath tried to identify these gratifications, concluding that: Users derive a variety of uses and gratifications from social networking sites, including traditional content gratification alongside building social capital, communication, surveillance and social networking surfing. The different uses and gratifications relate differentially to patterns of usage, with social connection gratifications tending to lead to increased frequency of use, and content gratifications to increased time spent on the site. While the incidence of social network addictions in other parts of the world may not be as dramatic as Internet gaming addictions, for example, seem to be in some Asian countries, the rapid growth of social networks both in reach and in the number of interaction possibilities, poses new problems everyday for the elaboration of solid diagnostic criteria. From academic procrastination to social impairment as far as real physical interactions are concerned, diminished productivity at work and physical problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle; there seem to be enough problems related to Internet and social network addictions to give researchers enough to work on for many years to come. References Karaiskos, D. , Tzavellas, E. , Balta, G. , & Paparrigopoulos, T. (2010). P02-232 – Social network addiction : a new clinical disorder? European Psychiatry, 25, 855-855 DOI:10. 1016/S0924-9338(10)70846-4 Holbova, P. Academic procrastination on Facebook. Masaryk University, Czech Republic. Herrera, M. , Pacheco, M. , Palomar, J. , Zavala, D. Facebook Addiction Related to Low Self-Esteem, Depression and Lack of  Social Skills. Psicologia Iberoamericana,  Vol. 18 No. 1 (2010). Block, J. (2008). Issues for DSM-V: Internet Addiction  American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(3), 306-307 DOI:  10. 1176/appi. ajp. 2007. 07101556 Report on the American Psychiatric Association’s revisions for DSM V. YOUNG, K. (1998). Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical DisorderCyberPsychology & Behavior, 1  (3), 237-244 DOI:  10. 1089/cpb. 1998. 1. 237

Brief Guide on conducting projects involving Hazardous Materials

The faculty of projects involving dangerous biological materials (including recombinant DNA), radioactive materials or hazardous chemical waste must be approved beforehand and comply with all relevant government regulations. SIUC 's Environmental Health and Safety Center (453 - 7180) oversees the following approval committees and supervises compliance. In-house biosafety committee and biosafety officer of Biosafety SIUC are responsible for ensuring that faculty members engaged in dangerous biomaterial research comply with recently published federal and state research standards. Hazardous Substance Management 13. Harmful substances may be used as raw materials or produced by projects. In case unavoidable, the customer avoids or minimizes release of dangerous goods. In this case, it is necessary to evaluate the production, transportation, handling, storage and use of hazardous materials for project activities. If hazardous substances are intended to be used for manufacturing processes or other tasks, the customer considers a less dangerous alternative. Customers avoid manufacturing, trading and using chemical substances and hazardous materials prohibited by international ban or law. Toxicological effects of hazardous substances may be local or systemic. Local injuries include parts of the body that come into contact with dangerous substances and are usually caused by reactive or corrosive chemicals such as strong acids, bases, oxidants, etc. Systemic lesions include tissues or organs that are unrelated to or removed from the contact site when the toxin is transported through the bloodstream. Certain hazardous substances may affect target organs. Physical effects of substances also depend on acute or chronic toxicity. Acute toxicity can occur with a single brief exposure, but this is usually very rapid and usually reversible. Long-term repeated exposure can cause chronic toxicity. The effect is usually lagging progressive and may be irreversible Annex C Hazardous Materials HAZMAT In consideration of the technical nature of the threat, NRT-1 of the National Response Team, Dangerous Goods Emergency Planning Guidelines and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Hazard Analysis Technology Guidelines to Address the HAZMAT Plan's Needs It must be used as a main source of information. Other useful guidelines include the Department of Transportation (DOT), the co-issued chemical analysis procedure manual of EPA and FEMA, and the planning part of the DOT agreement and coordinated FEMA's public sector hazardous material training guidelines. . The planning team should use the guide and this annex to complete the hazard analysis and to identify the unique planning requirements to be addressed at the EOP. Hazardous substance hazard work definition

SAB 310 UNIT 1 DICUSS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SAB 310 UNIT 1 DICUSS - Essay Example On the other hand, in October 1987 one of the most vocal religious speakers Jerry Falwell praised an athlete Kevin Edwards; a praise that led the congregation cheer (Rader, 2008). Today, Americans participate in the Super Sunday termed as the country’s biggest religious holiday. Such a revolution has brought about pros and cons of hosting sporting events on Sunday. Most games played on the Lord’s Day reflect devotion to sports and faith through deeply spiritual themes. Through hosting sporting events on Sunday like the Super Bowl, the non-observant persons cram in for spectacle. Event elements such as event fighter jet flyovers, national anthem, and awards integrate a liturgy that brings participants together. The event ends into a festal offering. Sunday sporting events offer convergence for sports, and politics, reuniting all aspects of social life. As a result, more revenue is raised from Sunday hosted sports. The Super Bowl has continued to get bigger and bigger each year banqueted with elaborate and well-articulated food traditions as well as broadcast reaching most people. Religious aspect of football is substituting the deteriorating religious practices and social engagements. It is noted that for two decades, the number of people attending religious services on Sunday has been declining while those attending Sunday sports increase. A steep and steady decline in civic engagement continues to increase. American sports history indicate a fervent revolution turning sports into a religion. The spirit driving the importance of sports in the contemporary American culture depicts sports as a religion. Marin Marty’s definition of an atheist as one who does not care about the outcome of a football match. This implies that Sunday sports will continue to be beneficial in the sport

Content Analysis of the text Conflict using Boundry Crossing Essay

Content Analysis of the text Conflict using Boundry Crossing Techniques - Essay Example Eventually conflict is a product of miscommunication or misunderstanding. During discourses, conflict arises whenever parties or people tend to insist their own ideas that do not fit to the others. The result is for the others to respond negatively to particular claims, hence bringing them into a complex conflict situation. It is a chaotic incidence when during conflict situation all those who are involved in the conflict situation shout to each other insisting their needs, ideas or belief. How language is being conceptualized in during these heated conversations? Most of the conflicts that happened are caused by the gravity of words being thrown by a particular person or group against the other. Words are powerful element that can make someone’s temper rise to the extent of conflicts that can not be resolved. Even in marital conflicts, mostly it is the words from both parties that make relationships wrecked. A woman could be nagging to man. In response, man will shout to the woman blaming her for a lot of things. The woman will also blame the man for all of his short comings. Out of that situation, language is conceptualized. Conflict started because of assigning blame to each other manifested in harsh words (Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen, 1999). It is driven by emotions, and such things make conflict worse. However, conflict could be made lighter, once husband and wife talk about the problems, wherein conflict is managed and resolved (Robinson, J., 1997). Conflict could be measured on varying levels. This is to give us an idea how it can be measured and the corresponding effects. The more people is involved in the conflict, the more people is affected, then the higher the level it is. Forms of conflict may be interpersonal, group, and organizational conflict (Dewine, S., Gibson, Melissa, K., and Smith, Matthew J., 1999). The effect of conflict would be

Near and Middle East ( Martyrdom is nothing without remembrance and Essay

Near and Middle East ( Martyrdom is nothing without remembrance and without the cultural industry that keeps the martyr alive after death. Discuss.) - Essay Example The custom is that martyrdom carries with it the diverse cultural diligence as this keeps the martyr alive even after his demise. Unlike the other cultures around the globe, the history of the Middle East goes back to the ancient times (Verkaaik, 2004, P. 138). All along, the Near East has rocked the world affairs through its unprecedented political and religious affiliations. Discussion of its ancient history puts the name ‘Near East’ at the center stage. This is the reason as to why there is the historical origin of major world religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The first and the latter have famed for the rite of the martyrdom and they see to it that reminisce is part of their culture (Varzi & Roxann, 2006, P.70). In this modern times, the Middle region/East or the Near East, remains a strategically, politically, culturally, economically and the religiously sensitive zone. First, martyrdom was a transition. A look back to history states that the transition from revolutionary zeal to war fanaticism came as a smooth phase. For example, a telecast broadcast in 1981 at Tehran University served to put this ideology of martyrdom a great stance (Moallem, 2005, P. 108). The speaker whom by history goes down as the martyr of the said creed, Hashemi Rafsanjani, publicly asserted that the public begged to become a shahids. As per his words, he said that the public cries, it sheds tears and implore their commanders to, at least, take them along on the nightly operations in order to become a shahid (Talebi, 2012, P.134). This creed on a nation broadcast, with millions of people listening came an awakening call as to how sacrificing for the name of religion, Islamic in particular, could measure as an incitement to the other religions with different affiliations. In the view of this nation, this religious understanding of Hashemi, theirs was not a radicalization cal l; it was simply a cry to sacrifice for their remembrance of holy Allah. To them, this

Air pollution in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Air pollution in China - Essay Example country claiming that the country would continue to grow its economy relying on the energy inefficient industries and using the polluting agents (Feng, 1999). However, the studies claim that the cost of pollution would oppose the development a feature that has begun stagnating development endeavors in the country as the discussion below portrays. The introductory paragraph above states that pollution is costly and deters infrastructural development and economic growth in the country. China’s economy has grown within the last few years owing to the rapid industrialization of the country. China is among the largest consumers of fossil fuels in the world with most of the industries in the country running on petroleum products. While industrialization has fostered the economic growth of the country, such endeavors have contributed to different forms of pollution thus culminating in the current state of affairs. Currently, the rate of pollution has reached the highest level deterring visibility owing to fog. Such high levels of pollution have begun affect the country’s economic growth by making the country, a country that was once the leading global investment destination, lose on foreign investors most of who site the health implications of the intense pollution. Industries in China are the leading pollutants. The country has millions of industries that run of fossil fuels thereby emitting large amounts of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide among other poisonous gases. Cities in the northern parts of the country are more polluted than in any other parts of the country owing to high number of industries in such regions. China for example is the leading exporter of steal globally (Innes & Hassan, 2000). Steel and cement industries are among the companies located in the northern parts of the country. Cement and steel industries in the country contribute to pollution owing to the large-scale evacuation processes they carry out coupled with an equally large-scale