You don't know much.

Legalizing and taxing our "vices" would nowhere near balance the budget, but that doesn't mean that it wouldn't be a good start.

My original statment stands however, after reading your first few posts on this board, it is very clear your comprehension of our current fiscal situation is rather limited at best.

"Tax the rich and feed the poor until there are rich no more" didn't work in the 60's, and it certainly won't work today.

My campaign slogan: If you like your vice, you'll pay the price. lol

but seriously when do you think someone will have the balls to legalize the vices Most people have and tax the hell out of it, ie: drugs and prostitution. we'd be outta the hole in a week  lol.

That politician would never stand a chance.  They would be identified as "The Hooker Candidate" or "The Drug Candidate".  Nothing else would matter.

As for taxing vices, isn't marijuana basically legal in California (as long as you have a bad back) and they are running a massive deficit.

...that taxing vices won't fix the budget. And you may even be right that "Tax the rich and feed the poor until there are rich no more" may not work either. But, if 1) the current budget isn't working, which you seem to admit, and 2) the current budget gives $53 billion in subsidies to the oil industry, then is it not fair to say that giving $53 billion in subsidies to the oil industry isn't working?

a "morality tax," which isn't the right of the government (although they keep trying - look at all the moral things they tax already).

I don't know much, but i think we would probably do better then most of the current politicians

and this would have to be something that gets passed like other controversial things that get passed...with fear.  

tell the people that if we don't raise cash, and NOW and FAST, the United States as we know it will cease to be unless we legalize the vices/sins and tax the hell out of them, and really hammer that point through.  

you mean i don't understand that such a tax would be insignificant when compared to the debt? more then likely would not raise as much tax revenue as the current cigarette tax which bring in 20-25billion a year for the fed and states. is that what i don't get?  its  just a way to lie about it to the public and get it legalized.  

and i don't know that raising taxes on businesses/rich has many downfalls: higher priced goods and services, job losses, money not going where its supposed to, money moved out of the country and parked elsewhere, etc, etc.  is that what i am unaware of?

remember. ASS, U, ME

Simply saying the oil industry gets 53 billion in subsidies is a very unfair statement "if" you include things like the IDC deduction, Percentage depletion, and other favorable tax treatment for taking losses in a very high risk business. If OTOH you can show that the industry indeed gets 53 billion in actual subsidies, I will publicly agree with you.

As for legalizing and taxing pot and other "vices", it's still a good idea and makes budgetary sense as well, but lets not kid ourselves into thinking it is going to fix anything but right a wrong that has been perpetrated on the citizens of this "free" country for decades.