It obviously is the place for JT.

Gee, I just realized JT and his fellow NH commuters are the ultimate leeches- they don’t pay taxes for Massachusetts services that help encourage job growth, but they still take the jobs.

Personally, I find your obsession with me (my health, my family, pretty much everything about me) slightly flattering. I’m afraid the fascination isn’t returned, though.

J.

But isn’t the point that you support others dying in a war you can’t fight in because of your medical ailments?

And it’s caricature, not charicature.

In brief: the “chickenhawk” argument is chickenshit. It’s just what you expect to be produced by bird-brained assholes.

J.

So if you whine enough it’s okay to advocate war and more war for other people to fight. Sweet deal you got there, Jay.

Besides, based on your low opinion of me, why do you hate the military so much that you’d inflict me on them?

J.

Shut up about JK paying the tax then.

I never said that you shouldn’t wear a helmet on a motorcycle. Hell, even the state of New Hampshire doesn’t say that. Of course only an idiot wouldn’t wear one.

In New Hampshire, you have the right to be an idiot.

I can understand if you need the Nanny State to tell you what you can and can not do. To protect you from yourself and the consequences of your bad decisions.

Freedom includes the right to fail. To make bad choices. And to accept the responsiblity of those bad choices.

J.

I wouldn’t blame you if you paid the lower rate. Ted Kennedy files at that rate. So does John Kerry. In fact, judging by the astronomically low compliance rate, nearly everyone who advocates raising taxes for everyone doesn’t actually pay them when given the opportunity to do so voluntarily.

J.

Well, this sums it up people.

A NH piece of work.

Yes, it’s bad policy to mandate that motorcycle riders at high risk for massive head trauma, wear a 1/2″ shell to cover their noggin.

And Jay Tea had the nerve to ask me to voluntarily pay higher tax.

You ass. Listen here. You wear a helmet. If you don’t want to, then kindly pay my higher health care premium, you jerk.

You people…BUY a clue.

JK

It seems a little counterintuitive — if the tax rate was so burdensome, then why would they want to develop land in NH?

On the other hand, lowering tax rates tends to increase tax revenues and giving stimulants to hyperactive kids tends to calm them, so there’s no magic in simple intuition.

I’m not so much defensive of New Hampshire, but proud of it. And living next to MA has given me a damned good perspective of just how bad things can get.

Oh god, the horror! I’m movin’ to Canada!

Honestly, I’m more concerned with crazy people getting their hands on nukes and threatening civilization than I am about ANYONE saying “shit.”

And do you really think he was wrong? Puhhhleeease!

You really are a whiner sometimes.

Why are you so defensive about New Hampshire, especially when you started this argument (which has nohing to do with the topic, by the way)? As for New Hampshire’s property taxes– they basically live off the money paid into the system by out-of-staters who can afford to buy and develop the nicest land New Hampshire has to offer. I’m not saying this to be harsh, but it’s pretty obnoxious to go on bashing Massachusetts while igoring the tremendous amounts of money poured into New Hampshire’s economy by people who’s primary homes are in other states.

Just a thought.

I’m a Southerner, but this conversation reminds me of my AF days and trips to MITRE in suburban Boston. With all of the people I worked with, military and civilain, it was common knowledge that if you got assigned there, you would actually live in New Hampshire.

Dugger

You are actually almost right on the seat belt issue — people who don’t wear seat belts are idiots. I sometimes put mine on backing out of my garage, it’s such an ingrained habit for me. It’s just that in New Hampshire, we’re not going to have the government get right in your face and make you do the smart thing. Once you turn 18, it’s your choice.

On the population thing — yes, the actual numbers aren’t very impressive, all by themselves. But in context, they are quite telling. That context being 1) it’s a three-year trend; and 2) nearly every other state is growing, and the few (two others, I believe) are not losing people as quickly as Massachusetts. It’s Ross Perot’s “giant sucking sound,” but it isn’t coming from just the south, but the north and west as well. The very real consequence of that is that after the 2010 census, Massachusetts can pretty much count on losing one — and possibly two — Congressional seats. They lost one in 2000, so again there is a trend going on.

The most common complaint of the refugees is “high cost of living.” Taxation and housing are the two biggest elements of that, and the two that are most under the control of the state government.

Yes, some people are moving to Massachusetts. Some folks don’t mind the nanny state babysitting them, and taking as much of their money as it can possibly get away with to pay for it.

But not as many as are fleeing.

J.

People are voting with their feet.

J.