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Archive through October 18, 2010

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2010 - 2: Sister Wives: ARCHIVES: Archive through October 18, 2010 users admin

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Texasdeb
Member

05-23-2003

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 3:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texasdeb a private message Print Post    
I sure hope "wife" #2 & #3 aren't getting away with filing income tax as single head of household - they each have 6 kids. That "family" could actually live on the return they get back from the good ole USA if that's the case.

One girl that has been working for me told me that not only does she claim exempt and not have any taxes taken out of her ck - - - she got over $6g back last yr and she only has 1 kid (her HB is in prison). She also gets wic, day care, housing, & $250/m for food on her Lone Star card.

Jgalt
Member

02-17-2009

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 6:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jgalt a private message Print Post    
I'm so tired of people "working the system". We've become of nation of people who feel entitled. When this first started with Roosevelt, it was supposed to be just for a short period of time to help people get on their feet, but it's turned into a way of life for many. The old American spirit of work hard, be honest, be dependable, and you will reap the reward has certainly changed. It's now, "How can I get the Government to support me?" I fear we are in real danger from this mind set as a nation.

Brenda1966
Member

07-02-2002

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 6:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Brenda1966 a private message Print Post    
How can you not pay any taxes and get a refund? I don't understand that. I do understand cheating the system, paying less in taxes than you should, claiming more write offs or an inaccurate status. But to get a refund when you haven't paid anything in?

Agreed that I don't understand these sister wives. I'm not sure how low of self esteem you must have to openly share your man with many others. I think it's very harmful to the women and children.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 8:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Brenda, it is called (or used to be) Earned Income Credit where a single mom (maybe single dad?) gets credits that mean a payment instead of paying income tax.

I remember when it started, I was still working for the Computer Sciences on contract with the County of Orange and was in charge of payroll (the system design, programming etc.) and our customer was the Auditor Controller.. so they got the specs for EIC and were really unhappy with the concept and of course we had to incorporate it into our systems. Everyone agreed to pronouce it "ICK". Ironically, after all the expense of coding, testing, forms and so on nobody working for the county was eligible but I'm sure that isn't the case today.

And there are other credits, I think, like the recent $300 or $600 that people got.. but you had to have earned income of some sort (even an IRA distribution counted)

I haven't heard them talk about other benefits like WIC or ADC or welfare and they seem to live pretty well, but the polygamous families in places like Colorado City were notorious for having each wife apply for all benefits as if the father of the children had abandonned them and was not in the picture, but really he was. That is fraud. I'm sure this family will be investigated.

Brenda1966
Member

07-02-2002

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 9:05 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Brenda1966 a private message Print Post    
Oh! I thought the credit just offset taxes you owed -- not that you could actually collect that money if you didn't pay any taxes.

Tntitanfan
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 3:30 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tntitanfan a private message Print Post    
There are two kinds of credits - one kind offsets taxes you owe and the other kind pays you the difference once the taxes you owe (if any) are offset. EIC is the most prevalent of the second kind -

It was meant to help the working poor as you MUST have earned income to collect it - hence the name.

Prisonerno6
Member

08-31-2002

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 3:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Prisonerno6 a private message Print Post    
If you have earned income, you've paid payroll taxes (e.g. Social Security, Medicare). EIC offsets those, as well. And you don't have to be a single parent to get it. One year in between grad school and work, I filed taxes, and got a refund much higher than I expected. They added in the EIC without my asking for it.

Texannie
Member

07-15-2001

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 4:21 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
i am really confused over the whole polygamy issue. it's not like the guy is legally married to more than one woman. if these idiot women are willing to live with the guy and accept the living arrangements, and they aren't asking for legal recognition..what's the fuss about??

Marameko
Member

07-15-2002

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 6:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Marameko a private message Print Post    
My thoughts as well Tex.
Even though his kids have different Moms they < with the exception of step kids> all live in the same household.And as long as there is nothing amiss with claiming the children for tax purposes I don't see how they have legal challenges.
On the episode with the birth of a new child I found myself not taking the pregnant wife "seriously" as a wife.Kody has the best of two worlds. Many of us watch out of pure amazement as to how these women could live this life..... We just don't "get it".

Babyjaxmom
Member

10-20-2002

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 6:30 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Babyjaxmom a private message Print Post    
I think the fuss (as was mentioned above) is mainly to make sure that there's no fraud or abuse going on in the home. Often in these cults, children and women are treated as slaves. Sometimes the girls are married off to old men at a very young age (12 or 13) and that's most definitely against the law. Unless the investigators find something really fraudulent or some kind of abuse, I would be very surprised to see charges filed.

However, if you read that article posted above, women in these cultures are definitely not free. If they suddenly decide they don't want to be married to the guy anymore, it's very hard for them to get out. They can be prevented from leaving or taking their children with them. In some cults they will track the women down and either bring them back or kill them. Not saying that's the practice here, but once you're in it's very hard to get out, even if you want to.

Prisonerno6
Member

08-31-2002

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 6:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Prisonerno6 a private message Print Post    
Why is their religion considered a cult? How is it different than the couple that have had 19 kids, saying it is up to god to decide how many children they have? Do you consider their religion a cult?

Babyjaxmom
Member

10-20-2002

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 8:12 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Babyjaxmom a private message Print Post    
I consider any religion a cult that doesn't allow its members to make their own decisions, to enter or leave the culture of their own free will.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 3:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Watching Oprah (lol! She claims she rarely watched TV but she's going to be watching this one.. uh, Oprah, this is almost over for the season.)

She says that if Kody is convicted, he could go away for 15 years, wives for 5.

Janelle and Christine say no way do they want to leave but if they wanted to they certainly could.

Meri just lost her job in a mental health profession because of the show.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 3:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Robin is "looking for a job". Meri just lost her job, Christine is the SAHMom.. they said when Oprah asked how they afforded such a large family.

Gldnlvr
Member

08-03-2007

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 7:19 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Gldnlvr a private message Print Post    
I enjoyed the Oprah episode, and find that I really understand this family and find them extremely likeable. The kids seem very normal and very well balanced. If their goal was really to open eyes to their lifestyle, they achieved that with me. I have to actually stop and remember that this show is real people!

Riviere
Member

09-09-2000

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 9:00 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Riviere a private message Print Post    
Recently saw a more 'amazing' show about an AZ based fundamentalist family being interviewed. They share a palace that makes the Brown house seem tiny. I counted 15 wives in one view filmed from a balcony. They're said to have 70 or so kids age newborn to late teens. The hubby himself refused to have his face shown and would not admit to having more than 1 wife, and would not say how many kids he has. Those wives claim to be advocates for polygamy and discussed their dealings with legislators. One big happy normal family to them, never mind the faceless nameless hubby's personal opinions...
When asked if his wives are free to leave if they choose, he replied: they know where the car keys are! When asked what he'd think if a wife was attracted to another man, he rplied that was not tolerated by their religion. Even the idea of monogamy was alien to him!
Seeing that showed me how narcissistic Kody and men like that are. Lots of fundamentalist sister wives have no say in who the husband will bring home next. Perhaps the modern spin is to declare an intention and ask the family to take a vote (ala Big Love) but in olden days things were different... Think of the stallion and his band of broodmares ~ his job is collecting more mares for his herd. He doesn't ask the mares how they feel about it, not even the lead mare. If there's too much conflict the stallion steps in and gives the uppity mare a thrashing but it's up to the mares to opt for acceptance since aren't they all just lucky to share him? Mercy forbid any other stallion woos a mare away for his own herd, then they must fight to the death unless the weaker horse runs away. So, people aren't different from animals that way. I think the hyena is a matriarchal society ruled by alpha females. In ancient Asia polyandry was the accepted lifestyle. Women had many husbands and were constantly being wooed by men hoping to join. What a lifestyle!!! That would frighten Kody & Nameless, wouldn't it?
How amusing those guys would feel sick about the notion of a woman having 2 husbands. But it happens, and was practiced in Asia & Africa eons before the Mormons invented their own version, that's polygyny... I noted how Christine felt cheated that Robyn got to kiss Kody before the wedding, because it's taboo to kiss a married man! But it's okay to marry one...

Babyjaxmom
Member

10-20-2002

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 12:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Babyjaxmom a private message Print Post    
Thanks, Riviere! I heartily agree. You said it very well. "Narcissistic." Perfect! Just the word I was looking for.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 1:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Read the People magazine article (Oct 25 issue) and they say that Kody's max sentence would be 5 years, not 15 (however it could be that Oprah was extrapolating 5 per "bigamaous" relationship) and also they stressed that there hasn't been a conviction in years and it doesn't sound real likely to happen UNLESS there is tax fraud found. Yes it is actually illegal in that state to have more than one relationship at once.

They also said in that article that not only did Meri lose her job (she was laid off) because of the publicity (not stated as the reason but Meri supposes it is the case) but that in Cody's job some clients are requesting NOT to be represented by Kody, so if he is on commission that would also affect them.

Supposedly they thought it would all be hunky dory until the night the first episode aired and then they started getting lots of text messages and calls.

Twiggyish
Member

08-14-2000

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 2:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twiggyish a private message Print Post    
I can't believe no one knew their lifestyle!! Are their kids homeschooled? Wouldn't teachers suspect when they see school records and the kids are in the same classes?
What about their neighbors?
It just seems odd that people didn't know prior about them.

Babyjaxmom
Member

10-20-2002

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 2:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Babyjaxmom a private message Print Post    
Twiggyish, they live in a polygamist community and their kids go to a "plig" school, so they're not an oddity in their community. Meri and Kody may work outside the community, though. I wondered when Janelle was talking about her office if the other people in her office were aware of her lifestyle. She mentioned that the other women would say they have to go home and make dinner, and she always says, "I don't!" That would be the upside to this lifestyle. I could handle having another wife at home to cook and clean while I work, but I wouldn't want her sleeping with my husband. It's already crowded enough in our bedroom (me, DH, DS and two dogs). We don't need another wife in there taking up space.

Texasdeb
Member

05-23-2003

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 4:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texasdeb a private message Print Post    
In a perfect world, we would all have an "Alice" type person in our homes (remember the Brady Bunch). She kept the house, did alot of the groc. shopping, did the laundry, cooked the meals, and helped raise the kids. She was a beloved "family" member but..........she had her own bedroom & her own boyfriend that she dated....she did not share Mr. Brady with Mrs. Brady.

Babyjaxmom
Member

10-20-2002

Saturday, October 16, 2010 - 8:07 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Babyjaxmom a private message Print Post    
Mrs. Brady didn't even "share" Mr. Brady. His interests lay elsewhere.

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Saturday, October 16, 2010 - 9:50 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
ROFLMAO BJM!

Sia
Member

03-10-2002

Sunday, October 17, 2010 - 7:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sia a private message Print Post    
Omg, that was a good line, Babyjax!! Rotfl!!

Marameko
Member

07-15-2002

Monday, October 18, 2010 - 5:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Marameko a private message Print Post    
I found it interesting that Christine was obviously miffed that Robyn and Kody selected the wedding dress without the sister wives.It will be interesting to see how wifey #3 and #4 get along if this series continues.After all it was #4's wedding. The wives were included in on most of the wedding planning and voted on the cake which I found generous on the part of Robyn.