ronwagn + 6,290 March 13, 2019 12 hours ago, Arjun said: Not free everything, just the basics, they want people just surviving with the basics. If they give people everything, they wont have a platform left. The elite brass in communism need to maintain control by depriving people of the means to rise up in life. Climate change is a great way to do that. Also it hollows out the middle class which is a top priority. If you want to control a population, get rid of the middle class I guess. Another way to destroy America https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloward–Piven_strategy 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arjun + 39 AC March 13, 2019 1 hour ago, ronwagn said: Another way to destroy America https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloward–Piven_strategy UBI is slavery. Unless the slates are wiped clean and everybody, and I mean everybody earns the same, it is going to end in civil war. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WaytoPeace + 62 PC March 13, 2019 With regard to the soaring deficit, it is not social spending that is causing the rise in the deficit. America’s spending on safety net programs is among the lowest of all developed countries relative to GDP. The biggest reason for the deficit is the shortage of tax revenues. Of all 32 developed nations, we bring in the 5th smallest tax revenue based upon GDP. The problem has been made so much worth by the Trump tax cut which will result in an additional $1.9 trillion shortfall over the next ten years. Republicans claimed that the tax cut would pay for itself, but that has already proven to be just another example of the trickle down fairy tale they have been saying for years. The one area we spend too much is on the military. Since taking office, Trump has added $200 billion dollars a year to military spending straining the budget even more. We spend more on the military than the next 10 nations combined. We could fully fund Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and other social programs and still bring the deficit under control by reinstating the tax rates for upper middle and upper income taxpayers, raise taxes on corporations to 20%, eliminate preferential rates for income derived from capital gains and carried interest, and by lowering our military spending to the point that we spend only more than the next 5 nations combined. Wouldn’t that be better than passing an ever-increasing deficit along to our children and grandchildren? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan Warnick + 6,100 March 13, 2019 7 hours ago, ronwagn said: I live in Illinois which just went under total Democrat control. They are quickly working to infringe on the Second Amendment. All I can do is fight them. I grew up in California, where I spent half of my life and now Winter there with relatives. Several elections there were turned over to Democrats after they were first declared to be won by Republicans. Give em hell, Ron. Tell them you talked to a guy in Illiopolis and he supports your position(s). 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Foote + 1,135 JF March 13, 2019 15 hours ago, ronwagn said: I live in Illinois which just went under total Democrat control. I thought IL was a skitzo state. Most Republican, then you have Chicago, which is anything but. Is it true the latest Daley to want to be the mob boss didn't even survive the primary process? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Foote + 1,135 JF March 13, 2019 12 hours ago, WaytoPeace said: Of all 32 developed nations, we bring in the 5th smallest tax revenue based upon GDP. The problem has been made so much worth by the Trump tax cut which will result in an additional $1.9 trillion shortfall over the next ten years. Republicans claimed that the tax cut would pay for itself, but that has already proven to be just another example of the trickle down fairy tale they have been saying for years. The one area we spend too much is on the military. Yes, way too much on the military, but the notion of income tax rates rising to the pre-80 levels is wrong, it won't work. The wealth would leave the country. IMHO the country needs some sort of activity tax. Facebook/Google/Amazon, they've mastered things making fractions of a penny on clicks. Some tax of those clicks. It's quite trackable, and commercialized. As more and more commerce is through this, either it pays a share, or the historical sources have to pay more to make up for it. And that is a doomed cycled. Everyone's pays to play, for most of us, effective taxes actually be able to drop even with a high overall rate. Now the Amazons of the world will fight it. They don't pay income taxes. They do pay taxes, real estate, payroll, etc., but compared to revenues and assets. very little. And conventional sources have to pick up the slack, or we just go nuts on the deficit, or both. Personally I don't mind the demise of many brick and morter establishments, but that also contributes to the eroding tax base. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan Warnick + 6,100 March 13, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, John Foote said: Yes, way too much on the military, but the notion of income tax rates rising to the pre-80 levels is wrong, it won't work. The wealth would leave the country. IMHO the country needs some sort of activity tax. Facebook/Google/Amazon, they've mastered things making fractions of a penny on clicks. Some tax of those clicks. It's quite trackable, and commercialized. As more and more commerce is through this, either it pays a share, or the historical sources have to pay more to make up for it. And that is a doomed cycled. Everyone's pays to play, for most of us, effective taxes actually be able to drop even with a high overall rate. Now the Amazons of the world will fight it. They don't pay income taxes. They do pay taxes, real estate, payroll, etc., but compared to revenues and assets. very little. And conventional sources have to pick up the slack, or we just go nuts on the deficit, or both. Personally I don't mind the demise of many brick and morter establishments, but that also contributes to the eroding tax base. There should be no reason that the Amazons of America get out of paying their fair share of taxes. None. I want Amazon and others to be wildly successful, but I believe they must pay their share. A little less profit, perhaps, but they and the shareholders can handle it. They touched a trillion $$ value a while back; that should be enough to pay some taxes with. Edited March 13, 2019 by Dan Warnick 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ronwagn + 6,290 March 14, 2019 (edited) 7 hours ago, John Foote said: I thought IL was a skitzo state. Most Republican, then you have Chicago, which is anything but. Is it true the latest Daley to want to be the mob boss didn't even survive the primary process? We had a RINO Republican and he is now gone. They saved a Second Amendment infringement bill until he was gone. Several Governors have gone to jail in the last couple of decades. One of them was a Democrat who didn't guarantee he would support Obama for Senator. Illinois is a very corrupt state do to Chicago controlling things in recent history. I live in a rural area, but will be evaluating our situation. Illinois is losing population due to high taxes, Chicago is a Sanctuary City and Illinois is now a Sanctuary State. Declared by our former RINO governor. I live in a conservative Congressional District but we are stuck with a RINO congressman who barely won last time because he didn't even support Trump! He was funded by Ryan and has been in office quite a while. I may move to Missouri or Arizona which are Constitutional Carry States. No Daley now https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/chicago-mayoral-candidate-lightfoot-got-big-bucks-from-dark-money-group/9df11357-894e-4c97-8854-5d8da0b784c6 Edited March 14, 2019 by ronwagn addition 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Foote + 1,135 JF March 14, 2019 15 hours ago, ronwagn said: I may move to Missouri or Arizona which are Constitutional Carry States. Chicago has long history, of shall we say, interesting politics. At odds with the state overall. Be glad you aren't in LA and their system. Texas income taxes don't exist, but I'll eventually be chased out by silly real estate taxes. I haven't finished yet, but I suspect the tax cuts have actually increased my total bill. For years my neighbor's claim to fame was writing the initial concealed carry law in Texas. And he lived in a liberal neighborhood. The term liberal, like a lot things, has been corrupted. Remember when gay was "happy". 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ronwagn + 6,290 March 14, 2019 On 3/13/2019 at 12:18 PM, Dan Warnick said: There should be no reason that the Amazons of America get out of paying their fair share of taxes. None. I want Amazon and others to be wildly successful, but I believe they must pay their share. A little less profit, perhaps, but they and the shareholders can handle it. They touched a trillion $$ value a while back; that should be enough to pay some taxes with. Equally important is that they must allow free speech for all equally. No more secret algorithms or other techniques. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Foote + 1,135 JF March 14, 2019 No secret algorithms in software, that is fantasy. I've spent over 15 years of my professional career in hi tech, have a masters in science and technology commercialization, and patents and formal IP controls are nice, trade secrets are key too. The nature of software commercialization is so different than traditional brick and motor, or drill and pump. My other normal careers was flying RF4s in the USAF, and then the oil and gas stint in Arabia. And of course, the whatever it took, mowing lawns, washing dishes, fixes cars, running a small repair business. If you referencing the Googles and Facebooks, they aren't in the free speech business. There are plenty of places for saying whatever you want. But it's silly to think others have to see it. The Googles and Facebooks are in commercialization information business and they will maximize that. Disney did R movies, just under other names. My point is Facebook doesn't care what your politics are, just that it generates activity without hurting them. My advice is using DuckDuckGo as search engine alternative. Facebook for the messaging and crazy cat videos, sharing vacation pictures. I've had the odd thing go missing. Unfortunately news organizations are for profit, and of course if it was run by the government it would probably be worse. At least now you get noise from all sides, or at least have the opportunity too. I find RT mostly laughable, but there is the odd time it's right. Beware analysis, and look for common basic facts. And I feel a lot better when I just avoid most of the news. Haven't tuned to it on the TV in ages, but can't avoid online. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Kirkman + 8,860 March 14, 2019 27 minutes ago, John Foote said: My point is Facebook doesn't care what your politics are, just that it generates activity without hurting them. Besides being a Hoover Vacuum of sucking up as much personal user data as possible, I also tend to view Facebook as a Publisher of deliberate disinformation. The CNN of Social Networking. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Foote + 1,135 JF March 15, 2019 1 hour ago, Tom Kirkman said: Besides being a Hoover Vacuum of sucking up as much personal user data as possible, I also tend to view Facebook as a Publisher of deliberate disinformation. The industry term is content. The accuracy has nothing to do with it. Just generate browsing. And we get into one of those areas folks like me with a libertarian bent loath. Government regulation to bring the yahoos under some sort of control, or watch so many get manipulated. And then run the risk of fact police and so on. It's makes my head hurt. I worry more about the Google data side of the world more than the social media side. Systems know everywhere you go, what you buy, what you eat. And for commercial reasons, in a sense we are targeted and feeds manipulated. I take great comfort I've worked in companies with absolutely state-of-the-art ERP solutions, and a billion dollar software system still seems to have trouble finding what I need to help manage the business. There is no master puppeteer. If that happens, it will be AI, not people. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TXPower + 643 TP March 15, 2019 23 hours ago, ronwagn said: We had a RINO Republican and he is now gone. They saved a Second Amendment infringement bill until he was gone. Several Governors have gone to jail in the last couple of decades. One of them was a Democrat who didn't guarantee he would support Obama for Senator. Illinois is a very corrupt state do to Chicago controlling things in recent history. I live in a rural area, but will be evaluating our situation. Illinois is losing population due to high taxes, Chicago is a Sanctuary City and Illinois is now a Sanctuary State. Declared by our former RINO governor. I live in a conservative Congressional District but we are stuck with a RINO congressman who barely won last time because he didn't even support Trump! He was funded by Ryan and has been in office quite a while. I may move to Missouri or Arizona which are Constitutional Carry States. No Daley now https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/chicago-mayoral-candidate-lightfoot-got-big-bucks-from-dark-money-group/9df11357-894e-4c97-8854-5d8da0b784c6 Texas will have you Ron. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Kirkman + 8,860 March 15, 2019 6 hours ago, John Foote said: I worry more about the Google data side of the world more than the social media side. Systems know everywhere you go, what you buy, what you eat. And for commercial reasons, in a sense we are targeted and feeds manipulated. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites