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[medjen]

You sound goofy.

Actually, that's correct. Right now I sound like a 75 year old chain smoker as I'm recovering from a ridiculous cold.

[ThickAsABrick]

When you find out that the girl is really a guy, do you get mad, or do you bop on the sch-tickle like a good bish?

Who knew being the president of NAMBLA was such a tiring job. Doucherocket.

[adamdavidson47]

This is much better than political discussion, no?

[Ctrainer]

Put your claws back in ladies.

Kvk - this too shall pass.

[ThickAsABrick]

Put your claws back in ladies.

Kvk - this too shall pass.

This message is hidden because the poster is a fan of a team that lost to the Cleveland Browns.

[adamdavidson47]

My mother is already starting about Christmas with my wife. Why must the holidays be ruined by many people expecting you to be in 8 places at one time? I fuucking hate Christmas already and it's October.

[kvk1]

Actually, that's correct. Right now I sound like a 75 year old chain smoker as I'm recovering from a ridiculous cold.

Hope you feel better buddy.

Better enough not to dare question the validity of my prose ever again. How dare you, wicked wench.

Get in lots of chicken soup and tea!

[adamdavidson47]

This message is hidden because the poster is a fan of a team that lost to the Cleveland Browns.

And has a Ginger QB.

[Hishiad]

Actually, that's correct. Right now I sound like a 75 year old chain smoker as I'm recovering from a ridiculous cold.

Explains where I caught this from then....ugh I want to sleep not work!!!

[medjen]

Hope you feel better buddy.

Better enough not to dare question the validity of my prose ever again. How dare you, wicked wench.

Get in lots of chicken soup and tea!

So cheeseburgers and Xtend are not accepted cold remedies?

[Ctrainer]

This message is hidden because the poster is a fan of a team that lost to the Cleveland Browns.

and fan of the team that went down in the record books for coming home 2 games up and losing it all.

Cincinnati: We are the team you are playing on your highlight reel.

[kvk1]

This is much better than political discussion, no?

[kvk1]

So cheeseburgers and Xtend are not accepted cold remedies?

Gross. If you want comfort food during a cold get some nice hot wings into the system. Lots of protein to get you up and running again and hot sauce to clear all those ducts in your face. 60% of the time it works every time.

[Hishiad]

Gross. If you want comfort food during a cold get some nice hot wings into the system. Lots of protein to get you up and running again and hot sauce to clear all those ducts in your face. 60% of the time it works every time.

Going to need to see your binder of researches.

[adamdavidson47]

Gross. If you want comfort food during a cold get some nice hot wings into the system. Lots of protein to get you up and running again and hot sauce to clear all those ducts in your face. 60% of the time it works every time.

This. Also Rye Whiskey is one of my favorite medicines for a cold.

[VoxExMachina]

This. Also Rye Whiskey is one of my favorite medicines for a cold.

But then again, you haven't yet demonstrated an appreciable knowledge of any subject at this point in time.

[adamdavidson47]

But then again, you haven't yet demonstrated an appreciable knowledge of any subject at this point in time.

That's a lot of syllables, meat. Good job.

[de_barathrum]

Why does everyone love a dollar to be in the pocket of the government instead of a billionaire?

I think many people have the perception that taxing the wealthy more, i.e. taking the dollar out of the billionaires pocket and putting it in the government's pocket, is ok because

a. ) the wealthy can afford it, and why shouldn't they give more to a society that's enabled them to do so well, especially when so many other people are doing poorly.
b. ) the collected taxes can be used to make the less fortunate in society better off.
c. ) many people don't like the idea of a small group of people becoming more and more wealthy while at the same time, a large group of people get worse and worse off.
d. ) the money that the very wealthy aren't investing could be used through government spending to stimulate the economy out of its lethargic state.

Personally, I think there are problems with each one of these arguments, and everybody is missing a bigger issue whenever they are talking about taxation on the wealthy to solve our problems as an economy, i.e. budget deficit, increased inequality, lower real wages for unskilled workers, etc... The bigger issue here is why has our economy stalled, and what can we do to fix it? All of these other issues such as inequality, and debt, etc., will largely be solved once the economy is back up and running again.

[Final_Rep]

...social stuff...

The bigger issue here is why has our economy stalled, and what can we do to fix it? All of these other issues such as inequality, and debt, etc., will largely be solved once the economy is back up and running again.

Energy.

To be more specific: lack of energy.

We're suckling at the teat of billions of years of stored hydrocarbon energy and burning through those reserves at something like ten million times faster than it is created. This is not a sustainable equation and it directly affects the economy.

That said, the cost of energy is not the only issue at play, but I believe in the end it's the most important.

[VoxExMachina]

I think many people have the perception that taxing the wealthy more, i.e. taking the dollar out of the billionaires pocket and putting it in the government's pocket, is ok because

a. ) the wealthy can afford it

This argument has some validity, but let's remember that the rich actually pay the lion's share of the taxes in actual dollar terms. But, then can't you argue that should strong people be expected to work harder on the assembly line "because they can do it"? Should accountants be penalized more for bouncing a check because 'they're better at bookeeping'?

b. ) the collected taxes can be used to make the less fortunate in society better off.

c. ) many people don't like the idea of a small group of people becoming more and more wealthy while at the same time, a large group of people get worse and worse off.

Move to Nottingham.

This is America. It's founded upon the principle that you can work hard and benefit from your efforts. Not upon the principle of 'each according to their need'. Tough, but true.

Besides, it's not like we don't have our fair share of social programs.

d. ) the money that the very wealthy aren't investing could be used through government spending to stimulate the economy out of its lethargic state.

Let's face it: the 'tax the rich' speech works because they're in the minority so it's easy to pick on them and promote the idea of stealing their money. Easy way to buy votes.

[ThickAsABrick]

blah blah blah blah blah

[Hishiad]

The fact that somewhere north of 800 million was spent in 2010 just on the Senate's expense accounts lets me know where we should start cutting.

[Final_Rep]

The fact that somewhere north of 800 million was spent in 2010 just on the Senate's expense accounts lets me know where we should starting cutting.

How much of that was spent on United States businesses and thus just recycled back into the economy?

I bet this is a drop in the bucket compared to shipping a huge portion of our economy overseas...

Which in itself is an issue with deeper roots than simple numbers, of course.

blah blah blah blah blah

You left out blah.

[kvk1]

Pooooooliiiiticians hide themseeelves away.

[VoxExMachina]

Government Plan:

1. Tell Lemmings whatever they want to hear in order to get elected.
2. Profit.

[kvk1]

1. Tell Lemmings whatever they want to hear in order to get elected.

Mostly true.

Though the "lemmings" would never admit this is their own fault.

[Hishiad]

How much of that was spent on United States businesses and thus just recycled back into the economy?

I bet this is a drop in the bucket compared to shipping a huge portion of our economy overseas...

Which in itself is an issue with deeper roots than simple numbers, of course.

You left out blah.

....are you serious? If you take a dollar in taxes to pay for hair cuts for Senators that dollar doesn't come back to "stimulate" ****. They keep low annual salaries to lower how much they get taxed since they have nearly bottomless tax free income wrapped in a variety of expense accounts.

[kvk1]

If you take a dollar in taxes to pay for hair cuts for Senators that dollar doesn't come back to "stimulate" ****.

Bob Loblaw Law Blog.

[Final_Rep]

Government Plan:

1. Tell Lemmings whatever they want to hear in order to get elected.
2. Profit.

The people who only care about money, or money and power, are the easy ones to manage. It's the whole banality of evil thing.

No, it's the ideologues that are dangerous...

....are you serious? If you take a dollar in taxes to pay for hair cuts for Senators that dollar doesn't come back to "stimulate" ****. They keep low annual salaries to lower how much they get taxed since they have nearly bottomless tax free income wrapped in a variety of expense accounts.

Yes, I'm serious: this is a drop in the bucket compared to the larger issues. (yet you said this is where we should start)

[de_barathrum]

Energy.

To be more specific: lack of energy.

We're suckling at the teat of billions of years of stored hydrocarbon energy and burning through those reserves at something like ten million times faster than it is created. This is not a sustainable equation and it directly affects the economy.

That said, the cost of energy is not the only issue at play, but I believe in the end it's the most important.

cost of energy seems like it would definitely affect the economy now, but as far as abundance goes, i dont think we are lacking in oil/coal reserves right now. I do agree at some point energy abundance will have to be addressed more directly, but I don't think we are to that point right now.

This argument has some validity, but let's remember that the rich actually pay the lion's share of the taxes in actual dollar terms. But, then can't you argue that should strong people be expected to work harder on the assembly line "because they can do it"? Should accountants be penalized more for bouncing a check because 'they're better at bookeeping'?





Move to Nottingham.

This is America. It's founded upon the principle that you can work hard and benefit from your efforts. Not upon the principle of 'each according to their need'. Tough, but true.

Besides, it's not like we don't have our fair share of social programs.






Let's face it: the 'tax the rich' speech works because they're in the minority so it's easy to pick on them and promote the idea of stealing their money. Easy way to buy votes.

can't say i really disagree with any of this.