discussion comment
16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
There is no "social justice" via "wealth equality," only via opportunity equality. You propose confiscating the earnings of a hard worker, and giving those earnings to a bum. That's idiotic, and 180 degrees from any sort of justice. And it would destroy any nation.
discussion comment
16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
jablake, other than wishing the new president well, I disagree with every item you said you hope to see come to pass. All would be destructive to the success of the people of this nation. Cheers.
discussion comment
16 years ago
Minnow's last sentence reminded me of an episode from "My Name is Earl," where some French dude told Earl, "You are blocking the rooster!" Earl said, "I think you missed something in that translation..."
discussion comment
16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
Okay, I predicted a McCain victory, and gave several reasons I considered the polls errant.
I was wrong.
As for President-Elect Obama, he will be MY president throughout his term. While I will vigorously oppose any policy he tries to push that represents an erosion of liberty or an attack on the constitution, I wish him safety and health. This is One Nation.
discussion comment
16 years ago
The fly-by "wanna dance?"
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16 years ago
MG, were ignorance truly bliss, you'd have to be one happy dude.
discussion comment
16 years ago
jablake, you are beyond help. Peace.
discussion comment
16 years ago
jablake, you seem to think the terror threat (such as you will even acknowledge it) comes from "19 or 20 Holy Warriors."
Take a guess at how many of these "Holy Warriors" the coalition captured or killed between October 2001 and May 2005. And guess in how many countries this took place. Then I'll give you the answers.
There are serious issues to contend with in this world, and we need serious leaders willing to make tough decisions. Bush took mountains of crap from many people who had no clue about the responsibilities of his job.
discussion comment
16 years ago
jablake, your math is wrong, because your parameters are wrong. Consider:
--the number of people targeted in the 9/11 attacks: over 80,000
--the number of Americans targeted in the terrorists' strategic plans: over 300,000,000
So, that makes $1T about $3.33 per targeted American. A bargain. I'll gladly pay your part of that bill.
discussion comment
16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
Denying the threat of radical Islam (Terrorism) is dangerously ignorant.
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16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
MG, you are impervious to the truth. Nothing you say has any meaning or relevance. Your contributions are worse than worthless.
discussion comment
16 years ago
In a couple of days, we'll choose a replacement for G.W. Bush. I have mixed opinions about Bush and his performance:
As a person, Bush is a good man. He used to be a spoiled punk, perhaps, but he grew up into a fine person.
As a republican, Bush is not a conservative. He never sought to limit government growth, and we'll continue paying for that for a long time.
On immigration, Bush has been wrong. Any geographic region without strictly enforced border security is not a country. We should make it easier for those who truly want to become Americans to immigrate, and we should slam the door hard on those who just want to come here to nurse at the breast of D.C.'s Treasury Department largesse.
On other security matters, Bush has been a spectacular success. Many who have not been part of the GWoT may have no idea how many plots to kill Americans and harm coalition interests have been thwarted as a direct result of the new approach to counter-terrorism. OEF and OIF are just parts of the overall effort.
discussion comment
16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
jablake, Obama's plans ("spreading the wealth around") are designed to elevate the already-too-great power of the central government, and make more people dependent thereon.
Anyone who decries the corruption of that central government should be very concerned about the chance that Obama gets the chief executive slot, with like-minded individuals in charge of the legislature.
discussion comment
16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
Bobbyl, I really enjoy learning from your posts; particularly the ones that challenge things I've contended. "Bolshevism" -- thanks for introducing me to that description.
___________________
arbeeguy, you asked for evidence or retraction on a couple of statements. One of them -- "Obama hates America" -- was my own. So, I'll tell you why I believe that. Understand first that any such statement about another person's beliefs and feelings is always necessarily just my opinion. But I'll try to back it up.
1. Obama verbally trashed America on his European tour this summer, particularly in Germany. He also verbally trashed America when talking to a little kid who asked him why he wanted to be president.
2. Obama says America and our Constitution are "fundamentally flawed." (Ref, Chicago public radio discussion, ca. 2001)
3. Obama sought out and stuck with for two full decades Rev Jeremiah Wright, who repeatedly preached hatred for America. Examples include screaming rants like "U.S. of KKK A." and "No! No! No! NOT God Bless America; God DAMN America!"
4. Obama said of America, "White man's greed runs a world in need."
5. Obama said of U.S. military in Afghanistan (of which I was one), "They're just air-raiding villages and killing civilians."
6. Obama sought out and maintained friendships with William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn. Obama has tried to distance himself from them during the past two years, because he seeks the presidency. But he has repeatedly lied about the depth of the friendship, and distracted attention from the matter with the ridiculous dodge "I was 8 years old when they bombed those buildings." How old was Obama when Ayers said "I don't regret setting those bombs...I wish we had done more"? That was on 11 September 2001, by the way.
7. Obama's political life (starting in his late teens) has been inspired and motivated by the writings of the late Saul Alinsky. Alinsky's book "Rules for Radicals" has been Obama's political bible. It describes in detail how to "fundamentally change" America: moderate your tone, convince people you are fairly middle of the road (when in fact, Obama is to the left of the Senate's lone self-acknowledged Socialist, per voting record), and destroy the country from within government once you attain power. The book is dedicated to "The first and most successful radical: Lucifer." Yes, that Lucifer, a/k/a Satan.
The list could go on and on, but you get some idea how I arrived at my conclusion, Obama hates America.
discussion comment
16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
The United States is the greatest nation in the history of the world, but those who want "fundamental change" to it may yet alter that.
jablake, I think you and I might disagree on the length of an NFL football field from goal-line to goal-line; however, I'm going to risk this question in hope of finding a bit of common ground: Would you favor term limits for congress?
discussion comment
16 years ago
Bobbyl, you are perceptive. And you also remind us, wisely, that stats have a high potential for misuse. They can be made to support almost any claim. Such was not my intent, but the danger is there.
Regardless, soaking the rich never results in improvements for those not-yet-rich. It's pointless.
Another aspect to my "ideal" changes to current tax policy: I would eliminate payroll deductions, and require everyone to pay their tax bill every month via check or EFT. People seem not to realize how much they are paying, because they never get the money in the first place. And government types like Rep Barney Frank and Sen Joe Biden always talk like it's THEIR money; that's got to change.
discussion comment
16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
jablake, we were as right to fight against communism as we are right to fight against terrorism. And the old Soviet Union did not go bankrupt because of their fighting in Afghanistan; they went bankrupt because socialism always fails.
discussion comment
16 years ago
I try to remember names, but don't feel too bad when stage-names slip my mind.
I'm often surprised how well some dancers remember people. I've seen some after many months of absence, and having only ever met once or twice previously, and they remember me remarkably well. That's a valuable skill for an entertainer, I think.
discussion comment
16 years ago
Many liberals seem to "love" employees, while "hating" their employers. The measures they propose to punish those employers will not in fact help the employees. Anyone who does not understand that simple principle is too stupid to have a voice in how this country is run. We need a Voter Aptitude Test!
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16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
I don't own a gun; however, if the election goes the wrong way, I'll get well-armed.
And then if anyone comes for my weapons, they will only get the ammunition.
discussion comment
16 years ago
MG, the IRS and Treasury Dept data I provided did prove the contention I made earlier. Sorry even source data does not convince you, but your ignorance is not my concern.
Perhaps we could agree on a solution: I think tax policy is fouled up, and you also think tax policy is fouled up. I propose: flat tax on all income, no deductions, no loopholes, no 80,000-page tax codes. In that scenario, the "rich" would certainly pay more, but all would have a stake in the process.
discussion comment
16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
I'm not a cynic, I'm an optimist. McCain loves America. Obama hates America. He says the U.S. Constitution represents a "fundamental flaw...that persists to this day."
Some say if Obama loses, it will spark the next Civil War.
If Obama wins, it may spark the next American Revolution. Those who love liberty will not sit idly by as it is destroyed, as Obama so desires.
But I'm hopeful neither calamity shall ensue.
discussion comment
16 years ago
jablake, you propose a country in which each of us will have two options:
1. Do nothing, and government will provide for you.
2. Work hard, and that which you earn will be confiscated to give to those who chose Option 1.
In such a system, almost no one would choose Option 2. Therefore, there will be no productivity, and no revenue to confiscate. So even those who choose Option 1 will still be screwed; it will just be everyone, instead of some of us!
discussion comment
16 years ago
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Book GuyI write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
McCain will win. The polls have been affected by three factors:
1. Oversampling of dems v reps, even in polls that try to get it right. Highly unlikely voter turnout will skew that heavily toward the dems.
2. Many of the polls have been intended to shape rather than reflect opinion. They want Obama, and they want everyone to believe it's a done deal.
3. Lying to pollsters. There is the Bradley effect, but I discount that. Greater is the Hillary effect: disaffected Clinton supporters have made it clear they are deliberately lying to pollsters to skew the polls. They think it will give Team Obama a false sense of security. Payback is a bitch, they figure.
discussion comment
16 years ago
Tax Burden
I claimed earlier that the "rich" pay a higher percentage of the overall revenues to the federal treasury since the Bush tax cuts. Bobbyl asked for some backup information for reference ("I don't know if his claim is true or not"). Here it is.
According to the IRS, as of 2004, here is a partial breakout of who pays how much in taxes:
Top 1% Income Level:
--Earn 19% of all U.S. income
--Pay 37% of all U.S. tax revenues
Top 10% Income Level:
--Earn 44% of all U.S. income
--Pay 68% of all U.S. tax revenues
(For comparison, the IRS also reports that the bottom half of income earners pay a total of 3% of all U.S. tax revenues.)
The next relevant information is how much of the burden "the rich" would have paid, but for the Bush tax cuts. The U.S. Department of the Treasury compiled that information, incorporating the IRS data.
With the Bush tax cuts, we know the top 1% of income earners pay 37% of all taxes.
If the Bush tax cuts didn't happen, Treasury estimates the top 1% would pay 31% of all taxes.
With the Bush tax cuts, we know the top 10% of income earners pay 68% of all taxes.
If the Bush tax cuts didn't happen, Treasury estimates the top 10% would pay 63% of all taxes.
Therefore, the conclusion is as I stated: the "rich" pay a higher percentage of overall revenues to the federal treasury since the Bush tax cuts.