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Anyone who thinks he suddenly saw the light and changed during Sandy were deluding themselves. He is what he is, the veto proved that. 1 brief moment of sanity, does not equal an epiphany.
Frankly, with all the nonsense in New Jersey, along with high waters, I'd be looking for a different state to live in. Fortunately, I live in a generally liberal minded state, with fairly strong unions and decent wages. Even here, however, the GOP is trying to gain footholds right down to the county levels, so the fight is ongoing to keep what we enjoy here.
It is simple. The American experiment failed, go figure that 47% that are Romney’s estimate to likely be moochers, or likely in poverty, plus the boomers like myself ready to retire to poverty tally up to be about one hundred and fifty million. That is big enough to fail.
Do you think we get a bail out? No.
"ron943" says: "...when you say wealth tax, you are referring to what is owned rather than what is earned." He identifies a "developing class of nobility" born into unearned wealth and says we need to "tax this group out of existence". And I say, BINGO!! How aptly put! They stole it from us and we need to take it back. - Aliceinwonderland
"jlane" says "Do you guys ever listen to TH? Have you ever heard him talk for 3 hours with his emotional opinions on a subject? Ignoring the facts? Insulting and personal attacks of the opposing side?"
I just love how conservatives dismiss our opinions as "emotional" and "ignoring the facts", while projecting their own negative traits and behaviors onto us. I have listened to Thom for four years now; never have I heard him resort to personal attacks against his opponents. I have heard him run out of patience debating these nitwits... but only very rarely. (After all- Thom might be a friggin' genius with a memory like a steel trap, but he's only human... and like all humans, he has his limits!) Thom's got more facts tucked between his ears than virtually anyone I have ever listened to. His mastery of subjects like history, science, sociology & anthropology, politics, etc. is pretty amazing. That guy has taken the art of research to levels that conservatives can't stake any claim to, much less comprehend. For anyone to dismiss Thom's input as "emotional" or "ignoring the facts" is pretty laughable.
Far as personal attacks are concerned, one need only watch those dittohead pundits flapping their gums on FOX "news" or listen to Limbaugh the big fat blowhard, or read blog entries from people like Mr. Ware, to see where most of the personal attacks are coming from.
No matter how many facts are presented to Global, or to Kend the neo-con kinook (sp?), it has no impact whatsoever, because they keep coming back with the same old sound bytes and lame-ass talking points, defending the "right" of oligarchs to use and abuse us. Telling those guys the facts is like a pouring water through a sieve. I don't even bother debating them anymore because it is a waste of time.
When we present facts to conservatives, they are simply ignored... like for example, the FACTS provided by David Abbot, explaining precisely how & why Mexicans can no longer support themselves in their own country and why they wind up resorting to such desperate measures as immigration. These FACTS were offered in response to Ken Ware's foot-long diatribe against those Evil Mexicans Who Are Stealing Our Jobs And Destroying Our Economy! I guess the FACT that WE destroyed THEIR economy is just too inconvenient for immigrant-hating bigots to wrap their warped little minds around. Mr. Ware's response to the FACTS was to gather his toys and go home. (Silence is golden, isn't it? Tsk-tsk-TSK)
Before closing, I'd just like to say that if "jlane" thinks opinions don't matter, he doesn't have to stick around here either. Like Mr. Ware, he can go bye-bye. Plenty of more worthwhile pursuits to choose from, like watching football or playing video games... whatever mindless activity his little heart desires! - Aliceinwonderland
Ok I get your point 10K, Lets just say we take all their wealth. All 400 of them. That wouldn't run your country for a three weeks. Obama and his party have been running on taxing the rich for 5 years and you have it now, He got his tax hike, did it solve your problems like he Obama said it would. No. Millions of people voted for him because Obama said "they have to pay their fair share" Remember, first it was the top one percent didn't pay their fair share, then he the top two percent, pretty soon it will be the top 90%, the fact is you where sold a bill of goods. Besides spending hard working tax payers money what has your president done for you and why does the left protect him so much. He is failing isn't he.
As far as our free non-profit health care we have. Plenty of people profit for our health care system. First of all if you think health care is expensive now wait until it is free. We are taxed every where and for everything. My rye whiskey I like, made in Canada I can buy in Scottsdale AZ for $12.00 is $65.00 here. You better not need a hotel, rental car, our any luxury item and god help you if you smoke.
First of all most Americans think we have a national health care system and that is simply not true. Each Province (state) takes care of their own so the provinces that are better off have better health care. All of the doctors have private practices. They are all paid by the province though (basic health care only), at a price set by the province that is why they all move down there we don't pay well. It looks like maybe that is going to change though with Obama care. Government health care doesn't cover dental, meds, eye care, hearing aids, ambulance, etc etc etc it only covers basic needs. Health care is rationed here, for non life threating problems you can wait over a year to see a specialist. I know my son waited 11 months with a stomach problem.
Would I trade? No, but I beleive we should meet somewhere in the middle. Most countries, not Canada, have a private/public system and I think from travelling all over the world and talking to people that is the way to go.
A national system in America for over 300 million people frankly scares the hell out of me. A state by state system makes more sence as each state has different needs.
Billionaires should pay no tax! Or billionaires should pay 99%, their choice.You see, if a 99% tax on wealth is properly stuctured, reinvested wealth is not taxable, nor is charitable wealth.Unfortunatly the argument is never framed this way. Insteaded the so called "progressive" argument seems to be lost in a Robin Hood fantasy. Meanwhile the wealthy and their minions promote the message "if you let us keep our money we will create jobs". And they will, if you let them do anything they want with their money expanding their on shore widget factory wont be their first choice. Its too much work and not the biggest profit. "Beware of false profits". These non taxed billionaires will come in handy to a yacht factory in Hong Kong and a cigar factory in Cuba, this is called "trickle down"... Outlawing billionaires is what a dictatorship would do. What a government founded on both capitalism and social responsibility would do is capitalise on billionaires. It would create a choice , expand opportunity for the greater good or pay the tax. A government like ours used to be!
Do you guys ever listen to TH? Have you ever heard him talk for 3 hours with his emotional opinions on a subject? Ignoring the facts? Insulting and personal attacks of the opposing side? You should listen to him and see how maturity and respectfulness can create a lot of progress in a discussion.
I just happen to talk the girl that was cutting my hair today, she applied for food stamps, no Social Sucurity number required, no legal residence required, legal or illegal status OK. So the question I have is. #11 Because almost all of the illegal entries are people with little or no skills and little or no education……are we importing a whole low skilled work force of millions of welfare recipients? Which is basically subsidized labor force for employers.
The incentive is the possibility of getting a green card, what do they need. But the point is if we give say 10 million illegals amnesty, judging by the past amnesty – 1986 there will be 60 to 70% fraudulent applications. In that my ex-wife was from Europe and I went through the whole green card process with her, I can tell you first hand EVERY applicant is interviewed by an Immigration Service employee before they can get an approval. It takes a lot of time to go through the process, so when the 11 to 30 million applicants go to get amnesty THEY (ICE) WILL NEVER be able to deal with it.
As far no borders, open borders…….IT ANIN’T EVER GOING TO HAPPEN……NEVER!!!!!! So why talk about it? Why make it part of the debate?
So there will be, according to what happen during the 1986 amnesty, a huge amount of fraud. This is a valid question we, our representatives, should be discussing.
#4 I don’t see crowding, over population, urban sprawl, high real-estate prices, and ultra-low wages, pollution as a happy and progressive nation. I really never met anyone that does.
#5 No, unemployment, wage scales, as Thom has said a 1000 times on his show and every economist on the planet will tell you, SUPPLY and DEMAND influence labor and wages more than anything else. Bring 20 million jobs back to the USA and let in 30 million immigrants into the country that will work those jobs = net loss of 10 million jobs. It is just simple math.
#6 Open borders, it just is NOT going to happen, why waste our time talking about it.
#7 I have been to several 3rd world countries and you are wrong. I have heard of extended families going as high as 600 members. Immediate families can be quite large too. Immediate family is “"an immediate family member is defined as a parent; sibling; child by blood, adoption, or marriage; spouse; grandparent or grandchild" (wiki). When someone immigrates to the USA they can then apply for permanent visas for immediate family members. That could be 12 to 20 right there. Wife, husband (+2), their parents (+4) (=6) their sibling, average family size in catholic countries? In India? You can get to 20. But even if it was only 4 and we let in 20 million through amnesty and legal immigration we are talking about 100 million people. NOT YOU!!!! But DO WE, as a thinking public, want to have that many people coming to this country. DO WE?????
Pew did a poll and found that 33% of Mexicans in Mexico would move to the USA if they had the opportunity . That is about 40 million. Now if 30% of just the countries south of our border, about 210 million (out of 800 mil), altogether 260 million would move to the USA, how many from the rest of the world.........1 billion or more, now even Ray Charles could see how that could not be sustainable. These are conservative numbers.
http://www.pewglobal.org/2009/09/23/most-mexicans-see-better-life-in-us-one-in-three-would-migrate/
People will keep moving here until the pay scale is equal to or less than their home countries. Do we really want to have a $5 to $10 a day minimum wage in the USA?
I never got the storm aftermath Christie mixed up with the Teabagger he really is. He's just like Romney, he will say or do anything to gain power and once he has it he will keep it by doing the bidding for his rich Daddys.
He just undid all the respect he gained after Superstorm Sandy when he slapped his constituents in the face with that veto. The people of NJ suffered a huge economic setback with this storm and this was something he could have done to help them get back on their feet and stimulate jobs and the economic growth in NJ. It was a stupid move on his part.
DanneMarc, Please finish this greese neo-swine-nazi! Send her back to Alex Jones!!!
Kend, You're missing the point. Out of the 400 or so billionaires in this country a handful have with their, "our," money subverted democracy in order to game the system and continue an obsessive and ruthless quest for unending wealth at the expense of the general welfare of we the people. Thus we have as Thom points out, half the population one shock away from complete financial ruin. His idea of a 100% tax on wealth over $999,999,999 would be a good start in helping to bring back rule by we the people as opposed to the destructive rule by the billionaires and the Supreme Court. Trust me they will face no additional hardship with this tax policy.
How bout we just swap health care systems, I'd much rather have the non profit socialist system that you benefit from, it's much more cost effective.....afterall we have to reduce our spending!
By the way, if the billionaires could make more money living in your country you can bet they would already be there pal!
Global, I know your were not addressing me but...I just want to afford a healthy life...To work an honest 40 hour work week doing what I love and am qualified to do, and be compansated with a wage that - at the very least - pays for the basic cost of living for a house hold of 3, and enables me to be independent and maintain a healthy household.
I have trade skills in construction, a degree in education, but for the last 9 years I haven't been able to land a good paying job in those areas. For 3 years the best I could muster up for a teaching job was subing, but that didn't pan out into a full time teaching position, and as you know construction isn't booming, occasionally I pick up a remodel or someone needs a handyman. Currently I work 40hrs a week doing landscape making $12/hr which is steady but I will never be able to retire and I certainly am not a contributing consumer to the economy...I don't earn enough to have extra spending money; by the time the bills are paid there is barely enough for food each week. Which puts me and my family in a tough spot since most of the food I can afford is looooooaded with crap and not healthy. When I get sick I cannot afford to go to the doctor...The best I can do is afford a bottle of tylenol...So far I have beat the flu twice this season. The last time...I was sick for 5 days but only missed 2 days of work fearing I would lose my job if I missed more.
I know there are no guarentees in life, except death...That life ain't fair, but we seem to have lost our humanity as a collective; It seems essential - especially when times are so economicaly bad, for so many - that we all work together and help each other through these national dire straights.
The BIGGER problem is that no one wants to be the generation that takes the bull by the horns and suffers through the great fix, so that we don't keep kicking the problem down the road with just a band-aid solution that only benefits the current generation.
I don't want to "steal" anyones money, nor do I want a handout, or compensation for work I have not done.
Is it to much to ask the so called "job creators" that they pay a wage that secures honest working people above poverty level? A wage that enables me to secure a healthy and independent household. But!!!and it is a BIG BUT...The last 30 years seem to offer less and less...Even though many companies have high production, lower overhead and ever increasing profits...They do not take care of their worker bees.
And yes the great economic divide did start with Regan and has been holdfast by the powers of Wall St.
Global...If your reach in my pocket and take a dollar without my consent and then make a billion dollars on that "stolen" dollar of mine...The billion dollars is just as much mine as the dollar that you stole from me...And I will TAKE back what is rightfully mine.
In other words; Taking back what was mine to begin with ain't stealing!
If a blind guy could massacre crowds of people with it, or it can be hidden from view, then yes.
With 1 out of 3 mortgages "underwater", it is imperative that those principles are adjusted and made right and attached to very low interest new mortgages. If Ed DeMarco is still in place and the obstacle, the President must be leaned on to fire him. This being done would be not only a huge help to many families but also a huge boost to the economy as these poor home owners could go out and shop again. I hope you will address this and often Thom.
Listening today, gotta say, don't care at all for Carl Frish. Really liked Carl from Portland, how about making him your regular sub? Also really like Sam Saks.
I appologize my dear, dear, friend. But I have a long day tomorrow. May God Bless your perseption of our world and enable you to enlighten us all. I hope you forgive me for turning in early; but I've not felt good all week. Perhaps we can continue this discussion on the blog next week. May God Bless!
Is not a natural state and I know you disagree. It's always caused by PTSD and can occur in the womb and you don't know what;s wrong. Pavlov proved this beyond a shadow of as doubt when he damaged the amigdalae of his dogs with a dinner bell, just like Isreal is doing to unborn Palestinian babies as I coin these phrases for you. I would tell you my story, but I'm too introverted from the pain and have been suffering from PTSD and ADHD all my life and have had to figure it out for myself. Also, I know your a stickler: here's one; dopamine is created in the brain from ldopa or leveldopa (which is a substance that can cross the blood brain barrier), (dopamine can't), so if you took dopamine it wouldn't help with the anticipation response you've been talking about on your 'great minds', however, ldopa is present in the amount of 15% of velvet bean, also known as cow-itch and other names, a weed, one that's growing in the Ogalala aquifer, and choking it out.
BUt your right about everything else..too bad...nobdy's perfect.
Also ADHD presents you with severe learning disablities. Period. Its not an equal trade of any sort.
Seriously, Jlane! Relax! Take a deep breath! You don't like Mexicans do you? Tell the truth. Then we can make some progress.
Jlane WROTE: "I really don't CARE about anyone's opinion. NO WAY. Opinions are useless and are a waste of time. "
Indeed, then you must have loved Adolf Hitler and the Nazi's; why, they felt the same way you do! So do most Facists!
DAnne......when you quit YOU LOSE!!!!
Comeback when you are informed enough to have a honest debate and not based on fantasies.
I really don't CARE about anyone's opinion. NO WAY. Opinions are useless and are a waste of time. Go read some research, get an EXPERT summation, apply a little critical thinking and keep your fricking emotions out of the debate. Honor the truth. Love only the truth. Seek only the truth. Or you are just wasting everybody’s time. Go watch TV or something, or be willing to comeback and learn something.
DAnneMarc, you crack me up.
Well, well, well! Jlane wrote: "As far no borders, open borders…….IT ANIN’T EVER GOING TO HAPPEN……NEVER!!!!!! So why talk about it? Why make it part of the debate?"
Sorry! If I offend, please accept my most humble apology. Quite frankly, anytime a Red Neck gets so irate with my honest opinion that they misspell the word "Ain't" it's time to cut and run.
Tag! You lose!
Good Luck to yaalll!
Such mean-spirited little men. Have fun paying your taxes.
I just happen to talk the
I just happen to talk the girl that was cutting my hair today, she applied for food stamps, no Social Sucurity number required, no legal residence required, legal or illegal status OK. So the question I have is. #11 Because almost all of the illegal entries are people with little or no skills and little or no education……are we importing a whole low skilled work force of millions of welfare recipients? Which is basically subsidized labor force for employers.
The incentive is the possibility of getting a green card, what do they need. But the point is if we give say 10 million illegals amnesty, judging by the past amnesty – 1986 there will be 60 to 70% fraudulent applications. In that my ex-wife was from Europe and I went through the whole green card process with her, I can tell you first hand EVERY applicant is interviewed by an Immigration Service employee before they can get an approval. It takes a lot of time to go through the process, so when the 11 to 30 million applicants go to get amnesty THEY (ICE) WILL NEVER be able to deal with it.
As far no borders, open borders…….IT ANIN’T EVER GOING TO HAPPEN……NEVER!!!!!! So why talk about it? Why make it part of the debate?
So there will be, according to what happen during the 1986 amnesty, a huge amount of fraud. This is a valid question we, our representatives, should be discussing.
#4 I don’t see crowding, over population, urban sprawl, high real-estate prices, and ultra-low wages, pollution as a happy and progressive nation. I really never met anyone that does.
#5 No, unemployment, wage scales, as Thom has said a 1000 times on his show and every economist on the planet will tell you, SUPPLY and DEMAND influence labor and wages more than anything else. Bring 20 million jobs back to the USA and let in 30 million immigrants into the country that will work those jobs = net loss of 10 million jobs. It is just simple math.
#6 Open borders, it just is NOT going to happen, why waste our time talking about it.
#7 I have been to several 3rd world countries and you are wrong. I have heard of extended families going as high as 600 members. Immediate families can be quite large too. Immediate family is “"an immediate family member is defined as a parent; sibling; child by blood, adoption, or marriage; spouse; grandparent or grandchild" (wiki). When someone immigrates to the USA they can then apply for permanent visas for immediate family members. That could be 12 to 20 right there. Wife, husband (+2), their parents (+4) (=6) their sibling, average family size in catholic countries? In India? You can get to 20. But even if it was only 4 and we let in 20 million through amnesty and legal immigration we are talking about 100 million people. NOT YOU!!!! But DO WE, as a thinking public, want to have that many people coming to this country. DO WE?????
Pew did a poll and found that 33% of Mexicans in Mexico would move to the USA if they had the opportunity . That is about 30 million. Now if 30% of just the countries south of our border, about 210 million (out of 800 mil), altogether 240 million would move to the USA, now even Ray Charles could see how that could not be sustainable. These are conservative numbers.
http://www.pewglobal.org/2009/09/23/most-mexicans-see-better-life-in-us-...