2008 Presidential Candidates

[cookiecutter]

Ozzman, I stopped reading that article after the Uncle Rodriguez comment. It was disturbingly right wing. I hope you reconsidering agreeing with that.

 

[Dän]

1- John McCain
2 - Giuliani
3 - Thompson

Suck it hippies

While I admire Ron Pauls integrity, if he gets elected US will see about 20% UE and massive contractions in the economy accompanied by a crippling recession due to his isolationist policies.

 

[The Ozzman]

Ozzman, I stopped reading that article after the Uncle Rodriguez comment. It was disturbingly right wing. I hope you reconsidering agreeing with that.

That guy is obviously joking. If you would read any of the other content on that site, comments like that are strictly satire. The site is actually very libertarian.

I knew he was joking the second I finished reading that comment, but it's most likely because I used to frequent that site often and realize how much satire is on that site.

 

[cookiecutter]

That doesn't make me feel any better

 

[The Ozzman]

You need to learn to take a joke then.

That's pretty sad, tbh

 

[Dän]

These are the tax brackets in Australia for 2007-2008:

$1 – $6,000
Nil

$6,001 – $30,000
15c for each $1 over $6,000

$30,001 – $75,000
$3,600 plus 30c for each $1 over $30,000

$75,001 – $150,000
$17,100 plus 40c for each $1 over $75,000

$150,001 and over
$47,100 plus 45c for each $1 over $150,000

This is all in Australian dollars which is worth around 90% of the American dollar. So, to give you some rough examples, if I earn A$50,000 per year, I would pay around $10,000 in tax. If I earn A$100,000 per year, I would pay $27,000 tax. If I earn A$500,000, I would pay $205,000 in tax. I don't think any of those amounts are unreasonable. I don't think that tax rates are a disincentive. We have some other taxes as well including a 10% tax on all goods and services except basic foods and some essential services.

We have a better education system, a far more comprehensive public health system, lower poverty, less than 5% unemployment etc etc.

This leads me to two things. Firstly, you need to use your money better. Too much money spent on policing the world, which you've done a pretty piss poor job of. For example, $84 BILLION in assistance to Israel since 1950. That's over $14,000 per Israeli. If you factor in interest, it amounts to a burden of over $130 billion on the US taxpayers. And in turn, Israel uses the money to do all sorts of stupid shit which in turn destabilises the whole area and is indirectly responsible for problems such as Afghanistan, Iraq etc.

Secondly, the US has a problem with the real top eschelon money earners. Like most Western countries, but perhaps to an even greater extent, it actually becomes easier to evade tax the more you earn. The top 1% of the population holds over $38 of the total wealth. (These are 2001 figures so I'm pretty sure they would be even worse now). Redistribute a quarter of this money and you go a long way to improving the welfare system.

What are the tax brakets? Kevin Rudd: 'The top one kicks in at about 175000, then it cascades down the spectrum' hahahaha, what a tosser. Go Johnny

 

[Valerie]

I have very mixed feelings about the poor. On one hand, the government should fuck itself for taxing me or anyone else more based on how much we make. On the other, like V5 said, many people are born poor and have no choice. In a perfect capitalistic country, the people who had no choice should be helped, and the leaches should be cast into the firey pits of the Balrog's lair.

 

[cookiecutter]

Of course the world is not perfect, and I'd rather help a leech than not help someone in need.

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

This comment is just fucking stupid. You're contradicting yourself. You can't have people speaking 30 different languages in one country with no common language between all of them. Nothing will get done if that's the case. If you're speaking your first language with family and friends, fine, but if you're voicing issues in the government or you want a fucking cheeseburger from McDonald's, speak some fucking English (even if it's strictly on the conversational level).

I guess the only opinion of yours I'll value is anything related to investments (and we still disagree on that).

I guess your under the delusion that no one can speak english in this country. As for 30 different languages being spoken in this country with one common language between them. We'll we already have that. I go to Dunkin Donuts sometimes to buy breakfast and they have spanish speaking employees who speak english to me even though I speak spanish. Happy now?

You are talking extremes. I do not see anyone speaking any other language other then english in government, mc d's etc. Stop being overdramatic. If a law making english the official language did not pass and it was not mandatory to learn said language. You will still be able to hear your congressman/president speaking english to you and/or be able to order your fries at McD's in english etc.

People for the most part speak a different language in their own neighborhoods; ethnic or otherwise to please WASP society. For the most part it is 1st generation immigrants who do not speak english and not their children. Those 1st generation tend to keep with their ethnic group and neighborhood so you have nothing to worry about. English or not the universal language in this country is the mighty dollar (even though our currency is going in the crapper latetly).

As for us disagreeing on investments (though im a trader and not a investor). We'll I would have to say that fundamentalists have lost a whole lot more money then technicians who can read a chart and know they should get out while fundies still cling to "hope".

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

I have very mixed feelings about the poor. On one hand, the government should fuck itself for taxing me or anyone else more based on how much we make. On the other, like V5 said, many people are born poor and have no choice. In a perfect capitalistic country, the people who had no choice should be helped, and the leaches should be cast into the firey pits of the Balrog's lair.

we'll i believe in a flat tax for all regardless of income level with no tax bracket. Either that or give the poor a very low bracket.

 

[The Ozzman]

we'll i believe in a flat tax for all regardless of income level with no tax bracket. Either that or give the poor a very low bracket.

We actually agree on something!

Poor people should have a negative income tax. That would help things out and end the need for social welfare programs.

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

We actually agree on something!

Poor people should have a negative income tax. That would help things out and end the need for social welfare programs.

Oki.. we need to find something to disagree on. We can't let this happen jk But I do agree on that about the poor. But this country has always been about the rich fucking the poor. Maybe someday that will change and not how it was done in Russia in 1917.

 

[cookiecutter]

We actually agree on something!

Poor people should have a negative income tax. That would help things out and end the need for social welfare programs.

Isn't a "negative tax" the exact same thing as welfare?

 

[The Ozzman]

Isn't a "negative tax" the exact same thing as welfare?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_income_tax

In a sense, but it's a better form I think because everyone gets it

the negative income tax should immediately replace all other welfare and assistance programs on the way to a completely laissez-faire society where all welfare is privately administered.

There are drawbacks in that article, of course, but it reflects my stance that all current social programs should be administered privately, not through the government, if they were to be administered at all.

The NIT would only work with a flat tax rate, really.

 

[cookiecutter]

Interesting idea

 

[Valerie]

I'd rather help a leech than not help someone in need.

Why? Do you feel guilty or something?

 

[cookiecutter]

You serious?

 

[The Ozzman]

Why? Do you feel guilty or something?

I was actually wondering if he meant the other way around.

 

[cookiecutter]

No I don't mean the other way around. I'm not sure what's so strange about saying that I'd rather have a system that helps both people in need and leeches rather than a system that helps no one.

 

[The Ozzman]

If someone is leeching because they are lazy, they don't deserve help