What Is Wrong With America ?

[Faun]

It's not that Obama is acting as president.

It's not that Democrats are running the senate.

It's simply that enough people are dependent or mindless enough to have elected them. The first two have potentially easy solutions.

The third? Not so much.

Enough people are mindless enough to not care. But people did not elect him. The election was rigged.

... your proof of that ... ?

 

[protectionist]

Incorrect. That when your ancestors and their ilk became Marxist scumbags determined to destroy Capitalism and the producers.

.

Capitalism and its producers can function quite well with a good dose of Marxism mixed in.

When a virgin fucks she becomes a FORMER virgin.

When Capitalism " is mixed with Marxism the new system is called FASCISM.

No it's not, and this is one of the dumbest posts I've ever seen. You don't gain respect when you talk like a fool. America had capitalism mixed with Marxism for most of the past 95 years, with taxes on the rich between 70% and 92%. It wasn't "Fascism".

 

[protectionist]

The middle class start shrinking when Reagan lowered taxes for the rich. This transferred trillions of dollars of wealth from the middle class to the wealthy. From 1942 to 1982 the top 10% controlled 35% of the wealth. Now they control 60% of the wealth. In the last 30 years 80% of the increase in after tax income has gone to the top 10%. This was by design. Reagan's own budget director, David Stockman, said that the Reagan tax cuts were a "Trojan Horse" to lower taxes for the rich.

TRUE. Reagan's looney 28% individual tax rate can be called a "Movie Star Tax", specifically designed for HIM, and his very highly paid movie star buddies. All the subsequent blabbing about supply side economics, trickle down economics, etc, is all nonsense, simply designed to distract America from Reagan's greed. The result has been a change of the entire definition of conservatism from one of concern for America's national security, with high taxation to support that (like the 92% tax under Eisenhower), to one where national security is minimized by low taxation, stemming from Reagan's greed.

 

[protectionist]

Please be brief. I will briefly state that there probably are 100 things (or more) wrong with America, but I will state just one for now >>

America is too much run by rich people. Members of Congress, the President and Vice-President, and members of the Supreme Court are generally all rich people. What do they know about middle class, lower middle class, and poor people's lives ? How can they make decisions about things they have no experience with, or have long forgotten from years past ? When have these people ever been unemployed, and out looking for a job, with a wide variety of things being used against them ? (credit reports, smear talk from former employers often untrue, etc). The last time I applied for a job I was told I would never get hired because employers require RECENT employment in that job occupation (within last 2 years). There's probably a long list of ways people can be denied a job, that shouldn't exist, and don't make sense.

Class Warfare Nonsense.

Not nonsense, but yeah it IS class warfare. But it is class warfare against the rich who have always (for thousands of years) waged class warfare against the middle class and poor. And they continue to wage their class warfare with a preposterously low minimum wage law, low taxation on the rich, and economic policies that have made the rich richer and the poor poorer.

 

[protectionist]

I have a novel idea.

You don't like the fact that the rich have it good?

Take some risks, don't worry about "what's in it for you", get off the old "I have the right to leave at 5 " thing and become one of the rich.

Been there, done that. Now I'm old and less rich. Time changes things around. Younger people will learn that, in time.

 

[kaz]

those who profit millions (or billions) from their industries, while paying their employees low wages, can just as easily be seen as parasiting upon those workers.

only by marxists. Successful industrialists and companies are hard to create and hard to maintain and difficult to replace and provide the engine of our economy. On the other hand, low skilled workers are a dime a dozen. That the former depends on the latter is just a delusion of the left. It's totally the other way around. The low end workers are dependent on us.

then it's seen by almost everyone in america, that those who profit millions (or billions) from their industries, while paying their employees low wages, are parasiting upon those workers, as shown by polls that reveal very high %s of the public favoring the marxist concept of redistribution of wealth through the income tax system. Frankly, the overwhelming majority of americans (perhaps as high as 85% are semi-marxists.)

i'm not knocking capitalism, and am a former business owner myself. I am knocking the lopsided distribution of wealth that the poorly maintained current system has produced. I'm also knocking the poorly maintained political system that has most members of the us congress being millionaires, with one of them, rep. Darrel issa (r-ca) having a net worth of $485 million. No way that someone that much out of the mainstream of american life should be making decisions for average americans.

lol

 

[kaz]

It's "YOUR" capitalistic GREED that makes YOU the scumbag.

Capitalists want the opportunity to earn our money, you take money by force that you didn't earn ... and we are the greedy ones. Keep telling yourself that. You're the scumbag. But if it helps you sleep at night to believe otherwise...

Capitalists who pocket huge amounts of money compared to what their workers get, have NOT EARNED all that money either. In many cases, workers with very tough and dangerous jobs (ex coal miners), have more earned the money than the owners have.

See last post, LOL

 

[protectionist]

First George W. Bush's SEC let Wall Street run a derivatives based Ponzi scheme that destroyed the world economy in 2008.

Then Republicans on the Supreme Court voted to allow unlimited secret campaign contributions in the Citizens United decision.

Then Republicans in Congress voted against infrastructure spending that would have lowered unemployment.

Then Republicans in the House shut down the government and threatened the country with default.

Why would anyone vote for a party that hates government and continually tries to damage our country?

Yet I and over 85% of Americans are gainfully employed.

.

1. Where does this 85% figure come from ?

2. Does it include immigrants on work visas ?

3. Does it include illegal aliens ?

4. The "gainfully employed" noted in #s 2 & 3 are NOT AMERICANS.

 

[protectionist]

Lots of good things about the US. But one really bad thing is the funding of the lifestyle that Americans think they deserve by massive borrowing from foreigners. The trillions owed to China, Japan and many other countries will catch up with the US some day soon.

"Catch up" how ? Before you answer, remember that without our huge US market to sell to, China is on slippery ground. If China decided to have a trade war with the US, we'd eat their lunch.

No need for a trade war. China may decide to stop lending the US money. The US external debt is rising; eventually the point will be reached when it can no longer service (ie pay the interest on) existing debts. If - when - that happens no one will lend the US any more. A potential replacement for the US market is China itself. As levels of consumption rise production can be diverted from exporting.

Bombast like "We'll eat their lunch" is no substitute for facing up to reality.

Problem with your theory is that China cannot replace the US market with China as a market. China doesn't have a market. Try selling laptops to people who work for barely more than one US dollar an hour. They're lucky if they can buy food.

 

[Avatar4321]

Too damned many people wanting other folks to pay their way, and way too many politicians willing to pander to them.

Does this include corporate welfare?

Yes. Why on earth would you assume otherwise?

 

[protectionist]

Examples of these people and how they are so entitled?

1. I'll use myself as an example. I'm 67 years old, a native-born AMERICAN citizen, who has worked and paid taxes in this country for 50 years.

And this entitles you to SocSec,,, how?

2. I'm an Army veteran with a service-connected disability...

And this entitles you a VA pension/medical care... how?

What's the matter ? You have no concept of American culture ? How ? By having EARNED IT, that's how. This is how the American people see it, and choose to have it. If you don't, well there's plenty of countries you could move to where things like social security and VA pensions are not too common. Let's see. North Korea. Syria. Iran. Saudi Arabia. Egypt. Venezuela. Mexico. Bon Voyage!

 

[protectionist]

Proof?

It's called "reading". Here, try it:

Perhaps you should do the same, as nothing you posted supports the statement hat 47% of homeless males in the United States are Vietnam veterans.

To what, why, and how?

To life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness because they fought in pointless wars...

We all have the right to life, liberty and property. How does the fact theu served in the military mean they are entitled to exercise those rights at the expene of others?

Because the "others" BENEFITTED" from their service, you dumbass. Are you an American ? If so, where would you be now if (approx.) 16 million military members had not served in World War II ? Or at any time in our history ? You'd be a pile of ashes.

 

[protectionist]

Proof?


To what, why, and how?

You are actually asking WHY a war veteran with service-connected physical injuries should be entitled to a$$istance ? I'm not quite sure if a question that ludicrous even deserves the dignity of a response.

Translation:
You know you cannot offer a sound response to the question.
Thank you.

I just gave you a sound response to it, in the previous post (# 152).
You're welcome.

 

[protectionist]

Capitalists want the opportunity to earn our money, you take money by force that you didn't earn ... and we are the greedy ones. Keep telling yourself that. You're the scumbag. But if it helps you sleep at night to believe otherwise...

Capitalists who pocket huge amounts of money compared to what their workers get, have NOT EARNED all that money either. In many cases, workers with very tough and dangerous jobs (ex coal miners), have more earned the money than the owners have.

See last post, LOL

Yeah, I see both of them. So ? What's so funny ?

 

[protectionist]

Allow me to offer one solution. How about having the Presidency, Congress, Court judges, and Agency officials not be paid (Anything). Have all the jobs done on a volunteer basis, and stop all money input in elections. And all one term only (eliminating the drive to be re-elected)

Then you really would be getting only wealthy people to run for office since they would be the only ones who could afford to go between 2-6 years without drawing a salary.

Then how about paying them, but only a modest income ? With a stop to all money input in elections. And all one term only (eliminating the drive to be re-elected)

 

[GreenBean]

What Is Wrong With America ?

The GOP have turned into a fascist tyranny for the super rich who seriously believe that they are the dictators even when they lose elections

Jose - I do believe you have that backwards. The Democratic- Liberal machine is owned in its entirety by the Super-Rich.

... you need to get out of the propaganda bubble of your Progressive Movement echo chamber and think. Think hard. Think about fundamental, radical, democratic, social and economic change, who might bring it about and how. Ask yourself if the the rich elite, the 1%, are going to fund that. Leave The Nation and Mother Jones on the shelf; turn off Ed Schultz, Rachel Madow and Chris Hayes; don’t open that barrage of email missives from Alternet, Media Matters, MoveOn, and the other think tanks; and get your head out of the liberal blogosphere for a couple days. Clear your mind and consider this ..... The self-labeled Progressive Movement that has arisen over the past decade is primarily one big propaganda campaign serving the political interests of the the Democratic Party’s richest one-percent who created it.

The Progressive Movement is a PR Front for Rich Democrats » CounterPunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names

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The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.” George Soros
..gathering public support takes prece*dence over the pursuit of truth. - George Soros

Forbes magazine published an extensive article about George Soros and his activities. They pointed out that "Soros is hated because many ... believe that he is using his money to subvert their political systems. He promotes a gross Anti-American hypocrisy, ..he does however champion selected human-rights issues but only when when they are advantageous to his totalitarian agenda ..

George Soros Philanthropic Psychopath

 

[Faun]

Allow me to offer one solution. How about having the Presidency, Congress, Court judges, and Agency officials not be paid (Anything). Have all the jobs done on a volunteer basis, and stop all money input in elections. And all one term only (eliminating the drive to be re-elected)

Then you really would be getting only wealthy people to run for office since they would be the only ones who could afford to go between 2-6 years without drawing a salary.

Then how about paying them, but only a modest income ? With a stop to all money input in elections. And all one term only (eliminating the drive to be re-elected)

Ok, that's better ... but who's gonna decide what their salaries will be?

 

[Bombur]

Think about how China got to where they're today...infrastructure, science, r@D and most importantly education.

What is wrong with America? We don't want to make our own stuff or innovate anymore.

China got to where they are by tapping the largest consumer market the world has ever known while bringing decades of technological advancement to hundreds of millions of laborers.

Innovation is massively expensive. It is much easier for an economy to catch up than pave a new road.

 

[boilermaker55]

It is not pessimistic to recognize the futile efforts to change the political condition in this country. It is all contrived through wealth.
With the political ideology of many. let those with wealth have free reign to do what they must to appease their own conditions.
Every attempt to revise or put constraints on to the small percentage of individuals who control the very aspect of this nation is met with ridicule and hatred.
It has to stop that the bottom dollar is the ultimate goal.
The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life.
Theodore Roosevelt
To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.
Theodore Roosevelt
When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'Present' or 'Not guilty.'

The death-knell of the republic had rung as soon as the active power became lodged in the hands of those who sought, not to do justice to all citizens, rich and poor alike, but to stand for one special class and for its interests as opposed to the interests of others.
Theodore Roosevelt

What is wrong with America?

Too many whiny pessimists who constantly look for what is wrong instead of showing some balls and offering solutions.

 

[dblack]

It is not pessimistic to recognize the futile efforts to change the political condition in this country. It is all contrived through wealth.
With the political ideology of many. let those with wealth have free reign to do what they must to appease their own conditions.
Every attempt to revise or put constraints on to the small percentage of individuals who control the very aspect of this nation is met with ridicule and hatred.

I think this really nails the way many on the 'left' mis-perceive free market ideology. To those of us who favor free markets, it's not a question of whether wealthy people will have free reign to 'appease their own conditions'. Wealth represents economic power, control over the application of labor and resources. And the question we're wrestling with is whether economic power should be held by government, or distributed among individuals.