How much do extremely wealthy people owe to the society that gave them the chance to prosper so much?

[Anomalism]

That's fine.

I don't need for anyone to agree with me, in order to know the validity of my point.

I accept your point.

 

[westwall]

The GED is not a high bar to clear.

Never said it is. Not bad for a 12 year old though, or do you disagree?

My daughter actually did take it for fun at 10, and at 14 she is taking college classes at the same time as her High School classes, so take that as you will.

 

[Anomalism]

My daughter actually did take it for fun at 10, and at 14 she is taking college classes at the same time as her High School classes, so take that as you will.

Maybe she'll be a colleague of mine someday.

 

[westwall]

I don't know how smart you are, you slide into insults pretty quick, which is the norm here, so far you seem to be just like everyone else here, however you will create a dialogue, which is nice.

I didn't say I'm smart. I just said I'm not dumb.

I will accept that you are not stupid. However, your level of wisdom is apparently very low. Wisdom comes with education, but more importantly life experiences. People who do little, learn little. Even with an advanced degree. I know people with PhD's who are less capable than my 14 year old daughter.

 

[westwall]

My daughter actually did take it for fun at 10, and at 14 she is taking college classes at the same time as her High School classes, so take that as you will.

Maybe she'll be a colleague of mine someday.

Possibly. She is an exceptional computer coder now, and is currently taking cyber security classes.

 

[Anomalism]

Possibly. She is an exceptional computer coder now, and is currently taking cyber security classes.

Aw...

I'm more interested is psychology.

 

[bripat9643]

you do realize youre proving us right dont you???

Taxes are necessary regardless of who runs the government. You support taxes too.

That's not even a good attempt at dishonest conflation. It's just a tired old parroting of what every other greedy, selfish tyrant-wannabe says. "If you're okay with THESE taxes, you have to like ALL taxes, for ALL reasons!!!"

That's like saying if I'm in favor of capital punishment, I have to also approve of serial killers.

He won't even understand why what he said is a contradiction.

 

[Slade3200]

The difference is the lower tiers are funds that cover living expenses while the upper tiers represent expendable income beyond living expenses.

Who are you to decide what living expenses are for other people?

This is why they are taxed at a higher rate. Money needs to flow and circulate for an economy to operate at a healthy level. Living expenses continuously circulate. Expendable income often gets saved and invested.

Savings and investments circulate money in the economy. Banks loan out savings at a legal rate of 10 to 1, and investments put money right back into the economy as well. If I invest in gold, the gold dealer now has my cash to spend stimulating the economy.

I’m not deciding what living expenses are for people. There is a basic range that people need to have the essentials... food, shelter, transportation, healthcare, childcare, education and retirement savings. Beyond that are choices of entertainment and luxury, which is great and encouraged. Live the dream and go big, I’m all for it.

 

[Slade3200]

The difference is the lower tiers are funds that cover living expenses while the upper tiers represent expendable income beyond living expenses.

Who are you to decide what living expenses are for other people?

This is why they are taxed at a higher rate. Money needs to flow and circulate for an economy to operate at a healthy level. Living expenses continuously circulate. Expendable income often gets saved and invested.

Savings and investments circulate money in the economy. Banks loan out savings at a legal rate of 10 to 1, and investments put money right back into the economy as well. If I invest in gold, the gold dealer now has my cash to spend stimulating the economy.

Understood and I agree regarding investing. It should be encouraged

 

[westwall]

Possibly. She is an exceptional computer coder now, and is currently taking cyber security classes.

Aw...

I'm more interested is psychology.

She studies that too. her mom is a PhD IO psychologist. My daughter is more interested in personality disorders though.

 

[jc456]

Yes, you are. Your posts DO reveal that. You just aren't courageous enough to admit it.

I'm telling you outright that I don't believe that. You're gaslighting me and telling me I believe something else. Tell me about arrogance again.

Nope, he said it well.

 

[Cecilie1200]

He probably could've. The GED isn't exactly the LSAT or MCAT. Both of my older children have GEDs because they were homeschooled. We went through the practice tests to make sure they were prepared for the testing environment and not thrown off their game. When they say "general equivalency", they aren't kidding.

I would have scored quite well at that age too. It's a very easy test. If you know basic math and reading you'll be fine.

Yes, I'm aware.

 

[jc456]

No, your words mean that. Again, learning to recognize how you present to others is an important part of becoming an adult.

If you know what I think better than I do there probably isn't much sense in having a conversation about it.

Well it seems you have no idea who you are!

 

[Cecilie1200]

He probably could've. The GED isn't exactly the LSAT or MCAT. Both of my older children have GEDs because they were homeschooled. We went through the practice tests to make sure they were prepared for the testing environment and not thrown off their game. When they say "general equivalency", they aren't kidding.

I would have scored quite well at that age too. It's a very easy test. If you know basic math and reading you'll be fine.

The school our kids attended had the students take a GED type test in sixth grade, most of the kids passed, all four of ours did. Not sure of the reasoning for the test however it seemed to motivate the kids for while.

I always thought schools should give their kids the test naturalized citizens have to pass to become citizens. Far too many born Americans couldn't pass it these days.

 

[Anomalism]

My daughter is more interested in personality disorders though.

Oh really? Has she narrowed down her interest any more than that?

 

[Cecilie1200]

The school our kids attended had the students take a GED type test in sixth grade, most of the kids passed, all four of ours did. Not sure of the reasoning for the test however it seemed to motivate the kids for while.

That must be a rather impressive school if most of the kids passed a GED-level test in sixth grade. I won't boast too much, but it's still high school curriculum and an average 12 year old would struggle with that. I don't know why it even had to be brought up in the first place. Ignorant about politics or not, I think it's pretty clear that I'm not a dumb person. That should be refreshing.

Not even remotely impressive. And it doesn't say much for American education today if that's high school curriculum. Back when I was a kid, what's on the GED test actually would have been about sixth grade or so (that's the GED my older children took. Couldn't say now, as I hear they revamped it).

 

[westwall]

My daughter is more interested in personality disorders though.

Oh really? Has she narrowed down her interest any more than that?

Not yet. Right now she is studying it for fun with direction, and resources from her mom.

 

[bripat9643]

Surely something, right? I see a lot of people talk like taxes are theft. Is it not just our obligation?

Absolutely.

If you are one of the fortunate few to make big money, you should be delighted to pay taxes in order to help the less fortunate.

It sticks in my craw when these TV announcements ask ordinary people to contribute to certain charities.

We ordinary people need every penny that we have,

The rich, however, could easily cover every charity on earth.

(I am so sad when I see those ads for children in this world who were born with facial deformities. We are asked to help pay for their operations. There are really rich people in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, & Asia who could easily cover an operation for every single such child. Shame on them for not doing so!)

You see ads for those "charities" because little of the donations actually make it to the victims. Most of the money is siphoned off for those expensive ads and good salaries and benefits for the owners and employees of the "charity".

The charity that really sticks in my craw is the TV commercial that shows elderly people identified as Holocaust survivors. They are shown in shabby clothing & said to have very little food to eat each day.

This is 2020. How many Holocaust survivors are still alive? Can't their needs be met by all the billionaires in this world? I would gladly be taxed by the American government to make sure that those elderly people's needs are adequately met.

But you won't reach into your pocket and pull out $100 to give them? That says all we need to know about you.

 

[jc456]

Obviously I'm disagreeing with your assessment. And I'll answer your question after you answer the one I asked you first. This isn't an inquisition, Torquemada. You gotta give to get.

It's obvious that one on one instruction from a good educator is more efficient than being one of thirty students in a classroom.

Based on what?

 

[Cecilie1200]

In other words, you're making an ASSumption on the basis of your own unfounded, unsubstantiated imaginings.

In actual fact, it depends on a variety of factors, including the student himself, the teacher, and the subject. I, for example, am capable of learning many things with no teacher at all, just from a textbook/instruction book. There are other subjects, such as English and history, that I learn much better in a group setting, with other students I can bounce off of, idea-wise. And there are subjects in which I need more direct help.

It's my belief that my parents had me educated in nearly the best way possible. I would not know as much if I had gone to public school.

I'm sure they did . . . for you. It's my KNOWLEDGE that every kid on Earth is not exactly like you. Humans are unique individuals, not interchangeable widgets.