Conservatism is calling

[milliemax]

Originally Posted by The Radium King

Well said !!! My company is now operating on "Plan B". And it will stay there for a few years to come. No more hiring or expansion.

Sorry Southern, Plan A included an off shore account. Back in 1992 Thank you.

actions like that, then you try to blame obama for the recession?

I missed this so I will respond. I do not blame Obama for the recession because he is just a "Foolish Puppet". What I do blame is all the "fools " that put the puppet in office. What scares me the most is we can survive Obama , but not the "Fools", as there are now many.

[mikehkang]

Originally Posted by brp987

Mike, I work for the government and I can assure that gov has nothing to offer the likes of Kaiser, Blue Cross, etc in terms administrative efficiency. Much of the cost of medicare admin is by those who draw their salaries from other depts. I'm not a doc, but you should read Sally Pipes"The truth about obamacare". 1/3 of docs do not accept medicare patients due to low reimbursement rates. The reimbursement rates are due to be further cut in the near future. On top of that, obamacare throws millions more on medicare to be funded by states that cannot afford it and are suing to get out.

As for the $5 billion/week spent on the wars, you must know that the US has run trillion $ deficits each of the last 4 years. It's been borrowed. Worse, it's been counterfeited by the Fed thru treasury purchases. You should read "The creature from Jekyll Island" which begins: "What is the Federal Reserve? The answer may surprise you. It's not federal, and there are no reserves. Further, the federal reserve banks are not banks."

Finally, who is this mysterious deep pocketed "single payer" who will fund unlimited healthcare costs? It's not the gov. It's not the ins cos. It's not you. Who!? It is a mirage.

Hi brp987,

Thanks for writing.
So if not Obama care, what should if anything can we do? Do we just sit and do nothing? What's your solution?

As for the federal deficit, it is my belief that all of us are paying for years of monetary neglect. A great country like ours requires a large budget. This is especially the case when we as a country insist on having a military budget that is greater then roughly the next countries put together. Our country needs money.

What I came to conclude on my own is that the tax break of Bush years was wrong. Just as some of us put money into the repair fund of our cars, we should have saved the surplus in more wise way than to give tax break to the higher income earners. However, all of us were happy to receive the tax cuts and now the country has no money. Our country has IMS failure and there is no money in the repair fund.

Take a look at this.


It looks like Uncle Sam used to make pretty good money. "His cut" on his wealthy nephews were pretty high over the years. I believe if we want to go back to the good old days, the Uncle's cut has to be more than what it is now. We simply can't maintain the life style of the old with lowest tax in our country's history.

We were able to balance the budget only 12 years ago. Is it too crazy to think that perhaps the rates back then were "correct" for the country of our size an needs?

I repeat again that I don't wish to change anyone's POV.
I believe I belong in the middle of the political spectrum. I am the swing voter if there ever was one. And looking at both Dems and GOPs fighting from where I am, I was pretty sure that GOP will lose last week.

Yes, I did notice the lack of color in Romney's campaign HQ, but I bet I wasn't the only one.
While it made no difference to me, who knows? Perhaps some people thought it was a problem.

The country is changing.
If the GOP wants to regain in future, something has to change.
(If I were a Democrat, I would say, "Stay the course guys, stay the course.")

The idea that the "market knows best", I don't believe anymore. I used to, but not since 2008. The game IS rigged. The money goes to where the money already is. What's with no estate tax? Raise the limit to say $10mm but let's tax anything above. That's another way to reduce the deficit.

I will still look into the 3% vs 30% cost claim. I usually like hard numbers.

When Warren Buffet said the tax rate should be higher, I remember some people telling him and him alone to pay more if that is his belief. Well, if any of you guys think that there is too much "entitlement" given out the government, your can promise to not collect social security. Why add to the deficit?

Didn't Cheney said, the deficits don't matter?
At least Obama says the deficit is a problem.

I don't know. Perhaps we would not be fighting so viciously among us if the Russian Bear was still around.
We fight too much.

Thanka again brp987.

[mikehkang]

I used to work with a banker who renounced the US citizenship so can pay less tax.
He still had the office in the NYC.

There should be a law to lock up $h!tholes like him.

One more thing that we need as a country:
We need to bring back the draft. Most of us don't know other races. This is a big problem.
The draft will force us to learn about the others. At least meet others.
Also, we as a nation will less likely to go to war and spend $h!t load of money when your kids and my kids are at risk.

[brp987]

Last post. We need to get away from the notion that because you have health insurance, that all your medical care is covered. No, medical insurance is like car insurance - you buy how much coverage you want, based on how much you can afford. Yes, wealthier people can afford better care. And unhealthy people, like lousy drivers, are going to pay more.

Tort reform. Yes, mistakes and incompetence exist, but there are a large amount of nuisance suits.

Free medical care for illegal aliens/prisoners. Drastically reduced. I read about a recent case where a prisoner was granted a sex change operation!

I'm not an expert. I really recommend Sally Pipes book. It's a good start.

[Johnny Danger]

Originally Posted by mikehkang

I used to work with a banker who renounced the US citizenship so can pay less tax.
He still had the office in the NYC.

There should be a law to lock up $h!tholes like him.

One more thing that we need as a country:
We need to bring back the draft. Most of us don't know other races. This is a big problem.
The draft will force us to learn about the others. At least meet others.
Also, we as a nation will less likely to go to war and spend $h!t load of money when your kids and my kids are at risk.

One of the major disappointments that people have with Obama and/or his administration, is the lack of ability to clamp down on the greed associated with Wall Street. In fact, all his bailout plan did was line the pockets of Wall Street with bonuses.

[pierre shags]

"It's been borrowed. Worse, it's been counterfeited by the Fed thru treasury purchases."

'Twas ever thus.

The Roman emperors feared overthrow and death if they taxed their citizens too much. But the proles were used to government services - bread and circuses (they wanted 'stuff' and 'things') - but didn't feel the economic connection between taxes and services. Having the best civilization so far (arguable!) had its costs. How to pay for it? The emperors diluted the coinage. So the confidence in the currency was reduced and businessmen decided to trade elsewhere. The empire fell (there were other causes).

Same today. Legislators want to be re-elected, so are afraid to tax. We want our beef inspected by the government, federal money for New Jersey citizens after Sandy, our 'socialist-leaning' Medicare. The tax-cheat 'patriots' pledge to never raise historically low tax rates. We want someone else to pay for it - so the government prints more money. Having the best civilization so far (arguable!) has its costs. Will we pay them or will our empire fall?

[mikehkang]

Originally Posted by brp987

Last post. We need to get away from the notion that because you have health insurance, that all your medical care is covered. No, medical insurance is like car insurance - you buy how much coverage you want, based on how much you can afford. Yes, wealthier people can afford better care. And unhealthy people, like lousy drivers, are going to pay more.

Tort reform. Yes, mistakes and incompetence exist, but there are a large amount of nuisance suits.

Free medical care for illegal aliens/prisoners. Drastically reduced. I read about a recent case where a prisoner was granted a sex change operation!

I'm not an expert. I really recommend Sally Pipes book. It's a good start.

Last post here too.

I will try Sally Pipes's book. I recommend to you either watch "Sicko" or read Robert Reich's Beyond Outrage. If you watch Sicko, you would understand that my concern prior to the Obamacare is not the extend of insured medical coverage but the insurance company's abliity to DROP you once you become sick.

I am taking chances with IMS, but I am NOT taking the chance that some huge medical bill will ruin me. With the Obamacare, there will be NO chance of medical bankrupcy in my future - without it, there certainly was. Just watch the movie if you haven't yet then you will know what I mean.

Tort reform - I completely agreed with you. We need it bad.

"Free medical care for illegal aliens/prisoners." Tax payer paid sex change is crazy. However, illegal aliens and prisoners, I don't know. I know some illegals. There are contributing members of our society. If someone came to US yesterday and needed a heart transplant, than that is different, for me, than someone who has been here for last 20 years needing one. As for the prisoners, if you are on death row, NOTHING for you. But if you are serving time for selling pot and doing 5 years, I don't know. Where is the line of demarcation, I don't know.

Something I learned on 3% admin cost.
First the critism:
"The IRS collects the taxes that fund the program; Social Security collects many of the premiums paid by beneficiaries;"
Now the counter argument:
"It seems plausible to me that the marginal cost of Medicare’s piggybacking on IRS tax collections and Social Security’s operations is close to zero. That the program can leverage existing federal infrastructure, which would exist in essentially the same form even if Medicare didn’t, is a feature not a bug. It’s what you’d expect from an efficient government, not an inefficient one."

You can read more about it here. A few remarks on Medicare’s administrative cost | The Incidental Economist
I still need to study more but above is a start.

BTW, pot should be legalized and regulated like alcohol. (disclaimer: I personally never even smoked a cigarette in my life let alone smoke pot. Pot usage should be a personal choice.)

Nice exchanging thoughts with you, brp987.
Thanks for being nice.

Mike

[mikehkang]

Originally Posted by Johnny Danger

One of the major disappointments that people have with Obama and/or his administration, is the lack of ability to clamp down on the greed associated with Wall Street. In fact, all his bailout plan did was line the pockets of Wall Street with bonuses.

It happened over 15 years ago. (The guy worked back and forth between NY and London. No, he did not become a British citizen as tax there was even higher. Go figure.)

JD, please watch "Too big to fail" if you have not. It will give a glimpse of how Wall Streeters think. I am going to read the book.

I think by and large, the members of this forum are free thinkers.
Just as we are willing to work on our cars ourselves, we are free thinkers who make our own decisions. I only hope that the information I encounter during my (re)search is correct. Otherwise, GIGO, right?

Thanks again and safe missions.

Mike

P.S. Can I get a signed copy of your 1st ed. autobiography when it comes out?

[coreseller]

Anyone remotely "in the know" see's where things are going, and it isn't anywhere near resembling a positive direction.......Black, White, Yellow, Red, Christian, Jew, Islam, Atheist, Gay, Straight, Blah, Blah, Blah..............

The Numbers are the Numbers, They don't look good.

If you are currently paying taxes, you're screwed.

If you're currently not paying taxes, you're eventually gonna be screwed.

If you're a business type, especially an owner (C Corp, S Corp, Sole PPS, LLC, etc.), seek counsel or sell, providing you can find a buyer...........:ah:

Pretty Upbeat Huh?

[The Radium King]

what defines an economy? does the government work it up and enforce it on the public, or is it matter of money in verus money out?

the government may mildly modify the rules, but from my point of view, the majority of what we define as 'the economy' is just business. if you wanna cut and run that just makes you an unamerican b!tch that's on the loosing end regardless of president. take your failing business, cut and run, and blame it on the president. still a b!itch from my pov.

of course, i'm canadian and know nothing about how money works; i just sit here end enjoy one of the best economies on earth.

[coreseller]

Originally Posted by The Radium King

what defines an economy? does the government work it up and enforce it on the public, or is it matter of money in verus money out?

the government may mildly modify the rules, but from my point of view, the majority of what we define as 'the economy' is just business. if you wanna cut and run that just makes you an unamerican b!tch that's on the loosing end regardless of president. take your failing business, cut and run, and blame it on the president. still a b!itch from my pov.

of course, i'm canadian and know nothing about how money works; i just sit here end enjoy one of the best economies on earth.

I suggest you read the papers, specifically the Business Section. That is exactly what is occurring........your b!itch

[brp987]

Hip Hop intro to Keynes vs Austrian school economics:

nicely done video produced by some George Mason university econ students

Fight of the Century | emergent order

[mikehkang]

Nice video.
It summarizes the two schools quite well.

The following isn't a video but it compares the supply-side and the demand-side economics. A Primer on Supply-Side vs Demand-Side Economics


For those of you without time to read the link above, here are some interesting questions:

1. If lower tax creates jobs and is good for economy, is the best tax rate 0% for everyone? Never mind the social programs but who then pays for the military?

2. Is the factory not hiring because tax is too high? Or, because no one has the money to buy?


Also, can we agree that we ALL pay taxes?
If you are inclined, you can follow this link. Misconceptions and Realities About Who Pays Taxes — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

[Johnny Danger]

If Moochelle Obama stopped spending taxpayer money, what do you think would shrink first, the GNP or the deficit ?

[Iflylow]

Quote: When Warren Buffet said the tax rate should be higher, I remember some people telling him and him alone to pay more if that is his belief. Well, if any of you guys think that there is too much "entitlement" given out the government, your can promise to not collect social security. Why add to the deficit?

I personally agree with Warren Buffett. I am firmly a right-leaning center guy, but who is this Grover Nohrquist, and why does he have the GOP by the b*lls? I never voted for they guy.

Back to social security: How did it become known as an entitlement? I am not naive enough to think that it will be my only means of support, but I also know that it's something I have paid for with every paycheck I have received. The media has allowed the self-serving politicians to shift it into the same category as food stamps. If it truly is an entitlement, let me have all the money I have deposited, and I will invest it in something more 'noble'.