| Author | Message | ||
     Marks3tbillet |
Funny how parts of the current administration and advisers to it said a few months ago that we needed demonstrations and riots in the streets, like Greece. I never thought there were enough Americans dumb enough to follow this though. One of the greatest lies is that tax code is not progressive, meaning that the rich do not pay a higher rate. This is all working perfectly for those wanting class warfare to bring our country down. | ||
| Reindog |
You've gotta be kidding me as there is Zero basis of comparison and there is no moral equivalence. Tell me what the so-called activist has built and then tell me what the missionary has built. I suspect the so-called activist got laid more though. | ||
| Whatever |
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| Ft_bstrd |
25% of the worlds resources are consumed by the US. The US is 25% of the worlds GDP. Doesn't seem unfair to me. The great thing about building wealth in the US, we confiscate 50% of it when you die and redistribute it. | ||
| Slaughter |
Love how just because somebody has got a college education, they feel they have a RIGHT to a job. Wonder how many of those folks considered just HOW employable they would be with some of the typical liberal-arts majors? I know some near-family folks with degrees who are entry-level managers at Starbucks. Perfect job for art history major I suppose. (but she's working and NOT bitching) | ||
| Whatever |
Entry level manager at Starbucks IS a good job in my book, one of the few corporations that actually takes care of its people. I would be happy with a job like that myself... but I reserve my right to bitch. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I change my own oil (on all vehicles). I change my own tires (on all vehicles). I own and regularly use guns. I don't like hippies. I installed a new water heater myself in my house. I refinished the garage floor in my house. I'm in the middle of replacing the roof on my house, with only some help from a few friends. I worked as an auto tech for something like 6 years. When I need firewood, I go out into the woods, get a tree and spit it with an axe myself. I can weld and use a torch. If I want something that doesn't exist, I usually just make it. HOWEVER - I went to art school for some of college. The rest of college was for a rather generic business degree. I now work behind a desk. I think I'm pretty good at GTA4, COD and the like. I'm a musician. I own a Mac and an iPhone. I've got trendy-looking eyeglasses and wear nice clothes once in a while. I'm pretty skilled in the kitchen. I think you'll find that much of the world is not black and white but mostly shades of grey. I think there are some lost souls marching on Wall street, but I also think there are people with a square head on their shoulders and legitamite gripes, but the mish-mash is not helping the cause overall. I think Ft_ hit it on the head... some see the coprs as the end of the money train, but in reality, if DC didn't take the money in the first place then it wouldn't even be a problem. It's a bit "chicken or the egg" in reality, but I wouldn't be marching at all if I were to take this up (I don't think corps are evil but I do believe the relationship some have with our gov't is pervasive and inappropriate). What we need to do is VOTE. For the clowns in Washington, we do it at the ballots. For the clowns on Wall Street, we do it with out wallets (full of cedit cards, I'm sure). Both are difficult to do when we've been accustomed to living with the status quo for so long. I think it will take a revolution, but perhaps it can be a silent one, of sorts. Re: education loans... My girlfriend was just recently laid off, collecting unemployment and looking for jobs constantly. She goes to at least 1 job fair a week. Yes, she could flip burgers for $8/hr but unemployment is paying her more, and the bottom line is she paid into that system and is entitled to draw on it. She's considering using this time to go back to school (she has a 4-year degree in English) but hasn't settled on a decision yet - I'd rather she found a job first, get a more solid income and do night school and perhaps they'll even help with tuition rather than taking on all of the debt herself. I explained to her to think about it VERY carefully. I know personally for me that I don't want to be where I am right now career-wise, but I also know that going back to school, while it may inctrease my paycheck, won't make me any happier. She's open to the idea of doing some pro-bono type work to get experience in a field she'd like to be in hopes of landing a job (she's an English major and doesn't want to be a teacher, so she doesn't have a ton of options without said experience). She's a smart girl and will land on her feet, I'm sure of it. One thing we are both clear on - having a fancy degree doesn't and shoudln't assure anyone a well-paid job and health insurance - it merely gives you the tools to build that for yourself. | ||
| Slaughter |
A number of years ago, we were convinced we just could NEVER again afford to buy a house in CA - even though there was "easy money" from the banks. Sunny and I were AMAZED that people we know were getting loans. We'd tell them that it was stupid the amount of debt they were saddling themselve with. We just had to remain satisfied renting a small-ish 2 bedroom condo with most everything else in storage. It didn't take a huge amount of math-and-economy smarts to figure out that there was just no way we could afford a house. I don't know how people can convince themselves that they NEED a house, they NEED student loans, they NEED their lifestyles. I never could afford the loans so I waited almost a decade before starting college... know what I did?? I F***ING WORKED! (and rented) I didn't breed, nobody owed me nutthin. I got my Dad to co-sign my first loan and after that truck was paid off, I hated the whole owing money thing so much that I tried to NEVER have to borrow money again. I know people who have bought into the whole "I'm OWED a high-dollar education" and since they have bred so young they declare that "I'M OWED a lifestyle that includes my idiot kids" and because they are too stupid to do simple math, the decided that they were OWED a house they could not afford. At least in motorcycling the statement "STUPID HURTS" is obvious. Too bad that "STUPID HURTS" isn't as obvious in the rest of life. Home Economics should be the ONLY class that is REQUIRED to graduate. Hell, forget graduation, it should be the only class REQUIRED of ALL students. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I don't know how people can convince themselves that they NEED a house... Well, my student loans, despite being from an expensive school, are not very high and have paid off - I wouldn't make what I'm making without that degree. My house? Despite everyone an thier brother telling you otherwise, so far it's been one of the worst financial decisions I've made. I bought a cheap, small place at the bottom of the market, but the cost to have it sucks me dry and far outweighs any bennefit I've seen so far. Maybe that will be different in a few years when I'm ready to sell. We'll see. I'm not owed or deserve anything I haven't made for myself. | ||
| Danger_dave |
>>I'm not owed or deserve anything I haven't made for myself. << | ||
| Cityxslicker |
if you loved the toxic assets from the realestate dibocle.... just wait until they kick in from the new healthcare bill. Its only 1/6 to 1/8 of the economy - depending on who you cite..... It goes live 1/1/2014.... it is DOA by 2019. New currency in 2016; ... the buggar of it will be before or after the election... if they dont try and suspend them ... we live in interesting.... and stupid times. | ||
| Fahren |
To paraphrase from the (very interesting) following video interviews from Alex Jones, People are either going deeper to sleep or really waking up, and you have these two different sides colliding. http://www.infowars.com/bring-back-the-guillotine- with-max-keiser/ It seems that one side will call this wack-o, nut-job conspiracy theory, while the other side is saying, "Amen, brothers." Things are so galvanized, or polarized, if you prefer, in our society.... | ||
| Notpurples2 |
"The great thing about building wealth in the US, we confiscate 50% of it when you die and redistribute it." Actually, it maxes out at 35% and only the amount over $5 million. And that after you take out debt, depreciation, property left to your spouse, and other deductions. As per the IRS website; "In its current form, the estate tax only affects the wealthiest 2 percent of all Americans." (Message edited by notpurples2 on October 13, 2011) | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Actually, it maxes out at 35% and only the amount over $5 million. And that after you take out debt, depreciation, property left to your spouse, and other deductions. As per the IRS website; "In its current form, the estate tax only affects the wealthiest 2 percent of all Americans." Only for the tax years 2011 and 2012 and reverts back to the 2000 tax rates of 55% of wealth above $1M per person or $2M for a couple. This is a temporary reprieve. Regardless of how many it affects, the top 1% will be included in the estate tax, correct? The Federal rate also doesn't include the state estate taxes either. Regardless, we already confiscate 35% (today) to 55% (in 2013) of every dollar of wealth accumulated and redistribute it. | ||
| Buellrider66 |
When you earn money, it gets taxed. 10-35% (Federal only) When you spend money, it gets taxed. 0-8.25% When you earn money from saving and investing, it gets taxed. 10-35% When you die, it gets taxed. I haven't even touched on fuel tax, sin tax, real estate, convention district, and user or generator fees. | ||
| Swampy |
farhen said "To paraphrase from the (very interesting) following video interviews from Alex Jones, People are either going deeper to sleep or really waking up, and you have these two different sides colliding. http://www.infowars.com/bring-back-the-guillotine- with-max-keiser/ It seems that one side will call this wack-o, nut-job conspiracy theory, while the other side is saying, "Amen, brothers." Things are so galvanized, or polarized, if you prefer, in our society...." Won't this all be interesting when this comes to a head and one side suddenly finds itself in the minority, which ever that side might be? The shock and awe then the denial, then the anger.... | ||
| Fahren |
What I keep coming back to is the thing about "sides." What really are+ the "sides?" IMHO, we the people are just being distracted. The "choice" of Dem or Repub is about as meaningful as Coke or Pepsi, these days. Then Royal Crown comes in with RC Cola, and we are supposed to think that this third cola will be different? | ||
| Xdigitalx |
Dam, I was looking forward to some kaos this morning...got up early just to watch. argh.. guess it's postponed. or maybe they using psychological warfare on the protestors haha. | ||
| Aesquire |
The people that claim there is no difference between the 2 ( not quite identical ) parties, are losing, and lying to try and win. Let me break it down for you, as I see it. Both parties do country clubs. Both want power and money. Both should never be trusted. For the same reason that "organized religion" often takes faith and exploits it for gold & power. The D's are the party of slavery, oppression of the former slaves & their children. The party of the Klan. The R's are anti slavery ( and won that argument with a very bloody war ) and are the reason the civil rights movement became law. ( under a D prez, to be fair. Not one I liked, either. ) The D's have become very "progressive", a communist "subtle" revolution that is the leading cause of this nations problems. The R's aren't quite as bad, but, being soulless politicians, ( like the D's ) will sell their souls and ideals to stay in power... so they go along with a lot of popular progressive things. Idiots. The D's power and membership is, mostly, the poor and the very rich. The R's is mostly the middle. Both parties have people from all economic strata. The D's mostly get funded by the rich. The R's mostly get funded by the middle. The D's hate the Tea Party. It's anti-progressive. IMHO the D's have been taken over by the leftists. The R's establishment hate the Tea Party. They don't want the boat rocked that much, since their useless butts will get tossed out. Coke doesn't taste like Pepsi. Pepsi is more cloying. Coke dissolves rust better. ( carbolic acid ) RC tastes terrible. IMHO So does what "the media" shows me about the occupiers. A very good example of shaping opinion through choosing what to show. If you tell me there are a bunch of libertarians who want justice because of the government/corporation bribery... I'd be very surprised, since the "news" shows idiot wannabe commies. | ||
| Thumper74 |
Then what's Faygo? | ||
| Aesquire |
Now legal to serve in the US Army. | ||
| Pwnzor |
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| Barker |
"Pay My College Tuition Because That's What I Want" http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/81921910/ | ||
| Pwnzor |
Occupy my pampers! I made poopies!  | ||
| Crusty |
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| Hootowl |
That cartoon makes perfect sense. See, you're assuming (incorrectly) that the bankers are the ones who destroyed the economy. They didn't. | ||
| Fahren |
Hootowl, you definitely chose the blue pill. | ||
| Reindog |
End Greed! Justice! People Not Profits! Monkeys Flying From Butts! | ||
| Sifo |
End Greed! That's funny. What is that these people want? I think that comes down to money. Other peoples money!  | ||
| Hootowl |
Blue pill? How do you figure? Who do you think caused the mortgage crisis? The banks? It would appear that you are the one popping pills  (you must be high) Nope. It was the government and their fascination with home ownership. Please read this article, or simply read the dozens of posts Sifo has made on this subject. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240529702036 33104576623083437396142.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADT op When government REQUIRES that a growing percentage of loans be subprime, and when that is questioned, the questioners are effectively shouted down, and the guy doing the shouting down is also doing an executive at Fanny/Freddie, how can you expect any outcome other than a massive housing bubble and banks that suddenly have no dollars on their balance sheets? (Thanks Sarbanes-Oxley) I can only conclude that they're doing it on purpose. The ramifications all came up in the debates, but the bills passed anyway. |
