2011-07-23, 10:11 | Link #15061 | |
(ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻
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Join Date: Mar 2006
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Because every dollar the government spends is loaned to it by the Federal Reserve. This means that every dollar printed has interest attached to it. Fractional reserve banking. It's a beautiful scheme. Of course what most people don't realize is that the country has always been in debt even without central banks. We're still paying off the debt from the Revolutionary War. The other thing most people don't realize is that deficit spending is what has enabled nations to progress as fast as they have. Spending beyond your means to pay is as old as the idea of currency. You can thank deficit spending for every expansion of national growth. Conversely you can damn it for every retraction too. Capitalism's boom/bust cycle at work. Either way, no matter how you slice it, every government on the planet is in debt. It's how the system works. We can debate the ethics/morality of the system, but it's just how it is. The real question is not about US debt, but how serious it is about stimulating the economy and improving the social state of its people. This is where the ideological debate has stalled the government, and why people are wary of the direction of nation. Some believe that tax cuts and deregulation are the primary solutions. Others believe stimulus spending and tax increases are the primary solutions. Still others are a mix, and there's even some who have completely different ideas. Ignoring corruption charges, lobby influence, or political power scheming, the reality is that you have at least two radically different philosophies in government and getting hundreds of people to agree on any single piece of legislation, especially considering the interests at work, is an incredibly difficult undertaking. What I can say is this. Social Security has not contributed one dime to the deficit. But it has created a great wedge issue for politicians. By rephrasing the debate by calling social safety programs like Social Security "Entitlement Programs", they have constructed a narrative that implies that people who benefit from these programs are sucking from the government tit and don't really need help. In short, if only they went out and got "real jobs" from the private sector, such programs could be cut and tax payers wouldn't be "forced" to spend their money on something they don't "need" or "want". This same notion is extended to things like Medicare and Medicaid. If these people would just go buy insurance, we wouldn't need these programs. Never mind the reason social safety net programs exist, they cost tax payer money and when people are hurting, it is easier to convince them that anything that puts more money in their pocket now is a good thing, regardless of the costs down the road. This extends to governments too. When your state is hurting for cash, and a company comes along offering jobs if you'll just look the other way on a few things, it's awfully tempting to make a deal to boost the short term even though the long term damage will haunt you. Just ask any country you might consider "third world". Anyway, much of the grandstanding on the debt is simply Starving the Beast at work.
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2011-07-23, 10:11 | Link #15062 | |
books-eater youkai
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
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2011-07-23, 10:26 | Link #15063 | |
Um-Shmum
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: at GNR, bringing you the truth, no matter how bad it hurts
Age: 39
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considering that two cars reportedly fell off the bridge, and that each car can contain as many as 100 people, this could potentially end up with an even higher death toll then what happened in Norway. a good candidate for "worst weekend ever".
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2011-07-23, 10:50 | Link #15064 | |
I disagree with you all.
Join Date: Dec 2005
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2011-07-23, 11:08 | Link #15065 | |
AS Oji-kun
Join Date: Nov 2006
Age: 74
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That said, I was surprised to hear this morning that Norwegian law will treat the killing of these 80+ people as a single crime, punishable at most by 21 years in prison (the "harshest" available penalty according to the interviewee), with parole possible after 14-16 years. Here in the US, prosecutors would bring 80+ separate counts of murder against the suspect, and probably ask for consecutive life terms for each count. If convicted, the murderer would likely never see life outside a prison ever again.
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2011-07-23, 11:15 | Link #15066 | |
books-eater youkai
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
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2011-07-23, 11:28 | Link #15067 | |
Not Enough Sleep
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: R'lyeh
Age: 48
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2011-07-23, 11:48 | Link #15068 |
「Darkly Charismatic 」
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: The Lounge
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That IS life term
They have the same bullshit in most European countries. Life = 20-30 years in jail with parole in 15 years. It's because we have seen too many wars on this continent. Most countries abolished the death penalty in 1918.
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2011-07-23, 12:02 | Link #15069 |
~
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Boston
Age: 35
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The Economist is reporting the Norwegian camp targeted by the killer is a political youth camp, has anti-racism workshops, and is run by the ruling Labour party.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsb...rrorism-norway P.S. In many American states a life sentence is only like 25 years. |
2011-07-23, 12:06 | Link #15070 | |
Not Enough Sleep
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: R'lyeh
Age: 48
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2011-07-23, 12:14 | Link #15071 |
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
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At least in the information the Norwegian killer has provided himself according to police spokesmen, he self-identifies as an extreme right wing, Christian fundamentalist deeply opposed to multi-cultural society and any mixing of the races.
Its just appalling how many people he killed in a slow and methodical way. The emotional trauma for the victims is hard to grasp.
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2011-07-23, 12:34 | Link #15074 | |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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Furthermore, many parts of the US that do have rail going through them aren't on Amtrak. Take Roanoke, city of 300,000 (metro), has rail lines passing through it for freight, is it on Amtrak? No. And Amtrak itself leaves something to be desired... Another area are Metro services, now obviously we have cities like New York, which has a world class metro, but alas NYC is the exception. The vast majority of American cities have little more then an aging bus network. A decent metro system makes a HUGE difference to Quality of life in a city, as cars are just not practical. It's one thing I'll give credit to my government for, as the train, bus and light rail services in dublin have steadily improved over the last few years, and they introduced more innovative things like a Bike sharing scheme. And I can certainly say that all the Public transport in Dublin (even if it still needs expanded) sees big usage. It gives you a bit of independence, as you don't need to worry about parking or anything. When you have a car you're chained to it. |
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2011-07-23, 14:38 | Link #15077 | |
blinded by blood
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THIS. THIS THIS THIS SO MUCH. I am appalled at how many righty-tighties don't understand this very simple concept, and still want to hand out tax cuts to people who spend more money on a suit than I spend in a whole year on everything.
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2011-07-23, 15:16 | Link #15079 | |
Kuu-chan is hungry
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
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What I do believe is that EVERYONE should pay taxes but at a progressive rate where the rich pay more. |
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2011-07-23, 15:16 | Link #15080 | |
blinded by blood
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Tax everyone at the same percentage, and don't offer any loopholes for the big boys to wiggle through.
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current affairs, discussion, international |
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