US Politics Thread

[Elias Pettersson]

4 minutes ago, DSVII said:

 

Billionaires are active participants in these events.

 

Billionaires through political lobbying, think tanks and wage suppression have fed into the destruction of the middle class.  

 

Tax loopholes are made by policy makers and think tanks, all funded by Billionaires.

 

Government debt  is incurred from tax cuts proposed by Think Tanks funded by Billionaires. Poverty and the resulting Social safety nets being defunded and strained are because Billionaires are refusing to pay living wages, like Walmart's Walton family. Imprisonment in the states has a profit incentive, as is medical and big pharma.  

 

World Wars are driven by the military industrial complex, funded by and benefiting billionaires like Erik Prince of Blackwater

 

Government is a part of the system yes, but it is but one component.

 

Big Pharma

Big Media

Big Tech

Big Brands (Groceries etc...)

Big Government

 

Make no mistake, too many billionaires are an extractive, extortionate presence on the system. To blame just the government is just buying into their bs and diverting attention from the roots of the issues here. Money in Politics, mainly driven by Billionaires.

 

 

 

 

Fair enough.  You make some good points my friend.  Cheers...   

[DSVII]

3 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

Fair enough.  You make some good points my friend.  Cheers...   

 

I appreciate our disagreements Petey, there's been too many bad actors on the forums lately so always great to have a genuine person to talk to that I may not always agree with. I think it's essential we learn how to take what works from each other's worldviews and apply it to ours to be informed. Knowledge from just one side of the aisle is always a bad thing.

 

The hockey season can't come soon enough, I've been hanging too long around the OT threads  

Edited August 25 by DSVII

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, Curmudgeon said:

 

I have thought about this a fair bit over the years, about how to get the mega corporations to take on a greater financial role in supporting society. I would give the largest corporations a choice: you can pay 20% of yearly REVENUES (not profit, which can be easily fudged) to the government in direct taxes, OR Pay 15% to directly fund a program that helps improve the lives of every citizen. Examples: Canadian Tire might decide they will donate 15% of their revenues to food banks across the country; the chartered banks may contribute for building affordable housing; the grocery industry might commit to free breakfasts and lunches for school kids. Each corporate entity would adopt a cause and contribute to it on an ongoing yearly basis, covering health, housing, education, infrastructure, the arts, athletics, medical research or whatever else improves the lives of Canadians. The net result is that corporations will be required to pay a greater portion in "taxes" but are given the choice of where they want to direct that funding to go. The corporation still makes money, is making a direct contribution to society, is a trusted and admired corporate citizen, and takes on a lot of the responsibility for spending that is currently done by governments. Government revenues diminsh, but government spending does, too.

 

Final note: I am aware there are flaws in this plan, but all I am trying to do is to compel the largest, most profitable corporate entities to return a portion of their revenue to programs and initiatives to help the people that made them rich in the first place.

 

That's actually a really good idea, I think we'd have to convince the US to do it at the same time but that's an actionable idea. It might end up being a lower percentage but I like it.

[Joe King]

3 hours ago, bishopshodan said:

 

.

 

 but they are not the multi-billion hoarders that could save many, many, lives with a snap of their fingers....but they choose not to. 

 

We are on the same page with this one. They can't take it with them when they go. And they must be ok with seeing so much preventable suffering.

[DSVII]

1 hour ago, Curmudgeon said:

 

I have thought about this a fair bit over the years, about how to get the mega corporations to take on a greater financial role in supporting society. I would give the largest corporations a choice: you can pay 20% of yearly REVENUES (not profit, which can be easily fudged) to the government in direct taxes, OR Pay 15% to directly fund a program that helps improve the lives of every citizen. Examples: Canadian Tire might decide they will donate 15% of their revenues to food banks across the country; the chartered banks may contribute for building affordable housing; the grocery industry might commit to free breakfasts and lunches for school kids. Each corporate entity would adopt a cause and contribute to it on an ongoing yearly basis, covering health, housing, education, infrastructure, the arts, athletics, medical research or whatever else improves the lives of Canadians. The net result is that corporations will be required to pay a greater portion in "taxes" but are given the choice of where they want to direct that funding to go. The corporation still makes money, is making a direct contribution to society, is a trusted and admired corporate citizen, and takes on a lot of the responsibility for spending that is currently done by governments. Government revenues diminsh, but government spending does, too.

 

Final note: I am aware there are flaws in this plan, but all I am trying to do is to compel the largest, most profitable corporate entities to return a portion of their revenue to programs and initiatives to help the people that made them rich in the first place.

 

I think HST is still the way to go, that way you collect the tax money when the transaction happens, bad effect of course is that it is also unpopular with the populace.

 

Revenue numbers can still be fudged with accounting tricks (deferred recognition, transfer pricing to offshore corps etc...)  

 

There also needs to be a tax event whenever stock options are used as collateral for loans and whenever profits are offshored to a tax shelter country / moved out of the country. 

 

And if it is shown that you also offshore more than a certain % of your workforce and profits, you will also not be entitled to Canadian Corporate Tax Credits (which can vary between 15%-30% of your workforce costs)

 

Also aware that this isn't perfect, point is, there's a lot of flaws/loopholes corps can exploit.

 

 

[stawns]

4 hours ago, bishopshodan said:

 

Pfft, I find that in my couch cushions.

 

F**k Elon.

And every single Multi-Billionaire. 

 

 

 

That's better than what you'd find in Vance's couch cushions

[NewbieCanuckFan]

4 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

The destruction of the middle class is the fault of governments not billionaires. Tax cuts aren’t created by billionaires, they are created by governments. Tax loopholes are created by governments. Inflation via money printing is created by governments. Government debt is created by governments. Poverty is literally created by governments.  World wars are created by governments. Notice a pattern?

Goes back to the Gracchi brothers who made a stand to try to make the ordinary Roman plebs lives better.  It didn't end well for the brothers (though Ancient Rome would last around for a long time).

 

 

[JoeyJoeJoeJr. Shabadoo]

29 minutes ago, stawns said:

 

That's better than what you'd find in Vance's couch cushions

Like when they find coins from a shipwreck. All clumped together and whatnot. 

[bishopshodan]

1 hour ago, DSVII said:

 

Billionaires are active participants in these events.

 

Billionaires through political lobbying, think tanks and wage suppression have fed into the destruction of the middle class.  

 

Tax loopholes are made by policy makers and think tanks, all funded by Billionaires.

 

Government debt  is incurred from tax cuts proposed by Think Tanks funded by Billionaires. Poverty and the resulting Social safety nets being defunded and strained are because Billionaires are refusing to pay living wages, like Walmart's Walton family. Imprisonment in the states has a profit incentive, as is medical and big pharma.  

 

Wars today are driven by the military industrial complex, benefiting billionaires like Erik Prince of Blackwater

 

Government is a part of the system yes, but it is but one component.

 

Big Pharma

Big Media

Big Tech

Big Brands (Groceries etc...)

Big Government

 

Make no mistake, too many billionaires are an extractive, parasitic presence on the system. To blame just the government is just buying into their bs and diverting attention from the roots of the issues here. Money in Politics, mainly driven by Billionaires.

 

 

 

 

You're going to cause headaches saying good points like that. Billionaire apologists don't like thinking stuff through. 

[Gnarcore]

https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/foo-fighters-did-not-give-trump-campaign-permission-to-use-their-song-at-rally-spokesperson-says-1.7013690

 

Quote

Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were they would not have granted it,” the statement from the representative said, adding that any royalties the band received “as a result of this use will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.

 

[StrayDog]

2 hours ago, Boudrias said:

Your going to cause headaches asking deep questions like that. Progressives don't like thinking stuff thru. 

I suppose that could be true. I guess only Regressives (because what else would you call non-progressives?) think things through; like how the poor are supposed to be poor while billionaires deserve everything they've "earned".

[Bob Long]

2 hours ago, Joe King said:

We are on the same page with this one. They can't take it with them when they go. And they must be ok with seeing so much preventable suffering.

 

so at the risk of being labelled an apologist, can you tell me what the worlds billionaires can do about African conflict zones where much of the worlds hunger is right now?

 

https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker

 

https://www.concern.net/news/hungriest-countries-in-the-world

 

Shouldn't this be a job for the UN?

 

[Warhippy]

4 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

You know as well as I do that my posts always get scrutinized and fact checked.  Can't say the same for others...

I'm sure there's no reason for that?  Or??

[RupertKBD]

2 hours ago, Gurn said:

Amazing what is allowed to be published in Canada, by an editor:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/hammer-no-one-is-buying-it/ar-AA1pprpB?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=e518e0ed25bc4016ab453b539ec48fd4&ei=24#comments

 

Just a snippet 

"On the second night of their satanic summit,"

 

 

I think this tells you everything you need to know about the author:

I didn't take the Sun seriously before....now they've given me another reason.....

Edited August 25 by RupertKBD

[Warhippy]

2 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

So, Joe Lonsdale and the two sons of the oligarchs who now live in the USA, went to Stanford, Yale and Harvard and have zero connections back to Russia and their fathers are all worthless pieces of shit?  Why?  Because you got called out for posting fake news and now you're upset about it?

So we're not doing the sins if the fathers thing now?

 

But... Hunter 

[Joe King]

3 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

so at the risk of being labelled an apologist, can you tell me what the worlds billionaires can do about African conflict zones where much of the worlds hunger is right now?

 

https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker

 

https://www.concern.net/news/hungriest-countries-in-the-world

 

Shouldn't this be a job for the UN?

 

I am not an expert nor do I have the means to solve things like hunger and homelessness. I do know there are agencies in place like food banks and organizations in place to bring food and medicine overseas.

I just don't see why hanging on to more money than you can possibly spend is a positive for humanity.

[Bob Long]

Just now, Joe King said:

I am not an expert nor do I have the means to solve things like hunger and homelessness. I do know there are agencies in place like food banks and organizations in place to bring food and medicine overseas.

I just don't see why hanging on to more money than you can possibly spend is a positive for humanity.

 

OK but didn't we just hear that these folks just don't care? happy to let them starve? maybe some are bastards like that, I don't know. Some like Gates actually do good stuff. 

 

This is my issue with the purely aspirational take on these problems, it misses the mark and doesn't provide an actual solution.

 

Maybe there are parts of the world right now where there isn't anything we can do, other than send in the blue hats and take it over?

 

[bishopshodan]

16 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

the risk of being labelled an apologist

 

Hehe, I was sending a shot back across the bow to my friend Boudaris if my post is where you picked that up from.

 

My post was a copy of his with key words swapped. 

[Bob Long]

Just now, bishopshodan said:

 

Hehe, I was sending a shot back across the bow to my friend Boudaris if my post is where you picked that up from.

 

My post was a copy of his with key words swapped. 

 

I know I'm taking an unpopular take, but I really want to know what can be done. 

 

I didn't mean to get under your skin today btw, I have a lot of respect for how you live your life. 

 

[bishopshodan]

Just now, Bob Long said:

 

I know I'm taking an unpopular take, but I really want to know what can be done. 

 

I didn't mean to get under your skin today btw, I have a lot of respect for how you live your life. 

 

 

You are not under my skin at all. I'm in a great mood today. 

 

One of my old friend/bosses ( very very rich) used to joke with me and say.... 'any problem can be solved if we throw enough money at it'

 

If the worlds multi-billionaires wanted to end world hunger, they could.

 

How?

Off the top of my head...spend a few billion setting up a group to properly distribute the rest of the hoarders money, hundreds of billions, to the areas in need.

 

I know its not that simple, but thats where I would start. 

It's also idealistic, so would never be done in this age...which then leads me back to...humans are fooked. 

[Bob Long]

4 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

 

You are not under my skin at all. I'm in a great mood today. 

 

One of my old friend/bosses ( very very rich) used to joke with me and say.... 'any problem can be solved if we throw enough money at it'

 

its kinda true 

 

4 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

If the worlds multi-billionaires wanted to end world hunger, they could.

 

How?

Off the top of my head...spend a few billion setting up a group to properly distribute the rest of the hoarders money, hundreds of billions, to the areas in need.

 

I know its not that simple, but thats where I would start. 

It's also idealistic, so would never be done in this age...which then leads me back to...humans are fooked. 

 

I do think there are a few bright lights. This is why I keep bringing up Bill G, I think he's got it right:

 

Bill Gates – $81 billion

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one that is quite impressive, and we love what they are doing. This power couple works hard to end poverty across the globe, and they are looking to help the education system in the US, which is something that needs their help. This amazing couple also pledged to leave the vast majority of their billions to charity when they pass rather than leaving it all to their kids. The kids might not like that much, but we think it speaks volumes.

 

 

If you've never looked at the foundation its worth checking it out, these two do a lot of good: https://www.gatesfoundation.org

 

 

Edited August 26 by Bob Long

[bishopshodan]

1 minute ago, Bob Long said:

 

its kinda true 

 

 

I do think there are a few bright lights. This is why I keep bringing up Bill G, I think he's got it right:

 

 

Bill Gates – $81 billion

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one that is quite impressive, and we love what they are doing. This power couple works hard to end poverty across the globe, and they are looking to help the education system in the US, which is something that needs their help. This amazing couple also pledged to leave the vast majority of their billions to charity when they pass rather than leaving it all to their kids. The kids might not like that much, but we think it speaks volumes.

 

 

 

I'll tell you what, 

I'll make sure to only send Bill the first layer of the Christian's hell. It's like medium custody. 

 

I'll talk to classifications. I know a guy. 

[Joe King]

9 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

its kinda true 

 

 

I do think there are a few bright lights. This is why I keep bringing up Bill G, I think he's got it right:

 

Bill Gates – $81 billion

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one that is quite impressive, and we love what they are doing. This power couple works hard to end poverty across the globe, and they are looking to help the education system in the US, which is something that needs their help. This amazing couple also pledged to leave the vast majority of their billions to charity when they pass rather than leaving it all to their kids. The kids might not like that much, but we think it speaks volumes.

 

 

If you've never looked at the foundation its worth checking it out, these two do a lot of good: https://www.gatesfoundation.org

 

 

Seems they have found a way to make a difference. I will look forward to more feel good stories like this. They might not save every one but they are reaching out to help. Thanks for this.

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, bishopshodan said:

 

I'll tell you what, 

I'll make sure to only send Bill the first layer of the Christian's hell. It's like medium custody. 

 

I'll talk to classifications. I know a guy. 

 

[the destroyer of worlds]

1 hour ago, Bob Long said:

 

its kinda true 

 

 

I do think there are a few bright lights. This is why I keep bringing up Bill G, I think he's got it right:

 

Bill Gates – $81 billion

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one that is quite impressive, and we love what they are doing. This power couple works hard to end poverty across the globe, and they are looking to help the education system in the US, which is something that needs their help. This amazing couple also pledged to leave the vast majority of their billions to charity when they pass rather than leaving it all to their kids. The kids might not like that much, but we think it speaks volumes.

 

 

If you've never looked at the foundation its worth checking it out, these two do a lot of good: https://www.gatesfoundation.org

 

 

 

In the minds of a significant percentage of the population, Gates is the personification of evil greater that the of Fauci. That's a rabbit hole even I try to avoid.