Will Trump win again???

[d9sccr]

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Sorry, I stopped reading when you said the roads and police could exist without the government. So now we have roads that can only be used if you can afford it? No more police, just a personal security detail if you can afford it? I’m glad I don’t live in that country. We’re not going to agree on much.

That’s a convenient way to stick your head into the sand and ignore everything else. I am in no way advocating that the private sector take over police work or any public utility.

We have real world case studies going on now in regards to the privatization of public services California. I haven’t personally delved into all the details about the wildfires so feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but beyond climate change, the mismanagement of natural resources by the state government has created a situation where there are incredibly dangerous fires on a year basis. The firefighters employed by the governmental side are merely trying to control the flame. What started with Kim and Kanye employing some private firefighters has morphed into insurance companies contracting out to these same “private” firefighters to protect houses. This entire thing is in its infancy and I’m sure will continue to change, but represents a market solution to public utilities. Once again, I’m not advocating for the privatization of any of this, but I don’t think it’s impossible for markets to come up with solutions.

The rest of that post is what was relevant to this thread. Feel free to ignore it though. It makes it easier to not confront the obvious and looming issues of continuing to allow our federal government grow and grow. We even agree, at least in part, about the student loan stuffI see

 

[Matty44]

That answers my question... Thanks.

You’re welcome.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pgg]

Let’s say in your apocalyptic nightmare Bernie Sanders gets elected and by some miracle he passes this imaginary 80% tax. In your particular example, the Uber founder would still have $114 million. By my estimation, that’s a pretty nice life. He’d be reasonably comfortable and might even be able to afford a nice BMW on that money. Maybe to avoid paying taxes, Uber can pay its drivers a bit more? At what point does wealth turn into greed?

One of the best and most successful innovations in recent memory is Tesla. The company disrupted an entire industry and steered them towards developing new technologies. Guess what? That would never have happened without “socialism.” Those EV tax credits were a big reason for Tesla’s success early on. That’s even with a billionaire owner.

It's interesting that you use Tesla as an example.

Would we even have Tesla if Elon Musk had been taxed at 80% of 90% of everything over the first $50 million he owned? If every year, 3% or 5% of his wealth was taken by a wealth task?

You say "that's even with a billionaire owner" in your post. Do you really think it would have happened without a billionaire owner, even with 5x as much socialism?

Would SpaceX exist? Or would we still be counting on the corrupt and wasteful Boeing / Lockheed / etc consortium? The SLS is years behind schedule and is looking at a cost of $2 billion per launch even AFTER they actually build something that flies. The success of SpaceX could literally change the course of humanity. Maybe because cheap, reusable access to space is an American invention and gave us a head start over the inevitable Chinese copy, the first footholds of colonization of Mars will be western, not Chinese.

What other unintended consequences (losses) might there be we just decide that no one gets to be exceptional?

I guess Chinese billionaires could step up.

 

[BoolaHI]

The Republicans very own publication and chief media advocate, the National a Review had some very choice words as to the impeachment defense put on by the selected Republican leadership group (Nunes and Jordan):

Stupid, incoherent, hilarious and embarrassing.

Now, if you want to still argue with me about pedigree and where you went to school doesn’t not matter, I encourage you to peruse through this profoundly critical piece.

The GOP’s Jackson Pollock Impeachment Strategy | National Review

When you throw everything against the wall to see what will stick, the result probably won’t be pretty, and it definitely won’t paint a coherent picture.

www.nationalreview.com

 

[deleted643396]

It's interesting that you use Tesla as an example.

Would we even have Tesla if Elon Musk had been taxed at 80% of 90% of everything over the first $50 million he owned? If every year, 3% or 5% of his wealth was taken by a wealth task?

You say "that's even with a billionaire owner" in your post. Do you really think it would have happened without a billionaire owner, even with 5x as much socialism?

Would SpaceX exist? Or would we still be counting on the corrupt and wasteful Boeing / Lockheed / etc consortium? The SLS is years behind schedule and is looking at a cost of $2 billion per launch even AFTER they actually build something that flies. The success of SpaceX could literally change the course of humanity. Maybe because cheap, reusable access to space is an American invention and gave us a head start over the inevitable Chinese copy, the first footholds of colonization of Mars will be western, not Chinese.

What other unintended consequences (losses) might there be we just decide that no one gets to be exceptional?

I guess Chinese billionaires could step up.

Elon Musk is unique. I haven’t evaluated the wealth tax closely, but I’m not advocating taxing someone until they no longer have their wealth. However, the fact that I’m in the same tax bracket as Jeff Bezos seems a little wrong to me. That response was also in the context of “I hate socialism,” and I was merely pointing out that not all socialism is bad. It was not a specific commentary on a wealth tax.

I also don’t know if a wealth tax would apply to Elon Musk and Tesla. I genuinely don’t know the answer to that. It’s a tax on your wealth minus your liabilities. As Elon is forming Tesla and taking on debt/liabilities, his wealth tax bill is down. In other words, reinvestment of money into the economy by investing in your business is a way to deduct from your wealth tax bill. I guess I see the benefit of a wealth tax to encourage unproductive capital to be put back in the market. Rather than buy a 4th vacation home, maybe that money gets used to invest elsewhere. I don’t know.

 

[deleted643396]

That’s a convenient way to stick your head into the sand and ignore everything else. I am in no way advocating that the private sector take over police work or any public utility.

We have real world case studies going on now in regards to the privatization of public services California. I haven’t personally delved into all the details about the wildfires so feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but beyond climate change, the mismanagement of natural resources by the state government has created a situation where there are incredibly dangerous fires on a year basis. The firefighters employed by the governmental side are merely trying to control the flame. What started with Kim and Kanye employing some private firefighters has morphed into insurance companies contracting out to these same “private” firefighters to protect houses. This entire thing is in its infancy and I’m sure will continue to change, but represents a market solution to public utilities. Once again, I’m not advocating for the privatization of any of this, but I don’t think it’s impossible for markets to come up with solutions.

The rest of that post is what was relevant to this thread. Feel free to ignore it though. It makes it easier to not confront the obvious and looming issues of continuing to allow our federal government grow and grow. We even agree, at least in part, about the student loan stuffI see

I am not against allowing market based solutions to solve problems. But suggesting that certain entities, such as the police, should be for-profit corporations, is really something that should stay in Ayn Rand book club discussions. I don’t know much about California and it’s wildfires, but I don’t doubt it is from land mismanagement and wealthy people living where they shouldn’t. The same thing can be said about the rich and living on beaches that get flooded every few years on the east coast. I’m glad Kim and Kanye can afford to protect their house. However, not acknowledging some of the good things that have come from public institutions that we use and rely on every single day is keeping your head in the sand.

The government is absolutely responsible for the student debt problem. The biggest problem I see is that it allowed junk schools to charge the same tuition as Harvard. However, the problem goes well beyond easy access to loans. I’m open to all sorts of solutions...private and public. Financial literacy in this country is abysmal. There was a WSJ article recently about people going underwater on car loans. Maybe high schoolers should be learning about compounding interest instead of hearing lectures about the dangers of marijuana?

 

[BoolaHI]

I am not against allowing market based solutions to solve problems. But suggesting that certain entities, such as the police, should be for-profit corporations, is really something that should stay in Ayn Rand book club discussions. I don’t know much about California and it’s wildfires, but I don’t doubt it is from land mismanagement and wealthy people living where they shouldn’t. The same thing can be said about the rich and living on beaches that get flooded every few years on the east coast. I’m glad Kim and Kanye can afford to protect their house. However, not acknowledging some of the good things that have come from public institutions that we use and rely on every single day is keeping your head in the sand.

The government is absolutely responsible for the student debt problem. The biggest problem I see is that it allowed junk schools to charge the same tuition as Harvard. However, the problem goes well beyond easy access to loans. I’m open to all sorts of solutions...private and public. Financial literacy in this country is abysmal. There was a WSJ article recently about people going underwater on car loans. Maybe high schoolers should be learning about compounding interest instead of hearing lectures about the dangers of marijuana?

Or, in a swoosh of brilliance, let the students share a doobie while they hear about the absolute nirvana and beauty of rule 72 (The rule says that to find the number of years required to double your money at a given interest rate, you just divide the interest rate into 72)....my single best idea of the year. Mic drop-wink.

 

[epidural man]

Now, if you want to still argue with me about pedigree and where you went to school doesn’t not matter, I encourage you to peruse through this profoundly critical piece.

I haven’t been reading most of these posts - so sorry I missed all of this, but are you arguing that where I went to school actually matters?

Are you saying that if I went to organic chemistry class at Stanford that I will fundamentally know more about chiral carbons and SN3 reactions then if I went to O-Chem in Texas? That with 100% certainty all PChem teachers at ivory towers are way better at explaining Schrodinger’s equation then all other professors?

I’m confused by this statement - but like I said, I missed the context.

 

[deleted171991]

I haven’t been reading most of these posts - so sorry I missed all of this, but are you arguing that where I went to school actually matters?

Are you saying that if I went to organic chemistry class at Stanford that I will fundamentally know more about chiral carbons and SN3 reactions then if I went to O-Chem in Texas? That with 100% certainty all PChem teachers at ivory towers are way better at explaining Schrodinger’s equation then all other professors?

I’m confused by this statement - but like I said, I missed the context.

@BoolaHI is an attorney. Pedigree does matter for law school grads and their employers (divided into top 20 and everybody else). It (usually) doesn't for US medical school grads.

All of us have seen BigNationalBrand grads who were not worth the paper their diploma was printed on. Heck, we have seen even presidents who did not make their Ivy League alma maters proud.

 

[BoolaHI]

I haven’t been reading most of these posts - so sorry I missed all of this, but are you arguing that where I went to school actually matters?

Are you saying that if I went to organic chemistry class at Stanford that I will fundamentally know more about chiral carbons and SN3 reactions then if I went to O-Chem in Texas? That with 100% certainty all PChem teachers at ivory towers are way better at explaining Schrodinger’s equation then all other professors?

I’m confused by this statement - but like I said, I missed the context.

Sorry, to clarify, just as applied to law schools. As the education systems and subsequent professional opportunities are quite distinct. The fact is, that the bottom third of law schools, or about 60-70 schools, are mere money making operations (law schools have very little overhead and can be quite profitable) and have very marginal bar pass rates.

 

[deleted87051]

Sorry, to clarify, just as applied to law schools. As the education systems and subsequent professional opportunities are quite distinct. The fact is, that the bottom third of law schools, or about 60-70 schools, are mere money making operations (law schools have very little overhead and can be quite profitable) and have very marginal bar pass rates.

They’re the off-shore Caribbean med schools of law.

 

[BoolaHI]

They’re the off-shore Caribbean med schools of law.

That is about right...

 

[d9sccr]

So what is with all the hyperbole that Warren will be confiscating wealth... 0.001 % might be affected by her tax proposal. People don't understand what what socialism is if they call that socialist.

There are two different conversations going on here, but they’re linked. Her wealth tax started as mentioned but increased with the actual release of her M4A proposal—and she’s still double counting revenue so it would be required to increase again. I think it's currently sitting at 6%.

Elizabeth Warren would double her proposed billionaire wealth tax to help fund 'Medicare for All'

Elizabeth Warren called for a doubling of her billionaire wealth tax as part of a new "Medicare for All" proposal, from 3% to 6% on wealth over 10 figures.

www.cnbc.com

All this is assuming it would be allowed to pass and stand in the first place. There are arguments that a wealth tax isn't Constitutional to begin with and this would undoubtedly go through the Courts, which are now right leaning. So assuming you can pass the wealth tax through Congress and it passes the SC muster, it could be enacted. Then there's the case studies in Europe where these were enacted and billionaires left their home countries to avoid them. This isn't a hypothetical situation, it's played out internationally. You can try to make an argument that our billionaires are different and wouldn't leave if this were the case, but apparently those wealth taxes that caused the rich to flee where close to 1%, not 6%.

Then there's the whole issue with implementation itself:

"In France, the most recent country to back away from the idea, the wealth tax was estimated to bring in about 3.6 billion euros annually and cost the country about 7 billion euros annually from fraud as well as an eroded tax base caused by taxpayers leaving the country, according to research by Eric Pichet, a professor at the Kedge business school in France."

Democrats Love a Wealth Tax, But Europeans Are Ditching the Idea

Democrats are busy finding new ways to tax the rich. The most straightforward way to do that -- an annual tax on household wealth -- is an idea with deep roots in Europe that several 2020 hopefuls are hoping to import to the U.S.

www.bloomberg.com

Wealth tax - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

All this leads into how do you pay for all this "stuff"? The answer is increased income taxes. The top 1% taxed at 100% wouldn't generate the revenue required, so like every other Democratic Socialist country with large social programs, tax rates are going to be at least 60% for everyone. Add in your state income taxes and city taxes where applicable and most people are looking at 70% rates currently. What impact will 60-70% interest rates have on the economy.

 

[d9sccr]

I am not against allowing market based solutions to solve problems. But suggesting that certain entities, such as the police, should be for-profit corporations, is really something that should stay in Ayn Rand book club discussions. I don’t know much about California and it’s wildfires, but I don’t doubt it is from land mismanagement and wealthy people living where they shouldn’t. The same thing can be said about the rich and living on beaches that get flooded every few years on the east coast. I’m glad Kim and Kanye can afford to protect their house. However, not acknowledging some of the good things that have come from public institutions that we use and rely on every single day is keeping your head in the sand.

The government is absolutely responsible for the student debt problem. The biggest problem I see is that it allowed junk schools to charge the same tuition as Harvard. However, the problem goes well beyond easy access to loans. I’m open to all sorts of solutions...private and public. Financial literacy in this country is abysmal. There was a WSJ article recently about people going underwater on car loans. Maybe high schoolers should be learning about compounding interest instead of hearing lectures about the dangers of marijuana?

We aren't as far apart as you think. I just look at what the government has done compared with the private sector and see a lot of our economic issues have government origins. The entire subprime mortgage issue is a perfect example of good intentions with horrendous unintended consequences. Until recently there's been literally nothing "free market" about healthcare and there still is very, very little. Student loans we've covered. I look at all the empirical evidence and just can't jump on board with a larger and more out of control federal government. We have a preview of what M4A will look like in the VA system. I want nothing to do with that.

 

[Leon'sMom]

I, too, dislike and distrust of "royalty" and "dynasties." I absolutely agree that enormous family wealth combined with pedigree/family name is the recipe for corruption. It is very easy to look at the British royal family as an example: Prince Andrew & Jeffrey Epstein relationship. "Sex SLAVES" and "orgies" with CHILDREN on the island...Of course, the spin from the BBC interview will most likely be sympathetic to Prince Andrew. When you rule a country, wield power and influence over every industry (including, and especially, the press), you are bound to get a pass. Even in matters so DISGUSTINGLY VILE as the enslavement, abuse, and murder of CHILDREN. It's perhaps the single most vivid example of what can get swept under the rug when you have enough money and power.

Prince Andrew talks Jeffrey Epstein friendship, sex abuse allegations in BBC interview

America was founded as a break-away country from the British Empire, and our Founding Fathers had great foresight in establishing a system of The People holding elections to select their termed presidents. A short, yet apt, musical summary:

The problem is that our system of electing Presidents and Congress gives us a very false sense of NOT having "royalty" or "dynasties" here in America. In realty, this is not true. We've had untitled royalty and dynasties since the founding of this country. Lots of the most recognizable names in US history: Rockefeller, Morgan, Astor, Schiff, etc. Railroads, oil, banking, etc. "Titans of industry" instead of "King" or "Prince."

I would argue that The People, when aware of them, are wary of "dynasties." This was a common sentiment amongst voters who rejected both Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton. "Give another family a chance to lead." "We don't do royal families here in America." These 2 candidates did not pass the smell test for many. Yet, Congressman, without term limits, hold seats of power for decades. This is absolutely a recipe for corruption. Their campaigns are financed by others, and they serve others, while their constituents suffer year after year. Anyone can see their leadership is lacking (LA, SF, DC, NYC, Baltimore, Chicago, Portland, Seattle are all chaotic cesspools.) How can these "pedigreed" leaders be so stupid? so inept? so ineffective? All of them? In all of these cities? Is it by accident or by design or by instruction? Whose instruction?

Family lineage is a very interesting and important factor when examining our current day politicians. One example is Adam Schiff, US Rep CA. A quick internet search will teach you who his relatives were, going all the way back to Jacob Schiff (son of Moses Schiff): Jacob Schiff - Wikipedia

Read this carefully. What do you see? Any strings to other "pedigreed" families there? Question: Can a baby be born today to one of these "American Dynasties" and have their place/status/wealth in life be secured by serving the needs of the family and those that the family ultimately serves? Yes. Just think Organized Crime families and you can process this concept.

How do you buy the paperwork to back up your qualifications and education? You send your children to the Ivy League and then get them into some big wig company/firm to get the "pedigree." Then, whenever anyone questions this person's abilities/aptitude/intentions we are told "But they are a Yale/Harvard Law School grad, blah, blah, blah." In other words, nothing to see here. Just a smarty pants who graduated from an elite school and earned his rank in this world. I'm sorry, but some people do earn their way into YLS/HLS and others don't. And, IMO, you cannot ever use that as a blanket statement to prove that they have superior intellect, talents, or skills. Some may, but others do not. Yet, we're all supposed to bow down to these pedigrees and dynasties as if their opinion matters more than our own. Nope. That's not how America is supposed to work. That is not an American value. This is American value: ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. Their Creator is God/Higher power NOT some Ivy League university or corporation.

#skullandbones

 

[BoolaHI]

I, too, dislike and distrust of "royalty" and "dynasties." I absolutely agree that enormous family wealth combined with pedigree/family name is the recipe for corruption. It is very easy to look at the British royal family as an example: Prince Andrew & Jeffrey Epstein relationship. "Sex SLAVES" and "orgies" with CHILDREN on the island...Of course, the spin from the BBC interview will most likely be sympathetic to Prince Andrew. When you rule a country, wield power and influence over every industry (including, and especially, the press), you are bound to get a pass. Even in matters so DISGUSTINGLY VILE as the enslavement, abuse, and murder of CHILDREN. It's perhaps the single most vivid example of what can get swept under the rug when you have enough money and power.

Prince Andrew talks Jeffrey Epstein friendship, sex abuse allegations in BBC interview

America was founded as a break-away country from the British Empire, and our Founding Fathers had great foresight in establishing a system of The People holding elections to select their termed presidents. A short, yet apt, musical summary:

The problem is that our system of electing Presidents and Congress gives us a very false sense of NOT having "royalty" or "dynasties" here in America. In realty, this is not true. We've had untitled royalty and dynasties since the founding of this country. Lots of the most recognizable names in US history: Rockefeller, Morgan, Astor, Schiff, etc. Railroads, oil, banking, etc. "Titans of industry" instead of "King" or "Prince."

I would argue that The People, when aware of them, are wary of "dynasties." This was a common sentiment amongst voters who rejected both Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton. "Give another family a chance to lead." "We don't do royal families here in America." These 2 candidates did not pass the smell test for many. Yet, Congressman, without term limits, hold seats of power for decades. This is absolutely a recipe for corruption. Their campaigns are financed by others, and they serve others, while their constituents suffer year after year. Anyone can see their leadership is lacking (LA, SF, DC, NYC, Baltimore, Chicago, Portland, Seattle are all chaotic cesspools.) How can these "pedigreed" leaders be so stupid? so inept? so ineffective? All of them? In all of these cities? Is it by accident or by design or by instruction? Whose instruction?

Family lineage is a very interesting and important factor when examining our current day politicians. One example is Adam Schiff, US Rep CA. A quick internet search will teach you who his relatives were, going all the way back to Jacob Schiff (son of Moses Schiff): Jacob Schiff - Wikipedia

Read this carefully. What do you see? Any strings to other "pedigreed" families there? Question: Can a baby be born today to one of these "American Dynasties" and have their place/status/wealth in life be secured by serving the needs of the family and those that the family ultimately serves? Yes. Just think Organized Crime families and you can process this concept.

How do you buy the paperwork to back up your qualifications and education? You send your children to the Ivy League and then get them into some big wig company/firm to get the "pedigree." Then, whenever anyone questions this person's abilities/aptitude/intentions we are told "But they are a Yale/Harvard Law School grad, blah, blah, blah." In other words, nothing to see here. Just a smarty pants who graduated from an elite school and earned his rank in this world. I'm sorry, but some people do earn their way into YLS/HLS and others don't. And, IMO, you cannot ever use that as a blanket statement to prove that they have superior intellect, talents, or skills. Some may, but others do not. Yet, we're all supposed to bow down to these pedigrees and dynasties as if their opinion matters more than our own. Nope. That's not how America is supposed to work. That is not an American value. This is American value: ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. Their Creator is God/Higher power NOT some Ivy League university or corporation.

#skullandbones

And not all CAP users are created equal—some are legacies, lol.

 

[deleted87051]

Anyone can see their leadership is lacking (LA, SF, DC, NYC, Baltimore, Chicago, Portland, Seattle are all chaotic cesspools.)

You just named 5 of my favorite cities. There’s a reason people pay a million dollars to live in a 2 bedroom condo in some of those cities. Also why those cities have the some of the most competitive anesthesia residencies in the country. I would argue the leadership is doing something right.

 

[BoolaHI]

I, too, dislike and distrust of "royalty" and "dynasties." I absolutely agree that enormous family wealth combined with pedigree/family name is the recipe for corruption. It is very easy to look at the British royal family as an example: Prince Andrew & Jeffrey Epstein relationship. "Sex SLAVES" and "orgies" with CHILDREN on the island...Of course, the spin from the BBC interview will most likely be sympathetic to Prince Andrew. When you rule a country, wield power and influence over every industry (including, and especially, the press), you are bound to get a pass. Even in matters so DISGUSTINGLY VILE as the enslavement, abuse, and murder of CHILDREN. It's perhaps the single most vivid example of what can get swept under the rug when you have enough money and power.

Prince Andrew talks Jeffrey Epstein friendship, sex abuse allegations in BBC interview

America was founded as a break-away country from the British Empire, and our Founding Fathers had great foresight in establishing a system of The People holding elections to select their termed presidents. A short, yet apt, musical summary:

The problem is that our system of electing Presidents and Congress gives us a very false sense of NOT having "royalty" or "dynasties" here in America. In realty, this is not true. We've had untitled royalty and dynasties since the founding of this country. Lots of the most recognizable names in US history: Rockefeller, Morgan, Astor, Schiff, etc. Railroads, oil, banking, etc. "Titans of industry" instead of "King" or "Prince."

I would argue that The People, when aware of them, are wary of "dynasties." This was a common sentiment amongst voters who rejected both Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton. "Give another family a chance to lead." "We don't do royal families here in America." These 2 candidates did not pass the smell test for many. Yet, Congressman, without term limits, hold seats of power for decades. This is absolutely a recipe for corruption. Their campaigns are financed by others, and they serve others, while their constituents suffer year after year. Anyone can see their leadership is lacking (LA, SF, DC, NYC, Baltimore, Chicago, Portland, Seattle are all chaotic cesspools.) How can these "pedigreed" leaders be so stupid? so inept? so ineffective? All of them? In all of these cities? Is it by accident or by design or by instruction? Whose instruction?

Family lineage is a very interesting and important factor when examining our current day politicians. One example is Adam Schiff, US Rep CA. A quick internet search will teach you who his relatives were, going all the way back to Jacob Schiff (son of Moses Schiff): Jacob Schiff - Wikipedia

Read this carefully. What do you see? Any strings to other "pedigreed" families there? Question: Can a baby be born today to one of these "American Dynasties" and have their place/status/wealth in life be secured by serving the needs of the family and those that the family ultimately serves? Yes. Just think Organized Crime families and you can process this concept.

How do you buy the paperwork to back up your qualifications and education? You send your children to the Ivy League and then get them into some big wig company/firm to get the "pedigree." Then, whenever anyone questions this person's abilities/aptitude/intentions we are told "But they are a Yale/Harvard Law School grad, blah, blah, blah." In other words, nothing to see here. Just a smarty pants who graduated from an elite school and earned his rank in this world. I'm sorry, but some people do earn their way into YLS/HLS and others don't. And, IMO, you cannot ever use that as a blanket statement to prove that they have superior intellect, talents, or skills. Some may, but others do not. Yet, we're all supposed to bow down to these pedigrees and dynasties as if their opinion matters more than our own. Nope. That's not how America is supposed to work. That is not an American value. This is American value: ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. Their Creator is God/Higher power NOT some Ivy League university or corporation.

#skullandbones

Smarty pants, in regards to the cities you just mentioned you do do realize that just those handful of cities also represent almost 1/5 of the HQs of Fortune 500 Companies, their economic productivity exceeds almost 90 percent of all states, their valuation for market capitalization is near a trillion, they have the most diverse economies, they also include the most diverse populations, youngest populations, the most female dense populations, the most educated, home of some of the most elite research institutions of higher learning, the most culturally vibrant, the most visited, and our the primacy of both technology and innovation. Name a single conservative city that even comes close....surprise alert, there are none.

Further, tell me if they are such cess pools, why would the leadership of the top 100 companies in our county place both their name and primary assets in such cities? Yo, next time you wanna go on vacation, take your butt to Topeka, or Lubbock or Fresno or some other conservative stronghold.

 

[Leon'sMom]

I am always suspicious of one who so rabidly and rudely personally attacks another poster simply for having a different opinion. The knee-jerk shrieking makes me wonder who/what they are attempting to protect. Relax. There's vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream for a reason.

Yes, those are all large, metropolitan cities with natural beauty, cultural venues, and corporate strongholds and wealth.

Natural beauty is the gift of the Creator, not man. How man takes care of that gift is another thing. Smog, pollution, trash, filth, feces on sidewalks, used syringes in gutters...not my cup of tea.

Cultural venues aplenty? Sure. I happen to be in one of these cities right now for a few days, and I am taking in some cultural events. And on my stroll to the theatre I passed people sleeping in cardboard boxes on the street, panhandling for money and food, and had to watch my back while squished like a sardine on the subway. Very off-putting. When I go to the theatre in my neck of the woods, I don't see such despair or face such threats. For this reason alone, I might argue that I have a higher quality of life than those here in this city. I find myself coming here less and less as the city seems to be sliding back to where it was in the 70's.

Corporate strongholds and wealth? Sure. They are the centers of commerce/banking, and, therefore, they are magnets for corruption and Titans. The example of a 2 bedroom condo costing 2 Mil is a prime example of what is wrong with these cities. There is now a societal caste system in these cities with a dicotomy: the very wealthy/celebrity/titans and the poor/homeless. The white and blue collar workers are commuters into these cities, as housing costs have priced them out. I know a recent college grad who is working for a major accounting firm in one of these cities, and in order to rent an apartment, he and his roommate (same profession) had to prove that they had 5 times the yearly rent in their annual salaries. When this was not possible, they were told that if either of their parents could prove same, they would get the apartment. This was not even possible. So, in the end, both men and both sets of parents had to combine their annual salaries in order to secure the apartment. This is absurd.

I know a young woman who lives in SF and in the 1st week of having her apartment, her place was broken into and her roommates car was broken into. I know another young woman works in Silicon Valley and lives in SF. She is currently looking for another apartment because she was mugged right outside of her apartment and cannot safely come and go from her own home. Now we have SF officials saying they won't pursue such "petty crimes." The streets and BART are full of junkies who pose a safety and health risk to others. I could go on and on. Yes, I stand by my opinion: These cities are not being taken care of and the quality of life in them is on the decline.

 

[BoolaHI]

I am always suspicious of one who so rabidly and rudely personally attacks another poster simply for having a different opinion. The knee-jerk shrieking makes me wonder who/what they are attempting to protect. Relax. There's vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream for a reason.

Yes, those are all large, metropolitan cities with natural beauty, cultural venues, and corporate strongholds and wealth.

Natural beauty is the gift of the Creator, not man. How man takes care of that gift is another thing. Smog, pollution, trash, filth, feces on sidewalks, used syringes in gutters...not my cup of tea.

Cultural venues aplenty? Sure. I happen to be in one of these cities right now for a few days, and I am taking in some cultural events. And on my stroll to the theatre I passed people sleeping in cardboard boxes on the street, panhandling for money and food, and had to watch my back while squished like a sardine on the subway. Very off-putting. When I go to the theatre in my neck of the woods, I don't see such despair or face such threats. For this reason alone, I might argue that I have a higher quality of life than those here in this city. I find myself coming here less and less as the city seems to be sliding back to where it was in the 70's.

Corporate strongholds and wealth? Sure. They are the centers of commerce/banking, and, therefore, they are magnets for corruption and Titans. The example of a 2 bedroom condo costing 2 Mil is a prime example of what is wrong with these cities. There is now a societal caste system in these cities with a dicotomy: the very wealthy/celebrity/titans and the poor/homeless. The white and blue collar workers are commuters into these cities, as housing costs have priced them out. I know a recent college grad who is working for a major accounting firm in one of these cities, and in order to rent an apartment, he and his roommate (same profession) had to prove that they had 5 times the yearly rent in their annual salaries. When this was not possible, they were told that if either of their parents could prove same, they would get the apartment. This was not even possible. So, in the end, both men and both sets of parents had to combine their annual salaries in order to secure the apartment. This is absurd.

I know a young woman who lives in SF and in the 1st week of having her apartment, her place was broken into and her roommates car was broken into. I know another young woman works in Silicon Valley and lives in SF. She is currently looking for another apartment because she was mugged right outside of her apartment and cannot safely come and go from her own home. Now we have SF officials saying they won't pursue such "petty crimes." The streets and BART are full of junkies who pose a safety and health risk to others. I could go on and on. Yes, I stand by my opinion: These cities are not being taken care of and the quality of life in them is on the decline.

 

[BoolaHI]

Su

I am always suspicious of one who so rabidly and rudely personally attacks another poster simply for having a different opinion. The knee-jerk shrieking makes me wonder who/what they are attempting to protect. Relax. There's vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream for a reason.

Yes, those are all large, metropolitan cities with natural beauty, cultural venues, and corporate strongholds and wealth.

Natural beauty is the gift of the Creator, not man. How man takes care of that gift is another thing. Smog, pollution, trash, filth, feces on sidewalks, used syringes in gutters...not my cup of tea.

Cultural venues aplenty? Sure. I happen to be in one of these cities right now for a few days, and I am taking in some cultural events. And on my stroll to the theatre I passed people sleeping in cardboard boxes on the street, panhandling for money and food, and had to watch my back while squished like a sardine on the subway. Very off-putting. When I go to the theatre in my neck of the woods, I don't see such despair or face such threats. For this reason alone, I might argue that I have a higher quality of life than those here in this city. I find myself coming here less and less as the city seems to be sliding back to where it was in the 70's.

Corporate strongholds and wealth? Sure. They are the centers of commerce/banking, and, therefore, they are magnets for corruption and Titans. The example of a 2 bedroom condo costing 2 Mil is a prime example of what is wrong with these cities. There is now a societal caste system in these cities with a dicotomy: the very wealthy/celebrity/titans and the poor/homeless. The white and blue collar workers are commuters into these cities, as housing costs have priced them out. I know a recent college grad who is working for a major accounting firm in one of these cities, and in order to rent an apartment, he and his roommate (same profession) had to prove that they had 5 times the yearly rent in their annual salaries. When this was not possible, they were told that if either of their parents could prove same, they would get the apartment. This was not even possible. So, in the end, both men and both sets of parents had to combine their annual salaries in order to secure the apartment. This is absurd.

I know a young woman who lives in SF and in the 1st week of having her apartment, her place was broken into and her roommates car was broken into. I know another young woman works in Silicon Valley and lives in SF. She is currently looking for another apartment because she was mugged right outside of her apartment and cannot safely come and go from her own home. Now we have SF officials saying they won't pursue such "petty crimes." The streets and BART are full of junkies who pose a safety and health risk to others. I could go on and on. Yes, I stand by my opinion: These cities are not being taken care of and the quality of life in them is on the decline.

Suspect all you want. Facts— New York City Crime Hits Record Low in First Half of 2019

 

[BoolaHI]

I am always suspicious of one who so rabidly and rudely personally attacks another poster simply for having a different opinion. The knee-jerk shrieking makes me wonder who/what they are attempting to protect. Relax. There's vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream for a reason.

Yes, those are all large, metropolitan cities with natural beauty, cultural venues, and corporate strongholds and wealth.

Natural beauty is the gift of the Creator, not man. How man takes care of that gift is another thing. Smog, pollution, trash, filth, feces on sidewalks, used syringes in gutters...not my cup of tea.

Cultural venues aplenty? Sure. I happen to be in one of these cities right now for a few days, and I am taking in some cultural events. And on my stroll to the theatre I passed people sleeping in cardboard boxes on the street, panhandling for money and food, and had to watch my back while squished like a sardine on the subway. Very off-putting. When I go to the theatre in my neck of the woods, I don't see such despair or face such threats. For this reason alone, I might argue that I have a higher quality of life than those here in this city. I find myself coming here less and less as the city seems to be sliding back to where it was in the 70's.

Corporate strongholds and wealth? Sure. They are the centers of commerce/banking, and, therefore, they are magnets for corruption and Titans. The example of a 2 bedroom condo costing 2 Mil is a prime example of what is wrong with these cities. There is now a societal caste system in these cities with a dicotomy: the very wealthy/celebrity/titans and the poor/homeless. The white and blue collar workers are commuters into these cities, as housing costs have priced them out. I know a recent college grad who is working for a major accounting firm in one of these cities, and in order to rent an apartment, he and his roommate (same profession) had to prove that they had 5 times the yearly rent in their annual salaries. When this was not possible, they were told that if either of their parents could prove same, they would get the apartment. This was not even possible. So, in the end, both men and both sets of parents had to combine their annual salaries in order to secure the apartment. This is absurd.

I know a young woman who lives in SF and in the 1st week of having her apartment, her place was broken into and her roommates car was broken into. I know another young woman works in Silicon Valley and lives in SF. She is currently looking for another apartment because she was mugged right outside of her apartment and cannot safely come and go from her own home. Now we have SF officials saying they won't pursue such "petty crimes." The streets and BART are full of junkies who pose a safety and health risk to others. I could go on and on. Yes, I stand by my opinion: These cities are not being taken care of and the quality of life in them is on the decline.

And you seem to be quite a fan of the anecdotal (fictional?) example. So, let me help you with facts:

Homepage | Center for Sustainable Systems

css.umich.edu

Why rural America needs cities | Brookings

Why policymakers should adopt a place-based economic agenda that empowers both rural places and cities.

www.brookings.edu

Red State, Blue City

The United States is coming to resemble two countries, one rural and one urban. What happens when they go to war?

www.theatlantic.com

 

[BoolaHI]

I am always suspicious of one who so rabidly and rudely personally attacks another poster simply for having a different opinion. The knee-jerk shrieking makes me wonder who/what they are attempting to protect. Relax. There's vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream for a reason.

Yes, those are all large, metropolitan cities with natural beauty, cultural venues, and corporate strongholds and wealth.

Natural beauty is the gift of the Creator, not man. How man takes care of that gift is another thing. Smog, pollution, trash, filth, feces on sidewalks, used syringes in gutters...not my cup of tea.

Cultural venues aplenty? Sure. I happen to be in one of these cities right now for a few days, and I am taking in some cultural events. And on my stroll to the theatre I passed people sleeping in cardboard boxes on the street, panhandling for money and food, and had to watch my back while squished like a sardine on the subway. Very off-putting. When I go to the theatre in my neck of the woods, I don't see such despair or face such threats. For this reason alone, I might argue that I have a higher quality of life than those here in this city. I find myself coming here less and less as the city seems to be sliding back to where it was in the 70's.

Corporate strongholds and wealth? Sure. They are the centers of commerce/banking, and, therefore, they are magnets for corruption and Titans. The example of a 2 bedroom condo costing 2 Mil is a prime example of what is wrong with these cities. There is now a societal caste system in these cities with a dicotomy: the very wealthy/celebrity/titans and the poor/homeless. The white and blue collar workers are commuters into these cities, as housing costs have priced them out. I know a recent college grad who is working for a major accounting firm in one of these cities, and in order to rent an apartment, he and his roommate (same profession) had to prove that they had 5 times the yearly rent in their annual salaries. When this was not possible, they were told that if either of their parents could prove same, they would get the apartment. This was not even possible. So, in the end, both men and both sets of parents had to combine their annual salaries in order to secure the apartment. This is absurd.

I know a young woman who lives in SF and in the 1st week of having her apartment, her place was broken into and her roommates car was broken into. I know another young woman works in Silicon Valley and lives in SF. She is currently looking for another apartment because she was mugged right outside of her apartment and cannot safely come and go from her own home. Now we have SF officials saying they won't pursue such "petty crimes." The streets and BART are full of junkies who pose a safety and health risk to others. I could go on and on. Yes, I stand by my opinion: These cities are not being taken care of and the quality of life in them is on the decline.

And you best deal in facts, as both Portland and Seattle basically economically support the remaining rural parts of the state.

Washington Has The Best Economy In U.S., Study Says

The report follows another recent report that says Washington is the No. 2 best state in the U.S. for jobs.

patch.com

Private Site

Total Gross Domestic Product for Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (MSA)

Graph and download economic data for Total Gross Domestic Product for Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (MSA) (NGMP38900) from 2001 to 2023 about Portland, OR, WA, industry, GDP, and USA.

fred.stlouisfed.org

 

[BoolaHI]

I, too, dislike and distrust of "royalty" and "dynasties." I absolutely agree that enormous family wealth combined with pedigree/family name is the recipe for corruption. It is very easy to look at the British royal family as an example: Prince Andrew & Jeffrey Epstein relationship. "Sex SLAVES" and "orgies" with CHILDREN on the island...Of course, the spin from the BBC interview will most likely be sympathetic to Prince Andrew. When you rule a country, wield power and influence over every industry (including, and especially, the press), you are bound to get a pass. Even in matters so DISGUSTINGLY VILE as the enslavement, abuse, and murder of CHILDREN. It's perhaps the single most vivid example of what can get swept under the rug when you have enough money and power.

Prince Andrew talks Jeffrey Epstein friendship, sex abuse allegations in BBC interview

America was founded as a break-away country from the British Empire, and our Founding Fathers had great foresight in establishing a system of The People holding elections to select their termed presidents. A short, yet apt, musical summary:

The problem is that our system of electing Presidents and Congress gives us a very false sense of NOT having "royalty" or "dynasties" here in America. In realty, this is not true. We've had untitled royalty and dynasties since the founding of this country. Lots of the most recognizable names in US history: Rockefeller, Morgan, Astor, Schiff, etc. Railroads, oil, banking, etc. "Titans of industry" instead of "King" or "Prince."

I would argue that The People, when aware of them, are wary of "dynasties." This was a common sentiment amongst voters who rejected both Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton. "Give another family a chance to lead." "We don't do royal families here in America." These 2 candidates did not pass the smell test for many. Yet, Congressman, without term limits, hold seats of power for decades. This is absolutely a recipe for corruption. Their campaigns are financed by others, and they serve others, while their constituents suffer year after year. Anyone can see their leadership is lacking (LA, SF, DC, NYC, Baltimore, Chicago, Portland, Seattle are all chaotic cesspools.) How can these "pedigreed" leaders be so stupid? so inept? so ineffective? All of them? In all of these cities? Is it by accident or by design or by instruction? Whose instruction?

Family lineage is a very interesting and important factor when examining our current day politicians. One example is Adam Schiff, US Rep CA. A quick internet search will teach you who his relatives were, going all the way back to Jacob Schiff (son of Moses Schiff): Jacob Schiff - Wikipedia

Read this carefully. What do you see? Any strings to other "pedigreed" families there? Question: Can a baby be born today to one of these "American Dynasties" and have their place/status/wealth in life be secured by serving the needs of the family and those that the family ultimately serves? Yes. Just think Organized Crime families and you can process this concept.

How do you buy the paperwork to back up your qualifications and education? You send your children to the Ivy League and then get them into some big wig company/firm to get the "pedigree." Then, whenever anyone questions this person's abilities/aptitude/intentions we are told "But they are a Yale/Harvard Law School grad, blah, blah, blah." In other words, nothing to see here. Just a smarty pants who graduated from an elite school and earned his rank in this world. I'm sorry, but some people do earn their way into YLS/HLS and others don't. And, IMO, you cannot ever use that as a blanket statement to prove that they have superior intellect, talents, or skills. Some may, but others do not. Yet, we're all supposed to bow down to these pedigrees and dynasties as if their opinion matters more than our own. Nope. That's not how America is supposed to work. That is not an American value. This is American value: ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. Their Creator is God/Higher power NOT some Ivy League university or corporation.

#skullandbones

And if R leadership is so competent, why do R states consistently dominate the bottom ten in the following: education, health, income, per capita amount of population on federal and/or state assistance, infant mortality, violence, business creation, innovation/technology, diversity and areas where folks under 30 want to live.

I’ll await your lucid and cogent response filled with facts, data and empirical evidence.

 

[BoolaHI]

Best and brightest show continues its world tour. The good news is that they are now the opening act to Bruno Mars.

• Campaign manager Paul Manafort - guilty
• National Security Advisor Michael Flynn - guilty
• Campaign Aid Rick Gates - guilty
• Lawyer Michael Cohen - guilty
• Campaign Advisor George Papadopoulos - guilty
• Campaign advisor Roger Stone - guilty

 

[BoolaHI]

More best and brightest news, but Rudy is about to be served. The sweet irony of all this is that the Southern District, which he formerly ran, will be dropping paper on him—Xmas comes early.

Giuliani Under Federal Investigation for Campaign Finance, Lobbying Violations: Report | National Review

The former New York City mayor, one of the major players in the impeachment inquiry against Trump, is being investigated by the U.S. attorney’s office

www.nationalreview.com

 

[anbuitachi]

I simply think that billionaires could afford to pay more in taxes. I think an anesthesiologist making $500k a year could afford to pay more in taxes. Why? I like my country and I want it to be in a nice, successful place to live. Public schools, public libraries, and other public resources have been good for us. I think we can figure out a way to offer some form of basic healthcare because frankly, the public wants it. Is Medicare for all the answer? I don’t know, but it’s at least a conversation we should have. Higher education has been a net positive thing for our country. I want an educated citizenry. However, the current student loan business is a scam. I was able to pay my way out of it quickly, but others aren’t so lucky. Providing our citizens with affordable options to get educated seems like a net benefit to our society. I’m willing to pay for it. I don’t see why Bezos wouldn’t be either other than simple greed.

Sorry, but I think the United States has done some incredible things throughout its history using public resources. While I hate the act of paying taxes, my rational brain usually points out all the important things my tax dollars pay for. I think those who just say taxes = stealing have a very immature mindset. Taxes are not immoral despite the rantings of whatever immature libertarian blogger you read. Taxes are very moral because they prioritize the general good.

I'm going to disagree with part of this. I think comparing billionaires (asset/wealth) to anesthesiologist making 500k (salary) is unfair. This happens too often and this mentality hurts us in my opinion. Probably no other profession takes as much time and money to train than doctors. New graduates are crushed with loans going up at 6-7%. Now finally at 32 they become an attending, somehow lands an amazing job making 500k, and is now expected to pay more federal tax? Maybe state /local tax on some low tax regions, fine, but federal would apply to everywhere. Imagine some unlucky grads with no parental help, paying 50k a year for college x4. Then 70k a year total for med x4. Graduate with 450k loans going up at 6.5 PERCENT. Cant even refinance because the number is too large and she too poor. Finally starts working at 32 with no savings, probably 500k + in debt after graduating residency, and now you want to tax this person MORE and compare to a billionaire? Makes zero sense to me. I make far less than 500k a year and im already taxed 40% net, and thats not even including the 8.9% sales tax that comes with almost everything i buy

For your 2nd part, i think our country has tons of resources already. The problem is how we use our tax money, and how people act/react culturally. There are SO many countries out there with better public stuff than us yet dont have more tax. We are just using the money in a terrible way. It's like how Mark zuck donated 100M to a school district in NJ, and made zero dent. The money were all 'used' up in no time.

 

[BoolaHI]

Hmmmn, doesn’t this sound an awful like socialism?

Trump to begin new round of trade-aid payouts to farmers

A potential third round of direct aid could follow in January, if needed.

www.politico.com

 

[anbuitachi]

I am not against allowing market based solutions to solve problems. But suggesting that certain entities, such as the police, should be for-profit corporations, is really something that should stay in Ayn Rand book club discussions. I don’t know much about California and it’s wildfires, but I don’t doubt it is from land mismanagement and wealthy people living where they shouldn’t. The same thing can be said about the rich and living on beaches that get flooded every few years on the east coast. I’m glad Kim and Kanye can afford to protect their house. However, not acknowledging some of the good things that have come from public institutions that we use and rely on every single day is keeping your head in the sand.

The government is absolutely responsible for the student debt problem. The biggest problem I see is that it allowed junk schools to charge the same tuition as Harvard. However, the problem goes well beyond easy access to loans. I’m open to all sorts of solutions...private and public. Financial literacy in this country is abysmal. There was a WSJ article recently about people going underwater on car loans. Maybe high schoolers should be learning about compounding interest instead of hearing lectures about the dangers of marijuana?

I am always suspicious of one who so rabidly and rudely personally attacks another poster simply for having a different opinion. The knee-jerk shrieking makes me wonder who/what they are attempting to protect. Relax. There's vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream for a reason.

Yes, those are all large, metropolitan cities with natural beauty, cultural venues, and corporate strongholds and wealth.

Natural beauty is the gift of the Creator, not man. How man takes care of that gift is another thing. Smog, pollution, trash, filth, feces on sidewalks, used syringes in gutters...not my cup of tea.

Cultural venues aplenty? Sure. I happen to be in one of these cities right now for a few days, and I am taking in some cultural events. And on my stroll to the theatre I passed people sleeping in cardboard boxes on the street, panhandling for money and food, and had to watch my back while squished like a sardine on the subway. Very off-putting. When I go to the theatre in my neck of the woods, I don't see such despair or face such threats. For this reason alone, I might argue that I have a higher quality of life than those here in this city. I find myself coming here less and less as the city seems to be sliding back to where it was in the 70's.

Corporate strongholds and wealth? Sure. They are the centers of commerce/banking, and, therefore, they are magnets for corruption and Titans. The example of a 2 bedroom condo costing 2 Mil is a prime example of what is wrong with these cities. There is now a societal caste system in these cities with a dicotomy: the very wealthy/celebrity/titans and the poor/homeless. The white and blue collar workers are commuters into these cities, as housing costs have priced them out. I know a recent college grad who is working for a major accounting firm in one of these cities, and in order to rent an apartment, he and his roommate (same profession) had to prove that they had 5 times the yearly rent in their annual salaries. When this was not possible, they were told that if either of their parents could prove same, they would get the apartment. This was not even possible. So, in the end, both men and both sets of parents had to combine their annual salaries in order to secure the apartment. This is absurd.

I know a young woman who lives in SF and in the 1st week of having her apartment, her place was broken into and her roommates car was broken into. I know another young woman works in Silicon Valley and lives in SF. She is currently looking for another apartment because she was mugged right outside of her apartment and cannot safely come and go from her own home. Now we have SF officials saying they won't pursue such "petty crimes." The streets and BART are full of junkies who pose a safety and health risk to others. I could go on and on. Yes, I stand by my opinion: These cities are not being taken care of and the quality of life in them is on the decline.

Agree with this. im in a large city. there are homeless people EVERYWHERE. i dont feel it was like this a few years ago. the subway stations and cars have SO many homeless sleeping now that its colder. Crimes may be down.. but homelessness definitely seems to be up

 

[anbuitachi]

@BoolaHI is an attorney. Pedigree does matter for law school grads and their employers (divided into top 20 and everybody else). It (usually) doesn't for US medical school grads.

All of us have seen BigNationalBrand grads who were not worth the paper their diploma was printed on. Heck, we have seen even presidents who did not make their Ivy League alma maters proud.

Sorry, to clarify, just as applied to law schools. As the education systems and subsequent professional opportunities are quite distinct. The fact is, that the bottom third of law schools, or about 60-70 schools, are mere money making operations (law schools have very little overhead and can be quite profitable) and have very marginal bar pass rates.

They’re the off-shore Caribbean med schools of law.

This actually reminds me of something i was doing recently. I keep getting emails of news of doctors found guilty of pill milling/inappropriately prescribing opioids. I looked up 20 or so of the most recent ones (yea i was bored on call). About 80% of them graduated from asian medical schools, carribean medical schools, or DO schools. Only about 20% were american MD grads. Sure N=20, but seeing as how american MDs make up most of the doctors in this country, yet from the n=20, majority were not... its likely not random. so where you went to school do matter probably. and in part it makes sense since in many countries in asia, MD = bachelors degree. And obviously for DO/carribean, there acceptance standards are lower

 

[anbuitachi]

It's interesting that you use Tesla as an example.

Would we even have Tesla if Elon Musk had been taxed at 80% of 90% of everything over the first $50 million he owned? If every year, 3% or 5% of his wealth was taken by a wealth task?

You say "that's even with a billionaire owner" in your post. Do you really think it would have happened without a billionaire owner, even with 5x as much socialism?

Would SpaceX exist? Or would we still be counting on the corrupt and wasteful Boeing / Lockheed / etc consortium? The SLS is years behind schedule and is looking at a cost of $2 billion per launch even AFTER they actually build something that flies. The success of SpaceX could literally change the course of humanity. Maybe because cheap, reusable access to space is an American invention and gave us a head start over the inevitable Chinese copy, the first footholds of colonization of Mars will be western, not Chinese.

What other unintended consequences (losses) might there be we just decide that no one gets to be exceptional?

I guess Chinese billionaires could step up.

I think it will exist. most of the money is from investors anyway.

 

[deleted171991]

This actually reminds me of something i was doing recently. I keep getting emails of news of doctors found guilty of pill milling/inappropriately prescribing opioids. I looked up 20 or so of the most recent ones (yea i was bored on call). About 80% of them graduated from asian medical schools, carribean medical schools, or DO schools. Only about 20% were american MD grads. Sure N=20, but seeing as how american MDs make up most of the doctors in this country, yet from the n=20, majority were not... its likely not random. so where you went to school do matter probably. and in part it makes sense since in many countries in asia, MD = bachelors degree. And obviously for DO/carribean, there acceptance standards are lower

Really? So you're saying that 6 years of serious medical school are weaker than 4 years of adult kindergarten plus 4 years of American medical school? 😛

 

[anbuitachi]

Really? So you're saying that 6 years of serious medical school are weaker than 4 years of adult kindergarten plus 4 years of American medical school? 😛

yea sure. 'serious' medical school. i bet if i look up those medical schools that they went to, most are not 6 years. Especially not back in the days.

And what i meant is when medical school is just a bachelors, its kind of just like another MAJOR. our standards are pretty high when accepting students for medical school, academically and morally. a lot of schools out there in rest of the world, especially smaller/poorer countries are not like that. we look at everything, and go thru multiple interviews. many of those schools in asia may not even interview you, and just look at some grades. its completely different. they might have the academic IQ to pass or do well in their medical school, it doesn't mean they care about patients as much as they should. Unless you have another realistic explanation to why most i saw were in those categories of schools...

 

[deleted171991]

yea sure. 'serious' medical school. i bet if i look up those medical schools that they went to, most are not 6 years. Especially not back in the days.

And what i meant is when medical school is just a bachelors, its kind of just like another MAJOR. our standards are pretty high when accepting students for medical school, academically and morally. a lot of schools out there in rest of the world, especially smaller/poorer countries are not like that. we look at everything, and go thru multiple interviews. many of those schools in asia may not even interview you, and just look at some grades. its completely different. they might have the academic IQ to pass or do well in their medical school, it doesn't mean they care about patients as much as they should. Unless you have another realistic explanation to why most i saw were in those categories of schools...

I am sure there are a good number of banana schools in some developing countries, not just in the Caribbean. I just wouldn't generalize it to every 6-year medical school, simply because that's the dominant model in many countries.

 

[deleted171991]

Food for thought for the "US versus THEM" fans:

 

[deleted643396]

I'm going to disagree with part of this. I think comparing billionaires (asset/wealth) to anesthesiologist making 500k (salary) is unfair. This happens too often and this mentality hurts us in my opinion. Probably no other profession takes as much time and money to train than doctors. New graduates are crushed with loans going up at 6-7%. Now finally at 32 they become an attending, somehow lands an amazing job making 500k, and is now expected to pay more federal tax? Maybe state /local tax on some low tax regions, fine, but federal would apply to everywhere. Imagine some unlucky grads with no parental help, paying 50k a year for college x4. Then 70k a year total for med x4. Graduate with 450k loans going up at 6.5 PERCENT. Cant even refinance because the number is too large and she too poor. Finally starts working at 32 with no savings, probably 500k + in debt after graduating residency, and now you want to tax this person MORE and compare to a billionaire? Makes zero sense to me. I make far less than 500k a year and im already taxed 40% net, and thats not even including the 8.9% sales tax that comes with almost everything i buy

For your 2nd part, i think our country has tons of resources already. The problem is how we use our tax money, and how people act/react culturally. There are SO many countries out there with better public stuff than us yet dont have more tax. We are just using the money in a terrible way. It's like how Mark zuck donated 100M to a school district in NJ, and made zero dent. The money were all 'used' up in no time.

If you were to read what I wrote, I said that I think it’s ridiculous that an anesthesiologist making $500k is in the same tax bracket as Jeff Bezos. Jeff can afford to pay a little more and so could I. A reasonable increase in taxes would not make a noticeable difference in my lifestyle. If that money was being used well then I would support it.

Honestly, you are not going to get much in the way of tears from me for your loan or the imaginary new grad’s loan situation in your response. I can also guarantee you the general public is not going to shed a tear for you either. You are making 500k a year and you can’t pay down a 450k debt? That’s a “you” problem. You can pay off that debt in under 5 years, save 20% for a down payment on a home in a HCOL area, travel, go out to nice dinners, max out a 401k, and still have have some left over. Even if you had a lousy first job making 300k a year, it’s still possible. Wanna know how I know?

I’m not going to argue with you about the cost of education because I think it’s ridiculous, but I also think doctors making >400k a year complaining about how hard it is to pay off med school just have a hard time with math.

We’re not going to change society or the expectations of society, so that’s not even worth discussing. Once the public decides something like health care access should be universal or higher education is the ticket to a middle class life then the best we can do is figure out a way to make that possible. If not, you end up with a bunch of angry people.

 

[deleted87051]

This actually reminds me of something i was doing recently. I keep getting emails of news of doctors found guilty of pill milling/inappropriately prescribing opioids. I looked up 20 or so of the most recent ones (yea i was bored on call). About 80% of them graduated from asian medical schools, carribean medical schools, or DO schools. Only about 20% were american MD grads. Sure N=20, but seeing as how american MDs make up most of the doctors in this country, yet from the n=20, majority were not... its likely not random. so where you went to school do matter probably. and in part it makes sense since in many countries in asia, MD = bachelors degree. And obviously for DO/carribean, there acceptance standards are lower

Maybe those doctors were relegated to low paying specialties in impoverished areas. If somebody is well paid to practice legitimate medicine, there’s less incentive to do shady stuff.

 

[deleted87051]

More best and brightest news, but Rudy is about to be served. The sweet irony of all this is that the Southern District, which he formerly ran, will be dropping paper on him—Xmas comes early.

Giuliani Under Federal Investigation for Campaign Finance, Lobbying Violations: Report | National Review

The former New York City mayor, one of the major players in the impeachment inquiry against Trump, is being investigated by the U.S. attorney’s office

www.nationalreview.com

His transformation from Mr law and order to “handler” is astounding.

 

[deleted87051]

I make far less than 500k a year and im already taxed 40% net, and thats not even including the 8.9% sales tax that comes with almost everything i buy

Are you actually paying 40% net? If so, you should get some help with your taxes. That is incredibly high compared to others with similar incomes.

 

[deleted171991]

Are you actually paying 40% net? If so, you should get some help with your taxes. That is incredibly high compared to others with similar incomes.

Of course it's in the 30's, if you add up federal income tax, state income tax, and FICA. There is not much to deduct for an employee.

For example, 40 year-old MFJ with 19,000 contributed to 403b (let's say the employer does not offer a 457b), with 2 children, no mortgage, no educational debts, in NJ:

Federal Income Tax Calculator (2025-2026)

Calculate your federal, state and local taxes for the current filing year with our free income tax calculator. Enter your income and location to estimate your tax burden.

smartasset.com

That is a 33% tax rate (on the 480; the 403b will be taxed at retirement - that's not included). And that doesn't include property taxes, which can be another 20K easy. When I did this for New York City, the state (plus local) part of the income tax almost doubled, easily reaching 40% in total.

You were saying...?

 

[Hamhock]

Of course it's in the 30's, if you add up federal income tax, state income tax, and FICA. There is not much to deduct for an employee.

For example, 40 year-old MFJ with 19,000 contributed to 403b (let's say the employer does not offer a 457b), with 2 children, no mortgage, no educational debts, in NJ:

View attachment 286432

Federal Income Tax Calculator (2025-2026)

Calculate your federal, state and local taxes for the current filing year with our free income tax calculator. Enter your income and location to estimate your tax burden.

smartasset.com

That is a 33% tax rate (on the 480; the 403b will be taxed at retirement - that's not included). And that doesn't include property taxes, which can be another 20K easy. When I did this for New York City, the state (plus local) part of the income tax almost doubled, easily reaching 40% in total.

You were saying...?

It's even worse if you are a single anesthesiologist living in California and paying rent for an apartment (not enough for down payment yet). That's even for a single 1099 physician with retirement deductions of 56K. Remember SALT limitations now!

The effective rate is easily >35%...more like 38+%.

HH

 

[BoolaHI]

I, too, dislike and distrust of "royalty" and "dynasties." I absolutely agree that enormous family wealth combined with pedigree/family name is the recipe for corruption. It is very easy to look at the British royal family as an example: Prince Andrew & Jeffrey Epstein relationship. "Sex SLAVES" and "orgies" with CHILDREN on the island...Of course, the spin from the BBC interview will most likely be sympathetic to Prince Andrew. When you rule a country, wield power and influence over every industry (including, and especially, the press), you are bound to get a pass. Even in matters so DISGUSTINGLY VILE as the enslavement, abuse, and murder of CHILDREN. It's perhaps the single most vivid example of what can get swept under the rug when you have enough money and power.

Prince Andrew talks Jeffrey Epstein friendship, sex abuse allegations in BBC interview

America was founded as a break-away country from the British Empire, and our Founding Fathers had great foresight in establishing a system of The People holding elections to select their termed presidents. A short, yet apt, musical summary:

The problem is that our system of electing Presidents and Congress gives us a very false sense of NOT having "royalty" or "dynasties" here in America. In realty, this is not true. We've had untitled royalty and dynasties since the founding of this country. Lots of the most recognizable names in US history: Rockefeller, Morgan, Astor, Schiff, etc. Railroads, oil, banking, etc. "Titans of industry" instead of "King" or "Prince."

I would argue that The People, when aware of them, are wary of "dynasties." This was a common sentiment amongst voters who rejected both Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton. "Give another family a chance to lead." "We don't do royal families here in America." These 2 candidates did not pass the smell test for many. Yet, Congressman, without term limits, hold seats of power for decades. This is absolutely a recipe for corruption. Their campaigns are financed by others, and they serve others, while their constituents suffer year after year. Anyone can see their leadership is lacking (LA, SF, DC, NYC, Baltimore, Chicago, Portland, Seattle are all chaotic cesspools.) How can these "pedigreed" leaders be so stupid? so inept? so ineffective? All of them? In all of these cities? Is it by accident or by design or by instruction? Whose instruction?

Family lineage is a very interesting and important factor when examining our current day politicians. One example is Adam Schiff, US Rep CA. A quick internet search will teach you who his relatives were, going all the way back to Jacob Schiff (son of Moses Schiff): Jacob Schiff - Wikipedia

Read this carefully. What do you see? Any strings to other "pedigreed" families there? Question: Can a baby be born today to one of these "American Dynasties" and have their place/status/wealth in life be secured by serving the needs of the family and those that the family ultimately serves? Yes. Just think Organized Crime families and you can process this concept.

How do you buy the paperwork to back up your qualifications and education? You send your children to the Ivy League and then get them into some big wig company/firm to get the "pedigree." Then, whenever anyone questions this person's abilities/aptitude/intentions we are told "But they are a Yale/Harvard Law School grad, blah, blah, blah." In other words, nothing to see here. Just a smarty pants who graduated from an elite school and earned his rank in this world. I'm sorry, but some people do earn their way into YLS/HLS and others don't. And, IMO, you cannot ever use that as a blanket statement to prove that they have superior intellect, talents, or skills. Some may, but others do not. Yet, we're all supposed to bow down to these pedigrees and dynasties as if their opinion matters more than our own. Nope. That's not how America is supposed to work. That is not an American value. This is American value: ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. Their Creator is God/Higher power NOT some Ivy League university or corporation.

#skullandbones

You best be counseled and reminded by matriarch of modern conservatism—

I would give the greatest sunset in the world for one sight of New York’s skyline—It is beauty and genius they want—Let them come to New York.

Any Rand — The Fountainhead

 

[deleted171991]

You best be counseled and reminded by matriarch of modern conservatism—

I would give the greatest sunset in the world for one sight of New York’s skyline—It is beauty and genius they want—Let them come to New York.

Any Rand — The Fountainhead

 

[BLADEMDA]

If you were to read what I wrote, I said that I think it’s ridiculous that an anesthesiologist making $500k is in the same tax bracket as Jeff Bezos. Jeff can afford to pay a little more and so could I. A reasonable increase in taxes would not make a noticeable difference in my lifestyle. If that money was being used well then I would support it.

Honestly, you are not going to get much in the way of tears from me for your loan or the imaginary new grad’s loan situation in your response. I can also guarantee you the general public is not going to shed a tear for you either. You are making 500k a year and you can’t pay down a 450k debt? That’s a “you” problem. You can pay off that debt in under 5 years, save 20% for a down payment on a home in a HCOL area, travel, go out to nice dinners, max out a 401k, and still have have some left over. Even if you had a lousy first job making 300k a year, it’s still possible. Wanna know how I know?

I’m not going to argue with you about the cost of education because I think it’s ridiculous, but I also think doctors making >400k a year complaining about how hard it is to pay off med school just have a hard time with math.

We’re not going to change society or the expectations of society, so that’s not even worth discussing. Once the public decides something like health care access should be universal or higher education is the ticket to a middle class life then the best we can do is figure out a way to make that possible. If not, you end up with a bunch of angry people.

I do agree with you on these issues, but the solution isn't a heavy govt. intrusion. The more you allow the free market to work the better the outcome here in the USA. That means upfront pricing/costs for all parts of the healthcare system, allowing the individual to decide on what type of plan he/she wants and using Obamacare tax money to expand medicaid but not the ACA exchanges. If someone needs basic care give them medicaid but if they want a real healthcare plan they must buy one on their own.

The pre-existing condition clause must remain as it is today so nobody is denied coverage. The rest of the plan should be decided by the individual buying the plan. Medicaid would be expanded fostering the already existing 2 tier health system in the USA. Medicaid gives all citizens basic access to care but private insurance (like it exists today) gives the individual/family much more access to better care and facilities. For example, have you ever tried to get care or surgery at the Mayo Clinic with Medicaid?

 

[BLADEMDA]

Our Plan - American Healthcare Choices

The Health Care Choices proposal: A plan offered by the Health Policy Consensus Group Poll after poll shows that health care continues to be a major issue with voters. Millions are suffering under Obamacare’s high premiums and unaffordable deductibles. Families were promised they would save...

americanhealthcarechoices.org

This is just one of many proposals to lower costs for people buying health insurance.

ObamaCare Failed To Make Health Care Affordable; Here's A Plan That Will | Investor's Business Daily

Four years after ObamaCare was supposed to fix the nation's health care problems, the issue is still top of mind. So why don't more people know about a solid plan that would cut premiums by a third?

www.investors.com

 

[BLADEMDA]

Former President Barack Obama on Friday warned Democratic primary candidates to avoid leaning too far left in their campaigns, and raised concerns that certain liberal policy proposals on health care and immigration might have gone further than public opinion.
In an unusual address to a room of wealthy Democratic donors, Obama urged Democratic candidates to be pragmatic in their messages to voters. While he didn’t mention any specific presidential primary candidate or proposal, Obama warned that the average American voter does not align with views from “certain left-leaning Twitter feeds or the activist wing of our party.”

Obama said that his concerns aren’t a criticism of party activists, whose job he said is to “poke and prod and text and inspire and motivate.” But he emphasized that whoever the candidate is, their ultimate job is to get elected.
“Even as we push the envelope and we are bold in our vision we also have to be rooted in reality,” Obama said. “The average American doesn’t think we have to completely tear down the system and remake it.”

Obama warns Democrats against going too far left: 'We have to be rooted in reality'

In an address to wealthy liberal donors, Obama warned that the average American voter does not align with views from "certain left-leaning Twitter feeds or the activist wing of our party."

www.cnbc.com

 

[DrGasPasser]

[

Our Plan - American Healthcare Choices

The Health Care Choices proposal: A plan offered by the Health Policy Consensus Group Poll after poll shows that health care continues to be a major issue with voters. Millions are suffering under Obamacare’s high premiums and unaffordable deductibles. Families were promised they would save...

americanhealthcarechoices.org

This is just one of many proposals to lower costs for people buying health insurance.

ObamaCare Failed To Make Health Care Affordable; Here's A Plan That Will | Investor's Business Daily

Four years after ObamaCare was supposed to fix the nation's health care problems, the issue is still top of mind. So why don't more people know about a solid plan that would cut premiums by a third?

www.investors.com

If you told me that Obama would be the one to try and strangle M4A in the crib I would have thought you crazy:

Obama warns Democrats against going too far left: 'We have to be rooted in reality'

In an address to wealthy liberal donors, Obama warned that the average American voter does not align with views from "certain left-leaning Twitter feeds or the activist wing of our party."

www.google.com

 

[deleted87051]

I am always suspicious of one who so rabidly and rudely personally attacks another poster simply for having a different opinion. The knee-jerk shrieking makes me wonder who/what they are attempting to protect. Relax. There's vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream for a reason.

Yes, those are all large, metropolitan cities with natural beauty, cultural venues, and corporate strongholds and wealth.

Natural beauty is the gift of the Creator, not man. How man takes care of that gift is another thing. Smog, pollution, trash, filth, feces on sidewalks, used syringes in gutters...not my cup of tea.

Cultural venues aplenty? Sure. I happen to be in one of these cities right now for a few days, and I am taking in some cultural events. And on my stroll to the theatre I passed people sleeping in cardboard boxes on the street, panhandling for money and food, and had to watch my back while squished like a sardine on the subway. Very off-putting. When I go to the theatre in my neck of the woods, I don't see such despair or face such threats. For this reason alone, I might argue that I have a higher quality of life than those here in this city. I find myself coming here less and less as the city seems to be sliding back to where it was in the 70's.

Corporate strongholds and wealth? Sure. They are the centers of commerce/banking, and, therefore, they are magnets for corruption and Titans. The example of a 2 bedroom condo costing 2 Mil is a prime example of what is wrong with these cities. There is now a societal caste system in these cities with a dicotomy: the very wealthy/celebrity/titans and the poor/homeless. The white and blue collar workers are commuters into these cities, as housing costs have priced them out. I know a recent college grad who is working for a major accounting firm in one of these cities, and in order to rent an apartment, he and his roommate (same profession) had to prove that they had 5 times the yearly rent in their annual salaries. When this was not possible, they were told that if either of their parents could prove same, they would get the apartment. This was not even possible. So, in the end, both men and both sets of parents had to combine their annual salaries in order to secure the apartment. This is absurd.

I know a young woman who lives in SF and in the 1st week of having her apartment, her place was broken into and her roommates car was broken into. I know another young woman works in Silicon Valley and lives in SF. She is currently looking for another apartment because she was mugged right outside of her apartment and cannot safely come and go from her own home. Now we have SF officials saying they won't pursue such "petty crimes." The streets and BART are full of junkies who pose a safety and health risk to others. I could go on and on. Yes, I stand by my opinion: These cities are not being taken care of and the quality of life in them is on the decline.

You may not see despair and poverty where you live because the area doesn’t have the density to push it in front of your eyes. Just because you don’t come across it does not mean it’s not there. Many rural areas are more impoverished than cities.

 

[deleted87051]

I do agree with you on these issues, but the solution isn't a heavy govt. intrusion. The more you allow the free market to work the better the outcome here in the USA. That means upfront pricing/costs for all parts of the healthcare system, allowing the individual to decide on what type of plan he/she wants and using Obamacare tax money to expand medicaid but not the ACA exchanges. If someone needs basic care give them medicaid but if they want a real healthcare plan they must buy one on their own.

The pre-existing condition clause must remain as it is today so nobody is denied coverage. The rest of the plan should be decided by the individual buying the plan. Medicaid would be expanded fostering the already existing 2 tier health system in the USA. Medicaid gives all citizens basic access to care but private insurance (like it exists today) gives the individual/family much more access to better care and facilities. For example, have you ever tried to get care or surgery at the Mayo Clinic with Medicaid?

The free market healthcare system thrives on confusion over costs. Both hospitals, doctors and insurance companies consider this proprietary information and a legitimate trade secret. It’s analogous to anesthesia groups revealing their unit value to the public. Recent efforts for price transparency have been driven by government intrusion at both the state and federal levels.

Trump announces rule requiring hospitals to reveal rates

In a historic move, President Donald Trump announced Friday that hospitals will be required to disclose the rates they privately negotiate with insurers.

www-m.cnn.com

Redirect Notice

Hospital Price Transparency Rule Takes Effect January 1, 2019

The hospital price transparency rule takes effect January 1, requiring hospitals to share their rates for all items and services in an effort to empower consumers.

www.google.com

 

[DrGasPasser]

The free market healthcare system thrives on confusion over costs. Both hospitals, doctors and insurance companies consider this proprietary information and a legitimate trade secret. It’s analogous to anesthesia groups revealing their unit value to the public. Recent efforts for price transparency have been driven by government intrusion at both the state and federal levels.

Trump announces rule requiring hospitals to reveal rates

In a historic move, President Donald Trump announced Friday that hospitals will be required to disclose the rates they privately negotiate with insurers.

www-m.cnn.com

Redirect Notice

Hospital Price Transparency Rule Takes Effect January 1, 2019

The hospital price transparency rule takes effect January 1, requiring hospitals to share their rates for all items and services in an effort to empower consumers.

www.google.com

I cringe at the reference to a “free market” healthcare system. America’s is a complex system of rent controls and price controls that leads to a plethora of market distortions.