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Showing posts with label socialism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label socialism. Show all posts
Saturday 7 January 2017
Friday 1 March 2013
Is Capitalism dead?
Interesting opinions from a political expert/philosopher on current and future economic conditions with a focus on Capitalism.
I especially found statements near the end of the video assuring. Basically, the point was made that Scandinavian countries, while maintaining a high degree of social programs and a far more level income equality ratio among their citizens, they remain among the top countries in global economic competitiveness. In other words, the old argument that conservatives like to use for attacking all forms of income re-distribution is a crock.
There is no reason why the wealth of a country cannot be more evenly shared while the nation remains vital in a global, competitive economy. You don't run out of "other people's money" because not everyone gets "on the dole" just because they can. People are just as anxious to invent, discover, and create jobs even if they won't earn the obscene amounts that their American counterparts do. I use the word "obscene" not because I begrudge anyone the fruits of their labour, but only because that wealth comes at the expense of large numbers of hard-working or even non-working folks who struggle for food and shelter every day.
Click here to go to most recent posts.
I especially found statements near the end of the video assuring. Basically, the point was made that Scandinavian countries, while maintaining a high degree of social programs and a far more level income equality ratio among their citizens, they remain among the top countries in global economic competitiveness. In other words, the old argument that conservatives like to use for attacking all forms of income re-distribution is a crock.
There is no reason why the wealth of a country cannot be more evenly shared while the nation remains vital in a global, competitive economy. You don't run out of "other people's money" because not everyone gets "on the dole" just because they can. People are just as anxious to invent, discover, and create jobs even if they won't earn the obscene amounts that their American counterparts do. I use the word "obscene" not because I begrudge anyone the fruits of their labour, but only because that wealth comes at the expense of large numbers of hard-working or even non-working folks who struggle for food and shelter every day.
Click here to go to most recent posts.
Thursday 2 February 2012
Sunday 4 September 2011
Yeti the farm dog nurses 14 piglets in Cuba
CAMAGUEY, CUBA — Yeti the dog already had a litter of pups to care for when the piglets adopted her as a second mom.
Ever since then, the Cuban farm dog has been pulling double-duty, nursing not just her own young but also the 14 swine.
Farmer Mannorkys Santamaria said the piglets also take milk from their mothers, but when they see Yeti, they run to her for a meal. On a recent day the young porkers followed her around the farm as if she were their real mother.
“No one imposed this on the dog,” Santamaria said. “The piglets discovered this on their own and began nursing with her when they turned 15 days old.”
Full Story.
This is socialism in nature. If the dog were an American Pit Bull Terrier, she'd have starved her offspring and instead sold her milk on the open market at cut-throat prices that only Great Danes and King Shepherds can afford and move into a condo in Manhattan.
Click here to go to most recent posts.
Ever since then, the Cuban farm dog has been pulling double-duty, nursing not just her own young but also the 14 swine.
Farmer Mannorkys Santamaria said the piglets also take milk from their mothers, but when they see Yeti, they run to her for a meal. On a recent day the young porkers followed her around the farm as if she were their real mother.
“No one imposed this on the dog,” Santamaria said. “The piglets discovered this on their own and began nursing with her when they turned 15 days old.”
Full Story.
This is socialism in nature. If the dog were an American Pit Bull Terrier, she'd have starved her offspring and instead sold her milk on the open market at cut-throat prices that only Great Danes and King Shepherds can afford and move into a condo in Manhattan.
Click here to go to most recent posts.
Tuesday 23 June 2009
Political rant
Welfare fraud is perpetrated illegally by the poor and desperate. Tax avoidance is legally taken advantage of by the rich and affluent. "Loopholes" are mostly devised by the rich to help the rich. Let's get one other thing straight. I'm not naive enough to believe that things will change significantly in favour of the poor at the expense of the rich. Wealth in America, like guns in America will come from wherever it/they are most easy to be gotten.
The argument that jurisdictions where gun control has been enacted shows little or no gun-related crime decline is due simply because guns are brought in from other places. Unless you make it extremely difficult to get guns at all, be ready to bury your child, grandchild or yourself from taking a stray bullet.
It's the same story with wealth. I believe it was Maryland that enacted a "Millionaire" law in an attempt to tax the rich a little more. Surprisingly (to some), suddenly the number of filers with income over one million dropped by about one third. They're still wondering what happened to all those millionaires. You can be sure that they didn't suddenly experience a huge drop in their income. Some left the state, some hid money and others more adept at wealth building than I, came up with other methods to stay one step ahead of the tax man.
You can't force people to take care of their own families let alone strangers. For some unGodly, truly unGodly, reason, a lot of Americans are under the mistaken notion that it is possible to keep almost all of their earned cash with no ramifications at all. Why do you think that the streets are riddled with crime, junkies, hos, homeless? Why do you think that individuals and businesses need to barricade their premises like fortresses and spend big bucks on security officers and systems? Why do you think the insurance corporations are among the biggest companies in the world? This all costs everyone a ton of money. These are just some examples of where much of our money goes because we adamantly stick to the principle "I earned my money and no one should take any of it and give it to someone else". Guess what. You are giving it to someone else--just not the ones who need it!
You're giving it to the companies who make the products or provide the services I mentioned above. Then there's the cost of crime prevention, detection, analysis, pursuit, prosecution, incarceration, rehabilitation, etc. My dear, misguided soul--get it through your head and go forth and teach others that to a point, the less tax you pay, the more it costs you. There will always be those who for varied reasons can't or won't fend for themselves. To not help them through the distribution of wealth by means of taxation simply means that most of them will cost all of us even more money as they use more destructive ways to get what they need and want. The rest will waste away on the streets. Neither is a better alternative to higher taxes.
I have proved countless times that the countries with the most social programs have an overall better standard of living than the U.S. I will concede that the U.S. boasts more billionaires than any other country, but it also has more crime, pollution, drug addicts, prostitutes, inmates, homeless and just about any other negative aspect a society can have. It is a fact that paying more in taxes makes for a more productive, enjoyable, happy, safer life for all. The numbers don't lie. Unless you're Enron, Worldcom, Ebbers, Madoff, etc.
It is not incongruent for a staunch conservative who believes that one should be responsible for his own well-being to also believe in higher taxes for the purpose of more distribution of wealth. You're not necessarily doing it for others. You will gain as much from it as anyone. In fact, you will gain more. Money for most people is easy to come by. Safety, security, a clean environment and a life rich with culture and fulfilment are the rewards you will reap when you don't force people who for whatever reasons can't or won't otherwise live by mainstream rules. For each penny you give them willingly, it's one less penny they won't have to stab you for, or burglarize your home or business for, and make you pay for their stay in prison for, etc. You will pay one way or another. The only question is whether you want to do it in a way that ensures relative peace in society or turmoil.
The argument that jurisdictions where gun control has been enacted shows little or no gun-related crime decline is due simply because guns are brought in from other places. Unless you make it extremely difficult to get guns at all, be ready to bury your child, grandchild or yourself from taking a stray bullet.
It's the same story with wealth. I believe it was Maryland that enacted a "Millionaire" law in an attempt to tax the rich a little more. Surprisingly (to some), suddenly the number of filers with income over one million dropped by about one third. They're still wondering what happened to all those millionaires. You can be sure that they didn't suddenly experience a huge drop in their income. Some left the state, some hid money and others more adept at wealth building than I, came up with other methods to stay one step ahead of the tax man.
You can't force people to take care of their own families let alone strangers. For some unGodly, truly unGodly, reason, a lot of Americans are under the mistaken notion that it is possible to keep almost all of their earned cash with no ramifications at all. Why do you think that the streets are riddled with crime, junkies, hos, homeless? Why do you think that individuals and businesses need to barricade their premises like fortresses and spend big bucks on security officers and systems? Why do you think the insurance corporations are among the biggest companies in the world? This all costs everyone a ton of money. These are just some examples of where much of our money goes because we adamantly stick to the principle "I earned my money and no one should take any of it and give it to someone else". Guess what. You are giving it to someone else--just not the ones who need it!
You're giving it to the companies who make the products or provide the services I mentioned above. Then there's the cost of crime prevention, detection, analysis, pursuit, prosecution, incarceration, rehabilitation, etc. My dear, misguided soul--get it through your head and go forth and teach others that to a point, the less tax you pay, the more it costs you. There will always be those who for varied reasons can't or won't fend for themselves. To not help them through the distribution of wealth by means of taxation simply means that most of them will cost all of us even more money as they use more destructive ways to get what they need and want. The rest will waste away on the streets. Neither is a better alternative to higher taxes.
I have proved countless times that the countries with the most social programs have an overall better standard of living than the U.S. I will concede that the U.S. boasts more billionaires than any other country, but it also has more crime, pollution, drug addicts, prostitutes, inmates, homeless and just about any other negative aspect a society can have. It is a fact that paying more in taxes makes for a more productive, enjoyable, happy, safer life for all. The numbers don't lie. Unless you're Enron, Worldcom, Ebbers, Madoff, etc.
It is not incongruent for a staunch conservative who believes that one should be responsible for his own well-being to also believe in higher taxes for the purpose of more distribution of wealth. You're not necessarily doing it for others. You will gain as much from it as anyone. In fact, you will gain more. Money for most people is easy to come by. Safety, security, a clean environment and a life rich with culture and fulfilment are the rewards you will reap when you don't force people who for whatever reasons can't or won't otherwise live by mainstream rules. For each penny you give them willingly, it's one less penny they won't have to stab you for, or burglarize your home or business for, and make you pay for their stay in prison for, etc. You will pay one way or another. The only question is whether you want to do it in a way that ensures relative peace in society or turmoil.
Friday 24 April 2009
How much?
How much would the following cost?
2 emergency room visits
30 blood pressure tests
20 blood extractions
60 blood tests
20 electro-cardio grams
2 angioplasty procedures--one stent implant
1 nasal packing procedure, subsequent removal
24/7 nursing care for 1 week
7 days and nights in hospital
1 nasal swab analysis
1 rectal swab analysis
10 consultations with various doctors, including cardiologists
30 pills of various sorts (one of which is $10 a pop)
transportation back and forth between two hospitals
3 visits with a psychiatrist
follow-up visit with family doctor
follow-up visit with cardiologist
I probably missed something, but the above is enough to make my point.
Answer:
It depends on where you live.
For the 75 million Americans who have little or no health insurance, the above costs associated with an "average" heart attack might run over $100,000. I have to estimate the cost because as a card-holding communist of Canada, the hospital did not present me with an invoice. My comrades paid a few cents apiece to cover the entire cost just as I have been doing through my taxes for anyone else who has been unfortunate enough to have experienced a heart attack. The thing is, I never missed whatever part of my taxes went to paying for other people's medical costs. I wouldn't want anyone to be saddled with costs like this. It's enough to give you a heart attack.
To my American friends: I hope you all have insurance and I wish you all good health.
By the way, my son (living in Dallas) told me this evening that Obama has levied a huge tax on tobacco. It was enough for my son to vow to quit smoking as soon as his current supply runs out. Yes, we can!
2 emergency room visits
30 blood pressure tests
20 blood extractions
60 blood tests
20 electro-cardio grams
2 angioplasty procedures--one stent implant
1 nasal packing procedure, subsequent removal
24/7 nursing care for 1 week
7 days and nights in hospital
1 nasal swab analysis
1 rectal swab analysis
10 consultations with various doctors, including cardiologists
30 pills of various sorts (one of which is $10 a pop)
transportation back and forth between two hospitals
3 visits with a psychiatrist
follow-up visit with family doctor
follow-up visit with cardiologist
I probably missed something, but the above is enough to make my point.
Answer:
It depends on where you live.
For the 75 million Americans who have little or no health insurance, the above costs associated with an "average" heart attack might run over $100,000. I have to estimate the cost because as a card-holding communist of Canada, the hospital did not present me with an invoice. My comrades paid a few cents apiece to cover the entire cost just as I have been doing through my taxes for anyone else who has been unfortunate enough to have experienced a heart attack. The thing is, I never missed whatever part of my taxes went to paying for other people's medical costs. I wouldn't want anyone to be saddled with costs like this. It's enough to give you a heart attack.
To my American friends: I hope you all have insurance and I wish you all good health.
By the way, my son (living in Dallas) told me this evening that Obama has levied a huge tax on tobacco. It was enough for my son to vow to quit smoking as soon as his current supply runs out. Yes, we can!
Wednesday 31 December 2008
WARNING: Inciting political statements below
The following is a posting I recently made on a message board in response to a fellow poster who asserted that Australia was not only better than the United States, but in his opinion, the best country in the world. It's a little "colourful", but I tend to do that when writing on politics.
Mr. Furple, Australia is indeed a fine country, but you know very well that Canada has been the best country to live for decades. I say so and the United Nations says so. You have either forgotten, dismissed or ignored the posting I made at the NOSY board which clearly shows that Canada has been rated the number one place to live more times than any other country. In fact, Canada is almost always in the top five, currently sitting in the number three spot, one ahead of your lovely country.
In contrast, the U.S. has never cracked better than the number six spot and is currently rated 15th. They just can't seem to get past that "S-word" (Socialism) that their overseers have convinced them spells doom. Ironically (to Americans), the upper echelons of the UN HDI list is always populated by social-minded nations. We seem to have grasped that taking a little more out of workers' pay checks to help those in need makes for a happy and peaceful populace. Americans are stuck in the hell that allows a handful of born-into-money multi-billionaires to stay rich and for millions to be homeless, millions to languish in prisons and much of the rest staging gunfights in the streets fighting tooth and nail for their sliver of the American pie--a pie that is tainted and well past its expiration date.
Another tenet of "the American dream" is freedom and democracy. This dream is really a pipe dream. It is yet another way that the rich fool the huddled masses into buying into this system that forever keeps a small number of people filthy rich and a large number of people...well, just filthy. According to the 2008 Democracy Index (which measures electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, functioning of government, political participation and political culture), the United States ranks 18th in the world. This kind of performance from a country who purports to export democracy far and wide. What they really export is imperialism for the benefit of the elite few Americans.
Mr. Furple, Australia is indeed a fine country, but you know very well that Canada has been the best country to live for decades. I say so and the United Nations says so. You have either forgotten, dismissed or ignored the posting I made at the NOSY board which clearly shows that Canada has been rated the number one place to live more times than any other country. In fact, Canada is almost always in the top five, currently sitting in the number three spot, one ahead of your lovely country.
In contrast, the U.S. has never cracked better than the number six spot and is currently rated 15th. They just can't seem to get past that "S-word" (Socialism) that their overseers have convinced them spells doom. Ironically (to Americans), the upper echelons of the UN HDI list is always populated by social-minded nations. We seem to have grasped that taking a little more out of workers' pay checks to help those in need makes for a happy and peaceful populace. Americans are stuck in the hell that allows a handful of born-into-money multi-billionaires to stay rich and for millions to be homeless, millions to languish in prisons and much of the rest staging gunfights in the streets fighting tooth and nail for their sliver of the American pie--a pie that is tainted and well past its expiration date.
Another tenet of "the American dream" is freedom and democracy. This dream is really a pipe dream. It is yet another way that the rich fool the huddled masses into buying into this system that forever keeps a small number of people filthy rich and a large number of people...well, just filthy. According to the 2008 Democracy Index (which measures electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, functioning of government, political participation and political culture), the United States ranks 18th in the world. This kind of performance from a country who purports to export democracy far and wide. What they really export is imperialism for the benefit of the elite few Americans.
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