bmattock
Veteran
I do my best. The problem is, as always, too many chowderheads voting for largess from the public trough.
What law forces a company to stay here, or not?
No, I'm arguing for low taxes, so the incentive is for companies to stay here, thereby creating employment here.
The US has obscenely high corporate tax rates....2nd highest in the industrialized world. This is what drives jobs offshore.
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emraphoto
Veteran
you are reading me wrong bill. i was merely trying to identify a movement that believes whole heartedly in the idea (you and i BOTH loathe) that the masses are not equipped to steward their own lives. that task belongs to a small group of educated elites.
More than one, meaning what? Two?
In my present life, I interview people for employment. It's frustrating when those educated by public schools can barely create written communications or even a readable resumé.
antiquark
Derek Ross
You're assuming that private schools produce better students than public schools.
bmattock
Veteran
Beg pardon. I tripped over my ego.
wgerrard
Veteran
Bill, our own history and that of most others is replete with examples of concentrated wealth exerting political power out of all proportion to their actual numbers. They do this to advance their own interests, not those of society as a whole. In a democracy, government has a legitimate role in pushing back against such power.
wgerrard
Veteran
I mean false sectarian beliefs about American history. E.g., the Founding Fathers were fundamentalist Christians, slavery was good for slaves, etc.
There are plenty of choices of countries that have governments that work to equalize wealth (i.e., destroy it) among all their citizens. Which one do you prefer?
wgerrard
Veteran
This one. However, I have lived elsewhere, including in the UK. I saw little or no evidence that society is the dark, dank socialist pit so many like to paint it as. It's a functioning and prosperous democracy.
antiquark
Derek Ross
That's a "slippery slope" argument. Slippery slope arguments are bull****.
There is a range of taxation rates. The world isn't only black and white, either 0% or 100% taxation. There are lots of countries with taxation somewhere in the middle. I don't know what the optimum tax rate is, but I doubt it's 0%.
wgerrard
Veteran
Bill, the decision to work more or less is a personal issue. But, do you actually have evidence that people who make, say, $200k are taxed such that they end up with less money than if they made $100k?
antiquark
Derek Ross
Liberals don't hate people who work hard, and they aren't trying to "punish" them for having money.
wgerrard
Veteran
Exactly. Liberals and progressives support and encourage innovation and successful entrepreneurship, which is the reason they are so concerned about corporate power. Accumulation of corporate power is antithetical to a successful free market.
Then why are the wealthier/est being punished?
97% of the taxes are paid by only 50% of the people. The top 1% pay 39%.
97% of the taxes are paid by only 50% of the people. The top 1% pay 39%.
bmattock
Veteran
Of course not. It's simply more in proportion to the work they must do. Diminishing return on investment of labor means I and many like me choose the rate of work / income that gives us the most bang for the buck. This an atificial system that skews against attempting more work for more pay - the pain becomes too great. Punishing success is a bad idea.
This is a paradox...how can liberals support entrepreneurship? This is an illusion. Entrepreneurs are driven by profit incentive, and this is what creates new technologies and innovations. It takes capital to do this...
Liberals always want fairness, right? Well how about an equal tax percentage for all?
wgerrard
Veteran
Don't know about others, but I see that as the way to reduce the power of accumulated wealth, which is a good and necessary thing.