How do you want your taxes to be raised?

[jdm61]

Actually, Esav, it may be because the US and Israel have a somewhat distorted view of what constitutes poverty compared to Mexico.

Why can't you discuss technical questions without throwing in political slogans and partisan insults? You come off like a two-dimensional thinker, no complexity, no true analysis, only the political hit man.

Israel is an incredibly wealthy nation. Why so high a percentage of economic distress? One obvious reason is the military threat and the expense of countering it.

But there is a more specific cause. Two major population groups do not participate in the booming sectors of the economy -- the Arabs and the Ultra-Orthodox. And with the high birthrates in these communities, childhood poverty is disproportionately represented compared to other OECD countries.

How would raising taxes address a structural defect like this? It would not. The jobs these people need are available, but they go to guest workers by default since Arabs and Ultra-Orthodox won't work.

[BG42EDGE]

So to all the poor: stop whining, stop sticking your hand out looking for someone else to take care of you, figure out what you actually want, and then get to work working on that.

And so, you sum up your philosophy.

And you don't even sound ashamed.

[Triton]

And so, you sum up your philosophy.

And you don't even sound ashamed.

Why should he be ashamed of the philosophy the country was founded upon?

[timcsaw]

Why should he be ashamed of the philosophy the country was founded upon?

Could it be that he would prefer to follow the "philosophy" that founded the Soviet Union, China, N. Korea, Cuba, etc. instead?

[BG42EDGE]

Why should he be ashamed of the philosophy the country was founded upon?

Because maybe the rich, tax-evading, slave-owners who conned poor people into fighting and dying for them and then "founded" the country as they got even richer........were wrong?

Just something to consider.

God will sort it out eventually.

[panzertroop]

they still have plenty of money to live a life of luxury

Yeah no one should be allowed to do that! Even if you earned it by hard work.

[BG42EDGE]

Please show me where somebody here said they should not be allowed to live a life of luxury.

Can't?

Thought not.

[bulgron]

Please show me where somebody here said they should not be allowed to live a life of luxury.

Can't?

Thought not.

You're the one who keeps talking about how the rich live an obscene lifestyle. Admittedly, you never define what 'obscene' really means, but my interpretation of your words is that you won't be happy until everyone is living 10 people to a small room in a rat-infested inner-city tenement.

[BG42EDGE]

You're the one who keeps talking about how the rich live an obscene lifestyle. Admittedly, you never define what 'obscene' really means, but my interpretation of your words is that you won't be happy until everyone is living 10 people to a small room in a rat-infested inner-city tenement.

Well, your interpretation is wrong.....simple as that. Stop interpreting so hard.

The rich will still live a luxurious lifestyle when they pay their fair share of taxes.

It WILL be slightly less obscene. They can deal with that.

[bulgron]

Because maybe the rich, tax-evading, slave-owners who conned poor people into fighting and dying for them and then "founded" the country as they got even richer........were wrong?

Just something to consider.

God will sort it out eventually.

Yeah, because I'm arguing for a return to slave owning and conning poor people into fighting unnecessary foreign wars.

Listen up: whatever sins the founding generations might have committed, the end result is nevertheless the nation with the highest standard of living (for ALL economic classes) and the most amount of freedom anywhere in the world. It is true that they made some pretty serious mistakes along the way. But then again, they were merely human and so, like all humans, prone to error.

But, still, they mostly got it right. And I'm glad that they did, too.

And, no, I don't feel any guilt for the mistakes that people made a hundred or two hundred years ago. I've read the history books, learned from their mistakes, and have decided not to repeat them. This is enough. But nowhere in this can I arrive at the conclusion that the right answer is to just hand people money, or to hand people money far in excess of what their efforts warrant. People need to work for the things that they have in life. It's necessary for the development of self-worth and self-esteem.

The angriest people in America today are the people who have been handed the most by people suffering from class and/or race guilt. This needs to stop, not just for the good of the people who feel guilty, but also for the people who are being robbed of the opportunity to truly strive and thrive.

We live in a universe that is characterized by localized limitations in resources. Because of those localized limitations, the universe requires there to be competition, with winners and losers. This cannot be escaped. So stop whining and compete already. Competition and hard work are good for you. Besides, this is the reality that you live in. Voting about it won't change anything.

[BG42EDGE]

We live in a universe that is characterized by localized limitations in resources. Because of those localized limitations, the universe requires there to be competition, with winners and losers. This cannot be escaped. So stop whining and compete already. Competition and hard work are good for you. Besides, this is the reality that you live in. Voting about it won't change anything.

Well, here's the real problem, isn't it?

And here's the simple answer.

The winners have to treat the losers better than they're being treated now.

Didn't mommy tell you to share your toys? She was right.

That's called civilization. It's the opposite of brutalization. It's actually CARING for the less fortunate.

That's the simple answer.......and that's the goal for which we strive.

Winning isn't everything--doing the right thing is everything--because God will sort it all out eventually.

[Esav Benyamin]

Well, we're talking about America and what I know about America is that too many of my tax dollars go to help those "incredibly wealthy" Israelis survive.

They could help our problems by forgoing our charity.

http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/glob...23507&fid=1725

Once again, sir, you show yourself unworthy of a serious response. We are talking about America. But you framed America's problems in comparison to other economies. I showed you that the comparison was not meaningful because of structural dissimilarities.

Instead of addressing this, you took the opportunity to slip in a standard expression of bigotry. Yes, bigotry. Your hot button slogans again.

I did not refer to "incredibly wealthy" Israelis. I referred to an "incredibly wealthy nation". The difference is significant, perhaps not in the comic-book political pamphlets you quote from, though.

Straighten up.

[Triton]

Because maybe the rich, tax-evading, slave-owners who conned poor people into fighting and dying for them and then "founded" the country as they got even richer........were wrong?

Just something to consider.

God will sort it out eventually.

Really they were wrong when they created this country?

You do recognize that it was their ideas that lead to this country being one of the wealthiest most dynamic and most powerful nations on earth? Surprisingly it was not wealth redistribution that got us here.

So who was right? Whose political philosophy to you identify with exactly? You seem to have a problem with Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton et. al. so who do you think got it right?

[BG42EDGE]

I did not refer to "incredibly wealthy" Israelis. I referred to an "incredibly wealthy nation". The difference is significant, perhaps not in the comic-book political pamphlets you quote from, though.

You said,

Israel is an incredibly wealthy nation.

Well, then......due to the fact that I'm dumb and only read comic books, my only response is that the "incredibly weathy nation" of Israelis should stop taking the billions of dollars in handouts that a now-struggling America sends them every year.

That seems fair and logical to a simple comic book reader like myself.

I wish you could show me that "comic book quote" though.

[BG42EDGE]

Really they were wrong when they created this country?

You do recognize that it was their ideas that lead to this country being one of the wealthiest most dynamic and most powerful nations on earth? Surprisingly it was not wealth redistribution that got us here.

So who was right? Whose political philosophy to you identify with exactly? You seem to have a problem with Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton et. al. so who do you think got it right?

Well, it is a fact that what got America "to being one of the wealthiest most dynamic and most powerful nations on earth" was colonialism, exploitation and oppression (murder and theft on a grand scale, to put it more simply).

That it was done while mouthing noble words really doesn't change that at all, does it?

(Triple Wink thingy)

[timcsaw]

Please show me where somebody here said they should not be allowed to live a life of luxury.

Can't?

Thought not.

You just "won" the argument with yourself, that YOU started.

Congrats' and props to you for having "won" the battle with yourself, and commiserations for having "lost" to yourself.

[Hog Feet]

The rich will still live a luxurious lifestyle when they pay their fair share of taxes.

What would you 'allow' those better off than you to have and not be considered obcene? What do you think is the upper limit of a luxurious lifestyle?


We are all still waiting to hear what your definition of "fair share" is and why...

[timcsaw]

Why change the subject to the problems of the Israelis?

That's odd.

Simply unbelievable!

Yes, it IS odd, but YOU were first to mention (and mis-characterize) Israel RIGHT HERE!

Only Mexico, Chile and Israel are worse than we are.......We come in 31st out of 34 nations.

YOU added the Israeli component to the discussion BG and Esav only corrected, clarified and answered your mis-characterization and you have the STONES to suggest that HE changed the subject? Sheesh!

Some of us here will ACTUALLY address and answer disscussion points raised by others... you should try it yourself.

ON EDIT; Yea, yea, you have me on "ignore", yada, yada... how "convenient" for you. I am like the "The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog" and you act as expected.

[skyhorse]

You said,

Well, then......due to the fact that I'm dumb and only read comic books, my only response is that the "incredibly weathy nation" of Israelis should stop taking the billions of dollars in handouts that a now-struggling America sends them every year.

That seems fair and logical to a simple comic book reader like myself.

I wish you could show me that "comic book quote" though.

Well let me explain things to you.Israel is our only true friend in the region.They are surrounded by countries that would if not for our help DESTROY them!Getting back to the subject of taxes.One thing that caused Buck Knives to relocate to a right to work state,(Idaho) was unions,regulations and oppressive taxes in Calif.Being you're a Lifetime BCCI member of this in you're words greedy non-union company that's not in you're words paying they're fair share.Doesn't that make you kind of a hypocrite? A sale out to the man DUDE?

[Triton]

Well, it is a fact that what got America "to being one of the wealthiest most dynamic and most powerful nations on earth" was colonialism, exploitation and oppression (murder and theft on a grand scale, to put it more simply).

That it was done while mouthing noble words really doesn't change that at all, does it?

(Triple Wink thingy)

Quit avoiding the question: So who was right? Whose political philosophy to you identify with exactly? You seem to have a problem with Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton et. al. so who do you think got it right?