A Q&A written by a product of the welfare system:
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ibehm/iama_product_of_the_welfare_system/
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ibehm/iama_product_of_the_welfare_system/
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GM CEO calls for $1 gas tax hike
- Thread starter Russ
- Start date
Because all the people in power enjoy abusing the system we currently have. That one is a no-brainer.
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- 18 July 2005
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Yea I'm still here. Sorry - I feel entitled to voice my opinion while others are deciding on how to spend my paycheck.
Boy you have some patience....
Yea I'm still here. Sorry - I feel entitled to voice my opinion while others are deciding on how to spend my paycheck.
I'm sorry to have to be the one to break the bad news to you, but the money has already been spent, to the tune of (drum roll please......) $14.4 trillion!
Now the question is, how are you proposing we pay the bill?
It is critically important the U.S. taxpayer start figuring this stuff out. The status quo of cutting social welfare programs for our own citizens to the bone while we spend trillions in the middle east and on military applications (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, General Dynamics, and Raytheon executives and shareholders thank you very much for your business) is just insane. We're compromising our national security by having these huge outstanding financial obligations.
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- Joined
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I'm sorry to have to be the one to break the bad news to you, but the money has already been spent, to the tune of (drum roll please......) $14.4 trillion!
Now the question is, how are you proposing we pay the bill?
I'm sorry to be the one to break the bad news to you, but we can pay the bill over time by.....::drumroll::
CUTTING CURRENT SPENDING LEVELS
I'm sorry to be the one to break the bad news to you, but we can pay the bill over time by.....::drumroll::
CUTTING CURRENT SPENDING LEVELS
Sounds great, what exactly do you propose? (Protip: You can't get there by cutting discretionary domestic spending alone).
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Medicare, SSDI, Defense, Welfare reform.
Can't argue with that... I'd throw regular social security into the mix as well. And, in opposition to your position, I'd also advocate tax reform as a critical piece of the puzzle.
Not that life is fair, but is cutting social security the answer? It is one of the few programs that is successful. If the government would stop robbing the piggy bank, it would still be solvent (at least, according to the 2 CPA's that do my taxes).
What they shoulda (woulda...coulda..) done is make it illegal to borrow from SS. ah well.
My father worked hard his whole life in this country and paid lots of taxes. He now uses medicare, and is happy with it. He takes great care of his health, eats well, exercises, never drinks, has never smoked. He is in great shape. But without medicare, I can tell you he would be financially hurting big time.
It makes me angry when I think that we are all fine taking a minimal amount of care away from people like him.
Sure, everyone knows medicare is a huge expense, but no one wants to talk about why. The entire medical system in this country is a giant business full of inefficiences all stacked in favor of insurance companies and drug companies. For decades they've lobbied to get their way, and now as a result medicare and medicaid is expensive because for every dollar spent 90 cents of it is wasted making someone very rich and a dime is spent on actual care. They get away with this because everytime anyone wants to do any kind of reform the standard corporate tactic of let's scare everyone and throw enough random shit out there so that everyone is dazed and confused works.
FEAR.... it's a great tool to use on the public. It works every single time.
It makes me angry when I think that we are all fine taking a minimal amount of care away from people like him.
Sure, everyone knows medicare is a huge expense, but no one wants to talk about why. The entire medical system in this country is a giant business full of inefficiences all stacked in favor of insurance companies and drug companies. For decades they've lobbied to get their way, and now as a result medicare and medicaid is expensive because for every dollar spent 90 cents of it is wasted making someone very rich and a dime is spent on actual care. They get away with this because everytime anyone wants to do any kind of reform the standard corporate tactic of let's scare everyone and throw enough random shit out there so that everyone is dazed and confused works.
FEAR.... it's a great tool to use on the public. It works every single time.
I can tell you as an actual fact that when your old man needs his heart bypass, i'll get paid about $600 out of a total bill of something like $80,000. That's for anesthesia. The reimbursement is so low most just refuse to do it. So that's something like 0.08% of the total cost. That's pretty typical of most medicare anesthesia. Try finding a doctor willing to come in at midnight saturday for $115 PRE TAX for a ruptured appendix. good luck... I'm not quite sure where all the expenses are in medicare, as I'm not on the business end. But I can sure as hell tell you it isn't anesthesia.
I say we tax political campaign contributions - 75%. :biggrin:
impose tariffs on all companies selling products in US that were not manufactured in at least 51% by an american-based workforce.
'american' corporations with factories in china, offices in ireland and in the end getting tax-breaks? wtf? everyone is treating us like the easily-milked cow.
'american' corporations with factories in china, offices in ireland and in the end getting tax-breaks? wtf? everyone is treating us like the easily-milked cow.
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How about we tax taxes?
I believe you. But all that money is going somewhere. This lobbying is just outright theft. Laws get passed all the time that benefit no one except a very rich few. Healthcare costs in this country are a disaster. I mean what has my father done wrong that he has to lose the one program he says he is very happy with? Politicans love to say Medicare is government run and bad, but he doesn't think its so bad at all.
This is what I talk about when I say corporate influence in this country and silverstone then argues with me. My dad paid taxes for decades, I pay taxes, he takes a minimum amount of care, you the doctor get paid nothing, where does the money go? Humana and Aetna posted RECORD profits last year.
I agree 100%. I say 75% is too easy.
lets tax fast food
Do you know why smoking got banned in many places? and taxed heavily? It had nothing to do with public health. The power isn't with someone that wants to make people healthier for their own sake.
Tobacco lost this battle to the insurance companies. It was one corporate giant fight with another over profits. The good was a side effect and not intentional. Tobacco was costing insurance companies too much money.
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Turbo, this isn't just about your father. It's about the future of our country. You're doing allright- why don't YOU help your father out you ol' do gooder, you?
Corporate influence? What about the silly politicians?
Medicare is just another flawed system that sets up the wrong incentives. Go ahead, eat all you want, dont' exercise, smoke, drink and use drugs to your heart's content...THE GOVERNMENT WILL COVER THE TAB WHEN YOU GET SICK.
It is just more insurance. Insurance is one huge reason health care is so expensive in this country. When someone else is paying the tab, the consumer has little worry about costs or use.
Put high deductible catastrophic plans in the hands of the consumer and once they see they are spending their own money, they will shop for rates, and will take control of their health. Dr's and hospitals will take note and start competing for the business as folks are forced to be held accountable for their lifestyles. Outcomes will start to determine the use of our healthcare dollars.
Yes, and tax political contributions 75%. :biggrin:
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Silverstone, trust me I do help my father out.
How about that law that the supreme court recently passed... reversing the ban on corporate spending on "campaign contributions"? Anyone notice that little thing? Does anyone think this is a good idea?
Talk about selling the country... Now any giant can spend AS MUCH AS THEY WANT to help elect WHOEVER they want. You want more TV ads? No problem. More people knocking on doors? no problem. More deception thrown out? No problem. If money can do it, we will get it to you. We will put you in office, you just do what we ask.
This was a disaster of EPIC proportions that basically went unnoticed.
Corporate influence. It's what I have been saying the entire thread.
How about that law that the supreme court recently passed... reversing the ban on corporate spending on "campaign contributions"? Anyone notice that little thing? Does anyone think this is a good idea?
Talk about selling the country... Now any giant can spend AS MUCH AS THEY WANT to help elect WHOEVER they want. You want more TV ads? No problem. More people knocking on doors? no problem. More deception thrown out? No problem. If money can do it, we will get it to you. We will put you in office, you just do what we ask.
This was a disaster of EPIC proportions that basically went unnoticed.
Corporate influence. It's what I have been saying the entire thread.
Anybody recognize this?
[The] conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
Pretty sure that's Eisenhower.
You think reversing the ban on corporate spending limits on campaign contributions was the right thing to do? Really? Do you know what the consequences of that are? Now those $10 contributions people send in have to fight Aetna's 10 million dollar contributions. You think that's a good thing? I am surprised given what you have written in the past.
Yes, it was, and I think that was such a critical speech and a good warning. One that went unheeded.
apparently i misunderstood 'reversing the ban on limits'- my intent and position is that corporate cash injections into political campains should be regulated. i'll go farther than that, i believe all political candidates should receive exactly the same amount of financial support, no matter what affiliation.
That means they'd have to win on substance then... not 30 second ads that say "he's going to kill your granny".
