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Thread: Trumps: White Angry Middleclass

  1. #661
    Senior Member jp1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UltraliteAngler View Post
    I think America needs to hit rock bottom before it can really rise up and be a respectable nation on par with Denmark or Norway or even Canada. Trump is America's rock bottom.
    He is for sure. the problem though is that your approach is sort of like the wacky governor of maine who thinks that cops should not be carrying naxolone because addicts will just overdose again so therefore it's a waste of effort. Just because someone is an addict or a country is f'd up doesnt mean the solution is to encourage them to crash as fast and hard as possible so that they can then get better.

  2. #662
    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UltraliteAngler View Post
    I think America needs to hit rock bottom before it can really rise up and be a respectable nation on par with Denmark or Norway or even Canada. Trump is America's rock bottom.
    What, in your mind, prevents the US from being a respectable nation now?
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

  3. #663
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alan View Post
    What, in your mind, prevents the US from being a respectable nation now?
    The US needs:

    -Universal single payer healthcare
    -A more progressive tax system
    -A smaller military budget
    -High quality k-12 education for all kids
    -High quality higher education that is affordable
    -A union density of 50% or higher (card check, speedy elections, etc. could help this)
    -Comprehensive bike lanes and light-rail for every major city

    Alan, you probably could have guessed my answers. This ain't your first rodeo.

  4. #664
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    Ultra lite - you would enjoy watching Michael moore's newest film, "where to invade next". Your list summarizes his thoughts.

  5. #665
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tammy View Post
    Ultra lite - you would enjoy watching Michael moore's newest film, "where to invade next". Your list summarizes his thoughts.
    Mikey is a good dude. I enjoy much of his work.

  6. #666
    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UltraliteAngler View Post
    The US needs:

    -Universal single payer healthcare
    -A more progressive tax system
    -A smaller military budget
    -High quality k-12 education for all kids
    -High quality higher education that is affordable
    -A union density of 50% or higher (card check, speedy elections, etc. could help this)
    -Comprehensive bike lanes and light-rail for every major city

    Alan, you probably could have guessed my answers. This ain't your first rodeo.
    So, the US would be a more respectable country if we increased governmental control over every aspect of our lives other than the one area the federal government has a constitutional duty to provide? Is that about right?
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

  7. #667
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alan View Post
    So, the US would be a more respectable country if we increased governmental control over every aspect of our lives other than the one area the federal government has a constitutional duty to provide? Is that about right?
    I'd say that is nonsense.

    Here is a key example for you to ponder.

    You see universal single payer healthcare as the gubmint taking away your freedom to choose doctors, services, blah, blah, blah.

    But I see it this way. If I did not have to worry about healthcare, I could be free to spend my brain power doing other things and I would not be chained to a job I despise because I need the health insurance.

    So universal healthcare would make me more free.

  8. #668
    Williamsmith
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    Quote Originally Posted by UltraliteAngler View Post
    The US needs:

    -Universal single payer healthcare
    -A more progressive tax system
    -A smaller military budget
    -High quality k-12 education for all kids
    -High quality higher education that is affordable
    -A union density of 50% or higher (card check, speedy elections, etc. could help this)
    -Comprehensive bike lanes and light-rail for every major city

    Alan, you probably could have guessed my answers. This ain't your first rodeo.
    You can't mix socialism with capitalism.....like the United States has done for the last well, since at least LBJ. It makes a horrible swill. Both are subject to corruption. But at least capitalism at its heart is about freedom and liberty. I believe in the capitalism model and so I think a single payer system is settling for something way less than we could have.

    You can't speak of taxation without considering productivity. Our regulatory environment and our de industrialization based on the myth of climate control is holding back our productivity. So we are suppose to be satisfied with less as more.

    A smaller military budget just just requires we stop policing the entire globe. Perhaps we can then stop pretending we have the worlds greatest military and transition back to .....nobody screws with us.

    Education - here is where we can make our biggest impact. There is nowhere to go but up.

    As long as business can access cheap labor ....Unions are destined for the scrap heap. So business complains they can't afford union labor. Make business more profitable, make them stay in the country and shut off the undocumented labor.

    For most of the rural country, bike lanes and rail transportation is a non issue. But get the middleclass back to work and This is easily done, as well as updating all the deteriorated bridges, tunnels and roadways.

  9. #669
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    I could see the attraction of living in a society that provides all the amenities of a well-run prison. I could even see how someone could believe that if only someone else would pay our bills for us, that it would unleash a mighty avalanche of creativity with all that extra free time.

    On the other hand, there is a price to be paid; either in terms of a possibly stifling nanny state or the sort of cultural decline that may come from trying to eliminate the less pleasant aspects of competition. Look at the rioting in France over some proposed tweaks in the law that would make it slightly less difficult to terminate the worst parasites.

    Is there some compromise position that would at least keep government out of our lives if not our pockets? The Swiss will be voting on June 5 on a proposal that would have the government provide every citizen with a small basic income. The more reckless, feckless and luckless get supported with some trimming to Nanny G's apron strings. It will be interesting to see what they decide.

  10. #670
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LDAHL View Post
    I could see the attraction of living in a society that provides all the amenities of a well-run prison. I could even see how someone could believe that if only someone else would pay our bills for us, that it would unleash a mighty avalanche of creativity with all that extra free time.

    On the other hand, there is a price to be paid; either in terms of a possibly stifling nanny state or the sort of cultural decline that may come from trying to eliminate the less pleasant aspects of competition. Look at the rioting in France over some proposed tweaks in the law that would make it slightly less difficult to terminate the worst parasites.

    Is there some compromise position that would at least keep government out of our lives if not our pockets? The Swiss will be voting on June 5 on a proposal that would have the government provide every citizen with a small basic income. The more reckless, feckless and luckless get supported with some trimming to Nanny G's apron strings. It will be interesting to see what they decide.
    Comparing Denmark to a well-run prison is hilariously hyperbolic.

    Here is the thing: Lefties don't want to make everyone pay our bills. We want everyone to pay their share. Rich folks have a larger share to pay; that is all.

    We know that a public light-rail system costs some in tax investment. We get that. We is the smart too. lol

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