The Reaganomics Fraud:

[mrplunkey]

I wouldn't know, I'm not on the receiving end. And I would have no problem at all with slashing the Welfare program. It should never be more than a temporary leg-up, the next step when you've run out of unemployment insurance, not a way of life. The only positive thing I have to say about Welfare is that it's still cheaper than if the same people were in jail.

Welfare isn't just specific checks that have "welfare" stamped on them.

It's this incredible mess we've constructed where people no longer feel they have to pay their own way.

You're about to enter a government-administered insurance program (Medicare) that pays-out $3 for every $1 paid-in. Does that give you problems? A bunch of scumbag politicians who are dead now committed today's income producers to provide you with medical treatments and technologies that didn't even exist at the time. Does that give you any problem?

 

[-SD-]

My reaction to this is "waah waah waah". How do you think people feel when their entire paycheck goes for rent, utilities, and groceries? People who have essentially no disposable income at all. The whole point of a graduated marginal tax rate scale is that higher income people can afford it.

The problem is deciding what the graduated rates should be. If 35% is good why not 45%, since they can afford it. Youre were arguing higher taxes necessary for proper infrastructure and government to arguing everyone should have disposable income? Not going to happen because "life isnt fair" and never was. They should have made better life choices

 

[Mr. dB]

You're about to enter a government-administered insurance program (Medicare) that pays-out $3 for every $1 paid-in. Does that give you problems? A bunch of scumbag politicians who are dead now committed today's income producers to provide you with medical treatments and technologies that didn't even exist at the time. Does that give you any problem?

You've been making cute little references to my impending retirement for the past few pages. I think I've got a few years left, I'm "only" 54...

So they should have frozen the level of Medicare technology at a 1965 level?

 

[nefertiti]

The problem is deciding what the graduated rates should be. If 35% is good why not 45%, since they can afford it. Youre were arguing higher taxes necessary for proper infrastructure and government to arguing everyone should have disposable income? Not going to happen because "life isnt fair" and never was. They should have made better life choices

There was a time in my life when my parents were both in seminary (which in the episcopal church is basically like getting a masters degree in divinity....it's a three year program, and VERY expensive). Previous to that, my mom was the head of the nursing department at her hospital, my dad was an opera singer. We went from doing pretty well, to being poor enough to get food stamps if we wanted them (we never got them...meal plans were part of tuition). My parents are two of the hardest working people I know, and we were damn poor for a little while...I wouldn't say they made a bad life choice.

My sister qualifies for food stamps and uses them. She's a social worker raising three kids on her own (two of which are special needs) and makes maybe 35,000 a year. She works all day with mentally disabled people, still finds time to go to all her two sons various sports games, volunteers with her church, etc. She's barely making ends meet and I know for a fact she tightly budgets herself (every time she asks me for money I ask to see her bank statements so I make sure I'm not enabling any kid of bad behavior). She made a bad choice in basically marrying a deadbeat who couldn't contribute a thing financially, but I don't think there's anyone alive who doesn't have at least one mistake relationship. She would not be able to manage if not for the help she gets.

Just saying...not everyone who barely scrapes by or who uses govt. assistance is there because they did anything wrong. Granted, that's the minority, not the majority.

 

[RottenWillow]

My reaction to this is "waah waah waah". How do you think people feel when their entire paycheck goes for rent, utilities, and groceries? People who have essentially no disposable income at all.

I don't think you fully appreciate the opportunity for wealth those same people have because they live in this country. How do I think they feel? They should feel lucky.

They are fortunate enough to live in nation that provides greater opportunity for upward financial mobility than probably any other place in the entire world. No money left over each month? Here they have the chance to use diligence and intelligence to make more. Punish people for really succeeding in that is an asshole maneuver.

 

[chris302001]

I don't think you fully appreciate the opportunity for wealth those same people have because they live in this country. How do I think they feel? They should feel lucky.

They are fortunate enough to live in nation that provides greater opportunity for upward financial mobility than probably any other place in the entire world. No money left over each month? Here they have the chance to use diligence and intelligence to make more. Punish people for really succeeding in that is an asshole maneuver.

Agreed.

 

[Mr. dB]

...to arguing everyone should have disposable income?

That's not what I said at all.

 

[mrplunkey]

You've been making cute little references to my impending retirement for the past few pages. I think I've got a few years left, I'm "only" 54...

So they should have frozen the level of Medicare technology at a 1965 level?

No, they shouldn't have entered the insurance business in the first place. It's common sense that politicians will choose today's votes over tomorrow's fiscal disaster.

We've known about the ponzi scheme for a long time. So does today's generation owe you or should this be treated like any other ponzi scheme?

 

[EnderJE]

Keep it civil and polite. I think that there is a chance for a good discourse on this one and not resort into the usual banter.

 

[nefertiti]

Plunky, I tweak a little every time I see "irregardless" in your sig. Almost as much as people saying "would of" makes me tweak.