2012 Elections

[mk 11]

I don't understand. Is Scram normally not making sense?

I feel like for every post of Scram's that's made me goI've read 5 that have made me go

At least we agree it's not you, amirite???(I haven't been reading your posts.)

SHUT ITSHUT SHUT SHUT SHUT

[El Guapo 8]

I knew there was a reas

[hblask 1]

2)better regulation of monopolistic enterprisesTo many details to get into here, but basically we just need to enforce regulations that already exist, and reduce crony capitalism as much as possible, as a start I would limit lobbying as much as possible.

I keep hearing that we need to regulate to prevent monopolies from doing harm, but on closer inspection it always turns out that the regulations are *causing* the monopolies to exist and causing the harm.Do you have examples of monopolies that 1. were in unregulated industries, 2. persisted for long time periods (say, > 15 years), and 3. were not what the consumers wanted during that time?It seems to me the simplest way to prevent the harm from monopolies is to just remove the artificial barriers to competition.

[LimbaughGod 0]

Speaking for myself: I disagree with #1 and prefer flat taxes and consumption taxes (hate the idea of taxing- thus disincentivizng- productivity), although I do question whether it's too late for that; if the horse hasn't already bolted and socialistic income tax is the only way.I agree with #'s 2, 3 and 4. It's not too hard to understand. If you examine the foundational elements that cause economic troubles and instability, they can be tracked back to a pretty narrow operating model. 2) ... is very difficult. How much success is too much success? I could probably bullshit an answer to that but instead, I'll just say I don't know (and endure all the bullshit answers everyone else gives to that question). What I do know is that the economic consequences of monopolistic practices can completely fuck entire large segments of the economy. We saw it at the turn of the last century. Open Source is the only thing keeping MS in check, but there's no economic contribution there. The Mart's have basically destroyed retail (and the MASSIVE economic engine it offered at the small business level) in the United States. Yes, a lot of this tracks back to the average US Consumer being mentally retarded- if you go to Europe, they still have Marts but not this problem- but the consequences of allowing all retail to be defined by one company has been the death-knell to an awful lot of business and has precipitated the ghettoization of a large part of this country, beyond the upper tiers. Drive through a non-affluent area some time and pay attention to what businesses are operating in their overflowing, mostly shuttered retail space. Score 1 point for every business that isn't a shack-restaurant, beauty salon, payday advance loan/pawn shop, cel phone shop, tax preparation service, currency exchange or liquor store. Now, imagine how that used to look in 1985- hell,1995. Monopolistic practices caused that. That is what unchecked monopolies do. It's easy to fall back on some grandiose ideology about free markets to answer for that hugely negative outcome, but is it so wrong to say "Hey, this outcome fucking sucks... Lets break up these monopolies..." ?In a way, this is where those on the right do what those on the left love to- cite ideology in the face of a counter-reality, as if one negates the other.

[AmScray 355]

You don't know what "circular reasoning" is, but you do know how to post pictures!

[brvheart 1,752]

That trick isn't going to work on us Scram.

[ShakeZuma 585]

you have to admit it's a very clever picture

[brvheart 1,752]

http://blogmaverick.com/These are not meant to be researched items. These are “streams of consciousness” from the conversation yesterday’s post created.First some housekeeping. I DO NOT like paying more in taxes. HOWEVER, I think that this country has created unique opportunities for entrepreneurs and paying taxes is a small price to pay. Taxes are not a bad thing. What bothers me are not the taxes I pay to help others and to support the services our country needs. What bothers me is the mis-allocation and inefficient distribution of our tax money. Particularly when it leads to taking more money from those who can not afford it, and in this economy, even those making 250k per year can not afford it.Our Congress, BOTH parties, has progressively lost the moral hazard of doing what is right for the country rather than doing what is right for the party and politician. Why wouldn’t a politician go for the gold in their political career ? Why wouldn’t a party profess that their way is the only way ? What is the financial or career downside of doing so ? None. It may not serve the country very well, but careers and fortunes will be made . Our politicians are no better than the financial whores who helped get us into this mess. They put personal gain over the people they are elected to serve.So what can be done ? Here you go:1. Transparency.It had been often promised and never delivered. If there was transparency in our budgets and the actual spending of our dollars, down to the nickel we as citizens would have much more insight and leverage in the budget process. As the saying goes, “Sunlight is a great disinfectant”. US citizens (with the exception of classified defense spending) should be able to see it how our money is being spent in real-time. The value of transparency is that we would benefit from the collective brain power of the American people. I’m usually not a fan of crowdsourcing, but when it comes to managing how our nation’s money is spent, I think it could be a very powerful enhancement to the process.The power of the people at its best.With complete transparency we could have hundreds of volunteer deficit reduction Super Committees to look for the best places to cut costs and improve efficiency. Without it, we are at the mercy of a “Super Committee” formed purely to make politicians through compromise and political expediency. That is not how problems are solved. That is how they are passed on to future generations.2. 10 Year BudgetsThere is no better example of how politicians lie to themselves and the American people than the fact that our budgets are framed within a 10 year plan. There is no business person on the planet who would think that a 10 year plan would have even a remote possibility of playing out as planned. Yet that is what we use to try to convince our country that we are “taking action ” to cure our problems. Hell, even communist countries have plans that are 5 years long. Any budget plan that is longer than the end of the current POTUS term is basically a crock of shit. You can’t plan what you can’t control. Any effort to do so is an out and out lie . It’s probably the only truly bi-partisan program that is unanimously agreed upon., and it is a lie.3. Taxes Vs Job CreationThere is an ongoing refrain from some that any increase in Taxes will have a negative impact on investment and job creation. Not true in 99.99pct of cases. Never has been. Never will be. First the .01% times where it may be true. Potentially, a person could have some amount of money less than what they need to start a company because they paid say 1k dollars more in taxes this year than they did last year. This could happen and I’m sure it has happened. but its the exception that proves the rule.Now the rule…People driven to succeed are driven to succeed. People driven by money are driven by money. People driven to compete, compete. We live in a country that puts an emphasis on achievement. Not just financial achievement. The ability to set goals and achieve them. We celebrate and reward those that accomplish their goals. It is part of the very fabric of what makes this country so amazingly unique.Those of us who are driven by money have a number that we strive for. People like me. (If you want to learn more about people like me, read this). We want to be a millionaire. Once we become a millionaire, some of us want more. Some of us don’t. But once you hit the first number you begin to make decisions in your life about how you might get to the next number or just use what you have to make your life (and possibly the life of others) better.Others set goals and define success and achievement in any number of ways. In no cases do any of them examine the tax rate. In fact, I would be willing to bet that 99pct of us completely ignore the tax rate. Why ? Because we know that the rewards we all value the most came as the result of our efforts. Something that no tax rate is going to take away from us. The risk of starting a business . The risk of making an investment in the sweat equity of someone else’s efforts. The risk of starting a charity. The risk of taking a new job. The risk of adding a new employee, etc, etc, etc. I have NEVER met a motivated person who has said they would not chase their goals because of tax rates.Personal achievement is not the only motivating factor that over-rides taxation. Business to business competition ALWAYS over-rides taxation. If you own or run a business you have to best your competitors. As long as they pay under the same tax structure as your business, it’s all about who can do a better job. Not what the tax rate is.Of course none of this is going to stop big companies from arguing that higher taxes impacts job creation. Of course they are going to argue it. The less they pay in taxes, the higher their earnings per share and the greater the value of their stock and options. If a big company needs employees to stay competitive in their industry(s) you better believe they are going to hire that person no matter what it takes. They will find the money some how. Even if it means lowering their political contributions and lobbying costs or bringing in cash held overseas.This is a country that competes to win. That is not going to change.In fact, follow this logic. Its counter intuitive, but its absolutely true. The higher the tax rate on income the more risks us money chasers have to take in order to hit our number. If you want that number, you are going to go for it. Period, end of story. More risk, more companies started, more people hired.3a. Let Me Be ClearI am not advocating that we raise taxes for everyone. I think that is a huge mistake. I do think billionaires should pay more. We have benefited the most financially from this great country, and it is the right thing to do to give more back in a time of need. I believe those of us who have achieved windfalls in the stock market should pay more as well. My tax rate back in 2000 was far greater than today, and I had no problem with it. My tax rate when I sold my first company in 1990 was even higher. I had no problem with it. Nor should any entrepreneur or investor who makes the big score. As I said in my last blog post, it’s a great problem to have.Do I realize that much of the incremental tax money I send to the Treasury is going to be wasted ? Yes. Do I realize that after all the bureaucracy and overhead associated with running our government and the programs it creates that probably less than 50pct of tax money reaches the programs that the money is intended to support ? Yes. There is no question we are throwing good money after bad. There is no question that something needs to be done and I believe transparency will help solve this problem.HOWEVER, if money is going to be wasted by our government, it is better that Mark Cuban, Warren Buffet’s and other mega rich people’s money be wasted than YOUR money be wasted. Agree ?My point here is to say that the argument that higher taxes are a disincentive is very wrong. The argument we should be making against taxes is that the government does a very, very poor job of effectively distributing our tax dollars where they are needed. Lets stick to reality rather than trying to make dogmatic proclamations that are incorrect.4. Tear Down Foreclosed Houses.[A LOT more at link.....]

[strategy 4]

I have this ridiculous amount of respect for mk right now. great post.

[ShakeZuma 585]

cuban starts with a "c"

[strategy 4]

cuban starts with a "c"

take your austrian bullshit elsewhere

[ShakeZuma 585]

don't you tell me how to enjoy my oktoberfest

[brvheart 1,752]

I have this ridiculous amount of respect for mk right now. great post.

I also liked mk's post. Probably not as much as someone who leans dem, but it was a good post.

[hblask 1]

I don't care how much you guys rave, I'm not gonna unblock MK.

[strategy 4]

I don't care how much you guys rave, I'm not gonna unblock MK.

you don't seem like the type to ignore an argument based on where it originates

[brvheart 1,752]

I don't care how much you guys rave, I'm not gonna unblock MK.

In the politics forum, mk has a 5:1 ratio of short, terrible, insulting posts to really good non-personal discussion posts. Most of his really good posts are in response to people that he doesn't hate, which is why his ratio on your posts is probably more like 100:1.That particular post that he just made was a good one, and is worth your time to read. He presents well thought out points, and while many are liberal leaning, and I don't think they would all be the best thing to do, his points are worth discussing.

[hblask 1]

you don't seem like the type to ignore an argument based on where it originates

I blocked him not because he occasionally disagrees with me (and I'm not even sure he disagrees with me all that much) but because he refuses to discuss issues with me. He just drive-by-snipes my posts and refuses to even attempt to explain anything. I disagree with SilentSnow on many (most?) issues, but at least (s)he'll take the time to give a serious reply.

[hblask 1]

In the politics forum, mk has a 5:1 ratio of short, terrible, insulting posts to really good non-personal discussion posts. Most of his really good posts are in response to people that he doesn't hate, which is why his ratio on your posts is probably more like 100:1.That particular post that he just made was a good one, and is worth your time to read. He presents well thought out points, and while many are liberal leaning, and I don't think they would all be the best thing to do, his points are worth discussing.

OK, I looked at that post, and parts I agreed with and parts I didn't, but since I have a zero percent chance of getting a discussion from him, I gonna let this one go.

[JubilantLankyLad 1,957]

OK, I looked at that post, and parts I agreed with and parts I didn't, but since I have a zero percent chance of getting a discussion from him, I gonna let this one go.

I just want to know what happened to #2.

[Balloon guy 158]

Herman Cain wins the Florida Straw Poll.I've been saying I like him best in all the 15 minutes worth of debates I've watched.We don't need another stuffed shirt like Perry and Romney anyway.Although I feel bad that the economy will suck for his entire president. Because they will have to raise interest rates as soon as the election is over.GG economy for the next 4-6 years.

[AmScray 355]

Herman Cain wins the Florida Straw Poll.

Translation: "Oh yeah, Obama? Well we have our own darkie to run against you!" Still, sometimes blacks are better than whites in certain jobs because they understand things white people (who live in Ivory Towers) don't. A fair-minded black cop is going to be many times better a cop than any given white guy, black judges are better than white judges. An accomplished black republican is someone I could vote for. Cliffs: Cain is running for VP. Book it. The system doesn't allow outsiders to come in and he isn't an insider, but he has marketing power to the guilty-white middle who don't line up with leftist policies.

[brvheart 1,752]

I think the VP is bound to either be Cain or Rubio. It's got to be a non-woman minority... right?

[AmScray 355]

It's got to be a non-woman minority... right?

Correct, although woman is possible.

[phlegm 6]

Correct, although woman is possible.

Cain almost certainly would win if nominated. He wouldnt lose any repubs, and All the blacks heads would asplode not knowing what to do.

[phlegm 6]

Translation: "Oh yeah, Obama? Well we have our own darkie to run against you!" Still, sometimes blacks are better than whites in certain jobs because they understand things white people (who live in Ivory Towers) don't. A fair-minded black cop is going to be many times better a cop than any given white guy, black judges are better than white judges. An accomplished black republican is someone I could vote for. Cliffs: Cain is running for VP. Book it. The system doesn't allow outsiders to come in and he isn't an insider, but he has marketing power to the guilty-white middle who don't line up with leftist policies.

Id go along with the black cop scenerio, but theres still too much black paranoia to be better judges.