DISQUS

mark · 1 year ago

After the landslide we need to be actively holding Obama's feet to the fire!

Ashford Schwall · 1 year ago

Why not remove the reason that companies move production out of the country?
Do what Ireland did to attract business and jobs.
Lower the tax rate.
Ireland lowered theirs to 12% while ours is still 39%.
In fact, why not drop it to zero with the FairTax?

The FairTax removes the anchor on production and labor and places a progressive tax on consumption. The more you spend, the more you pay

www.fairtax.org

Philanon · 1 year ago

The "Fair"Tax is actually semi-regressive. While it's true that the lowest earners would see a small benefit, middle earners would take a hit, while the highest earners would see a huge windfall.

So from middle to high, it's regressive. The only progressive part is at the lowest end. That would be reason enough to go for it, if it were substantial, but it wouldn't be.

Any time the rich get richer, there's a problem. Any tax system that pretends to be progressive should pinch the rich HARD.

There's a reason that scam is being pushed by rich Republicans and laissez-faire libertarian gold bugs.

Hawkeye · 1 year ago

It is amusing that the far left loves to preach a utopia where everyone from all over the world holds hands a sings kumbaya, and yet is so radically anti-trade. Trade is good for the world economy. Don't you think that poor people in China would rather be making shoes than trying to eek out an existence as subsistence farmers?

It is the natural movement of the invisible hand of the economy - cheaper labor becomes available elsewhere because one area of the world is more developed than another. The United States is far past industrialization. We are no longer an industrial society - we are a technological one. China, on the other hand, is industrializing right now. And so they have masses of cheap labor that is more than happy to do the work that Americans no longer want to do. The result is that China's economy is strengthened because corporations are bringing jobs to their people - people who were previously in total poverty - and America's economy is strengthened because we are creating new jobs, new sectors of production that never existed before. We don't need Detroit, we have Silicon Valley. We don't need plantations, we have mega-farms. We don't need to be self-sufficient anymore.

The world is completely interdependent now. Technology has advanced us to a point where I could hop on a plane right now and be in Beijing in 12 hours. And so it makes no sense for any one area of the world to isolate itself from the rest of the globe. It is the most pure application of the division of labor - every person and every nation bases its production on what it is able to make faster and more efficiently than any other. That production then gives them the leverage to import what they cannot produce efficiently themselves.

What the world needs now is democracy, nonviolence and open borders: free trade, free immigration, free markets. The market always ensures that the most efficient methods of production are being utilized by those who have the resources to make each product.

Of course we need reform, but socialist reform is the wrong direction. We need reform that reduces government intervention in the economy, not increases it. Corporate monopolies aren't the result of a lack of government intervention, they are the result of government subsidies and handouts. The government's role in the economy is to ensure competition by preventing monopolies and trusts, to maintain a strong fiat currency via the Federal Reserve's manipulation of the money supply, and to insure money, be it in a bank or in investments. This allows the market to proceed unfettered, and ensures competition which drives down prices and ensures growth, which in turn ensures jobs and competitive pay.

Government is not the answer, it is the problem.

RWhalen · 1 year ago

Truely said to a point. Corporations can svive even when their inefficient through accounting tricks, just ask the American car companies they've been on the ropes for decades but stil manage to hang on year after year. What we really need to revitalize American industry is a competant, educated workforce, that actually works as in a complete overhaul of the American "work ethic", and competant and honest CEO's to run things. Neither of these exist in the America of the 21st century. We have to settle for lazy incompetance at the blue collar level, and short sighted, dishonesty, and an exteme short term mentality in the white collar world. Nobody on the factory floor cares about what they build, just when its time to go home and how they can get a high-paying job for life with as little thought or responsibility as possible, and in the board room all that is thought about is how to get as much cash as possible now and who cares about the long-term health of the company. My father-in- law is a union member and I never had a problem with that beause as a member of what has been termed the greatest generation, he knew hard work and the rewards of it. But in the later generations, starting with the baby boomers the American worker became a parody and the ideals of the greatest generation began dying with them. And in the group known as Gen X, my generation, this became even more pronounced. In addition, the idea of advancement through education becomes a misnomer as most people going to middle school, high school, or college only worry about getting high, drunk, or laid. But we can't fault them as they are only following in the party steps of their parents. America is in decline and we have only ourselves to blame for it.

Torii · 1 year ago

The refrain of discontent by those who account for there time in wages is already deafing. The Bush adminstration stands lonely. Stalin apparently has more apologists . I simply hope that my like minded and like situated sisters and brothers can fashion a coherent message . The commanding heights of this incredible wealth producing economy can be harnessed. The incredibly sophisicated industrial culture of healthcare can be made availible to all . We are at a time , as never before , in our collective american expirence that makes these historical promises possible. Maybe not like we imagined them ... but still possible.

Jerry Kaser · 1 year ago

The answer does not lie in government intervention. For those that think incompetence is rife in our government, they should take a long hard look at those corporate leaders and union leaders as well. I have had the honor of meeting with both in the aerospace industry and my experience has been seeing those leaders act like they are still in the 1940's mode...neither really believe in applying the new technologies until they have to. When stock holders demand more of those leaders then change for the better will happen.

Jerry Kaser · 1 year ago

Think of the cost savings if we were to replace our governing bodies with one benevolent dictator! Everyones paycheck would increase tenfold. What the heck, no one would have to work anymore. What a deal.

Paul · 1 year ago

I agree I think its time we nationalize our plants. I have always thought we should have nationalize our steel mills, automotive industrializes, banks. The country and the world is in trouble, the workers and the poor in up becoming slaves helping the rich become richer. The role is we are nothing but wage slave.

walker · 1 year ago

You don't know many autoworkers, do you?

Cody · 1 year ago

It's clear that Philanon doesn't understand how a consumption tax works if he thinks that "the highest earners would see a huge windfall." The highest earners would pay the most taxes under the FairTax since they are the ones most able to purchase goods and services. I thought that would be obvious and would be without the need for explanation. How about doing at least a rudimentary attempt at research!

Americans who support communism really ought to do some research about how communism has “helped the working people” around the world.

Communism is a scam. The website for the Young Communists League is packed with distortions and all out lies concerning economics and how the human spirit relates to capitalism versus communism. That's typical of all "progressive" movements around the world.

Compassion and fairness by individuals towards other individuals are wonder traits that should always be encouraged and never discouraged. However, implementing compassion and fairness as public policy enforced by the state leads to disaster for all involved, particularly for those whom the mandated compassion and fairness was supposed to assist, and for those on the peripheral. Forced “fairness” will always result in an eventual loss of the individual right to the pursuit of liberty, prosperity and happiness.

“The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front to rule.”—H. L. Menken

“An idealist is one who, on noticing that roses smell better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup.” H. L. Menken

“It is easy to be conspicuously ‘compassionate’ if others are being forced to pay the cost.” – Murray Rothbard

“Commanded love of all men indiscriminately is an obliteration of the distinction between love and hate, and therefore is not love at all.” – Benjamin Tucker

Bob P · 1 year ago

Without going into a long detailed overblown explanation of Communism. Please tell me one country that is currently under Communism and is successful?

Alex · 1 year ago

Manufacturing is the life blood of our economy and union jobs.
Energy is the life blood of manufacturing.

Unfortunately the Democrats have killed all energy plans for over 30 years!
Mr . Obama does not have a viable energy plan. He is against nuclear, coal and oil. He did not even mention natural gas in the last debate!

There can be no growth without energy. There will be no new jobs without growth.

Alex

Tanay · 1 year ago

well said. But I am sorry to say be it Obama or McCain , both the 2 major parties in your country works for the vested interest of big companies. These two parties are conjugate to each other. The only difference between them lies in the way they choose. Its just a cosmetic difference.

Clifford · 1 year ago

So the US auto industry is on the ropes.

So if the government nationalizes the auto building industry,
then what happens? Do the industry workers get a raise
in pay or a cut in pay or does their pay stay the same?

They still need to build and sell cars in a competitive
market. I am a union member myself and I have to
ask: Hey, if I am demanding premium wages on worldwide
scale, does that make me greedy.

Plenty of hungry folks on the streets around here
plenty willing to work for less than half my pay.

If my boss is greedy wanting to make $$$ off my labor,
meanwhile making the $$$ investment and taking
the risk to produce my product, while I want maximum
pay, should he not want maximum return for his
investment of capital and risk?

I am not being a wiseguy. These are serious questions!