RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world

RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (Full Version)

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Hippiekinkster -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/5/2008 11:13:25 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Archer Hippie I know the reserves proven in ANWAR are not large. I could google the barrel count but I find it tedious and counter productive. Enough to make it profitable and reduce some of the importation needed to make ends meet. If you focus on the first part and ignore the second then we can't get anywhere. The carrot is ANWAR and off shore, the stick is alternative energy investment. The real trick is in the "MUST INVEST EQUAL dollars in ..." Oh, I understand the stick, and, on the face of it, seems to be a very good idea. Other than the fact that ANWR has only about 300 days worth of the US' total energy needs, don't you think it wise to keep some of these fields in reserve for REAL emergencies, rather than powering SUVs so Sally Suburban can pick her kid up after school, go home, go out for a DVD, go home, go to Mellow Mushroom for a Pizza, go home, and so on et cetera and la-de-da? An almost UNIVERSAL error I see those who have no knowledge of the E&P side of the Awl Bidniz make is that crude doesn't magically appear wherever one spuds a well. It has to be ther first. Try and notice, next few threads that come up that talk about drilling, how many make this fundamental error. I saw someone on b.cum who claimed to be an energy analyst on Wall St. talk about the new Petrobras discovery off the coast of Brazil. Not only did he assume that all the theoretical oil could be recovered, he figured it could be done with today's deepwater technology and, (a variation on the aforementioned error) he asserted that to find more oil, all one had to do is go out farther. Some where here FatDomDaddy repeated the Right-wing line that there are hundreds of years worth of crude on Earth. Funny how they can never back their assertions. (He did that on B.con, too) Granted, I've been out of the Awl Bidniz for some time, but I keep in touch with some of my old co-worker bees. I'm not completely ignorant of E&P.

hermione83 -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/6/2008 1:52:12 AM)
I'd send all the humans to some other planet that hadn't yet been exploited with some equipment and supplies.... they can either perish or figure something out and start over. Though not enough equipment to ever go out into space at least without a few centuries of work. Except me, and whoever my soulmate is. We'd hang with the animals, try to clean up all the human wreckage so that when we died out the animals and plants and waters and lands would recover from all the damage they've done. Oh, and no garden of eden here.... I wouldn't be making any babies. I dunno if the humans would survive in a such a hostile environment elsewhere, but that's not my problem or worry. =)

Archer -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/6/2008 4:06:24 AM)
I was not in the E&P side but worked with Env Health and Safety for ARCO one of the mid sized companies that was bought out by BP. So I have a little general knowledge that some folks missed. Prudo Bay wasn't supposed to yield what it has either though if lunch conversations with the guys memory serves. I do recall that there were suposed to be less than 50 years worth of proven reserves at current demand back about 2000. But that has been extended a few times since then. Two ways smallest increase due to new discoveries, a much larger increase reason has been better extraction methods. The odd part has been that current demand levels have really risen since then. But the SUV's are far from the largest consumer of petroleum fuels, that honr unfortunately goes to electrical generation (although the fraction of crude is different) Get the power generation off the bottle and the reserves last longer. Thus my argument goes much more towards the idea of alternative energy. The resulting boost in technology in this area would serve the dual purpose. 1. put the US back in the manuacturing business (at least in my world it would) and 2 make the US a world innovator again something not many countries can compete with us in when we have the mind to.

meatcleaver -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/6/2008 4:17:18 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Archer 2 make the US a world innovator again something not many countries can compete with us in when we have the mind to. I was listening to an economic debate this morning on the BBC world service and American economists were well in attendance. No developed country, not even the USA has developed without defending their economy behind the walls of protectionism. At the beginning of the 20th century the USA was the biggest pirate and flouter copyright in the world. The US only become interested in applying copyright law once it had ripped other countries off and had products of its own it wanted to defend. Well, any country can have a great manufacturing base if one builds it that way. The irony is, China is copying what the USA did and it will probably be China that will emulate the US's success through product theft in the same way the US gained success through product theft. It was news to me but all that info came out of the mouths of noted American economists.

SugarMyChurro -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/6/2008 5:35:58 AM)
That's what governments do: grant someone a monopoly-type of business so they can get rich stealing from the commons. "Bottled water: No longer cool?" http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/24/news/economy/pluggedin_gunther_water.fortune/index.htm Granting an outfit like Nestle exclusive rights to bottle water for resale at thousands of times the actual value of the water is stealing from the people of many communities. Could it be any plainer? Oil. Coal. Wood. Etc.

meatcleaver -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/6/2008 5:39:51 AM)
Fuck monoplies, we just put a gun to the head of 25% of the world and told them to buy British or else.

submgreenbay -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/26/2008 7:17:00 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: sharainks I would make it illegal for politicians to accept money from anyone to run a campaign. I would also prohibit them from using their own money. Anyone running for office will have a sum of money provided by the govt to run for office. When its gone its gone. To me the "You owe me" system is most of this country's problem. Its why the politicians won't touch big oil, big pharmacy or any major contributor to their campaigns. This is what I was going to suggest. Prohibit private funding of campaigns. Each person running gets X number of dollars for their campaign.

Hippiekinkster -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/26/2008 8:20:13 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Archer Hippie I know the reserves proven in ANWAR are not large. I could google the barrel count but I find it tedious and counter productive. Enough to make it profitable and reduce some of the importation needed to make ends meet. If you focus on the first part and ignore the second then we can't get anywhere. The carrot is ANWAR and off shore, the stick is alternative energy investment. The real trick is in the "MUST INVEST EQUAL dollars in ..." The thing that all you folks in favor of drilling ANWR neglect is that if we pump it down to tertiary recovery residual, what the fuck will this country do ten years from now when it's really needed?

Irishknight -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/26/2008 8:22:09 PM)
I think that i would start by instituting a tax on all American companies with factories outside the US. I have only seen the bad side of NAFTA so I would begin by taking steps to get rid of it. I would offer tax breaks for any company bringing their manufacturing jobs back into the country. Believe it or not, I would bring the troops back from Iraq. I would also bring them back from every other foreign country. Would I be willing to send them to other countries to help? As long as those other countries were willing to foot the bill. The UN building would become a beautiful apartment complex because I would remove that debating club from our country and our country would pull out of it. It has long since turned into something it was never intended to be. Troops would patrol our borders turning everyone back who does not have the proper paerwork. Those drug lords who like to shoot across the border at people would find themselves facing the angry might of the US military. Hell, I might even turn Domaviator loose on their butts. Income tax would be replaced by flat tax. Welfare would only be granted in extreme cases and would be a stop gap measure instead of a way of life. Most importantly, I would push laws that hold you accountable for what you do. If you murder 15 people in broad daylight and then suddenly find religion in jail, tough shit. If you try to push another human around and get your ass kicked, you would have no right to sue. If you are so crazy (ie not guilty by reason of insanity) that you sliced up a productive member of society, you're still responsible and are too effin crazy to keep alive anyway.

Archer -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/27/2008 5:24:23 AM)
Funny thing people forget is that the US actually taxes their corps higher than almost every country in the world. Including the fact that unless I am mistaken we are the only country who taxes a copany like Ford not only on the profits it makes in this country, but if the Ford manufactures goods in Canada that get sold in Canada and never even cross the boarder, we tax those profits too.

Irishknight -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/27/2008 5:48:22 AM)
I didn't forget. In fact, I stated that we would cut taxes on them for bringing those factories back. I would make it less profiable to make things in China and Mexico for American companies.

michaelOfGeorgia -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/27/2008 5:48:47 AM)
there are several things i would do: 1. put someone up in the White House that is younger, poor and has no links whatsoever to special interest groups. they would be required to take a lie detector test also. 2. i would also make the medical field reduce their rates while being required to provide the best care anywhere (if they are to keep their license to practice medicine) 3. i would make it where alternative forms of transportation be created that takes us away from being dependant on oil companies and begine to completely phase out gas-powered vehicles al together. 4. i would change the tax system. make a flat tax so that everyone had to pay the same percentage rate (maybe 15-20 percent of gross income) this way the rich would have to pay their share of taxes. the rich would also be audited to ensure that they weren't hiding any moneys. 6. i would also put a price cap on travel, such as air, bus and train travel in the US. this way people would be free to travel at a resonable rate. 7. i would also have a much stronger policy along our borders...there would be an immediate response to air traffic that does not respond to contact. no more incidence like on 9-11. if they don't answer calls and deviate from their flight path without a good reason, they get shot down, no more BS. 8. i would also make sure that nobody is homeless and they would get tax free homes to live in...there's enough building that are in need of some repairs and they can aid in getting them fixed up in order to live in them. 9. i would also make it where there is an agreed upon national language to be spoken in America, this is not to say that people can't learn or speak other launguages, but, if they are going to live here...the MUST learn the primary language. At least until a Universal Translator ( i know, this is a bit Star Trekie here, but it mught be possible) is put into place. 10. Everyone would be allowed the same chance of running for office from the ages of, say, 25-30, male or female. just some of the things i would do. there are more, but i figure a top 10 list was in order

Archer -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/27/2008 7:18:01 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Irishknight I didn't forget. In fact, I stated that we would cut taxes on them for bringing those factories back. I would make it less profiable to make things in China and Mexico for American companies. The thing you frgot is that we already tax companine with factories overseas, no matter where they sell the good. If they are based in the US then no matter where they make it and sell it the US taxes the profit. Company based in US, Factory in Mexico makes washer driers, that they sell in Columbia That profit is taxed. If the company is based in the US then no matter where in the entier world the factories are or where the goods are sold, the US taxes the profit, on top of whatever national taxes are charged on the profit by the country where the factory is. "...instituting a tax on all American companies with factories outside the US. " They already are taxed by the US on their profits. Such taxes mearly cause the companies to move their headquarters overseas as well, where the countries don't tax profits generated and realized in other countries.

Irishknight -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/27/2008 8:30:24 AM)
You are forgetting that i also state that we will give tax breaks for bringing the jobs BACK to this country. In fact, any company that has no factories in the NAFTA countries would be in an entirely different tax class. The argument that they would take their corporate headquaters overseas doesn't wash. ONE of their competitors would be willing to come back enabling them to sell the product made in America cheaper than the others. To be competitive in this market, others would have to do likewise. If they went to another country, my reinstated trade tarriffs would make them fall in a position between companies coming back into the US and those still screwing us in their NAFTA factories. The breaks go to those who try to bring back jobs while the pain goes to those who don't. Could a middle ground be achieved so that they could use their curent overseas production facilities to fulfill commitments in other countries? Sure. But every single item they bring into this country that says "made in china" or "Made in mexico" or even "made on the damned moon" would get additional tarriffs and taxes.

Alumbrado -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/27/2008 8:52:49 AM)
quote: Funny thing people forget is that the US actually taxes their corps higher than almost every country in the world. Are companies taking things overseas because they are being overtaxed by the US government now? A weak economy, new tax breaks, and aggressive tax sheltering have pushed corporate income tax receipts down to historically low levels, both relative to the size of the economy and as a share of total federal revenues. http://www.cbpp.org/10-16-03tax.htm In 1960, corporations paid 24% of all federal taxes. In the 1970's, that share fell to 15%. As recently as 1996, it was 12%. Now, corporate taxes make up only about 8% of U.S. revenues. quote: Below wealthy countries are ranked from highest corporate tax rate to lowest. Remember, that these are rates *before stimulus bills, tax breaks and other reductions.* Corporate Tax Rates, January 2001, %[image]http://www.pbs.org/now/images/spacer.gif[/image] [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/images/spacer.gif[/image] Canada: 42.1% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Japan: 42% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Italy: 40% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Belgium: 39.8% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] United States: 39.7% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Germany: 39.4% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] France: 35%% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Greece: 34.8% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Netherlands: 34%% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Australia: 33% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Austria: 33% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Denmark: 30% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Britain: 29.9% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Sweden: 28.5%% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Switzerland: 26%% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] Ireland: 20%% [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/images/spacer.gif[/image] [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/images/spacer.gif[/image] [image]http://www.pbs.org/now/images/spacer.gif[/image] http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/corptax.html I would suspect that they are keeping nominal HQ operations here to get more favorable tax rates and even massive subsidies, and so forth, while moving production operations overseas to find cheaper labor, less stringent regulations, etc.

Irishknight -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/27/2008 8:54:41 AM)
So that we can get lead and date rape drugs in our children's toys.

Alumbrado -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/27/2008 9:01:42 AM)
Or a biciycle that says 'Schwinn' on it for under $150...

Irishknight -> RE: How would you "FIX" the country or world (5/27/2008 9:04:38 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Alumbrado Or a biciycle that says 'Schwinn' on it for under $150... And falls apart in under a year. Didn't schwinn's last a long time when we were kids? I rode the same bike for ten years when I was younger. I am doing good to get one that lasts a year now.

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