RE: What is wrong with politics in America

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RE: What is wrong with politics in America - 10/9/2013 6:57:33 PM

TheHeretic

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Yeah, but Maxine is a catty bitch, when she wants to be.

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RE: What is wrong with politics in America - 10/9/2013 7:05:24 PM

dcnovice

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quote:

From the wording of that cartoon, it appears to be from mid to late 2009.

True. But I wonder how many folks seeing it now will be savvy enough to realize that. Or know that we have a new treasury secretary?

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RE: What is wrong with politics in America - 10/9/2013 7:34:40 PM

TreasureKY

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quote:

ORIGINAL: dcnovice

quote:

From the wording of that cartoon, it appears to be from mid to late 2009.

True. But I wonder how many folks seeing it now will be savvy enough to realize that. Or know that we have a new treasury secretary?

I suspect heads will explode before that realization is made.

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RE: What is wrong with politics in America - 10/9/2013 7:38:02 PM

SerWhiteTiger

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"What is wrong with politics in America?"

Voters. Democracy is terrible. Bring on the enlightened dictatorship, just so long as it's not me that's in charge, thank you very much.

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RE: What is wrong with politics in America - 10/9/2013 11:31:15 PM

tj444

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quote:

ORIGINAL: dcnovice

quote:

From the wording of that cartoon, it appears to be from mid to late 2009.

True. But I wonder how many folks seeing it now will be savvy enough to realize that. Or know that we have a new treasury secretary?

or realize that Obama has (according to recent news articles) stopped smoking.. apparently Michele struck such fear into him that he had no choice but to stop..

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RE: What is wrong with politics in America - 10/10/2013 11:58:09 AM

vincentML

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quote:

the middle class has been disappearing

This may be true. But I propose it is not due to the mismanagement or bickering of politicians but to the rise of globalized markets and labor, and to the advances of digital technologies which replace the workers in our dwindling manufacturing base. Short of imposing ruinous tarriffs and abrogating trade agreements there is little that politicians can do. Today's labor force needs to learn new skills just as the blacksmith was pressed to become an auto engineer when that technology arose. There has been a tectonic shift away from a manufacturing economy to an information economy that requires workers to catch up. Unfortuantely, some are too old to qualify. But that is due to the economics of disruptive capitalism rather than to the messiness of democratic government.

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RE: What is wrong with politics in America - 10/10/2013 9:47:06 PM

tj444

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quote:

ORIGINAL: vincentML

quote:

the middle class has been disappearing

This may be true. But I propose it is not due to the mismanagement or bickering of politicians but to the rise of globalized markets and labor, and to the advances of digital technologies which replace the workers in our dwindling manufacturing base. Short of imposing ruinous tarriffs and abrogating trade agreements there is little that politicians can do. Today's labor force needs to learn new skills just as the blacksmith was pressed to become an auto engineer when that technology arose. There has been a tectonic shift away from a manufacturing economy to an information economy that requires workers to catch up. Unfortuantely, some are too old to qualify. But that is due to the economics of disruptive capitalism rather than to the messiness of democratic government.

that may be part of it for some people but imo its also due to the govt increasing taxes over time and the introduction of new taxes, fees, charges, etc by all levels of govt.. A person having the same job (where the reasons you cite are not a factor) has seen his/her take-home pay dwindle- that is the squeeze on the middle class and why they are disappearing (imo).. I have looked at this myself cuz I noticed this happen.

The govt could impose tariffs, I suppose, but it is Big Biz that has lobbied them to allow them to offshore and reap gangster profits and not be taxed on their worldwide income, the lack of tariffs benefits US global industry, not the middle class.. Is it fair that the US govt requires Americans living & working abroad to pay US tax (if they earn over a certain amount) when at the same time they allow US multi-national corporations to get away without paying any tax on their offshore earnings? As corporations are "people" too, they should be taxed on worldwide income also, I would argue.. so imo you don't need tariffs, you just need to tax the corps on worldwide income.. that tax thing is part of the reason they offshore in the first place & shift income to a faux intermediary corp based in a tax haven.. take away that incentive..

If the govt was a fair, responsible govt and people did not see the waste of tax dollars, the back room dealings with Big Biz, see govt selling them out over and over again.. then people would feel they were at least getting their monies worth and they wouldn't think there was much wrong with politics.. but that is not the how politics in the US is, of course..

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RE: What is wrong with politics in America - 10/11/2013 6:54:45 AM

Zonie63

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From: The Old Pueblo
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quote:

ORIGINAL: vincentML

quote:

the middle class has been disappearing

This may be true. But I propose it is not due to the mismanagement or bickering of politicians but to the rise of globalized markets and labor, and to the advances of digital technologies which replace the workers in our dwindling manufacturing base. Short of imposing ruinous tarriffs and abrogating trade agreements there is little that politicians can do. Today's labor force needs to learn new skills just as the blacksmith was pressed to become an auto engineer when that technology arose. There has been a tectonic shift away from a manufacturing economy to an information economy that requires workers to catch up. Unfortuantely, some are too old to qualify. But that is due to the economics of disruptive capitalism rather than to the messiness of democratic government.

I agree that technological advances might make some areas obsolete, but I don't think that's the same issue as outsourcing, tariffs, or trade agreements. We still use manufactured goods, so it's not as if the skills of a manufacturing economy are obsolete. It's just that they've been shifted elsewhere to where the labor is cheaper. Not many people utilize the skills of a blacksmith anymore, but many people still wear clothes, watch TV, drive cars, use microwave ovens, etc., so they still need and use goods manufactured by someone. Is the reason they're not manufactured here really because U.S. workers have obsolete skills, or is it for some other reason?

The politicians have been the primary force behind the rise of globalized markets, the lowering/removal of tariffs, and the signing of free trade agreements which have allowed all this to take place. Something like this just doesn't happen by itself.

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RE: What is wrong with politics in America - 10/11/2013 7:06:20 AM

Zonie63

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quote:

ORIGINAL: tj444
If the govt was a fair, responsible govt and people did not see the waste of tax dollars, the back room dealings with Big Biz, see govt selling them out over and over again.. then people would feel they were at least getting their monies worth and they wouldn't think there was much wrong with politics.. but that is not the how politics in the US is, of course..

I think that in the past, when the economy was on the upswing and things were improving after WW2, people may have been troubled by government/corporate corruption and our increasing global adventurism. But they also saw that their own lives were getting better and the average Joe could also enjoy a taste of the good life. So, as long as people felt they could get a decent share of the spoils and still be able to live off the fat of the land, then they would have a higher tolerance of government and corporate level corruption and amorality.

But now that times are tough and the gravy train is sputtering, people's tolerance of high-level shenanigans is starting to diminish.

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