Tax the Rich: An Animated Fairy Tale

[_cinepro]

The fact so many people want to see the table reset suggests we're out of balance to an unhealthy level for the table's long term prospects.

But from a practical standpoint, how do you do this? What are the obstacles people face towards getting more "chips" that the government (or society) can rightfully adjust?

As I've said before, the reason I'm not a liberal or Democrat isn't because I don't want the things they want, it's because I don't think the way they are trying to achieve those things is going to work.

If I thought for even a second that liberal policies could actually succeed in the long run, I would sign up in an instant. But I see their policies as the road to ruin (paved with good intentions), and so I can't support them.

[_Analytics]

As I've said before, the reason I'm not a liberal or Democrat isn't because I don't want the things they want, it's because I don't think the way they are trying to achieve those things is going to work.

If I thought for even a second that liberal policies could actually succeed in the long run, I would sign up in an instant. But I see their policies as the road to ruin (paved with good intentions), and so I can't support them.

That brush is so wide it's hard to imagine what you are referring to. When you say "liberal policies", what do you have in mind?

[_cinepro]

That brush is so wide it's hard to imagine what you are referring to. When you say "liberal policies", what do you have in mind?

The minimum wage. Social security, medicare or any other program that isn't means tested. Government control of the education system. Just about anything left over from the New Deal or Johnson's Great Society. Just about anything that empowers public-sector unions.

I do favor policies that protect the environment, keep the poorest among us from starving or freezing to death and give them access to basic health care and education.
But all of this has to be done within the realm of fiscal responsibility.

Obviously, Republican history on these issues varies from great to terrible, so I'm not saying it's a clear cut issue between the parties. I tend to look at politics as a "direction" towards a goal, not an absolute, and it would be possible for the government to veer so far to the right that I would then support left-leaning efforts.

[_Kevin Graham]

The minimum wage. Social security, medicare or any other program that isn't means tested.

What makes you think these programs aren't successful? They do exactly what they were intended to do, hence, they are very successful.

Government control of the education system

The government doesn't control the educational system. It provides education on the public level, to those who would otherwise be unable to afford private education. Oh, what a horrible thing to have an educated country!

Just about anything left over from the New Deal or Johnson's Great Society. Just about anything that empowers public-sector unions.

Yes, God damn those workers who think they should have worker rights. Let's call in the Pinkertons to set them all straight. That's how it worked out for Carnegie back before there were labor laws. When they protested working conditions and went on strike, he had the Pinkertons shoot them down. So if you connect unions with liberal policies, then it should be fair to associate the opposite with conservative policies, right?

[_honorentheos]

But from a practical standpoint, how do you do this? What are the obstacles people face towards getting more "chips" that the government (or society) can rightfully adjust?

As I've said before, the reason I'm not a liberal or Democrat isn't because I don't want the things they want, it's because I don't think the way they are trying to achieve those things is going to work.

If I thought for even a second that liberal policies could actually succeed in the long run, I would sign up in an instant. But I see their policies as the road to ruin (paved with good intentions), and so I can't support them.

I think this is one of the core issues that the founders struggled with.

I'm curious what you see being the outcome of unregulated conservative policies if allowed to run unchecked?

My opinion is that neither political view is perfect, nor can there be a perfect political view. We can't engineer the perfect society and set it on autopilot. By necessity this means policies meant to correct imbalances will swing past the point of correction to become an imbalance themselves. We correct as we go. I think we see this reality acknowledged in the founding fathers, particularly in Madison who in Federalist #51 famously advocated for separation of powers. And not just in government but in society itself.

[_ldsfaqs]

Fairy tale, or not?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwg4DB-EeEA

I prefer this "critique" of that video....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f6FZGjF8OA

It actually tells the facts and is honest.

[_cinepro]

I'm curious what you see being the outcome of unregulated conservative policies if allowed to run unchecked?.

I don't support the idea of unregulated and/or unchecked conservative policies either.

[_cinepro]

Fairy tale, or not?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwg4DB-EeEA

I prefer this "critique" of that video....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f6FZGjF8OA

It actually tells the facts and is honest.

He has some very good points. I knew the video was bad, but it's nice to have some take the effort to show why.

He also points out the irony of such a bad, misleading, simplistic video being produced by a teacher's union.

But to my other point about liberal policies not working, this is the best example (from a note the creator of the video posted in the video comments):

Even if you eliminated the Military and confiscated all the $ from all the "rich," it wouldn't make the long-term liabilities of Medicare solvent.

The problem is that we have the baby boomers retiring, and the demand for services exceeds what most Americans are willing to pay....themselves.

The fundamental problem is that Americans demand government services but won't tolerate what it would actually cost

[_Kevin Graham]

What makes you think these programs aren't successful? They do exactly what they were intended to do, hence, they are very successful.

You keep asserting something as fact, which simply isn't true.

And the reason Medicare is having a hard time has nothing to do with it being a "liberal policy" and everything to do with the skyrocketing costs of health care, which is a problem we have because the industry is controlled by monopolistic-minded drug/insurance companies. In a single payer system, costs would be driven down dramatically.

[Guest]

And the reason Medicare is having a hard time has nothing to do with it being a "liberal policy" and everything to do with the skyrocketing costs of health care, which is a problem we have because the industry is controlled by monopolistic-minded drug/insurance companies. In a single payer system, costs would be driven down dramatically.

So the cure for monopolistic-minded influences on the health care system is to turn it into an actual government controlled monopoly? That makes perfect sense. Of course costs would be driven down dramatically while maintaining the current standards for quality and service. That's happens whenever governments assume control of an industry.