Occupiers Hosing the DNC

[rehmwa 2]

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Well put. Recall that Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor. The rich were rich because they taxed the people into poverty. The poor were poor because they were taxed.

Robin Hood stole from the government, who had stolen from the people.

beat me to it - the rich were the nobles (the government) that overtaxed those that worked to earn their income

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

The nobles were the great landowners - the 1% of their time. They inherited their wealth.

[rehmwa 2]

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The nobles were the great landowners - the 1% of their time. They inherited their wealth.

yes, they were also the government and went around unfairly overtaxing everyone and anyone

your kind of government


once you get that, you'll understand libertarians and be terrified of the two parties in power now

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

They taxed everyone apart from themselves - like the 1% of today.

I went through my Libertarian phase many years ago. Many interesting ideas. But I grew up.

[lawrocket 3]

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The nobles were the great landowners - the 1% of their time. They inherited their wealth.

And the poor had their stuff taken from them. That's how they were made poor - by an oppressive government.

I admire your genuine comments about a Robin Hood tax. I'm glad you are honest about empowering a despicable government to forcibly remove every last farthing from the people.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

Libertarian Socialism

Not an oxymoron. In fact, the term "libertarian" was first used by a French anarcho-communist back in 1857 to describe himself (an anarchist). The modern term libertarianism (economic freedoms) was originally called liberalism. The term "libertarian" describes liberty (thus, the term is also used to describe metaphysical liberty within philosophy and metaphysics), and the term socialism describes a society in which wealth is fairly distributed. Thus, it is neither a literal nor a practical contradiction.

A libertarian socialist would argue that a society based on such huge disparities of wealth is unfree. If you wish to enter into employment, you choose first and take orders later (as with liberal democracy). Libertarian socialists believe in voluntary association and economic democracy. This will allow the individual to reach his/her full potential.

[lawrocket 3]

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They taxed everyone apart from themselves - like the 1% of today.

Hmmm. When did the 1% tax anyone?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

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The nobles were the great landowners - the 1% of their time. They inherited their wealth.

And the poor had their stuff taken from them. That's how they were made poor - by an oppressive government.

They were poor because they were born into a feudal system. They wanted democracy but the 1% wanted to squeeze the blood out of them

[rehmwa 2]

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They were poor because they were born into a feudal system. They wanted democracy but the government wanted to squeeze the blood out of them

again - fixed it for ya

today's 1% don't collect taxes - the government does. Actually, the bottom 47% () collect taxes (indirectly) more than the top 1%


our poor are already poor, the rich do have affect on the government
the tragedy is the middle class is being squeezed between the two, under the argument that the poor need help, and the rich are trying to protect themselves

you've just bought into 1 of the 2 groups, just like your puppet masters......er, 'leaders' want us all to do. Either group, doesn't matter which, just pick one and vote for deterioration of all we hold dear

leave all 3 groups alone and life is better for all

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

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They were poor because they were born into a feudal system. They wanted democracy but the government wanted to squeeze the blood out of them

again - fixed it for ya

today's 1% don't collect taxes - the government does.

The 1% protect their inherited wealth and make everyone else pay tax on their behalf.

[rehmwa 2]

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They were poor because they were born into a feudal system. They wanted democracy but the government wanted to squeeze the blood out of them

again - fixed it for ya

today's 1% don't collect taxes - the government does.

The 1% protect their inherited wealth and the government makes everyone else pay tax on their behalf.

Again - fixed it for ya

AGREED - that's half of the problem. (but not 'everyone' pays on their behalf, just the middle which actually pay on the behalf of both ends)

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

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They were poor because they were born into a feudal system. They wanted democracy but the government wanted to squeeze the blood out of them

again - fixed it for ya

today's 1% don't collect taxes - the government does.

The 1% protect their inherited wealth and make everyone else pay tax on their behalf.

AGREED - that's half of the problem. (but not 'everyone' pays on their behalf, just the middle which actually pay on the behalf of both ends)

The poor have no wealth beacuse the 1% have inherited it all just like the nobles of old.

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

“The American public provided hundreds of billions to bailout Wall Street during the global fiscal crisis yet bore the brunt of the crisis with lost jobs and reduced household wealth,” said Rep. Ellison upon introduction of the bill. “This is a phenomenally wealthy nation, yet our tax and regulatory system allowed the financial titans to amass great riches while impoverishing the systems that enable inclusive prosperity. A financial transaction tax protects our financial markets from speculation and provides the revenue needed to invest in the education, health and communities of the American people.”

[lawrocket 3]

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Libertarian socialists believe in voluntary association and economic democracy. This will allow the individual to reach his/her full potential.

Unless the individual is on the "wealthy end." In which case, their potential is capped under that model. You advocate preventing people from reaching their potential and bringing others up above their potential.

You are talking about despotism. And I take it that you don't see yourself as being subject of the despot's caprice. (The despot need not be an individual). In fact, it may even be considered a so-called "enlightened despotism" - th eidea that a despot is out there looking for everybody's best interests.

This is invariably associated with human rights abuses. Those who oppose the enlightened despot must, of course, be enlightened. Or re-educated. Or chased out. Or otherwise destroyed in the name of benevolence.

History demonstrates what any dictator does.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[billvon 2,995]

>The 1% protect their inherited wealth and make everyone else pay tax
>on their behalf.

Yep. And you want everyone else to pay tax as well. I think you just joined the 1%.

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

Taking a close look at last year's list of wealthiest people, the UFE discovered that roughly 40% of the individuals who appeared on the 2011 Forbes list received a "significant economic advantage in their lives by inheriting a sizeable asset from a spouse or family member." Strikingly, more than 20% received sufficient wealth to make the list from this inheritance alone.

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

You're funny

[lawrocket 3]

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The 1% protect their inherited wealth and make everyone else pay tax on their behalf.

And they protect their earned wealth, too.

Your use of stereotype and generality is awe inspiring. And the fact that you think that those who inherit wealth are the least entitled to it.

Much like people who earn money get last dibs on it. It shocks the conscience.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

Two examples cited by the report which directly impact the ability of the rich to retain and pass along their enormous assets:

•Tax rates on capital gains have been slashed, which especially benefits members of the Forbes list. The richest 0.1% receive half of all net increases in capital gains.

•Drastic cuts to the federal estate tax passed in the Bush tax cuts and the 2010 Obama tax deal allow the Forbes 400 to pass on more of their massive fortunes to their heirs, contributing to the growth of inequality and entrenching a class of super-wealthy heirs.

[lawrocket 3]

Have you ever considered cutting and pasting and just leaving with fact? Seriously - your use of adverbs indicates venting.

Compare: "Strikingly, more than 20% received sufficient wealth to make the list from this inheritance alone."

Well, now the argument is whether or not it's striking. Which is isn't. How about just "more than 20% received sufficient wealth to make the list from this inheritance alone?"

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

How about the new noble 1% are getting richer and richer at our and our children's expense?

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

Basically, while libertarian capitalists believe all force and coercion is wrong unless used to defend one's person or property libertarian socialists believe all force and coercion is wrong unless used to defend one's person, but not one's property since all property was originally founded on theft and relies on state coercion. Without state coercion capitalists would have to create private organizations (basically, miniature states) to enforce property 'rights'. Libertarian capitalists ignore the fact that companies would monopolize land and exclude certain companies, eventually leading to vast tracts of private property that function like modern states do.

[lawrocket 3]

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Drastic cuts to the federal estate tax passed in the Bush tax cuts and the 2010 Obama tax deal allow the Forbes 400 to pass on more of their massive fortunes to their heirs, contributing to the growth of inequality and entrenching a class of super-wealthy heirs.

You have yet to respond to my continuing to point out that the estate tax is the great gift to corporations. Family businesses get passed on to kids, who cannot afford to pay the tax on the value of the business. Thus the business is either liquidated or sold.

The corporations don't have this problem. They can therefore coninue to grow their influence and continue their control. The estate tax is the single greatest pro-corporation tax I can think of.

Yes, I want corporate advantages gone, too.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[SkydiveJonathan 0]

The list of the country's richest people tells the story of a nation where being born into wealth or inheriting great sums from a departed spouse are by far the most common paths to financial fortune.

[matthewcline 0]

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The list of the country's richest people tells the story of a nation where being born into wealth or inheriting great sums from a departed spouse are by far the most common paths to financial fortune.

So?

Matt

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