billvon 3,072 #51 April 8, 2018 >Like the $80b increase to military spending 62% of house Democrats opposed that. >giving him more warrantless spying powers The vote was 256 to 164. More than 2/3 of Democrats opposed it in the House. In the Senate, again, most Democrats opposed it. >like appointing people to departments they famously want to get rid of. ?? Not sure what you mean there. I don't know where you are getting your info, but a less biased source might be useful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,563 #52 April 8, 2018 Quoteso it didn't really interest me to see exactly how they're voting in the house and senate these days. So you're just making it up instead? And you think they're the problem with politics, not you? Interesting.Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Justincblount 4 #53 April 9, 2018 I'm not bought by the pharmaceutical industry, fossil fuel industry, military industry, financial industry, insurance industry, etc... so no, I'm not the problem. And I definitely have a more accurate view of what's going on than someone who believes corporate media. And I'm not cheering one side or the other, which is why I don't have to justify one side's corruption by saying, "Well, it was only a third of my team who needed to get kicked off the team." They aren't even your team unless you have millions of dollars. Why make excuses for how much they suck? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,106 #54 April 9, 2018 JustincblountI'm not bought by the pharmaceutical industry, fossil fuel industry, military industry, financial industry, insurance industry, etc... so no, I'm not the problem. And I definitely have a more accurate view of what's going on than someone who believes corporate media. And I'm not cheering one side or the other, which is why I don't have to justify one side's corruption by saying, "Well, it was only a third of my team who needed to get kicked off the team." They aren't even your team unless you have millions of dollars. Why make excuses for how much they suck? That's a pretty lame excuse for posting garbage.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Justincblount 4 #55 April 9, 2018 I admitted where I went wrong. Sometimes you just can't make a comeback after saying something inaccurate. I'm ready to concede the argument, have fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jcd11235 0 #56 April 9, 2018 JustincblountAnd I definitely have a more accurate view of what's going on than someone who believes corporate media. Which sources, exactly, would a hyper-informed citizen like yourself recommend?Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 2,250 #57 April 9, 2018 JustincblountI admitted where I went wrong. Sometimes you just can't make a comeback after saying something inaccurate. I'm ready to concede the argument, have fun. It's a tough crowd here. But you can still shine by posting better contributions in the future.Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 1,149 #58 April 9, 2018 JustincblountI admitted where I went wrong. Sometimes you just can't make a comeback after saying something inaccurate. I'm ready to concede the argument, have fun. Its not necessarily about being right or wrong. Debate is how you frame a point of view together with the weight of fact behind your position. Just look at revolving doors of WH spokespeople. Who intermix one percent of fact with lies and misinformation. Which seems to reach receptive ears in about 40% of the population! You're right about powerful lobby groups with disproportionate leverage over public policy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,072 #59 April 9, 2018 >And I definitely have a more accurate view of what's going on than someone who >believes corporate media. Well, except from your posts above, you believe what right wing corporate media is telling you. It's great that you want to get away from corporate media. But if you replace it with nothing (or worse yet, stuff you hear in the break room or see on the Internet) then you are even worse off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,563 #60 April 9, 2018 JustincblountI admitted where I went wrong. Sometimes you just can't make a comeback after saying something inaccurate. You can't make a comeback by saying you know more than people who watch the news, when you have already stated that you don't watch the news or check the raw data on the topic that you so confidently jumped into with your entirely mistaken opinion. What do you do to avoid any of your other opinions being so woefully innaccurate?Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,106 #61 April 9, 2018 Back to the thread topic. Thanks to the GOP tax cuts: www.npr.org/2018/04/09/600898950/-1-trillion-deficits-to-return-national-debt-to-rise-projects-cbo A $trillion here, a $trillion there, soon it will be real money.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,465 #62 April 10, 2018 QuoteI realize this is very off-topic, but Nicaragua developed a National Defense Ministry Registry in which all guns must be registered and police are allowed to inspect your storage & inventory. All true, but to get license you have to pass an in house interview with the local police. Or so I was told by Canadians living in Nicaragua when I was there a few years ago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Justincblount 4 #63 April 10, 2018 Phil1111Its not necessarily about being right or wrong. Debate is how you frame a point of view together with the weight of fact behind your position. Good constructive criticism. I came in with a lazy and dismissive style of communicating, which only derailed the discussion and came across as arrogant. I actually prefer arguing in an overpowering, aggressive way... it's just how we do it on Youtube, which is also where I get my news. For some reason, that debate style doesn't feel normal here. billvonWell, except from your posts above, you believe what right wing corporate media is telling you. I'm authoritarian left wing. You're more likely to find my views represented in state funded international media, but I prefer to watch independent skeptics who don't read from a teleprompter. Usually they cut through the propaganda. If they don't, the commenters will. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,563 #64 April 10, 2018 QuoteI came in with a lazy and dismissive style of communicating, No, you came in with a lazy style of thinking...Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Justincblount 4 #65 April 10, 2018 jakeeQuoteI came in with a lazy and dismissive style of communicating, No, you came in with a lazy style of thinking... You're retarded. There. See how easy it is to debunk you? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bob_Church 7 #66 April 10, 2018 Justincblount***QuoteI came in with a lazy and dismissive style of communicating, No, you came in with a lazy style of thinking... You're retarded. There. See how easy it is to debunk you? Something I think would help, it did for me, is that when you reach a point where you honestly can't tell if the person is trolling you or if they really just can't get it, then just don't respond to them any more. And I'm not talking with agreeing or not, disagreeing is fine, that's the whole point, but if someone just can't seem to grasp a concept no matter how well you define it even to the point that you're not sure they aren't pulling your leg then you're not going to accomplish anything good by trying. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,563 #67 April 10, 2018 Justincblount***QuoteI came in with a lazy and dismissive style of communicating, No, you came in with a lazy style of thinking... You're retarded. Congratulations on being less dismissive. Looks like you put a lot of effort into it. QuoteThere. See how easy it is to debunk you? I do not think that word means what you think it means.Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Justincblount 4 #68 April 11, 2018 Bob_ChurchSomething I think would help, it did for me, is that when you reach a point where you honestly can't tell if the person is trolling you or if they really just can't get it, then just don't respond to them any more. And I'm not talking with agreeing or not, disagreeing is fine, that's the whole point, but if someone just can't seem to grasp a concept no matter how well you define it even to the point that you're not sure they aren't pulling your leg then you're not going to accomplish anything good by trying. I don't think he was trolling, I just thought he was being an ass, which is something he can't beat me at, so I started getting competitive. Oh well, sometimes the scrutiny brings attention to real flaws, other times it doesn't. Not a big deal. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headoverheels 333 #69 April 12, 2018 Looking at the tax brackets for 2018. It looks like a non-working couple on a joint return can make a bit over $100k and still pay zero taxes for 2018, even taking the standard deduction. This is by structuring investments to provide $77k in dividends, and the rest in interest (or IRA distributions or other ordinary income). No wonder we are running a huge deficit. I seem to remember that Dick Cheney saved something like $200k/yr on dividend taxes when the treatment of dividends changed back when (out of ~$1.1 million total tax savings that year with that tax bill). Working couples making that same $100k, from wages, will pay about $16.3k in federal taxes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,106 #70 April 12, 2018 headoverheels Looking at the tax brackets for 2018. It looks like a non-working couple on a joint return can make a bit over $100k and still pay zero taxes for 2018, even taking the standard deduction. This is by structuring investments to provide $77k in dividends, and the rest in interest (or IRA distributions or other ordinary income). No wonder we are running a huge deficit. I seem to remember that Dick Cheney saved something like $200k/yr on dividend taxes when the treatment of dividends changed back when (out of ~$1.1 million total tax savings that year with that tax bill). Working couples making that same $100k, from wages, will pay about $16.3k in federal taxes. "Taxes are for the little people."... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeorgiaDon 379 #71 April 12, 2018 kallend*** Looking at the tax brackets for 2018. It looks like a non-working couple on a joint return can make a bit over $100k and still pay zero taxes for 2018, even taking the standard deduction. This is by structuring investments to provide $77k in dividends, and the rest in interest (or IRA distributions or other ordinary income). No wonder we are running a huge deficit. I seem to remember that Dick Cheney saved something like $200k/yr on dividend taxes when the treatment of dividends changed back when (out of ~$1.1 million total tax savings that year with that tax bill). Working couples making that same $100k, from wages, will pay about $16.3k in federal taxes. "Taxes are for the little people."There was an interesting story on NPR the other day about how many people are restructuring their income to take advantage of the pass-through business provisions. For example, although doctors and dentists can't call themselves a pass-through business directly, if they own their building and equipment they can set up a business to take ownership of those assets. Then they can charge themselves rent (at a high rate) and claim that rent as income under the pass-through provisions. One accountant claimed he had cut his client's tax bill by over $70,000 that way. So, the hit on federal revenue is likely to be much much larger than what you would calculate just based on the new tax brackets. I suspect we are already going to be looking at trillion dollar deficits, certainly within the next year or two. Don_____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,441 #72 April 12, 2018 Hi Don, QuoteThere was an interesting story . . . Thanks; I just passed that onto my son. He is giving some thought to buying the building that he practices law in. Jerry Baumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #73 April 12, 2018 But if he does that his rent might go through the roof! - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #74 April 12, 2018 kallend Actually there are minor differences between nations: iq-research.info/en/average-iq-by-country You don't see an obvious problem with a source that declares the average African to be mentally retarded? IQ is supposed to be a measure of innate intelligence, but IQ tests in nearly all forms are really a measure of education, and this listing shows that rather clearly. These values are used to support racist and sexist beliefs; I'm a bit shocked to see you giving it credibility. I'm open to the likelihood that there are small variations by ethnicity, but not two full standard deviations, or even one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,106 #75 April 13, 2018 kelpdiver*** Actually there are minor differences between nations: iq-research.info/en/average-iq-by-country You don't see an obvious problem with a source that declares the average African to be mentally retarded? Yes, it clearly indicates that there is a cultural bias. However, within the group of western industrial nations which share a common culture it seems that there are real, but small differences.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
