America is not broke...

[Marcus Aurelius]

[quote=discreetgent;RK doesn't need me to defend him but he is nothing like what you describe.[/quote]

Word.

[Doove]

Originally Posted by CaptainMidnight

What I'm saying is that in cases where the decision makers negotiating union contracts are beholden to members of a legislative majority or executive receiving campaign contributions from unions, there's a clear conflict of interest.

Sounds to me like the real problem is money in politics. (Or, from the perspective of people supporting Gov Walker and the Rebulicans, Democratic money in politics, if we're to be honest here) But instead of dealing with the real problem, (which would affect their money too - can't have that!) the Republicans decided to shove this law attacking unions down the throats of Wisconsin voters.

[pjorourke]

Well Doove, if we cut the size and scope of government, money in politics is less of a problem. No sense bribing the bastards if they can't deliver

[Doove]

Originally Posted by pjorourke

Well Doove, if we cut the size and scope of government, money in politics is less of a problem. No sense bribing the bastards if they can't deliver

Or.....if we got rid of the money in politics, it would be possible to cut the size and scope of government.

[pjorourke]

Originally Posted by Doove

Or.....if we got rid of the money in politics, it would be possible to cut the size and scope of government.

Chicken... egg

[phatdaty]

In response to the title of the thread:

No, we aren't broke, we are just stupid. As the the donkey and elephants try to out fuck one another on the budget and who is to blame for the current state affairs (and the teabaggers do whatever it is they do) the whole country is crumbling--literally.

If we are going to deficit spend like a drunken sailor on leave, let's at least spend wisely. We should stimulate our economy and spend money on the infrastructure. Let's have a massive road, bridge and school project. Let's create jobs cleaning up the fucking mess the baby boomers made of things and create jobs. Let's cut the hell out of the social welfare programs. If you are able-bodied you get six weeks to get a job with one of the new government construction projects if you can't find one on your own. If you are infirm, then we will take care of you. If you have more than one child and are on welfare as a result of the following births, then you must accept a Norplant to remain on the public tit.

Speaking of doctors, don't revise health insurance, eliminate it. Cut the middle man. Make it illegal for any third party to broker healthcare. You pay direct to the hospital or doctor. For that matter, declare that all insurance is basically as illegal as a ponzi scam: if it ain't broke, don't fix it and if you do break it, you fix it or pay for it to be fixed. If you were dumb enough to have property that burned down by not being safe or have sound building materials and process, then it is your own damn fault it burned to the ground. Same with auto insurance. If you drive like an asshole, you have to pay for the damage you cause. If you can't pay, off to debtor prison you go.

Speaking of prisons, bring back chain gangs for violent criminals. They can pick up litter and clean up city parks and such. Minor crimes could have home incarceration. Hell, it would be cheaper to put minor inmates back into their apartments, give them Dominos delivery, a Playstation, and some dope, and just tell them they can't ever leave their apartment until their sentence is up. I just read where in my state even minor criminals cost us about $85,000 per year to keep locked up. That would by an awful lot of pizza, weed, and video games.

Speaking of the Justice System, Let's have a Litigation Tax. In order to bring a suit to court, you must first pay a $5,000.00 tax. If you lose or the case is dismissed, or settled, the municipality the tort was filed in keeps the money. This will stop frivolous lawsuits and also remove the need for insurance in the first place.

Remove the entire income and property tax codes. Move to a flat sales tax of 25%. Feds get ten, state get's ten, local get's 5. You can win the conservative over by pointing out that property owners will no longer be taxed unfairly and that even criminals shop and buy things. Right now their secret income is untaxed--ramp up sales tax and they pay their fair share. You can win the liberal over by pointing out that it is a progressive tax. If rich assholes want to go hogwild and live the good life, thanks for being patriotic and supporting your country.

No more corporate welfare. If your product and business plan don't work, then sign up for one of the road crews or some other manual labor--the business world ain't for you.

Institute a mandatory 1 million dollar reality television show tax. If you put that shit on the air, you have to pay that every year for every show. HSN has to pay ten million per channel.

More to come soon. . .

[phatdaty]

We should fix professional and college athletics at the same time.

If a athlete leaves college early, they must surrender a portion of any signing bonus they arrive at in the sum of two complete student scholarships. If they stay beyond the first year, in addition to the scholarship and living allowances, they can earn work study for their service to the team based on banked hours spent training, practice, and team meetings.

If a coach leaves a college before his contract is up, he must pay for 10 scholarships out of his new contract to go to the school he is leaving

[TexTushHog]

How about we get rid of the alleged conflict if interest that has you guys so stirred up (as well as the same conflict of having regulated businesses make campaign contributions) and have public financing of elections? The political leaders won't be funancially beholden to anyone!!

[DFW5Traveler]

Originally Posted by TexTushHog

How about we get rid of the alleged conflict if interest that has you guys so stirred up (as well as the same conflict of having regulated businesses make campaign contributions) and have public financing of elections? The political leaders won't be funancially beholden to anyone!!

Public funding for politicians... pshaaa!!! it's already there to some degree. Tax money goes to to gvmt, the gvmt gives to special interests, the special interests give to their reps' campaigns. The revolving door of the political life of you ameoba. Have a great day in your primordial soup

[WTF]

Originally Posted by CaptainMidnight

You don't see quite so much of that kind of stuff going on in the private sector, do you?

What you see going on in the private sector is CEO pay vs average worker salary soaring. If you think that is healthy then vote for this WI Gov as your next President.
What this move was about was limiting opposition to big business interest. Pure and simple.

All government really is , is a referee between Big business and workers.

Right now big business is trying to limit the amount of money the opposition can spend. First they had to get the SC to rule in favor of unlimited spending .....and now they are breaking the unions abality to counter their spending. That is why the Gov of WI would take a call from that right wing facist Koch.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870369920457501 6942930090152.html


A divided Supreme Court struck down decades-old limits on corporate political expenditures, potentially reshaping the 2010 election landscape by permitting businesses and unions to spend freely on commercials for or against candidates.

Originally Posted by discreetgent

I'm going to play WTF on TV here, umm I mean moderator lol

RK and I agree on very little politically; he is a social conservative and I am a social liberal, but we have actually met and enjoyed dinner, booze, and conversation together without causing a cosmic event ending the world. RK doesn't need me to defend him but he is nothing like what you describe.

DG hacking at SR Only's keyboard.

Well DG, I have never met Mazo but I think it safe to say that he is nothing like what RK has characterized him.

That is a two way street. I'm sure RK can take the exact same thing he dishes.

Originally Posted by Marcus Aurelius

Word.

Be a fair moderator there MA and ''word'' that too.

[WTF]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870369920457501 6942930090152.html


A divided Supreme Court struck down decades-old limits on corporate political expenditures, potentially reshaping the 2010 election landscape by permitting businesses and unions to spend freely on commercials for or against candidates.

[charlestudor2005]

@phatdaty

Cookie cutter one-size-fits-all solutions don't solve extremely complex social and economic problems in an equitable manner.

Your solutions, however interesting, are highly impractical IMHO.

[Marcus Aurelius]

I was only stating that RK is no danger of having his feelings crushed here.
He's bigger than that. It is the same with Mazomaniac. However I am watching.

[mikkifine]

Even though I do not make as much as I did 7 years ago, I believe that America is better off than other countries.

In some countries it is believed that if you have a car that you are rich. I do not have a car but I do have plenty of self proclaimed poor neighbors that do own a car. In many cases the car is new.

[Mazomaniac]

Originally Posted by Marcus Aurelius

However I am watching.

I already sense a great disturbance in the Force.

Cheers,
Mazo.