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The New Lounge

Yeah, yeah, thousands of examples. I was being hyperbolic for the sake of expedience. There's very little chance for little fish to rise much. Most of us who rise do so just enough to move into a better adjacent school district. It's not nothing, but it's not much. Since the Boomers, every subsequent generation is doing worse.

The alternative to relying on govt sprinkles is relying on corporate/wealthy sprinkles. You oversimplified and so did I. Again, it's for the sake of expedience.

It's the billionaires who are taking from us. Nobody works 10,000 times harder than anyone else. Nobody actually earns a billion dollars. When you're that rich, your money works for you. You're making passive income without doing a thing. And when it comes to resources and money, the total amount is finite, so one person having that much is absolutely taking it from someone else.

Currently, billionaires get to turn around and buy the govt, then further rig it to benefit themselves at our expense. They should owe a far greater debt than they are currently paying to a system that protects their right to earn so much more. They owe it to the system to make the same opportunities available to others, but instead the income gap continues to grow.

So it seems we agree on a lot of the problems. We also seem to agree that the link between politicians and big money harms all the little fish. I tend to think we have a better chance at voting out politicians who aren't serving our interests than we do letting the free market decide. I trust the democratic process more than I trust capitalism.
So forgive me if I am wrong. But you seem to be basing your logic on little fish becoming billionaires. Let me start over by explaining that I believe capitalism gives people the opportunity to live comfortably and be able to save for retirement. I am not pretending that everyone can become millionaires or billionaires just by working hard. We shouldn't expect the same outcome as everyone else. The only thing we should expect is to be rewarded for our efforts and to be able to live modestly and healthy. Socialism has proven to fail everywhere it has been tried. It may be more of a balanced economic class, but it is a lower class.

As far as voting politicians out. That will never happen unless there is a ban on special interests and lobbyists in Congress. That was one of the biggest disappointments from Trump's first term for me. He said he would do it and never even brought it up. Look at Mitch McConnell for shit's sake. That crook would have been primaried a decade ago if it weren't for him being bought. I can go down the list of pieces of shits that need to be primaried in the GOP. But never will be. I am not just talking about the never Trumpers either. Of course my list of dems is a lot longer. Lol
 
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So forgive me if I am wrong. But you seem to be basing your logic on little fish becoming billionaires. Let me start over by explaining that I believe capitalism gives people the opportunity to live comfortably and be able to save for retirement. I am not pretending that everyone can become millionaires or billionaires just by working hard. We shouldn't expect the same outcome as everyone else. The only thing we should expect is to be rewarded for our efforts and to be able to live modestly and healthy. Socialism has proven to fail everywhere it has been tried. It may be more of a balanced economic class, but it is a lower class.

As far as voting politicians out. That will never happen unless there is a ban on special interests and lobbyists in Congress. That was one of the biggest disappointments from Trump's first term for me. He said he would do it and never even brought it up. Look at Mitch McConnell for shit's sake. That crook would have been primaried a decade ago if it weren't for him being bought. I can go down the list of pieces of shits that need to be primaried in the GOP. But never will be. I am not just talking about the never Trumpers either. Of course my list of dems is a lot longer. Lol
No, not little fish becoming billionaires. It's a sliding... scale. I'd like to do away with billionaires as we know them today. "As we know them today" would mean undertaxed and buying politicians. We said we wouldn't have a king when we founded this country. An oligarchy is basically the same thing and if they have virtually unchecked power, they're de facto royalty.

Getting money out of politics is key. Easier said than done. I like the idea of eliminating all private contributions. Have a set standard for how to qualify for a ballot -- GOP, DNP, and maybe even Libertarians and Green Party could be grandfathered in, and others could get X number of signatures -- then give them all matching state funds for their campaign. Strengthen ethics and emolument laws. Ban elected officials and military personnel from stock-trading in office or working in certain fields after office. Raise their salaries to offset the greed a bit. (Just spittballin here; it's a rough draft.)

I'm not advocating for complete socialism or communism. There are tenets we've already adopted into US society: libraries, schools, roads, fire departments, etc. I'm in favor of more of it, not all of it. We should embrace unions more fully. We should unapologetically tell the rich that once their wealth amounts to the hoarding of resources, we're going to take it.

Socialism has failed, but not in a vacuum. The US has worked hard to undermine socialist regimes for more than a century. Where a socialist economy and a totalitarian govt coexist, the former is compromised anyway. Plus, capitalism has definitely failed a growing number of Americans. The American Dream is less attainable than it used to be.
 
No, not little fish becoming billionaires. It's a sliding... scale. I'd like to do away with billionaires as we know them today. "As we know them today" would mean undertaxed and buying politicians. We said we wouldn't have a king when we founded this country. An oligarchy is basically the same thing and if they have virtually unchecked power, they're de facto royalty.

Getting money out of politics is key. Easier said than done. I like the idea of eliminating all private contributions. Have a set standard for how to qualify for a ballot -- GOP, DNP, and maybe even Libertarians and Green Party could be grandfathered in, and others could get X number of signatures -- then give them all matching state funds for their campaign. Strengthen ethics and emolument laws. Ban elected officials and military personnel from stock-trading in office or working in certain fields after office. Raise their salaries to offset the greed a bit. (Just spittballin here; it's a rough draft.)

I'm not advocating for complete socialism or communism. There are tenets we've already adopted into US society: libraries, schools, roads, fire departments, etc. I'm in favor of more of it, not all of it. We should embrace unions more fully. We should unapologetically tell the rich that once their wealth amounts to the hoarding of resources, we're going to take it.

Socialism has failed, but not in a vacuum. The US has worked hard to undermine socialist regimes for more than a century. Where a socialist economy and a totalitarian govt coexist, the former is compromised anyway. Plus, capitalism has definitely failed a growing number of Americans. The American Dream is less attainable than it used to be.
“Once their wealth amounts to hoarding of resources, we’re going to take it”.
Confiscatory tax policies are wildly unpopular and detrimental to society as a whole. The super rich don’t bury their money in the backyard. They invest in companies, capital, banks etc. to keep the economy humming. You know, create jobs.
The private sector uses the $ much more efficiently than the govt ever could
And who decides when someone is no longer just wealthy and successful but has crossed the line into hoarding?
A bizarre post
 
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Socialism has failed, but not in a vacuum. The US has worked hard to undermine socialist regimes for more than a century. Where a socialist economy and a totalitarian govt coexist, the former is compromised anyway. Plus, capitalism has definitely failed a growing number of Americans. The American Dream is less attainable than it used to be.
Capitalism hasn't failed Americans. Our government has. They've expanded their sticky fingers. Which is also why the American Dream is less attainable now.
 
Capitalism hasn't failed Americans. Our government has. They've expanded their sticky fingers. Which is also why the American Dream is less attainable now.
Once again, you’re oversimplifying and putting forth a completely black & white claim.
 
No, not little fish becoming billionaires. It's a sliding... scale. I'd like to do away with billionaires as we know them today. "As we know them today" would mean undertaxed and buying politicians. We said we wouldn't have a king when we founded this country. An oligarchy is basically the same thing and if they have virtually unchecked power, they're de facto royalty.


Socialism has failed, but not in a vacuum. The US has worked hard to undermine socialist regimes for more than a century. Where a socialist economy and a totalitarian govt coexist, the former is compromised anyway. Plus, capitalism has definitely failed a growing number of Americans. The American Dream is less attainable than it used to be.
We generally agree on the section I deleted. Generally.

I don't believe that someone being richer than me really makes a difference in my quality of life. I tend to believe that being envious of others creates a culture of victimhood. I would however, like you, like to see their influence in government policy be lessened, which can only be achieved through legislation. This, neither you or I can claim high ground on.

I tend to believe that the government intervening in Capitalism has failed Americans more than Capitalism itself. You're not wrong about the American dream being less attainable than it used to be. To an extent. It's definitely more difficult for people in their 20's to be able to make it on their own, for sure. But it is a subjective thought on what the American dream really is. The opportunity to freely provide for your family and self is the biggest part of the dream, IMO. That's still there. Though road blocks created by a combination of policy and greed do exist.

I don't mean to say this in a way to say, fvck off, or anything like that. But this discussion has ran its course. In the 10 years of our interactions, I feel like this is legitimately the first time I can say we will end with a respectful ending where we can agree to disagree. Not that the opportunities weren't there before.
 
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We may not have known the specifics, but it was obvious he wasn’t ever fit to lead.

Us darn conspiracy theorists.
Not knowing the specifics was where you lose credit for this. You weren't suggesting he had merely declined; you were suggesting he couldn't find his way out of a paper bag. Nobody here ever suggested he was just as sharp as he was at 60. And until you are equally critical and eager to point out the same kind of political gaslighting among Republicans, your claims of being above party politics is total crap.


A Daniel Penny makes a difference. This is just horrific.
It is horrific. Full stop.
Acquitting Daniel Penny is one thing; glorifying him is another.
 
Democrats are embarrassed, and they should be. So many things are coming to light. We all knew Biden wasn’t fit since he was sworn in. Yet we were called names. Even @Dattier is trying to backpedal. Now he says we all knew Biden wasn’t as sharp as when he was 60. That’s bull. The honest truth is Biden has been unfit since 2020.

This should go down as one of the biggest scandals ever. The media now is doing a bigger backpedal than Datt is though. They know their lies are being caught now. And the only way out is to tell the truth, and they despise having to come clean.

Fewer are buying their lies and hatred anymore. Take note of this @Dattier.
 
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Democrats are embarrassed, and they should be. So many things are coming to light. We all knew Biden wasn’t fit since he was sworn in. Yet we were called names. Even @Dattier is trying to backpedal. Now he says we all knew Biden wasn’t as sharp as when he was 60. That’s bull. The honest truth is Biden has been unfit since 2020.

This should go down as one of the biggest scandals ever. The media now is doing a bigger backpedal than Datt is though. They know their lies are being caught now. And the only way out is to tell the truth, and they despise having to come clean.

Fewer are buying their lies and hatred anymore. Take note of this @Dattier
[/QUOTE]

Democrats are embarrassed, and they should be. So many things are coming to light. We all knew Biden wasn’t fit since he was sworn in. Yet we were called names. Even @Dattier is trying to backpedal. Now he says we all knew Biden wasn’t as sharp as when he was 60. That’s bull. The honest truth is Biden has been unfit since 2020.

This should go down as one of the biggest scandals ever. The media now is doing a bigger backpedal than Datt is though. They know their lies are being caught now. And the only way out is to tell the truth, and they despise having to come clean.

Fewer are buying their lies and hatred anymore. Take note of this @Dattier.
The Press Secretary actually accused Rep of Deep Faking footage of Biden wandering aimlessly around on stage when he didn’t know where he was or least of all where the exit ramp was.
Our grandchildren won’t believe it when we tell them some of the sh- that’s happened the last four years. Kamala was in meetings with him every day and claimed there was no mental decline. So why did he have to pull out of the race? Oh yeh, that debate.
Scary thing is, if that debate hadn’t coincided with one of Joes bad days, he might be Pres again.
Trump would have won but it would have been closer with Joe imho.
 
Daniel Penny showed courage and willingness to put himself at risk of injury or worse in order to protect a woman who was being threatened by an deranged lunatic with nothing to lose. That is worthy of being glorified. The left wants to call the guy who steps up and acts against violence the piece of shit. I would call him a piece of shit if he did nothing and something bad happened to the woman as a result. Society has become used to people pulling out their cell phones and recording when they see stuff like that in public. They don't know how to act when they see an actual act of heroism.
 
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A better example of what you're trying to put out there, @Dattier, is Kyle Rittenhouse. He was rightfully acquitted, but shouldn't be glorified for what he did.
 
A better example of what you're trying to put out there, @Dattier, is Kyle Rittenhouse. He was rightfully acquitted, but shouldn't be glorified for what he did.
He doesn’t care about facts or details. Black men are dead at the hands of white vigilantes. That’s the narrative his side will push, come hell or high water
 
He doesn’t care about facts or details. Black men are dead at the hands of white vigilantes. That’s the narrative his side will push, come hell or high water
All @Dattier knows is what he’s been trained to know, which stems from years of being in education. He says we parrot right wing talking points. We all know this is garbage. Many of us were saying things before a lot of them were. Biden’s mental state, Jan 6th, Covid, are just a few examples.

We simply use common sense, which is a lost art to many. Especially those like Datt.
 
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Clemency for Federal death row inmates is an insult to their victims...just read about some of the crimes they committed and ask how they deserve any sympathy or compassion. They offered none to their victims
 
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A better example of what you're trying to put out there, @Dattier, is Kyle Rittenhouse. He was rightfully acquitted, but shouldn't be glorified for what he did.
He's indeed a better example, but Daniel Penny kept Jordan Neely in a chokehold beyond when others tried to intervene and tell him it was enough. It might have been the difference between Neely living and dying. It reminds me of a situation where someone may have been justified in shooting someone, but the threat of a gun probably would have been enough.
 
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