The Politics Thread - please direct all related posts here..

[GotItNow]

Nevada has an unemployment rate higher than the national average, and also currently running budget deficits. They are noted for low tax rates, I believe no corporate or state income taxes. Here is some info on this:
http://www.foxreno.com/11at11/26390430/detail.html

Nevada's tax structure is an obstacle to economic recovery and shortfalls in the budget cannot be addressed with spending cuts alone, according to a new study released Wednesday.

The report entitled “Structurally Unbalanced,” looks at budget problems in Nevada, California, Arizona and Colorado. It was released by Brookings Mountain West at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the Morrison Institute of Public Policy at Arizona State University.

“Nevada relies heavily on sales tax and gaming revenue and has no personal and corporate income tax, so you have one of the most narrow state revenue systems found in the country,” wrote Matthew Murray, a professor of economics at the University of Tennessee and a lead researcher on the study.

“With property and sales tax revenue suffering, it is not at all clear where Nevada will find the revenue to fund services, including those that support economic development moving forward.”


When times are good, Vegas, read Nevada, works. However, when you shift to a sales tax model (see FAIR tax or VAT tax), and things are on a downturn, you have insufficient revenues to keep things going.

- Rich

More people need to fill those planes. More taxes are not needed, at all.

The only thing a VAT would accomplish is politicians would find a way to fritter that money away too. For God sakes richard how are high tax states doing? SMFH. California? In the crapper. NY? In the crapper. Leave Nevada alone you fools have frigged up enough states.

I HIGHLY suggest you put aside your stereotypical thinking and feeling a need to put me in some group, which isn't valid. Maybe you do it, because it is easier for you to mentally process and makes you avoid nuances in information out there that would be needed if you don't.

Reality here is if the economy takes a nosedive, then fiddling with tax rates won't cure it. Also, the report stated they are going to have to restructure how they tax, to be sustainable. This is not MY words, or your words, but the words a study done. You are free to ignore it, if you like, but it doesn't change reality.

Actually, you know what, continue this stereotypical simplistic thinking. Mugzi needs a buddy in my killfilter. If you are going to fail to demonstrate the ability to move beyond simplistic stereotypical thinking, you belong in there.

- Rich

The last place I'd go to for economic advice is a college study. Seriously, everything has been working just fine over there for decades. Historically they happen to be a recession-proof oasis. This one has been different for sure, because of the foreclosure crisis. Notice the study didn't address how historically it's done just fine during recessions. It just said add a VAT and you'll have some spending cash. Well sure, but it's not needed...that's my point. The study, doesn't change reality.

[richardhutnik]

I told you this was coming a long time ago. States can't afford to piss away money on ridiculous pensions. They should have reigned in those costs long ago but politicians keep buying the union vote. It's too easy for them to do, the costs aren't incurred for years long after they are out of office.

Public workers are getting paid more than private workers and that will come to a screeching halt. The downturn is the perfect opportunity for a restructuring.

YES! The government should implement a version of indentured servitude, where citizens are FORCED to do government jobs for 20 years, and then are let go into the market. No one is to get any pension at all. And by, having it work like a draft, you don't need to pay any form of retirement. If you don't like it, you lose your citizenship and get deported to an island in the south Pacific.

- Rich

Dude WTF!?

I'm not the one steelings ur jobz chill bro.

My job got stolen years ago. Last one was with IBM as a contractor. They consolidated their operations with Colorado and closed down the Poughkeepsie office. The manager of the command center killed himself when it was let go.

In regards to the above situation, it definitely would be an improvement over what I have now, which consists of being involved with a non-profit I founded, working to get a spin off organization, and also being a support manager for a paranormal investigation agency, all of which don't pay a single cent of time, but hey MAYBE they will translate into a job. Beyond this, I am likely going to have to push for disability in order to get money coming in, with myself still having prolonged leg and back issues that limit me to laying on my back to do anything, like writing this.

Reality is this: You apparently have a limit set of perspective on the nature of things, that doesn't factor in a lot of things, and if implemented, could result in a total collapse.

- Rich

[richardhutnik]

If anyone here gets a chance, check out Money as Debt II:
http://vimeo.com/6822294

It goes into the structural problems of debt based currency that we operate on today. It is on the left the way The American Dream film is on the right.

- Rich

[HarthorneWingo]

Police are under attack.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/25/spate ... id=webmail

Spate of Police Shootings 'Not Normal,' Official Says
Jan 25, 2011 – 6:41 AM
Mitch Stacy and Tamara Lush
AP


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- When two law officers were shot down Monday helping to serve a warrant on Florida's Gulf Coast, it stunned a state already mourning police deaths in Miami and added to a grim tally for the nation: 11 officers shot in five states in a 24-hour period, two of them fatally.

******

The officers' deaths came just four days after two Miami-Dade County detectives were killed by a murder suspect they were trying to arrest. That suspect was killed by another detective.

Those officers were being remembered Monday at a funeral, where news of Monday's shootings added to the grief already palpable among the thousands gathered at AmericanAirlines Arena in downtown Miami.

The National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund said in a statement that 14 law officers have been slain in the opening weeks of 2011, and 11 officers - including Yaslowitz and Baitinger - shot in a 24-hour period.

The group said the deaths came after a "devastating spike" in law enforcement deaths last year, when 162 officers were killed in the line of duty. That was up from 117 in 2009. Of the 162 officers, 61 were shot, an increase of 24 percent from 2009.

"I have never seen anything like it," Memorial Fund Chairman and CEO Craig W. Floyd said in a news release. "The violent events of the past 24 hours in Florida, Michigan, Indiana, Oregon and Washington have been detrimental to America's peace officers, taking the lives of two and injuring several others. We must do everything in our power to stop these senseless and heinous crimes against our law enforcement personnel."

On Sunday, a man opened fire inside a Detroit police precinct, wounding four officers including a commander before he was shot and killed by police. The officers' injuries were not considered life-threatening, Police Chief Ralph Godbee said.

Also on Sunday, sheriff's deputies in Washington state were shot at a Walmart while responding to a call reporting a suspicious person, according to the memorial group. Police officers in both Indianapolis and Lincoln City, Ore., were critically injured in shootings during traffic stops.

[Remember the Past]

Was there a thread on the Egyptian riots yet?

[HarthorneWingo]

Was there a thread on the Egyptian riots yet?

No. I'll let you throw the first grenade.

[Remember the Past]

Well this is what I posted on the current affairs board. I'm Egyptian and everyone in Egypt saw this coming for a while. Mubarak has rigged elections for 30 years, he has imprisoned people who have run against him and now that he's getting up there in age its clear that that he is preparing his son to take over. Under Mubarak's regime, you basically saw the police abusing the people out in public (i mean all you have to do is a youtube search). Egypt is one of the ten most corrupt countries in the world (UN report) and it is suppose to be a democracy. 70% of the country's population is under the poverty line and there is a 60% unemployment rate. I have grandparents in Egypt and when we called them they said that what we see on TV doesn't really represent what is going on, they said the entire country is basically literally in flames.

The U.S. needs to get on the side of the people and do it quickly. Every educated Egyptian knows that there is a possibility that the muslim brotherhood will take advantage of the situation and then everyone is basically ****. The U.S. needs to tell Mubarak to gtfo so that elections can be held and everyone can avoid a muslim brotherhood takeover. The people are pissed right now and they're thinking irrationally and consequently they are very vulnerable. But the people are also being overly (Please Use More Appropriate Word), no reason to be stealing and destroying everything in sight, the economy will continue to just dip.
--

My family has been able to reach most of my family today but some people have sort of disappeared. But my grandparents can't buy any food or go outside their house. My aunt's building was set on fire because apparently a lot of policemen live there. My mom was calling her cousin and she was crying on the phone because she saw her car being destroyed from her balcony. My uncle has a villa and he turned off the lights and is sitting inside with a gun because the protesters are coming his way. There is basically no safe place to stay and it is complete chaos. Most people are also saying that the death toll is much higher and that the government told doctors not to report deaths by bullets. I'm kind of lost right now because no one knows who is doing this. Some people are saying the government is telling the police to do this and others are saying they let prisoners out and basically told them to **** everything up. The new vice president is Mubarak basically telling the people to go **** themselves because he was head of the police and the internal intelligence agencies. The internet is still cut off and most phones are down..I mean if this man is not a dictator then who is..

I know I'm kind of rambling so sorry about that but there's just a lot of stuff running through my mind right now. I know there some Egyptians on this board, you guys been able to contact family?

[HarthorneWingo]

Hey.

Thanks for the update. Sorry to hear about your family being there. I hope they will all be ok.

This is a problem in the Arab world. One of the reasons why Arabs in general (I'm sure you can chime in on this) are pissed at the U.S. is because he have ignored all the human rights violations that have gone on there for awhile ... while we make our oil deals.

It is a fundamental right of people to express their grievances against the government peacefully and have the right to vote, which means that your vote is counted.

I hope your family is and remains safe throughout this ordeal.

[Remember the Past]

Thanks. The whole situation is just chaotic right now. I think Mubarak has to either step down or the military will assume control. I think most people want either mohamed elbaradei who is former the IAEA president and won the nobel peace prize in 2005 or Amr Moussa who is the secretary general of the Arabic League to be elected which kind of summarizes that most of the people just want a peacful democracy. But the government has apparently arrested elbaradei.

[mugzi]

Yeah man, Im sorry to hear about all the unrest in Egypt right now. I hope your family will be ok and a real democracy gets put in place over there.

[cgf]

I find the situation in the arab world absolutely fascinating. There's a clear push for democratic elections from some there which would be a nice step in the right direction, but at this point who knows what's going to happen. I think Yemen's next, now I don't think that them becoming a failed state would lead to a Somalia like anarchy like some people I've talked to, but I do think that that country is one that should be preparing itself for massive emigration, their dwindling oil reserves and with them the dwindling ability of their government to buy off the citizenry is an ominous situation.

[HarthorneWingo]

Yeah, it sounds hopeful. People should be free to grieve the government and have their votes actually accounted for. I'm a little behind on my reading on this story, but I'm hearing things about the void(s) being filled by religious leaders, which, for me, does not sit well.

I agree, though, this is fascinating. I'm expecting a domino effect across the region.

[Remember the Past]

The Yemen government literally sent checks to people and promised them free food until 2012 to keep them quiet.

[HarthorneWingo]

The Yemen government literally sent checks to people and promised them free food until 2012 to keep them quiet.

Do you and your family think that the Arab world is ready for a democratic-styled government? If not, what do you see happening?

[HarthorneWingo]

Not to draw attention away from all that is going on in Egypt (and we wish that the family of our good friend here is kept safe), but if you missed this weeks episode of Bill Maher's New Rules segment on "NFL Socialism," you should watch it.

http://realtimewithbillmaher.blogspot.c ... 12811.html

[Remember the Past]

The Yemen government literally sent checks to people and promised them free food until 2012 to keep them quiet.

Do you and your family think that the Arab world is ready for a democratic-styled government? If not, what do you see happening?

Yes and there have been movements but they are quickly crushed by the oppressive regimes. People are afraid to speak out because they know that if they do they will be hunted down and killed and so will their family. Most of the Arab world is also extremely impoverished so they are easily manipulated and taken advantage off and most of the people are worry worrying whether they will have food on the table the next morning vs. what do about the monarchies. It is why extremist groups have often risen to power in the region, it is easy to recruit people when your pitch is that if you don't join you will probably starve to death whereas in western countries such as the U.S. there are agencies and government programs to help the poor. The root of the problem is the how poor these countries are and I am not talking like anything poor that is seen in the U.S., it is on a whole other level that most people would not believe. People use buckets as toilets, they basically have to hunt for water and food and live in little huts that can collapse on them any day. As for the uprising in Egypt, its all about the economics and unemployment, the middle class is starting to barely afford any food and it is only getting worse.

For English reporting, I suggest using this http://www.facebook.com/elshaheeed.co.uk?v=info
They are on the ground in Egypt and they were crucial in organizing the protests and have been fighting police brutality in Egypt for a long time and they have been hunted by the Egyptian government. I would suggest going to their website and looking at their background information but there are very graphic pictures so be careful.

[HarthorneWingo]

The Yemen government literally sent checks to people and promised them free food until 2012 to keep them quiet.

Do you and your family think that the Arab world is ready for a democratic-styled government? If not, what do you see happening?

Yes and there have been movements but they are quickly crushed by the oppressive regimes. People are afraid to speak out because they know that if they do they will be hunted down and killed and so will their family. Most of the Arab world is also extremely impoverished so they are easily manipulated and taken advantage off and most of the people are worry worrying whether they will have food on the table the next morning vs. what do about the monarchies. It is why extremist groups have often risen to power in the region, it is easy to recruit people when your pitch is that if you don't join you will probably starve to death whereas in western countries such as the U.S. there are agencies and government programs to help the poor. The root of the problem is the how poor these countries are and I am not talking like anything poor that is seen in the U.S., it is on a whole other level that most people would not believe. People use buckets as toilets, they basically have to hunt for water and food and live in little huts that can collapse on them any day. As for the uprising in Egypt, its all about the economics and unemployment, the middle class is starting to barely afford any food and it is only getting worse.

For English reporting, I suggest using this http://www.facebook.com/elshaheeed.co.uk?v=info
They are on the ground in Egypt and they were crucial in organizing the protests and have been fighting police brutality in Egypt for a long time and they have been hunted by the Egyptian government. I would suggest going to their website and looking at their background information but there are very graphic pictures so be careful.

Thanks, I'll check out that site.

Yes, I understand the plight of most Arabs and the oppression which they've been living with. The world is connected now. Maybe then, if Egypt with it's university and more educated population will be that beacon of a working democracy that will set the example for the rest of the the Arab world?

I also found it interesting, in light of what you said above about the police (bold), that the countrymen were riding on the tanks together with the soldiers arm in arm. Are the police there seen differently than the military?

[Remember the Past]

They're on a whole other level. The military are loved. The police force is despised like nothing else. They have committed more human rights violations than any other agency in the region. I mean if you're caught by the police, you're ****. Even for the most simple of things like a traffic violations, you can be tortured or killed.

[HarthorneWingo]

They're on a whole other level. The military are loved. The police force is despised like nothing else. They have committed more human rights violations than any other agency in the region. I mean if you're caught by the police, you're ****. Even for the most simple of things like a traffic violations, you can be tortured or killed.

Yeah, I'm watching CNN right now and its correspondent there was just discussing that.

But I heard that Cairo was a big party city, very "cosmopolitan." I inferred from that that you wouldn't end up being beaten to death by the police for a traffic ticket. I guess I was wrong.

[King of Troy]

Why must Egypt have a democracy?

Let the people choose what they want, trying to force them into something they don't want will just cause this same **** to happen again. Or does no one remember how this happened in the first place? Does no one remember Iran?

If you refuse the will of the people, they will only overcome you in time, and all those who aided their oppression will be targets.