Sunday School

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Unseen,

If the people want something bad enough, they will get it by using the tools of the constitutional republic or by rising up against the government.

So Argumentum Ad Bacculum (Appeal to Force) eh? Just like all the Antifa and Left Coast Secessionists? Why is this always proposed by the very people with the fewest guns to carry out their demented wishes?

What has our constitutional republic given us by ignoring the people is Donald Trump (by ignoring the public’s concern over immigration, distress over wokeism and the degradation of traditional values on gender and family structure, etc.)

That is a question for Democratic Socialists to answer while having it out with David Hogg. Woke vs. Woke.

and a Republican Congress that’s dead-set on an unpopular agenda of eliminating services the public relies on. I think most of us can see a reckoning coming in the midterm elections.

People can donate to their favorite global cause without USAID. NPR and CPB can support themselves if they become worth it. And there are other ways to solve problems without swamp creatures like Nancy Lugosi or creek creatures like RFKJR.

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Fellow Unbelievers,

A new interview with Richard Dawkins on his new book, along with his thoughts on Postmiodernism, Transgenderism and the sexual binary, and questions from the audience.

I thought it went too soft on G.K. Chesterton’s alleged false binary of Theism vs. believing in everything. And it’s so easy to refute. Judging from the number of gods, religions, sects, denominations, schisms, and practices, believers in God have clearly believed in everything and everything.

[UnseenParticipant]

TheEncogitationer wrote:

So Argumentum Ad Bacculum (Appeal to Force) eh? Just like all the Antifa and Left Coast Secessionists? Why is this always proposed by the very people with the fewest guns to carry out their demented wishes?

I was stating a fact, not making a reasoned argument. But at least you got an opportunity to trot out some of your favorite right-wing tropes.

People can donate to their favorite global cause without USAID. NPR and CPB can support themselves if they become worth it. And there are other ways to solve problems without swamp creatures like Nancy Lugosi or creek creatures like RFKJR

USAID is useful to counter efforts by China to curry favor from Third World countries which they may be able to cash in on later. Plus, there’s altruistic aspect. In other words, it’s never wrong to do something inherently good.

Only 6% of NPR’s funding comes from governmental sources, and not all of that is Federal. They can certainly live without the Federal funding. The same goes for CPB, but let’s face it, the little support they get is not breaking the back of the Federal budget.

[UnseenParticipant]

There is no way out of the fixing the national debt that doesn’t involve raising taxes. But PLEASE not on the overburdened folks at the bottom.

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Unseen,

The biggest parts of the National Debt come from the enticements of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, plus interest on the National Debt. DOGE never even wanted to touch these, but to get rid of the National Debt, there is no avoiding these multiple “Third Rails.”

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Unseen,

Also, you could nationalize the wealth of every Billionaire and Millionaire in the nation to pay the National Debt, and as long as Washington keeps spending, it would be all for naught… not to mention the last time anyone would do it, because no one would ever want to accumulate any wealth.

[UnseenParticipant]

TheEncogitationer wrote:

Unseen, The biggest parts of the National Debt come from the enticements of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, plus interest on the National Debt. DOGE never even wanted to touch these, but to get rid of the National Debt, there is no avoiding these multiple “Third Rails.”

Getting the cost of health care under control would go along way to making Medicare and Medicaid less of a burden on the budget. I get eye injections monthly to try to save the sight in my left eye each of which costs Medicare an amount pushing close to the amount of my monthly Soc Sec check. If you multiply this across tens of thousands of patients across the country you have to ask yourself, even if a lot of expensive research was put into developing this drug, at what point are they soaking the government? didn’t they reach break even a long time ago? and if government money funded the research, shouldn’t the government benefit in terms of getting some steep benefit if not control of the result?

Anyway, you’re basically outlining a situation that’s beyond hope. If that’s true, why go on whining?

[UnseenParticipant]

TheEncogitationer wrote:

Unseen, Also, you could nationalize the wealth of every Billionaire and Millionaire in the nation to pay the National Debt, and as long as Washington keeps spending, it would be all for naught… not to mention the last time anyone would do it, because no one would ever want to accumulate any wealth.

Not much given to hyperbole, are we?

“I don’t want to make $100B if my tax rate is the same as my chauffeur’s.”

Come on. That doesn’t pass the snicker test.

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Unseen,

You didn’t even read what I just wrote. Sorry, I’m not providing fuel and raw materials for a Strawman factory.

[_Robert_Participant]

High earners only pay Social Security on earnings up to a capped value and the rest of the income is not taxed for SS. Raising that cap alone could fix the coming shortfall. Instead, they will likely raise the retirement age and maybe even slash everyone’s check. When dear old grandmama has to move in with the family; smelling like Vick’s Vapor rub and old mothballs, that will wake some voters up. But hey, that’s how it was when America was great.

The median net worth of Americans in their early 60s is $400k. About half of that is the value of their real estate they are living in. $200k@4% interest is a measly $8K a year. If you put it in better stocks, maybe you will net $16K a year. Medicare plus a supplemental plan is takes away about $5K of that a year.

Projections indicating a near tripling of homelessness among older adults by 2030. If we cut Social Security and Medicare, like at all, watch out……holy fuck.

Now if granny is lucky, she can maybe do a reverse mortgage. If not, well let’s just say this is not a good look for the wealthiest country on the planet.

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Robert,

Progressive God FDR and his Brains Trust were the ones who designed Social Security as a Ponzi scheme, where those who benfited depended upon a stream of new workers entering the workforce and taxed to pay into the system. They never reckoned on many people aging beyond 65 or on people having fewer children in response to increased wages and wealth. Part of what Hayek called The Fatal Conceit.

Also another Progressive God LBJ and supporters in Congress borrowed against Social Security and left a bunch of IOUs to bankroll the War On Poverty and the Southeast Asian Brushfire Wars.

Some “lock-box” huh?

[_Robert_Participant]

Social Security is the kind of thing a caring society that fends for its frail individuals will do. Perhaps you are happy to have people using walkers working in stockrooms. How ’bout trying just a little bit not to be a nation full of greedy assholes?

For that matter all profit businesses are Ponzi schemes as their present value depends on future growth. Tesla’s value today is based on years and years of forecast earning that might not happen now that it’s CEO has revealed himself to be a nazi saluting prick.

Since our birth rates are down, instead of reaping the future value immigration provided this country for over a century, we have villainized them.  They are brown, ya know. There is an easy source of vetted, regulated population growth if the nation wasn’t full of goddam brainless racist ideologs.

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Robert,

If Social Security is so good, why do people have also private investments for their retirement? And do caring societies rip off future generations for the sake of the present?

And since you don’t understand what a Ponzi Scheme is, here is the definition. Clearly not all businesses meet that definition:

Ponzi Scheme–Wikipedia
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme

And immigrants can only help prop up your Social Security Ponzi Scheme if they are legal and paid above board and are taxed on their wages. And yet generations of politicians have seen fit to have no consistency about enforcing immigration laws and have failed to grasp the insight of Economist Milton Friedman, to wit: You can have open borders or a Welfare State, but not both. And that would be true no matter what Nationality, “Race”, Color or Religion crosses the borders.

You and Unseen get back to your Strawman assembly line. After all, making Strawmen doesn’t require a box of hammers.

• This reply was modified 3 weeks, 4 days ago by  TheEncogitationer. Reason: Spelling, which requires no Welfare State, Ponzi Scheme, or hired help foreign or domestic

[UnseenParticipant]

TheEncogitationer wrote:

If Social Security is so good, why do people have also private investments for their retirement? And do caring societies rip off future generations for the sake of the present?

No one is claiming it’s more than it is or was ever intended to be. As for ripping off future generations, that’s a bug not a feature. The mens rea you seem to be implying simply isn’t there.

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Unseen,

No one is claiming it’s more than it is or was ever intended to be. As for ripping off future generations, that’s a bug not a feature. The mens rea you seem to be implying simply isn’t there.

When the American Association of Retired Pharts and Congresscritters in thrall to them endorse the system complete with the “bug,” there is the mens re.. And the Congressctitters have their own retirement plans, so they could care less about us plebs.

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