Strega

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…[Read more]

TheEncogitationer wrote:
Unseen,

And yet, in a democracy what the people want the people should get. Otherwise the demos (people) goes away leaving just the kratos (rule).

What if the People wanted to punish Atheism with death? Or, more to the point, what if the People demanded that no one earn more wealth than anyone else? Again, why the United…

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TheEncogitationer wrote:
Unseen,

I’m well aware of all of the arguments about disincentives and creating dependencies when it comes to taxation. I haven’t been living under a rock. I’m also aware of the “rising tide floats all boats” which can also be used in favor of taxing the rich, who would benefit from a society made more stable by reducing…

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TheEncogitationer wrote:
And wanting does not mean good (or getting, as Mick observed) no matter how many people want. Start again.

And yet, in a democracy what the people want the people should get. Otherwise the demos (people) goes away leaving just the kratos (rule).

Somehow, this never includes stopping bail-outs to Detroit, Investment…

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“And what you know as a historian is that there is no such thing as a ship that can’t sink.” (read the comments too).

Republicans, currently embodied in the extralegal “department” called DOGE seem to have the idea that when it comes to government efficiency, less is more. Fire 15% of workers here and 33% there while closing government offices and suddenly telphone wait times become shorter and the freeloaders will self-eliminate (not the homebound or…[Read more]

Argumentum ad populum or baldfaced fact?

_Robert_ wrote:
When my brokerage portfolio first hit the $2M mark, it was like some sort of trigger. I had all these financial tax advisors calling/emailing me about having consultations to reduce my future taxes.

TheEncogitationer wrote:
Argument From Popularity Fallacy. The fact that people might want government largess doesn’t make it good them or for an economy.

We embed this fallacy in our national, state, and local government’s various constitutions. I have taught logic. Verbal fallacies, unlike formal fallacies, do not imply false conclusions with n…[Read more]

Trump only understands who is kissing his ass at the moment. The man knows nothing about geopolitics, economics, science or history. He will instantly turn on you. The fact that so many Americans fell for his vile bullshit heartbreaking.

When I look around, many boomers are on board the MAGA train, but surprisingly it is the mid-life crisis set.…[Read more]

When my brokerage portfolio first hit the $2M mark, it was like some sort of trigger. I had all these financial tax advisors calling/emailing me about having consultations to reduce my future taxes. I ignored all that. Then I got hit with an IRS audit, LOL. I think they are satisfied with paperwork, but who knows, DOGE was firing a bunch of them,…[Read more]

Unseen wrote:
@ Enco I asked an AI how much does the average middle-class person pay in Federal Income Tax as a percentage and received this answer: A middle-class married couple filing jointly might fall into the 12% bracket (taxable income between $23,851 and $96,950) or the 22% bracket (taxable income between $96,951 and $206,700). Now what…

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@ Enco

I asked an AI how much does the average middle-class person pay in Federal Income Tax as a percentage and received this answer:

A middle-class married couple filing jointly might fall into the 12% bracket (taxable income between $23,851 and $96,950) or the 22% bracket (taxable income between $96,951 and $206,700).

Now what would be…[Read more]

TheEncogitationer wrote:
Unseen, If government spent less and every Citizen, regardless of income, were taxed less, Citizens would have more money to both spend on foreign goods or to invest in domestic companies producing goods and services. And Citizens would gain either way. Again, not Trickle-Down, not Trickle-Up, but Big Splash.

But I don’t…[Read more]

I wonder what survivors of 9/11 have to say about all this?

That was one of my first thoughts today when I heard the rambling speech he made.  I also thought about what the family of the WaPo journalist Jamal Khashoggi must be thinking. Of course Trump would not mention that. He does not care about what happened him. Or maybe he really does…[Read more]

TheEncogitationer wrote:
Robert,

I do have hope that when slimy gen z and boomers die off, they will take most of the racism and religious- inspired hatred with them.

That’s just a step away from Antifa wanting to accelerate the process. I believe you once said you were 45, clearly within the Gen-X timeline. Are you sure you want to add i…

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Minnesota runs a serious trade deficit on Mangos with Mexico. They should put a tariff on Mexican mangos.

The trade deficit is due to rich people not liking to pay taxes:

Jews have been leading liberals in America for decades, of course. Afterall, the extreme right 1930-40s Christians were either gassing them with Zyklon B, turning them in to be gassed, or on this side of the pond, having Nazi rallies in Madison Square Garden.

Using the term “woke” is just a label…[Read more]