General Election 2015

[El Kabong]

Don't forget that the cost of living

Living shouldn't cost maaaaaaan, it should be like free

[superheavyrhun]

Don't forget that the cost of living

Living shouldn't cost maaaaaaan, it should be like free

Yeah, cause the United States does such a good job at making sure those at the lowest end of the scale can survive.

[El Kabong]

Don't forget that the cost of living

Living shouldn't cost maaaaaaan, it should be like free

Yeah, cause the United States does such a good job at making sure those at the lowest end of the scale can survive.

Ugh, is everyone going to take me seriously?


Those at the "lowest end of the scale" can kiss my ass....I pay the government taxes, the government in turn cares for those at the lowest end, I also volunteer of my own free will to help people in REAL need and would do more but for the government waste and fraud rampant in our current system of government robs me of that opportunity.


What should I do for those at the lowest end? Should I offer my condolences? Should I bake them a cake? Should I throw money at them? Should I give them employment? No, no, no, of course I should not give them anything with which requires effort, work, or dedication. You have to TRY to suck that bad at life! Hell the poverty line in the US it takes about 6 hours of work a day (roughly 30 hours of work a week) at a MINIMUM WAGE job (which is more like a "hobby" really) to get to the upper echelons of "the lowest end of the scale".......you want me to not only continue to pay taxes to help support those people but also to feel sorry for people that can't pull THAT weight?

[superheavyrhun]

Awww, I guess you're right Lyle. Fuck those war vets who can't work because of what they've been through and get screwed by the government. Fuck those unfortunate people who haven't had the privilege of good schools and a college education. Fuck everyone who isn't already among the wealthy. When it comes to the opportunity to redistribute wealth, the US is one of the most disproportionately balanced countries in the world. If you're rich, you're likely to stay rich. If you're poor, you're pretty much gonna stay poor. You've got a better chance of joining the equivalent of the wealthy elite in Swaziland, Central African Republic, South Africa, Haiti and even Cambodia than you do in the United States.

I'm not taking you seriously, I'm just putting forward the case why nobody else should take political tips from across the pond.

[El Kabong]

Awww, I guess you're right Lyle. Fuck those war vets who can't work because of what they've been through and get screwed by the government. Fuck those unfortunate people who haven't had the privilege of good schools and a college education. Fuck everyone who isn't already among the wealthy. When it comes to the opportunity to redistribute wealth, the US is one of the most disproportionately balanced countries in the world. If you're rich, you're likely to stay rich. If you're poor, you're pretty much gonna stay poor. You've got a better chance of joining the equivalent of the wealthy elite in Swaziland, Central African Republic, South Africa, Haiti and even Cambodia than you do in the United States.

I'm not taking you seriously, I'm just putting forward the case why nobody else should take political tips from across the pond.

If you literally cannot work due to what has happened to you there's something called "Disability" in which you are taken care of by tax payers. However, with the poor economy there has been a spike of citizens claiming disability....over 10 million Americans are claiming disability at the moment. A smidge excessive wouldn't you imagine? Add that to the 92 million Americans who have dropped out of the labor force altogether and you'll see that's roughly 1/3rd of the American population that is no longer able to work, no longer working, and no longer looking for work.

Good schools, ah but the government provides schooling does it not? And the government also closes off school choice (not sure if you have this issue overseas) so IF a child was in a bad school district and although they might be eligible for scholarships to better PRIVATE schools, the government says "Nay, nay" and the child is forced to go to the poor public school.

Mobility works both ways, I have a cousin that pissed away $15 MILLION in his lifetime, when he dies he will leave his children nothing....nothing IF THEY ARE LUCKY! (because he could leave them massive debt). My own family (to answer your first question before we get to the details: we never got to touch 1 single solitary cent of that $15 mil, and although I would have loved a chance to spend that cash [who wouldn't?] I'm thankful for what I have and what I earn)....so my family has been between the very wealthy and the very poor, we've come very close to losing the roof over our heads and from a position of decent wealth too (showing that YES you can be well off and lose everything) but we've scratched and clawed our way back up the ladder (yes, upward mobility, it CAN be done, I've seen it, I've lived it).

You've no doubt got facts to back up your suggestion that upward mobility is easier in those 3rd world countries?


My political and economic stance is viewed as "harsh", "draconian". Am I opposed to giving time and money to charities? Hell no, I am a happy, smiling, willing participant in giving back to my community and to those in need. If I need to give money I give money, if I need to give my blood I give my blood, if I need to give my time I give my time, my strength, my advice, etc I give from myself, from my hard work...but the government gives from my hard work as well, they don't do a very good job of limiting waste and fraud, but I suppose pointing that out makes me a bad person. I suppose having a community rally together and support each other on their own without the intrusion of the government is a bad thing? Teaching those who have, to share what they have of their own free will is a HORRIBLE suggestion right? That's what I advocate.

Behavioral Psychology helps shape my view of politics and economics. If you take the time to understand Behavioral Psych then you'll understand my take on things. Behavioral Psychology is used in training be it children or pets or what have you. Let's use a dog as an example, let's say you're training your dog to sit. It's a simple enough task that involves a direction, an action, and a reward and it's typically always in that order. Direction then action, then reward. You want the dog to sit, you direct the dog to sit via verbal command, hand signal, whatever...the dog completes the action and is then rewarded. The dog learns if they complete an action when directed they will be rewarded and boom that training session is over and done with. You don't give the dog the treat first, you don't give a direction and then give the dog the treat figuring the dog will accomplish the task afterwards. Now you treat a citizen the way the government does, when the person is unemployed you pay them before they get another job which is fine and necessary but when those benefits last for 99 weeks, it gets to the point where a person is being "rewarded" for not working. Or in the case of welfare, if your income is above a certain level benefits are cut off which again, "rewards" shiftlessness, it "rewards" not doing 100%. Where's the motivation to improve oneself if the "rewards" flow whether you work or not?

I am FULLY aware of the plight of the less fortunate, but I will NEVER coddle able bodied adults because in my opinion that is the most demeaning thing you can do to a person. "Awwww honey, we don't need you doing this job, we're actually better off if you sit on the sidelines and stay out of our way, but don't worry, we'll take care of you"....part of a person's value is what they contribute, if I contribute nothing what does that make me?

[walrus]

Yes, America has issues with poverty but you need to take in account being poor in America is different than a lot of countries. Most of those living in poverty have housing, a car, tv, cable and despite what you've heard they have had access to free health care for many years. Catholic hospitals in the US write of billions every year in health care for the poor. If they have a child, all they have to do is sign a paper in its paid for. I'm not saying poverty is not a problem, you just need to look at the whole picture.

[superheavyrhun]

Over the last twenty years, the proportional wealth of the wealthy classes in the US has grown drastically compared to the proportional wealth of the poor and lower classes. The natural tendency of man is to try and provide for their children, but as more and more people try to skew the wheel in favour of their children through opportunities, contacts in the right places and better education, that proportional wealth gap will continue to grow.

You'll struggle to find a study looking at the topic that doesn't reflect that trend because the statistics all point in one direction.

On a selfish personal level, I see this happening in the UK, and it isn't something that is nice to see. The political class on the right wing, and to an extent on the left, reflects this trend for less social mobility, as fewer people from the lower ends of the spectrum appear to represent the people in Parliament. There are exceptions, but they are growing fewer.

"Disability" is the stick used to beat the poor over here too, and the right-wing press love any excuse to humiliate and berate someone why tries to play the system. However, this is such a small percentage of the overall welfare bill that it is almost irrelevant, while sneaking tax cuts for the upper class and negotiating down tax bills for hugely wealthy individuals and companies is barely given a mention.

[Kirkland Laing]

If you literally cannot work due to what has happened to you there's something called "Disability" in which you are taken care of by tax payers. However, with the poor economy there has been a spike of citizens claiming disability....over 10 million Americans are claiming disability at the moment. A smidge excessive wouldn't you imagine? Add that to the 92 million Americans who have dropped out of the labor force altogether and you'll see that's roughly 1/3rd of the American population that is no longer able to work, no longer working, and no longer looking for work.

There's enough wrong in this post to take a book to answer but let's just look at the first really dumb thing you say. That 92 million includes everybody 16 or over in education and everybody under 65 and retired with money and everybody retired 65 or over, every disabled person and so on. This number is always a "record number" because the population is currently growing quite quickly and the baby boomer generation are all retiring, squeezing the working age share of the population down.

The fact is that in terms of social mobility -- the ability to be born into one socio-economic group and move upwards during your lifetime -- (what you're told is the American Dream) America comes dead last out of all industrialised countries. Dead fucking last.

Also, too. If you've got something to say about the British election you're welcome to post it here. Otherwise stop bringing your regulat garbage into every fucking thread.

[El Kabong]

There's enough wrong in this post to take a book to answer but let's just look at the first really dumb thing you say. That 92 million includes everybody 16 or over in education and everybody under 65 and retired with money and everybody retired 65 or over, every disabled person and so on. This number is always a "record number" because the population is currently growing quite quickly and the baby boomer generation are all retiring, squeezing the working age share of the population down.

The fact is that in terms of social mobility -- the ability to be born into one socio-economic group and move upwards during your lifetime -- (what you're told is the American Dream) America comes dead last out of all industrialised countries. Dead fucking last.

Also, too. If you've got something to say about the British election you're welcome to post it here. Otherwise stop bringing your regulat garbage into every fucking thread.

Oh I DARED to voice an opinion different than yours....oh dear, dear me, I am dreadfully sorry to upset you so.

Allow me to break down what I was saying...

Oh the +55's are starting to get MORE involved in the economy again Hmm, curious that. I do wonder why they wouldn't just retire...I mean the economy has been EPIC recently. And the youth staying in school, and the prime age workers also dropping out of the workforce, hmmm curious...it's almost like that graph has an agenda to prove you wrong. You should call up this ....U.S. "Census Bureau" and give them what for comrade!

Excuse me, did you say "ALWAYS A RECORD NUMBER"

...Always....like every single time? Because to ME....and this is JUST me lol.... it looks like that graph has some peaks and valleys which would of course suggest that....no, that number is NOT "ALWAYS A RECORD NUMBER"

When you say "dead last out of all industrialized countries. Dead fucking last."

....is the U.K. not industrialized? Because they seem to be worse off than the United States....but of course THAT couldn't be right as it flies in the face of your reality and we all know that YOUR reality is what really matters.

Yes I have views on the British elections as I am a citizen of the world....otherwise it would be silly for me to comment in such a thread seeing how I don't live in England, I mean who.....who would comment on the political and economic policies of a place where they don't live Kirkland? Whoever would do such a thing?

I'd say UKIP is the most Libertarian party: anti-prohibition on currently illegal drugs, clearing out excessive taxation, peace through strength in regards to the military , seeking mutually beneficial trade terms with the EU....but you likely want the polar opposite and certainly you're more than within your rights to want that, also if you dislike my posts you could just skip over them and not read them nor respond to them, but I don't want to tell you what to do as you wouldn't listen to reason anyway.

Well I hope this has been educational for you and good luck with getting through each day with your attitude....won't be long before someone stabs you in the throat with a spork because you're a whingy cunt but hey, you'll die as you lived....a whingy cunt