Some questions for Republicans

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

BRONZEAGE

It works like this with you Usual Suspects: When the money comes out of your pocket you instantly metamorphosize into a Republican, then change back to an assclown when the danger is gone. That is, youre only a Democrat while the soup kitchens are open for business and the free lunches last.

 

[Stella_Omega]

on many level no countries are second rate, and as a culture and society America does have a lot to learn (I would put France above the us when it comes to the arts and other parts of culture). Now on a business level then I would rate France as a 2nd rate country....purely on an economics standing I would rate Greece as a third world nation (as the government is teetering on chapter 13).

With that said, when it comes to taxes I would rate just about every other country as a 2nd rate nation. Tax rates are too high and for what? The taxes support a very inefficient and multi layers of bureaucracy. I think layovers of bureaucracy need to be pulled back and put an end to a movement of increased taxes. Governments tax too much and never try to fix their own operations.

Just today the IRS announced that they are hiring 15,000 new workers. That’s nuts! Why not make the irs rules simpler and automated? Oh (a government rub) the irs computer system is still not running after ten years of development.

back to this 'second rate' thing, i want to quote something from another thread ;

UK Unemployment
Labour Market Statistics

March 17 2010 - The unemployment rate stands at 7.8% - down 0.1% over the quarter but up 1.2% on last year. Nearly 29 million people were in work in the period November to January according to the labour force survey (LFS). The number of people employed was down by 54,000 this quarter and down by 483,000 on the last year.

The working age employment rate is 72.2% - down by 0.3% on the last quarter and down 1.8% on the last year.

United States in January, the civilian labor force participation rate was little changed at 64.7 percent.

ILO-defined unemployment in November to January was 2.45 million (7.8%) - down by 33,000 unemployed on August-October but up 383,000 from this time last year.

The claimant count for key out-of-work benefits was 1,585,100 in February - down by 32,300 on last month, and up by 194,700 on last year.

Earnings growth over the year to January (including bonuses) was 0.9%.

United States is in a wage spiral. The British can raise taxes.

The UK is on the verge of reforming State pensions. Germany is getting killed by their State pensions. The United States is obviously not ready to deal with Social Security.

The United Kingdom won't have the corporate earnings growth of the US over the next ten years, and they sure won't have the debt percentage of the US. IMF? Laughable. The United States will have to get a third-world loan rate from the World Bank before the UK is unable to meet their obligations.

US DEBT 83.4% of GDP for 2009, UK DEBT 53.5% of GDP for 2010

http://www.ukpublicspending.co.uk/uk_national_debt_chart.html

The Brits still live and die by Keynes. That's why they get by. In time of recession government takes on debt, in time of growth government sheds debt.

 

[jeninflorida]

I love how Waxman is using his power to intimidate the CEO’s. why doesn’t Waxman hand over his email/personal email and office and personal finical records? Talk about skeletons in the closet!

talk about trying to strike fear, and the CEO's are following the rules/laws when it comes to the expenses.....what a bully!

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aREWycel8b2Y

Verizon Joins AT&T in Booking Costs From Health-Care

April 2 (Bloomberg) -- Verizon Communications Inc., the second-largest U.S. phone company, became the latest company to record a cost related to the U.S. health-care overhaul, saying it will incur a $970 million expense.

The one-time, non-cash cost will be taken in the first quarter, New York-based Verizon said late yesterday in a regulatory filing.

Verizon follows AT&T Inc., the biggest U.S. carrier, Deere & Co., Caterpillar Inc. and other companies in disclosing similar expenses after losing a tax benefit for retiree plans. The costs may reduce corporate profits by as much as $14 billion as companies account for the impact of the health-care reforms, according to benefits consulting firm Towers Watson...

 

[Stella_Omega]

I'm weeping tears of pity for those poor little CEOs.

 

[trysail]

I'm weeping tears of pity for those poor little CEOs.

What you refuse to understand, Stella, is that it isn't the CEOs who bear the cost. It is state pension funds; it is university and college endowments; it is municipal pension funds; it is corporate pension funds; it is 401ks and IRAs.

In other words, savers ( as opposed to spenders ).

 

[Stella_Omega]

What you refuse to understand, Stella, is that it isn't the CEOs who bear the cost. It is state pension funds; it is university and college endowments; it is municipal pension funds; it is corporate pension funds; it is 401ks and IRAs.

In other words, savers ( as opposed to spenders ).

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Oh trust me, my large green friend, I completely understand that.

Which is why jen's indignant defense of the last people who possibly need defending makes me laugh.

And this is why the responsibility for the health and welfare of our nation needs to be taken out of the hands of the corporations-- because they are completely irresponsible about everything except dollar bills.

 

[stephen55]

Imagine a health care company that works for you, not against you...

And this is why the responsibility for the health and welfare of our nation needs to be taken out of the hands of the corporations-- because they are completely irresponsible about everything except dollar bills.

Imagine what would have happened if Ken Lay and the good folks at Enron had been in the health care insurance business.

I must say I like the idea of being one of the owners of my province's health care corporation (singular). I like the idea that the bean counters who run it are answerable to the Minister of Health, who is answerable to me. I also like the idea that the Minister of Health answers to the Premier, who listens very carefully to voters like me.

At the risk of inflaming ami, my province's health care system is in practice (but not in law) a corporation. The taxpayers are the shareholders. Every few years we vote. If the management of the corporation is deficient, out they go. It's called democracy and it works. Any American health insurance company can set up shop in Canada. Again, at the risk of inflaming ami, it's a free country. There is nothing in The Canada Health Act to stop them from having a go at making a buck up here. That they don't try is (my opinion) due to their inability to compete with the value we get from our policy premiums. I'm sure there are a few wealthy Canadians who would willingly pay more money for less coverage just to make a point about free enterprise. There's just not enough of them to make any American health insurance company bother giving them the opportunity.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Imagine what would have happened if Ken Lay and the good folks at Enron had been in the health care insurance business.

As far as I'm concerned, his twin brothers are in charge right now.

I must say I like the idea of being one of the owners of my province's health care corporation (singular). I like the idea that the bean counters who run it are answerable to the Minister of Health, who is answerable to me. I also like the idea that the Minister of Health answers to the Premier, who listens very carefully to voters like me.

At the risk of inflaming ami, my province's health care system is in practice (but not in law) a corporation. The taxpayers are the shareholders. Every few years we vote. If the management of the corporation is deficient, out they go. It's called democracy and it works. Any American health insurance company can set up shop in Canada. Again, at the risk of inflaming ami, it's a free country. There is nothing in The Canada Health Act to stop them from having a go at making a buck up here. That they don't try is (my opinion) due to their inability to compete with the value we get from our policy premiums. I'm sure there are a few wealthy Canadians who would willingly pay more money for less coverage just to make a point about free enterprise. There's just not enough of them to make any American health insurance company bother giving them the opportunity.

That's one of the most telling statements anyone has made yet...