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ekg
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« on: March 30, 2011, 09:38:49 am » |
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OPEC'S TRILLION-DOLLAR YEAR...Opec set for $1,000bn in export revenues By Sylvia Pfeifer, Javier Blas and David Blair in London Published: March 29 2011 22:31 | Last updated: March 29 2011 22:31 Opec, the oil producers’ cartel, will reap $1,000bn in export revenues this year for the first time if crude prices remain above $100 a barrel, according to the International Energy Agency. The cartel has been one of the main beneficiaries of high oil prices, which have soared in recent weeks amid the civil uprisings in the Middle East and north Africa. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7fa28b96-5a2f-11e0-86d3-00144feab49a.html#axzz1I5c5BPDTwhy should we get off of it when there is just so much money in it right now.. a trillion fucking dollars, in a single year, not counting the billions and billions over the last few years. There is no way any alternative can get a fair shake when that kind of money is out there squashing it... sad.
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Facts are the center. We don’t pretend that certain facts are in dispute to give the appearance of fairness to people who don’t believe them. Balance is irrelevant to me. It doesn’t have anything to do with truth, logic or reality. ~Charlie Skinner (the Newsroom)
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44nutman
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« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2011, 11:05:50 am » |
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The first cars ran off of plant ethanol. George Washington Carver FTW!
You have to ask yourself with all the advances in technology why are we using the same fuel source as a 100 years ago.
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uselesslegs
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« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2011, 03:11:00 pm » |
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Because anything, even if it were available right this second, that looks like it might impede or intrude on the standard quo in any capacity (meaning bottom line), is strictly verboten. We have yet to reach the stage where we intermingle common sense with productivity/revenue.
An alien could land tomorrow, hand over a device, that could be replicated with our technology that could be a new, safe power source...with one request, "Share this technology with other countries so that it may benefit all of mankind. We have studied you humans for some time and we understand that your societies revolve around a monetary system, so we understand that this technology will need to be worked into that system to not upset the balance. So do as you must to ensure your economies well being...BUT...when we come back at some future date and find that the profits you made, enslaved or extorted your peoples far beyond what was required to run a successful and healthy economy...we'll annihilate you all...because we're aliens and we do crazy shit like that. Bee-boop-beep!!! "
We'd accept it, under those conditions...and when they came back...they'd fuckin ace us...because 2 seconds after they left, we'd already begin the process of rationalizing why something needed to be 1,000 times more excessive to facilitate the rationale of a few.
"Are you telling me I can't make 10 billion dollars a year?" "Will that harm the well being of the rest of the society you dwell in to do so?" "Yes" "Then why would you?" "Because my wants negate the reality of the harm caused." "It does not." "It does for me."
Success should not be defined by the harm it causes, but rather, how does it benefit society beyond ones self. I'm not talking about "equal" portions for all...that's fuckin ludicrous (especially in a capitalistic driven world)...but to purposely fuck with the big picture, on a world wide scale, because you can NEVER have enough money, regardless of what that will do...is friggin sociopathic.
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Howey
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« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2011, 03:34:38 pm » |
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"Are you telling me I can't make 10 billion dollars a year?" Wouldn't it be nice if the oil companies paid taxes on the billions and billions they bring in? Can you imagine what just doing away with subsidies would do to decreasing the deficit? An alien could land tomorrow Meet your Governor  |
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uselesslegs
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« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2011, 03:42:39 pm » |
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Wouldn't it be nice if the oil companies paid taxes on the billions and billions they bring in? Can you imagine what just doing away with subsidies would do to decreasing the deficit? Meet your Governor What would make sense to me is not to pay subsidies to ANY company, GE, Exxon, whoever, that is making mad bank...they don't need it. They'll be glad to take it, duh, but they don't need it. |
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Howey
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« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2011, 04:45:09 pm » |
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What would make sense to me is not to pay subsidies to ANY company, GE, Exxon, whoever, that is making mad bank...they don't need it. They'll be glad to take it, duh, but they don't need it.
Agreed. And let's not forget the big corporate farmers who're actually paid not to grow crops! |
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uselesslegs
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« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2011, 05:57:17 pm » |
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Agreed. And let's not forget the big corporate farmers who're actually paid not to grow crops!
I understand the "reasoning" behind it...but it's still a cluster F of absurdity. |
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lil mike
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« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2011, 05:57:38 pm » |
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You guys are getting close... close, to the idea of a flat tax that has few deductions.
You're not there yet, but when you get there, you can claim you invented the idea!
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Howey
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« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2011, 06:13:37 pm » |
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You guys are getting close... close, to the idea of a flat tax that has few deductions.
You're not there yet, but when you get there, you can claim you invented the idea!
Why would I want to support a flat tax? |
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ekg
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« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2011, 09:23:15 pm » |
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Why would I want to support a flat tax?
I already told him years ago I supported one... but since he's so 'for it'.. It must be a bad idea for working people and a bigger-break for the rich/companies.. so I guess I should rethink my support..  |
Facts are the center. We don’t pretend that certain facts are in dispute to give the appearance of fairness to people who don’t believe them. Balance is irrelevant to me. It doesn’t have anything to do with truth, logic or reality. ~Charlie Skinner (the Newsroom)
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Howey
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« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2011, 09:34:05 pm » |
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I already told him years ago I supported one... but since he's so 'for it'.. It must be a bad idea for working people and a bigger-break for the rich/companies.. so I guess I should rethink my support.. Exactly...A flat tax will only increase the contribution from the poor and make it possible for the gov't to tax disabled vets and the elderly and disabled currently scraping along on next to nothing... |
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uselesslegs
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« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2011, 09:43:46 pm » |
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We'll never see a flat tax. The argument would be the same, "I'll pay more because I make more."
See, it usually works like this...Those who make more don't ever want to rationalize or give credence to the notion that they should pay anymore than someone who makes less than them...even if it's exactly the same amount, based on earnings...they don't see it like that. Their math skills and the reality of it, stops at the numbers being side by side.
"Wait, you only paid 2,500 hundred in taxes?"
"Only?"
"I paid 25,000!"
"You make 250k a year, I make 25k, that's 10 percent."
"You just don't fuck'in get it, do you? 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS MAN!!!"
"No, I guess I don't."
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ekg
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« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2011, 09:51:25 pm » |
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We'll never see a flat tax. The argument would be the same, "I'll pay more because I make more."
See, it usually works like this...Those who make more don't ever want to rationalize or give credence to the notion that they should pay anymore than someone who makes less than them...even if it's exactly the same amount, based on earnings...they don't see it like that. Their math skills and the reality of it, stops at the numbers being side by side.
"Wait, you only paid 2,500 hundred in taxes?"
"Only?"
"I paid 25,000!"
"You make 250k a year, I make 25k, that's 10 percent."
"You just don't fuck'in get it, do you? 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS MAN!!!"
"No, I guess I don't."
that's pretty much what I've always thought would happen.. but there must be some other 'catch' the GOP-types are proposing if they are for it.. like maybe if you make over $150K a year your rate drops to 10% and an additional 1% for every 100,000 after that.. so that by the time you get up to Buffet-like money, you're actually in the negative |
Facts are the center. We don’t pretend that certain facts are in dispute to give the appearance of fairness to people who don’t believe them. Balance is irrelevant to me. It doesn’t have anything to do with truth, logic or reality. ~Charlie Skinner (the Newsroom)
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lil mike
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« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2011, 10:19:01 pm » |
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Exactly...A flat tax will only increase the contribution from the poor and make it possible for the gov't to tax disabled vets and the elderly and disabled currently scraping along on next to nothing...
I disagree with that, although I have to admit our current loophole and deduction riddled tax system is pretty progressive (in the rich pay more sense). And of course there are plenty of different flat tax versions, some you may like less than others. But I would like to see one that has a personal deduction equal to what the current poverty rate is, so someone who is at or below the poverty rate would pay no taxes because their income would fall into their deduction. As your income increases, you would pay whatever the percentage rate above your personal deduction. So if the tax rate was 18%, and you were a single person with $40,000 a year taxable income, your deduction would be the single poverty rate (guesstimate $14k) so you would be paying 18% on 26k. I would probably have a couple of other deductions too, but you have to limit the number of those or you end up right back to where we are now. |
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Howey
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« Reply #14 on: March 31, 2011, 10:39:42 pm » |
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What's the reasoning behind a flat tax if there's deductions?  |
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