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Anonymous said:
When in your lifetime has there been no rules or checks and balances?
All I am saying is, government needs to loosen its strangle-hold on business and the economy.
Click to expand...

you still don't get it.

government <=> Of, For, and By the 1% (at expense of the 99%) <=> business and economy



we have some choices:

change the government to be fairer and more representative of the 99%.

or,

up-end the (failed) socio-economic class model through resource redistribution.


do you have a third suggestion?
 




Anonymous said:
Who knew the wondrous economic theories which could abound from the cornfields of Iowa. I am so impressed.
Click to expand...

You should be.

Here are some more economic lessons:

$24.9 billion in subsidies 1995-2012.
$16.4 billion in commodity subsidies.
$4.00 billion in crop insurance subsidies.
$3.86 billion in conservation subsidies.
$646 million in disaster subsidies.
Iowa ranking: 2 of 50 States
19 percent of farms in Iowa did not collect subsidy payments - according to USDA.
Ten percent collected 59 percent of all subsidies.
Amounting to $12.3 billion over 18 years.
Top 10%: $34,475 average per year between 1995 and 2012.
Bottom 80%: $1,565 average per year between 1995 and 2012.

http://farm.ewg.org/region.php?fips=19000



Iowa Agriculture Quick Facts
2012
Total number of farms (2012) 92,200
Total amount of farmland (2012) 30.7 million acres
Average farm size (2012) 333 acres
Average dollar value per acre (2012) $8,296
Average temperature (2012) 51.9 degrees F
2012 Range of monthly average temperatures 26.0F in January to 79.6F in July
Average annual precipitation (2012) 26.5 inches
Harvested acres of corn for grain (2012) 13.7 million acres
Corn production (2012) 1.88 billion bushels
Corn yield (2012) 137.0 bu/acre
Corn value of production (2012 crop year) $13.5 billion
Harvested acres of soybeans (2012) 9.31 million acres
Soybean production (2012) 414 million bushels
Soybean yield (2012) 44.5 bu/acre
Soybeans value of production (2012 crop year) $5.92 billion
Number of cattle and calves on hand (Jan.1, 2013) 3.85 million head
Total annual cattle and calves marketed (2012) 2.45 million head
Cattle and calves, cash receipts (2012) $3.84 billion
Number of hogs on hand (Dec 1, 2012) 20.6 million head
Total annual hogs marketed (2012) 41.1 million head
Hogs, cash receipts (2012) $6.98 billion
Number of sheep and lambs on hand (Jan. 1, 2012) 175,000 head
Total annual sheep and lambs marketed (2012) Not Available
Sheep and lambs, cash receipts (2012) Not Available
Total annual red meat production (2012) 6.64 billion pounds
Milk production (2012) 4.43 billion pounds
Dairy, cash receipts (2012) $849.09 million
Average number of egg layers on hand (2012) 51.9 million
Total annual egg production (2012) 14.5 billion eggs
Value of egg production (2012) $990.5 million


http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/quickfacts.asp
 




Anonymous said:
you still don't get it.

government <=> Of, For, and By the 1% (at expense of the 99%) <=> business and economy



we have some choices:

change the government to be fairer and more representative of the 99%.

or,

up-end the (failed) socio-economic class model through resource redistribution.


do you have a third suggestion?
Click to expand...

First of all, I totally reject your ridiculous clap-trap, Occupy Wall Street, 1% vs. 99% drivel.
Our government was formed as a representative government. It has been bastardized over the years. The Constitution has been trampled and these are the results. If you want a fairer, more representative government, then support state's rights, local governments and individual freedom. Reject the continued movement toward centralized, all-powerful, authoritarian federal government.

Government closest to the people governs best.
 




"Smith argued that capitalism results in inequality..."

GREAT.... inequality is a part of life. If you value equality, go to North Korea. North Korea leads the world in equality. I value freedom and the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

BTW, "Capitalism" was not a word that Adam Smith ever used. Got it Karl?
 








Anonymous said:
You should be.

Here are some more economic lessons:

$24.9 billion in subsidies 1995-2012.
$16.4 billion in commodity subsidies.
$4.00 billion in crop insurance subsidies.
$3.86 billion in conservation subsidies.
$646 million in disaster subsidies.
Iowa ranking: 2 of 50 States
19 percent of farms in Iowa did not collect subsidy payments - according to USDA.
Ten percent collected 59 percent of all subsidies.
Amounting to $12.3 billion over 18 years.
Top 10%: $34,475 average per year between 1995 and 2012.
Bottom 80%: $1,565 average per year between 1995 and 2012.

http://farm.ewg.org/region.php?fips=19000



Iowa Agriculture Quick Facts
2012
Total number of farms (2012) 92,200
Total amount of farmland (2012) 30.7 million acres
Average farm size (2012) 333 acres
Average dollar value per acre (2012) $8,296
Average temperature (2012) 51.9 degrees F
2012 Range of monthly average temperatures 26.0F in January to 79.6F in July
Average annual precipitation (2012) 26.5 inches
Harvested acres of corn for grain (2012) 13.7 million acres
Corn production (2012) 1.88 billion bushels
Corn yield (2012) 137.0 bu/acre
Corn value of production (2012 crop year) $13.5 billion
Harvested acres of soybeans (2012) 9.31 million acres
Soybean production (2012) 414 million bushels
Soybean yield (2012) 44.5 bu/acre
Soybeans value of production (2012 crop year) $5.92 billion
Number of cattle and calves on hand (Jan.1, 2013) 3.85 million head
Total annual cattle and calves marketed (2012) 2.45 million head
Cattle and calves, cash receipts (2012) $3.84 billion
Number of hogs on hand (Dec 1, 2012) 20.6 million head
Total annual hogs marketed (2012) 41.1 million head
Hogs, cash receipts (2012) $6.98 billion
Number of sheep and lambs on hand (Jan. 1, 2012) 175,000 head
Total annual sheep and lambs marketed (2012) Not Available
Sheep and lambs, cash receipts (2012) Not Available
Total annual red meat production (2012) 6.64 billion pounds
Milk production (2012) 4.43 billion pounds
Dairy, cash receipts (2012) $849.09 million
Average number of egg layers on hand (2012) 51.9 million
Total annual egg production (2012) 14.5 billion eggs
Value of egg production (2012) $990.5 million


http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/quickfacts.asp
Click to expand...

I'm very proud of ya, plow-boy.
 




Anonymous said:
"Smith argued that capitalism results in inequality..."

GREAT.... inequality is a part of life. If you value equality, go to North Korea. North Korea leads the world in equality. I value freedom and the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

BTW, "Capitalism" was not a word that Adam Smith ever used. Got it Karl?
Click to expand...

so, let's set the record straight.

you endorse inequality on a scale when:

the richest family in the world (Waltons) controls a fortune equivalent to the bottom 42% of Americans' wealth*

and

the share of income earned by the top 1% accounts for 20% of total income earned


???


no one is asking for "north korean equality"* or "total equality" (if there is such a thing), but simply a "reversion towards the mean" in a radically-extremist, unequal state of economic affairs.***


and yes, you're correct. Smith actually used the word "commercial society" as the description of what would later be classified as capitalism. take your beef up with the editors of the article.


regards,

Groucho

_____________________
*you picked the worst example to make a (failed) point. North Koreans are stratified into a governed and authoritarian governing / elite classes. a better example would have been to use Norway (GINI 25.0 after taxes and transfers). but, that would defeat your entire argument, because Norway happens to be the greatest country in which to grow old: http://www.businessinsider.com/norway-ranks-as-the-best-country-to-grow-old-2014-10


**i can cite sources if you ask for them. serious enquiries only please.



***which is why we are both having a conversation about how we can all become ever freer to pursue life, liberty and happiness.
 




Anonymous said:
First of all, I totally reject your ridiculous clap-trap, Occupy Wall Street, 1% vs. 99% drivel.
Our government was formed as a representative government. It has been bastardized over the years. The Constitution has been trampled and these are the results. If you want a fairer, more representative government, then support state's rights, local governments and individual freedom. Reject the continued movement toward centralized, all-powerful, authoritarian federal government.

Government closest to the people governs best.
Click to expand...

And we couldn't agree more (with caveats)*

The 1% vs. 99% is just a crude, but not inaccurate, context to help understand the current state of socio-economic affairs.

I'm all ears for a competing framework, but you haven't shared one yet.

Patiently waiting,

Groucho



_____________
*if we were actually set-up as a representative government Of, For, and By the People, then the founders (oligarchs) would have designed an electoral system that either was proportionally representative or had the potential to evolve into one. instead, the Constitution always prioritized for a strong federal government and centralization of power (monopoly on violence, money, etc.) over the states. the rest, as they say, is history.
 




Anonymous said:
And we couldn't agree more (with caveats)*

The 1% vs. 99% is just a crude, but not inaccurate, context to help understand the current state of socio-economic affairs.

I'm all ears for a competing framework, but you haven't shared one yet.

Patiently waiting,

Groucho



_____________
*if we were actually set-up as a representative government Of, For, and By the People, then the founders (oligarchs) would have designed an electoral system that either was proportionally representative or had the potential to evolve into one. instead, the Constitution always prioritized for a strong federal government and centralization of power (monopoly on violence, money, etc.) over the states. the rest, as they say, is history.
Click to expand...

My framework is fidelity to US The Constitution. You say you have been listening, but why can't you hear me? The Constitution NEVER prioritized for a strong federal and centralized government. Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with our Constitution and stop embarrassing yourself. Pay special attention to the Tenth Amendment... The Tenth Amendment (Amendment X) to the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, was ratified on December 15, 1791. It expresses the principle of federalism, which undergirds the entire plan of the original Constitution, by stating that the federal government possesses only those powers delegated to it by the states or the people. The framers of this amendment had two purposes in mind when they drafted it. The first was a necessary rule of construction. The second was to reaffirm the nature of the federal system.
 




Anonymous said:
My framework is fidelity to US The Constitution. You say you have been listening, but why can't you hear me? The Constitution NEVER prioritized for a strong federal and centralized government. Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with our Constitution and stop embarrassing yourself. Pay special attention to the Tenth Amendment... The Tenth Amendment (Amendment X) to the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, was ratified on December 15, 1791. It expresses the principle of federalism, which undergirds the entire plan of the original Constitution, by stating that the federal government possesses only those powers delegated to it by the states or the people. The framers of this amendment had two purposes in mind when they drafted it. The first was a necessary rule of construction. The second was to reaffirm the nature of the federal system.
Click to expand...

Well, sorry to break it to you, but you are staking your fidelity to a tried, tested and failed conceptual set of "game rules".

The "rulers of the game" selected for a strong, federal, centralized government.

Let's examine our Constitution again.

Article I grants the government essentially all power, allows it to form laws asserting said power and amendment 10 essentially says any "power" outside of the remit of "all" "...are reserved to the states or the people."

Article I [section 8-10] basically allows the formation of an army, currency, taxation and all modern forms of POWER. Although we have the Enumerated Powers Act, the reality of the situation is that we have a government, or a Monopoly on Violence, yet consistently pretend otherwise.

The bottom line is that TPTB do a fine PR exercise of "Land of the Free", however it doesn't exist. Never has.

The reality of the "military-industrial complex" (you can add in Corporate nowadays) is that power only resides in the government, and always has done.

All the rest is rather self-indulgent mythology and the illusion of freedom.
 




Anonymous said:
so, let's set the record straight.

you endorse inequality on a scale when:

the richest family in the world (Waltons) controls a fortune equivalent to the bottom 42% of Americans' wealth*

and

the share of income earned by the top 1% accounts for 20% of total income earned


???


no one is asking for "north korean equality"* or "total equality" (if there is such a thing), but simply a "reversion towards the mean" in a radically-extremist, unequal state of economic affairs.***


and yes, you're correct. Smith actually used the word "commercial society" as the description of what would later be classified as capitalism. take your beef up with the editors of the article.


regards,

Groucho

_____________________
*you picked the worst example to make a (failed) point. North Koreans are stratified into a governed and authoritarian governing / elite classes. a better example would have been to use Norway (GINI 25.0 after taxes and transfers). but, that would defeat your entire argument, because Norway happens to be the greatest country in which to grow old: http://www.businessinsider.com/norway-ranks-as-the-best-country-to-grow-old-2014-10


**i can cite sources if you ask for them. serious enquiries only please.



***which is why we are both having a conversation about how we can all become ever freer to pursue life, liberty and happiness.
Click to expand...

Top 10 Percent of Earners Pay approximately 68 Percent of Federal Income Taxes. Bottom 50% pay ZERO. Is that fair???

No where in the world is it more equal than North Korea.... The governed, as you call it, are as EQUAL AS IT GETS. They are EQUALLY poor and miserable. Sound fair?

Every society, even you government-run Utopia called Norway has an "Elite Class" I believe Norway has a Monarchy. So please stop embarrassing yourself.

Best run societies, like America at it's best, have a free and merit-based construction. You are free to become whatever you want. If you want to be the next Bill Gates. Go for it! If you want to be a bum, you are free to do that too.
 




Well, sorry to break it to you, but you are staking your fidelity to a tried, tested and failed conceptual set of "game rules".

FAILED??? Have you ever heard of any other country ever in the history of the world rising to the level of The US in such a relatively short period of time? We are the lone SUPER-POWER. It was made possible by a concept, which I am sure you reject, called American Exceptionalism.

And why you keep citing article 1 as some proof of all-powerful federal government is absolutely confounding. All it does is outline the framework of the legislature.... which comes from where??? The states? It also COMPLETELY ignores the other 2 branches of government.

You are clueless.
 




Anonymous said:
Top 10 Percent of Earners Pay approximately 68 Percent of Federal Income Taxes. Bottom 50% pay ZERO. Is that fair???

No where in the world is it more equal than North Korea.... The governed, as you call it, are as EQUAL AS IT GETS. They are EQUALLY poor and miserable. Sound fair?

Every society, even you government-run Utopia called Norway has an "Elite Class" I believe Norway has a Monarchy. So please stop embarrassing yourself.

Best run societies, like America at it's best, have a free and merit-based construction. You are free to become whatever you want. If you want to be the next Bill Gates. Go for it! If you want to be a bum, you are free to do that too.
Click to expand...

2/3 fatties* and 1/5 mental head-cases are hardly the defining characteristics of a "best run society".

you're right though. in America, we are quite free to become anything we want to be, although the chances are higher to become a diabetic, heart disease prone*, gun-toting nutjob. but, i digress...



who would deride constitutional monarchies that raise the quality of life for their people?

do we honestly care what -archy or -ism brand on the governance model, so long as said model assures that today's and future generations of children receive the right cultivation, so that they can have better chances at becoming a productive member of and positive contributor to society?

our development and socialization on this planet begins at the lowest level, basic unit of society - the family.
if we don't do families right, then we underwrite our society's demise.



TL;DR
we are no longer the greatest country.
the descent began during the 1960s.
Reagan and the neo-liberals accelerated the process.
since 9/11/01, we've been on life support and it's not looking good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVwUphZ37Ww

but, but...the stock market is at all time highs!!!! :p


____________
*however, great for our company and incomes...we're going to mint fortunes with LCZ ;-)
 




Anonymous said:
Well, sorry to break it to you, but you are staking your fidelity to a tried, tested and failed conceptual set of "game rules".

FAILED??? Have you ever heard of any other country ever in the history of the world rising to the level of The US in such a relatively short period of time? We are the lone SUPER-POWER. It was made possible by a concept, which I am sure you reject, called American Exceptionalism.

And why you keep citing article 1 as some proof of all-powerful federal government is absolutely confounding. All it does is outline the framework of the legislature.... which comes from where??? The states? It also COMPLETELY ignores the other 2 branches of government.

You are clueless.
Click to expand...

Yes, it failed.

What got us here will not get us where we want to be.

Time to evolve.

We are living in the 21st Century and you're trying to cling onto the constitutional principles of a bygone era from which certain political and electoral processes emerged and enabled people like Dubya and Obola to take the highest position in the empire.

Absolutely. Disgraceful.


All 3 branches of government are captured by the same interests, so I wouldn't put much faith into those checks and balances.

Time to go back to the drawing boards, although it's probably already too late...
 




Anonymous said:
Top 10 Percent of Earners Pay approximately 68 Percent of Federal Income Taxes. Bottom 50% pay ZERO. Is that fair???
Click to expand...


It's absolutely not fair.

That's why the bottom 50% need to raise their AGI > $34,823, which is a pittance these days, in order to increase their contribution to the total tax base.

Of course, that would mean we need to better educate, train, and develop the bottom 50% to become more productive members of society. But, we won't. Because, we love our exceptional American individualism that could give two $hit$ about how our poorer ("not like us") neighbors are faring.
 




Anonymous said:
2/3 fatties* and 1/5 mental head-cases are hardly the defining characteristics of a "best run society".

you're right though. in America, we are quite free to become anything we want to be, although the chances are higher to become a diabetic, heart disease prone*, gun-toting nutjob. but, i digress...



who would deride constitutional monarchies that raise the quality of life for their people?

do we honestly care what -archy or -ism brand on the governance model, so long as said model assures that today's and future generations of children receive the right cultivation, so that they can have better chances at becoming a productive member of and positive contributor to society?

our development and socialization on this planet begins at the lowest level, basic unit of society - the family.
if we don't do families right, then we underwrite our society's demise.



TL;DR
we are no longer the greatest country.
the descent began during the 1960s.
Reagan and the neo-liberals accelerated the process.
since 9/11/01, we've been on life support and it's not looking good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVwUphZ37Ww

but, but...the stock market is at all time highs!!!! :p


____________
*however, great for our company and incomes...we're going to mint fortunes with LCZ ;-)
Click to expand...

"who would deride constitutional monarchies that raise the quality of life for their people?"

YOU WOULD OF COURSE.... because you despise the "Elite" and inequality, especially inequality by Devine right.

NOBODY will raise your quality of life more than the individual themselves. No government will care more for you and your family than you, yourself.
 




Anonymous said:
Yes, it failed.

What got us here will not get us where we want to be.

Time to evolve.

We are living in the 21st Century and you're trying to cling onto the constitutional principles of a bygone era from which certain political and electoral processes emerged and enabled people like Dubya and Obola to take the highest position in the empire.

Absolutely. Disgraceful.


All 3 branches of government are captured by the same interests, so I wouldn't put much faith into those checks and balances.

Time to go back to the drawing boards, although it's probably already too late...
Click to expand...

Highest GDP in the world.... I guess you can sign me up for more of that Life-Support. You're a joke. Your statements have no basis in reality. Hmm.... struggling to find Norway in the list of GDP.

http://www.statista.com/statistics/268173/countries-with-the-largest-gross-domestic-product-gdp/
 




Anonymous said:
It's absolutely not fair.

That's why the bottom 50% need to raise their AGI > $34,823, which is a pittance these days, in order to increase their contribution to the total tax base.

Of course, that would mean we need to better educate, train, and develop the bottom 50% to become more productive members of society. But, we won't. Because, we love our exceptional American individualism that could give two $hit$ about how our poorer ("not like us") neighbors are faring.
Click to expand...

Its called personal accountability moron. You are free to be a bum, if you decide to drop-out of high school MORON, or not apply yourself.
 




Anonymous said:
"who would deride constitutional monarchies that raise the quality of life for their people?"

YOU WOULD OF COURSE.... because you despise the "Elite" and inequality, especially inequality by Devine right.

NOBODY will raise your quality of life more than the individual themselves. No government will care more for you and your family than you, yourself.
Click to expand...

thought experiment:

you are physically (and perhaps mentally) disabled and can't enjoy a decent quality of life without the care from family (if they give a $hit about you), friends (if you even have them), healthcare workers (if your insurance plan covers it), and the anonymous taxpayer (thank you elites!).




what were you were saying about the individual again?
 








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