26 (edited by xeno syndicated 03-Jul-2009 02:55:48)

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

The solution is within the free market system: all I would propose is a taxation scheme where the richer you get the higher percentage you would pay in taxes, instead of what we have now, where the richer you get the less percentage of your income you pay in taxes. 

For example, a person making less than 25k a year would pay no taxes; 26k - 31k = 1%, 32k - 37k = 2%, 38k - 43k = 3%, and so on up to 15% tax on all incomes over 100k - and this tax would be calculated on your total annual income - everything across the board from your salary to investment returns. 

It would be an improvement over what we have now.

The middle-class in some countries pay anything from 20% to 70% of their income.  They pay for the highways and the mass-transport systems.  The middle class pays for the schools and fire stations.   It is the middle class which bears the burden of paying for all the things which makes  society functional, and it's the middle-class which marches off to war, while the upper-class pays only a fraction of what the middle class pays. 

It's time for the upper-classes to start paying a greater share of the costs of a society which allows for their opportunity to create their precious fortunes in the first place.

This isn't marxist.  It isn't leninist.  It isn't calling for the hijacking of the free-market system.  If anything I'd add deregulating the free market system further, rather than placing any more controls on it in conjunction with the taxation reforms above, as those would act to create more small-businesses, attract more investment into new, start-up companies, while acting to shore up the advance of these out-of-control multinational conglomerates.

To Lizon, and others who think this is marxist or some other such bull#%^.  Don't insult your intelligence by claiming such.  You're brainwashed into thinking that anything that isn't supportive of the status-quo must be communism or facism or totalitarianism or some other such label. 

Give your head a shake.

What my proposal is from is a common-sense realization that the playing-field between the rich and poor is slanted for the benefit of the rich, and needs to be leveled with tax reform and DEregulation of the market system.

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

1: Your tax scheme doesn't assume relative GNP to government spending.
2: Seriously?  You think 15% is the top bracket?  If you told a rich guy in the US that you were going to require he pay a 15% income tax, he would immediately get a sex change and ask if he could have your baby.  The highest tax bracket in the US is in the mid-30s.  True, government tax breaks allow that to SIGNIFICANTLY drop.  However, there's one issue which people consistently forget about: corporations.  The vast majority of rich people in the US get their money from corporations somehow, whether it be via stock investment or working in that corporation.  In short, though, they're owners of businesses, by and large.  Corporations in the US are also taxed for income, which means the income of people who obtain their income from a corporation is double taxed: Once when the corporation makes the money, and once when that money is distributed to its shareholders.
3: The double-taxation system means that progressive taxation is already implemented in the US.

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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

"So far, no one has got the right answer."


You start topics with a question, but you already have the "right" answer ready. What are you, a quiz master?

Je maintiendrai

29 (edited by Lizon 03-Jul-2009 19:49:20)

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

"The solution is within the free market system: all I would propose is a taxation scheme where the richer you get the higher percentage you would pay in taxes, instead of what we have now, where the richer you get the less percentage of your income you pay in taxes.

ROFL!!!!!

Get a clue Xeno.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_tax_in_the_United_States

Admit it, you know nothing about how our tax system works. ^.^ Your brainwashed, shake your head and come back to reality.

And Xeno, in a Marixt system there is no government entity, or regulation for that matter. Your just showing to everybody that you have no idea of what Marixm is. Tell me, how would YOU define what Marxism is? I bet you your definition is incorrect.

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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

"And Xeno, in a Marixt system there is no government entity, or regulation for that matter. Your just showing to everybody that you have no idea of what Marixm is. Tell me, how would YOU define what Marxism is? I bet you your definition is incorrect."

No.  Wrong.  What you describe is the goal of marxism.  Marxism is merely one of many proposed means to that end.

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

If it hasn't been got yet...

The issue both the Irani leadership and third world farmer are afraid of of have it that of outside interference. Iran blames its issues on outside influences from organisations such as the IMF, world bank, and western nations that have in the past and possible currently play on Iran. It has been this influence that has lead to the current regime due to too much outside meddling.

Likewise, third world farmers traditionally have been self sufficient but in recent times it has been the policy of international donors to instruct these nations to rip out their farm land and put in cash crops. too many cash crops and the price of these commodities drop, farmers loose income, and cannot feed themselves since their land is used towards inedible products (coffee, tobacco, etc). The best solution would be to allow farmers to drop these cash crops and allow them to move back to subsistence farming.

Probably way off, but in both cases the solution is that a nations government must be free of outside influence, representative of thge people, and enables people to organise themselves into industries that are able to sustain the people.

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

"No.  Wrong.  What you describe is the goal of marxism.  Marxism is merely one of many proposed means to that end."

Again, your are confused Xeno. Marxism is the ends of a means, not the means to an end. It is this small point that you are getting confused on. Everything you have posted on this forums describes a Marxist society as it's eventual endpoint.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism

I also noticed you have no comment on the tax data that you were presented with which makes your argument flawed. Why do you consistently run away from evidence that proves you wrong?

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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

"I also noticed you have no comment on the tax data that you were presented with which makes your argument flawed. Why do you consistently run away from evidence that proves you wrong?"

I was thinking of other countries besides the US, of course.  Wonder why Americans always think everything is about them... Anyway, I guess that's another issue.

Now, just because the tax categories are stated as such doesn't mean it actually works that way.  Tax systems the world over have loop-holes, credits, deduction, etc. that big corporations and the rich basically exploit to evade paying taxes.

And then there is always hiding funds in Swiss Bank accounts.  Also, one could always move to Monaco or the Cayman Islands and purchase capital / investments there to evade capital gains taxes.

Lastly, Lizon, about your ideas about marxism, communism, leninism:

Throwing a wiki-link is insufficient.  They are a means to an end, not an end in and of itself.  In fact, liberalism is another means to the very same end for which marxism aspires.  Think about it.

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

"I was thinking of other countries besides the US, of course.  Wonder why Americans always think everything is about them... Anyway, I guess that's another issue."

Same as how Europeans think everything is about them,Aussies for Aussies, Canadians for Canadians. You simply implied that all tax systems work the way you stated and thus should be changed. You need to narrow your points to specific items or systems and address each individually to get more productive and desired results.

"ow, just because the tax categories are stated as such doesn't mean it actually works that way.  Tax systems the world over have loop-holes, credits, deduction, etc. that big corporations and the rich basically exploit to evade paying taxes."

Now if you actually read the link I provided you would see that it's broken down by tax rate per bracket, in which the highest % are taxed the most. Also businesses owners are usually taxed twice, once as an individual and once as a business owner. The amounts they pay are huge, and is where the majority of our tax revenue comes from. Typically the middle and lower tax brackets here get the tax refunds, while the top brackets pay.

In some other less stable and more corrupt countries *cough* RUSSIA *cough* this may be different. This is more of a flaw in their political systems than anything else.

"Throwing a wiki-link is insufficient.  They are a means to an end, not an end in and of itself.  In fact, liberalism is another means to the very same end for which marxism aspires.  Think about it."

I toss the link up in the off chance hope your able to read them and formulate the appropriate answers. Obviously I was asking for too much there. ^.^ Marxism describes the ideal society, and identifies the problems with society but does NOT give a means to get to that society. It may suggest things here and there but nothing concrete. This is where Communism, Maoism, and Leninism come in, failed attempts to reach that Marxist society. It is the ends to a means, it's as simple as that. Read some books on the subject and don't rely on your "common knowledge".

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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

In every Western country, the upper middle class always gets raped by the tax system.

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

"if you actually read the link I provided you would see that it's broken down by tax rate per bracket"

And I'm saying your tax brackets are misleading, too simplicitic, not representing how tax systems actually work - in otherwords, bull#%@ due to the many ways the rich and corporations use loops-holes, credits, deductions, 'legal' (and sometimes illegal) money-laundering schemes, etc. to evade paying the tax rates according to their said brackets.

For example, they make tax-deductible donations to colleges and universities in their neighborhoods which increases the value of property they own in the vicinity, or make tax-deductible donations to community improvement projects, and with foreknowledge of such projects purchase more property / businesses in the vicinity, in effect finding ways to profit from their tax-deductible 'donations'.  Corporations do the same thing, donating to colleges / or universities which teach the programs they want, and then get special priviliedges in recruiting new talent, etc.  the list goes on and on.

The system is designed with loop-holes to allow the rich to get richer with little or no risk or effort on their part, loop-holes to which the poor simply have no access.  Hell, the rich are the ones who designed the tax system - of course it is self-serving.

So what I am saying is that a reform of the tax-system is needed so as to have NO manipulable maze of deductions, credits, rebates, etc., nothing but an across-the-board proportioned tax system.

If we had that, taxes for the poor would be nil, middle-class negligible, upper-class significant.

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

Again Xeno, it is obvious you lack the ability to read. According to US News and world report as of 2008 the top 1% of US taxpayers pay 25% of the total income tax in this country. The brackets are averaged rates from people in those tax brackets. That includes deductions and exemptions. The actual data can be seen on irs.gov.

In terms of research grants and co-ops with universities. The upfront cost there is huge. It involves a massive investment into something that isn't guaranteed to produce results. Often times businesses go into projects with universities simply to lower operating costs on their end. These are usually not deductible since it's showing a profit. Corporations do not get special previsions for recruiting talent. Many times they have research or work/credit programs which can get ppl into a field. Many times they do this for high demand positions, the ppl who benefit this are the students of course. The student doesn't have to accept any offer for a full time job. This is a rick on the companies part, and they get little break from these programs.

It's obvious you've never been in the business world. Never owned a business or works with a business owner directly and seen what really on. You should practice that yourself, you will learn a lot and be able to see the world from a new perspective. It's easy to say things like:

"The system is designed with loop-holes to allow the rich to get richer with little or no risk or effort on their part, loop-holes to which the poor simply have no access.  Hell, the rich are the ones who designed the tax system - of course it is self-serving."

When you've never been wealthy of been involved with business owners or been an owner yourself. It's much harder to say that when you have. Perhaps you should push for reforms in your country to fix the flaws in the system there. But don't assume what works there will work everywhere.

And go read Marx and Lenin, inform yourself.

Furthermore I gave further proof that Marxism the ends of a means, and that your ideas reflect those set of ideals. Stop running away from arguments. It's getting tiresome that you keep running away when you know your wrong.

Fear not the Darkness, for without it there is no Light. Embrace the Light, for it brings forth Darkness. Embrace both, to embrace the gift of Life. ~Kai Master Creed
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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

Lizon,


I claim communism (in all of its practical forms) in practice is a means to an end.  You refer to your meaningless interpretation of marxist theory and claim it is an end in and of itself. You and I are talking about things in completely different ways.  You regurgitate and analyze taxonomies, categories, compartmentalized tidbits of meaningless and often misleading, questionable 'facts' you've foolishly swallowed pieced together from who knows where, whereas I seek to explain what I understand about the world and the way things work in actuality.

How do you know I haven't been involved / worked with business people?  How do you know I am not wealthy?  How do you know I haven't read marx, et al?

I'm sick and tired of your assumptive, insulting, accusatory, arrogant, ameri-centrist, assertion-riddled argument 'style' (or is it just your personality?),  We simply aren't connecting intellectually, and there really isn't any more point in responding to each other. 

You don't seem to understand one important thing:  It doesn't matter what marx said or wrote.  It is how it has been implemented by the people who interpreted and PRACTICED marx that defines marxism.

But go ahead, quote some marx to me that makes you feel that marx intended communism to be an end rather than a means.

Go head.

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

com

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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

"Assumptions are facts until given the evidence that proves them otherwise."

OMG

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

Wow... I'm going to agree with Xeno on that particular sentence.

If two contradicting assumptions are made, with no evidence supporting either one... which do we accept as correct?

Guessing there's a slight communication error there...

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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

"If two contradicting assumptions are made, with no evidence supporting either one... which do we accept as correct?"

which ever one you choose. that explains every difference in opinion everyone in the world has with each other.

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

> avogadro wrote:

> "If two contradicting assumptions are made, with no evidence supporting either one... which do we accept as correct?"

which ever one you choose. that explains every difference in opinion everyone in the world has with each other.



No, but Lizon said "an assumption is TRUE."  That is a statement of universal fact, similar to a court case ruling.  It's not just a stance on what is to be believed by one individual, but by the entirety of a community.

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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

> Chris_Balsz wrote:

> bomb iran into a nation of potato farmers?

Why do you want to advance them technologically?

"Oh Kent, anyone can make up statistics to support their point of view.  92% of people know that"

Homer Simpson

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

"No, but Lizon said "an assumption is TRUE."  That is a statement of universal fact,"

he said assumptions are true until..... so he is saying truth is dynamic; and can change depending on the facts present....

46 (edited by Lizon 09-Jul-2009 20:59:03)

Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

Yes Avo hit it on the head there. I made that statement to get Xeno to provide evidence to support his claims. He consistently refuses to provide evidence to support his opinions or to provide relevant counter points to evidence given opposing his opinions. I typically view things from a scientific PoV, in science one has to make assumptions and theories about how things work until provided further evidence so that those theories can be changed or modified. EVIDENCE is the key word here.

Zarf if we were to use the court case analogy. If the prosecution provides a lengthy and detailed argument for their case and the only counter argument the defense can make is "he didn't do it, the defense rests" then the defendant is going to jail 99% of the time.

To defend an argument you need to counter the prosecution's evidence, poke holes in it, provide your own evidence to support your PoV of how things went down and make a compelling case that you are right. Refusing to defend one's self might as well be an admission of guilt.

Fear not the Darkness, for without it there is no Light. Embrace the Light, for it brings forth Darkness. Embrace both, to embrace the gift of Life. ~Kai Master Creed
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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

> Lizon wrote:

> Yes Avo hit it on the head there. I made that statement to get Xeno to provide evidence to support his claims. He consistently refuses to provide evidence to support his opinions or to provide relevant counter points to evidence given opposing his opinions. I typically view things from a scientific PoV, in science one has to make assumptions and theories about how things work until provided further evidence so that those theories can be changed or modified. EVIDENCE is the key word here.

Zarf if we were to use the court case analogy. If the prosecution provides a lengthy and detailed argument for their case and the only counter argument the defense can make is "he didn't do it, the defense rests" then the defendant is going to jail 99% of the time.

To defend an argument you need to counter the prosecution's evidence, poke holes in it, provide your own evidence to support your PoV of how things went down and make a compelling case that you are right. Refusing to defend one's self might as well be an admission of guilt.



I like the court analogy, so we'll keep with that.

Yes, you're 100% right.  However, at that point, the prosecution isn't making an "assumption."  It's a truth claim.  There is no burden of proof for making an assumption, unlike the burden of proof the prosecution in a court would be held to.

In just the same way, if the prosecution's case were to be "he did it, the prosecution rests," and the defense were to say "nope, defense rests," what's the appropriate ruling?  The appropriate ruling would be in favor of the defense, because the prosecution is the one with the original burden of proving things.

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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

The thing is Zarf, posters other than myself have presented Xeno with ample amounts of evidence that contradict his opinions and flat out show that they are incorrect. And his only defense is to either say that they aren't true with no evidence proving otherwise or he doesn't defend himself at all. Thus the first example holds true in this particular case.

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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

Oops, I misread the context.  I thought you were only talking about the "he has never been in business" thing, which may or may not be true (in the end, neither you, me, nor anyone on the forum can prove that).  Continue!  tongue

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Re: Solution to socio-political-economic strife

That was prob my fault, I had stated:

"It's obvious you've never "

And I should have prob stated:

"It's obvious that you've probably never"

I'm usually pretty careful with how I word things.

Now if only Xeno would work himself up enough to provide a compelling counter argument to every point presented, with proper reference material. I wouldn't keep my hopes up on it.

Fear not the Darkness, for without it there is no Light. Embrace the Light, for it brings forth Darkness. Embrace both, to embrace the gift of Life. ~Kai Master Creed
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