Thursday February 16, 2012

TheQuestion's past comments

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    TheQuestion

    Protests against Wall Street spread across the country Monday as demonstrators marched on Federal Reserve banks and camped out in parks from Los Angeles to Portland, Maine, in a show of anger over the wobbly economy and what they see as corporate greed.

    Greed? No, you want me to be greedy. When I'm greedy I plan on long term wealth generation, not short term surpluses that are going to hurt me a couple quarters down the road. But right now these petty little short-term gains are the only things I can count on, and even those are going to lose some of their luster if/when the capital gains rate goes back up at the end of next year. I've checked books on three continents, for most of my professional life I could count on at least two of those continents not actively trying to kill me with unrest. Now...

    You know what? I've got an offer for the U.S (the EU can listen too I guess). Balance the budget, ensure entitlements can function for the time being, pull all ground troops from combat zones, let interest rates get up to where they're supposed to be, and quit giving these idiot bankers money. Congress can go home, the president can go meet some foreign leaders and have fun with his dog, and the news can run some sappy fluff stories. No stimulus, no bailouts, no tax breaks, no lobbying, and no radical monetary policy. Just shut up, and go home to your spouses for about a while and let businesses go about their duties. If things aren't better by the end of two years I will personally march my giant cuban self into the Department of the Treasury and hand over every last cent I've got.

    It would be worth it just to see what happens. If I'm wrong they can go back to fighting and maybe use my experiment to engineer a much better system. If I'm write I guess a Nobel prize wouldn't be so bad, men have won for less.

    Ok, I guess that last bit was uncalled for...

    But I'll keep a space on the mantle clear just in case.

    Posted in: Anti-Wall Street protests spread nationwide

  • 2

    TheQuestion

    Well now. Apparently I'm just a quality world citizen then. When I smoke in my state I support the childrens healthcare fund through the tax I pay and when I'm in Japan I can help them out too, it's like I'm doing a little public service with every puff.

    But seriously these taxes do very little to impact consumption. I smoke my cigars because I like them, they help me relax after a long day of reviewing and shouting. Give me my tobacco, you can keep the lecture.

    Posted in: What do you think about the government's plan to raise the tobacco tax?

  • 0

    TheQuestion

    Huh, I didn't even know they still had those things, guess I never thought to look. Cigars are more convenient anyway.

    Posted in: Cigarette vending machines banned in England

  • -2

    TheQuestion

    Bah, the fighting rings in the south are better anyway. Barcelona is expensive and there were always protesters whenever I went, the rings in the Andalusia area are more festive and there’s no activists to wade through.

    Posted in: Spain's Catalonia bids farewell to bullfighting

  • 0

    TheQuestion

    So, did you donate anything to his latest Money Bomb?

    Nope, nor have I ever donated to any political candidate. RP's chance of getting the Republican nomination are slim to nill, but he still deserves some credit for the level of support he has accumulated in the primary. But instead of giving him the media time he deserves news outlets seem to be more interested in giving screen time to Bachmann and Santorum.

    If by some miracle Paul did win the primary I might actually break my life long voting trend and cast my ballot for him, Not likely though.

    Posted in: Romney, Perry go after each other in GOP debate

  • 0

    TheQuestion

    Rather accurate take on Ron Paul's influence within the RP:

    The comments section of your link says everything that I was going to.

    Posted in: Romney, Perry go after each other in GOP debate

  • 1

    TheQuestion

    I'd like to see media outlets at least pretend to be interested in Ron Paul. He won the California and New Hampshire straw poll and only lost the Iowa poll by less than 1%, he's been raising funds like crazy, and he's got the most consistent voting record in congress. Admittedly he's kind of old and doesn't look particularly presidential but at least it would be a change of pace. I'm not saying he should be painted as our deliverance from woe but at least give him a little credit.

    As it stands I'll probably end up voting for the libertarian party or some write in like I do every year. It gets tiresome voting for republicrats, I've given up trying to tell them apart.

    Posted in: Romney, Perry go after each other in GOP debate

  • 1

    TheQuestion

    If you are a member of the UN, you sit and you listen when others talk. It should be a requirement. Nobody says you have to agree or like it. Just sit there and be respectful to the nut...erm, I mean president of Iran.

    Thats like saying that if I'm sitting in a conference room with my counterparts and one of them decides to use his speaking time to do nothing but insult me I'm obligated to listen. The U.N is supposed to be a forum in which the nations of the world can resolve differences without resorting to armed conflict or, you know, something useful like that. Not only does it fail in that capacity but it also serves as a fantastic soapbox upon which just about anybody can rant on these days, he doesn't even really need a point.

    In other words Iran is saying the UN should no longer have a security council which can veto the majority of the world's population, the way the US is preventing Palestine from becoming a member.

    At this point I can see Sealand becoming a member state before Palestine. All things considered Sealand is a model small country; peaceful population, thriving economy, lovely view, and an excellent place to tie your boat to for the night. Maybe His Royal Highness Prince Regent Michael could teach Abbas a thing or two about peaceful perseverance.

    Posted in: U.S. walks out as Iran delivers anti-U.S. speech at U.N.

  • -5

    TheQuestion

    I've been on the receiving end of an accusation. I thankfully had intelligent people investigating that did an impartial job and saw through the allegations.

    Depends on the context you're talking about. If we're talking about finding yourself being treated to the hospitality of a holding cell in Nagoya because apparently I looked like some other 6'7 Hispanic guy that skipped out on his bill and was treated to the pleasure of several hours of repetitive interviews after which I still ended up having to pay my own bill after being released, even though I didn't even get to finish my food...I write that off as an inconvenience. (It was a some place near the Aoki HQ building, something about a desert they make. The foods overpriced anyway, best to avoid FYI)

    The man was tried and convicted and his appeal failed. I don't see any injustice considering the array of tools that the attorneys have at their disposal.

    Posted in: Troy Davis executed in Georgia amid international outcry

  • 1

    TheQuestion

    It's stuff like this that lends credence to my assertion that the U.N is quite possibly the largest, most expensive circus ever known to man. Between Gaddafi's four hour irrational rants (thank goodness I don't have to listen to one of those again) and the annual aimless tangent from the good folks of Iran it's gotten to the point where it isn't even entertaining to watch anymore.

    UN headquarters should be converted to a hockey stadium.

    Sound plan. Finally, something important can happen in that spot.

    Posted in: U.S. walks out as Iran delivers anti-U.S. speech at U.N.

  • 0

    TheQuestion

    The courts found him guilty and his appeal was rejected. The process was conducted in a legal and orderly fashion.

    If only they had been on the receiving end of an injustice perhaps they'd think twice about their armchair verdicts, but then again that would involve thinking.

    You assume being on the receiving end of injustice and compassion for a criminal goes hand in hand. It doesn't.

    Posted in: Troy Davis executed in Georgia amid international outcry

  • 0

    TheQuestion

    Well, right now the bottom 50% are exempt from income taxes.

    So those that receive the most benefit pay the least and those that pay the most receive the least. You'd make a terrible business man.

    My assumption is that the flat tax you'd favor affects them too - that's how it would create more economic uncertainty.

    Oh, it would be certain. The way I see it if you're an citizen you pay x% of your earnings and you're good. That should apply to everybody.

    By the way, corporations enjoy some of the lowest tax rates in history, and the top companies are raking in historic amounts of money while still laying off hundreds of thousands.

    I don't believe in corporate taxation. For starters it makes my job harder, and double taxation is terribly annoying. The governments of the U.S and Europe have clearly demonstrated they can't balance a budget on their own, I fail to see why they should be able ratchet up taxes to cover their failures. A flat tax would force them to operate within the confines of a defined budget you know....like what sane people are supposed to do.

    Posted in: Obama: Rich must pay fair share of deficit cuts

  • 0

    TheQuestion

    bottom 50% would be forced even further into economic uncertainty and would be forced to tighten their belts even more, and since the middle and lower class are the people who actually buy anything, the economy would pretty much grind to a halt.

    How exactly does a solid, set in stone flat tax rate create uncertainty? Frankly it would be nice to know that I'm going to be paying the same rate twenty years from now that I am today, I could budget better, and it would certainly help me on my tax preparation and financial planning.

    People should tighten their belts, they should save and make sound investments in mutual funds and other easily managed plans. They should rent and save until they can actually afford houses, they shouldn't rely on credit cards, they should budget and prioritize expenses, they should shop around for affordable insurance (because despite the rhetoric it's fairly easy to obtain at any income level), and behave responsibly.

    The bottom line is, the economy is in shambles now because no one has any money; there's no demand for anything.

    Contrary to popular belief tax cuts and government spending do not stimulate tangible long term growth. Despite the excessive spending and relief programs in the U.S and Europe things have only gotten worse because nobody has any idea what's going on. A flat tax coupled with a hands-off economic policy and reasonable safety net with rational limits is what's necessary right now. We need actual sustainable growth, not temporary artificial market manipulations.

    The rich sit on their money,

    I would too. Between the inconsistent policies, insane regulations, and lack of long term certainty I would stick my money in something to keep a step ahead of inflation and see what happens. It's their money after all.

    it's the middle and lower classes that actually spend. If they don't have the cash to buy a few luxuries once in a while, the economy will stay as it is.

    Fine. We wait, we save, we rethink our priorities, and we chart a new path. We need real growth, not another series of bubbles.

    Posted in: Obama: Rich must pay fair share of deficit cuts

  • 0

    TheQuestion

    I think in your GE example, you're describing the work of lobbyists, who typically represent private interests.

    To a certain extent but it all boils down to the politician looking good to their voter base. A representative with a constituency of lower income people will likely vote for wealth redistribution measures such as higher taxes on those with more perceived wealth regardless of whether the measure is constitutional or even fiscally sound because his voting bloc tells him to.

    Closing tax loopholes, forcing government and politicians to disclose who pays them, and enervating lobbyist power would force government and corporations alike to allocate money more responsibly.

    I always feel the need to point this out, there is no such thing as a tax loop hole. The government offers tax credits based on certain activities that the government declares to be 'good' such as mortgage interest deduction (the government wants you to own a home), itemized healthcare expense deductions (the government wants you to have insurance and pay for medical expenses), and a variety of credits for businesses that encourage certain practices and discourage others. Some of these make a certain degree of sense but many of them scream 'moral police state' almost as loudly as the 'sin tax' on alcohol and tobacco. But I digress.

    I don't believe raising taxes on anybody is sound fiscal policy. I advocate using a flat tax model because it puts government spending in a neat little box and forces them to work within its confines. I fail to see why any taxpayer should be subject to the changing whims of a political body that can't keep its own house in order. It does very little good and it makes for an incredibly uncertain business environment which everybody seems to agree is the driving factor behind the recent volatility in both the stock market and within small businesses. Uncertainty is a silent killer in any economy.

    Posted in: Obama: Rich must pay fair share of deficit cuts

  • 0

    TheQuestion

    You make a point, but that doesn't change the fact that innovation is still driven in large part by public money. You can't just flip the switch on that and expect investors to fill the gap.

    While public investments are significant, those areas in which the public invests tend to have the lowest returns and produce the least impact in the quality of life. It's a cliché but public investment is the sledgehammer to private investments scalpel, unfortunately western economies have been beaten half to death already and now there's more scar tissue than actual healing going on. I'm not doctor but I'd say it's time to put the hammer away...unless you want to put the poor thing out of it's misery.

    Even if that were possible, it's also ludicrous to think that people would stop investing just because of higher tax rates on the rich.

    Stop? No, I never said anything like that. It does make the model significantly more inefficient however. Private investments are made with certain expectations of reasonable return proportionate to the risk involved. Projects involving public donations rarely have those expectations and are routinely over budget and the end product suffers from underperformance. GE's turbine engine is case in point. The U.S government already has an engine for the new fighter jets it's making but is spending billions (that’s billions with a B) on two other engine models that are still in the testing stage and have already proven to offer less performance than the engine they've settled on.

    Posted in: Obama: Rich must pay fair share of deficit cuts

  • -1

    TheQuestion

    So where do all those research universities that drive much of American innovation get their money from?

    Public funding for anything has been largely selective and, in many cases, ineffectual. Government funded programs normally take the form of pet projects that appeal to a politicians voter base and not the economic or social realities of the world they exist in. They do it so they can point at whatever they paid for and say, "Look what I did, that's what our party is about" The recent flop of the solar panel company that the current administration touted is one example, Bush had his, and Clinton before him. None of the projects are particularly viable because the government doesn't care about viability of a product, they want bragging rights.

    The result is a solar company wasting government money, GE making turbine engines we never plan on using, and electric dams that do more harm than good. Investors make good and bad decisions, the difference is that when an investor makes a bad decision he only wastes his own money. If a politician makes a bad investment he's wasted YOUR money.

    And a general rule of thumb, if nobody else wants to invest in it. You aren't obligated to do so in their stead. Some ideas are underfunded because of a lack of publicity, which is a shame, but some projects are underfunded because they are fundamentally bad investments. Governments have a hard time distinguishing between the two.

    Posted in: Obama: Rich must pay fair share of deficit cuts

  • -2

    TheQuestion

    You seem to be confusing investors with inventors. There is some overlap, but not that much.

    The right hand washes the left. If there are no investors the inventors lack the supplies and capital needed to produce their inventions. If there are no new inventions then investors lack the competitive edge to attain greater access to material and capital. Plus, without investors to promote and produce the inventions how would they reach the consumers?

    Posted in: Obama: Rich must pay fair share of deficit cuts

  • -1

    TheQuestion

    Heck, I've been saying everybody should pay their fair share for years. Flat tax, boom. You can cut a few failed departments while you're at it. Drop the Department of Education, split Homeland Security back into customs and immigration, reduce the burden on energy producers, remove troops from Iraq and Afghanistan but leave a few drone bases, raise the SS age to 70, put a reasonable lifetime cap on aid programs, offer opt outs to federal assistance programs, and sell off money wasting programs like Amtrak so that private investors can either re-vamp it or sell it for scrap.

    Most countries in the world have higher personal taxes than the US and the people are happier.

    That has more to do with the culture in which they live in and less to do with their systems of taxation and economics. There are several third world countries that are far happier than the average American, you tend to find that homogenous countries like Sweden and Norway have been consistently happier than Americans even when taxation and services were comparable earlier in this century.

    BTW, did you know that most CEOs have the profile of a psychopath

    So instead of making townsfolk 'disappear' around parks and forests they instead focus on making money, I fail to see how that's a problem especially when they employ thousands of people. I worked for a regional director with schizophrenia but he knew what he was doing, but then I judge people by actions rather than perceptions.

    For centuries business men were looked on as evil and even in the US since it went against christian teachings.

    Ah yes, promoting industry, revolutionizing modern living, pioneering virtually all of the medical technologies we have today, providing employment, and getting human being from horses to self-parking cars in a mere century...they truly are fiends.

    Posted in: Obama: Rich must pay fair share of deficit cuts

  • 1

    TheQuestion

    This is going to be a tricky game to play. The U.S at least has the assurance of having large private holdings in the Chinese economy to counterbalance the vast amounts of U.S debt that China holds due to years of cool handed negotiations. Chinese and U.S businessmen and politicians see their respective countries as rivals and rarely as friends.

    My only advice is to try and solve your debt problems on your own and only use Chinese investments as a last resort, they are not your friends and neither are they an unlimited funding trough and there is a price for the help they provide and it won't be fun to pay down the road. The Republi/crats didn't figure that out until it was too late.

    Posted in: China charms Europe, but Beijing has own agenda

  • 0

    TheQuestion

    Recognition without a standing peace agreement is pointless. This is going to make more problems and won't solve any. Even if they did become a recognized nation Hamas can't very well represent them so it would fall to some other person under the control of Hamas, turning the UN into even more of an ineffectual clown court than it already is.

    A UN membership and other international bodies for the Palestinians will bring a bigger responsibility on their part. Wake-up call?

    Long shot, but who knows?

    Only if you think most American Jews vote the same RossBardJapan. The wealthy Jews already vote conservative.

    Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 3 to 1 in the district, which has not been represented by the GOP since 1923. Before this special election the odds of seeing any kind of 'conservative' in that spot would be about as likely as Texas electing Ingrid Newkirk as governor.

    And if you look at the numbers the Jewish population in the U.S vote overwhelmingly for Democrats so I'm not sure where you're getting your facts from.

    Posted in: Defying U.S., Palestinians press forward with U.N. bid

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