Comments on: The Poor Get Richer http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html where orders emerge Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:36:41 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75918 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 02:11:53 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75918 Amen! Amen!

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75919 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 02:10:34 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75919 After the tax cuts were enacted, gross tax receipts skyrocketed, setting a record in 2006. Let me translate for you. In 2006, Uncle Sam collected more money than ever, in the history of the United State, since Day 1. The problem is that it also spent much more on those very same alleged "safety nets" that are actually going broke and sending us to the poor house. Tax policy has a HUGE affect on business activity (yes, some level of taxation is necessary), but a growing welfare state is proven to be the road to national bankruptcy. Period. After the tax cuts were enacted, gross tax receipts skyrocketed, setting a record in 2006. Let me translate for you. In 2006, Uncle Sam collected more money than ever, in the history of the United State, since Day 1. The problem is that it also spent much more on those very same alleged “safety nets” that are actually going broke and sending us to the poor house. Tax policy has a HUGE affect on business activity (yes, some level of taxation is necessary), but a growing welfare state is proven to be the road to national bankruptcy. Period.

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75920 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 02:05:45 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75920 That's exactly right. Anyone that thinks the U.S. has recently practiced libertarianism is either dishonest, blind, or purely a fool. The phrase "compassionate conservatism" is nothing more than liberalism hiding behind a conservative persona. A Libertarian would not have introduced the (until now) largest entitlement program since the Raw Deal of the 1930s, the Prescription Drug Program. And no Libertarian would have gone a full first term without vetoing a single spending bill. The 2000s were a lot of things, but Libertarian isn't one of them. That's exactly right. Anyone that thinks the U.S. has recently practiced libertarianism is either dishonest, blind, or purely a fool. The phrase “compassionate conservatism” is nothing more than liberalism hiding behind a conservative persona. A Libertarian would not have introduced the (until now) largest entitlement program since the Raw Deal of the 1930s, the Prescription Drug Program. And no Libertarian would have gone a full first term without vetoing a single spending bill. The 2000s were a lot of things, but Libertarian isn't one of them.

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75917 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:59:20 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75917 By inequitable, I assume you are talking about equality of outcome vice equality of opportunity. And therein lies the rub....redistribution of wealth is by definition is itself inequitable because it falsely rewards those that don't provide equal inputs. Simple as that. By inequitable, I assume you are talking about equality of outcome vice equality of opportunity. And therein lies the rub….redistribution of wealth is by definition is itself inequitable because it falsely rewards those that don't provide equal inputs. Simple as that.

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75916 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:55:56 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75916 I think you don't think. Inane is about right, in this case. I think you don't think. Inane is about right, in this case.

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75921 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:54:24 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75921 Once again....it promotes liberty and efficiency through the direct reward of individual effort. It's not a difficult concept. On the flip side, how can you possibly make the case that a group of government bureaucrats can POSSIBLY make better decisions than the collective opinions of the public? Answer: you can't. Throughout history, there has NEVER been a successful centrally planned economy. Ever. Why would you want to keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again? Once again….it promotes liberty and efficiency through the direct reward of individual effort. It's not a difficult concept. On the flip side, how can you possibly make the case that a group of government bureaucrats can POSSIBLY make better decisions than the collective opinions of the public? Answer: you can't. Throughout history, there has NEVER been a successful centrally planned economy. Ever. Why would you want to keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again?

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75915 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:49:37 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75915 Do you actually know any of these people personally on this board? I hope so, because you spend so much time attacking their personal traits that you must be intimately familiar with them. Please tell me that you do. Otherwise, the casual observer might be tempted to see that your arguments are so weak that they can only be defended through the use of ad hominem attacks on others. OK, so which is it? Do you actually know any of these people personally on this board? I hope so, because you spend so much time attacking their personal traits that you must be intimately familiar with them. Please tell me that you do. Otherwise, the casual observer might be tempted to see that your arguments are so weak that they can only be defended through the use of ad hominem attacks on others. OK, so which is it?

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75912 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:39:27 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75912 Do you realize that the top 5% of all wage earners pay almost 40% of all taxes? Does that not make your jaw drop? The progressive income tax is straight out of the "fertile mind" of Karl Marx. I would much rather have a flat tax of around 20% for everyone than this abortion of a tax code that we currently have. Every citizen MUST have some skin in the game. Otherwise, every loser in town will vote for the bureaucrat that promises the most freebies. We're seeing that play out before our very eyes. Do you realize that the top 5% of all wage earners pay almost 40% of all taxes? Does that not make your jaw drop? The progressive income tax is straight out of the “fertile mind” of Karl Marx. I would much rather have a flat tax of around 20% for everyone than this abortion of a tax code that we currently have. Every citizen MUST have some skin in the game. Otherwise, every loser in town will vote for the bureaucrat that promises the most freebies. We're seeing that play out before our very eyes.

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75911 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:33:38 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75911 OK! I see where you've wandered off the beaten path. You believe that libertarianism means NO government vice minimal government. That's not what anyone here is saying. Government's only function is to prevent anarchy. Why would it be so hard to open a business under that scenario? Answer: it wouldn't. All government has to do is to keep this guy's shop from getting robbed or destroyed. Otherwise, it lets the chips fall where they may. As for Somalia, there actually IS a government, a very CORRUPT one that is as likely to loot a business as any pirate yet is too weak to perform its one and only function...maintaining order. OK! I see where you've wandered off the beaten path. You believe that libertarianism means NO government vice minimal government. That's not what anyone here is saying. Government's only function is to prevent anarchy. Why would it be so hard to open a business under that scenario? Answer: it wouldn't. All government has to do is to keep this guy's shop from getting robbed or destroyed. Otherwise, it lets the chips fall where they may. As for Somalia, there actually IS a government, a very CORRUPT one that is as likely to loot a business as any pirate yet is too weak to perform its one and only function…maintaining order.

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75913 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:26:40 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75913 OK, take your own advice by getting this through your own thick head. There are winners and there are losers in EVERY system. However, there is only one system in which those that deserve to win actually DO. That is, they system that rewards effort and ingenuity vice sloth. If I have to point out which system that is, then there is absolutely no hope for you. If you want to fall back on the leftist catch-all of social or economic "justice", you will be in further danger of losing the high ground because there is no way to logically argue that it's moral to forcibly confiscate the fruits of one's labor and give to another that did not participate in kind. The fatal flaw of Socialism is that it completely ignores human nature by distorting or outright removing incentives. It's really not so complicated. OK, take your own advice by getting this through your own thick head. There are winners and there are losers in EVERY system. However, there is only one system in which those that deserve to win actually DO. That is, they system that rewards effort and ingenuity vice sloth. If I have to point out which system that is, then there is absolutely no hope for you. If you want to fall back on the leftist catch-all of social or economic “justice”, you will be in further danger of losing the high ground because there is no way to logically argue that it's moral to forcibly confiscate the fruits of one's labor and give to another that did not participate in kind. The fatal flaw of Socialism is that it completely ignores human nature by distorting or outright removing incentives. It's really not so complicated.

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75914 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:18:34 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75914 Excellent rebuttal. Excellent rebuttal.

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75910 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:12:20 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75910 Because we deregulated the economy (somewhat). Because we deregulated the economy (somewhat).

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75908 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:10:46 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75908 A lovely series of irrelevant charts and non-sequiturs. Keep trying, though. You might actually be able to make a point sometime. A lovely series of irrelevant charts and non-sequiturs. Keep trying, though. You might actually be able to make a point sometime.

]]> By: Robert http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-75909 Robert Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:08:51 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-75909 What the lefties don't want you to know is that their social engineering is responsible for the current mess. Threaten lenders with legal action if they don't boost lending levels to subprime borrowers....yeah, that's the ticket! Get that home ownership rate up to give the illusion of "fairness", that way we can take credit for it without having to take the blame for the subsequent foreclosures that are inevitable. Then, we surely cant' let the "crisis" go to waste. We can get out of debt by tripling down on the debt, all in the name of "saving" the economy. Yeah, that IS the ticket! Oh boy! My very own slush fund for every Marxist-Socialist program we can think of. I'm so excited, I almost wet myself. What the lefties don't want you to know is that their social engineering is responsible for the current mess. Threaten lenders with legal action if they don't boost lending levels to subprime borrowers….yeah, that's the ticket! Get that home ownership rate up to give the illusion of “fairness”, that way we can take credit for it without having to take the blame for the subsequent foreclosures that are inevitable. Then, we surely cant' let the “crisis” go to waste. We can get out of debt by tripling down on the debt, all in the name of “saving” the economy. Yeah, that IS the ticket! Oh boy! My very own slush fund for every Marxist-Socialist program we can think of. I'm so excited, I almost wet myself.

]]> By: JohnK http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-72410 JohnK Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:35:25 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-72410 The reason why there are no libertarian societies is because there are always those who want to use force upon others, and there are fools like you who support them. The reason why there are no libertarian societies is because there are always those who want to use force upon others, and there are fools like you who support them.

]]> By: JohnK http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-72211 JohnK Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:35:25 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-72211 The reason why there are no libertarian societies is because there are always those who want to use force upon others, and there are fools like you who support them. The reason why there are no libertarian societies is because there are always those who want to use force upon others, and there are fools like you who support them.

]]> By: Methinks1776 http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-72188 Methinks1776 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:14:17 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-72188 The answer to your rhetorical question is "no". Worse, he doesn't have a clear idea of what his own views are and he's incapable of understanding either himself or anyone else - let alone changing anything.<br><br>The answer to your your last question is that one way to pass the time while digesting an enormous Thanksgiving feast is to place a small laptop on your distended belly and toy with the village idiot. The answer to your rhetorical question is “no”. Worse, he doesn't have a clear idea of what his own views are and he's incapable of understanding either himself or anyone else – let alone changing anything.

The answer to your your last question is that one way to pass the time while digesting an enormous Thanksgiving feast is to place a small laptop on your distended belly and toy with the village idiot.

]]> By: Methinks1776 http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-72052 Methinks1776 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:14:17 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-72052 The answer to your rhetorical question is "no". Worse, he doesn't have a clear idea of what his own views are and he's incapable of understanding either himself or anyone else - let alone changing anything.<br><br>The answer to your your last question is that one way to pass the time while digesting an enormous Thanksgiving feast is to place a small laptop on your distended belly and toy with the village idiot. The answer to your rhetorical question is “no”. Worse, he doesn't have a clear idea of what his own views are and he's incapable of understanding either himself or anyone else – let alone changing anything.

The answer to your your last question is that one way to pass the time while digesting an enormous Thanksgiving feast is to place a small laptop on your distended belly and toy with the village idiot.

]]> By: JB_Shotworth http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-72025 JB_Shotworth Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:29:28 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-72025 muirgeo: The only way to win is not to play. muirgeo: The only way to win is not to play.

]]> By: johndewey http://cafehayek.com/2009/11/the-poor-get-richer.html/comment-page-2#comment-72023 johndewey Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:22:50 +0000 http://cafehayek.com/?p=7433#comment-72023 Why do you guys so often allow muirgeo to become the center of attention at Cafe Hayek? Is there any possibility that his perception will ever be changed? Is there any possibility that he will ever change your views? So what's the point? Why do you guys so often allow muirgeo to become the center of attention at Cafe Hayek? Is there any possibility that his perception will ever be changed? Is there any possibility that he will ever change your views? So what's the point?

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