If you are a U.S. citizen, imagine that when shares of Chinese companies became available in the U.S. that you managed to buy stocks in 20 Chinese companies. Five didn't do well and you sold them at a small loss, but 15 did quite well and a few are paying some nice dividends. Would you really care that much about the U.S. economy? The only thing about the U.S. economy you might care about is paying lower taxes.
This is precisely what many of the mega-rich are doing and thinking. As their investments become more global, they care less about investing in the U.S. Not just in stocks or expanding U.S. operations, but they could care even less about investing in U.S. infra-structure, including education.
They also complain about welfare, but they don't realize they are also on welfare. They complain about those who need assistance for food and shelter, but they ignore that they are getting assistance from the taxes paid by people in other countries. They don't need to pay for U.S. education because in China they can "hire 8,700 engineers in 15 days."
It is also amazing that many of them probably pay more in political contributions to support their agenda, including many diversionary tactics, than they would pay in taxes. And they are probably very happy to sow dissatisfaction among potential voters to further discourage voting.
For more on how the rich have subverted rational politics in the U.S., see "Why is the GOP Suddenly Turning Against College?", James Kwak, The Atlantic, 2012-02-12, via http://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-gop-suddenly-turning-against-145105656.html.
Showing posts with label anti-tax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anti-tax. Show all posts
Monday, March 12, 2012
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Teacher Performance, can it really be "measured"?
The Duluth News Tribune published my "Local View" with the title "Teacher Performance has always been variable". You can find it at http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/221673/
I wrote it in light of all the bashing of teachers that has been going on and of the notion that you can judge performance at the end of a school year. I really think teachers should be paid like insurance agents - instead of a cut of the ongoing premiums they get a cut of the income taxes their former students pay.
I wrote it in light of all the bashing of teachers that has been going on and of the notion that you can judge performance at the end of a school year. I really think teachers should be paid like insurance agents - instead of a cut of the ongoing premiums they get a cut of the income taxes their former students pay.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Why do we have "out-of-control" government spending?
One reason is our state of permanent war. Wars as envisioned by the bright minds of the Pentagon bureaucracy and the best Congress money can buy don't come cheap.
In 2009, The Washington Post reported that the war in Afghanistan was costing two billion dollars a month ("Obama Plans More Funding For Afghan War", Karen DeYoung, 2009-03-27http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/26/AR2009032602135.html). Gosh, if Afghanistan has a population of 28.4 million, that means the U.S. could just give every man, woman, and child in Afghanistan $70/month or $840/year. That's pretty damn good for a country with a gross national per capita income of $250/year (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/afghanistan_statistics.html).
Ironically, many of the deficit hawks are for a "strong defense", but against foreign aid and taxes.
A second reason is that we vote for Congressional candidates who will "bring home the bacon" to our districts. Alaska is home to a large number of anti-tax people, but Alaskans get more per capita in federal money than in any other state. Isn't bacon another form of pork?
Or maybe it is that not enough of us vote. If 25-40% of the registered (or eligible) voters don't bother to show up, we are going to have candidates elected by a plurality rather than a majority. And we are going to be left with candidates who either want to spend a gazillion on wars and pork or want to spend a gazillion on social programs and pork.
In 2009, The Washington Post reported that the war in Afghanistan was costing two billion dollars a month ("Obama Plans More Funding For Afghan War", Karen DeYoung, 2009-03-27http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/26/AR2009032602135.html). Gosh, if Afghanistan has a population of 28.4 million, that means the U.S. could just give every man, woman, and child in Afghanistan $70/month or $840/year. That's pretty damn good for a country with a gross national per capita income of $250/year (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/afghanistan_statistics.html).
Ironically, many of the deficit hawks are for a "strong defense", but against foreign aid and taxes.
A second reason is that we vote for Congressional candidates who will "bring home the bacon" to our districts. Alaska is home to a large number of anti-tax people, but Alaskans get more per capita in federal money than in any other state. Isn't bacon another form of pork?
Or maybe it is that not enough of us vote. If 25-40% of the registered (or eligible) voters don't bother to show up, we are going to have candidates elected by a plurality rather than a majority. And we are going to be left with candidates who either want to spend a gazillion on wars and pork or want to spend a gazillion on social programs and pork.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Benefits day is coming!
Yep, Tax Day is coming. That is the day in April when our income tax filing is due, as well as any money due. Then there is also "Tax Freedom Day", the day supposedly when the average person has earned enough money to pay all the taxes he or she owes for the year. See also
"The 'Tax Freedom Day' Trick", Dave Johnson, Huffington Post, 2009-01-13. After "Tax Freedom Day", the average person supposedly can enjoy the benefits of his or her work.
What the "Tax Freedom Day" people don't want you to think about is all the benefits you get from government. They want you to think only about the "frivolous" things that government does with your taxes. Of course, they don't mention the "frivolous" things large corporations do with the money you paid for their goods and services, or the money they could have given you in your pay.
We should also celebrate "Benefits Day", the last day of the year, a time when we can look back at all the benefits we have received from government, from corporations, and from individuals. When they all work together for the common good, we all have a better life.
"The 'Tax Freedom Day' Trick", Dave Johnson, Huffington Post, 2009-01-13. After "Tax Freedom Day", the average person supposedly can enjoy the benefits of his or her work.
What the "Tax Freedom Day" people don't want you to think about is all the benefits you get from government. They want you to think only about the "frivolous" things that government does with your taxes. Of course, they don't mention the "frivolous" things large corporations do with the money you paid for their goods and services, or the money they could have given you in your pay.
We should also celebrate "Benefits Day", the last day of the year, a time when we can look back at all the benefits we have received from government, from corporations, and from individuals. When they all work together for the common good, we all have a better life.
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