I Hate America. What's it Like in Canada?

Off Topic Politics & World Issues
61

[quote]Sloth wrote:
Zap Branigan wrote:
Sloth wrote:
How about do away with all the taxes on business and income? Raise needed revenue through a tarriff.

Trade wars with the rest of the world isn’t going to help matters.

Oh, I’m not talking about targeted tariffs, that respond to what other nations are doing concerning our product, I’m talking about a flat, general, and ‘blind’ tariff. Not a protectionist tariff. Strictly meant to generate tax revenue. Look, the thing is, all taxes will have some effect on the economy, prices, and etc. So why not rely on a tariff and not, say, an income tax?

What’s the point of using a relying so heavily on a tax system that drives up domestic cost?[/quote]

It would have the same effect in sparking trade wars.

62

[quote]Sloth wrote:

I’m pretty sure he’s pushing a consumption tax. Which, I’m afraid will lead to us having a consumption and an income tax down the road. I was thinking more along the lines of gutting spending, doing away with the income tax, and rely on tariffs, and to a lesser degree excise taxes.[/quote]

He is, but he also wants to abolish federal income tax, which is good.

63

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:

It would have the same effect in sparking trade wars.[/quote]

Not only that, it would give foreign economies control of our own.

64

[quote]beebuddy wrote:
rainjack wrote:
beebuddy wrote:
Zap Branigan wrote:

Changes are coming. The only constant in life is change but I cannot believe you are proposing seizing land and forcing people to become small farmers.

People have been fleeing farming for generations!

Land redistribution doesn’t need to look like what Chavez is doing. It can be done fairly. Anyway, it’s just one idea. The point is that low-end service jobs aren’t satisfying to the ego or the pocketbook and are becoming increasingly the ONLY option available for many people.

How does one “fairly” take land from a rightful, legal land owner and give it to someone else?

Horrible idea. Absolutely horrible.

Read all of the posts. Your question has already been addressed twice. I’m not talking about theft, it’s called creating incentives. [/quote]

It may have been addressed, but not answered. Call it what you want, but “redistribution” of anything is theft. I know I won’t give an acre of my land away under any circumstance that even remotley approaches these “incentives” you are talking about.

65

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
Sloth wrote:
Zap Branigan wrote:
Sloth wrote:
How about do away with all the taxes on business and income? Raise needed revenue through a tarriff.

Trade wars with the rest of the world isn’t going to help matters.

Oh, I’m not talking about targeted tariffs, that respond to what other nations are doing concerning our product, I’m talking about a flat, general, and ‘blind’ tariff. Not a protectionist tariff. Strictly meant to generate tax revenue. Look, the thing is, all taxes will have some effect on the economy, prices, and etc. So why not rely on a tariff and not, say, an income tax?

What’s the point of using a relying so heavily on a tax system that drives up domestic cost?

It would have the same effect in sparking trade wars.[/quote]

A trading war would mean that we’d levy tariffs in response to another country’s actions. We wouldn’t. Our tariff would only be used to collect revenue. Again, I’m not talking about targeting countries for a higher tariff on their goods. Let’s not forget that income and corporate taxes have their own negative effects.

66

[quote]beebuddy wrote:
Sloth wrote:

I’m pretty sure he’s pushing a consumption tax. Which, I’m afraid will lead to us having a consumption and an income tax down the road. I was thinking more along the lines of gutting spending, doing away with the income tax, and rely on tariffs, and to a lesser degree excise taxes.

He is, but he also wants to abolish federal income tax, which is good.[/quote]

Sure, until the first war, at which point some president and congress will call for a “war tax” on income for extra revenue. And then it’ll be around long after the war.

67

[quote]BALBO wrote:
smatsushima1 wrote:
I’m starting to hate America for its selfish greed and its overwhelming obsession about money. My dad is one year away from losing his job because his company is selling the mainframe computer to India and are absolutely not letting anyone know about it the managers aren’t saying one thing to their employees because they only want their job to be safe and no one else. I really don’t like where this nation is heading in terms of its economy, which I guess fuels everything.

So how is life in Canada? How much different is it? Weather, economy, job growth, education, etc. Cost of living especially. High or low?

If you dont like it there,leave.No need to cry and whine on the internet like a softest pussy.[/quote]

Balbo!! Missed you, bro!!

Anyway, Balbo is spot on!! Grow a pair, kid…the world is a brutal winner-take-all hyena feast. Love it or leave.

68

[quote]beebuddy wrote:
Although I live in DC presently, I am not exactly “city folk” big guy. We still own hundreds of acres in Denny Hastert’s district in Illinois and I grew up on farms and in the city.[/quote]

You evidently haven’t run your ideas by anyone living on a farm. No one will give up there land, or go back to farming with two-row equipment, or driving a mule for that matter.

Vineyards are not the same as farms. They grow a niche product for a niche market. You are talking about redoing the way commodities are produced. Huge difference. I don’t care where you have lived. You know nothing about the farming mentality. Your arrogance toward food production is insulting. It is not a low brow industry any more. You want to turn a highly scientific field into a fucking half-way house for idiots too stupid to get a job. They will be just as unemployed under your theory as they will right now.

Wrong yet again. EVERYONE NEEDS stuff from farms. If it were not for the american farmer - you would not have eaten today. Want has fuck to do with agriculture as a function of producing commodities. The entire nation cannot depend on inefficient niche farmers.

Anyhow - you leave out the fact that since man first figured out how to cover seeds with dirt he has been searching for ways to become more efficient. To grow more, and better stuff for the cheapest input possible. Your nirvana would last about one growing season before a farmer some where gained a competitive advantage.

Please stop talking about farming. It is obvious you have no damn clue. Again - just stop.

69

[quote]Sloth wrote:
Zap Branigan wrote:
Sloth wrote:
Zap Branigan wrote:
Sloth wrote:
How about do away with all the taxes on business and income? Raise needed revenue through a tarriff.

Trade wars with the rest of the world isn’t going to help matters.

Oh, I’m not talking about targeted tariffs, that respond to what other nations are doing concerning our product, I’m talking about a flat, general, and ‘blind’ tariff. Not a protectionist tariff. Strictly meant to generate tax revenue. Look, the thing is, all taxes will have some effect on the economy, prices, and etc. So why not rely on a tariff and not, say, an income tax?

What’s the point of using a relying so heavily on a tax system that drives up domestic cost?

It would have the same effect in sparking trade wars.

A trading war would mean that we’d levy tariffs in response to another country’s actions. We wouldn’t. Our tariff would only be used to collect revenue. Again, I’m not talking about targeting countries for a higher tariff on their goods. Let’s not forget that income and corporate taxes have their own negative effects.[/quote]

And other countries would raise tariffs on US goods in response. There is no doubt a trade war would erupt and it would be with man countries. It would be a disaster.

70

If high paying jobs are exported, then how will we be able to afford all the imports?

71

Farming, from a city boy’s perspective, appears to be a much more thinking-intensive activity than 60 years ago. At the very least, it takes mechanical inclination to fix tractors and such - something apartment dwelling city folk lack.

72

[quote]rainjack wrote:
beebuddy wrote:
Although I live in DC presently, I am not exactly “city folk” big guy. We still own hundreds of acres in Denny Hastert’s district in Illinois and I grew up on farms and in the city.

You evidently haven’t run your ideas by anyone living on a farm. No one will give up there land, or go back to farming with two-row equipment, or driving a mule for that matter.

Now, I’ve never been to Texas so I don’t know shit-all about your economy, but THE WHOLE POINT of small farms is that they are inefficient, that’s the interesting thing about them IMO. They can provide people with satisfying work that walmart can not. They can also produce higher quality food with regional taste etc… Think small vineyards.

Vineyards are not the same as farms. They grow a niche product for a niche market. You are talking about redoing the way commodities are produced. Huge difference. I don’t care where you have lived. You know nothing about the farming mentality. Your arrogance toward food production is insulting. It is not a low brow industry any more. You want to turn a highly scientific field into a fucking half-way house for idiots too stupid to get a job. They will be just as unemployed under your theory as they will right now.

Anyway, the rich WANT stuff from small farms. It’s straight economics, we can MAKE small farms efficient ala niche markets etc…

Wrong yet again. EVERYONE NEEDS stuff from farms. If it were not for the american farmer - you would not have eaten today. Want has fuck to do with agriculture as a function of producing commodities. The entire nation cannot depend on inefficient niche farmers.

Anyhow - you leave out the fact that since man first figured out how to cover seeds with dirt he has been searching for ways to become more efficient. To grow more, and better stuff for the cheapest input possible. Your nirvana would last about one growing season before a farmer some where gained a competitive advantage.

Please stop talking about farming. It is obvious you have no damn clue. Again - just stop.

[/quote]

  1. You make it really hard to have a conversation when you are such a jerk.

  2. I DO know about farming, I own a farm for fuck’s sake.

  3. Fuck off. You’re being ignored now.

73

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
Sloth wrote:
Zap Branigan wrote:
Sloth wrote:
Zap Branigan wrote:
Sloth wrote:
How about do away with all the taxes on business and income? Raise needed revenue through a tarriff.

Trade wars with the rest of the world isn’t going to help matters.

Oh, I’m not talking about targeted tariffs, that respond to what other nations are doing concerning our product, I’m talking about a flat, general, and ‘blind’ tariff. Not a protectionist tariff. Strictly meant to generate tax revenue. Look, the thing is, all taxes will have some effect on the economy, prices, and etc. So why not rely on a tariff and not, say, an income tax?

What’s the point of using a relying so heavily on a tax system that drives up domestic cost?

It would have the same effect in sparking trade wars.

A trading war would mean that we’d levy tariffs in response to another country’s actions. We wouldn’t. Our tariff would only be used to collect revenue. Again, I’m not talking about targeting countries for a higher tariff on their goods. Let’s not forget that income and corporate taxes have their own negative effects.

And other countries would raise tariffs on US goods in response. There is no doubt a trade war would erupt and it would be with man countries. It would be a disaster.[/quote]

Well, if they’re not lowering domestic taxes at the same time, they’re just shooting themselves in the foot. In any event, we wouldn’t raise tariffs again, in retaliation. And, remember, I’m calling for gutting federal spending, not simply slowing spending. I don’t think we’d need anything near the level of tariffs you may be thinking.

74

[quote]Headhunter wrote:
If high paying jobs are exported, then how will we be able to afford all the imports?[/quote]

The highest paying jobs are not being exported, it’s the mid-level ones that are gone/in jeopardy.

75

As for farming, we could do away with subsidies.

76

Sloth,

Here’s the number one reason your idea won’t work. Other governments should NOT be allowed to manipulate out government’s income so directly.

77

[quote]Sloth wrote:
As for farming, we could do away with subsidies. [/quote]

Or only subsidize small farms with niche markets. That’s the incentive idea.

78

[quote]beebuddy wrote:
Sloth,

Here’s the number one reason your idea won’t work. Other governments should NOT be allowed to manipulate out government’s income so directly. [/quote]

By not selling us stuff? That’s a good way to manipulate their own income. To the floor.

79

[quote]Sloth wrote:
beebuddy wrote:
Sloth,

Here’s the number one reason your idea won’t work. Other governments should NOT be allowed to manipulate out government’s income so directly.

By not selling us stuff? That’s a good way to manipulate their own income. To the floor.[/quote]

Can’t risk it. The EU and China are becoming much too powerful for that to be a worthwhile risk.

80

[quote]beebuddy wrote:
Sloth wrote:
As for farming, we could do away with subsidies.

Or only subsidize small farms with niche markets. That’s the incentive idea. [/quote]

Nah. Don’t subsidize any farms. That’s protectionist.