[quote]nephorm wrote:
Headhunter wrote:
Off topic: if you’re ever trapped in a Third World country, surrounded by terrorists, who’ll you scream for, to come bail you out?
Definitely Jenna Jameson.[/quote]
Send Lawyers Guns and Money.
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
Off topic: if you’re ever trapped in a Third World country, surrounded by terrorists, who’ll you scream for, to come bail you out?
The Netherlands Marines, right? There, at least, you got ‘your money’s worth’.[/quote]
Straw-man. Even assuming that it a situation that a statistically significant number of people will ever find themselves in, you know as well as I do that nobody really has an option – your only choice is your own country of citizenship.
Having said that, the Dutch have one of the best Navies in the world, and every single Dutch citizen that was ever in that situation in the past 50 years can testify they did an excellent job at rescuing them.
[quote]hspder wrote:
lothario1132 wrote:
we were talking about ultra-rich people being taxed 100% above a certain cut-off point. That means nobody is a billionaire – hence, no Gates charity.
The whole WP article is a huge straw-man that HH took advantage of. [/quote]
Give a liberal a brain and see how quickly they can turn banditry into a ‘strawman’ statement against the guy who points out their banditry.
Of all people, an economist should know that taxes like this simply discourage capital formation. The French are ‘eating their seed corn’, yet the liberals defend their actions.
HH
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
Of all people, an economist should know that taxes like this simply discourage capital formation.[/quote]
I am not arguing against the fact that high(er) taxes do have a deflationary effect. That is pretty much consensual among Economists. What I am disputing – and calling a straw-man – is the assertion that France was trying to tax “> 100%” or, even, that they are particularly unreasonable with their tax policies; as I mentioned, the same exact thing happened here in the US in the same circumstances, and it is relatively trivial to deal with the problem if you actually try to fight it rather than running a way like a coward. It is even easier to actually prevent it – if one understands the tax system and the risks, it is trivial to do so, in fact.
[quote]hspder wrote:
Headhunter wrote:
Of all people, an economist should know that taxes like this simply discourage capital formation.
I am not arguing against the fact that high(er) taxes do have a deflationary effect. That is pretty much consensual among Economists. What I am disputing – and calling a straw-man – is the assertion that France was trying to tax “> 100%” or, even, that they are particularly unreasonable with their tax policies; as I mentioned, the same exact thing happened here in the US in the same circumstances, and it is relatively trivial to deal with the problem if you actually try to fight it rather than running a way like a coward. It is even easier to actually prevent it – if one understands the tax system and the risks, it is trivial to do so, in fact.[/quote]
I like the running away like a coward part. So I have to accept any hand that is dealt to me, if not I`m a pussy?
No matter how many taxes or stupid regulations they throw my way, I am supposed to make it work instead of letting them rot in their own stupidity.
Why?
[quote]orion wrote:
hspder wrote:
Headhunter wrote:
Of all people, an economist should know that taxes like this simply discourage capital formation.
I am not arguing against the fact that high(er) taxes do have a deflationary effect. That is pretty much consensual among Economists. What I am disputing – and calling a straw-man – is the assertion that France was trying to tax “> 100%” or, even, that they are particularly unreasonable with their tax policies; as I mentioned, the same exact thing happened here in the US in the same circumstances, and it is relatively trivial to deal with the problem if you actually try to fight it rather than running a way like a coward. It is even easier to actually prevent it – if one understands the tax system and the risks, it is trivial to do so, in fact.
I like the running away like a coward part. So I have to accept any hand that is dealt to me, if not I`m a pussy?
No matter how many taxes or stupid regulations they throw my way, I am supposed to make it work instead of letting them rot in their own stupidity.
Why?
[/quote]
They want you to die. You, as a productive individual, are a reminder to them of what a man really is. Rather than become men themselves, they seek to destroy you through taxes, regulations, and so forth. Taxes are really simply a death-wish, despite all the protestations of the ‘good’ that is done.
If they wanted you to live, they would ASK you or try to persuade you using reason. They don’t believe in reason, or in asking. They expect you, the producer, to produce at the point of a gun and with threat of jail and confiscation.
The mentality of vultures tells you to grab whatever you can and run. “Well, with some intelligent tax planning, we’ll let you keep 45% or whatever we choose. If you’re too stupid to snatch what you can of YOUR money, then its tough luck, dope!”
Someday, by intention or default, they will run out of victims. I hope you are not there in their death-throes. I plan not to be.
HH
[quote]orion wrote:
I like the running away like a coward part. So I have to accept any hand that is dealt to me, if not I`m a pussy?
No matter how many taxes or stupid regulations they throw my way, I am supposed to make it work instead of letting them rot in their own stupidity.[/quote]
Uh? Where did you come up with the conclusion I was saying anything like that?
Since when are the options only 1. Staying and letting yourself be beaten or 2. Run like a coward?
There is a third option, and that one is: stay and FIGHT.
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
They want you to die. You, as a productive individual, are a reminder to them of what a man really is.[/quote]
Yes, that’s it, that makes perfect sense! I see it now! That’s what’s REALLY at the core of Rousseau’s philosophy, not the exact OPPOSITE like he claims!
[quote]hspder wrote:
Headhunter wrote:
They want you to die. You, as a productive individual, are a reminder to them of what a man really is.
Yes, that’s it, that makes perfect sense! I see it now! That’s what’s REALLY at the core of Rousseau’s philosophy, not the exact OPPOSITE like he claims!
[/quote]
The liberal brain works differently than does mine. For ex, I respect human beings so much that I’d never (if I had the power to do so) force them to part with their hard-earned savings.
I must therefore ask: What in the fuck are you talking about? Where did JJ come into this thread? Put down the pipe and make sense.
HH
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
Where did JJ come into this thread? Put down the pipe and make sense.[/quote]
Rousseau founded liberalism – and he is the inspiration of a large majority of modern French politicians.
He was the founder of the very philosophy you’re attacking. Hence, you brought him into this thread…
[quote]hspder wrote:
orion wrote:
I like the running away like a coward part. So I have to accept any hand that is dealt to me, if not I`m a pussy?
No matter how many taxes or stupid regulations they throw my way, I am supposed to make it work instead of letting them rot in their own stupidity.
Uh? Where did you come up with the conclusion I was saying anything like that?
Since when are the options only 1. Staying and letting yourself be beaten or 2. Run like a coward?
There is a third option, and that one is: stay and FIGHT.[/quote]
Na, if the opposing force is overwhelmingly large but incompetent let it collapse under it`s own weight.
You have to understand I would not fight for me, I would fight for them.
Me don`t wanna.
[quote]hspder wrote:
Headhunter wrote:
Where did JJ come into this thread? Put down the pipe and make sense.
Rousseau founded liberalism – and he is the inspiration of a large majority of modern French politicians.
He was the founder of the very philosophy you’re attacking. Hence, you brought him into this thread…[/quote]
And Howard Dean is his successor? How pathetic.
Are the French politicians who are inspired by JJ the same ones who created the Solidarity tax? And btw, the example you gave about the tech bust of a few years back is an example of a one-time event. Now who is creating strawmen?
The tax in France is simply the idea of taxation taken to its logical conclusion. From: “Oh, let’s squeeze the rich, they can afford it.” to “These rich evil pricks, robbing the poor like fucking oligarchs. We’ll show 'em!” Taxes are a death wish by liberals, and by this I mean the modern scum who inhabit positions of power.
HH
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
And btw, the example you gave about the tech bust of a few years back is an example of a one-time event.[/quote]
No it wasn’t. The law did not change – still today, if you’re not careful with your stock options, you will find yourself exactly in the same position. The thing is, rich people with balls and brains simply learnt their lesson and now consult their CPAs and lawyers before they sign anything. Any rich French person with balls and a brain can do the same and will equally have no problems, and pay as little or as much tax as Americans do.
Since we’re talking about taxes, I am firmly against property tax, by the way. That may surprise you, but it is true and I have stated it before. I am also against Sales Tax and Corporate Tax and almost every single other taxes – in fact, I’ve always been a proponent of a single Tax – on Individual Income and Benefits.
That does not mean it is a focal point of my worries and I cry every day about the eViL US Government who is robbing me, or about the eViL Socialists that rob Europeans. I just use my brain and look at the options that are available to me to minimize what I pay, especially when I do not agree with how the tax money is being used.
A rich French guy fleeing to Brussels is moronic – first of all, he’s still in the EU, and hence supporting a EU Government – and the EU redistributes a lot of tax money amongst their members. He’s also 90 minutes from Paris (by high-speed train) and I’m willing to bet that he goes there regularly and buys goods there – paying VAT to the French Government, paying the train ticket to the French Government or the toll to the French Government – and supports French Businesses which also pay tax to the French Government.
So he in fact gave the French Government the best of both worlds – he continues to give them money but they don’t have to put up with his stupidity nor he is contributing to inflating property prices in France, one of the biggest problems of the Western World these days.
France got the best deal here. Realize that.
If he really wanted to do some damage, he would have moved here to the US – but, of course, that would mean losing the comforts that he grew up with.
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
They want you to die. You, as a productive individual, are a reminder to them of what a man really is. Rather than become men themselves, they seek to destroy you through taxes, regulations, and so forth. Taxes are really simply a death-wish, despite all the protestations of the ‘good’ that is done.
If they wanted you to live, they would ASK you or try to persuade you using reason. They don’t believe in reason, or in asking. They expect you, the producer, to produce at the point of a gun and with threat of jail and confiscation.
The mentality of vultures tells you to grab whatever you can and run. “Well, with some intelligent tax planning, we’ll let you keep 45% or whatever we choose. If you’re too stupid to snatch what you can of YOUR money, then its tough luck, dope!”
Someday, by intention or default, they will run out of victims. I hope you are not there in their death-throes. I plan not to be.
HH
[/quote]
Are you an anarchist?
[quote]hspder wrote:
France got the best deal here. Realize that.
[/quote]
Like Phyrrus, that got the best victory out of a Roman army he knew how to win…
[quote]Dawg1 wrote:
Headhunter wrote:
They want you to die. You, as a productive individual, are a reminder to them of what a man really is. Rather than become men themselves, they seek to destroy you through taxes, regulations, and so forth. Taxes are really simply a death-wish, despite all the protestations of the ‘good’ that is done.
If they wanted you to live, they would ASK you or try to persuade you using reason. They don’t believe in reason, or in asking. They expect you, the producer, to produce at the point of a gun and with threat of jail and confiscation.
The mentality of vultures tells you to grab whatever you can and run. “Well, with some intelligent tax planning, we’ll let you keep 45% or whatever we choose. If you’re too stupid to snatch what you can of YOUR money, then its tough luck, dope!”
Someday, by intention or default, they will run out of victims. I hope you are not there in their death-throes. I plan not to be.
HH
Are you an anarchist?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchism[/quote]
Somewhat. I believe in a government funded by things like user fees, such government having 3 functions: Military, Judiciary, Law Enforcement. The basic priciple is: All relationships between human beings MUST be voluntary on ALL sides.
So, yes, I lean toward anarchism but throw in the ‘Founding Fathers’.
HH
[quote]orion wrote:
hspder wrote:
France got the best deal here. Realize that.
Like Phyrrus, that got the best victory out of a Roman army he knew how to win…[/quote]
LOL!
HH
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
I lean toward anarchism but throw in the ‘Founding Fathers’.[/quote]
Can you please not associate your views with the Founding Fathers’?
The American Revolution was inspired by liberalism. Now… let that sink in.
Yes, eventually the religious right (social and fiscal conservatives, like yourself) won over and ostracized the ideas of the same great men that provided the philosophical foundations for the American Revolution – like Paine, Locke, Hume and Rousseau. But that was a defeat of the ideals behind the American Revolution, not a victory.
It is much like when the GOP spits on Abraham Lincoln’s and Thomas Jefferson’s graves – both liberals and great admirers of Paine and Rousseau – every time they use “liberal” as a derogatory term.
[quote]hspder wrote:
Headhunter wrote:
I lean toward anarchism but throw in the ‘Founding Fathers’.
Can you please not associate your views with the Founding Fathers’?
[/quote]
My views have more in common with OUR Founding Fathers than you could even imagine. Your views come straight out of Hobbes.
I suggest that you do not know what an original liberal truly was. Their goal was to LIBERATE the populace from big daddy government. Since you concede the power to tax (aka destroy) to ‘big daddy’, you are a Hobbesian.
Our Founding Fathers fucked up when they did not explicitly forbid the federal government from interfering with our economic life. We now have massive amounts of regulation, taxation, all sorts of meddling, for which we all must pay when this system collapses under its own weight.
HH
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
Our Founding Fathers fucked up when they did not explicitly forbid the federal government from interfering with our economic life.[/quote]
When was the last time you read Paine? Hume? Locke? Rousseau?
Every single biography I’ve read on any of the Founding Fathers clearly state that those were their influences. Don’t take my word for it, check it yourself.
If you actually had read anything written by those great philosophers of the 17th century you’d realize that all of them defended the exact same principles of liberalism you seem to frown upon, including the Social Contract.
Locke, in particular – which, by all accounts, was THE greatest influence during the drafting of the US Constitution – specificaly defended limits to accumulation and redistribution of wealth.
Paine – who General Washington himself found it so uplifting that he ordered it to be read to all his troops – was amongst the earliest proponents of social security, universal free public education, and a guaranteed minimum income.
Oh, THE HORROR!
By the way, characterizing my views as simply Hobbesian makes you look very ignorant.