Romney: We have too many teachers, cops, and firemen. Fire them!

Dymanic said:
California contributes more than its share in federal taxes and gets less than its share in federal programs, contracts and aid. ($.78 returned for every dollar contributed). The real irony is that 16 of the 20 "Welfare Queen" states -- those that take more than they give -- are Republican.
Click to expand...
This is relevant somehow?
 
BenBurch said:
Peddle that dope on the corner, I'm not buying.
Click to expand...
Where do you disagree? How does revealed preference work in a State-monopoly enterprise which offers one product or service or policy regime? As Milton Friedman said: "You have to compare something to something."
 
dc1971 said:
I think conservatism should be renamed I'm-right-ism!
Click to expand...
Exactly backwards. It's the socialist or State-monopoly system that requires access to divine inspiration. Prices in a competitive market communicate information about consumer desires and resource scarcity. Without markets, this information is not available and managers must substitute their own preferences for data. Federalism ("States' Rights") creates a market in public services.
 
Last edited:
WildCat said:
The people of California vote, and they vote for no tax increases time and time again. How are they not responsible for their own predicament?
Click to expand...

Of course they are, and this shows the stupidity of direct democracy.

Just because you can convince Joe Public to vote against taxes doesn't mean it is in any sense wise governance. Such decisions need to be made based on the actual needs of the State and not on the desire of people to slime out of everything without paying.
 
BenBurch said:
Just because you can convince Joe Public to vote against taxes doesn't mean it is in any sense wise governance. Such decisions need to be made based on the actual needs of the State and not on the desire of people to slime out of everything without paying.
Click to expand...

What exactly are the "needs of the state"? Who gets to decide that question? And how does this expressed opinion differ from a general antagonism to democracy?
 
Ziggurat said:
What exactly are the "needs of the state"? Who gets to decide that question? And how does this expressed opinion differ from a general antagonism to democracy?
Click to expand...

Well, when the State is obliged to keep roads and bridges safe, and they are, a need is the cost of doing that. Yes, you can convince the average voter (IQ 105) that the roads are fine now and why should he pay taxes, but that doesn't remove the obligation of the State to maintain those roads, so debt accumulates.

It is the nutcase Conservative line of malarkey that is the cause of the present crisis.
 
WildCat said:
This is relevant somehow?
Click to expand...
You don't see how it's relevant? As a response to this?
Why should the rest of the country have to pay for California services the voters of California refuse to pay for?
Click to expand...
How about: Because the situation is actually entirely the other way around. Now do you see how it's relevant?
 
BenBurch said:
Well, when the State is obliged to keep roads and bridges safe, and they are, a need is the cost of doing that. Yes, you can convince the average voter (IQ 105) that the roads are fine now and why should he pay taxes, but that doesn't remove the obligation of the State to maintain those roads, so debt accumulates.
Click to expand...

Roads, Ben? That's the extent of the state's spending? Roads?

Transportation expenses are less than 10% of California's budget, Ben. You have failed to answer my question. What are the needs of the state? Giving me one need, and a small need at that, doesn't actually answer that question.
 
Dymanic said:
You don't see how it's relevant? As a response to this?
How about: Because the situation is actually entirely the other way around. Now do you see how it's relevant?
Click to expand...
Nope, still not getting it.

Unless you're making a case that no money should be sent to Washington at all? Otherwise, why does it matter how much you get back? There'd be no point sending it to Washington at all if the expectation was to get it all back.
 
I'm not the first one to say this, but it strikes me as a wee bit ironic that someone who has such loathing for government wants very, very, VERY badly to get a job in government.

And the really stupid part of the whole bit is that most people who work for the state or federal bodies aren't government. My mom taught poor kids to read as a public school teacher. My dad helped handicapped people find jobs, get off the dole and earn some respect. The private sector wouldn't do this, there was no damn profit in it for them, but my parents did it, and the friendly neighborhood taxpayer paid their salaries. But goddamn it, my parents weren't "the government." Shoot, I worked for the State as a tutor and a teaching assistant, and I wasn't "the government" either.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom