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Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
SpikeTalon comments on Jul 1, 2019:
A decent first step would be for the two major political parties to get past their differences and work together for the good of the people and the country as a whole. I suspect that would be asking for too much though...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 2, 2019:
@FaithJones I don't quite understand why so many people voted for radically centrist parties in the EU parliamentary elections if they were sick of consensus politics but I guess it's complicated by the leave/remain politics in the UK and other regional dynamics elsewhere.
Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
SpikeTalon comments on Jul 1, 2019:
A decent first step would be for the two major political parties to get past their differences and work together for the good of the people and the country as a whole. I suspect that would be asking for too much though...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 2, 2019:
@FaithJones Got it. As an outsider, Varoufakis's campaign seemed to be the best way forward for Europe, but it seems to be a pipe dream at the moment.
Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
mccarthy comments on Jul 2, 2019:
I think you are asking the wrong question. I will think about your question, but really "when and why will the US become Socialist, and then Communist? You have to face your enemy directly, as he is, before you can begin to expose weaknesses. The enemy isn t just here, in NYC with the 20,000 ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 2, 2019:
**according to the AOC crowd in NYC, their Marxism isn t like the Marxism of The Nation Mag. or Sanders, they aren t worried about class struggles. They think they can succeed solely on identity politics.** You have it backwards.
Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
mccarthy comments on Jul 2, 2019:
I think you are asking the wrong question. I will think about your question, but really "when and why will the US become Socialist, and then Communist? You have to face your enemy directly, as he is, before you can begin to expose weaknesses. The enemy isn t just here, in NYC with the 20,000 ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 2, 2019:
**The enemy isn t just here, in NYC with the 20,000 Marxists who elected AOC, Salazar, and ran a Marxist mayoral candidate, it s in Europe, where the European countries collectively have given their future to unelected bureaucrats, the Brussels Eurocrats. It s also in Bejing, where a Marxist front is on the march.** I had to stop right there. You're conflating several radically different forms of politics: AOC, Salazar (and you mention De Blasio, but I'm not sure if he fits the bill): Politically they fall somewhere in the political spectrum between democratic socialists and social democrats. EU: Neoliberals (i.e., undemocratic, institutional capitalism) Beijing: The "Marxist front" you speak of is certainly weaker than you suggest, and probably closer to the type of democracy movement that was crushed in Tiananmen Square, i.e. something closer to AOC, et al. The status quo in Beijing is probably closest to a more authoritarian form of the EU.
Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
SpikeTalon comments on Jul 1, 2019:
A decent first step would be for the two major political parties to get past their differences and work together for the good of the people and the country as a whole. I suspect that would be asking for too much though...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 2, 2019:
@FaithJones Are you referring to their stance on the status quo of the EU? Sorry, I'm a little unfamiliar about the Lib Dems.
Don’t Blame Karl Marx for ‘Cultural Marxism’ – Reason.com
criminey359 comments on Jul 2, 2019:
Good read. So, would putting a rainbow on everything and charging double be "Cultural Capitalism"?
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 2, 2019:
I have a feeling the right would still find some way to pin that on Marx.
Rules for Radicals: What Constitutional Conservatives Should Know About Saul Alinsky - YouTube
WilyRickWiles comments on Jul 2, 2019:
Honestly, conservatives already know much more about him, and have adopted more of his tactics, than the modern left.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 2, 2019:
@purdyday https://www.politico.com/story/2010/03/right-loves-to-hate-imitate-alinsky-034751
Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
SpikeTalon comments on Jul 1, 2019:
A decent first step would be for the two major political parties to get past their differences and work together for the good of the people and the country as a whole. I suspect that would be asking for too much though...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 1, 2019:
In order to find common ground you need to have something in common: e.g. social libertarianism, social conservatism, economic populism, economic liberalism, or institutional reform (assuming you can agree on the reforms). The problem is you can usually only choose one and it may upset real entrenched political interests. The fact that people were upset with the neoliberal consensus (the establishment @chuckpo speaks of) between the center left and center right in the US and the social democrats and center right in Europe is why our politics have radicalized (billionaire electioneering aside). That radicalization can take the form of nativism, socialism, green politics, or centrist parties like the UK's Liberal Democrats and that of France's Macron who seem to embody compromise. At the end of the day, many of us disagree on "the good of the country." That's politics.
Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
SpikeTalon comments on Jul 1, 2019:
A decent first step would be for the two major political parties to get past their differences and work together for the good of the people and the country as a whole. I suspect that would be asking for too much though...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 1, 2019:
@chuckpo Rule of thumb: the party in the pocket of the energy industry is the party of the oligarchs.
Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
SpikeTalon comments on Jul 1, 2019:
A decent first step would be for the two major political parties to get past their differences and work together for the good of the people and the country as a whole. I suspect that would be asking for too much though...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 1, 2019:
@chuckpo We may have a multicultural working class, but we don't have solidarity across the multicultural working class. That was the distinction I was making. To reiterate, in the absence of an electoral option that seeks such solidarity, the left will go with the lesser evil of the Dem establishment. The culture war only divides the working class. And Trump is giving the Republicans everything they've ever dreamed of: tax cuts for the wealthy, dismantling regulations, taking the ACA to court, conservative judges, huge increases in defense spending, a blank check for Israel, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, reinvigorating the culture war, pulling out of the Paris agreement, and severe immigration enforcement. Establishment Republicans probably don't like his tariffs, but those are more show than substance. Likewise his NATO bashing. And they only care about deficits when the Democrats are in power. Aside from that, there's not much for Republicans to dislike other than his bad manners. The only real difference between an establishment Republican and Trump is that the culture war is mostly pandering when the establishment does it and policy when Trump does it.
How any Black person or anyone who supports the call for reparations can possibly accept ...
pbuck0145 comments on Jul 1, 2019:
It was Muslims who sold Africans to the Atlantic slave traders, for export to the Americas.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 1, 2019:
Citation needed. Keep in mind that up to a third of slaves were Muslim and colonization played a big role in parts of Africa engaged in the trade.
Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
SpikeTalon comments on Jul 1, 2019:
A decent first step would be for the two major political parties to get past their differences and work together for the good of the people and the country as a whole. I suspect that would be asking for too much though...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 1, 2019:
@chuckpo "I'm not sure what it is." It's the GOP and conservative movement.
Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
SpikeTalon comments on Jul 1, 2019:
A decent first step would be for the two major political parties to get past their differences and work together for the good of the people and the country as a whole. I suspect that would be asking for too much though...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 1, 2019:
@chuckpo If you're looking for anti-establishment solidarity, the conservative culture war isn't going to cut it. In the absence of multicultural working class solidarity, the left will always choose the lesser evil of the Democratic establishment's professional class politics over the reactionary politics of the oligarchs.
Can we stop the "civil war" in Western countries from escalating?
10thGeneration comments on Jul 1, 2019:
Given that politicians are liars. The promises for a socialist free for all....medical, educational, on and on is unlikely and doomed to failure. The Democrats are currently involved in low intensity warfare and their frustrated sheep will be more and more frustrated. Let us encourage the states to ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 1, 2019:
@Admin They already do pay payroll taxes even though they can't get any benefits from it.
Is it antithetical for a Libertarian to win an election?
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 29, 2019:
And we have a two party system. Only way for a third party to win is to displace one of the two. That takes a political movement. And as I preciously commented, there just aren't enough right libertarians. Alternatively, you could push for ranked choice voting so that people aren't throwing their ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jul 1, 2019:
@Jeeper752 They generally believe in voluntary association.
Where does the insanity stop?
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 30, 2019:
The holiday is specifically about celebrating achievements toward equal treatment. If a month of commemoration bothers you, it would seem that offering up more obstacles to be dismantled would be counterproductive.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@Dmwils What right is that, by the way? The freedom to not hear someone else's speech?
Where does the insanity stop?
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 30, 2019:
The holiday is specifically about celebrating achievements toward equal treatment. If a month of commemoration bothers you, it would seem that offering up more obstacles to be dismantled would be counterproductive.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@Dmwils Have you tried closing your eyes and mouth and covering your ears?
In an astonishing turn, George Soros and Charles Koch team up to end US ‘forever war’ policy - ...
Madman38 comments on Jun 30, 2019:
Oh good, another special interest group!!! Just what Washington needs!!! Soros and a Koch bro, what could possibly go wrong?
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
You're right, let the arms industry and the Saudi, UAE, and Israeli embassies alone call the shots!
Who’s behind the law making undocumented immigrants criminals?
Wtretired comments on Jun 30, 2019:
Well I guess if you look to the origins of just about anything you can find something that somebody will call racist. Really so much hurt feelings babble. An element of the crime in 8 USC 1325 is being an alien. Alien is defined as a person who is not a citizen or national of the United ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@Wtretired A law can be worth getting rid of even if it's not unconstitutional.
Who’s behind the law making undocumented immigrants criminals?
Wtretired comments on Jun 30, 2019:
Well I guess if you look to the origins of just about anything you can find something that somebody will call racist. Really so much hurt feelings babble. An element of the crime in 8 USC 1325 is being an alien. Alien is defined as a person who is not a citizen or national of the United ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
Laws aren't written in a vacuum.
Who’s behind the law making undocumented immigrants criminals?
Diogenes comments on Jun 30, 2019:
I read this article as carefully as I could in 15 minutes. It was a good article on the surface, meaning that it gave a clear context in which Section 1325 came to be written: the who, what, when, where, how and why. As I say, it did a good job of that, but I would imagine there is a deeper purpose ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@DavidQDauthier It's all tainted and I don't have time to disentangle it at the moment.
Who’s behind the law making undocumented immigrants criminals?
Diogenes comments on Jun 30, 2019:
I read this article as carefully as I could in 15 minutes. It was a good article on the surface, meaning that it gave a clear context in which Section 1325 came to be written: the who, what, when, where, how and why. As I say, it did a good job of that, but I would imagine there is a deeper purpose ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@DavidQDauthier Organizations like FAIR, which is embedded in the Trump administration, are looking to decrease legal immigration, particularly non-white immigration.
Who’s behind the law making undocumented immigrants criminals?
Diogenes comments on Jun 30, 2019:
I read this article as carefully as I could in 15 minutes. It was a good article on the surface, meaning that it gave a clear context in which Section 1325 came to be written: the who, what, when, where, how and why. As I say, it did a good job of that, but I would imagine there is a deeper purpose ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@DavidQDauthier I would argue that pretty much all of our immigration laws starting with the Chinese Exclusion Act have been racist. Originally, you just had to live here for a certain number of years. That changed when non-WASPs started showing up and nativists started getting upset. In isolation I don't particularly take issue with civil penalties or penalties for fraud, but I know that dysfunction has been engineered into our immigration sudden across the board--just ask an immigration lawyer. Moreover, I suspect that the outrage about fraud is manufactured by nativist organizations and not based on any credible statistics. Regardless, the immediate issue, and the legal subject of the article, was the part of the law that makes it a misdemeanor to cross the border illegally, which is often precipitated by border agents profiling migrants to tell them the port of entry is full. Not only was it problematic when written, but today the Trump administration is leveraging it to carry out a nativist agenda to treat migrants worse than criminals in terms of conditions, family separation, and due process.
Is it antithetical for a Libertarian to win an election?
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 29, 2019:
And we have a two party system. Only way for a third party to win is to displace one of the two. That takes a political movement. And as I preciously commented, there just aren't enough right libertarians. Alternatively, you could push for ranked choice voting so that people aren't throwing their ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@Jeeper752 Couldn't that be true of anyone?
Who’s behind the law making undocumented immigrants criminals?
Diogenes comments on Jun 30, 2019:
I read this article as carefully as I could in 15 minutes. It was a good article on the surface, meaning that it gave a clear context in which Section 1325 came to be written: the who, what, when, where, how and why. As I say, it did a good job of that, but I would imagine there is a deeper purpose ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@DavidQDauthier No. Consider three scenarios: 1. An individual who happens to be racist writes a law that requires business to pay a 30% tax on their income. He bases this on his knowledge of Keynesian economics. The law is not racist even though the person who wrote it was racist, because it does not have any racist provisions and was not based on a racist philosophy. 2. That same individual writes a law that criminalizes civil immigration violations. He bases this on his nativist and eugenicist philosophy. The law is racist not because the person who wrote it is racist or because it has any racist provisions, but because it was based on a racist philosophy (i.e., it was designed to achieve a racist outcome). 3. That same individual writes a law with racial immigration quotas. He bases this on his nativist and eugenicist philosophy. The law is racist not because the person who wrote it is racist, but because it has racist provisions and because it was based on a racist philosophy.
Who’s behind the law making undocumented immigrants criminals?
Diogenes comments on Jun 30, 2019:
I read this article as carefully as I could in 15 minutes. It was a good article on the surface, meaning that it gave a clear context in which Section 1325 came to be written: the who, what, when, where, how and why. As I say, it did a good job of that, but I would imagine there is a deeper purpose ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@DavidQDauthier It's the legal history and the intent behind changes in the law that reveal the underlying racist philosophy.
Who’s behind the law making undocumented immigrants criminals?
Diogenes comments on Jun 30, 2019:
I read this article as carefully as I could in 15 minutes. It was a good article on the surface, meaning that it gave a clear context in which Section 1325 came to be written: the who, what, when, where, how and why. As I say, it did a good job of that, but I would imagine there is a deeper purpose ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
I'll add that the way you describe the Chinese system, it's not obvious that it's more harsh than the US system.
Who’s behind the law making undocumented immigrants criminals?
Diogenes comments on Jun 30, 2019:
I read this article as carefully as I could in 15 minutes. It was a good article on the surface, meaning that it gave a clear context in which Section 1325 came to be written: the who, what, when, where, how and why. As I say, it did a good job of that, but I would imagine there is a deeper purpose ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
What other aspects of China and other countries' systems should we adopt just because that's how everyone else does it? Also the issue isn't that a white supremacist influenced a law, the issue is that white supremacist ideas influenced the law. And looking at the John Tanton-founded organizations and their influence in the Trump administration and it's clear not much has changed.
Is it antithetical for a Libertarian to win an election?
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 29, 2019:
And we have a two party system. Only way for a third party to win is to displace one of the two. That takes a political movement. And as I preciously commented, there just aren't enough right libertarians. Alternatively, you could push for ranked choice voting so that people aren't throwing their ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@Jeeper752 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_socialism If you've heard of anarcho-syndicalism, that's basically what it is.
Who’s behind the law making undocumented immigrants criminals?
JobyOneKenobi comments on Jun 30, 2019:
Who cares if a White Supremacist created this law? There are many more people that aren't White Supremacists that support it. I guess we should just open the flood gates, let everyone through so we can all hold hands and sing kumbaya or something?
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
Who cares? The law was based on white supremacist ideas and now those ideas are again being used to justify new immigration policies. Here's a couple things we should do: stop treating people caught up in the civil immigration system worse than criminals and grant citizenship to people who have lived here for decades or since childhood.
Just for fun, what do you think?
DanielEvans comments on Jun 29, 2019:
Trump would make her into a meme. Legit slut shaming is where I'd start even though he himself has a reputation. The defenders of sluts would have a hard time getting anyone other than hardcore feminists to be comfortable with her using her body to climb the ladder. I'm not interested in whether ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@DanielEvans And you pull this accusation from thin air on the basis of her being a woman?
This article's recap of the 1921 battle of Blair Mountain is a stark reminder of the difference ...
JimbobNE comments on Jun 29, 2019:
Maybe I'm a bit lost here, but how can a "right libertarian " support a corporations" ability to bomb a unionist? I thought libertarians only supported the use of force to protect one's life, liberty or property. Now the workers always have the right to unionize, but the business likewise should ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
Certainly Marxism doesn't justify the violence that occurred in the Soviet Union and China either. But what do you think happens when you undermine or abolish the state in favor of the might of powerful individuals?
Just for fun, what do you think?
DanielEvans comments on Jun 29, 2019:
Trump would make her into a meme. Legit slut shaming is where I'd start even though he himself has a reputation. The defenders of sluts would have a hard time getting anyone other than hardcore feminists to be comfortable with her using her body to climb the ladder. I'm not interested in whether ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@DanielEvans LOL. Do you just assume that all women are prostitutes and incompatible with leadership?
When Ayn Rand collected Social Security and Medicare [openculture.com]
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 30, 2019:
Relevant: https://www.thenation.com/article/garbage-and-gravitas/ She also got a free college education thanks to the Bolsheviks. As a woman, poor, and a Jew, that privilege would have previously been thrice denied to her.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@RichardD Looks like she eventually was allowed to graduate, but it is of course important to recognize the complexity of the situation.
When Ayn Rand collected Social Security and Medicare [openculture.com]
Naomi comments on Jun 30, 2019:
Hello. A good article. I guess everything is relative and there is no absolute right or wrong, and Rand learned that hard way. Poignant. Thanks for sharing the article.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
I'd argue that there is absolute truth but it is complex rather than simplistic.
LEFTIST HYPOCRISY Defensible or not?
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 20, 2019:
Only hypocrisy if you conflate human rights with state liabilities, and internalize government spending and taxation through the prizm of your racial identity.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@jwhitten I don't believe that rights can be so cleanly divided between those of a citizen and those that are fundamental. Especially when you consider the text of the Constitution, its underlying philosophy, the history of immigration law, and the fact that most undocumented have lived here for decades or since children. And people are still alive who experienced Jim Crow, redlining, and the firebombing of school buses. Moreover, again it's not about penalizing people--that was my whole point. It's about what the state owes for infringing people's rights.
Just for fun, what do you think?
DanielEvans comments on Jun 29, 2019:
Trump would make her into a meme. Legit slut shaming is where I'd start even though he himself has a reputation. The defenders of sluts would have a hard time getting anyone other than hardcore feminists to be comfortable with her using her body to climb the ladder. I'm not interested in whether ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 30, 2019:
@DanielEvans No thanks. It was a simple question. You imply that Kamala Harris has some "sluttiness" in her past that should be shamed by Trump. Is there any basis to your implication other than the fact that she is a woman?
Where's the dividing line between citizen rights and human rights?
WilePeyote comments on Jun 29, 2019:
I would say the basics of human rights are things like freedom of speech and religion, ability to live freely without being punished for things you can't control (race, gender, sexuality, etc.), not being punished when you act in self defense or defense of another, things like that. Citizen's rights...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
So would you say that human rights include due process?
Just for fun, what do you think?
DanielEvans comments on Jun 29, 2019:
Trump would make her into a meme. Legit slut shaming is where I'd start even though he himself has a reputation. The defenders of sluts would have a hard time getting anyone other than hardcore feminists to be comfortable with her using her body to climb the ladder. I'm not interested in whether ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
Slut shaming over what?
This article's recap of the 1921 battle of Blair Mountain is a stark reminder of the difference ...
Garsco comments on Jun 29, 2019:
Link goes to subscription page.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@Garsco OK, managed to fit it.
This article's recap of the 1921 battle of Blair Mountain is a stark reminder of the difference ...
Garsco comments on Jun 29, 2019:
Link goes to subscription page.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@Garsco I just copied part of it in the OP. I'll try to copy the rest in the comments--might need multiple copies to fit it all.
This article's recap of the 1921 battle of Blair Mountain is a stark reminder of the difference ...
Garsco comments on Jun 29, 2019:
Link goes to subscription page.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
Try this: https://on.ft.com/2JftkiD
Me: Exists as a Conservative Leftist on Twitter: "Sexist, chauvinist, pig!"
purdyday comments on Jun 28, 2019:
Do you ever wonder if you are just talking to bots, I feel therefore I don't have to think....its horribly facinating. And soccer is a pansified sport....straight out of the Euuuuuuw, lol
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@TheLibertyAmb A couple expressions come to mind: "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" and "you can dish it out but you can't take it."
Me: Exists as a Conservative Leftist on Twitter: "Sexist, chauvinist, pig!"
purdyday comments on Jun 28, 2019:
Do you ever wonder if you are just talking to bots, I feel therefore I don't have to think....its horribly facinating. And soccer is a pansified sport....straight out of the Euuuuuuw, lol
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@TheLibertyAmb You said she went "full NPC on you," which seems to imply a progression during the course of the conversation. In reality, after her initial message, she directly responded to your replies and politely disengaged. As for the initial message, even it seemed proportionate to your aggrieved tweet. Honestly, you're giving conservatives a bad look if you define "existing as a conservative" as going on twitter and policing what sports people are allowed to like.
Me: Exists as a Conservative Leftist on Twitter: "Sexist, chauvinist, pig!"
purdyday comments on Jun 28, 2019:
Do you ever wonder if you are just talking to bots, I feel therefore I don't have to think....its horribly facinating. And soccer is a pansified sport....straight out of the Euuuuuuw, lol
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@TheLibertyAmb She was pretty polite tbh.
Obama's ICE Chief Tom Homan says cages for immigrants was Obama's idea... [americanlookout.com]
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 29, 2019:
And it was Trump's idea to fill them up with young children.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@iThink Got any statistics from a reliable source or otherwise?
Obama's ICE Chief Tom Homan says cages for immigrants was Obama's idea... [americanlookout.com]
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 29, 2019:
And it was Trump's idea to fill them up with young children.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@iThink I was referring to your link from the eugenics-promoting organization CIS.
Obama's ICE Chief Tom Homan says cages for immigrants was Obama's idea... [americanlookout.com]
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 29, 2019:
And it was Trump's idea to fill them up with young children.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@iThink https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tanton
Obama's ICE Chief Tom Homan says cages for immigrants was Obama's idea... [americanlookout.com]
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 29, 2019:
And it was Trump's idea to fill them up with young children.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@iThink Get out of here with your eugenics propaganda.
Me: Exists as a Conservative Leftist on Twitter: "Sexist, chauvinist, pig!"
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 28, 2019:
What you said: "Unfortunate for her, no one cares about her opinions or women's soccer." chauvinist noun 1. a person displaying excessive or prejudiced loyalty or support for a particular cause, group, or gender. I would say that your strong, negative reaction is pretty close to the mark!
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@RemiDallaire I think something got lost in translation.
Obama's ICE Chief Tom Homan says cages for immigrants was Obama's idea... [americanlookout.com]
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 29, 2019:
And it was Trump's idea to fill them up with young children.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@iThink DACA has nothing to do with it. We are so overdue for amnesty for people who have lived here for decades or since children. Stephen Miller and Trump and his supporters by extension are sadists.
Obama's ICE Chief Tom Homan says cages for immigrants was Obama's idea... [americanlookout.com]
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 29, 2019:
And it was Trump's idea to fill them up with young children.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@iThink The separating while the parents wait for a civil immigration hearing on the basis of illegal entry reclassified as a misdemeanor is the problem.
Obama's ICE Chief Tom Homan says cages for immigrants was Obama's idea... [americanlookout.com]
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 29, 2019:
And it was Trump's idea to fill them up with young children.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@iThink And what makes you believe that "all too often" the adults aren't family?
Me: Exists as a Conservative Leftist on Twitter: "Sexist, chauvinist, pig!"
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 28, 2019:
What you said: "Unfortunate for her, no one cares about her opinions or women's soccer." chauvinist noun 1. a person displaying excessive or prejudiced loyalty or support for a particular cause, group, or gender. I would say that your strong, negative reaction is pretty close to the mark!
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 29, 2019:
@RemiDallaire Do all of those people reflexively shit on things that a perceived minority of people enjoy?
A New Racist Campaign Against Kamala Harris Is Taking Shape
iThink comments on Jun 28, 2019:
it was the democrats who first broached the matter of Obamas eligibility / citizenship. In fact I believe that meme came out of the Hitlery Clinton campaign machine. So who is questioning Harris' citizenship? democrats I would guess.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 28, 2019:
@iThink Fair enough. For the record, I was referring to the subject of the article: Kamala.
Where's the dividing line between citizen rights and human rights?
Veronique1 comments on Jun 28, 2019:
Now there’s a silly question! All humans have the same rights, citizens have the rights afforded to them , in their own countries. We happen to have the most rights in the USA, which is why so many people want to be here! Now if you want to blur the line between the citizens rights versus ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 28, 2019:
Are you saying that all humans should be afforded the same set of fundamental rights or are you saying that humans should only be afforded rights by the nation(s) of which they are citizens (if any, and presumably factoring in any treaties between that and other nations). If the latter, do you think non-citizens should have any rights?
A New Racist Campaign Against Kamala Harris Is Taking Shape
iThink comments on Jun 28, 2019:
it was the democrats who first broached the matter of Obamas eligibility / citizenship. In fact I believe that meme came out of the Hitlery Clinton campaign machine. So who is questioning Harris' citizenship? democrats I would guess.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 28, 2019:
When people in this community inevitably start parroting these conspiracy theories will you urge them not to believe "Democratic" propaganda or will that serve as the rationale (e.g. "Democrats said it, don't shoot the messenger," even though there's no evidence that Democrats were behind it).
I still want to call them "Trump Brand Concentration Camps" [youtube.com]
Cheetolini comments on Jun 28, 2019:
Concentration Camp. If you are going to continue to imply Hitler, know what you are talking about.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 28, 2019:
Hey Cheeto, ever stop to wonder why Hitler's "Final Solution" wasn't just called his "Solution?"
Fraud [zerohedge.com]
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 27, 2019:
Where's the fraud? https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-border-photos/
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/aoc-empty-parking-lot/
Random thoughts watching the first night of the Democratic debates.
iThink comments on Jun 27, 2019:
No one on that panel of "candidates" will be the DNC nominee - think Michelle Obama
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
@iThink Kamala: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kamala-harris-truancy-arrests-2020-progressive-prosecutor_n_5c995789e4b0f7bfa1b57d2e
Random thoughts watching the first night of the Democratic debates.
iThink comments on Jun 27, 2019:
No one on that panel of "candidates" will be the DNC nominee - think Michelle Obama
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
@iThink Pete: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2019/03/all-about-pete
Did you watch the debate? Any thoughts?
Facci comments on Jun 27, 2019:
Do you see Booker on the ticket?
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
I think he's angling for the VP slot.
Random thoughts watching the first night of the Democratic debates.
iThink comments on Jun 27, 2019:
No one on that panel of "candidates" will be the DNC nominee - think Michelle Obama
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
@iThink Which comment didn't fit? Both were commenting on Buttigieg and Harris. Unless you were asking who I predict would win rather than who my preferred candidates are. Not that those two things are that different. Agree that anyone else could have beaten Trump. Disagree on the importance of DNC meddling. But we're past that now.
Random thoughts watching the first night of the Democratic debates.
iThink comments on Jun 27, 2019:
No one on that panel of "candidates" will be the DNC nominee - think Michelle Obama
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
@iThink Maybe in an alternate timeline those would have been my choices, but Trump changed things, and we can't just hit the reset button and go back to Obama-style neoliberalism.
Random thoughts watching the first night of the Democratic debates.
iThink comments on Jun 27, 2019:
No one on that panel of "candidates" will be the DNC nominee - think Michelle Obama
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
@iThink Mr. McKinsey who didn't understand distrust of the police in the black community until he fired the first black police chief in South Bend shortly after taking office? The lady who prosecuted parents of chronically ill children for truancy? Hell no.
Random thoughts watching the first night of the Democratic debates.
iThink comments on Jun 27, 2019:
No one on that panel of "candidates" will be the DNC nominee - think Michelle Obama
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
@iThink I'll take the other end of that bet (i.e. I bet that one of the formally announced candidates as of today for the Dem nomination will be nominated). But after the 1,400 bet, I don't yet have the coins on me.
Where's the dividing line between citizen rights and human rights?
Boardwine comments on Jun 27, 2019:
The border.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
@Boardwine Ah I missed that first sentence. Still kind of vague, though.
Random thoughts watching the first night of the Democratic debates.
iThink comments on Jun 27, 2019:
No one on that panel of "candidates" will be the DNC nominee - think Michelle Obama
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
@iThink I'll bet you 1,400 IDW coins it doesn't happen.
Where's the dividing line between citizen rights and human rights?
Boardwine comments on Jun 27, 2019:
The border.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
@Boardwine, @jwhitten So there's no such thing as human rights?
Markets, not politicians, control the law of supply and demand... [reason.com]
PalmThis comments on Jun 27, 2019:
Interesting. I think this was written by Big Pharma though!
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
@PalmThis If the ReTHUGlicans had their way there wouldn't be any insurance at all. Just savings accounts!
Where's the dividing line between citizen rights and human rights?
Boardwine comments on Jun 27, 2019:
The border.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
Does it follow that anyone who happens to be on the correct side of the border has all the rights of a citizen? And are there any fundamental human rights that a person retains regardless of where happen to be?
Random thoughts watching the first night of the Democratic debates.
iThink comments on Jun 27, 2019:
No one on that panel of "candidates" will be the DNC nominee - think Michelle Obama
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 27, 2019:
Are you a betting man?
Justice: "FREE TO CHOOSE" Do you support libertarians' argument? - Very interesting!
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 25, 2019:
Right libertarianism is the oligarch's favorite ideology.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 26, 2019:
@Seasteader There's a big difference between a billionaire who owns a media company, for example, and the professionals who work for them.
How a Fringe Muslim Cleric Became a Hero to the Far Right
James comments on Jun 25, 2019:
Don't know much about the man but that article smells of a hit piece. It is full of emotional buzz words. They attack Mohamad Tawhidi for having unfavorable opinions like the idea CAIR is a terrorist organization... Well then... There is this: "Having explained why the UAE listed CAIR on its ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 26, 2019:
Many of your claims are dubious and fail to recognize the complexity of Muslim civil society organizations. And they have little to do with the reality of CAIR as it exists today in the US. I think it is much easier to demonstrate ties between the UAE and Saudi Arabia to terrorism. Are you willing to concede that?
How a Fringe Muslim Cleric Became a Hero to the Far Right
iThink comments on Jun 25, 2019:
According to a study in 2015, Islam has 1.8 billion adherents, making up about 24.1% of the world population. Most Muslims are either of two denominations: Sunni (80–90%, roughly 1.5 billion people) or Shia (10–20%, roughly 170–340 million people). Even if the number of Muslims who are ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 26, 2019:
Utter nonsense. I expect better of you, @iThink.
How a Fringe Muslim Cleric Became a Hero to the Far Right
Juliann comments on Jun 25, 2019:
Good article! Thanks for sharing. I disagree with it completely. A Muslim cleric that seeks reform is only dangerous to the extremists among the Muslim world. He is an apostate. Of course they want to silence him.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 26, 2019:
I think it is possible to have a much more thoughtful and credible criticism of Islamic extremism than what this man is offering.
Justice: "FREE TO CHOOSE" Do you support libertarians' argument? - Very interesting!
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 25, 2019:
Right libertarianism is the oligarch's favorite ideology.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 25, 2019:
Those people aren't very political. From what is known about their political views, they are rather centrist. The same cannot be said of the most of the rest, for example Larry Ellison, the Kochs, the Waltons, Sheldon Adelson, the Marses, Stephen Schwarzman, Elon Musk, Rupert Murdoch, Carl Icahn, Harold Hamm, Ken Griffin, Foster Friess, Paul Singer, the Mercers, Woody Johnson, the Rickettses, Peter Thiel, Robert Kraft, Charles Schwab, Bernard Marcus, Vince McMahon, Steve Wynn, Donald Trump, the DeVoses, and Dick Uihlein. While a handful of billionaires like Soros, Steyer, and Omidyar give to Democrats, they get more of their donations from unions, non-profits, Wall Street professionals, Hollywood professionals, trial lawyers, tech professionals, other professionals, and small donors. The Republicans get theirs from mostly right libertarian billionaires and corporations involved in energy, capital, gambling, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, media, marketing, and tech.
Trump administration lawyer defends inhumane conditions for kidnapped migrant children.
Naomi comments on Jun 25, 2019:
Hello. Why has this been allowed to continue in the US so long? There must be law concerning the welfare of children, no? (I'm obviously showing my ignorance, here - sorry.)
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 25, 2019:
@Naomi I am also of the mind that the provisions regarding "all persons" in the US Constitution, e.g. due process, should apply to people caught up in the immigration system, but the courts and even the Obama administration have been resistant.
Trump administration lawyer defends inhumane conditions for kidnapped migrant children.
Naomi comments on Jun 25, 2019:
Hello. Why has this been allowed to continue in the US so long? There must be law concerning the welfare of children, no? (I'm obviously showing my ignorance, here - sorry.)
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 25, 2019:
@Naomi One would have thought. I'm not aware of all of the international laws that might apply, but I do know that the US is not party to the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._ratification_of_the_Convention_on_the_Rights_of_the_Child
Justice: "FREE TO CHOOSE" Do you support libertarians' argument? - Very interesting!
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 25, 2019:
Right libertarianism is the oligarch's favorite ideology.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 25, 2019:
@Seasteader You confuse the oligarchs with the professional class.
Trump administration lawyer defends inhumane conditions for kidnapped migrant children.
Naomi comments on Jun 25, 2019:
Hello. Why has this been allowed to continue in the US so long? There must be law concerning the welfare of children, no? (I'm obviously showing my ignorance, here - sorry.)
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 25, 2019:
The crisis began when the Trump administration started a policy of detaining people while they await an asylum hearing in civil immigration court. These are people who may have arrived legally at a port of entry or committed misdemeanor illegal entry, which is sometimes precipitated by border agents who profile poor migrants and tell them that the port of entry is full. Detaining such people rather than releasing them with a court date and an ankle monitor requires them to be separated from any children brought with them. Their children are then detained and funneled into the legal system alone. Previously, children were only detained when they arrived on their own. Those children were more likely to be older and have relatives in the US that they could be released to. Such release has been further complicated by ICE's targeting of sponsor families. This policy was intended by the Trump administration to serve as a deterrent and likely to boost GOP political campaigns. It has overwhelmed an already backlogged system. The Trump administration would like to build a wall and likely a massive set of camps to accommodate these people whereas Democrats don't want to enable such unnecessary human rights abuses with more funding. As for laws concerning child welfare, the challenge is that they find themselves in a legal gray area. They are not US citizens, so the courts are wary of extending them basic human rights, and they are caught up in the civil immigration system, which counterintuitively means they can be treated worse than criminals. As the video shows, the administration is having trouble complying with the merest of laws that protect migrant children, namely the Flores agreement, which the administration intends to eliminate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reno_v._Flores#Terms_of_the_agreement
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo One more thing: I noticed a connection to the blog post I shared yesterday. http://scholars-stage.blogspot.com/2015/09/honor-dignity-victimhood-and-death-of.html It mentions how civic life has escaped the reach of the average person in recent years, contributing to alienation, victimhood, and dependence on authorities. Workplace democracy (not to mention Congressional reapportionment and taxing the rich) could be a remedy for that.
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo Gotcha. Yeah I can't prove it would be better. At least not with my level of expertise. Though maybe someone like economist Richard Wolff could attempt to. What is self-evident is that workplace democracy would change the power structure in most organizations. With some good ethics, which I think the socialist community has, you might get a better outcome. Is it unreasonable to compare it to democracy in government? Sure we might have the same outcome under a monarch, but isn't the freedom and dignity granted by democracy an end in itself? And that plus the economic freedom granted by social democracy might particularly be worth a lot to people who feel marginalized in the status quo. At least theoretically grievances could be adjudicated more openly and by peers. Likewise, it's entirely possible that our lives are predetermined. But isn't our life worth more believing in free will regardless? What I'm hoping for is not to force these ideals on people before they are ready, but for these changes to gradually be adopted at businesses that are ready for them--either through worker organizing or regulations like they have in Germany. Thanks for a good discussion.
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo Right now we are jockeying for power through appeals to the HR department in the authoritarian firm. Is that really better?
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo Sure you can't get rid of every kind of difference (nor would you want to), some of which may be valued higher on average, but you can at least create a system where people have enough economic freedom and democratic representation in the workplace not to be dependent on any of those powerful people.
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo Valve https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_Corporation and Mondragon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondragon_Corporation are good examples of places with workplace democracy. Germany has a law that mandates some workplace democracy for companies of a certain size. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codetermination_in_Germany
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo Social democracy obviously being things like health care and workplace democracy being things like having decentralized worker governance (not completely different from how some unions work).
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo And to emphasize, the so-called equality you take issue with is an equality achieved through top-down HR rules. Mine is one achieved through workplace democracy and social democracy. It wouldn't happen overnight, but eventually there would be enough actual parity that there would be no basis for a person of either gender to claim sexual misconduct (except of course cases of assault).
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo I'll acknowledge your point about capitalism. I mean social democracy is all about a mixed economy. I'm advocating gradual and limited reforms. I don't think I said capitalism was sexist per se. Just that it's not great at accommodating many aspects of human life. And that naturally leads to gender disparities. I do find myself irritated at people who focus solely on pay equity when flexibility is probably the larger issue. And again, think Scandinavia not the USSR. The type of parity I seek in the workplace is one where there will be no basis to claim an abuse of power. And ultimately that's the problem underlying sexual harassment. Rather than the left ushering in totalitarianism, I worry that centrists are tiring of the work of democracy. They're sick of the right's shit and they don't want to concede power to the "undeserving" left. They look at Dubai, Singapore, China, and the EU and like what they see. They will use all of the corporate identity politics you attribute to the left to create a meritocratic capitalist bureaucracy where everyone can be safe despite the inequality and the government will get shit done.
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo Also, I'll note that there are plenty of cases where relative utopia didn't metastasize into totalitarianism, but rather slowly degraded into soft neoliberalism.
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo I'm not advocating for an immediate shift to the anarchist ideal, as romantic of a notion as it is. There are too many advantages to the already-existing US state. Unfortunately, the ideal will probably only ever exist sometime far in the future, or today by necessity in relatively small communities that have already broken down. Social democracy, on the other hand, is working in many countries of the world. We can do piecemeal social democracy and keep markets for everything that isn't a natural monopoly. If there's political will later on, we can experiment with democratizing the workplace. As far as the psychological argument, I have nothing to offer you if you're seeking a society-wide restoration of traditional gender roles. But if it is human relationships that you are concerned with, I want to emphasize that it is capitalism and corporate interests--not the left--that are alienating us from our work and our co-workers, for example. More parity of economic freedom between men and women means that we can bring more of ourselves into all aspects of our lives and women can enter into more genuine relationships without the kind of dependency that breeds resentment.
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo Here's a person who recently coined the aforementioned catchphrase. https://www.vox.com/identities/2018/12/12/18125659/women-sex-socialism-feminism-kristen-ghodsee https://www.jacobinmag.com/2018/11/women-better-sex-under-socialism-review She addresses some of the distinctions between the corporate feminism and Stalinism you attribute to the left and socialist feminism.
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo The socialism you're picturing is clearly different from the one I'm picturing. Basically, more horizontal workplaces and society equals better horizontal polka (sorry, that was bad). From what I hear even the social democracy in Scandinavia has helped. An example of the ideal is probably the places where libertarian socialism (anarchism) has briefly taken hold. Consider Orwell's writings on revolutionary Catalonia. Or present day Rojava. Watch this video on the Portuguese Carnation Revolution and tell me the sex wasn't good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36K79SUiRFI
George Soros and 17 other wealthy individuals ask for a wealth tax on the 1% [nytimes.com]
Boardwine comments on Jun 24, 2019:
Then let him pay extra. Simple. If he feels under taxed he is more than able to send in as much extra as he'd like. Why doesn't he cut out the middle man and go to some disadvantaged neighborhoods and use that money for venture capital. Help poor folks start their own businesses. Buy a few blocks of...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@Boardwine How big is your family if you need billions to support it?
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@chuckpo My take on sex is that it's complicated by two things: 1. It's still pretty taboo. We talk, write, and teach about it so little that it's very difficult to learn. And what we do learn often turns out to be highly problematic. It may be a radical idea, but perhaps legalizing sex work could help. 2. You're going to hate this one, but men and women still aren't entirely equal, and capitalism creates all sorts of power dynamics in the places where we spend most of our time. That makes things like casual sex really problematic, as Aziz Ansari, previously everyone's favorite expert on modern dating, found out. We end up having to follow ever-changing professional norms and can't bring our whole selves into the workplace. When and where are we supposed to meet people anyway? As we like to say on the left, sex would be better under socialism.
Obama To Americans: You Don't Deserve To Be Free
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
Seems he was criticizing market fundamentalism and not individualism.
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@iThink Capitalism doesn't mean freedom though...
If you're going to watch one half hour YouTube video about sex this week, it should be Dennis ...
WilyRickWiles comments on Jun 24, 2019:
You mean this Dennis Prager? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODUrLP-NtU https://readsludge.com/2018/12/27/who-funds-pragerus-anti-muslim-content https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbtlCETYbts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6gzNgviPYA
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@Wordmage The host is Jewish. He was doing a satirical Trump impression. And no, I don't have any other questions.
George Soros and 17 other wealthy individuals ask for a wealth tax on the 1% [nytimes.com]
10thGeneration comments on Jun 24, 2019:
If it is an income tax it is a Trojan Horse. The vast majority of extreme wealth is not flowing each year through payrolls, stock options or distributions to owners. It sits in existing assets, trusts and the like. Sheltered not even on the radar. Let Mr. Soros suggest a 10% assets tax or a 10% tax ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
@Boardwine Oh but it is at minimum all of our unpaid earnings, plus interest, from the decades since the advent of neoliberalism.
George Soros and 17 other wealthy individuals ask for a wealth tax on the 1% [nytimes.com]
Boardwine comments on Jun 24, 2019:
Then let him pay extra. Simple. If he feels under taxed he is more than able to send in as much extra as he'd like. Why doesn't he cut out the middle man and go to some disadvantaged neighborhoods and use that money for venture capital. Help poor folks start their own businesses. Buy a few blocks of...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
The rich, like many of us, want their charitable giving to be an act of self expression. Many want the same from their political spending. The smart ones want to effect systemic change (often to our detriment). The not so smart ones aren't as effective as they think they are (e.g., Gates's failed school testing initiative) or can't spend their wealth faster than it grows (Gates again, despite having perhaps the best infrastructure for charitable work). If you want to achieve a common good, you have to tax and spend. I want a ceiling on wealth and enough revenue to validate spending on different types of basic income, infrastructure, public housing, education, health care, community health, employer of last resort, and a social wealth fund.
George Soros and 17 other wealthy individuals ask for a wealth tax on the 1% [nytimes.com]
10thGeneration comments on Jun 24, 2019:
If it is an income tax it is a Trojan Horse. The vast majority of extreme wealth is not flowing each year through payrolls, stock options or distributions to owners. It sits in existing assets, trusts and the like. Sheltered not even on the radar. Let Mr. Soros suggest a 10% assets tax or a 10% tax ...
WilyRickWiles replies on Jun 24, 2019:
But it probably should hit large charitable trusts too (and similar structures), especially the ones belonging to dead people, and I'm not sure that it does that.
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