A few years ago, there was a story about "Pure Capitalism"... what is it, which countries practice it. #1.. Hong Kong (though not a country)... flat tax of 15%. For that they provide police, fire, and utility services... electricity, sewer, etc. That is, pay your 15% tax, and knock yourself out... but don't expect "social services".. The USA was about 15th on the list... even then we were at least moderately Socialistic. I'm expecting the NObama years to knock us much further down the list. The sad part of all this is that the BEST standard of living for most of the citizenry has come from the Capitalistic Model of business... we are abandoning it. Our children and grandchildren will come to detest us for taking "the NOama turn"...
As I see it, instability results when the demographic political center is shifted to a large degree from the economic center. For this reason, Democracy only works with a large middle class, and when most of the economic power is held by the middle class. In counties where the economic power is held by the elite, there is inevitably either a dictatorship, or there is a revolution.
I agree with the poster who cited the Roman model. Only landowners with 5 acres or more should be able to vote in the U.S.
In other words, anyone living in any of the largest 50 cities in the U.S. is automatically out. Great, so instead of having educated wealthy people who live in cities voting, we will have ignorant hillbillies, farmers, and mountaintop recluses picking our leaders. Maybe you should rethink that 5 acre minimum. I think some good rules for voting eligibility are-- 1) A high school diploma or GED. 2) Anyone receiving government aid is not allowed to vote (welfare, section 8, food stamps, etc.). 3) Person must have been gainfully employed for at least one third of the previous calendar year in order to vote.
Yes, except that the income tax industry (both state and federal) is also a "gazillion" dollar behemoth - accounting firms, tax preparers, refund anticipation loan companies, tax lawyers, 1000's of Gov. jobs, retirement, IRA, Pension, etc. etc. etc. There are MASSIVE amounts of the workforce that have to do somehow with the tax industry or related industries, probably one in 10 jobs at least, if not more. If USA suddenly went to a flat tax without phasing it over a long period of time, the economy would crash just like it is now or even worse. The company failures and job closures would be awesome and immediate. That's why it will never happen. it is a nice idea on paper but you can be sure the lobbyists for about 500 industry segments will never let it happen - their survival and purpose depends on our ever-changing and complex tax codes. Governments always start out with projects and departments to benefit the people. But at some point, Government crosses over the line and becomes more worried about its own perpetuation and growth than it does about its mission to serve the people.
I have been reading your posts and now can see that you are one of the most rabid, ill-informed left-wing morons ever to post on ET.
The Men Behind Obama http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H02w1bp4TcU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs68T-tO4QQ Thanks,