as soon as we have an unlimited supply of free energy and the ability to convert it into matter, communism might become viable.

5/17/2010 12:57:43 PM

Yeah, but even then the people that convert energy to matter will charge for it.

5/17/2010 2:12:29 PM

^^ i promise you in no uncertain terms that even in that case, it still wouldnt work, but we would be a hell of a lot more effective at fucking each other up

5/17/2010 4:41:41 PM

if everyone has access to whatever they need, they dont care enough to fight about shit anymore. All the wars over raw materials end. People dont have to work for anyone else. Religion would fade away since no one cares about that shit beyond its use as a means to control people. There would be bad folks here and there but for the most part the world would be a pretty nice place and everyone would get on real well.

5/17/2010 4:45:40 PM

it would take a few generations to get the third world up to date culture/communication/education wise, but then the world would eventually be united for the common good.

5/17/2010 4:49:43 PM

I agree, but "the common good" isn't peace, safety and equality of the ends. The common good is liberty, justice, and equality of the means.

Freedom will always defeat authority, even the most benevolent authority imaginable.

5/17/2010 5:16:19 PM

Quote :

"as soon as we have an unlimited supply of free energy and the ability to convert it into matter, communism might become viable."

I, too, think the world will be like Star Trek when this happens.

5/17/2010 5:49:31 PM

Quote :

"On a national scale, motivated self-interest and lack of this type of accountability lead to corruption and a failure of the system."

That's not communism, that's just saying "HAI GUYZ NO MOAR MUNIES K". Implementing communism is more complicated than that.

Quote :

"See Kris...there are a few people left who recognize the inherent evil of socialism..and the ultimate failing of communism."

And your example is people who don't even know how it works.

[Edited on May 17, 2010 at 7:17 PM. Reason : ]

5/17/2010 7:16:31 PM

you can use soviet Russia as your case study for how it doesn't work on large scales. Or China.

and shaggy, you missed 1 type of resource you cant create with that, and its actual territory, land to live on

5/18/2010 9:26:28 AM

with infinitite resources, colonizing the galaxy (or atleast the solar system) would become viable.

5/18/2010 9:45:08 AM

yea but i still want 16 miles of beach front property for my dune buggy course. and so does everyone else.

5/18/2010 3:42:53 PM

realistically once we get holodecks the human race will die out.

5/18/2010 3:47:10 PM

Quote :

"you can use soviet Russia as your case study for how it doesn't work on large scales. Or China."

So I should use two examples both of whom were able to transition from lagging pre-industrial feudalist monarchies to top tier world economic superpowers in a few years of communism as examples of failure?

Quote :

"you missed 1 type of resource you cant create with that, and its actual territory, land to live on"

If you can create matter, why would you not be able to create dirt and water, which are matter?

5/18/2010 5:56:59 PM

Kris my brother in law goes to school in St. Petersburgh. Ive seen pictures of their best dorm. Public housing is in better shape and they have routine rolling blackouts. Its amazing how far behind us this developed country really is.

5/18/2010 6:13:55 PM

well the communists haven't been in power for several years now, but had they never been in power, your brother probably wouldn't even be going to school in Moscow considering it would be more like it's neighboring countries are.

5/18/2010 6:24:44 PM

the 3.8% real estate tax is bullshit on the new health care bill. you work hard, build a house for a family, and then get screwed when its time to downsize. i also didnt like the 2.9 % tax on medical devices for obvious reasons.

6/2/2010 11:22:56 PM

Shut it you decadent capitalist pig.

6/3/2010 2:30:46 PM

^^

Check your facts, first:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/realestate.asp

6/3/2010 8:10:58 PM

Quote :

"2.9 % tax on medical devices"

Let's complain about the rising cost of healthcare, then let's drive up the price of healthcare, and tell people that it's going to bring down the cost of healthcare. Only politicians could come up with this shit.

6/3/2010 8:28:17 PM

Quote :

"Even without recent spending, the growing cost of government benefits will result in four decades of rising taxes.Thanks to ten years of rising government costs, the taxation wake-up call will be even more painful. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, estimates a $12,636 (inflation-adjusted) tax increase will be needed just to cover entitlement costs. Wealthy Americans should watch for the tax hikes to begin on January 1, when Obama lets tax cuts expire for people who earn more than 250,000. The rest may spend the rest of their life on the watch for value-added taxes, excise taxes, and more."

6/22/2010 6:47:50 PM

John Kerry is a fucking clown . . . wait let me rephrase that . . . politicians are fucking clowns:

Quote :

" Sen. John Kerry moved to end a controversy over his decision to base his new $7 million yacht in tax-free Rhode Island, informing the Massachusetts Department of Revenue on Tuesday that he would "promptly" pay taxes as if the vessel were docked in his home state. In a statement Tuesday, the Democrat said, "As we've said from the beginning, we have always complied with tax laws, and we always will. … The payment is being made promptly.""

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/27/kerry-yacht-in-rough-seas-over-taxes/

I mean, where John Kerry wants to park his boat is his business, but when he says shit like this, he can go fuck himself with a bottle of Heinz 57



[Edited on July 28, 2010 at 4:37 PM. Reason : and I apologize for using a YouTube link from Sen DeMint, but it was still appropriate.]

7/28/2010 4:32:39 PM

[OLD]

message_topic.aspx?topic=577918&page=3

7/28/2010 4:36:52 PM

[OLD]

user_info.aspx?user=29408

7/28/2010 4:38:07 PM

^ Don't get mad at me because you are five days late with this.

7/28/2010 4:39:59 PM

DONT YOU KNOW HOOKSAW IS THE MASTER COPY PASTER IN THESE PARTS?

7/28/2010 5:07:12 PM

^ Thanks for your input.

7/28/2010 5:10:23 PM

i guess I should have typed [OLD]

because that's good input

7/28/2010 5:11:36 PM

I pay my share gladly. My dollar wouldn't do as much good in the world even if I gave it to charity. What a wonderful nation we live in. I welcome the opportunity to pay my dues.

7/29/2010 2:03:19 PM

You are free to donate as much money as you want to the government coffers.

7/29/2010 5:53:34 PM

^ Stupid fucking argument and you know it

Like 3 seconds of consideration, man

7/29/2010 5:56:26 PM

^ I don't think it's stupid. A number of states even include a section on their tax forms so that those who wish to pay more than they owe can.

7/29/2010 6:01:38 PM

Yeah you can pay more if you'd like but you're seriously owning yourself if nobody else is doing anything

This is why people support tax reform instead of dumping their pockets out

7/29/2010 6:02:57 PM

The system only works if everyone plays by the same rules.

7/29/2010 6:32:34 PM

^^ Still, taxpayers can make that choice.

^ Is that why "the rich" pay more taxes?

7/29/2010 6:55:24 PM

Yeah we all play by the same rules, the rich pay more than everyone else is one of those rules we all play by.

7/29/2010 7:26:49 PM

^ But that's not everyone playing "by the same rules," now is it?

7/29/2010 7:32:04 PM

yes it is

you're a moron.

7/29/2010 7:41:46 PM

^ Please stop name-calling. If I pay more than you, it's not the same rules for you as it is for me. The only way this would be the "same rules" is if we both paid the same set percentage of our income.

7/29/2010 7:46:42 PM

Let's say we're both playing monopoly and we both land on income tax (10%). When I go by it I only have to pay $100, when you go by it you have slightly more money and have to pay $150. We're both playing by the same rules right? Now let's say we play economicopoly which has a slightly more complicated income tax square. In it you only have to pay 5% if you have less than $500, 10% if you have $501-$2000, and 20% if you have >$2001.
Again we're playing by the same rules. Do you understand?

7/29/2010 8:09:53 PM

I guess what Kris and hooksaw are getting at is that same rules =/= fair rules.

7/29/2010 9:23:27 PM

not even that, really. one person says "same rules" is everyone being treated differently, but according to the same set of rules. the other says "same rules" means everyone is treated the same.

7/29/2010 9:45:46 PM

But even if the tax rate were a flat 10% of income, the highest quintile would pay more taxes.

7/29/2010 9:55:16 PM

Quote :

"In it you only have to pay 5% if you have less than $500, 10% if you have $501-$2000, and 20% if you have >$2001. Again we're playing by the same rules. Do you understand? "

Well that sounds good until half way through the game 3 out of the 4 decide that everytime anyone lands on the tax that the one poor bastard has to pay the other three. Then claim he needs to pull his own weight.

7/29/2010 10:02:05 PM

the first rule of fight club is don't talk about fight club

7/29/2010 10:04:59 PM

^^^ and your point is...

7/29/2010 10:07:03 PM

Quote :

"Well that sounds good until half way through the game 3 out of the 4 decide that everytime anyone lands on the tax that the one poor bastard has to pay the other three. Then claim he needs to pull his own weight."

ITT we complain about democracy

[Edited on July 29, 2010 at 10:08 PM. Reason : ]

7/29/2010 10:08:21 PM

^ Not really. Can you show me how the AMT, for example, is the "same rules"?

7/31/2010 6:01:57 PM

This is america. Historically, we weren't great fans of democracy. After-all, we led a revolution against the quasi-democratic state of Britain.

7/31/2010 6:08:28 PM

^democracy sucks, there's just nothing else out there

Quote :

"Can you show me how the AMT, for example, is the "same rules"?"

Let's say we're both playing monopoly and we both land on income tax (10%). When I go by it I only have to pay $100, when you go by it you have slightly more money and have to pay $150. We're both playing by the same rules right? Now let's say we play economicopoly which has a slightly more complicated income tax square. In it you only have to pay 5% if you have less than $500, 10% if you have $501-$2000, and 20% if you have >$2001.
Again we're playing by the same rules. Do you understand?

You might not think the rules are fair, but they're the same.

7/31/2010 6:32:34 PM

Quote :

"^^^ and your point is..."

The hooksaw is a 1/mensa candidate.

7/31/2010 6:52:10 PM