Comments by "Ōkami-san" (@mweibleii) on "David Pakman Show"
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SuxorAoeBj
Germany (I've only visited once) reminds me of Japan (where I've lived in the past) - only Germans are even more 'by the book' than the Japanese. And then the Swiss seem to take this to an all new level of OCD. Which is fine - for them. It works because it's part of the culture.
Our problem in the USA is we have an apathetic public, the largest government in human history. Our large government is the largest polluter in human history (yet is charged with cleaning the environment), consumes the most energy in human history (yet is charged with managing out energy), holds more non-violent 'criminals' than the USSR or Communist Chinese could dream of (yet is charged with protecting our freedoms), lies us into never ending war after never ending war at a cost of trillions. We have a central banking cartel that put us trillions in debt to bail out the rich - and this same bank CAUSED the GFC. We live under a sea of millions and millions of rent-seeking regulations (like needed a licence to cut hair, or arrange flowers, or fix a computer) all to prevent competition through regulatory capture. And on and on it goes.
What worked in the USA was a limited government, freedom of association, law and sound money. Such a system is the most efficient, the most moral (outside of Anarchy, according to Kantian Ethics) and does deliver the prosperity that everyone hopes for. Is it stable? No. Is it possible to fall through the cracks? Yes. But, it delivers the most prosperity to the most people.
There's already thousands of PhDs in the USA without jobs. The problem isn't access to education - the problem is a severe lack of freedom. This in turn has changed the USA from being a producer (like Germany) to a consumer-only Walmart for China.
Anyway, I may move back to Japan. I feel freer in Japan in many ways. It's more peaceful in Japan too. Children can walk through any area of any city carefree. Most USA cities have areas where the police don't even go to. I'm beginning to think the problems in the USA are unfixable. Probably, sometime in the next 100 years, some of the States will secede. MI as an example, is about the same size as Germany. I see no reason why such a state couldn't better function as a country. CA has the world's 7th largest economy - again, they could make their own country (or two, or three). Smaller countries have governments that are more representative of their people who live in them.
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Rathelm MC
You say my explanation is overly simplistic and then ask me another question that will be extremely simple.
The short answer: My father's labor was worth what he could demand from the free-market. The slightly more complex answer: America has no free-markets (you can skip to the last two sentences for the answer if you'd prefer).
Yes, through the use of the UAW, he and his fellow workers were able to 'negotiate' unimaginably high salaries with wonderful benefits and retirement packages. Of which, they are enjoying right now. As I stated, my father retired at 47, and he makes more per week from GM (which went bankrupt and was 'bailed out') than most workers in the USA do working.
Certainly much more than his children, my two brothers. They're lucky to do 'lawn care' for the retired babyboomers of GM.
I do not have a problem with private unions - IN a free-market. We don't have a free-market. Actually, we Americans despise freedom with a passion.
As a side note: I also worked at GM, while at University (chemical engineer). While I was not part of the Union, I could say I was paid what the free-market valued my labor-hours worth in USD. Which was quite a bit. But, this would be a white-lie, because we don't have free-markets. We live as Citizens of a hyper-regulated State that uses fiat currency. Which is a good thing - for my father. Because when GM went bankrupt, political levers of power could be pulled and the rest of America's children now pay his very high priced retirement. How nice, for him. Some of that 18 trillion is paying for his nice beer in his 3000 square foot house on acreage. I'm sure he'd say thank you, if he even understood how future debt is paying for his present livelihood even after a lifetime of UAW ensured high salaries.
So, in summary, the complex answer to your question of "Was he worth the price per labor-hour and retirement package he got?" Well, because we don't have free-markets and we don't use sound money - we will never know the answer that question.
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We can apply David's Regressive Socialistic thinking to all sorts of things.
- Why not make eating meat illegal? It causes all sorts of health problems. Think about the children. They can eat State regulated tofu and supplements.
- Why not make beer and alcohol illegal? It causes all sorts of health problems. Think about the children.
- Why not make snowballs illegal? Children might get hurt, or have their feelings hurt or learn the wrong behaviors. Just ban it, for the good of society.
- Of course fishing has to be illegal. That involves meat, which is now, in the Progressive/Regressive Socialist's society, illegal.
- Old people - ban them. They've passed their productive usefulness for the good of the State.... errrr "Society" and so they can be turned into Soylent Green.
Essentially, the Regressive Socialist will ban any and every adult activity they deem 'bad' for society. What's good or bad is just made up in their head on the spot - exactly like a Theocracy.
Banning smoking is no different than banning any other activity adults enjoy and would like to freely engage in. These Progressive's are sociopaths. Literally, they're worse than the Theocrats. Oh, and I do not smoke. And when in Japan - I simply choose not to go to restaurants that have open smoking. The good thing about Japan, is unlike the USA, it's pretty easy to open a business. So people are not stuck working at (no one is 'forced' to work at) a smoking establishment as they can easily open up a shop of their own. Most of these would be illegal in the USA for various health and safety violation. See, in Japan, adults are still treated as adults.
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***** Machines can flip burgers and make coffee. That's not the point, the point is Government interference in the markets are driving jobs overseas and even driving capital into making worker replacement. Thus, there will be even fewer jobs for those without highly technical skills. This isn't my opinion - it's an objective fact. Obama, and his ilk, do not create jobs - they tax and redistribute as well as interfere in the markets. Sure, it's great for the person who happens to get a raise, not so great for the person who loses their job. Not to mention, the markets don't stand still, they begin replacing workers immediately and developing technology that will eventually replace workers. Instead of having a lower wage, and cheaper food, you have a higher wage and more expensive food and soon - zero wage, but expensive food.
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Phoenix540 Trump is in violation of the US Constitution is he? Care to provide some evidence? If you are correct, well, if you're a citizen - sue him. YOU are citizen. HE is now YOUR public servant. Or... or, are you just making up stuff? As for guns, look at Obama's gun free Chicago to see what a mess strict gun laws have made of that city. It's literally a war zone there. Lastly, handing the word over to Putin... lol, hyperbole much? Firstly, the USA does not own or control 'The World'. Secondly, the POTUS is a relatively weak position in the US Government. But, you were saying? Exactly how is our political servant going to hand the world over to Putin? And, more importantly, who'd want most of it. The place in this world that I like living the most, is Japan. How is POTUS going to 'hand Japan' over to Putin? What? The Japanese are too stupid to control their own affairs? I mean, seriously.
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Eltrio2 I'm pretty sure it's impossible to grow up in the USA and not have access to the internet.
You do know that Government schools graduate functional illiterates at a rate (according to the DoED itself) of 1 in 5? Thus, if you have the means to PRIVATE educate - you would do your children a favor and do so. If you do not have the means, but have the intellect, then homeschooling is the next best option.
Interestingly, a study out of England found having a mother at home reading to her child each day was academically equivalent to a $25,000 a year private school. Thus, homeschooling is probably the better option. This makes sense give the total 100% attention of a parent versus a school teacher divided among 30 students and a lot of paperwork.
Note: Yes, I agree, a decent (read: average) public education might be better then learning in a home where they believe in magic thinking, like God. The thing is, most public schools do not challenge this meme and most people become atheist by Internet or maybe at University.
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This is F*cking ridiculous. Yes, when you stop taking on debt you have a period where you 'feel' less prosperous and in the case of the State of WI there MAY BE a decrease in employment.
However, this is a problem caused BY DEBT. Taking on more debt isn't going to solve a problem caused by debt.
Secondly, something David neglects to mention: WHO has to PAY BACK that debt. Children do - because most of that debt is taken in long-term bonds (example 30 yr T bills). What a f*cked up democracy we have were one generation can legally vote themselves largest at their own grandchildren's expense. It's disgusting. If you are in your 20-30s and want to know what you can't find a job, why things were so much better for your parents and grandparents - it's because THEY borrowed and YOU pay. They could have lived a normal and decent life, but hey, why not just go into debt and stick the grandkids with the god damn bill?
Lastly, Walker tried to just cut back a teeny bit on Public "Servants" entitlements - those are payments you 20 year olds will be FORCED TO PAY FOR through your Local, State and Federal taxes (including income tax) and you want to know what happened? All this f*cked in the head so-called Progressives started threatening the murder his god damn children! His children! This is how sick you are. You're like sociopaths. Instead of paying your own way, you steal from the next generation for your progressive crap that no one wants to pay for which is why you have to turn to the State and then when someone is voted in who says enough is enough, you do hit piece after hit piece on him and culminating in actually photos and death-threats of the mans children.
There is no fixing America. I say give total control over to the sociopath progressives and let them run this f*cker straight into an ice burg, the soon USSA Good Ship Lolipop sinks the sooner we can begin building a new one and much different one - one where it's not possible to steal from your grandkids and give to yourselves.
Oh, and it's good to see Oblahma lived up to all his expectations cutting benefits while maintaining military spending and continuing the two wars we're losing (Now we're not leaving Afghanistan in 2014, but 2024) , drone kill assassination of a 16 year old American so-called "FREE" Citizen because his father was a douche with nothing but cheerleading from the so-called "Progressive Left", continued bailing out of the top 1% to a tune of 17 trillion dollars, ObamaCare that's a total mess, and NSA survalance right out of 1984. Good Job Progressives! Arseholes.....
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GreatPirateSolomon
1) Of course Chartered Schools perform lower on Standardized Government Tests. The same is true of Finish students, they don't do well on MCQ and other standardized testing (recent article was in New Scientist looking at this fact - yet, they concluded Finish education is fantastic). The same is true of privately educated students who simply lack the "skills" to pass Government tests. These skills often involve schooling practices that are antithesis to actual learning - like being able to cram for 3 days of bulimic learning barfing factoids out onto a test forgetting all information within a few days. IF you want to learn like that, then Government School is for you. If not, then you may want to choose a Chartered School - but, if you do, don't expect to necessarily do well on a Government Test. And of course, some Charted Schools suck - which is why we need choice to leave either.
As a note, it's not uncommon for top Government Schools to 'limit' the population of students who take many of the standardized tests. Most of the time 'encouraging' the lower end of the spectrum not to take the test - or outright trying to prevent them from doing so.
2) How do I figure a German School in the USA will have to be a Chartered School? Because Americans like Government Schooling and so you're never going to get them to adopt a German style education system. Thus, the ONLY way to get Government funding is through a Chartered School stylized as a German School. Otherwise it will be a private school. Private German schools already exist in the USA. That was my point. Americans see 1 in 5 functional illiteracy as a norm and something that's perfectly acceptable. Why? Because most Americans couldn't give two shits. That's out culture. We care about sports, war and pop stars.
3) Yes, I understand, and I'm telling you this can not physically happen. We cannot 'copy German schools in our system' and have them function like German schools function in Germany. Americans are not Germans. It's that simple. It's like 'copying the Democratic process onto Iraq' and then wondering why it's an utter failure. They are not Americans, do not have our culture, and thus our system does not function there as it does here. Likewise for German schooling in the USA.
As an example from Japan. In Japan it's common to take public transport to school. It's common to get on a train, ride through the city, get off, walk through a neighborhood, cutting through yards even, and walking to your school. You'll see 12 years walking along all the time. Japan spends 50% what we do and have double the outcome. So? Why don't we do that? Why don't we just allow kids to take public transport and walk through cities unaccompanied like in Japan? Also in Japan, you'll see beer vending machines all over any city. So? Why don't we do that? Let adults, 21 years or older, just buy beer from vending machines. In Japan it's common to leave stock out on the street over night. Why don't we do that? Just leave cartons of food, beverage, etc.... out on the street? Hmmmm.... maybe because of our culture? Maybe because we are not Japanese? Maybe because children in the wonderful land of the USA would be abducted left and right, beer machines would be pilfered, and stock stolen - all on day one. Why the Japanese can do these things has to do with Japanese people. It works for Japan, because of Japanese culture. There's a reason why we don't do these things - that reason is called Americans.
German schools work IN Germany - for Germans. That's why they have them. We have shitty American schools and a 1 in 5 functional illiteracy rate due to our culture.
It's not that I don't want to see better schooling in the USA. But that'll only come via private Chartered Schools allowed to compete for Government money and put poorly run Government Schools out of business. Therefor, if German schools ARE something Americans want to get behind, then they'll choose to put their kids into them and in that way Americans would get German Schooling. It's that simple.
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Rob McCune GDP is a very rough measure of prosperity. For example, a pandemic or flood can increase GDP - it's not as if this is good for society. Further, Japan has a rapidly decreasing population, and each year most things are better. For example, with less people, the new houses are cheaper and bigger and nicer. Yes, 4 of 5 schools have closed, but the one that is open is modern and nice. Did you know it is common in Japan to see 6 and 7 year olds walking alone through the city. Japanese cities are ultra safe. Yet, you hardly ever see a police person. Yes, importing a bunch of people would increase GDP - but then you end up with ghettos in the cities, a lot of disfranchied Japanese works (who will also end up working for less money as they have to compete) and then those immigrants also become old. So what? Import even more? You just end up living in run down dangerous US cities. That's no eveyones idea of a good ideas. Also, unlimited growth is not possible on a planet with a limited size. So, it's best to work on a sustainable society that lives within its means. AND this is the biggest problem with our ideas of economy and society.
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Omega172 Japan has even tougher laws regarding the possession of drugs. Yet, Japanese cities are extremely safe. Just imagine dropping your 7 year old child off at a train station, they then ride this into a major city, get off and walk a few blocks alone to school. Not a care in the world. Don't get me wrong, I think the War on Drugs is immoral, stupid and should be stopped, but this isn't the root cause.
Regarding your neighborhood, you'd obviously know best. I think it's perfectly fine to have some immigration - just slowly, and high skilled (unless for marriage or school).
I can not see any good reason to have (a) large amounts of immigration of any kind or (b) large amounts of low skilled immigration. Outside of marriage or school, each person should be required to have a high in demand skill that cannot be met by current Americans (which would be very very hard to find, given we're a big country, with a good number of highly educated people). Another negative for society, though perhaps a net positive for the economy, is low skilled workers drive down the hourly wage of American workers. This is actually happening in Sweden right now. And Swedes are pushed out of the housing market as well due to so much immigration. Something similar is happening in Australia - many Australians cannot afford homes. In Germany there's calls for immigrants to be allowed to work below minimum wage.
I don't see how this is good for society. IMO it's not.
As for Japan, yes, the economy is not the same as when they had huge population growth. But, as we agreed, populations don't grow forever. At some point we have to deal with population decline.
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Omega172 Here's original research published in a dissertation showing that in Sweden immigration has a negative effect on wages. http://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:741567/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Disney is being sued right now for using the H-1B Visa in the USA to replace highly paid Americans with lowly paid immigrants.
That aside, suppose the effect is small, IMO it doesn't matter. The effect on society with a large migration of low skilled laborers is negative. 25 years ago the idea of no-go zones like in the USA happening in Sweden where unthinkable, and unheard of. Swedish society was similar to Japan. Very safe, mostly monocultreal. Then they started this experiment where they'd turn their country into a multicultureal country. Now they have welfare ghettos where generational welfare families reside. You'd probably be stabbed in you walked in there. The police don't even like going there. Drugs, abuse, superstition, all the worse aspects of their society they brought with them. And worse still, it's getting worse.
Anyway, we'll have to agree to disagree as to the effects of low skilled, often highly superstitious, immigrants. Highly advanced, safe fair societies require a massive amount of effort to maintain. Particularly in the parenting area. There's no need to make the job of maintaining social standards any harder than it is already.
Even if there were a short term benefit, as we agreed earlier, soon these people will get old, and then we're right back at square 1.
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Well, you're all in luck. We have O-blah-ma and the richest 1% are richer than ever. Government is larger than it's ever been in our history. Government has passed more rules and regulations in our history. We have the largest debt in history. The Government now spies on us. The drug war, the war on terror, the war on literacy (George Bush II words not mine). The POTUS can now order the death of innocent American children and be given a Nobel Peace Prize. The Central Banker's and Central Planners have pretty much crushed the hopes and dreams of the average American and the 10s of millions of bureaucrats finish the job by ensuring anyone who does attempt to compete against established interests are crushed under a mountain of paperwork - for our safety of course.
A 100 years of Progressivism, beginning with their support for the Central Bank and ending in the total subjugation of the American public.
Do enjoy the New Economy and try not tripping over the Farce when you waddle down to the polling booth to pull the magic lever for Hitlary War Hawk Clinton or Native American minority Elizabeth Warren or whomever the establishment pukes up: Right OR Left.
So, don't you worry your pretty little heads, we're getting more regulations, more government, more taxes, more laws, more debt, less privacy, less freedom, less opportunity and less prosperity. Welcome to life in Progressive American, final stop: Detroit City.
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mistert800 Health and Finance are the two most regulated industries in the USSA. MASSIVE amounts of regulation. There's this 'myth' the the banks were 'deregulated' - this is a lie. It's a regulatory-captured market.
Not to mention, the banks are given 'special' trading privileges by the State. The State they own. AND guess what? This hasn't changed. Not to mention the Central Bank they own controls our money, then uses extortion to force us to pay the State IN it. Pay To Work Tax it's called. Otherwise known as Income Tax.
Like I said, you don't have to worry about Ron Paul. Nope, no RP for us. Instead we're going to get another sociopath like O-blah-ma. The rich will pick and back their players, the MSM will tell the American idiotocracy they must choose A or B. And the deal will be done. All the little idiots will be out waving our stupid flag (now that it's meaningless - at one time it actually stood for freedom). All for the next POTUS Sociopath In Chief.
Meanwhile, we'll get to pay more tax, more inflation, more regulations, more rules, more spying, less freedom, less civil liberty, less opportunity and less prosperity. And that's just way things are going to go.
Oh, and as for Healthcare - it's a mess because of the State. The State ruined healthcare by making it a monopoly. The chances are, you'll be killed off by our Fascistic DiseaseCare. Over 400,000 Americans are killed by Healthcare each and every year. That's a city the size of Atlanta nuked year after year after year.
If you really need healthcare, I mean if it's serious, do as we do - fly to another country and pay out of pocket. We generally go to Japan and pay at a private hospital (it helps knowing Japanese in this case).
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