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If you like the European model, feel free to go there and partake of that largesse.
I don't like my money being used for things other than myself.
Imagine the European model here with our inefficient government ?
And the US will pay for it all by taxing rich people only ?
I think I'd rather take my chances living in Europe where they at least acknowledge that everyone has to pay high taxes for all those benefits and they administer it semi efficiently.
eatsDEN asked: are you suggesting that individual States should be able to again limit elected representatives to those people's of a specific belief system? as well have the states regulate things like same sex marriage, etc?
That is a good question. I guess you could say yes I am. Do I think it would happen if we reworded the 14th amendment in a way that it would not force the States to be held to the same limits of the Federal Government. I don't think it would to a large degree. Sure some items like abortion would probably get completely outlawed in some states like Texas. Some states would probably go as far as outlawing people of Muslim type religions from holding public office. These are all possibilities.
But we could also rewrite the 14th Amendment to protect certain items mainly when it comes to Race, Creed, and Religion. So that it is more focused and not so broad.
The main idea I am trying to put forward here is that. Today's Federal Government is in no way aligned with the ideas of the Founding Fathers. We are not suppose to be policing the world. We in their words should be isolationist with no standing army (minus a Navy to protect our waters and borders). It should not be taking on all the social issues of the day it is trying to fix and failing at. We should have no debts. The powers of the Federal Government were numbered and few in the Constitution. Over time we have seen problems and we have tried to fix them. But the fixes we have put in place (say what you will about their need or that they were put in place as good intentions) The simple truth is they are not Constitutional powers of the Federal Government I could care less what the Supreme Court says. They have taken certain sentences or items and greatly expanded on them. Like the 14th Amendment and items like the necessary and proper clause, or pursuit of happiness.
So if we are going to try some of these progressive ideas out we would have to find some way to make them Constitutional and we could do that by taking away the 14th Amendment and do it at the state level. Lets face it as it sits now nor the Left or the Right are going to ever get what they want. We will never get back to a limited form of Government that the founders had in mind and we will never become a fully Progressive Government. Or at least not till we finally settle it with a war of some sort.
See take what LibertyandJusticeforAll posted today @ 3:51PM
I agree completely but lets be honest it will never happen. And whether we want to believe it or not at some point this divide will blow up and boil over into another Civil War. If we do not find some way to settle it socially.
That brings up another thing I always find interesting. We ask our youth to go fight and DIE for this countries beliefs and principals. And they volunteer to do just that. But our Political leaders won't even risk the possibility of losing their seat at the table of power by standing up and fighting for those same beliefs and principals. How fin sad is that?
Yeah, even the Scandinavians are concerned with hoarding money. But, you are correct, they still believe in capitalism as the engine of wealth creation. But, they use the engine of wealth creation more efficiently than we do. And their citizenship means something. With citizenship they get benefits that only Americans can dream about.
There is no myth there. Obamacare got passed with ZERO Republican votes.
They could have crammed anything thru Congress during that period.
Yet they didn't.
By using the rare tactic of reconciliation, that can only be used in limited cases.
Do you want to drive on the roads? Build your own damn roads!
Where I live (rural county) only the main roads are paved. All the side roads are dirt and there are no sidewalks except for in town.
Costs are very low to maintain and the paved roads are kept in excellent condition.
You might see some ruts in the dirt roads but the county grooms them 2-3 times a year.
The main roads get you from point A to point B and then the side roads take you to your location within point B.
Cheaper to operate a JD grader then it is to have all roads paved and repaved and repaved.
But most Americans wouldn't put up with that type of infrastructure.
Yeah, even the Scandinavians are concerned with hoarding money. But, you are correct, they still believe in capitalism as the engine of wealth creation. But, they use the engine of wealth creation more efficiently than we do. And their citizenship means something. With citizenship they get benefits that only Americans can dream about.
They pay anywhere from 40-60% income taxes though that pay for those benefits.
We envy the benefits though but never bring to light the cost of those benefits.
FICA is 6.5% for individuals. Last increased in 1990.
We should be paying closer to 12-15% FICA.
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