Acantha

According to the constitution, congress can accept taxes to use for projects for public use (Military is a great example). Housing does not fall under that scope. Baililng out private banks and businesses does not fall under that. ALL of the money that our government is using is coming from us in some form or another, either through taxes or inflation. ANY TIME they use that money for ANYTHING other than what is authorized to them in the constitution, they are leaning toward socialism. And to answer your question, no we have not always been socialist, but we've have been doing it for a pretty damn long time now. And that bolded part is quite possibly the stupidest thing I've read in a long, long time. Thanks.

You keep bringing up tax relief. Where do you think all the money that they are using for these packages comes from?

Personally, I consider the key point in socialism being taking property from PERSON A and giving it to PERSON B. The bailout does exactly that. How exactly is the bailout NOT socialism?

I wonder if they were counting the last bailout, the next one, or just the current one?

Really? I can just never imagine how much help someone could possibly need changing a tire?

I was buying a gun toward the end of the campaign last year, and even though he hadn't won yet the place was packed and everyone was stockpiling. Even had a news team there talking to customers about why they thought it would be so much more difficult to buy once Obama took office.

I would say try to visit some of these places in mid summer just to be sure. Like I said, I used to love FL weather, but it's getting worse. I've only been there once, so I'm sure I'm looking at through tourists eyes, but I love Colorodo. I'm looking to get a new job in the next 6 months to a year, and I've been thinking about Colorodo. Also thinking about heading back "home" (haven't lived there since I was a kid); maybe around Rochester. It's not often I have a chance at a job in that area, so it's tempting. NC would be my other option.

Tell him goat is just slang for an item for sale. Maybe he'll start using it in his scam.

Probably not wanted, but my advice is to just stay out of FL. I grew in FL and loved it. I left when I was about 20 and always expected to go back someday. I can't even describe the difference between now and then. It's like a hole down there. I go back fairly regularly to see family and friends, and I swear it gets more depressing every time. The weather is getting unbearable, even to some of my family that have lived there for more than 30 years. I know it's worse to me cause I'm not used to the stifling heat anymore, but they agree. If it's an area worth living in, it's overcrowded and getting to extremes. I can't speak for everywhere, but I visit throughout the central area of the state (around Gainesville to Tampa). Add to that the hurricanes, which even if your not worried about them you have to deal with the insurance rate hikes all over the state, make life a pain in the ass. Almost everyone I know down there plans on leaving. I know at least half a dozen who are just waiting for their houses to sell (tough business lately). My advice if you want to stick to the southeast, go to the Carolinas or even back to VA. Some really nice places in that area of the country I think. As for FL, of the places I have spent time, Tampa (or the outer lying areas) have been my favorite. When I was in school I used to love going down to to Tampa for weekends.

I have a throw-away email address I use for all that stuff. The home address thing is something to watch for though. So I guess in Jack's case, outside of getting spammed there really isn't much danger in what's involved here? I'm assuming there would have to be more to the scam once someone engages.

Since the only time I ever use Paypal is between family or friends, I'm probably ignorant of the details, but what can happen if someone has your paypal address? Isn't that just how they pay you? For example, he put this on CL...if the guy had been less obvious and said, I'd like to buy the lens for the listed price and I would like to pay using paypal, wouldn't you give that out?

Yep...right there in the Muslim handbook.

How does this job help the economy in the long run? Where is the money coming from to pay for these workers? If we don't have real infrastructure to create and sell capital goods, this is all a waste of time. It's the same as giving people money for nothing. And the fact that everyone is too scared to spend is a good thing. Let people save, get rid of debt, liquidate. If we were allowed to come out of this naturally we could use those savings to rebuild ourselves into something worthwhile.

VERY easily actually. Think about it, these banks (we'll use Citi as the example) are in trouble because they bypassed sound lending practices and bought into the government instructions to lend any amount to any person (by way of legislation and lowering of the interest rate). They do this to MAKE MONEY. Doesn't matter if people can pay off the loans, because it's the interest that they are making money off of. They fed the bubble every bit of oxygen they had, then used whatever else was available to keep it going. Meanwhile, your bank stayed within their means, lent money to worthy applicants, and made much less money along the way. They did the right thing, and if they really were holding back from striking it rich, they did so because they knew that sooner or later someone had to pay the piper. So what happens? Everything goes to hell, but instead of Citi going falling to ruin, they were bailed out and given money from the gods. Meanwhile, your bank is taking the hit from the economy (partially caused by Citi), with none of the phony money that Citi brought in over the past decade, AND without any bailout money. Why wouldn't they say F-it, give us some too? It's very similar to why FDIC is such a load of crap (even ignoring the fact that it's not even close to being funded). Every bank pays into FDIC, but only banks with the worst business practices (to make loads of quick cash) get to take money out. What incentive does this give to good banks? None. My guess is, you won't have to worry much about that happening.

Nope, lucky for us it's alphabetical.

I really couldn't see how it would help in any of these things, especially boxing. Might make him be able to do things slightly differently....I'd give you pitching if he can somehow figure out how to make the ball spin differently due to the extra digit. And now he has to spend his whole life looking over his shoulder for Inigo Montoya.

Yeah, but that doesn't even come close to what they make on interest. The fees wouldn't sustain the companies, and there would be so few of them all of these places wouldn't even accept credit cards on a standard basis. It would be a completely different lifestyle if debt wasn't such a normality.

Yes, there are plenty of people that use CC's wisely. But really, the ones who use them that way generally don't really even NEED them, they're just convenient (I use mine for the "rewards", since I pay them off every month). Of course, if everyone used their cards that way, they wouldn't exist.

If you're doing it with your own money, no problem. Going into debt for those non-necessities is why we have problems. This includes buying a home, though of course almost everyone needs a loan for that. But requiring the 20% down payment, as it used to be, makes sure only those who know how to save and manage their money are getting into debt like that. Credit cards and easy home/car loans are the tools of the economic decline (in the very long term view).

Oh yeah, I'm supposed to keep up with the fact that you think they should be funded, but nobody is able to do it. Either governments fund it, individuals fund, or it doesn't get funded. The government has never touched anything without driving it into the ground. Individuals deciding for themselves what they want to fund wouldn't put us in to any worse position.

Actually we are (or are supposed to be) a republic. There have been examples of free market societies that have thrived throughout history, including the United States. Unfortunately those in charge (usually a mixture of the financial elite and the government) aren't able to stand by without trying to get more money or more power. The desire for a more centralized and powerful government, along with the need for unlimited amounts of spending power, will always win out in the end. You can follow that line through almost every major society throughout history.

Maybe for your next post, you can explain what this has to do with anything. Right now, vaccine developments ARE being funded by the same people who buy the "Sham-Wow". It's just funneled through layers of bureaucracy before it gets there. Of course enough is taken along the way to pay for the trip.

EVERYTHING is too important not to be funded, to somebody. The government isn't paying for anything, we are. So if it's important, why don't we fund it voluntarily and directly?