USA, Inc.

[Marcus Bryant]

http://www.kpcb.com/usainc/

[ElNono]

USA Inc is TBTF...

[Winehole23]

Striving for a nonpartisan understanding of public affairs is worthy but ultimately boring, and I mean that in the most complimentary way.

This thread will be ignored. People don't fucking read, even the ones who claim to. The ratio is probably one out of ten. Too long and too dry, with no pre-chewed ideological angles.

If trolling around here talking to every random jackass (and occasionally being one) has taught me anything it's that reading is a very mysterious activity. There's no telling what is going on in a person's mind when they claim to be "reading."

[MannyIsGod]

WH, you once reacted very defensively when you thought your level of civic responsibility was being questioned so I find it somewhat odd to read that last post of yours. I do happen to think far more than 10% of people read but they probably don't read what you'd like them to.

I think you're right that this thread will largely be ignored.

[Winehole23]

I do happen to think far more than 10% of people read but they probably don't read what you'd like them to. I'm saying there's a reading comprehension problem. It's real.

I'm not the book police by any means, Manny. Read any damn thing you want. I'm pro-reading, even if it means reading things this wino hates. Even if it means people don't really read but just pretend to, I guess.

(Some, a very few perhaps, will fake it til they make it.)

[MannyIsGod]

I agree.

[Wild Cobra]

Trying to scare people away from reading what might be reality WH?

[Winehole23]

What the hell are you talking about? I like the OP. I think it's worthy and important. I also think it will be ignored because people don't read and they generally don't comprehend very well when they do.

The kiss of death though is that the OP lacks obvious ideological handles. Anything that falls outside of the fecal dualism of American politics is doomed to irrelevance from the beginning.

[Marcus Bryant]

What the hell are you talking about? I like the OP. I think it's worthy and important. I also think it will be ignored because people don't read and they generally don't comprehend very well when they do.

The kiss of death though is that the OP lacks obvious ideological handles. Anything that falls outside of the fecal dualism of American politics is doomed to irrelevance from the beginning.

Life seems easier when you already know what to think.

[Winehole23]

Life seems easier when you already know what to think.My current hypothesis is that stupidity and blind conformity represent an unforeseen evolutionary gain of some sort. The violence simplification does to the mind might be good for the organism and the survival of the species.

[boutons_deux]

No surprise, this ex-Wall Streeter doesn't really offer anything creative or radical to solve the severe problems and pain the VRWC has inflicted on UCA citizens.

How about:

capital gains back to 25%

End capital-gains self-reporting. Require capital gains to be reported by payer of the capital gains.

AMT for Corporate-Americans (why tax only Human-Americans with AMT?)

US govt as single-buyer to BigPharma

Removing the salary cap on SocSec contributions.

Hard-core public insurance option as a payroll tax, like Soc Sec, available to all citizens including employees currently captured by group plans.

Hedge fund managers pay income tax on their non-investment incomes (eg, their fee income), not capital gains tax rate.

Estate tax to pre-dubya rate.

[Marcus Bryant]

My current hypothesis is that stupidity and blind conformity represent an unforeseen evolutionary gain of some sort. The violence simplification does to the mind might be good for the organism and the survival of the species.

The material gains are potentially huge and the downside tremendous. Perhaps it's more along the lines that more often than not the majority view/conventional wisdom is correct and by merely subscribing to the majority's view you can choose the preferable option without expending much effort. Of course, there are times when the majority is spectacularly wrong and the outcome dear.

[DarrinS]

Entitlements

http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4d690245ccd1d5d750110000-920-691/usa-income-statement.jpg

[doobs]

The material gains are potentially huge and the downside tremendous. Perhaps it's more along the lines that more often than not the majority view/conventional wisdom is correct and by merely subscribing to the majority's view you can choose the preferable option without expending much effort. Of course, there are times when the majority is spectacularly wrong and the outcome dear.

Ah, nevermind.

Read it wrong. Carry on.

[Stringer_Bell]

My current hypothesis is that stupidity and blind conformity represent an unforeseen evolutionary gain of some sort. The violence simplification does to the mind might be good for the organism and the survival of the species.

There's clearly too many people in the human race for us to acknowledge and intake every individual's comprehension of events - the anger, frustration, and feeling of losing one's identity due to the limiting of one's opinion only lasts as long as he'she refuse to embrace Right or Left. It's much too taxing on the heart, mind, and household to fight for anything more - so I'll have to agree, as opposed to disagreeing or trying to find a middle ground that will be ultimately unsustainable.

I'm sure we can cut out 8% from those entitlement percentages and put it into something that's actually worth a damn...like Defense!

[Nbadan]

Net interest payment: 196 billion!

The end is near!

:lol

[ElNono]

Is there an audiobook version of the OP?

[Nbadan]

its available on amazon for 17.99

USA Inc.: A Basic Summary of America's Financial Statements (http://www.amazon.com/USA-Inc-Americas-Financial-Statements/dp/1450764509/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298411360&sr=8-1)

although I recommend

Griftopia: Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con That Is Breaking America (http://www.amazon.com/Griftopia-Machines-Vampire-Breaking-America/dp/0385529953/ref=pd_sim_b_6)

The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century (http://www.amazon.com/Next-100-Years-Forecast-Century/dp/0767923057/ref=pd_sim_b_4)

The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care (http://www.amazon.com/Healing-America-Global-Better-Cheaper/dp/B004KAB348/ref=pd_sim_b_35)

See....people read

[Marcus Bryant]

You recommend what Amazon recommends. Some recommendation.

[Wild Cobra]

You recommend what Amazon recommends. Some recommendation.
We all know he's just a liberal lemming.

[Nbadan]

You recommend what Amazon recommends. Some recommendation.

How many recommendations does your book have on Amazon..

...oh that's right....none...

[Winehole23]

Perhaps it's more along the lines that more often than not the majority view/conventional wisdom is correct and by merely subscribing to the majority's view you can choose the preferable option without expending much effort. Bandwagonning the majority. Of course.

Of course, there are times when the majority is spectacularly wrong and the outcome dear.Being in the majority has it's privileges, but the stampedes can be catastrophic when the herd gets spooked.

[Winehole23]

We all know he's just a liberal lemming.I dare you to forgo the word lemming for one year.

[Winehole23]

There's clearly too many people in the human race for us to acknowledge and intake every individual's comprehension of events - the anger, frustration, and feeling of losing one's identity due to the limiting of one's opinion only lasts as long as he'she refuse to embrace Right or Left. It's much too taxing on the heart, mind, and household to fight for anything more - so I'll have to agree, as opposed to disagreeing or trying to find a middle ground that will be ultimately unsustainable.

I'm sure we can cut out 8% from those entitlement percentages and put it into something that's actually worth a damn...like Defense!How delightfully oblique. That was almost Rococo.




(Hat tip)

[Wild Cobra]

I dare you to forgo the word lemming for one year.
I would fail, therefore I'm not going to try.

Unlike some, I know my limitations.

[Stringer_Bell]

I would fail, therefore I'm not going to try.

Unlike some, I know my limitations.

Unlike some...including the Obama Administration, the Democratic Congress, and Unions. amiright? :downspin:

USA Inc should be run by Mitt Romney, case closed!