We've all been plundered!

VINNY GOOMBA

A short interesting video explaining Bastiat's idea of legal plunder:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJIMqwJI ... r_embedded

Could it be that our current system of forcing each other to "take care" of each other actually be promoting more greed and theft among ourselves? I believe this to be so. I think we'll do a better job of taking care of each other when it's done under our own volition, through persuasion and leading by example, and not coercion.

Disclaimer: Admitedly, I do not know much else about Bastiat or his writings. If he was a hypocrite / slave owner / etc... I am in no way endorsing him personally, just this idea until I learn more.

shadowcast

Social Security is currently estimated to keep roughly 40% of all Americans age 65 or older out of poverty. I know my moother needs it. A limited form of the Social Security program began as a measure to implement "social insurance" during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when poverty rates among senior citizens exceeded 50%.
Universal Health Care- Medical bills are the cause of more than 60 percent of all bankruptcy filings in the United States.

I think it is just fine to help your fellow man out. It's Lobbyiest. They is the root of all evil.

Blockhead

shadowcast wrote:

Social Security is currently estimated to keep roughly 40% of all Americans age 65 or older out of poverty. I know my moother needs it. A limited form of the Social Security program began as a measure to implement "social insurance" during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when poverty rates among senior citizens exceeded 50%.
Universal Health Care- Medical bills are the cause of more than 60 percent of all bankruptcy filings in the United States.

I think it is just fine to help your fellow man out. It's Lobbyiest. They is the root of all evil.

Please lets not get ahead of our selves and thank social security. How about us not being forced to give our money to the gov. so that they can stash it away and give it back to use at a certin age. Your mom could have been putting that money aside in a bank/Roth IRA/401K/ Etc... and gaing huge ammounts of intrest... Your mom LOST a lot of money.

Universal Health Care is not free, we still pay for it...

VINNY GOOMBA

shadowcast wrote:

Social Security is currently estimated to keep roughly 40% of all Americans age 65 or older out of poverty. I know my moother needs it. A limited form of the Social Security program began as a measure to implement "social insurance" during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when poverty rates among senior citizens exceeded 50%.
Universal Health Care- Medical bills are the cause of more than 60 percent of all bankruptcy filings in the United States.

I think it is just fine to help your fellow man out. It's Lobbyiest. They is the root of all evil.

Programs like Social Security (among others) have put our nations trillions in debt, technically making us VERY poor despite the ability to have all sorts of stuff.

Of course I'm for helping my fellow man, and I think most people are, on their own terms. I do not believe that this system ultimately helps people at all. By accepting that wealth has to be transferred by one group or person to another through government, it opens up a Pandora's box in which people will seek to do this to one another whether they need it or not. The lobbyists and other people / groups (Vikings in the video, ha ha) who are inherently corrupt have been exploiting this forever. Allowing us to forcefully take from each other for "the common good" promotes a tremendous moral dilemma. What is GOOD to you isn't necessarily GOOD to someone else. For every program in this system for which you believe it provides benefit, it is likely to bring detriment in 5 other places.

shadowcast

Blockhead wrote:

shadowcast wrote:

Social Security is currently estimated to keep roughly 40% of all Americans age 65 or older out of poverty. I know my moother needs it. A limited form of the Social Security program began as a measure to implement "social insurance" during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when poverty rates among senior citizens exceeded 50%.
Universal Health Care- Medical bills are the cause of more than 60 percent of all bankruptcy filings in the United States.

I think it is just fine to help your fellow man out. It's Lobbyiest. They is the root of all evil.

Please lets not get ahead of our selves and thank social security. How about us not being forced to give our money to the gov. so that they can stash it away and give it back to use at a certin age. Your mom could have been putting that money aside in a bank/Roth IRA/401K/ Etc... and gaing huge ammounts of intrest... Your mom LOST a lot of money.

Universal Health Care is not free, we still pay for it...

Yeah stash it away in 401k and trust Wall St. (ask some people who were going to retire a couple of years ago if they are still working at 67) Then get taxed on your Roth IRA.The thing is people do not put money away for savings, it's like human nature. They do not have the discipline to do so. That's a fact. SS at least protects them then in turn protects the middle age people from going broke supporting their parents. Then there parents get sick....it's just keeps on rolling & rolling and rolling.

Of course Universal Health care is not free. I never said it was but health care will be cheaper with it. I really find it hard that people just love sticking up for insurance companies who up till a year ago were denying people coverage.

markin ball

Blockhead wrote:

shadowcast wrote:

Social Security is currently estimated to keep roughly 40% of all Americans age 65 or older out of poverty. I know my moother needs it. A limited form of the Social Security program began as a measure to implement "social insurance" during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when poverty rates among senior citizens exceeded 50%.
Universal Health Care- Medical bills are the cause of more than 60 percent of all bankruptcy filings in the United States.

I think it is just fine to help your fellow man out. It's Lobbyiest. They is the root of all evil.

Please lets not get ahead of our selves and thank social security. How about us not being forced to give our money to the gov. so that they can stash it away and give it back to use at a certin age. Your mom could have been putting that money aside in a bank/Roth IRA/401K/ Etc... and gaing huge ammounts of intrest... Your mom LOST a lot of money.

Universal Health Care is not free, we still pay for it...

Unless of course something like some really bad mortgage securities got all mixed up in her portfolio or something.

snow_board_rider

The IRS didn't allow for 401K when his mom was younger. 401K started gaining popularity when employers lobbied to be able to not take care of their employees. 401K's are not better than the old fashioned pension my grandpa got.

markin ball

Yes we all have been plundered. Now can we all please stop voting for corporate monkey bitches, pretty please?

whygohome

Let's not kid ourselves. Nobody gives two shits about helping out their fellow man.

shadowcast

Under Paul Ryan's plan the average American will pay $6,000 more a year.

http://www.politifact.com/ohio/statemen ... -proposal/

aerial

shadowcast wrote:

Under Paul Ryan's plan the average American will pay $6,000 more a year.

http://www.politifact.com/ohio/statemen ... -proposal/

Ok, I liked this person, but now I do not know. I REALLY do not have and extra $6000 or $500. I just do hit Thirty thousand a year...It is a struggle sometimes but I am happy and doing fine.