Re: Politics
2722It’s not that there isn’t kernel of truth in what you’re saying. The US has extracted and connived resources out of most of the planet, and the threat of violence from its military is keeping anyone from having to answer for it, along with support from those who benefit. Rome slipped here, slowly. So did the UK.
It’s just that the national debt and money are poor ways to reflect that. The holders of the US debt are not the same group whose resources have been plundered. Assuming full agency from every American in the form of “your share of the debt” obscures the oligarchy that makes most citizens unable to meaningfully affect that extraction.
It’s just that the national debt and money are poor ways to reflect that. The holders of the US debt are not the same group whose resources have been plundered. Assuming full agency from every American in the form of “your share of the debt” obscures the oligarchy that makes most citizens unable to meaningfully affect that extraction.
Re: Politics
2723It's a political decision, not a fiscal one.zorg wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2024 11:36 am Why doesn't the UK just print up a bunch of money to pay for the faltering NHS? Because there is a REAL UNDERLYING COST that has to come from somewhere.
The UK was in a shit state financially after WWII but still managed to create the NHS, the welfare state and embark on the biggest social housing project ever undertaken.
Dave N. wrote:Most of us are here because we’re trying to keep some spark of an idea from going out.
Re: Politics
2724Yup. The debt to GDP ratio was 270%. It’s currently just over a third of that.Curry Pervert wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2024 6:06 pmIt's a political decision, not a fiscal one.zorg wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2024 11:36 am Why doesn't the UK just print up a bunch of money to pay for the faltering NHS? Because there is a REAL UNDERLYING COST that has to come from somewhere.
The UK was in a shit state financially after WWII but still managed to create the NHS, the welfare state and embark on the biggest social housing project ever undertaken.
clocker bob may 30, 2006 wrote:I think the possibility of interbreeding between an earthly species and an extraterrestrial species is as believable as any other explanation for the existence of George W. Bush.
Re: Politics
2725RIP David Graeber. A great public intellectual.
clocker bob may 30, 2006 wrote:I think the possibility of interbreeding between an earthly species and an extraterrestrial species is as believable as any other explanation for the existence of George W. Bush.
Re: Politics
2726The UK won WWII. It was riding high on a combination of public euphoria, German restitution payments, plundered German patents, and various other spoils of war. It wasn't some kind of miraculous economic formula but rather the correct bet paying out as expected. You can keep posting all these things, but they just back up what I said in the first place. Simply put:
- when the government takes loans it pays more for things than they cost
- the poor pay the costs for government spending through taxation, reduced services, and erosion of public offerings
- the rich get paid more money by loaning the government the money
- the government realizes it's overspent and it takes out more loans to service it's existing loans or fund IOUs
- return to the first step but factor in the compounding costs
Re: Politics
2728You're concerned with inequities in tax policy and public services as well as astronomical military spending. Me too.zorg wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2024 11:34 am The UK won WWII. It was riding high on a combination of public euphoria, German restitution payments, plundered German patents, and various other spoils of war. It wasn't some kind of miraculous economic formula but rather the correct bet paying out as expected. You can keep posting all these things, but they just back up what I said in the first place. Simply put:
- when the government takes loans it pays more for things than they cost
- the poor pay the costs for government spending through taxation, reduced services, and erosion of public offerings
- the rich get paid more money by loaning the government the money
- the government realizes it's overspent and it takes out more loans to service it's existing loans or fund IOUs
This was the case of the Chicago Parking meter example, and there is no deviation from this in any circumstance I can think of except if you win a war or have some kind of boom in industry. Ultimately, I don't see how steps 2 or 3 are good things. Do I care if we can't buy bombs or new cop cars? No. Do I care if I can't afford quality medical care? Yes. I leave it up for you to decide, where the cuts will happen.
- return to the first step but factor in the compounding costs
The national debt isn't really the point. The parking meter example is weird and fascinating but I'm not convinced it's emblematic of the more macro picture.
Re: Politics
2729The UK lost WWII and were then rescued by the United States, its Imperial troops and most importantly the Soviet Union.
More Yugoslavs died in WWII than the Brits, who lost around 370,000 people. The Soviets lost 20 million.
Sorry to burst the national myth but the UK suffered pretty much the least out of almost every other combatant.
clocker bob may 30, 2006 wrote:I think the possibility of interbreeding between an earthly species and an extraterrestrial species is as believable as any other explanation for the existence of George W. Bush.
Re: Politics
2730That did not stop them from sharing in the bounty.Gramsci wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2024 1:32 pmThe UK lost WWII and were then rescued by the United States, its Imperial troops and most importantly the Soviet Union.
More Yugoslavs died in WWII than the Brits, who lost around 370,000 people. The Soviets lost 20 million.
Sorry to burst the national myth but the UK suffered pretty much the least out of almost every other combatant.