Thread: Tent Cities

Originally Posted by Dug

Exactly, maybe some people think the taxes are to benefit the bureaucracy, not the people.

I dont know, but I do have private health insurance, which if you have a serious disease is not much use. You have to go to a public hospital, because they still have the best facilities and the private hospitals just seem to be for elective surgery, which you do have to wonder whether you really need.

You dont get chemotherapy at private hospitals in Australia. Why is that, do you think?

Can't be bothered to re-write my comment . . . what an odious topic . . . and yet again personal attacks abound. Lily, don't worry about it, par for the course.

Originally Posted by Bugs

But I don't believe in the need for the government to be involved in the process, nor do I believe in having the government force folks to help their neighbors, or their neighbors neighbors.

I expect my government to whom I have paid tax all my life to supply, not only roads and guns to fight wars, but an affordable health and social system for me and my people.
I expect them to care for its vulnerable young and its elderly.

I thought you came from the greatest democracy in the world. Isn't the Government 'of the people, by the people, for the people'?

You lot think that any kind of aid for people in distress or unable to fend for themselves is socialism.

What has Obama done which has so offended you in regards to the constitution?

Originally Posted by Bugs

There is no such thing as free health care. Someone, somewhere, has to pay for it

Of course. I and every taxpayer has paid and continue to pay for it.

Originally Posted by Lily

Of course. I and every taxpayer has paid and continue to pay for it.

Exactly, and that's the locus of the argument. If you don't earn it, you don't deserve it - plain & simple...

Originally Posted by Lily

Originally Posted by Bugs

But I don't believe in the need for the government to be involved in the process, nor do I believe in having the government force folks to help their neighbors, or their neighbors neighbors.

I expect my government to whom I have paid tax all my life to supply, not only roads and guns to fight wars, but an affordable health and social system for me and my people.
I expect them to care for its vulnerable young and its elderly.

I thought you came from the greatest democracy in the world. Isn't the Government 'of the people, by the people, for the people'?

You lot think that any kind of aid for people in distress or unable to fend for themselves is socialism.

What has Obama done which has so offended you in regards to the constitution?

Sure the government is of the people, by the people, and for the people. But that has nothing to do with social services. I want the government to do all little as possible on a national level, and in return I expect my taxes to be as low as possible on a national level.

There is no need for government to get involved in helping the people. Just as the people created the government they can provide for those in need - without any interference or meddling from the government on a national level.

I don't know how Obama has come into the discussion, or what he has or has not done as it relates to the constitution has to do with anything either? The biggest problem I have with Obama right now is that his budget is too big, his math is questionable, and he has proposed some pretty costly ideas in regards to health care and education while the economy tumbles around him. None of which of course has much to do with the constitution, but then again the US Constitution really leaves most of the good stuff for the states to deal with not the federal government.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Exactly, and that's the locus of the argument. If you don't earn it, you don't deserve it - plain & simple...

Everyone pays tax in one way or another.

Originally Posted by Bugs

There is no need for government to get involved in helping the people.

Eh?

So what do you expect your government to do with your taxes? Fight wars, kill people, subvert governments in Central and South America or Asia|?

I cant believe this.

^^Save your breath Lilly. The majority of people living in those tent cities would rather have their government spending their tax money (when they had a job), on attacking some other country.

I dont know if you ever been to USA, but I was shocked to see the standard of living for the majority middle class is well below what it is in Oz. Its a dog eat dog world over there, -- survival of the fittest (wealthiest). And thats the way they have been brainwashed to like it. Low taxes for the wealthy and low wages for the low skilled workers is good for business, but bad for social services.

If you were to go into one of them US tent cities and spruke higher taxes for better social services, they would probably pull their guns out and run you out of the place as a communist threat to their way of life.

As the economic downturn continues, the tent cities are emerging in various places like California, Nevada, Ohio, West Virginia and Georgia. Currently there are about one million homeless people in the USA. Previously homeless people were considered as drug addicts, sick, mentally disabled and uneducated people who did not have any relatives, friends or family. Now the middle class is joining the ranks of homeless people. These people owned homes during better economic times. When the home prices collapsed and their mortgages adjusted upwards, these people simply could not afford the houses.

Many people who lost their jobs were unable to make mortgage payments and lost their homes to foreclosure. Looking at various video reports on the television and you -tube, I saw the majority of people in these tent cities were white Americans. Most of the people interviewed in these reports were working people without any drug addiction or sickness.

Chowk: Business & Economy: Tent Cities In The USA

New orleans-



Reno

^How sad, and what is even sadder that those people would still believe that they live in the best, the most free and the bravest (snigger) country in the world.

How dumb can they be?

Australia

Originally Posted by Lily

How dumb can they be?

That's a rhetorical question, right?

At least you would think they could build more substantial slums than just tents.
I mean how hard is it to find some old packing crates and a few sheets of roofing iron.

On my way from the airport here in the Philippines to my hotel I saw more stable housing . . . but here they are called slums

Originally Posted by Lily

Originally Posted by Bugs

There is no need for government to get involved in helping the people.

Eh?

So what do you expect your government to do with your taxes? Fight wars, kill people, subvert governments in Central and South America or Asia|?

I cant believe this.

First and foremost I expect them to keep my taxes low. IMHO my federal taxes should be the lowest tax I pay.

That being said of course I expect them to do more than just support the military. Such as, but not necessarily limited to:

Print money /regulate the money supply
Issue Federal debt/credit devices
Provide postal services
To set and collect federal taxes, duties and the like
Control and regulate copy right, trade mark, and patents
Proivde and control the federal court system
Set the rules for obtaining citizenship, provide passports, and of course control both legal and illegal immigration
Deal with tade issues - both between the states as well as between the US and other nations
Secure all our international boarders, as well as control and maintain all federal boarder crossings
Protect the rights of the individuals as set forth in the US Constitution
And in certain areas support the building/maintenance of roads, bridges, airports, and seaports

Originally Posted by Lily

^How sad, and what is even sadder that those people would still believe that they live in the best, the most free and the bravest (snigger) country in the world.

How dumb can they be?

OK...let's try this again. How 'bout not as dumb as a Yank-hating Moonbat liberal, eh?

Originally Posted by Bugs

Originally Posted by Lily

Originally Posted by Bugs

There is no need for government to get involved in helping the people.

Eh?

So what do you expect your government to do with your taxes? Fight wars, kill people, subvert governments in Central and South America or Asia|?

I cant believe this.

First and foremost I expect them to keep my taxes low. IMHO my federal taxes should be the lowest tax I pay.

That being said of course I expect them to do more than just support the military. Such as, but not necessarily limited to:

Print money /regulate the money supply
Issue Federal debt/credit devices
Provide postal services
To set and collect federal taxes, duties and the like
Control and regulate copy right, trade mark, and patents
Proivde and control the federal court system
Set the rules for obtaining citizenship, provide passports, and of course control both legal and illegal immigration
Deal with tade issues - both between the states as well as between the US and other nations
Secure all our international boarders, as well as control and maintain all federal boarder crossings
Protect the rights of the individuals as set forth in the US Constitution
And in certain areas support the building/maintenance of roads, bridges, airports, and seaports

I believe the postal service in the US is quite good.
Stuffed up on the rest of them though.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

OK...let's try this again. How 'bout not as dumb as a Yank-hating Moonbat liberal, eh

Whatever you reckon. But I am laughing.

Originally Posted by Lily

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

OK...let's try this again. How 'bout not as dumb as a Yank-hating Moonbat liberal, eh

Whatever you reckon. But I am laughing.

That's good, Lil...laughter is the best medicine!

Originally Posted by Lily

What has Obama done which has so offended you in regards to the constitution?

I'm the guy who whines about the constitutionality of any expansion of government. The US Constitution lists the powers of the gov in order to keep it from turning into a giant totalitarian monster. Amendments 9 and 10... check them out. They pretty much say that if the jurisdiction is not granted to the Federal gov by the constitution than that particular jurisdiction resides with the States or the individual.

Perhaps I'm an idealist.... but at least I'm not cut and pasting Limbaugh's or MSNBC's talking points. Though I do listen to and agree with most of what Bob Barr, John Stossel, Ron Paul and some others are saying, I'm making different points here that maybe somebody will find interesting, and are IMO what makes America unique... or strange. My freshman gov class used a book called, "America the Unusual"... good read.

I'd like to know why so many people from around the world are so... captivated or at least interested in American politics (terrified? struck? amazed? no back patting intended here either). I think it's because we are so different... and maybe easy to hate... It's hard to see from our perspective. I read once that being radically different and independant (stupid according to more than half a y'all) is possibly genetic... Who came to the USA anyway? White americans are largely the ancestors of those bold enough or desperate enough to totally uproot.. and go live in a "fronteir" country. Other ethnicities can be argued as being naturally independant and distrustful of authority as well... (If you buy that line of reasoning)

If you want to hear the Libertarian side of the argument, look up John Stossel he said a lot that I like at the Fraser Institute

John Stossel @ The Fraser Institute; Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity

Interesting stuff that you don't hear much on the mainstream (including Fox, which is mainstream) side of things...

Originally Posted by theudonshawn

I'd like to know why so many people from around the world are so... captivated or at least interested in American politics (terrified? struck? amazed? no back patting intended here either). I think it's because we are so different... and maybe easy to hate... It's hard to see from our perspective. I read once that being radically different and independant (stupid according to more than half a y'all) is possibly genetic... Who came to the USA anyway? White americans are largely the ancestors of those bold enough or desperate enough to totally uproot.. and go live in a "fronteir" country. Other ethnicities can be argued as being naturally independant and distrustful of authority as well... (If you buy that line of reasoning)

You dont get it, do you?

No one is 'captivated' or 'terrified' of American politics. You are definitely not different, but you are unusual in being so insulated from the rest of the world and so rabidly nationalistic.

And so ignorant of the rest of the world. You are not free in the way that I perceive free. You seem to me to be like a flock of sheep that follows and does what you are told.

The very fact of your last sentence about people being strong enough to choose to go an settle there is indicative of how much you know about the rest of the world.

Do you think you are the only country that has developed in that manner?

All Americans live in ozzing cesspits. In tents.

Don't believe that Hollywood stuff. It's all imaginary.

The White House is merely a wooden fascade, propped up by 2x4s. There's a few campers parked out back.

They do then tornadoes hit -- which happens with amazing regularity. Takes the tent and the Civic hatchback (1984) all in one go.