patrick.net

komputodo says

lostand confused says

One thing I find travelling in 3rd world countries is how happy the poor are-ignorance truly is bliss.

One thing I find travelling in 3rd world countries is how happy the people are compared to americans. Especially the "highly educated" career climbing multiple divorced 50+ hour a week working but still debt ridden morons.

debt is truly slavery. our entire system revolves around putting people into debt so they could spend entire life paying that amortization.

tax cuts for rich at expense to rest, we call it trickle down.

Fortwaye says

debt is truly slavery. our entire system revolves around putting people into debt so they could spend entire life paying that amortization.

John Ringo incorporates this in his military science fiction novels.

Fortwaye says

debt is truly slavery. our entire system revolves around putting people into debt so they could spend entire life paying that amortization.

tax cuts for rich at expense to rest, we call it trickle down.

easy fix for the USA as far as federal debt

just put in means test for Social Security for starters, reduce it by 10% for each $10,000 for annual household income over $50,000 (and instead of 10% make it 15% for those on federal and state pensions)

lease more federal land for using forest dead wood for biomass and engineered wood manufacturing

but with AI and robots as well as agriculture advances like growing strawberries in a Richmond VA warehouse, there can be a lot of productivity and quality of life increases to counterbalance inflation risks due to fiscal and monetary policies

so those in debt with high mortgages, car loans, etc at least will have a decent standard of living

.

AD says

just put in means test for Social Security for starters

This is already done. 85% of our SS will be taxed as income. At a 24% (for now) marginal rate that's a 20% deduction in what I'll "get back" from money that I paid in. Combine this with the fact that if I had invested that same money in an index fund it would be worth 4 - 10 times what I'll get back from SS.

"The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other peoples money".

AD says

so those in debt with high mortgages, car loans, etc at least will have a decent standard of living

They will figure out a way to get around that.

Besides, those in debt for high mortgages and car loans SHOULD get the shaft.

AD says

but with AI and robots as well as agriculture advances like growing strawberries in a Richmond VA warehouse, there can be a lot of productivity and quality of life increases to counterbalance inflation risks due to fiscal and monetary policies

Reingineer the Fed to finance Capital Homesteading accounts for everyone. Old idea but increasingly relevant for today.

MolotovCocktail says

Reingineer the Fed to finance Capital Homesteading accounts for everyone. Old idea but increasingly relevant for today.

Free money in any form, even easy debt, just raises prices. People could do that "capital homesteading" themselves by purchasing stocks.

lostand confused says

One thing I find travelling in 3rd world countries is how happy the poor are-ignorance truly is bliss.

They are not threatened daily by black violence.