America Doomed

Value Added Tax Coming to America

Even though nobody wants to admit that socialism is the only solution to America’s economic problems, people are now talking about the “Value Added Tax”.   The problem with VAT is it hits the lower income people the hardest as it is a bigger percentage of their income.  It is regressive and not progressive like income taxes.  Everybody who makes less than a living wage cannot afford to pay VAT.

Republicans will object to the VAT because they object to all taxes.  However, the VAT is the closest thing the Republicans will ever see to a flat tax.   In fact, the Republicans would have been better off abandoning income taxes and letting it be replaced with VAT a long time ago.  But, Republicans are so greedy that it makes them stupid.  If the U.S. was already using VAT then everybody would pay the same national sales tax on consumption.  It would also tax lower income people higher which has always been a goal for Republicans.  This is exactly the opposite of the present income tax and would let rich, greedy Republicans keep more of their money.

It would be better to have a progressive VAT that goes up as a person’s income increases.  This could be implemented with a national credit card.  The country already has much of the infrastructure it needs for such a system.  In fact, the U.S. already has major interests in many of the largest banks.  Unfortunately, the U.S. should have nationalized the banking system which has been advocated on this blog many times.

No matter how you slice it, taxes are going up in America — way up.  They have to increase because jobs are being destroyed.  Unless American wants to let  people starve in the streets, taxes are going higher.  This is the path toward socialism which is inevitable.  Unfortunately, it is moving too slowly, most people are still in denial, and the true extent of America’s financial problems are still be covered up.   As a result, there is going to be lots of pain for 95% of the population.

America is doomed.

S O C A L I S M

America’s only solution is SOCIALISM — redistribute all the wealth.

Today, I read an article in Newsweek about how Social Security and Medicare are destined to go bankrupt — they advise, let them go bankrupt now instead of later.  It is interesting to note the article doesn’t suggest any solution to the problem of the aged (who have paid social security their entire lives) or the sick (most everybody will get sick before they die).

No fear — the answer is SOCIALISM.  It is the ONLY answer out there. That is, take all of resources available and employ all the people with living wages.  Remember, as a country we can define money however we want.  In fact, we can eliminate money if necessary.  Just figure out a way to provide housing, food, and basic necessities.  Keep reducing the hours people need to work until everybody is employed.  Nobody starves.  Everybody gets health care.  Plenty of food.  Lots of education.  The country and the citizens can exist without capitalism and people will be happier — happier because they won’t have to worry about basic necessities.   Happier because everybody will have roughly the same.

Forget about Capitalism, it is dead, just not buried yet.  But, clearly dead.  I didn’t kill Capitalism — it was a suicide.  Capitalism is about greed which results in optimizations and efficiencies.  Greed is the motivation but efficiency is the result.   Efficiency always leads to destruction.  For example, think about anything that you can do more efficient that you use to be able to do it.  Anything.  The result is that less time needs to be spent on the activity.  If you translate that into jobs which pay wages, then either your wages have to increase or you make less money being more efficient.   Each time companies are merged it results in lay offs and efficiencies.  Continue the process over and over again and there is only one company left employing just a small fraction of the original.  Efficient?  Yes, but where did all the jobs go?  This is the basic problem with capitalism and the reason it is doomed.

Did you ever see The Jetsons?  Remember George flying to work, throwing his feet up, pressing one button, and then going to sleep.  That was certainly efficient and what is exactly the purpose of George hitting the button?  I’m pretty sure that one person could go around and hit all the buttons for a hundred Georges, maybe even a thousand.  In fact, maybe the boss has one super button that when press, activates the buttons for all of his employees.  Yes, capitalism is efficient but it doesn’t pay the bills.  Plus, as capitalism puts more and more people out of jobs then there is no money to buy products from employees of the yet to be laid off.   Capitalism = Destruction.  Marx predicted it and America is showing that he is correct.

America is doomed.

Abortion is Not Murder

I was in Texas last week and saw a man with a sign “Abortion is Baby Murder”.  What an ignorant person who apparently cannot read.  He clearly doesn’t even know what the bible says about when live begins.

Let’s examine what the bible says about when life begins: It is at BIRTH, not CONCEPTION.   Proof?  Genesis 2:7

Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.  (NAS)

Notice when man becomes a “living being” — when the man starts breathing into his nostrils — not at conception.  Conception is the beginning of being formed but the process takes many months — possibly even years in the case of frozen fertilized eggs.  Also, this verse clearly distinguishes between when man is “formed” and when man becomes a “living being”.   This verse shows that life begins at birth, not conception.   Furthermore, one can only murder a “living being” not a entity that is being formed.  Pretty straightforward and simple.

While we are at it, let’s consider the two verses that the anti-abortion crowd love to use to argue that life beings at conception.

First, Psalm 139:13

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. (NAS)

Notice this verse is about being formed — it says nothing about a “living being”.  Of course, a human being has to be formed (just as Genesis 2:7 says) but it doesn’t mean they are a living being until they can live outside the womb.  Also, notice it is about a particular person — in this case, David.  This verse is not about all of mankind — “my inward parts” — first person.

Or how about Isaiah 49:1

… The LORD called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He named Me.

Here is a special case where the Lord called “Me” — not everybody — but this one person.  He named him.  Fine.  But, again, this person became a “living being” when he was born, not when he was conceived.

Remember, bible crazies, you believe in a god that knows everything.  So, this god must know who is going to be born and who is not going to be born.  Thus, he knows  who will be a “living being” and who will not.

There are other problems with arguing that life begins at conception.  For example, miscarriages are murder, perhaps unintentional, but murders nonetheless.  This problem goes away if you use the bible definition of “living being” in Genesis 2:7.

Also, consider eggs that are fertilized and then frozen.  This is a common practice today and many people are born using this procedure.  If life begins at conception then this procedure is an example of resurrection.  This is no three day resurrection, this might be months or even years.  This is a big problem for people who think Jesus was the only resurrection.  Damn, it is common place today.  Again, this problem goes away with Genesis 2:7.

Clearly, life begins at birth, and specifically when the “living being” begins to breathe.

Keep in mind that I don’t believe the bible is the inspired word of god or any other comparable bullshit. I am just showing that bible readers ignore what it actually teaches.  It just amazes me that people use this book of mythology to blow up abortion clinics and stand on the street with “Abortion is Baby Murder” signs.

However, let me tell you what murder really is.  Murder occurs every day when people cannot be treated for sickness because they do not have any health care.    Yep, that is murder.  They are murdered by the health insurance companies who deny treatment.  No different than if they were shot in the head.

America is doomed.

US Will Lose AAA Rating

America losing its AAA rating on its debt is no surprise to readers of this blog.  In fact, America is headed for total financial collapse.  This is not a partisan comment because it wouldn’t matter which party was in power.  No doubt, the Republicans will blame it all of Obama, but they blame everything on Obama.  Ironically, it has been the Republicans who put America on the path to total financial destruction, starting with Reagan’s under taxing, overspending, and voodoo economics.

Now, the reason for the financial collapse is jobs; namely, the U.S. cannot create enough living wage jobs for everybody who needs them.  So, the U.S. either has to let the people die or provide some basic assistance to them.  As this number continues to grow, the burden for the U.S. will be greater.  In the end, there is no alternative other than default on the national debt, collapse of the U.S. dollar, and define a new socialism.

I have been advocating for an early default on the national debt in order to avoid the forced default that will come in time.  In addition, there needs to be a continued socializing of basic services and industries.  Every person needs to be provided a living wage job in something they are capable of doing.  If they need skills, they should be provided with education.  If they cannot be employed then they should just be provided for until a living wage job can be found.  It is the humane thing to do and it is the only thing that is going to work.

Recently, there was a study of the happiest peoples.  Interestingly, the happiest peoples came from very high tax countries.  Countries where the taxes are as much as 70%.  The reason these people are happier than the people in the U.S. is because basic necessities are provided for.  They do not have to worry about housing, food, education, and health care.  If they lose a job they will not be homeless or without the ability to be treated for sickness.  In a word, these countries are socialistic.  They have evolved out of the selfish, greed based capitalism that is always destined to fail.  Always.

America is doomed.

Torture is Wrong All the Time

I am so tired hearing about torture.  This is like debating slavery.  Not only is torture wrong, but anybody who defends it on any basis is morally bankrupt.  I don’t care if torture works.  I don’t care if it keeps us safe.  It is like saying slavery keeps prices low because labor cost so much less.  I don’t care.  Slavery is wrong. Torture is wrong.

Why is it that religious people defend torture?  Religious people are just cowards.  It is probably why they cling to their religion because they are afraid of dying.  The entire point of most religious belief to to avoid torture — hell, whatever.  Yet, the same religious people are all for torture to keep them safe.  Cowards, for sure.  If there is any justice in the universe, then everybody who defends torture in any way, should die a long and painful death.

The simple fact that the news has been inundated with non-stop torture is a huge indictment on America.  It is like having a debate about the pros and cons of slavery.

Torture is just another example of America’s culture of destruction.

America is doomed.

Culture of Destruction

America is opposed to Iran having nuclear weapons.  Likewise, for North Korea.  Likewise, for almost any other country one can name. However, the U.S. is for it having nuclear weapons — lots of them.  In fact, the U.S. is the only country who has used a nuclear against another country.  This would imply that the U.S. cannot be trusted with such weapons.  But, in the screwed up thinking of America they see it the opposite.

Today, Congress passed a bill to allow loaded weapons in national parks.   America is a culture of destruction and it will be successful.  America will be destroyed with the very guns and weapons that it seems to cherish.

Iran should create nuclear weapons.  Everybody should.  America cannot be trusted.  To believe America about anything is foolish.  America is ruled by the rich with a hefty dose of religious fanatics.  Of course, America thinks their religion is right and disregards the hundreds of other religions.  Simply put, America is nuts.

Guns kill people every day in America.   This is because the gun lobby, National Rifle Association (NRA), is very powerful.  So, powerful that it added an amendment to a credit card bill to carry concealed loaded weapons into national parks.  The NRA is particularly nuts.   Plus, lots of those NRA folks are also crazy religious people.  With lots of money capable to buying one politician after another.

There is no changing America.  It is only going to get worse.  There is going to be more and more people who will continue to advocate destruction.  Remember, this is the country of torture and what many believe is some type of righteous torture.  America is as crazy as the aunt in the basement that nobody wants to see.   The world better arm itself against the crazy.

America is doomed.

CAFE Hoax

Today’s new CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards are just a hoax.   They were originally passed in 1975, nearly 35 years ago.  The auto industry has been living with CAFE standards for decades but it hasn’t done shit to improve average mileage.  During that time, the auto industry came out with tons of SUVs and Hummers, all in the face of CAFE standards.  Today’s new CAFE requires by 2016 (8 years) that mileage be 35.5 mpg.  Big Fucking Deal.

It doesn’t matter because these standards can be changed.  All it takes is a little lobbying and a little amendment on some unrelated bill and the core of today’s bill can be gutted overnight.  It has happened before and it won’t be any surprise if it happens again.  This is why America is so utterly fucked up.  Special interests and money make all the decisions — it just doesn’t matter what is good for the country.  As a result, America is a country that is only good for a very small minority.

Today, hybrids get 50+ mpg.  So, what is the big, fucking deal about 35.5 mpg?  Why not 50 mpg in 3 months?  So what if there are a bunch of models that cannot meet it.  So what?  They just can’t sell those piece of shit cars and trucks until they meet the new standards.  If people need new cars, let them buy the ones that are available.

What is absolutely funny is that it was the auto industries success as eliminating the CAFE standards that caused them to go into bankruptcy.    They kept making those gas guzzlers and when gas prices went up people didn’t want them.  Just another example of what capitalism doesn’t work and doesn’t do what the market demands.  Instead, they get bailed out when they fuck everything up.  That is one thing American capitalism is good at — always doing the wrong thing and focusing on money in the very short term and fucking the future.

I understand that it takes time to implement new standards but it doesn’t take 8 fucking years.  When you have long time frames things just never happen.  Remember how the U.S. was going to convert to the metric system?  Lots of time to implement that, but there was also lots of time to eliminate it.  It got eliminated to the determent of America.

All of this is a bunch of bullshit because there are always lots of powerful people trying to undermine good ideas to make more money.  Well, keep it up because the joke will be on you as America goes down the tubes.

America is doomed.

America is Dead

America is more partisan and religious now than in the last hundred years.  This is not good.  There is no hope for this country.  Unemployment is getting worse.  Housing will continue to decline.  Climate change will not be addressed.  Even the new mileage standards on cars is way too late.  Congress is owned by lobbyists and special interest.  The country is all about money.  Letting people that have it, keep it, and exploiting people who don’t have it.  It is just the modern version of slavery.

Lump all the political parties together — it doesn’t matter.  This country is so utterly screwed up that it will never emerge better than it has been.  Expect more nationalism.  Expect more socialism.  Expect more infighting.  Expect more polarizing personalities. Expect more capitalism is the answer when it never really was. Expect more religious fervor.

There are no statesmen.  There are no rational people that can be heard over the ignorant, partisan, hateful speech.  No laws are passed for the people.  The rich rule the country.  Revolution will come in time when enough people are without hope.

States will continue spending more than than have.  Or services on the weakest in society will decline.  More homelessness.  More disadvantaged.  More hopelessness.

Expect more disease.   Less water and more pollution.  Poor air.  Climate change. Poor farming practices.  More pesticides.  More disease.  More crappy health care.

America is doomed

Health Care Reform Screwed

After reading several articles on today’s supposed agreement (like NY Times) between Obama and a group of health care industries, including the health care insurance industry, it is apparent that Obama is caving.  The America people are going to get screwed so badly in this deal.  Here’s the reasons why:

As long as there is still a health insurance industry that is for profit, health care reform will not happen.  It might change but not for the better. It doesn’t matter what they propose, like today’s plan to reduce health care spending by 1.5% per year.  Focusing on the savings is saying nothing about the quality.  They could agree to reduce it 5% per year and all it means, if they keep their word, is that less money will be spent on health care.  Shit, they could just declare to save 100% if they wanted.  Keep denying coverage and making it impossible for people to get quality health care — simple and done.  Any potential savings is possible.  In the end, people will still not get quality health care and people will die.  Meanwhile, lots of profit is taken out of the system to reward rich people.

As long as companies remove money from the health care system in the name of “profit”, the system is going to suck.  The only hope is streamline the entire system:  To control all costs through regulations — salaries, services, drugs.  Not allow any profits.  Monitor every aspect of the system for fraud.  Emphasize quality care for all Americans. Anything else and forget about calling it reform.  Just call it another scam on the American people.

America is doomed.

Redistribute Wealth or Face Destruction

In today’s NY Times is an article that Americans are getting more thrifty.  They reported this as if it was some kind of surprise.  Of course Americans are spending less money, and it will continue to get worse — much worse.   More and more people are losing jobs and even those with jobs are making less.  Technology will continue to destroy jobs and companies will continue to send jobs to cheaper labor markets.  Manufacturing will continue to leave America as companies try to find ways to make things cheaper and keep profits high.  America companies (whatever that means anymore) are selling their products overseas but much of the world is suffering the same faith as America.  This is a downward spiral that is not going to stop, and another example of why America is so doomed.

The middle class has been decimated and will continue to be so.  More and more people do not even make a living wage.  The rich have a grossly disproportionate amount of the total income in America.  And when it comes to business selling their products, there is only so much that rich people can consume.  Plus, the government is going to go after rich people with a vengeance in the decades to come.   Not because they want to, but because they have the income and the government needs to collect lots more taxes.

As America Doomed has explain, it is all about jobs.   Not just any job.  Jobs have to make enough so that people have disposable income after expenses.  Everybody needs to make a living wage.   Income needs to be redistributed so that everybody has a minimum, lots of people have excess, and nobody has way more than they really need.

There is a big gang problem in the country.  Cities are having more and more difficult time trying to control the gangs, and it is going to get worse.  The solution to gang violence is good paying jobs.  Without jobs and skills there is no other choice than for youth to organize.  This organization may not look like the job your grandfather had, but make no mistake — it is work for the disenfranchised.  Yet, this work cost the society much because it is based on crime.  Let America keep building prisons and putting the oppressed into those prisons.  It will eventually bankrupt the country.  There will be more and more people that society has to care for.   If society doesn’t find a way to help poor minorities go to school and find good jobs, that same society is going to pay a much higher price trying to keep them in prisons.

People think that capitalism is successful because it brings out the entrepreneur spirit in people.  This is laughably wrong.  For capitalism to work you have to have people with money and desire to buy products.  Take away the demand and it doesn’t matter how much entrepreneur spirit exists.  America thrived based on one of the largest middle classes in the world — not any more. This is why the increasing poor, diminishing middle class, and increasing rich people spells certain destruction for America.

America is doomed.