In Which I Unexpectedly Agree with AOC

 

She may think she’s blasting capitalism, but someone needs to explain her real complaint is against corporatism:

‘Instead of conservative politicians scaring people that socialism means the government is going to take over their business, “we should be scared right now because corporations have taken over our government,” she said.’

And almost all the large interest groups who benefit from Big Government are on her side of the political spectrum. Corporatism, or the use of government to capture market-share, is the consequence of a too powerful government.

Maybe we can convert her to a freedom lover.

I can dream, can’t I?

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  1. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Instugator (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):
    We should not underestimate her potential for destruction.

    She’s an idiot. Comes from upbringing.

    Parents are probably idiots too.

    Lorraine, you ever have a kid like that, I’ll disown you.

    After Trump, I try not to make political predictions, but I’ll make an exception. I think she’s a destructive idiot who will become a fixture in our political future. I’d be happy to be wrong.

    • #31
  2. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    AOC and Ilhan Omar babble like stupid versions of Hughy Long and so far it nets out for them. 

    • #32
  3. unsk2 Member
    unsk2
    @

    I’m not sure AOC looks at the problem of Corporatism the same way Western Chauvinist does. I think to her like Orange Man Bad, All Business Bad.

    However, that said Corporatism is a huge problem.  It is more than just talking about the promotion of free markets or a concern about the destructive effects of regulation, both  of which I agree with.  It is about downright favoritism and the heavy tilting of the playing field  to benefit the powerful  and connected and to wipe out their competitors.  It is also about flooding America with illegals and giving them sanctuary to depress  the wages of common Americans.

    There are a number of ways Corporatism gains undue favoritism:

    • Behind the closed doors of Congress and many a State Legislature,  powerful interests, ( not just corporations) with little public notice have for too long and with a recent incredible increase in intensity been able to tack on amendments  to bills favoring their interest in ways that would shock the  general public if known.

    •  Our  Federal Administrative State system,  albeit wholly unconstitutional to my way of thinking, regularly and consistently favors either the Leftist bent of our bureaucrats or the whims of the heavily connected Corporate interests and their lobbyists.  Many are unaware that these Federal Agencies create law without accountability to the voter and thanks to  the “wisdom” of the Supreme Court’s Chevron decision these  Agency acts are almost literally enshrined above all else, and made  maddeningly  resistant to change from the voting booth.

    • However, much of the recent massive increase in wealth accruing to the 1% has to be laid at the feet of the Federal Reserve and it’s ill conceived and very destructive multi-trillion dollar Quantitative Easing maneuvers. This scheme granted established large Corporations and the Big Banks an incredible competitive advantage against small business and their competitors giving loans at the Discount Window  or Corporate bonds at almost zero percent interest , while at the same time with the assistance of the Dem’s Dodd Frank/Bank Bailout  denying  lending to those same small businesses killing many a business in the  process on the one hand and on the other literally wiping  out many of the small banks that lent to those same small businesses. This story,  despite being almost horrific in scale and destruction,  is largely unknown and almost totally uncovered by the mainstream news including FOX.  This intentional massive wealth transfer was almost unbelievable in it’s destructive power and how it has changed the American economy concentrating great power in the hands of the large Corporate interests.  Adding insult to injury, the FED’s QE allowed the Chinese to mount a QE fifteen times as large which allowed them to go on a global buying spree buying up competitors left and right and to engage in an incredible automation/robotization investment  binge to gain an overwhelming competitive advantage against American competition.

    • #33
  4. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    That last paragraph in unsk2 #33 is huge, and very well articulated. 

    Don’t like populism and socialism? Do you want conservatism or libertarianism to get traction? Fix that.

    Think anyone in the GOP cares?

    • #34
  5. Arizona Patriot Member
    Arizona Patriot
    @ArizonaPatriot

    Judge Mental (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Goldwaterwoman (View Comment):

    Honestly, it’s hard to take this poorly informed young gal seriously about anything she says.

    I think she’s incredibly dangerous.

    Not mutually exclusive.

    I’m much more optimistic about AOC.  I think that she is a gift.

    The more she talks, the more sensible people will realize that she’s a babbling fool.  And she’s getting much of the Democratic Party to go along with her silliness, as they must kowtow to their kooky SJW base.

    • #35
  6. unsk2 Member
    unsk2
    @

    “The more she talks, the more sensible people will realize that she’s a babbling fool.”

    She and her friend Omar have stripped away many of the fig leaves that the Democrats were hiding behind, exposing their true intentions of instituting government control and tyranny where there was once freedom. Now if only more of the brainwashed masses would understand the danger of government control  and tyranny.

    • #36
  7. Spin Inactive
    Spin
    @Spin

    People complain about corporate money in politics, but they never complain about politics in the corporation.  The reason there is so much money in politics is because there is so much government in business.  Cut regulation and taxes, and all that magically goes away.

    • #37
  8. ST Member
    ST
    @

    Preach it Pastor!!!

    • #38
  9. ST Member
    ST
    @

    Flat Tax (no more than 18%)!  Can I get an amen?

    10% would be fine by me fwiw

    • #39
  10. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    ST (View Comment):

    Flat Tax (no more than 18%)! Can I get an amen?

    10% would be fine by me fwiw

    Congress points the gun at our heads enforces us into an auction of tax brackets and deductions. It is the most idiotic form of central planning ever invented. It adds zero value. Flat tax only.

    • #40
  11. ST Member
    ST
    @

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    ST (View Comment):

    Flat Tax (no more than 18%)! Can I get an amen?

    10% would be fine by me fwiw

    Congress points the gun at our heads enforces us into an auction of tax brackets and deductions. It is the most idiotic form of central planning ever invented. It adds zero value. Flat tax only.

    Preach it Rufus!

    • #41
  12. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    ST (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    ST (View Comment):

    Flat Tax (no more than 18%)! Can I get an amen?

    10% would be fine by me fwiw

    Congress points the gun at our heads enforces us into an auction of tax brackets and deductions. It is the most idiotic form of central planning ever invented. It adds zero value. Flat tax only.

    Preach it Rufus!

    I got that from a hedge fund guy on Twitter. It seems pretty fundamental. But no one on the right ever puts it that way. Now if you wanted to fix it it’s a huge political problem. 

    Consumption taxes are the only sensible taxes, but now we are way too far down the other road to go back to that.

     

    Also that’s supposed to be “and forces” of course. 

    • #42
  13. ST Member
    ST
    @

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Consumption taxes are the only sensible taxes, but now we are way too far down the other road to go back to that.

    Precisely written my good sir.

     

     

    • #43
  14. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    I have a question for you. Why does the mortgage interest deduction improve anything? This is central planning around shelter prices. What good is it? What is the value added?

    • #44
  15. Vectorman Inactive
    Vectorman
    @Vectorman

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I have a question for you. Why does the mortgage interest deduction improve anything? This is central planning around shelter prices. What good is it? What is the value added?

    The original purpose of the income tax was the word “income,” which is not the same as wages. Income came from capital items, such rents and interest. You pay taxes on interest earned from savings accounts, but you get to subtract interest paid on Mortgages. A earlier form of the Value Added Tax. Wages being taxed came much later, especially during WWII.

    • #45
  16. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Vectorman (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I have a question for you. Why does the mortgage interest deduction improve anything? This is central planning around shelter prices. What good is it? What is the value added?

    The original purpose of the income tax was the word “income,” which is not the same as wages. Income came from capital items, such rents and interest. You pay taxes on interest earned from savings accounts, but you get to subtract interest paid on Mortgages. A earlier form of the Value Added Tax. Wages being taxed came much later, especially during WWII.

    Very interesting. Well done. 

    Some people think the only tax should be taxing the crap out of the undeveloped value of land. I’m not sure I agree with that.

    This is the type of conversations you have to be had if the right and libertarians are ever going to get any traction.

    • #46
  17. ST Member
    ST
    @

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Vectorman (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I have a question for you. Why does the mortgage interest deduction improve anything? This is central planning around shelter prices. What good is it? What is the value added?

    The original purpose of the income tax was the word “income,” which is not the same as wages. Income came from capital items, such rents and interest. You pay taxes on interest earned from savings accounts, but you get to subtract interest paid on Mortgages. A earlier form of the Value Added Tax. Wages being taxed came much later, especially during WWII.

    Very interesting. Well done.

    Some people think the only tax should be taxing the crap out of the undeveloped value of land. I’m not sure I agree with that.

    This is the type of conversations you have to be had if the right and libertarians are ever going to get any traction.

    Problem is there is no backbone on our team.  You will die all alone on “that hill” one day amigo mio.

    • #47
  18. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    ST (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Vectorman (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I have a question for you. Why does the mortgage interest deduction improve anything? This is central planning around shelter prices. What good is it? What is the value added?

    The original purpose of the income tax was the word “income,” which is not the same as wages. Income came from capital items, such rents and interest. You pay taxes on interest earned from savings accounts, but you get to subtract interest paid on Mortgages. A earlier form of the Value Added Tax. Wages being taxed came much later, especially during WWII.

    Very interesting. Well done.

    Some people think the only tax should be taxing the crap out of the undeveloped value of land. I’m not sure I agree with that.

    This is the type of conversations you have to be had if the right and libertarians are ever going to get any traction.

    Problem is there is no backbone on our team. You will die all alone on “that hill” one day amigo mio.

    This is why I think people bitching about Trump not being conservative is sort of ridiculous, and also I think that everything is going to keep moving left until every single Western bond market collapses. The Republican Party isn’t conservative. It’s a joke.

    • #48
  19. ST Member
    ST
    @

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    ST (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Vectorman (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I have a question for you. Why does the mortgage interest deduction improve anything? This is central planning around shelter prices. What good is it? What is the value added?

    The original purpose of the income tax was the word “income,” which is not the same as wages. Income came from capital items, such rents and interest. You pay taxes on interest earned from savings accounts, but you get to subtract interest paid on Mortgages. A earlier form of the Value Added Tax. Wages being taxed came much later, especially during WWII.

    Very interesting. Well done.

    Some people think the only tax should be taxing the crap out of the undeveloped value of land. I’m not sure I agree with that.

    This is the type of conversations you have to be had if the right and libertarians are ever going to get any traction.

    Problem is there is no backbone on our team. You will die all alone on “that hill” one day amigo mio.

    This is why I think people bitching about Trump not being conservative is sort of ridiculous, and also I think that everything is going to keep moving left until every single Western bond market collapses. The Republican Party isn’t conservative. It’s a joke.

    check zero mills good sir

    • #49
  20. ST Member
    ST
    @

    start memorizing your koran dudes

    • #50
  21. ST Member
    ST
    @

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    ST (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Vectorman (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I have a question for you. Why does the mortgage interest deduction improve anything? This is central planning around shelter prices. What good is it? What is the value added?

    The original purpose of the income tax was the word “income,” which is not the same as wages. Income came from capital items, such rents and interest. You pay taxes on interest earned from savings accounts, but you get to subtract interest paid on Mortgages. A earlier form of the Value Added Tax. Wages being taxed came much later, especially during WWII.

    Very interesting. Well done.

    Some people think the only tax should be taxing the crap out of the undeveloped value of land. I’m not sure I agree with that.

    This is the type of conversations you have to be had if the right and libertarians are ever going to get any traction.

    Problem is there is no backbone on our team. You will die all alone on “that hill” one day amigo mio.

    This is why I think people bitching about Trump not being conservative is sort of ridiculous, and also I think that everything is going to keep moving left until every single Western bond market collapses. The Republican Party isn’t conservative. It’s a joke.

    But they live in the Ivory Towers so they will be the last to be seriously impacted.  

    • #51
  22. Spin Inactive
    Spin
    @Spin

    ST (View Comment):

    Flat Tax (no more than 18%)! Can I get an amen?

    10% would be fine by me fwiw

    Amen bruthuh!  Or sistuh, as the case may be.

    • #52
  23. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    Spin (View Comment):

    ST (View Comment):

    Flat Tax (no more than 18%)! Can I get an amen?

    10% would be fine by me fwiw

    Amen bruthuh! Or sistuh, as the case may be.

    Simon identifies as male.

    • #53
  24. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    ST (View Comment):

    start memorizing your koran dudes

    Nah, I’d rather die on my feet than live with that sword over my head. 

    • #54
  25. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Here’s a thought. We’ll compromise — flat tax 15% and no more automatic withholding. Everyone writes quarterly checks or the IRS has to come and take it.

    Think of the cash flow! Think of the jobs!

    • #55
  26. Spin Inactive
    Spin
    @Spin

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):
    Think of the jobs!

    The people at Turbo Tax would have to find something new.  

    • #56
  27. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    Spin (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):
    Think of the jobs!

    The people at Turbo Tax would have to find something new.

    #LearnToCode.  Oh, wait. 

    • #57
  28. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Spin (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):
    Think of the jobs!

    The people at Turbo Tax would have to find something new.

    They could go to work for IRS enforcement… molon labe, baby!

    • #58
  29. ST Member
    ST
    @

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Here’s a thought. We’ll compromise — flat tax 15% and no more automatic withholding. Everyone writes quarterly checks or the IRS has to come and take it.

    I am 100% onboard dude but why 15%? 

     

    • #59
  30. ST Member
    ST
    @

    If you wouldn’t mind speeding it up just a bit so that I may have an opportunity to read and reflect on your answer?  You know, before they ‘suspend’ me on trumped up charges as usual.

    • #60
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