Patting the wrists, rolling the eyes.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Spanky
The goal of economic "science" is to increase the prosperity of the society in question. Or as I like to say, increase as much as possible the "utils" in the society. You don't choose one economic policy over another because it is moral, you choose it because it brings the most "utils". Taxes suck because they decrease the prosperity of the society in question. However, some taxes are necessary because what they are used for increase the utils to a society more than they decreased utils caused by the taxes. A person that makes thirty thousand a year, an increase in prosperity of $2000, creates a lot more utitlity for that person, than an increase of prosperity of $1 billion to Bill Gates. So taxing the rich dimishes the amount of utility in a society less than taxing the poor. Free market economics are better than socialist economics because it brings more utils to the society. Once economists start talking about morality beyond utility they almost always screw it up. Like the flat tax is more moral than a progressive tax - Not. The only valid argument for the flat tax would be that, overall, it would benefit the society more.

Board motto!

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
Then shut the fuck up, or ask questions/admit you don't know how to drive the goddamn car, instead of telling us how the car works. You jackass.

You must be confusing this with another board.

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by sgtclub
I propose a political literacy test be implemented as a condition to posting on the PB. Any seconds?

Yup. Please name all 50 state capitols, and the party to which their political leader belongs!

Bonus points for any of the 10 largest-by-population cities in America which otherwise don't fall on the list above.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me


Bonus points for any of the 10 largest-by-population cities in America which otherwise don't fall on the list above.

I won't bother to cut/paste a 50 state list, but wouldn't the three largest cities, NYC (Albany), LA (Sacramento), and Chicago (Springfield), all be on that list? Add in Miami (Tallahassee), Dallas and Houston (Austin), and Seattle (Olympia) as others. Throw in St. Louis (Jefferson City), Las Vegas (Carson City), and Philadelphia (Harrisburg). Bonus guesses: Minneapolis (St. Paul)..

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Dunno how he defines his terms, but here areactual/projected spending on entitlements from 2004-10

____Social Security
492
515
540
567
596
630
665

______Medicare
265
290
340
381
407
433
460

______Medicaid and SCHIP
181
194
199
209
225
245
266

______Other
299
337
331
319
324
328
351

So, dunno where prescription drugs fit in, but the projection doesn't make it larger than soc. sec.

Maybe what it was was the bill calling for the most spending as projected at the time the bill was passed, looking out 10 years under the budget rules.

Dunno. This is the text of his slide on the issue:

MEDICARE PART D WILL
DRIVE THE ENFORCEMENT
AGENDA
�� On January 1, 2006, the largest social benefit
program in the history of the United States begins.
�� $70 billion for oral drugs
�� Whistleblower suits
�� Potential defendants:
– Manufacturers
– PBMs
– Physicians
– Institutions

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
I won't bother to cut/paste a 50 state list, but wouldn't the three largest cities, NYC (Albany), LA (Sacramento), and Chicago (Springfield), all be on that list? Add in Miami (Tallahassee), Dallas and Houston (Austin), and Seattle (Olympia) as others. Throw in St. Louis (Jefferson City), Las Vegas (Carson City), and Philadelphia (Harrisburg). Bonus guesses: Minneapolis (St. Paul)..

San Antonio is slightly bigger than Dallas, though I think that the Metoplex is larger than the surrounding area around SA.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
Yup. Please name all 50 state capitols, and the party to which their political leader belongs!

Bonus points for any of the 10 largest-by-population cities in America which otherwise don't fall on the list above.

Fuck that- I say make people say something amusing or they don't get a code to post. And No being grandfathered in SS, you'll have to go copy something you did pre-lobotomy.

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
I won't bother to cut/paste a 50 state list, but wouldn't the three largest cities, NYC (Albany), LA (Sacramento), and Chicago (Springfield), all be on that list? Add in Miami (Tallahassee), Dallas and Houston (Austin), and Seattle (Olympia) as others. Throw in St. Louis (Jefferson City), Las Vegas (Carson City), and Philadelphia (Harrisburg). Bonus guesses: Minneapolis (St. Paul)..

Not too sure, but I know with certainty the answer to three of the bonus questions. Apparently, last week, I knew only two.

0 for 50 with certainty, but I think I'd go 30 or 32 / 50 guessing the party of the leader of each of the 50 state capitols.

Coming roundabout back to your point, that would be weird. Are none of the 10 largest-by-population cities in America a state capitol? Anyone, anyone?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
That may be true as a general matter, but hardly as it's currently structured. If you want to make the current estate tax "fairer" you would eliminate the exemption for the first $1m+ dollars. Everyone pays it--at the same rate.

You and I disagree about whether progressive taxation is fair.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
You and I disagree about whether progressive taxation is fair.

That's true. But I also think that the calculus of what's fairly progressive with respect to income tax and estate tax are different. Kind of like how property tax is not progressive (other than possibly some exemptions for homesteads, etc.)

[Gattigap]

I am the recipient of a personal letter from Dick Cheney, thanking me for my support and presenting to me my "Republican National Committee Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of [my] outstanding support."

Though, I've never given them money.

I am not a registered Republican.

(And, truth be known, I didn't vote for their guy in the recent election.)

Still. I must admit that it is a rather handsome certificate. It's nice to see my name near Dick's, George's and Ken's signatures, even if my name is misspelled. I do appreciate the effort. I will have to give this some thought.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me

Coming roundabout back to your point, that would be weird. Are none of the 10 largest-by-population cities in America a state capitol? Anyone, anyone?

It depends on how city limits are defined, but here are the top 11 (* is capital)

New York, N.Y.
Los Angeles, Calif.
Chicago, Ill.
Houston, Tex.
Philadelphia, Pa.
*Phoenix, Ariz.
San Diego, Calif.
San Antonio, Tex.
Dallas, Tex.
Detroit, Mich.
San Jose, Calif.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
This is the kind of issue I'd like to see more of here.

Fascinating stuff, Hank. A step or two up from your UN diatribes. Go nuts!

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Fascinating stuff, Hank. A step or two up from your UN diatribes. Go nuts!

My "diatribe?" How was my UN post not a reasonable question? Fringe wants to learn tax, me? I want to learn of the role of the UN. Why can't you explain it's function?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
That's true. But I also think that the calculus of what's fairly progressive with respect to income tax and estate tax are different. Kind of like how property tax is not progressive (other than possibly some exemptions for homesteads, etc.)

No doubt I am merely expressing my middle-class prejudices, but it seems to me that a $1 million exemption lets anyone get a pretty substantial inheritance. Isn't $1 million enough? Why cry for the Paris Hiltons of the world?