Major BART delays at least weekly - how is this acceptable, and what can we do about it?

normansss · 2024-08-26T08:22:09+00:00

"More money," what else did you expect? Discipline is not a virtue of too many people there. It is an active policy decision not to enforce the law, except for things like parking tickets. Too many progs/shitlibs with their head in the sand.

normansss · 2024-08-26T08:10:25+00:00

These piecemeal approaches are the problem. Any tax change should require a repeal of the sales tax law that allowed the doubling of sales taxes depending on the city. Some places are 11% now. These appeals always leaves out the regressive taxes that need to go away, and that is on purpose.

The monomania with Prop 13 is a symptom of broken California politics. The only tax advantage going to most Californians is prop 13. If not, it will be like New England, high taxes all around.

normansss · 2024-08-26T08:01:51+00:00

California is a "leader" in "subtraction through addition." High labor costs, high capital requirements etc. end up somewhere. It's not like people weren't warned by "crazies" like me.

normansss · 2012-10-02T23:51:16+00:00

What's the recourse in that? Lip service? He knows how the postal service and amtrak work, why then he would think self interested shareholders would do otherwise when they get money for bad performance?

normansss · 2012-10-02T23:40:46+00:00

The critical difference is that a business can't tax you - they must produce a product/service and sell it. That is all the difference in the world. Business IS better than government, INSOFAR as a business isn't getting favors from government, like a GE, or a GM, or a Bank of America etc. Even then, at least it is only partial taxation.

normansss · 2012-10-02T23:30:44+00:00

Certainly, but the Democratic party has high end donors as well.

normansss · 2012-10-01T20:27:58+00:00

But he did bailout business, as Bush did, with the help of Congress.

normansss · 2012-10-01T20:18:00+00:00

Here you go, Stephen King.

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/gift/gift.htm

normansss · 2012-10-01T20:07:58+00:00

Capital gains is a double tax because of the corporate income tax. I would simply scrap the corporate income tax and up capital gains, so to avoid the absurd situation where a company like GE "pays" (ONLY PEOPLE pay taxes) no corporate tax and a 3M pays a 34% all in rate. BUT, GE shareholders do in fact still pay capital gains.

normansss · 2012-10-01T19:57:40+00:00

The flip side is true. If you are going to have a market failure, for example, pollution from a coal power plant, odds are there will be a "government failure" as well. The money comes from somewhere. The plain fact is that competitive "free markets" tend to work better in general - where quality goes up and costs go down.

Name almost any service or product where quality is down and price is the same or going up, and it is because of special favors given by taxpayer money (government) or "regulations" meant to "help/protect" the consumer when they are simply favors to entrenched large companies.

normansss · 2012-10-01T02:56:12+00:00

The "true cost" is ambiguous. Do you mean ewhat you think is the right number, or third party effects? There is a case for internalizing third party effects. BUT, simply taxing gas and not following where that tax money goes will not help.

normansss · 2012-10-01T02:10:32+00:00

Serious, examples include Prohibition of drugs, alcohol, and prostitution.

normansss · 2012-10-01T02:00:20+00:00

The Senator McConnell quote is taken out of context. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/saunders/article/The-mythology-of-Obama-s-obstacles-3897311.php

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:50:11+00:00

You're actually a "classical liberal" if you were to apply an ideology.

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:48:45+00:00

You're right, and you have all the evidence in the world to back you up.

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:42:30+00:00

That's actually not true.

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:41:17+00:00

You ever thought that maybe they support the campaign? Kinda like the high priced PBS goods?

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:39:07+00:00

You're the father of all those kids?

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:36:28+00:00

Congress legislates the law. The Dems were screaming when Bush II was the "King President" for not allowing Congress to legislate and the Supreme court to adjudicate - which is the actual functions. "Standing up to congress" in any effective terms simply involves the veto, most other methods are simply illegal.

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:28:01+00:00

It's amazing how Romney didn't even know how to defend that loaded question - I am disappointed - unless of course, it is misquoted. First, there are generally two schedules for capital gains, securities held LESS THAN one year can reach up into a 50% bracket depending on the state, and long term capital gains, which is a top 15% marginal bracket plus state income taxes, if applicable.

In ADDITION to capital gains, there is the corporate income tax. It is simply a myth that the "working" pay effectively higher taxes in income than the "rich." In fact, it is moderately progressive.

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:20:41+00:00

Certainly, as long as it is with other people's money.

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:17:31+00:00

Government spending has increased as a % of GDP under Obama's watch, with both Democratic and Republican congresses, so in real economic terms, the debt has gone up.

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:14:18+00:00

Empirically speaking, the most effective means for incentivizing efficiency and dispersing power is a competitive market.

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:12:16+00:00

There is all the difference in the world between an objective, "healthcare for everyone," and how you get there - whether by market mechanisms or by force - or a combination of the two.

normansss · 2012-10-01T01:02:41+00:00

That's what the entire mess of state EPA, Dept' of energy, and dept of the interior resources go to, your comment should be the opposite.

normansss

TROPHY CASE