Can it be fixed, or should it just be abolished?
I think that the culture is so toxic, we probably need a clean slate there. As I noted when the “phony” scandal first broke:
The Founders, in their wisdom, understood that the key to good government lay not in hoping that the governors would be angels, but to restrict its power, knowing that they would never be. We can fire employees, we can even jail them, but the problem won’t be solved until the power of the “service” is reined in vastly. Step one might be to re-ban government employee unions, including that of the IRS, because that’s part of the system we can fix, and this deserves that death penalty.
Ideally, of course, the income tax would be abolished entirely, but perhaps a simpler and (perhaps) more politically feasible solution would be to at least eliminate the corporate income tax, so that no one would have to justify their tax status to the bureaucrats. It’s not possible to prevent people, particularly people whose goal is power, from abusing it. All we can do is deprive them of it. Newtown didn’t justify any of the legislative attempts to disarm us that followed it, and even some who jumped on that bandwagon are now recognizing that we need control of government more than control of guns. But if this travesty of tyranny doesn’t lead to serious tax reform, and government reform, we will have missed a true opportunity.
And it looks worse now than it did then.
This is one of the reasons I have always seen the Tea Party as just a bunch of opportunistic politicians from the Religious Right conning the nation (and Rand) rather than a real grass root movement that actually believes in smaller government, less taxes and more freedom.
If the Tea Party leaders truly believed what they put out in their press releases than an Amendment designed to repeal the 16th Amendment and replace the current income tax with a sales tax would have been their number one priority. Really, what was the reason for the original Tea Party? And no, you don’t need Presidential approval for such an Amendment (so President Obama is irrelevant), just 2/3 of Congress and/or 2/3 of States, something that would fit a “grass roots” movement like the Tea Party is suppose to be.
But instead they just focus on “cutting” the budget, cutting the top tax rate, and similar traditional religious right agenda items instead of focusing on the root of the problem and fixing it once and for all.
Remember, if you want smaller government you start with putting it on a strict diet by cutting off its funding. Less money, less government. And such an Amendment could also include constraints on borrowing as well. For example, instead of Congress voting on the debt limit, make it something the public votes on every two years during the election…
There will certainly be opportunist politicians, and we recognize some already. That is why there is strong grass-roots activism against those who claim to run on the tea party platform.
And no, you don’t need Presidential approval for such an Amendment (so President Obama is irrelevant), just 2/3 of Congress and/or 2/3 of States, something that would fit a “grass roots” movement like the Tea Party is suppose to be.
We are quite aware of this. The fact that you don’t think we are aware means you haven’t really looked into the tea party at all. Have you read the Liberty Amendments by Mark Levin?
Then there is this tory
Jon, Matula’s phobia of the TEA party has overtaken his ability to think rationally. I wonder if he will even comprehend your responses.
I call them as I see them, and I see the Tea Party as the classic example of an astroturf movement. And as someone with a Ph.D. in marketing I understand well the tools they used to create a viral campaign in a way to make folks think it was their idea while refusing to believe that they are being manipulated by someone.
Propaganda is an art as well as a science, one I learned well from an old Army colonel who was a master at it and who taught graduate classes I took and its one that I work hard to teach my students to recognize and defend themselves against.
Yes, I am sure many followers like Jon and you truly believe in the views shown in the press releases, that is the hallmark of a good astroturf movement, conning folks who believe it’s something else versus what it really is.
That is why you need to be skeptical and look beyond the press releases into what it really is just as you are do the climate change movement Rand writes about. But most folks have a perceptional filter that gives a free ride to things and ideas that seem to agree with their belief system while rejecting ones they don’t. A good propaganda expert recognizes those filters and use them as their lever to manipulate them. Look at how the anti-nuke movement used a similar strategy to scare the public away from nuclear energy. Which is why I tell my students that you really need to “look under the hood” before jumping on a band wagon, or as Ayn Rand stated often in “Atlas Shrugged” “check you axioms”
The evidence is out there, a website ready to go weeks before the rant by Rick Santelli, well funded organizers strategically positioned to start local groups, etc. If you want to see a good movie of how it works watch the classic movie “Meet John Doe”, only in the real world the loose ends are not left dangling and the outcome is not a happy ending.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf_CB2RRWzk
Jon’s response is what I would expect from someone who bought into it hook, line and sinker as have most of Rand followers… And I truly feel sorry for him. And for you that you also bought into it so heavily you are not able to see it for what it is.
as someone with a Ph.D. in marketing I understand well the tools they used to create a viral campaign in a way to make folks think it was their idea while refusing to believe that they are being manipulated by someone.
LOL Really… Well, you conquered Elko, NV. Congratulations. That’s quite a marketing accomplishment. 🙂
Yep, and making great contacts within the mining firms that will eventually be mining the Moon and asteroids. You do know that Elko is the gold mining capital of North America?
A lot of the middle managers from the mines have taken courses from me in technology management and business strategy, and as a result learned about the mineral riches of the Moon and Asteroids. By the time they get into upper management the technology base will be there for those firms to start mines in space.
A true space advocate, like all good missionaries, goes to where there is an opportunity to educate those who need it instead of hanging out at space conferences among the believers. It easy to hang out at places like the University of Houston publishing papers to be read by other space advocates, but that doesn’t move the field forward. Its reaching the non-advocates in industries liking mining that will enable the economic development needed to create a space based economy.
They especially found it interesting that they are already mining space resources, namely that all the Gold they mine originally came from space.
http://discovermagazine.com/2012/jan-feb/53
#53: Did Earth’s Gold Come From Outer Space?
Money never grows on trees, but precious metals do sometimes fall from the sky.
By Elizabeth Svoboda|Tuesday, December 27, 2011
So those managers no longer see space mining as science fiction, merely following the trail of Gold to its original source 🙂
“The evidence is out there, a website ready to go weeks before the rant by Rick Santelli”
Rick’s rant wasn’t the origin of the Tea Party.
“I call them as I see them, and I see the Tea Party as the classic example of an astroturf movement.”
As a PHD, you could give us some specific examples as evidence of propaganda creating an astroturf movement right? You could show that no one thought we were overtaxed before some shadowy benefactor created that notion right? If you are going to throw you’re degree out there like it means something, then you should back it up at the level of your claimed expertise.
I am going to go out on a limb and guess that you haven’t done any rigorous scholarly analysis of the Tea Party or its genesis. Everything you claim the Tea Party is about is always in contradiction with what they say their mission is.
Wodun,
Like most trolls you haven’t a clue. Everyone feels they are overtaxed even if the tax rate is 1%. That is the hook you use, to convenience folks they could have their cake and eat it too.
Also now you are contradicting the basic foundation myth of the Tea Party movement, Rick’s rant. Of course the website was ready weeks before, like all good astrotruf movements its launch was well planned to con folks like you. And like all good astrotruf movements it wraps itself in national symbols with promises of restoring national greatness.
And I have posted many times the evidence its an astroturf movement. Go back and review them. But my guess is that as a troll without the courage to reveal your identity you didn’t bother. So why waste my time posting it again?
Yep, and making great contacts within the mining firms that will eventually be mining the Moon and asteroids.
If your able to take money from the Elko miners with that type of marketing, then congratulations on outwitting them. I guess that is some kind of accomplishment. 🙂
A true space advocate, like all good missionaries, goes to where there is an opportunity to educate those who need it instead of hanging out at space conferences among the believers.
Leland,
How is showing someone where the future of their industry is outwitting them? Or don’t you believe in space settlement and development?
You showed them Star Wars? Armageddon? Read them Gerrib’s book? Talked about Harrison Schmitt? I guess you are just the modern day barb, aren’t you?
Was Moby ever able to think rationally? Doubtful, based on his posts; but maybe. I can see him deciding, “Hemm . . .when I concern-troll today, what shall I pose as this time, and how can I make parroting the Hive party-line seem like authentic concern?”
If the TEA party was really a “religious right” organization, they’d be talking about abortion and gay marriage, They are instead talking about taxes and spending, and TEA stands for Taxed Enough Already. This is a clue.
Ed,
And yet once their candidates are elected what do they focus on? Abortion and preservation of marriage. And teaching creationism in schools. FYI
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/22/poll-tea-party-opinions-of-global-warming-evolution-problematic-for-gop/
Poll: Tea party opinions of global warming, evolution problematic for GOP
By Dan Merica, CNN
[[[Washington (CNN) – Half of the people who identify with the tea party in a new poll reject the science of global warming (50%) and evolution (51%), sentiments that some observers believe portray an increasingly religious electorate that mimics some GOP presidential hopefuls.]]]
[[[Huntsman was responding to comments made by two fellow Republican contenders, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann.
At an August event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Perry said the theory of evolution “has some gaps in it.” He has also called manmade climate change a tool for scientists to get more grant money.]]
[[[Bachmann has made similar statements questioning the legitimacy of evolution and stating that the causes and effects of climate change are still unconfirmed.]]]
[[[This divide between right and center-right was evident in the CNN poll, too. Tea party Republicans believe global warming is not true by 20 percentage points more than other Republicans. Other Republicans are less sure on evolution, too, trailing tea party Republicans by 11 percentage points when asked whether the theory of evolution is true.]]]
Sorry, you need to look beyond the propaganda of the press releases to what the Tea Party candidates actually do when in office. I could post dozens of other examples, but what good is it if you won’t look beyond the press releases? Press releases, and the websites with them, are just a tool to keep the followers in line and harden them against the truth. The technique is called “inoculation” in public relations. Look it up 🙂
Lol so now Perry and Bachmann are Tea Party creations?
Evolution does have holes in it. This is why Archaeology is such an exciting filed to follow. We used to think that Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals never met. Then it progressed to they met but didn’t interact. After that, it was thought we only fought. Now, we know that Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens interbred and that a large portion of the world has Neanderthal DNA but not everyone. Not only that but other extinct human species survive through their DNA being present in modern populations. There is so much that we don’t know and the funny thing is that knowledge about our species’ history has no impact on our daily lives. People who believe in evolution but don’t know anything about it, somehow are able to live their lives and contribute to society. Why not grant that ability to everyone regardless of whether they agree with you on something like the origins of Humans, which our understanding of is constantly changing?
I can see it now, Thomas is hiring for the college newspaper but the candidate got the questions wrong about Denisovans so they are unqualified to write articles or edit in the English language.
“And yet once their candidates are elected what do they focus on? Abortion and preservation of marriage. And teaching creationism in schools. FYI
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/22/poll-tea-party-opinions-of-global-warming-evolution-problematic-for-gop/
Poll: Tea party opinions of global warming, evolution problematic for GOP”
You cite an opinion poll and then claim that the poll shows that elected officials enact legislation regarding abortion, creationism, and global warming. Why not cite some laws to show show that elected officials affiliated with the Tea Party are doing these things? Did you honestly think that Tea Party people would have no opinions except that they want lower taxes and government spending?
Wodun,
Why would I hire students to work on a student paper? I am a faculty member, not someone working in student government. Do you even know the difference? Or did they do that at the Ivory League schools you went to?
Yes, that is the slippery nature of the Tea Party, always ready like communist revolutionaries to brand anyone who becomes a liability as an outsider. But I have a challenge for you to prove your point. Find someone YOU believe is a Tea Party politician and show how they are against creationism and for gay marriage. And proved it with votes. Then post their name and evidence. Come on Wodun, prove you are something more than a typical Rand troll.
“Why would I hire students to work on a student paper?”
Since you don’t hire anyone, I just picked something at random. Scary thought if you did hire people.
Taxed
Enough
Already
The Tea party was formed by people who think that taxes are too high and that the government spends too much money in general and on things that the government shouldn’t be spending money on. That doesn’t mean they want zero taxes and zero government.
“This is one of the reasons I have always seen the Tea Party as just a bunch of opportunistic politicians from the Religious Right ”
Lol really?
“But instead they just focus on “cutting” the budget, cutting the top tax rate, ”
Oh, you think that stopping the government from spending more and stopping the government from raising taxes are mutually exclusive goals. It also looks like you think defending the Bush Tax Cuts, which cut everyone’s taxes and favored the lower brackets, is just cutting taxes for rich people. Well, thanks the efforts of Republicans fighting through Obama’s brinkmanship and efforts by the Democrats to raise everyone’s taxes, they were able to keep the Bush Tax Cuts in place for the lower tax brackets. And you call that cutting the top tax rate.
“Remember, if you want smaller government you start with putting it on a strict diet by cutting off its funding. ”
So you are a Tea Partier now?
Nope, I recognize it as the con job it is. Pity you don’t but you illustrate why P.T. Barnum was right about folks like you.
“I have always seen the Tea Party……”
As a horrid obsession which you will bring up – and wholly misrepresent – on almost any topic, any time, anywhere, regardless as to how relevant it is.
At one point you puffed your chest out and declared the Tea Party dead for good and all. Only to have to eat crow. That crow seems to make you bitter and obsessive.
“……….as just a bunch of opportunistic politicians from the Religious Right….”
I am an atheist and I belong to the Tea Party. So once again you demonstrate your complete ignorance which you cling to with rabidly.
Yes, I had underestimated the gullibility of the followers of the Tea Party. After losing one senate election after another because of the poor candidates they selected you would think the would wake up, but like Rand’s followers here, they just double down and buy the arguments offered on voter fraud. The Propagandists, made good use of symbols like the Constitution in their indoctrination.
BTW as a Atheist how do you feel about the Tea Party candidates always wanting to force the teaching of Creationism in public schools? Have you spoken up about it at meetings? Are you so into the Tea Party that you would vote for a candidate that you know would want to force it into public schools, candidates like Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Christine O’ Donnell and Sharon Angle do?
Here is one where a Tea Party is advocating it.
http://www.montrossteaparty.org/intelligent-design
Here is another.
https://www.teapartycommunity.com/blog/12230/are-critics-of-intelligent-design-as-intelligent-as-they-propagandize/
There are many more. As an Atheist are you going to complain to these Tea Party websites for advocating “non-Tea Party” views? Or do you just hope the rest of us will help you fight your First Amendment battles when they are elected?
“After losing one senate election after another because of the poor candidates they selected you would think the would wake up, but like Rand’s followers here, they just double down and buy the arguments offered on voter fraud. ”
They lost a few elections but won far more than they lost. I don’t think Tea Party types are claiming they lost these elections based on voter fraud, although there may be an example of a specific race where this was claimed. Claims of voting irregularities predate the Tea Party and have been used by both parties. It is rather common to politics.
Yes, they win elections in safe Republican districts by pretending to be Republicans. But that doesn’t work in the big elections, like for Senator or President, where they have real competition to beat.
But that doesn’t work in the big elections, like for Senator
Moby’s playing his ignorant fool part again.
Ahh, another troll with less courage than your average working American talking at a bar has…
“BTW as a Atheist how do you feel about the Tea Party candidates always wanting to force the teaching of Creationism in public schools? ”
Since that’s wholly a fabrication in your fevered mind, ……..
You give two examples and THEN say “…there are many more…” Which is not “always wanting to force” so you even contradict yourself.
So before you bother us with your nutroll conspiracy theories, try to get your own delusions in order please.
I can only tell you what I would say were it true:
We have this thing called the First Amendment and they can say what they like.
Yes, but when they get into office they start to act on it. FYI
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/30/louisiana-creationism_n_3359573.html
Louisiana Lawmakers Just Can’t Quit Creationism, Kill Repeal Of Unconstitutional Anti-Science Law
[[[It’s been a discouraging month for the science curriculum in Louisiana. Earlier in May, the state Senate Committee on Education rejected a move to repeal the Science Education Act, which essentially allows the teaching of creationism in science class.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) has been a vocal proponent of attempts to boost creationism in the state. Last month, he said he was fine with public schools teaching students about creationism or intelligent design and letting them make up their own minds about whether those theories trumped evolution.]]]
Of course its unconstitutional, for the moment…
[[[Louisiana’s Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and Evolution-Science Act has existed in state statutes since 1981, despite being ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1987 as a violation of the First Amendment. The law forbade public schools from teaching evolution unless “creation science” was in the curriculum as well. Members of the the state Senate Committee on Education voted earlier this month to advance a measure to do away with it, but their colleagues in the state House apparently didn’t agree with the move.]]]
But I am sure the Tea Party Republicans will fix that once they take over Washington. After all, their interpretation of the 1st Amendment doesn’t include separation of Church and State.
http://www.tetonvalleyteaparty.com/freedom/church-n-state.html
[[[Bottom line: The great perversion of “separation of church and state” that’s happening in our nation today by the progressives is the total opposite of what our founding fathers had in mind for this great country of ours. ]]]
So let’s see Tea Party folks in Louisiana what creationism in schools, those in Wyoming want an end to the separation of Church and State. Need I go on?
Thomas Matula said:
If I remember my history correctly it was to protest an the levying of an import duty on tea, which sounds more similar to a sales tax than to an income tax.
Hal,
Yes, because in 18th Century England no one would have tolerated a King who imposed an Income Tax. IF King George had attempted it, it wouldn’t have been just the colonials uprising, the English themselves would have taken care of him as they did with old King Charles when starting imposing taxes without Parliament’s approval.
Thomas, you have a PhD and thus you are smarter than me. I really shouldn’t respond because you have an education. And an education in a narrowly defined field is all that matters to give someone a sense of superiority. You pity me, but behind it is a smug self-righteousness.
First of all, did you bother to ask me what my education was? Secondly, I can ask the same question of you. Did you buy into the astroturf movement known as Progressivism? Did you fall for some type of technocracy where enlightened bureaucrats would run our country along with our Corporate leaders (Fascism a la Mussolini)? Did you buy into the neo-Platonism of bronze, silver and gold? (Congratulations, you are silver, and therefore an enlightened worker bee. I should call you Philip Dru: Administrator.) Did you think that the public labor unions had a right to put states and municipalities in debt?
You don’t think I’m skeptical? Of course I am. Sheesh, just because I’m fed up with Statism in this country doesn’t mean I’ve fallen for a scam. But you can’t see that because in your eyes it is either/or: enlightened Statism or astroturf Tea Party.
I will choose leaders that promote smaller government and Federalism because that is what made this country work until the Progressives hijacked it in 1913. (We’ve lost 96% of the value of the US Dollar since 1913. Printing money hurts the poor and middle class-but that is another topic.)
There are many like me. And many, many of us are under 50 and just entering power. The sun is setting on a government that has squandered the capital of our children and grandchildren. Those who promote it are leaving government and its associated crony institutions of education and the media.
Your attacks on us only tell me that you are worried.
PS:
I love, “Meet John Doe”. And I know the character, D.B. Norton is George Soros. I find it amusing that the Koch Brothers only became villains after Soros became identified as the chief source of funds for the radical left.
I recommend you read, “The Fourth Turning” by Howe and Strauss. It will show you that today’s political shift is a predictable event. As a Gen Xer, I and my generation have been watching the last twenty years with disgust as a broken government takes more and more from a poorer and poorer constituency. You may mock me and my ilk all you want, but you’ve been doing it for twenty years already and we really don’t care what you think.
I have read the “The Fourth Turning”. Also most many marketing faculty use their earlier book, “Generations” as a supplemental text to show the importance of developing different marketing strategies to reach different generations.
BTW are you aware of their blog?
http://www.fourthturning.com/
Jon,
Since you don’t have the courage to share your identity you could claim any education you wish so why bother asking when there would be no way to prove it. Or do you want to come out of the closet and present your credentials?
And Marketing is not as narrow of field as you believe, a Ph.D. requires the equivalent of a Masters in Economics. I also have a MBA with a minor in Mass Communication, which leads into my knowledge of AstroTurf movements and the relevance of my comments here. Political Marketing, which covers the Tea Party, is a field of marketing.
And if you are interested my undergraduate is from New Mexico Tech in General Studies, including some 30 hours in mining and geological engineering (A- average), but I found engineering too cyclical for job security and I saw from my research into job markets, and listening to faculty talking of their long periods unemployed as working engineers I saw there was no STEM shortage (nearly half of the mining engineering graduates from my class didn’t find jobs in the field…) so I decided it was a good ticket to being constantly underemployed or stuck working for others. As a result I switched to history and psychology (tech had no business programs at the time) to better understand the factors underlying human expansion into space than went on to graduate school in business.
As for being a Progressive, do you really think I would support the movement that led to not only the Income Tax amendment, but also the immigrations laws that have strangled the America economy for the last hundred years? Free flow of resources across borders, including human resources, was one of the strengths that built the American economy. Read the “Empire of Wealth” by John Steele Gordon to find out why.
In terms of political beliefs I am closest to Ayn Rand’s beliefs in a free market and society. But then that is why I got my Ph.D. in Marketing, to understand how markets work. BTW you might look up what she thought of Libertarians and the libertarian movement. It might shock you… The title of this book from the Ayn Rand Institute by Peter Schwartz says it all.
https://estore.aynrand.org/p/509/libertarianism-the-perversion-of-liberty-booklet
Libertarianism: The Perversion of Liberty
I don’t think she would be voting for the Tea Party or attending any of their rallies if she was around…
I know like most folks you think marketing is just a fancy term for selling. It isn’t, at the Ph.D. level it’s about how free markets work, how they enable competition to create wealth and how a firm is able to create competitive advantage in free markets to generate long term success. If you want to understand what I teach and studied probably the best book is the “Origin of Wealth” by Eric D. Beinhocker that discusses economic behavior in terms of evolutionary systems theory. Of if you wish I could direct you to some of the key works on marketing theory.
Oh, and in terms of losing the value of money by printing it. I am well aware of it and even wrote a paper on the topic. It won best paper in economics at the conference it was presented at. Here is a link to it.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fasbbs.org%2Ffiles%2FASBBS2012V1%2FPDF%2FM%2FMitryD.pdf&ei=wSXdU-3JFoygogTY-4GIBQ&usg=AFQjCNHDjgubp6SRi66AShEb2YvD393LEw&bvm=bv.72197243,d.cGU
And to the conference series it is part of http://www.asbbs.org/
Now, again. Since you invited me to ask. Who are you and what are your qualifications?
“And Marketing is not as narrow of field as you believe, a Ph.D. requires the equivalent of a Masters in Economics.”
So your PHD only required the work other people put in to get a Masters? Just messing with ya =p
“Since you don’t have the courage to share your identity you could claim any education you wish so why bother asking when there would be no way to prove it. ”
He could claim anything or he could be honest. If he was a dishonest person, knowing his name would not matter. His comments would show that he was dishonest. There are people who use their real names and that does not stop them from being dishonest. Not practicing good internet security, doesn’t make someone more honest.
I am surprised by people who should know better always telling people not to be anonymous on the internet. Its stupid. The only time someone should use their real name is when they are conducting business. There are too many skeezy people out there. You have to protect yourself from people you bump into on the internet who want to damage your life for whatever deranged reasons they have.
The best thing about anonymity is that it requires that you show your work. You can’t just appeal to authority. You have a PHD? Great. Now, show your work instead of saying we should just believe your opinions on the Tea Party because you have a PHD, especially since your PHD is only tangentially related to your topic. If you want your PHD to give credence to your comments, then you need to step up the professionalism beyond what any random comments at the Daily Kos would say.
It is great to read comments from people who are experts but not if someone claims expertise and their comment is standard, “Derp derp derp.” Why even bother bringing up your education? Make good comments and your intelligence will show. Make comments that support your position and people will agree or disagree based on the strength of those comments.
No, it required the work others do to get a Masters in Economics, on top of the work required for a Ph.D. A total of 54 credit hours beyond the MBA. Only you don’t get to claim a Masters in Economics…
False, knowing his name you could check his claims.
A Ph.D. in Marketing not related to recognizing a standard political marketing strategy like astrotrufing? Really?
[[[There are too many skeezy people out there.]]]
Like you? Really, if you don’t have the courage to take ownership of your views why should anyone else believe you?
Yea, the old outdated argument. The problem is without the contextual framework how do you recognize proof? I showed you evidence, you don’t believe it. I make predictions on it, You discount them. Marketing is a complex science, not simple one like math or physics, simple enough to have a single established methodology. A good book you might like to read is “Reinventing Discovery” by Michael Nielsen. He documents why the “wisdom of crowds”, which is what your argument is based on only works for simple sciences, not the more complex ones where you need extensive background knowledge to evaluate an argument. Crowds are good at solving problems in chess or math but very poor in solving problems in politics and economics.
“No, it required the work others do to get a Masters in Economics, on top of the work required for a Ph.D. A total of 54 credit hours beyond the MBA. Only you don’t get to claim a Masters in Economics…”
I know didn’t you read the part where I said just messing with ya? I even added a =p Should I have used an emoji like you do?
“False, knowing his name you could check his claims.”
False, knowing his claims you can check his claims. Comments should support themselves without having to provide a resume. In the real world you constantly have to prove yourself. You cant use things you did 30 years ago as justification for not having to prove what you say today. You should know this as a business professor.
“A Ph.D. in Marketing not related to recognizing a standard political marketing strategy like astrotrufing? Really?”
So you did a study? What scholarly work have you put into your Tea Party fantasies? Is there anything quantitative because your comments read like qualitative opinion and are heavily biased. I don’t think your crusade against the Tea Party is in any way backed up by your education.
When you are just a guy on the internet ranting about politics, its ok. You can say whatever you want. No one expects random guy on the internet to have done a study on the Tea Party before he comments. But when you say your ramblings are back up by your status as Dr Tea Party, then you need to step it up because you have created the expectation of higher standards.
“Like you? Really, if you don’t have the courage to take ownership of your views why should anyone else believe you?”
Even using a handle, people have reputations and they can be gained or lost depending on how one acts. I judge people by what they say and by their performance. I don’t require they present papers before they are allowed to speak.
One last thing. If you are going to call me names, will you please try and be creative? Surely your PHD in marketing or whatever should help you come up with some better lines.
Wodun,
I am calling a spade a spade or in this case a troll a troll who is too unsure of themselves to take ownership of their opinions but putting a real name to them.
I did my dissertation on how to design communication strategies to build public support for an overland spaceport. The communication tools are the same, the only difference is if they are used ethically and the content of what they are selling, in the case of the Tea Party its old Religious Right with a new coat of paint to con folks like you into believing they are something else.
Again, show me a successful Tea Party candidate who is proud to be an Atheist and who will speak out in favor of abortion and against the teaching of creationism. Should be simple enough for a scholar like yourself…
Enough on laughing at Matula’s bizarre obsessions……..
At minimum:
Flat tax. No deductions. One rate for all. Congress MUST vote on any rate changes in open debate and voting. Rate changes by executive order or judicial fiat are prohibited.
– a computer can almost take the place of the entire IRS. It prints out the w2’s and sends them. Checks received are scanned, database updated that the person has paid what was owed. If someone doesn’t pay, local authorities are alerted and they make the visit.
I’ll take as a start, some tax for all, such that everyone must experience filing and the government taking. And, as already is happening, a reduction of deductions until there are none. Baby steps towards a flat tax.
If you get rid of the income tax altogether and introduce a flat tax, then get rid of all government subsidies of individuals (welfare, SS, etc) and replace them with an equal monthly stipend for every citizen, you’d cut 90% of the red tape. No opportunities for graft or for political targeting either.
This doesn’t fix the problem of corporate taxes, which is where the current scandal’s approval of non-profits comes in. So the IRS would still be deciding if a firm had 501c status or not.
It also keeps the government in your personal finances. Not just personal but corporate as well. That is the advantage of a sales tax, the privacy of it. And that it also discourages spending while encouraging saving.
Also all states currently have a system for collecting sales taxes so you wouldn’t need a large government agency, just add the federal sales tax as a surcharge to the existing state taxes, then the state revenue offices send it on to the federal government.
Finally, unlike an income tax, is it impossible to avoid or hide, even illegal immigrates buy things in stores which should be a selling point here. As well as foreign corporates that do business in the U.S., and U.S. firms trying to hide offshore to reduce taxes.
Not all states have a sales tax. However, having the states collect the federal sales tax is indeed far closer to the intentions of the Founders than the current system.
Ed,
So the feds pay Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon to set up a sales tax collection. A lot simpler than the current system.
Finally, unlike an income tax, is it impossible to avoid or hide, even illegal immigrates buy things in stores which should be a selling point here.
Sales tax avoidance and fraud is endemic across the EU. Many people I knew in the UK used to regularly buy things from other countries to avoid the 20% sales tax. Even here, if we want to buy something expensive we may wait until we’re visiting Alberta to save 5% sales tax.
Or do you plan to put roadblocks on every state border and have them search people for contraband they haven’t paid tax on?
Edward,
The Federal Sales tax will be the same in ALL states. So you will pay the same if you are in North Dakota or Texas.
But if you want to spent 20 dollars in gas to go to Alberta to avoid $10 in sales taxes in Montana, more power to you 🙂
Sorry, I thought you were talking about state sales taxes. As I understand it, a significant number of BC-ians do drive over the border to buy gas, because it’s much cheaper than buying in BC. Though that’s unlikely to be the case with sales tax.
But that still doesn’t affect plain fraud, such as invoicing for less than the actual price of the item sold, or selling for cash and ‘neglecting’ to record any sales tax. Those seemed to be common ways to avoid Britain’s onerous sales tax without importing.
There’s also the trillion dollar question: how is sales tax going to bring in any money a few decades from now when I’m producing most of what I need on a 3D printer in my garage?
Yes, but it will be the state’s problem, not the Federal government as the states will be responsible for collecting.
Actually a high sales tax would help accelerate home based 3D printing by providing a financial incentive. As for the government, is it really bad to have a revenue source that will discourage them from expanding spending?
The 3-D printer “problem” isn’t. You need liquid, powder or filament feedstocks to run one. These items are not, themselves, amenable to garage shop production. Nor are they cheap. Buying them from the businesses that produce them will incur any notional future federal sales tax.