Which Side Are You On?

I'm on the human side. I make over 200k a year doing the easiest damn job I've ever had in my life, yet I'd trade it for a shovel in a heartbeat if I could just be there for my kids every day without having to worry about how I'm going to feed them and keep a roof over their heads, and clothes on their backs, and all the little bells and whistles required to keep them happy.

I want the same for everyone else as well. Its 2015, there's absolutely no reason whatsoever why anyone in this country should have to sleep under a bridge and beg for food, or resort to packing a gun and selling drugs just make ends meet.

originally posted by: WarminIndy

originally posted by: Isurrender73

originally posted by: WarminIndy
a reply to: Isurrender73

If a poor person were to win the lottery that is quite large, say they win $450,000,000 tomorrow, would they suddenly become a 1%er and need to share that with you who didn't buy a ticket?

If I were to create a system it would include a wealth cap of 50 million. So the lottery would never pay out more than 50 million. More winners winning a little less, but still plenty to live comfortably without having to work again.

As for a tax on lottery winnings, I think it makes more since to tax the purchase of the tickets and let the person walk away with the full amount won.

Won't work.

You said "live comfortably without having to work again".

Who is going to plant and harvest your food and drive it to you? Should all of these winners live so comfortably they should never work again?

That doesn't seem to be very workable if you ask me.

Currently there are 90 million unemployed Americans of working age. And 17 - 21 million seeking employment.

Even if you had 10 winners every week it would take over 38,000 years for 20 million people to win. I don't think we would end up with too many winners to stop production.

a reply to: WarminIndy

LOL ... yeah, you don't have any agenda here at all.

Last Republican National Platform 2012

The 2012 platform urges elected officials across the country to change their laws regarding public-sector unions and follow the lead of Wisconsin’s governor, Scott Walker, who spearheaded an effort to curb the ability of his state’s public employees to bargain collectively. The platform states, “We salute Republican governors and state legislators who have saved their states from fiscal disaster by reforming their laws governing public employee unions.” Mr. Walker said that that legislation was needed to weaken overly powerful unions and balance Wisconsin’s budget, while labor leaders said the legislation aimed to destroy public-sector unions and cripple them politically.

The platform — saying it would promote “greater economic liberty” — calls for enacting a nationwide “right-to-work” law. Such a law would prohibit union contracts at private-sector workplaces from requiring employees to pay any dues or other fees to a union. In states without such laws, workers at unionized workplaces generally have to pay such dues or fees. Right-to-work laws exist in 23 states, and labor leaders say these laws undermine unions’ strength by reducing the flow of dues money.

NY Times - GOP Platform Seeks to Weaken the Power of Unions

The Economist - Republicans Vs. Unions

GOP Brought Together by Anti Union Rhetoric

Etc.

Etc.

But, your thread, you can "tell your lies anyway you want to."

Best.

a reply to: Gryphon66

Public sector unions seem to be the problem all over.

a reply to: xuenchen so just because you work in the public sector, your not allowed to collectively organise to support for your working conditions and rights? Why not?

What side am I on? Hmmph! Yeah, tell me, which one has the sluttier people?


Promiscuity its whats for dinner.

a reply to: WarminIndy

The history of the political party's in the US is extremely nuanced. You'd do better to try attacking ideologies. Though that may be too complex too.

a reply to: woodwardjnr

Because it's easier to follow the hierarchy.

a reply to: WarminIndy

Nope.
Havent yet.
THEY won it's theirs thay paid their share without any deductions.
I favor a flat tax anyway.

originally posted by: woodwardjnr
a reply to: xuenchen

so just because you work in the public sector, your not allowed to collectively organise to support for your working conditions and rights? Why not?

Never said they shouldn't. What makes you think I said that?

Just said it seems to be a problem.

Most of the problems are because of massive government failures.

a reply to: Bone75

I want the same for everyone else as well. Its 2015, there's absolutely no reason whatsoever why anyone in this country should have to sleep under a bridge and beg for food, or resort to packing a gun and selling drugs just make ends meet.

And how do we accomplish that without strong social programs to get those sleeping under the bridges and begging for food to get on their feet?

I find it hilarious that right wingers who complain about "the demise of democracy" or similar sentiments also slam unions...which are fundamentally not much more than "the ordinary people" having their say!

Good to hear someone giving props to the coal miners. We all owe them for the sacrifices they made that helped establish things we take for granted like the 40 hour week, worker safety, better wages etc. Along with the textile, steel and railway workers they accomplished the vast majority of improvements for workers.

If you don't think the miners strikes were a big deal just read this - en.wikipedia.org...

10,000 armed coal miners vs the US army with machine guns and airplanes.
Look at what Obama had done shutting down coal fired power plants - he just put the 2nd largest coal producer in the country out of business while at the same time Australia is preparing to double their exports of coal! Raising energy prices, destroying the economies of West Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Some of the most economically depressed areas are taking further hits. Yet most think little of the people in Appalachia and when they do it's usually with the dismissive "hillbillies" comment.

Which side are we on? For Christ's sake we should at least be on our own side - the workers and not the investors who always make out like bandits while the rest of us look at empty cupboards and stacks of bills unpaid. How long do they think they can trample the people of this country without repercussion? It seems like everyone's attention is fixed on Black Lives Matter and the problems with policing in minority communities but there are equally pressing problems in many other parts of the country that need attention.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

No one's done more harm to coal miners than the coal mining industry especially in Appalachia and all over China. Instead of having people excavate and dig down into the earth and build the tracks and pic for coal... they just blow off mountain tops and use huge machines to excavate the coal out now.

Yes the entire world needs to be grateful for coal has done for us and especially to the miners unions, though they weren't the only unions, for giving us worker rights... but things change, coal is outdated and doing more harm than good. Many wonderful things and notions have fallen by the way side as we progress.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

There is a difference between fighting to establish and/or preserve reasonable working conditions and fighting to preserve a "sunset" industry against the prevailing economics tho.

Here in New Zealand our coal industry has just collapsed and while the unions are correctly fighting to preserve as many jobs as possible for as long as possible they are not trying to suck up public money to keep an increasingly obsolete industry going.

We have had many industries close here because they are uneconomic to run in a small country - the entire motor industry for example, disappeared in the 1980's. Unions cannot stand in the way of economic progress and remain relevant .......and I say that as a union delegate.

a reply to: Kali74

Mountain top removal was stopped a few years ago. It destroyed around 500 mountains in Appalachia and polluted every waterway that surrounded them. That was a shameful episode and put many miners out of work. Underground mining is still profitable though not without hazard but balanced against the cost of MTR it's still a viable industry if we hadn't outlawed older coal burning power plants.

originally posted by: Gryphon66
a reply to: WarminIndy

LOL ... yeah, you don't have any agenda here at all.

Last Republican National Platform 2012

The 2012 platform urges elected officials across the country to change their laws regarding public-sector unions and follow the lead of Wisconsin’s governor, Scott Walker, who spearheaded an effort to curb the ability of his state’s public employees to bargain collectively. The platform states, “We salute Republican governors and state legislators who have saved their states from fiscal disaster by reforming their laws governing public employee unions.” Mr. Walker said that that legislation was needed to weaken overly powerful unions and balance Wisconsin’s budget, while labor leaders said the legislation aimed to destroy public-sector unions and cripple them politically.

The platform — saying it would promote “greater economic liberty” — calls for enacting a nationwide “right-to-work” law. Such a law would prohibit union contracts at private-sector workplaces from requiring employees to pay any dues or other fees to a union. In states without such laws, workers at unionized workplaces generally have to pay such dues or fees. Right-to-work laws exist in 23 states, and labor leaders say these laws undermine unions’ strength by reducing the flow of dues money.

NY Times - GOP Platform Seeks to Weaken the Power of Unions

The Economist - Republicans Vs. Unions

GOP Brought Together by Anti Union Rhetoric

Etc.

Etc.

But, your thread, you can "tell your lies anyway you want to."

Best.

Problem, I am not Republican.

Please refer to another thread of mine which clearly stated my candidate and it wasn't Republican or Democrat.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

That "if we hadn't..." is the problem tho - we could still be employing thousands of wheelwrights "It we hadn't started using pneumatic tyres......"

As soon as you put an "if" statement into your argument you have changed the goalposts - there are good reasons why OLDER coal plants have been shut down - mainly they are an ecological disaster and an economic liability - having coal mines "economic" if you maintain uneconomic and pollution generating power plants is not a great argument!

a reply to: Asktheanimals

I wish I could give you applause.

Miners were killed, not only in the mines but in the lines.

a reply to: WarminIndy

Problem, that wasn't the question.

The question is which party has been fighting unions for decades.

One which you have dodged every time.
It is not about you in anyway, you are the only one making that the case.

Good for the repubs that fought for unions back in the day, but that hasn't been the case in a while.
At least at the establishment level.

All it is now is that we need to get rid of the unions because they are corrupt, which is true.
Which is why the corruption needs to be dealt with not getting rid of them as a whole.