Checklist

Can we get a Keeping the planet habitable for the next few hundred years at least, as long as we're asking for common-sense things?

Ok, what's your plan. Mine is to support future Elon Musks and not destroy the economy.

Elon Musk benefits from the same green energy subsidies you probably don’t like.

Probably but almost anything is better than a government taking over of an industry.

Except for a monopoly of course.

I thought that was extreme libertarians.

because the free market can't gouge and cheat it's customers? You know, the 'Merican way!

You're a vet hows the VA?

Never said I was a vet. I did say I make a living as part of the military industrial complex. (I was unable to enlist due to life long medical problems).

And the VA around here has been a death trap. They knowingly allowed vets with COVID in areas with those without.

Oh ok sorry, I misread one of your earlier comments. Imagine the VA as the mainstream healthcare system. I acknowledge that the healthcare system is a mess but that's because of cronyism between big pharma and insurance companies.

1.) Hows the VA? Ask a vet. Let me know if you still want it.

2.) Define "Living wage"? Raising the minimum wage so that everyone is paid a living amount? That would just cause inflation.

3.) Free college isn't really free you just pay for it throughout your life even if you didn't go to college.

4.) Highly unlogical at the moment. I do want clean energy though.

5.) The U.S already takes in over half of the world's immigrants.

6.) Well yeah, who wouldn't.

No, If you raise the minimum wage, it probably wouldn't cause inflation, as you could simply tax the rich a tiny bit more

What are companies going to do when the minimum wage goes up along with the cost of living?

The only people increasing the cost of living will be companies

I wonder what would have made them do such a thing.

The capitalist economy of America telling companies to prioritise profit above all else

Why do you start a business? Does anyone here know why? It's to make money, if it wasn't about money it would a charity.

I know, there is nothing wrong with that, as it drives productivity, but sometimes it gets to a point where companies are extremely corrupt and prioritise profit above all else, including things like the law and basic human rights

COUGH COUGH Facebook.

yaaaaaaaaaaay

You think I like facebook?

I f**king hate facebook

How so?

Wouldn't that be a monoply?

*Monopoly

That's a board game.

You said 'Wouldn't that be a monoply' and I corrected you to monopoly

didn't even notice until now. I thought you were saying it should be capitalized lol.

Try starting a business. In today’s climate it’s extremely hard because the largest corporations have made it that way to limit competition. And it’s not about preventing profit, it’s about preventing profit from practices that harm.

Mmm yes mostly because of corrupt politicians. Oh yes, who could forget lockdowns.

Have you ever heard of a grocery chain called Market Basket in the Northeast? It’s a very popular chain, family owned and operated. Well a couple of years ago the CEO was forced out by his cousin. The workers went on strike and us customers refused to shop there until he was back.

It’s a story about how a business can succeed and be ethical at the same time. You should read up on it.

Sure do you have a link to the article? Also, that's an example of a market economy at work. The customers demanded it they got it.

Is there something wrong with creating wealth honestly?

I'm kind of confused.

When wages go up and a company can increase its price on its products, but the cost per product only needs to go up a tiny percent and the higher wages means more free cash for the workers to spend.

Increasing minimum wage increases local revenue greatly as most of the new influx of wages is spent locally.

Higher minimum wage = more unemployment.

If minimum wages went up with inflation form the 1970s it would be around $21/hr.

Companies are more profitable than ever, the wealthy have gotten wealthier over that time yet the average worker is making shit wages since then.

I mean who even works minimum wage jobs? Broke high school and college students. I see minimum wage jobs as ways to put people in the job market or a way to make some extra cash.

You see it that way.

If you want to look at the statistics
https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/minimum-wage/2019/home.htm

Really? How? We have one of the highest minimum wages in the country and lower unemployment than the ones that follow the Federal limit.

Well first most small companies can't afford to pay their employees such a high price either they cut their employee's hours or they go bankrupt. The Big companies however simply lay off their employees and replace them with automation killing the smaller business that are now understaffed and unable to compete.

Small companies do better when wages are higher. Again most increases in wages is spent locally. Most small businesses are local.

I highly recommend Reason TV's video on a high minimum wage. They go onto the streets to show you what the 15 dollar minimum wage does to an area.

I hate libertarians more than most. The why should I pay for it assholes.

My favorite libertarian story? Small town that has a fee for the fire department. Johnny the libertarian doesn’t pay the voluntary fee because he doesn’t pay for what he doesn’t need. When his house burned to the ground he got to watch the fire department keep the houses on either side of his hosed down while his went up in flames.

Wish I could find the story, but it’s been years. Back when I worked for a newspaper and that’s been more than twenty years now.

Libertarians are too far-Right, ngl. But not as far as white supremacists.

Libertarians are weird.

I pay about 60k a year in federal and state taxes. I look at it as a user fee and insurance policy.

Had to place this here as we were at the end of the thread.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-28580359

It’s not about free market, it’s about if you treat people well they will respond in kind. Too many corporations (mine included) treat employees as disposable assets. Yet they expect locality back. I use to work hard for my company because they treated us well, but now two acquisitions later, I’m just another lackey. My current boss (leadership skills of a jellyfish) can’t understand why we won’t work harder. When my only reward for working hard is more work, why work hard?

The Soviets use to have a saying, “As long as they pretend to pay us, we will pretend to work.”

Corporations in Democratic Socialist countries take care of their workers because they understand a loyal worker will do their best. That is the Market Basket message.

If you have the time I recommend watching Charlie Kirk explain why "free healthcare" wouldn't work. Always look at both sides of an argument before you decide which side you're on. I find looking at live debates is extremely helpful in deciding.

I already know his position and completely disagree with it. But thanks for offering.

Socialism isn’t free and never claimed to be. Yes you pay higher taxes, but you get more for those taxes. It’s the power of many. The literal meaning of society.

Nor is it anti-rich and everyone gets an equal share crap. It does provide that the group will be stronger by sharing resources. Free college means more people can afford to study higher learning. Free medical care means you are able to get help before it’s critical and probably life savings destroying.

A government’s job is to provide for its citizens. To make everyone’s life better. If that means making companies not pollute the air and water, that’s a good thing. Capitalism truly only works when well regulated. Unchecked it aims for monopoly and that only aids the owners.

I have friends and relatives in several countries that practice some form of Democrat socialism and they can’t understand why we don’t. Their happiness with their lives and their government is much higher than ours.

No, a government's job is not to provide for its citizens it's to protect their rights.

So you're agreeing with me the VA is a disaster and then disagreeing with me that VA for everyone would be a great idea?

Do you even know why college is so expensive? It's because the government started handing out loans.

So here's the thing with a market economy, if enough consumers want something the market gives it to them. An example of this is Elon Musk.

Well no less regulation is better for capitalism (though I'm for necessary food guidelines) which is why Europe surpasses use in public transportation. Because they don't have so many useless environmental rules that damage innovation. I'm all for cleaner air and fuel I just think the market is the best way to it.

The VA here is run by a hack political appointee. He hid the problems because it was a hoax.

Now take a guess what medical program in this country has the lowest overhead and is rated the highest. Did you guess Medicaid?

Why is it so good? It’s run by professionals and not interfered with by politics. Or do you prefer watching more hospital closures in underserved areas because they don’t make enough money for the venture capitalists that keep buying up the hospitals?

My brother in law is an emergency room nurse. They want him to work more hours for less pay to boost the bottom line. The hospital’s president? He just got a half million dollar raise. He’s mostly not there as he is too busy golfing.

Do you enjoy long wait lines? I said the medicare industry is a wreck because of big pharma and insurance companies and the inability for consumers to even to be able to see the price.

If you want an example of what happens when they're cut out of the picture look at the story of laser eye surgery.

Laser eye surgery is mostly a no medical emergency. My aunt fell a broke her hip in Scotland. Taken right in and taken care of. Cost out of pocket, $0.

My cousin got hep b in Italy, her medical treatments cost her $0 and there was no wait.

I have dental insurance and went to the dentist to have some major work done. I asked if they took my insurance and they said they did. My cost was suppose to be $800 out pocket and $3k from my insurance. Bill came due and the insurance company denied it. Turns out the dentist lied to me and I got stuck with the whole bill. The best part? It was totally legal for them to screw me.

You've just been screwed by big pharma and your insurance.

If consumers see the price of the serves wouldn't that make them flock to the provider with the lower cost? In placing competition the prices would lower drastically over time and would make everything more affordable.

Socializing medicare wouldn't lower the prices of anything it would (probably increase it) it would hide the prices behind taxes.

On a side note, you would kill the medical breakthrough powerhouse the U.S is and how much the rest of would with their "free healthcare" heavily relies on.

You do know that our tax dollars pay for most of big Pharms research right? Then they turn around and charge us through the nose. The rest of the world has price controls to prevent that and yet they still develop new medicines too. Huh? How does that happen?

I got one word for you. Corruption
is the reason U.S prices are so expensive.