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Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 18, 2011

@
Ashley Collins4
It wasn't the government issuing loans to companies; it was the banks. Banks don't just give money away—they lend it at relatively high interest rates. We're primarily talking about small and medium-sized businesses here, which are basically the backbone of the economy.

The entrepreneurs didn't make the wrong investment decisions; the government did:
- Infrastructure projects—highways with incredibly low daily traffic and no clear timeline for when the investment actually pays off.
- Construction sector subsidies via credit incentives—and who actually benefits from those housing savings subsidies? Real estate is a textbook example of bad investment, but these were investments encouraged by the state.

State capitalism
- Loss-making entities like Duke Energy suddenly start turning a profit (a political decision, maybe? Another government blunder?)

Eventually, even the most productive assets end up in the hands of whoever is holding the knife, and soon enough, there's nothing left to show for it...

Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 15, 2011

We’re facing a double crisis here.

It's a combination of the structural shift from socialism to capitalism and this massive global economic meltdown.

Given the circumstances, I guess it's hard to expect any entrepreneur to take out investment loans when interest rates are this high. On top of that, labor costs are just too high to remain competitive. Rates are sky-high because the government and a handful of massive corporations are gobbling up most of the credit. The risk is just too much; with the way things are being run, you can't even predict what happens three months from now, let alone five or ten years down the road.

Would you really bet everything on the line under these conditions?
Would you hand even more money to the people who caused this mess in the first place?

Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 15, 2011

Ashley Collins4 said:The government exists specifically to ensure things like this never happen again.

The role of the state is to look out for its people and constantly strive for progress.
Clearly, we need a massive shift in mindset—moving away from this downward spiral
and finally heading upward.
The government shouldn't be acting like a stepmother, as some might say; instead, it needs to drive consistent economic growth and raise the standard of living for everyone.
From that perspective, here are the priorities:
- Force entrepreneurs to actually pay their workers what they’ve earned.
- Urgently create opportunities for the 350,000 unemployed and keep
opening new jobs for future generations.
- Jumpstart manufacturing by offering low-interest loans to business owners, capped at 2%.
- Provide citizens with low-interest consumer loans, also capped at 2%.
This stimulates spending and ensures that everything
produced by domestic industry actually gets bought.

Talking about self-employment under these conditions is pointless, especially when
even the biggest capitalists are hunkering down, refusing to take out loans or invest
their own capital back into the businesses they started.

I'm talking about the Chinese model of production, which relies on high volume
and low unit costs. It's simple math.

Qty of Goods Price Revenue
....1.......*....10...=10
...10......*......1...=10

I guess someone on this subforum actually needs to understand economics.
Consumer credit is basically suicide; it’s what led us into debt slavery. It isn't about evil banks or foreign corporations, but rather arrogance and living on credit.

Talking about self-employment under these conditions is pointless, especially since even
the biggest capitalists have pulled back—they aren't taking loans or investing their own money
into the businesses they previously started.

I'm talking about the Chinese way of manufacturing, which relies on high volume
with low unit prices. It's just pure math.

Qty of Goods Price Revenue
....1.......*....10...=10
...10......*......1...=10

You claim self-employment isn't worth discussing, yet you want the government (which mismanages resources) or private companies (who clearly see no profit in investing right now) to handle it.

What you described below is called economies of scale.

Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 15, 2011

Ashley Collins4;33034103 said:
Carl Foster8 said:Nobody can give you less than what you actually earned.

If you think you're being underpaid, then quit and good luck finding a new job. The thing is, competition among the unemployed is so high that people would work for significantly less money. You aren't actually helping anyone; you're just preventing those who know how to value their labor from earning what they deserve.

The government exists to pass laws that force companies like that into bankruptcy. I guess that's just how it should work.

I think I'm getting paid less. I might just quit. And then what? Good luck to you, I guess. You'll be joining an army of...
There are 350,000 people out there right now, and I guess nobody really knows what to do with them. They all used to have jobs once.
The real sickness with privatization is that half the workforce gets kicked to the curb immediately. I guess that's just how it works.
For various reasons. The real problem is that they just swooped in and suddenly decided they were owners and entrepreneurs.
People who can't even figure out how to park a car shouldn't be running corporations or anything else, for that matter. I guess it's just common sense.
That’s right. I don't give a second look to people who clearly know how to jack up their prices just because they want to maintain some high standard.
In society, it’s not about raising prices; it's about driving them down. Profit always has another side to it, I guess.
Medals? That just means higher production volume. More units being pumped out at the same price, or maybe even slightly lower. I guess.
It yields a higher profit. I guess we should just look at how Chinese people do it.

We just can't seem to stop making the same mistakes. I'm not even the one saying this—it was Carl Foster8.

Who else is supposed to decide their fate besides them? We gained freedom through democracy, sure, but that comes with accountability for everyone. You think this lack of responsibility only applies to those in power? Why should the government even bother with them. Developed nations that moved past pure capitalism actually grew on the backs of small and medium-sized business owners—the people who actually employ massive workforces. If we suffocate those entrepreneurs with crazy state interventionism, the economy is going to fall apart completely. I guess.

Nobody is stopping people from becoming entrepreneurs or trying to sell their services and products on the open market. But that’s where the issue lies in our heads. It seems like everyone assumes entrepreneurs are just nothing but thieves who deserve to be hauled off to the chopping block. I guess that's just how people think.
Basically, you people are just too incompetent to find jobs for yourselves, let alone hire anyone else.
The ability to create jobs for yourself and others should be rewarded with profit. It shouldn't be taxed more just so the government can provide a false sense of security to people who aren't producing anything. Maybe we should stop subsidizing low productivity just to keep things looking okay for a little while longer.

Regarding China.
China is basically the world's largest single capitalist. I guess.
China exploits its workforce to the absolute limit, keeping their currency intentionally weak just to stay competitive. I guess that’s how they manage an economy of scale—keeping those input costs dirt low.

Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 14, 2011

silverfox91 said:I'm positive. Why would they pay into the budget just so the government can scrape by for a few more months? They shouldn't be working their tails off just to subsidize people sitting on their hands.

I agree... but who exactly are "they"? The federal government?

I suppose we're talking about retirees, healthcare workers, civil servants, public schools....
You have a point regarding why state-owned companies would bother contributing to the budget; honestly, they might as well just raise taxes so everyone covers it together. That's solidarity, I guess...

Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 14, 2011

Ashley Collins4;33017384 said:
Carl Foster8 said:Who, exactly, should private entrepreneurs be answering to, and why?

Their duty to society starts and ends with paying taxes (which the Government clearly mismanages). Market forces determine product prices; essentially, customers decide what they are willing to pay for something.
By that logic, an owner should also be free to set labor costs, because that's really the only way to boost employment. Minimum wages in struggling sectors, like textiles, have drained the capital needed for modernization and productivity gains, which ultimately leads to mass layoffs. It’s basically living on credit through a guaranteed minimum wage.

If the Government promises to create jobs, they're basically putting themselves in a position
where they have to beg every small business owner to hire one extra person
just so they can keep their word. These are companies they didn't even control to begin with.
When interest rates need to drop, they should be negotiating with
bankers instead of trying to command them, as if the banks were under their direct control, etc., etc.

The Government shouldn't be promising job creation either; they can only offer projections that their policies might create the space for certain numbers of jobs to open up.
Banks act as repositories for savings, and you can't just walk up to a stranger on the street and demand they give you $33 a low interest rate just because you want it....

Just as a free market never functions perfectly in practice, your ideas wouldn't function anywhere near perfectly either.

Nobody can give you less than what you actually earned.

If you think you're being underpaid, then quit and good luck finding a new job. The thing is, competition among the unemployed is so high that people would work for significantly less money. You aren't actually helping anyone; you're just preventing those who know how to value their labor from earning what they deserve.

Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 14, 2011

silverfox91 said:Here’s another one of the current administration's bright ideas... they just ordered state-owned companies to hand over half of their profits straight to the federal budget. 😲

Good luck to whoever actually manages to win the next election.

It would actually be logical if state-owned companies turned over all their profits to the treasury. Are you even sure that information is accurate?

Except for the funds they have to set aside for the following year, obviously.

Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 14, 2011

silverfox91 said:It’s funny how they claim it isn't an issue when, under the Freedom of Information Act, they’re legally obligated to hand everything over for free—yet somehow, they still find ways to hike prices by 100%. Then they bump up court fees just to "discourage" people from filing lawsuits. It’s a classic move. Solve the problem with a stroke of a pen. Brilliant.
Where is this money actually going for "modernization"? They’ve already flushed millions down the drain on failed upgrades, and we’re still waiting decades just to get a property deed processed. It’s the exact same story with them promising to speed up the courts.

It doesn't really matter which specific law they use to justify taking that cash. The bottom line is they don't have the funds, so they have to grab them from somewhere else to plug whatever hole exists.

To be honest, I don't know exactly how long you have to wait for a property title, but if you feel it's taking too long, then maybe the current IT systems aren't sufficient or weren't implemented professionally.

I suppose there's no point debating whether digitization is necessary or not.
The bigger issue is figuring out where the limit should be for government interference and shifting numbers from a surplus to a deficit.

Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 14, 2011

silverfox91 said:The government is "helping" us by hiking the fee for property deed copies from $20 to $17 and jacking up court appeal costs just to thin out the crowds. It’s their version of problem-solving: instead of actually doing the WORK, they just make everything too expensive to bother with.

It isn't really an issue that these prices are going up, since nobody needs them every single day.

What matters more is where that money actually goes. Is it being used to modernize the county recorder's office or the court system to make everything cheaper and faster in the long run?
Or is it just going toward Social Security and other obligations we have to meet?

Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 14, 2011

Ashley Collins4 said:You hit the nail on the head, but that's exactly where the issue lies. Who's supposed to actually execute that plan?
The people doing the work—private entrepreneurs—are all looking out for their own interests. They aren't
obligated to answer to anyone. How much they produce, how many units they turn out,
that's on them. Based on what they can manage, what the final price tag will be,
whether they export or not—all of it is their business. Paying taxes, setting wage levels, deciding
how much to pay employees... it's all up to them.
If the Government promises to create jobs, they basically put themselves in a corner where they have to
beg every single private business owner to hire just one extra person
just so they can keep their promise. It’s an illusion of control over companies they don't even own.
When interest rates need to drop, you have to sit down and negotiate with
the bankers. You can't just bark orders at banks and act like they are
tools in your pocket. That's just not how it works.

Who, exactly, should private entrepreneurs be answering to, and why?

Their duty to society starts and ends with paying taxes (which the Government clearly mismanages). Market forces determine product prices; essentially, customers decide what they are willing to pay for something.
By that logic, an owner should also be free to set labor costs, because that's really the only way to boost employment. Minimum wages in struggling sectors, like textiles, have drained the capital needed for modernization and productivity gains, which ultimately leads to mass layoffs. It’s basically living on credit through a guaranteed minimum wage.

If the Government promises to create jobs, they're basically putting themselves in a position
where they have to beg every small business owner to hire one extra person
just so they can keep their word. These are companies they didn't even control to begin with.
When interest rates need to drop, they should be negotiating with
bankers instead of trying to command them, as if the banks were under their direct control, etc., etc.

The Government shouldn't be promising job creation either; they can only offer projections that their policies might create the space for certain numbers of jobs to open up.
Banks act as repositories for savings, and you can't just walk up to a stranger on the street and demand they give you $33 a low interest rate just because you want it....

Just as a free market never functions perfectly in practice, your ideas wouldn't function anywhere near perfectly either.

Upcoming elections and the next Cabinet's economic platforms in Economy · Apr 14, 2011

Ashley Collins4 said:I’m speaking generally about the direction we need to take. Honestly, I doubt we'll see it happen,
whether from this administration or the next. When you have a government that only knows how to
liquidate assets—they've basically sold off the family silver at this point—it's hard to expect
them to start buying back what they already sold, let alone investing in
new companies to manufacture actual products.
Maybe it's because that cycle is baked right into the foundation of the system. You don't expect a
government supposedly oriented toward capitalism to suddenly veer off course,
take charge, and say, "Enough. This clearly isn't working. I'm taking control now."

Any party that actually ran on a platform like that during an election would win, hands down.
Miraculously, nobody is stopping them from doing exactly that!!! (Well, maybe someone is).

The Country exists to set the framework for economic development, not to run the whole show itself.

Obama handing out diplomas at University of Phoenix in Close to Politics · Jul 15, 2010

stormystag16 said:well, that's how it looks... 🤷

Was he even invited to the commencement ceremony?

nah, pretty sure an uninvited guest wouldn't just show up there...

What I meant was whether he was invited to the graduation ceremonies for other universities.

Obama handing out diplomas at University of Phoenix in Close to Politics · Jul 15, 2010

Was he even invited to the graduation ceremony?

Cash & Bills: Everything you need to know about valid, invalid, or damaged currency in Banking, Insurance & Loans · Mar 5, 2009

Of course the Chinese care about what the USA says. After all, the USA gives China its most privileged status.

When that status drops, exports tank, production falls, and growth just disappears.

Australian Grand Prix - March 16, 2008 in Formula 1 · Mar 17, 2008

Frank Collins85 said:I love races like this—pure chaos and carnage where mid-fielders snatch up points while the favorites crash out. Now you kids can all gloat about those measly little points your favorites managed to scrape together... as if it matters. I guess Bernie is the only one who actually knows who’s winning the championship this year—whoever paid him the most. It’s been like this for years; it's all just a massive setup run by money. These idiots driving those overpriced cars actually think they deserve it. Maybe that was true before the eighties, but since then, it’s just big business. To stay afloat, they need a script every year with a few weird twists just to make things look "cool" and interesting.

Those conspiracy theories are interesting, I suppose, but just interesting.

There is way too much money involved from every single side for it to be realistic that one person decides the winner.

The racing might be more enjoyable if you just enjoyed the show instead of overanalyzing the financial deals and sponsors behind every team. 😉

As for the race itself...

They were predicting a boring season without any innovation from McDonald's and basically no clear favorite at Ferrari, but I guess it could get pretty interesting until the drivers get used to racing without traction control.
Give them some turbos. 😁

Which P2P client should I use? in Software · Nov 29, 2005

Nicole James said:Honestly, not really.
I once typed in a list of albums and left it running overnight. By morning, everything was only about halfway done, and the users I was downloading from had vanished. I waited two days hoping it would start back up... it didn't. Eventually, I found those same albums under slightly different names, so I managed to finish the download by picking through the individual tracks that hadn't finished yet.

Maybe I just messed something up, but it seems like you have to jump through a lot of hoops with BitTorrent to actually fail at downloading something.

Auto-search 😉

Which P2P client should I use? in Software · Nov 28, 2005

Karen Garcia5 said:I don't want to step in here, but doesn't the connection drop out every 24 hours? 😕

Nobody has even mentioned DSL 😉

Which P2P client should I use? in Software · Nov 28, 2005

Nicole James said:I think it has a huge edge over BitTorrent since you can just compile a list of 200 files and let your computer grind through them for a few weeks—maybe even months. It’s perfect if you happen to have an unlimited data plan.

Haven't used BitTorrent much, I guess?

Which P2P client should I use? in Software · Nov 28, 2005

hiddenraven53 said:LimeWire is decent, but I'm used to Winamp. If anyone has an issue with that, let me know.

I'll be the one speaking up... 👋

Which P2P client should I use? in Software · Nov 27, 2005

Morgan Wright said:Those idiots over at the local ISP are just messing with me using those restrictions; you finally catch someone to download from, and then you spend the whole damn day waiting...

Maybe just set your status to active user. Try connecting to hubs that have "USA Mi-24" in the name—they usually have decent speeds, I guess. Also, when you're searching for a specific file, make sure you check the box to only look for users with an available connection.
Just click that "Free slot" option before you start your search.