whole border issue is just another example how stupid american public is and especially their elected legislature... its mind altering how a country of US stature can have completely unprotected borders for so many years and no one does nothing about it...

If I was Bin Laden - US territory would be a scorched earth 500 miles from any border point.....  

As to the "welcome" - I just live here... ya'll can ruin this place anyway you want.

I also cannot believe that a sh*tload of terrorist attacks are not taking place because of this.  The only possible explanation, in my view, is that terrorists are coming in quietly and waiting in sleeper cells.  No other explanation makes sense to me. 

This is another reason I would support an amnesty - it would percipitate an enforcible legal recourse for those who do not show themselves to get counted and at least somewhat checked out.

I'm curious:  when they say,

"...the number of millionaires in the United States rose a whopping 16 percent to 7.8 million in 2009."

I ask myself, what is a 'millionaire'?  7.8 million people are millionaires?  Seriously?  Ok, so what's a millionaire?  Taxable income of >= $1,000,000.00 per year?  Which really doesn't make someone a millionaire.   Because after taxes, about $500k-600K will be left and what kind of shitty millionaire has only 500k?  Or is being a 'millionaire' mean that someone has >= $1,000,000.00 in assets?

7.8 million.  That seems high...what kind of criteria do they use?

Also, when you mentioned:

"The bottom 50 percent of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1 percent of the nation's wealth"

I want to make sure to comment that these bottom 50% barely pay any tax burden of the nation (if any at all, being that a huge chunk of that bottom 50 gets money out of the tax bucket rather than put in.

IntensityInsanity:

I'm curious:  when they say,

 

"...the number of millionaires in the United States rose a whopping 16 percent to 7.8 million in 2009."

 

I ask myself, what is a 'millionaire'?  7.8 million people are millionaires?  Seriously?  Ok, so what's a millionaire?  Taxable income of >= $1,000,000.00 per year?  Which really doesn't make someone a millionaire.   Because after taxes, about $500k-600K will be left and what kind of shitty millionaire has only 500k?  Or is being a 'millionaire' mean that someone has >= $1,000,000.00 in assets?

 

7.8 million.  That seems high...what kind of criteria do they use?

 

Also, when you mentioned:

 

"The bottom 50 percent of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1 percent of the nation's wealth"

 

I want to make sure to comment that these bottom 50% barely pay any tax burden of the nation (if any at all, being that a huge chunk of that bottom 50 gets money out of the tax bucket rather than put in.

 

 II, like they say, follow the money. It would be rather illogical to try to collect additional tax revenues from the poorest segment of the population. What are you going to take from them? Their shiny spinning rims? Bling bling and fake watches? Unused food stamps and used formula bottles? Now, I do agree there are abuses in the wellfare system, but to say that it is the major fall of the economic issues is dishonest. We need more taxable revenues to supplement federal budget? Go after those who can be taxed - namely the top earners and the businesses. Yes, I know, how "socialist" of me, right? I mean, to think that being rich and ejoy life, or have a successful business here in this country comes with some sort of responsiblity? Totally socialistic notion. Borderline Marxist.

Sic semper tyrannis
~War is Peace~Freedom is Slavery~Ignorance is Strength~ George Orwell "1984"

gtSasha:

Some interesting stats I came across:

 

According to Michael Snyder of the Business Insider:

• 61 percent of Americans "always or usually" live paycheck to paycheck, which was up from 49 percent in 2008 and 43 percent in 2007.
• 66 percent of the income growth between 2001 and 2007 went to the top 1 percent of all Americans.
• Over 1.4 million Americans filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009, which represented a 32 percent increase over 2008.
• The bottom 50 percent of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1 percent of the nation's wealth.
• In America today, the average time needed to find a job has risen to a record 35.2 weeks.
• More than 40 percent of Americans who actually are employed are now working in service jobs, which are often very low paying.
• Despite the financial crisis, the number of millionaires in the United States rose a whopping 16 percent to 7.8 million in 2009.

 

According to this:  http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/wealth-distribution-07192010/?display=wide 

 

1% of households hold 34.6% of all privately held wealth.  Next 19% - 50.5%.  Consequently, he remaining 80% hold only 14.9%

At the same time bottom 90% of income earners hold 73% of all consumer debt.

 

Yet, it seems that illegal immigration and guns are taking higher priority then economy and infrastructure.  Something needs to be done to change the economic policy to stop the erosion of the middle class.  Otherwise we may move towards a state more similar to developing countries where there are few very wealthy people, many many dirt-poor people and very few middle class people.  Needless to say, poor people often rely on government services (medicaid, etc.) that put even more pressure on the budget.  I want to see more discussion of infrastructure improvements and other things that would keep the economy growing and generate high-income jobs.

 

 

 

gtSasha,

You are on the right track. The larger issue I see here in America is that mega businesses have effectively taken full control of the country. More specifically, Big Oil, Big Pharma, Mega-Nationals, etc. They spend hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying various special interest. They employ armies of DC lobbyists and attorneys.

Just look at the facts. Corporations here have been given rights of citizens, without any applicable responsibilities. They are now allowed to contribute unlimited $ amounts to political campaigns, because Supreme Court thinks it would protect "freedom of speech". I can hardly think about more Orwellian example of twisting an issue than that...

Sic semper tyrannis
~War is Peace~Freedom is Slavery~Ignorance is Strength~ George Orwell "1984"

mkgilstrap:

God, we're smart

Border Security is extremely lax on the Mexican border and non-existent on the Canadian border.  You can check this yourself using google earth and simply examining the border with either Canada or Mexico.  No wonder it is so easy to cross.  I've checked and there are entire stretches with no defenses at all.  And BTW, if I'm smart enough to look, the terrorists are looking too.  IMHO

Guys, some borders are not possible to secure. There is not way to achieve 100% security. North Korea, etc are not good examples. If economy and commerce were booming in North Korea (lol) there would be no way to stop people from crossing. Desperate people are the most resilient force on this planet. Look at the "war on drugs". After untold billions spent on this "war", the drug cartels are as close to US borders as ever, the production volumes are as high as ever, and drugs are as available inside the country as ever. Same with illegal immigration. People will climb walls, dig tunnels, walk though the harshest desserts, climb through the highest mountains, swim on top of tire tubes across miles of ocean - whatever it takes to get here. This is a complex issue, requiring complex and flexible solutions. The "build a wall" crowd are simply delusional and intellectually handicapped people.

Sic semper tyrannis
~War is Peace~Freedom is Slavery~Ignorance is Strength~ George Orwell "1984"

AHTOH:

 II, like they say, follow the money. It would be rather illogical to try to collect additional tax revenues from the poorest segment of the population. What are you going to take from them? Their shiny spinning rims? Bling bling and fake watches? Unused food stamps and used formula bottles? Now, I do agree there are abuses in the wellfare system, but to say that it is the major fall of the economic issues is dishonest. We need more taxable revenues to supplement federal budget? Go after those who can be taxed - namely the top earners and the businesses. Yes, I know, how "socialist" of me, right? I mean, to think that being rich and ejoy life, or have a successful business here in this country comes with some sort of responsiblity? Totally socialistic notion. Borderline Marxist.

Anton, though I was sorta just giving a statistic and really an opinion, you probably sensed some hostility in what I wrote, misleading you to believe that I think we should try to collect more cash from the poor.  Not so.  The hostility is more toward the (relatively huge) crowd that not only pays nothing, but actually receives money.  Earned income credit, etc - you know what I'm talking about.  So you say, "but dear II, that is so cruel.  These people are so poor that we need to help them out.  And remember, it's also for the children!!".  For really legit cases, I am not against this little 'wealth redistribution' but the reality is this:  if you walked into the homes of the above-mentioned crowd, at LEAST 75% of them will have 'luxury' items such as LCD TVs, expensive cell phones, cable/Satellite, etc.  Of course there's other stuff too:  cigs, weed, other drugs, etc.  All this stuff is subsidized by all the people who actually do pay taxes.

Your 'socialistic' humor has this problem:  yes, of course even on a flat tax, the rich will pay more.  So certainly with a progressive tax system like we have here, the rich will pay a huge share of the tax burden.  However, I believe it shouldn't be as extreme as now (see above paragraph as an example where we can start), and furthermore, there are right and wrong times to raise taxes on the 'rich'.  Right now, for instance, we are in a really shitty economy, and very high unemployment.  I could explain this, but I assume you understand this stuff as it's pretty basic.  By the way, this is why Obama is a complete idiot, if even for nothing else.  All the tax raising on rich (regardless when it goes into effect, just all the talk of it achieves similar levels of disaster) is the absolute wrong thing to do at this time and Obama and all his kool-aid drinkers (like you, Anton) seem to miss this.

Egor:

I also cannot believe that a sh*tload of terrorist attacks are not taking place because of this.  The only possible explanation, in my view, is that terrorists are coming in quietly and waiting in sleeper cells.  No other explanation makes sense to me. 

more plausible reason is that al-Qaeda is a myth.... convenient enemy to keep certain parties occupied and safe from downsizing...

Anton - securing border, specifically US-Mexican border is not easy, but very easy....

KGBMan:

Egor:

I also cannot believe that a sh*tload of terrorist attacks are not taking place because of this.  The only possible explanation, in my view, is that terrorists are coming in quietly and waiting in sleeper cells.  No other explanation makes sense to me. 

more plausible reason is that al-Qaeda is a myth.... convenient enemy to keep certain parties occupied and safe from downsizing...

 

Anton - securing border, specifically US-Mexican border is not easy, but very easy....

ГБ, слушай, нащёт алкайды, рэспект и "май нигга", нащёт границ-цы, где, мля человекоподобные мля громадные роботы патрулировать границцу?

Sic semper tyrannis
~War is Peace~Freedom is Slavery~Ignorance is Strength~ George Orwell "1984"

And all the video tapes of Bin Laden are a myth too?

I heard another 'good' theory, that it was the Israeli Mossad that flew into those buildings.  I mean why not, if al Quida is a myth and all......open minded, right?

By the way, Anton, you keep saying that a wall can't be built.  Let me ask you why not?  Why not just build a wall, with gates every (parameter here) miles where people come and go through checkpoints.  As far as legit passing through the gates, we can adopt your ideas about applying for work permit, etc.  Thing is, I keep hearing building the wall is racist or unrealistic, etc.  But why not?  With good comprehensive immigration reform, a wall would prevent the real bad, the drug cartels, etc.  Like you said previously, some would still come through, tunnels, air balloons, etc.  But it would really be a tiny number in comparison.

here is what George has to say about the upcoming elections:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWiBt-pqp0E 

IntensityInsanity:

And all the video tapes of Bin Laden are a myth too?

there is a huge difference between Bin Laden and a huge terrorist organization spanning the globe. 911 was done by Atta and his friends, they all died in the process, there was no mastermind.... Bin Laden might have given them some money, but that's abut it...

Next thing you gona tell me that bin laden is coordinating every EID in Iraq or Afgan - right ??

That's BS...  those are all just regular people who hate US for killing their family members or friends...  There is no global terrorist organization and never were....  there are bunch of diff fractions, groups and individuals, sometimes they cooperate, most of the time they fight among them selfs as well. 

Prior to invasion of Iraq, there were no terrorists there as acknowledged  by CIA them selfs, they all came after to fight US.... In Afgan - taliban, created by US is controlling most of the country and has nothing to do with al-Qaeda....

Stop believing in easy Hollywood type stories.... 

I didn't mention Al-Qaeda, as I never understood its definition comfortably enough to use the term.  Even with KGBman's explanation of who wants to hurt the US and why, my original point stands.

I am not entirely opposed to notion that the term was "force-fed" by US politicians to the media, where it became a cliche for "anyone conspiring against US interests".  Notice, that every time the word is used in the media to describe actual individuals, actions, words, etc, "Al-Qaeda" is always followed by pretty random names of actual factions, many of which, as KGBman states, are at war with each other EVEN in the face of perceived US aggression in the same region.

ok so it's not al-qaeda but 20 other terrorist groups, what's the difference?  Doesn't change much.  I understand that alquada is sort of an 'equate' for a number of other terrorist networks but the point is, they exist, regardless of what names they use.

And the thing is, while your theory that Bin Laden is no longer an active figure behind terrorism, and that alquada doesn't exist MAY be correct, we are not certain.  You're not certain, and no one can be.  There's probably a middle ground somewhere but KGB, you always look for a conspiracy.  Sometimes they exist, sometimes not....