Russians

[67Monaco]

Than some states...... MAYBE... As a country, I don't buy that. Rampant government corruption and widespread near anarchy do not add up to freedom. Our country has corruption and incompetence up to the highest levels, but not as bad as other places, I think. We have our problems, but I would choose this place over and above just about anywhere else.

Well i guess i see things a bit differently. Our similarities to communist states and the things they required of their citizens bothers me. Let's see, TSA and the whole having to flash papers to travel any more, body scanners (you know in other countries you don't even have to take off your shoes...), no knock raids, stop and frisk, government recording your voice and electronic communications, killing American citizens without trial. I can go on and on..

Yeah we're free alright, free to pay ever higher taxes to support those who won't support themselves.

 

[thrashingcows]

A couple more great quotes for you to ponder....

“Thus did a handful of rapacious citizens come to control all that was worth controlling in America. Thus was the savage and stupid and entirely inappropriate and unnecessary and humorless American class system created. Honest, industrious, peaceful citizens were classed as bloodsuckers, if they asked to be paid a living wage. And they saw that praise was reserved henceforth for those who devised means of getting paid enormously for committing crimes against which no laws had been passed. Thus the American dream turned belly up, turned green, bobbed to the scummy surface of cupidity unlimited, filled with gas, went bang in the noonday sun.”

“What happens to people living in a society where everyone in power is lying, stealing, cheating and killing, and in our hearts we all know this, but the consequences of facing all these lies are so monstrous, we keep on hoping that maybe the corporate government administration and media are on the level with us this time.
Americans remind me of survivors of domestic abuse.
This is always the hope that this is the very, very, very last time one's ribs get re-broken again. ”

 

[Fratzog]

A couple more great quotes for you to ponder....

I don't know why it is that I always miss and come to these great threads so late. You have precisely identified the problem in the world with those 2 quotes. Putin and Obama are 2 sides of the same coin in that both leaders come out of different systems but have in common the fact that they each represent facades or better yet puppets of those who are actually pulling the strings in the background. Their respective leadership characteristics are essentially irrelevant since their function is to simply keep borrowing on behalf of their governments and keep their respective citizens paying taxes. This article provides some insight on how the system works.


http://www.rollingstone.com/politic...ed-the-biggest-financial-scandal-yet-20130425

 

[patrick66]

Keep in mind also, that Russia has a FLAT TAX on income of 11%. Ours is "progressive" from roughly 15% to a current high of 46%. In 1962, our highest tax bracket was a whopping 93%!!! Our corporate tax rate is the highest of all industrialized nations, at 35%. Canada is around 15%...wonder why US corporations move their headquarters overseas, THIS is why!

Sad to say that in these days of China, Russia, and other Communist nations becoming more capitalist in their ways (private property, freedom of travel, and PROFIT!), ours is far more regressive (police raids, "show me your papers" TSA goons, and the all-intrusive Feds in everyone's business 24/7).

 

[67Monaco]

Keep in mind also, that Russia has a FLAT TAX on income of 11%. Ours is "progressive" from roughly 15% to a current high of 46%. In 1962, our highest tax bracket was a whopping 93%!!! Our corporate tax rate is the highest of all industrialized nations, at 35%. Canada is around 15%...wonder why US corporations move their headquarters overseas, THIS is why!

Sad to say that in these days of China, Russia, and other Communist nations becoming more capitalist in their ways (private property, freedom of travel, and PROFIT!), ours is far more regressive (police raids, "show me your papers" TSA goons, and the all-intrusive Feds in everyone's business 24/7).

Aye, on the current economic freedom scale we have fallen to a miserable 12th over all.

 

[Fratzog]

I think the Russians can certainly hold their own when it comes to restricting personal freedoms and don't play 2nd fiddle to any western countries in that regard. Russia is borrowing and spending like crazy in particular the military.

http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/russias-military-back-9181

We are doing the same but perhaps in other areas like social programs. Bottom line interest payments go to the same place. Both systems represent big government with no accountability to their citizens.

 

[commando1]

And in other news today, NORAD intercepted several Russian aircraft approaching Canadian and U.S. airspace yesterday.


Ashley? How's the weather looking today?

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[Fratzog]

The Russians are as nasty as ever and are being run by an x-KGB officer. Who said we won the Cold War?

 

[patrick66]

The Cold War has never ended. The Russians and the Chinese are by no means our "friends".

Did you know that China holds well over 70% of the Fannie/Freddie mortgage guarantees?

 

[67Monaco]

The Cold War has never ended. The Russians and the Chinese are by no means our "friends".

Did you know that China holds well over 70% of the Fannie/Freddie mortgage guarantees?

Golden rule... He who has the gold, makes the rules....

 

[thrashingcows]

The Cold War has never ended. The Russians and the Chinese are by no means our "friends".

Did you know that China holds well over 70% of the Fannie/Freddie mortgage guarantees?

The largest foreign holder of U.S. debt is China, which owns more about $1.2 trillion in bills, notes and bonds, according to the Treasury. ;)

What would happen if they came asking for their money...????

 

[Fratzog]

The Cold War has never ended. The Russians and the Chinese are by no means our "friends".

Did you know that China holds well over 70% of the Fannie/Freddie mortgage guarantees?

I knew they had a huge stake back in 08 but haven't been following it recently.

 

[commando1]

Bank notes and hogs.
The Chinese just bought the the U.S.'s largest pork producer..
No jokes about Pork Fried Rice, please...

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[70NPORT]

The largest foreign holder of U.S. debt is China, which owns more about $1.2 trillion in bills, notes and bonds, according to the Treasury. ;)

What would happen if they came asking for their money...????

That's a scary thought for sure, but I don't think it will happen anytime soon. That would upset all sorts of geopolitical relationships across the globe....like dropping a stone in a pond. Watch the ripples. At least we can hope they are not that brash.

 

[67Monaco]

 

[70NPORT]

yea....sad, very sad.

 

[polara66hardtop]

If China came asking for a repayment, it would be like me asking my sister for the $700.00 dollars she has owed me since 2003. "I would rather owe it to you then beat you out of it"! HA HA The Chinese are a bunch of losers! In 1933 Hitler's Germany owed us a huge debt. they walked too. So walk I say! They have to sell, we have to buy, maybe.

 

[70NPORT]

Communism doesn't work and yet they still plod on.China, Cuba, N. Korea.....if only they were in one spot.

 

[67Monaco]

They have to sell, we have to buy, maybe.

We have no choice but to buy, we don't make anything anymore. We've taxed manufacturing to death in this country, literally.

 

[commando1]

But not the people, eh??

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