[talaniman]

that's the point Clete .In the days where horses were needed for transportation ,there was a need for blacksmiths . Now it is a specialty skill so workers who were black smiths moved on . You need a more recent example ? Draftsmen needed to learn cad and then computer skills . Life is not stagnant and if you are not always improving yourself you risk falling behind or out of the race .

You haven't answered the basic question what do you do with unneeded humans as we transition our economy? Obviously you cannot just discard them, ignore them, no matter how you denigrate them to facilitate such an attitude. Maybe a blacksmith can start loading wagons but in today's reality, people have to eat as they find ways to leverage there skills or non skills, or abilities and lets face it everyone will not, or cannot make such a change overnight, nor without assistance, some more than others.

How many blacksmith's do you know? Did they migrate to Amish country? You amaze me too, you cannot see what is happening, jobs exist because of population growth but that has to stop. When it does all the jobs will have been taken by machines and what will be left is a few button pushers on short time. We have developed a throwaway economy, cars are fashion objects, good for a few years before obsolescence takes over and they are replaced by something else. You have threeD printers so factories become obsolete, soon houses will be interchangeable so no need for new ones and then people will become obsolete, you already have half your population who have a questionable future

Very insightful. Capitalist see this too Clete, but as long as THEY make money who cares about the rest. The very notion of wealth and resource re-distribution sends shivers up their spine.

[jlisenbe]

You haven't answered the basic question what do you do with unneeded humans as we transition our economy? Obviously you cannot just discard them, ignore them, no matter how you denigrate them to facilitate such an attitude. Maybe a blacksmith can start loading wagons but in today's reality, people have to eat as they find ways to leverage there skills or non skills, or abilities and lets face it everyone will not, or cannot make such a change overnight, nor without assistance, some more than others.

It may be that government will have some role in the business of helping to educate people with job skills, and that can be a matter of legitimate discussion. But that should be a local decision, not a federal one. I always get nervous when I see someone talking about providing "assistance". The feds manage money terribly, and in fact have no money, being 21 tril in debt and still climbing. I can handle discussing many ideas so long as we first balance the federal budget.

The very notion of wealth and resource re-distribution sends shivers up their spine.

"Resource distribution", also known as theft. It is so funny how liberals try to justify the seizure of property and income from one American to give to another American, so long as it is someone else's property and income. When you decide to give 20% of your wealth and income to the poor, then you can start talking about taking someone else's. But even then, let's call it what it is: theft. Government sponsored, government enforced theft. The very idea of it should turn the stomach of every freedom loving American.

[tomder55]

You haven't answered the basic question what do you do with unneeded humans as we transition our economy? Obviously you cannot just discard them, ignore them, no matter how you denigrate them to facilitate such an attitude. Maybe a blacksmith can start loading wagons but in today's reality, people have to eat as they find ways to leverage there skills or non skills, or abilities and lets face it everyone will not, or cannot make such a change overnight, nor without assistance, some more than others.

The ones that have foresight see the writing on the wall and do what's necessary to transition when the time comes . It doesn't take much training to turn a trolley driver into a bus driver or a draftsman into someone who can do the same job on a computer . So most of it is individual initiative the way I see it . I guess the rest become Democrat constituents .

[tomder55]

jobs exist because of population growth but that has to stop.

not true ,jobs exist because of the demand for goods and services . Population stagnation ? I have no issues with legal immigration . Markets stagnant because of the foolish

Paul R. Ehrlich like policies . I can't believe you buy into that hogwash . There is a need to provide goods and services to expanding markets in other countries . The company I work for imports goods from around the world and sells product to the global market . Our workforce is from more than a dozen different nations. I cant believe someone with your training thinks the economic pie is set . The truth and you know it is that the global market place is expanding rapidly and the demand for goods and services has never been higher . Why the pessimism ? There has never been a better time to be alive than today.

[talaniman]

It may be that government will have some role in the business of helping to educate people with job skills, and that can be a matter of legitimate discussion. But that should be a local decision, not a federal one. I always get nervous when I see someone talking about providing "assistance". The feds manage money terribly, and in fact have no money, being 21 tril in debt and still climbing. I can handle discussing many ideas so long as we first balance the federal budget.

There is no maybe to it as its imperative for OUR government to play a role in helping folks participate in the collective effort of forming a more perfect union. I agree with as it is it's not perfect now, and plenty of room for improvement, and that is quite a challenge admittedly.

"Resource distribution", also known as theft. It is so funny how liberals try to justify the seizure of property and income from one American to give to another American, so long as it is someone else's property and income. When you decide to give 20% of your wealth and income to the poor, then you can start talking about taking someone else's. But even then, let's call it what it is: theft. Government sponsored, government enforced theft. The very idea of it should turn the stomach of every freedom loving American.

The Dufus and his ilk are stealing YOUR wealth and income right under your nose but of course conservatives think it's raining instead of getting peed on by YOUR lying cheating Dufus and his greedy rich sycophants. That turns my stomach, just as when the Tea Party formed to get government out of their lives but keep them SSI checks coming.

[jlisenbe]

The Dufus and his ilk are stealing YOUR wealth and income right under your nose

How are they doing that, other than by engaging in deficit spending in the same way Mr. Obama did.

[talaniman]

After the Trump tax cuts he wants to cut them yet again

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.7104a10859ac

[jlisenbe]

After the Trump tax cuts he wants to cut them yet again

Wow. Tax cuts are stealing. That's so funny I can hardly handle it. Already, the top 1% of wage earners pay about a third of income taxes. The top 10% pay about 2/3.

You'll have to come up with something a lot better than that. To say that letting someone keep more of their money amounts to stealing is just crazy.

What a strange philosophy you have. If someone gets to keep their money, it's stealing, but if the feds force that person to give part of their income to another American, it's charity.

[jlisenbe]

There are, as best as I can figure it, four approaches to charity. When we see a needy person, we can:

1. Ignore them. "Not my problem." I don't think anyone in this discussion falls in that category.
2. We can want to help them, but realize that they don't want our help. I see that frequently. It's unfortunate, but it's reality.
3. We can want to help them, and determine to use our own resources and time to do so. That's what the Good Samaritan did. It's loving your neighbor. We might even enlist the help of others. That can be even better.
4. We can want to help them, and realize they have a problem that an average person can solve (which is most people), but then determine to force others to do so, and in doing so we actually believe we are good people.
5. We can want to help them, realize that they have a problem that the average person cannot help with (e.g. serious mental illness), and attempt to enlist the help of the government (hopefully state or local).

Everyone needs to decide in which category they fall.

[talaniman]

Number 5 is the way its set up. You go to your local office (Either the city or county) when you have an issue. They are supported by the state and the state is supported by the federal government. States make their own rules under federal guidelines.

[jlisenbe]

Number 5 is the way its set up. You go to your local office (Either the city or county) when you have an issue. They are supported by the state and the state is supported by the federal government. States make their own rules under federal guidelines.

People with all sorts of common problems get federal aid. A woman can have several children out of wedlock, secure in the knowledge that each additional child brings in a bigger check. What you are saying is simply not true. You need to read #5 more carefully.

[jlisenbe]

Now here is charity.

https://www.facebook.com/CBSEveningN...57294073/?t=46

[Wondergirl]

People with all sorts of common problems get federal aid.

Our tax dollars at work....

[tomder55]

Wow. Tax cuts are stealing.

yup they take money you earn and then once a year ,if you have given them more than they think you should ,they cut a check to you and you should be thankful the government gave you money .

The role of the government and it's power to tax and spend has always been contentious in this country going back to Hamilton arguing in the Federalist Papers for a broad interpretation of the government powers ,and Madison arguing for a narrow interpretation of the General Welfare Clause in Art 1 Sec 8 clause 1 .

[talaniman]

People with all sorts of common problems get federal aid. A woman can have several children out of wedlock, secure in the knowledge that each additional child brings in a bigger check. What you are saying is simply not true. You need to read #5 more carefully.

I have known woman who game the system, there is never a shortage of people who do it seems. I'm not for those people that do, and have been pretty careful to say so. The vast majority I have run across are just good people in need rather than gamers though. It's not as easy as you think for a woman to get benefits with those 6 kids as you think. Nor as prevalent.

You can look into the process and procedures in your own jurisdiction if you like. In the ones I have worked in there are terms and conditions to be met, as well as penalties for noncompliance. There are a growing number of families and MEN applying for assistance also that most people may not be aware of and also ex felons and people on probation trying to stay out of jail which is not easy at all.

There are many who have made mistakes and not just have kids while not being married. I fully share your ideas about the gamers though, and that does have consequences.

[paraclete]

You sound like you approve of the system

[talaniman]

It could be more effective and efficient. The idea of starving people is not an appealing option. Just the opportunities it provides for educational and vocatioonal training makes it worthwhile.

[paraclete]

You do know what those founders who Tom has faith in did about starving people, they provided them with guns to hunt their food or slavery to earn it, you on the other hand want to pay them to sit on their backside

[talaniman]

I suppose we could give them a gun, slavery has been abolished though we do have a form of economic slaves. Strange though that the majority no longer need welfare after they get their act together. Average time is two years. Longer for the working poor, the aged, and low wage families though. Once they started the southern strategy though to get elected the whole story got blown way out of proportion. You would be surprised the successful people who were on public assistance before they turned their lives around.

But why argue with those that don't care about the facts when their misperceptions reinforce their own beliefs, and false narrative.

[paraclete]

Oh I don't know, I argue with you with similar result. You converted slavery into a minimum wage utopia and there we have a strange statistic, half the population are below the poverty line, whatever that is, and you speak elegantly of

"the working poor, the aged, and low wage families" as though they have the ability to lift themselves from poverty merely because of residency.

Tal, you live in the same dillusion as those you oppose