Gas Bandit's Political Thread V: The Vampire Likes Bats
- Thread starter GasBandit
- Start date
So... a minimum wage scheme that doesn't use the words "minimum wage?"
It wouldn't help families directly. The minimum wage is about $1,300/mo for many states and the maximum gross income for food stamps for many states is right around $1,300 for a single individual.
However, the food stamps benefit goes up as they add dependents. But even so, the money wouldn't be going to the family that needs it, it would be going to the government and all its inefficiency would reduce the actual benefit to the affected families significantly.
I suppose if they can't get their minimum wage law one way they'll get it another.
Speaking of which, Seattle successfully passed a "Head Tax" - any company making more than $20 million gross per year is taxed at about $275/employee ($0.14 per hour an employee works) in order to raise $50 million a year to fight homelessness. Amazon has been very vocal in their unhappiness - with 40,000 workers in Seattle and in the middle of building another office they are subject to about $11 million per year in taxes - just to that city. Boeing, Microsoft, and others haven't commented, but with Seattle's recent $15/hour minimum wage hike, the 80% above national average cost of living, and now this onerous tax on corporations (in a city with $4 billion dollars of city revenue) , I will not be surprised if they start to falter. It will take awhile, but when a worker cost $275/year more in one city than another, over a decade or two you'll find big corporations, if they don't leave altogether, will grow only in other locations. Once those plans start to move and reach fruition, they won't be stopped or reversed except over many years. Few new companies expecting or desiring to grow into a $20million/year company will set foot inside seattle.
Corporate jobs will leave and unskilled workers will flock because they'll either get $15/hour jobs (where they still can't afford rent or cars) or excellent homeless options. The city will "solve" these problems by increasing taxes.
It's a very short sighted money grab that will work initially, increasing city revenue by over 10% in one fell swoop, but damaging their prospects in the long run.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/seattle-head-tax-passes_us_5afa53d5e4b0200bcab82fea
Of course, Seattle already spends $200million/year on homeless programs, so this is a 25% increase in funding. Also note that this isn't the only head tax in the nation, and Seattle did have one from 2006-2009 but got rid of it for economic development reasons after the 2007 recession. Chicago also had one and got rid of it.
It wouldn't help families directly. The minimum wage is about $1,300/mo for many states and the maximum gross income for food stamps for many states is right around $1,300 for a single individual.
However, the food stamps benefit goes up as they add dependents. But even so, the money wouldn't be going to the family that needs it, it would be going to the government and all its inefficiency would reduce the actual benefit to the affected families significantly.
I suppose if they can't get their minimum wage law one way they'll get it another.
Speaking of which, Seattle successfully passed a "Head Tax" - any company making more than $20 million gross per year is taxed at about $275/employee ($0.14 per hour an employee works) in order to raise $50 million a year to fight homelessness. Amazon has been very vocal in their unhappiness - with 40,000 workers in Seattle and in the middle of building another office they are subject to about $11 million per year in taxes - just to that city. Boeing, Microsoft, and others haven't commented, but with Seattle's recent $15/hour minimum wage hike, the 80% above national average cost of living, and now this onerous tax on corporations (in a city with $4 billion dollars of city revenue) , I will not be surprised if they start to falter. It will take awhile, but when a worker cost $275/year more in one city than another, over a decade or two you'll find big corporations, if they don't leave altogether, will grow only in other locations. Once those plans start to move and reach fruition, they won't be stopped or reversed except over many years. Few new companies expecting or desiring to grow into a $20million/year company will set foot inside seattle.
Corporate jobs will leave and unskilled workers will flock because they'll either get $15/hour jobs (where they still can't afford rent or cars) or excellent homeless options. The city will "solve" these problems by increasing taxes.
It's a very short sighted money grab that will work initially, increasing city revenue by over 10% in one fell swoop, but damaging their prospects in the long run.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/seattle-head-tax-passes_us_5afa53d5e4b0200bcab82fea
Of course, Seattle already spends $200million/year on homeless programs, so this is a 25% increase in funding. Also note that this isn't the only head tax in the nation, and Seattle did have one from 2006-2009 but got rid of it for economic development reasons after the 2007 recession. Chicago also had one and got rid of it.
I prefer to think of it as an end to government subsidies for companies to get artificially low salaries for employees.
That describes pretty much all political policies in a nutshell, especially when it comes to government revenues.
This is your Republican party in 2018.
This is some Final Solution shit right there. Fuck this guy. Fuck the GOP. There's no other way to put it. If it means burning some bridges around here, all I can say is burn, baby, burn. How can you sleep at night knowing your guys are doing this?
This is some Final Solution shit right there. Fuck this guy. Fuck the GOP. There's no other way to put it. If it means burning some bridges around here, all I can say is burn, baby, burn. How can you sleep at night knowing your guys are doing this?
If believed uncritically, this is basically political suicide.
However...
Come on.Excerpts said:
Edit: TBH this dude is waaaaay too libertarian-smelling to become the main Republican candidate for anything past a school district. I mean, read his plan, or consider that he's in a same-sex marriage. He'll get creamed in the party primary. Maybe wait until he wins it before you condemn the entire GOP for having him in their ranks?
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figmentPez
Staff member
He's claiming his Facebook was hacked, and that he didn't say those things.
"I was hacked" is the new "I was only kidding."
In the Trump Era I don't believe that for a second.
That's @DarkAudit 's modus operandi. Turn it around on his preferred party, though, and he'll fight you tooth and nail to show how the party can't be blamed for one person's idiocy.
It's unfair to say that when it's some random legistlator running for office in Oklahoma. When it's the president that the entire party has mobilized around...
(Here's the part where you explain why Obama/Hillary are actually way worse than trump).
Are you just having a go at me, or have you literally not been paying attention? I'm pretty sure I mentioned renouncing any party affiliation. I *know* I mentioned writing in Ken Hechler for every spot on the ballot in the '14 midterms.That's @DarkAudit 's modus operandi. Turn it around on his preferred party, though, and he'll fight you tooth and nail to show how the party can't be blamed for one person's idiocy.
I know for pretty damn sure how I've raged at the WV Dem machine for decades of screwing the state over.
tl;dr:
Ok, then.
(edit: mobile emojis don't carry over to posts when using iPhone Safari. So it goes.)
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Senate votes 52-47 to overturn the repeal of net neutrality. Next it goes to the House.
I'm thrilled this is happening, but disappointed that there weren't more Republicans on the side of doing the right thing here.
I'm thrilled this is happening, but disappointed that there weren't more Republicans on the side of doing the right thing here.
They are voting for their own self-interest, rather than the interests of the people they purport to represent.
...which therefore means they should not be in the representative position they now hold, but whatever. Cushy retirement!
--Patrick
You know that scene from the DareDevil TV series where it's a flashback to when Kingpin was as a child, and how his Dad was running for a council seat to get bribes? Assume that's almost every elected politician and you won't be far off.
No.
I haven't seen any of the MCU:TV. At all. Well, nothing since and including the X-Men cartoon.
--Patrick
More fallout from Jade Helm.
https://www.texastribune.org/2018/0...ercise-texas-was-fueled-russians-former-cia-/
https://www.texastribune.org/2018/0...ercise-texas-was-fueled-russians-former-cia-/
“...with black lung! And hoosegows!”
SIDE NOTE: I wanted to read up a little more on Don’s background, so I popped open a window to search for “Don Blakenship,” but I missed the N and accidentally searched for “Don Blake ship” and OH GOD I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS (insert “striking his magic stick” and “Thor” puns here).
—Patrick
SIDE NOTE: I wanted to read up a little more on Don’s background, so I popped open a window to search for “Don Blakenship,” but I missed the N and accidentally searched for “Don Blake ship” and OH GOD I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS (insert “striking his magic stick” and “Thor” puns here).
—Patrick
Imagine how many people probably said the same of Trump.
. . . I know there were three of us in a certain poll here who said essentially that (to @DarkAudit's chagrin, to put it mildly). And it has been hilarious, in a black comedy sort of way; a comedy y'all should never have let happen.
Don't wish for a Blankenshit campaign, @Dave.
The primary was literally "I could shoot someone in Times Square" made real.
figmentPez
Staff member
From the article "However, Bryant [the county sheriff] said the breed of the dogs could not be determined and that they are not dachshunds. "
GasBandit
Staff member
Picture caption: "Pack of Dachshunds"
Video voice over: "mauled by a pack of Dachshunds"
article, waaaaay down below the fold, "These aren't actually dachshunds."
JOURNALISM
So they had normal Dachshund temperaments, and mixed enough to be able to do something with it...