FEMA rejects aid claims on homes battered by tornado

[slim 1,533]

Yes I remember you cribbed two lines from an extensive article and used it to suggest that America is totalitarian. It is not. As I said, you don't know what it means. It goes far beyond taxation.

You might want the us to be totalitarian because you have a penchant for exaggeration. But it simply is not. Regardless of your feelings about paying taxes.

Far beyond taxation?

Like what?

Regulations on the way you finance your home/auto/student loans? Regulations on what you can buy to put in your home and at which prices? Regulations on how much the gas you fill your tank up with costs? Regulations on how safe the car you drive must be? Regulations that dictate the working conditions of the company you work for? Regulations of how much you're required to pay out of your paycheck? Regulations on the price of the food you eat for lunch? Regulations on the content of what you watch on TV and how that signal is delivered to your home? Regulations on the mattress you sleep on at night?

From the time you wake up in the morning (alarm clock is subject to tariffs at import) turn on the light (only 13w in that newfangled lightbulb) and pee (only 1.6gpf, for the environment!) to the time you close your eyes at night (don't forget to brush your teeth with an imported toothbrush (more tariffs) and toothpaste that's been inspected and certified by the FDA) every single aspect of your life is touched by government regulations in one way or another.

But, most Americans are blissfully unaware because they're "free to choose."

You're both free to disagree and to be off the mark on the same subject.

Maybe what we need is for the 'people' to draft a clear constitution that delineates responsibilities for taxation. Your states rights argument won't get you far after most rational people see this for what it is: tax dodgers trying to concentrate themselves by smaller jurisdictions. We can do a 'thought experiment' if you wish, granting you the tax conditions that you want to see and matching it with real dollars, agree to minimal services provided even by local governments (since you are obstinate about having a Spartan society), to likely notice the abject failure many of those small jurisdictions would likely be imbued with after having extremist financiers doing things 'their way.'

You're absolutely right. The places that don't do well would fail and people would stop living there. They'd be forced to move on to a more productive place.

The current situation dictates we pay those places to continue spiraling down the crapper at an alarmingly faster and faster rate. I'm not an investment banker, but I'm pretty sure when something loses money you should invest your money elsewhere. We can't do that. We're forced to pay for a failing system and the worst part is we're forced to pay more and more and more every year.

[Zero Sum 305]

Why would they fail again?

HINT: It has to do with income.

Where would they go?

I could see a system that gets more expensive beyond income, but I think you're confusing sustainability with the design of how money is allocated to these systems you so profoundly dislike.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

So once again we're back to every government with laws being totalitarian. Still wrong.

[slim 1,533]

Why would they fail again?

HINT: It has to do with income.

Where would they go?

I could see a system that gets more expensive beyond income, but I think you're confusing sustainability with the design of how money is allocated to these systems you so profoundly dislike.

Money is allocated? As in, money by the government?

Take all that away. All of it.

Now, how does the money work? People have to actually produce something or do something to earn money and if they don't... well, they have to figure something out.

"But slim, that won't work in modern society?" Why not? People are pretty resourceful when they have to be. Look how good they are at exploiting all the government programs. I'm pretty sure they'll deal when the time comes.

So once again we're back to every government with laws being totalitarian. Still wrong.

That's where you are. If you'll notice, I've said "The United States." Once again, I don't compare our government to the rest of the world in terms of "how it's going" because I could care less how we compare. Simply put, we don't compare. We are the US of freakin A. Best country in the world.

Our government is messed up because our people are ignorant, lazy and apathetic. That'll change someday. Has to. We can't sustain at the rate we're going.

[Zero Sum 305]

Money is allocated? As in, money by the government?

Take all that away. All of it.

Now, how does the money work? People have to actually produce something or do something to earn money and if they don't... well, they have to figure something out.

"But slim, that won't work in modern society?" Why not? People are pretty resourceful when they have to be. Look how good they are at exploiting all the government programs. I'm pretty sure they'll deal when the time comes.

That's where you are. If you'll notice, I've said "The United States." Once again, I don't compare our government to the rest of the world in terms of "how it's going" because I could care less how we compare. Simply put, we don't compare. We are the US of freakin A. Best country in the world.

Our government is messed up because our people are ignorant, lazy and apathetic. That'll change someday. Has to. We can't sustain at the rate we're going.

Yes, slim. If you don't know that tax revenue is budgeted (allocated) to different aspects of government (aka, spending), then that would be something else you don't know very well.

I may have clarified the income as in government income to support government services (aka, those that comprise local/state taxes you are 'apparently'- however unlikely; OK with). But its a simple thought experiment. I am asking you to be concise and simple- as you like to describe things. Try.

We are the US of freakin A. Best country in the world.

Which would technically not jive well with a decentralized operations manual given the comparison of US vs everyone else. But paranoid isolationism is noted in many of those that support devolving from a United States of America to a Not so united States of America.

[Amby 490]

Wow. I hope all of your homes are destroyed in natural disasters and your insurance denies the claim. That will teach you.

Probably not

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Money is allocated? As in, money by the government?

Take all that away. All of it.

Now, how does the money work? People have to actually produce something or do something to earn money and if they don't... well, they have to figure something out.

"But slim, that won't work in modern society?" Why not? People are pretty resourceful when they have to be. Look how good they are at exploiting all the government programs. I'm pretty sure they'll deal when the time comes.

That's where you are. If you'll notice, I've said "The United States." Once again, I don't compare our government to the rest of the world in terms of "how it's going" because I could care less how we compare. Simply put, we don't compare. We are the US of freakin A. Best country in the world.

Our government is messed up because our people are ignorant, lazy and apathetic. That'll change someday. Has to. We can't sustain at the rate we're going.

I know what you said, but your definition of totalitarian implies that every country that has laws and regulations is a dictatorship.

[Zero Sum 305]

Wow. I hope all of your homes are destroyed in natural disasters and your insurance denies the claim. That will teach you.

Probably not

Meanie.

[slim 1,533]

Yes, slim. If you don't know that tax revenue is budgeted (allocated) to different aspects of government (aka, spending), then that would be something else you don't know very well.

I may have clarified the income as in government income to support government services (aka, those that comprise local/state taxes you are 'apparently'- however unlikely; OK with). But its a simple thought experiment. I am asking you to be concise and simple- as you like to describe things. Try.

Which would technically not jive well with a decentralized operations manual given the comparison of US vs everyone else. But paranoid isolationism is noted in many of those that support devolving from a United States of America to a Not so united States of America.

Concise and simple? Dissolve FEMA and it will save everyone come tax time. Dissolve several other branches of government and we'd largely be paying for ONLY state and local taxes.

Wow. I hope all of your homes are destroyed in natural disasters and your insurance denies the claim. That will teach you.

Probably not

All of my homes? How many do you think I have?

I know what you said, but your definition of totalitarian implies that every country that has laws and regulations is a dictatorship.

That's what your definition implies.

Mine was in relation to your posts about America's federal government NOT being totalitarian. When you look at the definition of totalitarian, you can clearly see that it is. America's government attempts to control every aspect of life where possible. That is totalitarian.

To say it's not is denying the definition means what it says. Wouldn't be the first time you've done that either!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Concise and simple? Dissolve FEMA and it will save everyone come tax time. Dissolve several other branches of government and we'd largely be paying for ONLY state and local taxes.

All of my homes? How many do you think I have?

That's what your definition implies.

Mine was in relation to your posts about America's federal government NOT being totalitarian. When you look at the definition of totalitarian, you can clearly see that it is. America's government attempts to control every aspect of life where possible. That is totalitarian.

To say it's not is denying the definition means what it says. Wouldn't be the first time you've done that either!

No Slim, no. No no no.

Once again, you took a two line statement from a lengthy article so that you could generalise. It's a stupid generalisation to make - the US is not totalitarian. Nor does having laws or regulation = totalitarianism.

Totalitarianism essentially refers to a government which has absolute, total control over every aspect of daily life usually backed up with the threat of violence and repression. Paying taxes to a national government is not totalitarian. If it were - every country that has a tax system would be totalitarian. It is not.