So people want services but hate it when taxes go up?

[Deja Q]

As the cynical mindset says, "everybody wants everything for free".

Well, then why don't we have a participatory society where everybody who wants "in" works and in return gets a system that everybody shares into and gets to survive from?

(having turned on the TV to hear a report on the Minneapolis school system that's about to 'streamline' (close) a LOT of schools.)

[forgethell]

1. What would we call it;

________ism? Socialism, capitalism, mercantilism, and communism are already spoken for.

How would it work? How would score be kept? For each according to his abilities, etc. is communism. Wages and profits is capitalism.

What would happen to those that didn't want in? where do I sign up?

[Deja Q]

4. Those who don't want in would fend for themselves. But,

they'd have a choice.

You lose a job, and it's up for some big corporation to hire you. Good luck. And you may have enough letters after your name for two alphabets, but you might not still get a job with the current system.

I don't have all the answers, but the current system is wrong. Or maybe it was good once but it sure as hell HAS gone wrong at this point.

Where do you sign up? I'll answer that with another question: "Life is what we make of it. If we romanticize ideal life in our fantasy media, why don't we have the guts to make the same situation in reality?"

And the name of the system? Neo-Christianity. Such a society would incorporate people who ACT like Christ, rather than those who merely SAY they believe in Christ. Faith is doing the deed, not in speaking the word.

[forgethell]

11. The more I think about this

the more it seems like what we have now. Capitalism (big corporation to hire you). If you don't want in, you're on your own sounds a lot like private insurance. As long as it's voluntary, the people who need something will want in; the people who have something will want to stay out so they can keep it. Where am I misinterpreting this?

As for Neo-Christianity, well where does that leave the Jews, the Muslims, the atheists, the Buddhists, the pagans, etc. Some of them are so touchy that they wouldn't sign on to anything to do with any kind of Christianity. Plus, if it's religion based, what is the concept of the afterlife? Otherwise, what's the point of a religion?:)

[49jim]

2. Or the flip-side of that...

keep taxes the same....or give tax breaks to the rich....so there isn't any $ left for the states and localities........ain't we doin good!..(polititian speak.....and then reduce services!

[iamjoy]

3. You Got It

I've often wondered about the people who bitch about taxes but want schools, roads, etc.

In fact, for TV Nation, Michael Moore once did a great segment. He went to Cobb County, GA (this was when Gingrich was Speaker of the House) because supposedly they got more federal funds per capita than any other county in the U.S. (!) And Moore started talking to people, "you want government out of your life?" and they're all like "YEAH!" And he would say, "then do not use this federally funded library/get off this federally funded lake/do not drive on this federally funded highway." and he put up barricades!

[Deja Q]

5. Government is a focal point. And we are seeing how 'free markets' destroy

these systems, by ramping up profit generation and squeezing us dry, and blaming those who can't pay.

As the sticker says, "Corporate fathers blame welfare fathers".

[ClintonTyree]

6. I just returned from Florida today.......................

and you wouldn't BELIEVE the number of "less government, lower taxes, rugged individualists, make it on your own" REPUBLICANS sucking on the government tit down there. They're the first ones at the trough wanting their government assistence. Fricking hypocrites.
Don't try to ask them to PAY for this stuff though, that's BIG GOVERNMENT, TAX AND SPEND mentality! I laughed my ass off down there at these assholes.
On the way to the airport this morning I saw the typical redneck, conservative asshole in his pick-um-up truck with a bumper sticker that read, "Happiness is a Yankee Heading North". He doesn't know how true that is. I've never been so happy to be in good 'ol Librul New York in my life.

[iamjoy]

7. Oh I Know!!!

Don't know where you were in Florida, but it was amazing after the hurricanes all the Republican citizens (and DINOs) clamoring for government aid!

Personally, I think it's what the government should do! Help people left homeless by the storm, fight with the insurance companies so they don't screw us (they are trying to hit us with multiple hurricane deductibles from the multiple storms, even though they hadn't had time to complete the repairs from one before another did more damage! And these deductibles are 2 - 5% of the assessed home value)

Good grief, and the National Guard out there in 100 degree weather helping our cops direct traffic when the signals were out (or gone), handing out sand bags, water, tc. For crying out loud, people bitched they didn't do enough!

[Deja Q]

8. Yipes.

It's sad, the shape of our country today.

"If America is a free country, then why is everything for sale?" Another cute bumper sticker...

[Yupster]

9. It's because people are greedy -- all of them are

Even listen to people who want taxes to go up.

It's never their taxes they want to go up. It's always raise someone else's taxes. I want more, more, more but make someone else pay for it.

[brook]

10. Cynical hell...

it's realistic. I work with 'people'through a government program - they come in and pay 2.25 for a hot meal. A pretty decent hot meal. Then they bitch because they can't take another 1 or 2 home with them. What I thought was an ideal job four years ago has become a hate-love relationship. I love the ones who are really needy or disabled for their lack of the greed gene. Guess which ones are * supporters?