r_u_scared?

[Bull of the Woods]

Are you under the impression that I am asking individual citizens to send foreign Aid? I was talking about the government. Individuals can voluntarily give to missions and relief organizations. But I thought we were discussing US government foreign aid.

 

[Corn Pop]

We are discussing government foreign aid but when does aid in acturally go to the people who need it?. Im all for giving if I knew it went to the right people for the right resons.

 

[Michael74]

Multi-billions (around 80 billion) have gone to Pakistan from the US government over the last 70 years, and they have been used to (1) enrich the corrupt politicians, generals, gangsters and bureaucrats (2) support the jihadists, (3) support animosity against India and (4) garner hatred for America. And yet the spigot has not been shut off.

They are attempting to influence Pakistani behavior by giving resources to the powerful in Pakistan (military aid), that's why it went to the powerful instead of the poor. Give them money if they behave, and take it away if they don't. This is a centuries long tradition among many nations of the world. It doesn't always work out though. The US gave resources to Japan in the 1930s in an attempt to moderate their behavior. Japan used the resources to build war machines to attack the US with. The USSR similarly gave resources to Germany, such as oil, in an attempt to moderate their behavior toward them. Germany used the oil to power the tanks and planes that attacked the USSR.

The US gave military aid to Pakistan. Pakistan invented the Taliban to control Afghanistan, as well as covertly attack India. The Taliban then allied with Osama, who attacked the US. The US also gave aid directly to Osama during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Sometimes military foreign aid to the powerful moderates their behavior, and sometimes the aid is used to attack the aid giver. Military aid a very uncertain way to try and moderate the behavior of aggressors. Military aid doesn't go directly to the poor, because they have no use for tanks and fighter jets.

One of the few types of aid that actually goes to foreign poor is an byproduct of favors done for farm lobbyists. During the Great Depression, the US bought food from farmers and stored it to keep them in business. Then there was so much food in storage that they didn't have room for any more. This was partially solved by packaging up food, and shipping it off to foreign nations as aid.

 

[Michael74]

Are you under the impression that I am asking individual citizens to send foreign Aid? I was talking about the government.

Governments obtain the resources to give foreign aid from individual citizens. My point was that the US rich have recently rebelled at giving resources (tax trim for the rich), and the US poor don't have very many resources. This limits what can be done. Unless you can talk the rich 5% into paying additional taxes.

 

[Corn Pop]

The world has issues.

 

[Bull of the Woods]

Governments obtain the resources to give foreign aid from individual citizens. My point was that the US rich have recently rebelled at giving resources (tax trim for the rich), and the US poor don't have very many resources. This limits what can be done. Unless you can talk the rich 5% into paying additional taxes.

Well, that's largely a Republican Party thing. Trump was very proud to cut multi millionaires a break and his followers, as in much, bought it.

 

[Nathan12]

Governments obtain the resources to give foreign aid from individual citizens.

Since the US national debt is more than 21 trillion dollars, and the federal tax revenue was only about 3.3 trillion in 2018, the US government simply prints money regardless of how much tax revenue comes in. (And the Federal Reserve is not what most people think, but that's another story).

So what if a few million illegal *migrant invaders* also become a burden to the national debt? Who cares? The Democrats will garner those illegal votes (which they actively encourage) and thus destroy America.

 

[Michael74]

...simply prints money...

Currency debasement (inflation) should be abolished. An honest dollar is the way to go. A loaf of bread should cost the same in 100 years as it does today.

Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 20:10 KJV

 

[Nathan12]

Currency debasement (inflation) should be abolished. An honest dollar is the way to go. A loaf of bread should cost the same in 100 years as it does today.

Absolutely. Abolishing the Gold Standard was another step towards the destruction of the West and all economies. But it is too late to reverse that destructive decision made by some *useful idiots*.

 

[Corn Pop]

Oil is the most crooked. Near everyday petrol changes prices. At least a loaf of bread doesn't change price everyday. It's also must be coincidence just before public holidays prices seem to go up. It's not like many people go away and need to fill the tank or anything.

 

[Michael74]

In January 1913 bread cost 5.6 cents per pound. In January 2013 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics bread costs $1.422 per pound. It should still be 5.6 cents per pound, on average. Measures are supposed to stay the same.

Its just not right for someone to save money in their IRA when they are young, and when they get ready to spend it some banker puts his thumb on the scale and says now his IRA will only buy half as much as it did when he was young.

 

[Bull of the Woods]

I look at things like that as how much time would a person earning an average wage have to work to purchase the item. It's probably the same today as it was in 1913 to buy a loaf of bread.

 

[Corn Pop]

In January 1913 bread cost 5.6 cents per pound. In January 2013 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics bread costs $1.422 per pound. It should still be 5.6 cents per pound, on average. Measures are supposed to stay the same.

Its just not right for someone to save money in their IRA when they are young, and when they get ready to spend it some banker puts his thumb on the scale and says now his IRA will only buy half as much as it did when he was young.

Compulsary superannuation , by the time im 65 and the government allows me to access my own money, I might be able to buy a loaf of bread with it, right now I could probably buy a new car or deposit a house.

Taking peoples retirement funds is not cool.

 

[Michael74]

Taking peoples retirement funds is not cool.

Inflation is bankers oppressing their elders.

A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight. Proverbs 11:1 NASB

Bankers are using dishonest money to oppress those who cannot defend themselves. Elders are too old to replace what bankers are taking from them.

 

[Christ_empowered]

from what little i know about this, the post ww-II years were great for a lot of people in terms of wages...

then in the 70s, things started changing, wages fell flat, some segments of society began, even then, to see a real reduction in buying power...

that has only gotten worse, over time. worker productivity apparently is way above and beyond any gains in wages, for -most- people. and...

its worth noting that the post-WWII prosperity enjoyed by so many was propped up by Keynesian economic programs that are now regarded as "radical" and indicative of "socialism."

not that it was perfect. something like 60% of America met the criteria for middle class of some sort for a while, but...

those were mostly -white- Americans. I read somewhere...every decade since the 70s, the middle class was smaller, in terms of % of the population, by the end of the decade compared to where it was at the beginning. so, the ill effects of first deregulation, and now crony capitalism, have been building for a while. of course...

but what to do, now? the 'good jobs' in manufacturing are largely gone, for good. a 4 year degree is no longer a golden ticket to middle class respectability. what remains of the middle-middle class is holding on for dear life...debt, housing costs, cost of living, health care....

the now quite powerful upper middle class functions as a sort of 'taste maker' class, even though they cannot afford the same luxuries as the rich...

or the super-rich, of course. inequality is apparently a big issue, internationally. it seems this is just the latest phase in capitalism (not saying that to sound like a commie, btw...I think capitalism beats anything else that's been tried...). OxFam has a pamphlet I've been meaning to find....Can Europe afford its Billionaires? or something like that. That's an interesting take on it....viewing resources as finite, so if someone has billions, some will starve.

 

[Michael74]

then in the 70s, things started changing, wages fell flat, some segments of society began, even then, to see a real reduction in buying power...

Exactly. The gold window was closed in 1971. Joe average started moving backward, and banker oppression of their elders kicked into super gear.

 

[Christ_empowered]

oh. wow. makes sense, now. thanks.

 

[Corn Pop]

How did we go from Immigration to bankers.

 

[Corn Pop]

Are some countries or people more scrutinised than everyone else, or, each individual is scrutinised the exact same as everyone else and are denied visas for whatever reason immigration decides.

If a high percentage are denied from some countries, like Iraq, there would be a reason for each individual. And as it says 34% from Iraq could enter, obviously immigration had no reason to cancel a visa with those people. Come on in, welcome, have a good time ,enjoy your holiday.

Unwelcome visitors: Tourists from these countries find it tough to get a NZ visa

About 66 per cent from Iraq declined compared with only 5 per cent from China.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Corn Pop]

What's the biggest wall in the world?