Corona Virus 2019-nCoV

Agreed, but again, that's different. "Hardworking" does not equal "charitable."

Uh - OK. But these are not people I've heard about through the media. These are people I've worked with and gotten to know - so I know it's not just "media bias" or "they are using them as examples, so that's why you know of them."

So the only passive income is income from bank savings accounts? OK. An odd definition but OK.

That definition disagrees with yours.

Dude, EVERYONE wants lower taxes on their income. EVERYONE. Waitresses want tips to be untaxed. Assembly line workers want low income to be untaxed. Middle managers want $100K salaries to be untaxed. And it's all quid pro quo - lower my taxes and I'll vote for you!

Yes, I remember them, and they are pretty bad. However, avoid such bailouts and the economy flounders for a lot longer - and more people suffer. A lose-lose scenario.

 

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IMO, that is a a complete misconception of the reality. The very rich can afford to lose enormous sums of money, whereas a family making 50,000 a year has an average of 2 months worth of savings before they have to default.
The very rich see themselves as a privileged class who don't need to assume any losses on their investment risks. They never lose either way.

https://www.thebalance.com/who-owns-the-u-s-national-debt-3306124

Now I ask, "who carries the economy"?

p.s. there are 8 individuals (6 Americans) who own as much wealth as 50% of the rest of the world.

 

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Right, when someone does. But you were stating that there is more "equality of opportunity" in the U.S., and that is demonstrably false--again:

(Bolding mine.)

Except that's not the subject I was addressing--as evidenced by the portions of your posts that I quoted--I was speaking specifically to "equality of opportunity.

With the other post (# 913) I was addressing the matter of "cost of living." It's hardly ever all that straightforward--the site you linked to was mostly addressing cost of consumer goods and services, which is only one aspect of the cost of living.

And how am I "trashing anything and everything about the U.S.?" I'm mostly addressing things that I see as hugely problematic in the U.S., namely health care and education and opportunity. (In this thread, at least.)

As far as the topic of this thread goes... In all honesty, this COVID-19 thing isn't affecting me personally in the least. I'm not doing anything differently, and I don't--and won't likely, in the future--really need to, as these days I live out in the middle of nowhere.

But when tens, or possibly hundreds, of thousands are going to die, along with all the domestic violence, suicides, unemployment... it goes on. When all of that is almost entirely the result of a single "person's" idiocy, incompetence, and vindictiveness, how could I not be angry?

 

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Who are you talking about?
Rank NameNet WorthOrigin of Wealth
1Walton family$130 billionWal-Mart
2Koch family$82 billiondiversified
3Mars family$78 billioncandy
4Cargill-MacMillan family$49 billionCargill Inc.
5Cox family$41 billionmedia
6S.C. Johnson family$30 billioncleaning products
7Pritzker family$29 billionhotels, investments
8(Edward)
Johnson family$28.5 billionmoney management
9Hearst family$28 billionHearst Corp.
10Duncan family$21.5 billionpipelines
11Newhouse family$18.5 billionmagazines, cable TV
12Lauder family$17.9 billionEstee Lauder
13Dorrance family$17.1 billionCampbell Soup Co.
14Ziff family$14.4 billionpublishing
15Du Pont family$14.3 billionDuPont (chemicals)
16Hunt family$13.7 billionoil
16Goldman family$13.7 billionreal estate
18Busch family$13.4 billionAnheuser-Busch
19Sackler family$13 billionpain medicines
20Brown family$12.3 billionliquor
21Marshall family$12 billiondiversified
22Mellon family$11.5 billionbanking
23Butt family$11 billionsupermarkets
23Rockefeller family$11 billionoil
25Gallo family$10.7 billionwine, liquor

$722 billion The combined net worth of all 25 families on the list.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/070116/top-25-richest-american-families.asp

If you want to see which country's GDP is about 722 billions dollars or less, check this out and take a few moments to reflect .
https://tradingeconomics.com/country-list/gdp

 

Of course we do. But why is only passive income taxed at a lower rate and who owns the most capital with passive incomes? Oh, and own the most powerful lobbyists/advocates?

When you actually start looking, it is the very wealthy who have the greatest income and relatively pay the least taxes.

Don't get me wrong, I am not anti Capitalism, I am anti unrestricted Capitalism.
It inevitably leads to a completely unbalanced economy and eventual collapse of the entire system.

 

And the town two hours drive to the West has two cases.
Not that the virus is under discussion it seems.
Alex

 

Sorry, I believe this started with a question about "Medicare for All", which is topical.
Thanks for reigning me in....

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Boris Johnson has gone into intensive care.
Alex

 

Yes, this unseen enemy has no prejudice and attacks everyone equally. The macabre irony is that a virus isn't even classified as a living organism and needs a host in order to even exist.

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Illustration of a SARS-CoV-2 virion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduction_to_viruses

 

Well there is no question as to what is the right thing.
All citizens should have Medicare and "free" education. Citizens should be treated as assets educated and healthy...pretty simple really.
To say it's unaffordable in the least is pure rubbish.
Alex

 

It will be interesting how things go over Easter in the USA.

The fact Trump has passed the decision re social distancing to governors says something about the political weight of the crazy.

If as it seems what will happen churches go for business as usual ( Xmas and Easter as we would say in sales are the record months) over Easter things can only get worse.

Is it about praying together or about sales figures?

Scarey stuff to have so many ignorant people in effect risking the future of the entire world..it is said when the US sneezes the world catches a cold...Wall Street crashes other markets follow.

Who said religion is harmless?

Alex

 

The predictions coming out of Washington (State) about Washington State are looking much better. The UW model had projected 1,400 deaths from Covid-19 and it was just revised today to project 632 deaths with the peak coming today and declining into May.

I haven't heard the latest from NY but hopefully that is improving as well.

 

So finally the prayers are working.

Mixed messages here but it seems things are improving in Australia.

Our Queen spoke and rallied the Empire, topping what! Good show.

I don't know that we would tolerate any church gathering to spite rational thinking.

Alex

 

It's Washington State so it can't be prayer based.

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My Charango arrived in the mail today. I was worried that it might not be a good one since they are prone to having problems that I can't identify until it's actually in my hands. It's a good one and now the good covid-19 results. Coincidence? The key to containing this virus may be consumer purchases of Charangos.

 

Playing guaranteeing social distancing? Been watching Billy Strings and Tony Emanuel today...about as good as it gets.
My suburb ( 4000 pop) in the city has 8 cases of virus so I am so glad I left when I did.
Alex

 

Thank you. I was considering posting it there to begin with but I thought it might be of interest in context of viral cell division (mitosis).

 

Yes. It's only a fortnight since he held a conference call with his Brexitty friends in industry, to ask them to make ventilators, which he facetiously called "Project Last Gasp".

That's one joke he won't be making again.

I feel sorry for his pregnant girlfriend , though. She's got it too, of course, but not so badly.

 

What's interesting is how Trump treats his neighbors compared to his "buds". He's offering to send Johnson specialists from leading companies, but was going to withhold sending N95 masks to Canada.