How to Profit From the Collapse

[Carolina Mud Dog]

Yeah, I suppose so. I was thinking the solution might be to go back to the gold standard. But the more I thought about it the more I realized no one could ever be stupid enough to want to do that.

If the international trading system required its accounts be settled with gold, the huge US trade deficit would have to pay for imported oil and chinese consumer goods with gold, not to mention interest on foreign held Treasury debt. That would lead to a massive contraction in the money supply, a deflationary spiral, unemployment, shortages of cash and would probably just end in conversion back to a fiat currency anyway just to relieve the social and political instability that would result.

Now what you really want is the purchasing power of money to be stable. Unfortunately, things like gold or silver can't be stable since their values fluctuate with changing supply and demand.

What we really need to end inflation is for everyone in the world to start using the same global currency.

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna30047877

 

[DrHenley]

But:


Wait a minute. So do the socialists tax the rich for control or is that just the lie they tell to get votes? Could it be the rich and socialists are one and the same? Do they tax themselves to control themselves?

The current tax code in the US is a social engineering tool.

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

You mean it's a tool for helping the rich avoid having to pay taxes.

 

[DrHenley]

You mean it's a tool for helping the rich avoid having to pay taxes.

No. Although the elites use it that way many times by getting carve outs. But that is a different matter entirely from what I was talking about.

 

[tmttactical]

When has the government (Republican, Democrat. Independent or socialist) ever agreed / voted for a flat tax rate. Everybody pays the same percentage. No carve out, no deduction. The tax code is a vote buying mechanism, pure and simple.

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

The tax code is a vote buying mechanism, pure and simple.

What else would you expect in a capitalist society?

Government should be run like a business.

An election is a politician market just like any other market. When I invest in a company I don't care about the workers, I just want the highest return on investment. When I invest my tax dollars, I don't care about taxpayers, I'm voting for whoever will maximize my profits.

Otherwise, a voter is nothing but an unpaid part-time government employee.

 

[Amish Heart]

If you are voting for whoever will maximize your profits, I'd rethink the commie thing. You'll have no profits.

 

[tmttactical]

Name one government / nation with a flat rate tax code. Rich or poor would pay the same percentage. No socialist, communist or capitalist nations have this type of tax rate. As I said, taxes and tax rates are for control of the population and to maintain the current governments power.

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

If you are voting for whoever will maximize your profits, I'd rethink the commie thing. You'll have no profits.

I'll take my profits in free healthcare, free education, and basic income. If the government was handing out free money to corporations and the CEO said to Uncle Sam, "We don't take no handouts around here" that CEO would lose his job quicker'n a wink and the company would go out of business to the other company that did take that money.

 

[Amish Heart]

Sounds like a good deal for you, Rhian. Let Daddy government take care of your needs because you are not capable of taking care of yourself. Be careful what you wish for.
As for me and mine, we'll take care of ourselves.

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

As for me and mine, we'll take care of ourselves.

I have no doubt you can take care of yourselves. That's OK. You just take that government money and you go and use it to do some good in this world. You give that money to someone you know who really needs it. We all know someone who can use a helping hand. You might even give it to your church. The church never passes on a chance to take a handout.

You just take ol' Uncle Sam's money and you go and do the Christian thing with it. That's what Jesus would do.

 

[Amish Heart]

Not sure what you're talking about. I don't take government money and never will.
If you're assuming that everyone in the US will take the handouts, you're mistaken. Total reliance on the government for all citizens only works if all the citizens go for it.
There are many of us Americans who would not do this, and do just fine by ourselves. So, let's say, half of us do not take govt money and take care of ourselves just fine...and the other half have to be totally taken care of (housing, food, medical, mental health care ha), where's the govt going to get all that money to take care of the helpless half? By taxing the self sufficient more? That would be a tipping point in this country. Self sufficient people are not going to be used as slaves. Dream on.

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

What about all them good folks up in Alaska who are taking free money?

I guess you think you're better than them.

 

[Carolina Mud Dog]

I'll take my profits in free healthcare, free education, and basic income. If the government was handing out free money to corporations and the CEO said to Uncle Sam, "We don't take no handouts around here" that CEO would lose his job quicker'n a wink and the company would go out of business to the other company that did take that money.

So more free social programs is the answer? That will drive the tax rate even higher because some one has to pay for it..Namely the tax payers. Though I see what you're saying...But every issue that comes down the pike cannot be solved by throwing money at it i.e. Biden Administration....

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

So more free social programs is the answer? That will drive the tax rate even higher because some one has to pay for it..Namely the tax payers.

That's how we roll.

The cost to taxpayers is an externality. It's an indirect cost to uninvolved third parties as an effect of other's activity.

Air pollution from motor vehicles is another example of an externality. The cost of air pollution to society isn't paid for by the makers or users of vehicles. Water pollution from factories is another example.

Capitalists externalize costs and internalize benefits. Socialists can play that game too.

 

[Amish Heart]

I don't think I'm better than Alaskans. What I do think is that every person has the freedom to choose how they're going to live. You as well. And if you want to live hand to mouth from the govt with your UBI and not take care of yourself, then go for it. Socialists/Commies want the govt to take over every aspect of living. To me, that is a disgusting way to live. Obviously not to you. Freedom means responsibility. I don't have a problem with being responsible for myself and my family.
So, the million dollar question here is....from the title of this thread, profitting from the collapse. So I'm going to assume you believe the economical collapse will happen. If that's what you believe, then do you believe that the govt will come to your rescue and every other person's rescue? You'll stand in the welfare line and be ok?

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

do you believe that the govt will come to your rescue and every other person's rescue? You'll stand in the welfare line and be ok?

The commies don't want the government to take over, they want to take over the government. Better yet, they want the people to take over their own government. That is taking responsibility. When you are the government, you run your own life.

Right now the government is run only to benefit a few rich people who exploit the rest of us. The commies want to take over and run the government to end the exploitation. When there's no more exploitation there will be no more need for the government.

The Capitalist economy is slowly collapsing already and is gradually being replaced by socialism bit by bit. So the current economic system is really a mixture of socialism and capitalism. But the socialism is only for the rich. You see this whenever the big banks get bailed out by the government because they are too big to fail.

The rich people running the government are like parasites. Some kinds of parasites kill the host they feed on but most parasites don't kill them because they want to live off them for as long as they can. It is not in their interest for the economy to collapse because if the host dies the parasites die too.

 

[DrHenley]

In which communist country were the people in charge?

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

In which communist country were the people in charge?

There's never been a communist country. No government has ever called itself communist. There have been governments calling themselves socialist but in reality these were state capitalist systems.

All I said was the communists want the people to be in charge. I didn't say they'd succeeded yet. They surely won't succeed if they don't try. But they will. They're already winning.

 

[DrHenley]

There's never been a communist country.

And why do you suppose that is?

 

[Amish Heart]

I've heard this argument before, from people believing in communism. Saying that it hasn't been done "right" yet. Believing in a communist utopian society.
You would benefit from reading Ayn Rand, Rhian, although I don't think you'd understand her writings.

 

[Amish Heart]

Oh, and China, Cuba, North Korea.....

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

And why do you suppose that is?

Communist society is the theoretical stage of development following socialism. Asking why there has never been a communist country is like asking a feudal serf in the year 1300 why there has never been a capitalist country.

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

You would benefit from reading Ayn Rand, Rhian, although I don't think you'd understand her writings.

Ayn Rand? Didn't she write a book called, "The Virtue of Selfishness"? I thought Ayn Rand believed rational self-interest is the guiding moral principle and that she rejected every kind of altruism.

That sounds perfectly compatible with socialism to me.

 

[Amish Heart]

Are you just not acknowledging China, Cuba, and North Korea, or are you thinking that they are not "doing communism" as you would do it? You keep saying communist countries do not exist.
Regarding Ayn Rand...didn't think you'd understand her writings. But I didn't expect you to.

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

What about China, Cuba, and North Korea? They don't work? They work pretty good for some people, less good for others. The same can be said for capitalist countries. Capitalism works pretty good for Jeff Bezos, not so much for the kid picking fruit in Central America.

 

[DrHenley]

And your solution?

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

I'm with Ayn Rand. Do what's in your own self interest and don't worry about anyone else. Apply that formula to the political market too. If you're a millionaire, vote for tax cuts. If you're broke, vote for who is more likely to help you out with free healthcare, education etc. No one has any altruistic moral obligation to save other taxpayers money.

That's not my solution, that's just what people will do anyway. No one needs me telling them to be more greedy. That'll take care of itself.

 

[Amish Heart]

You are the polar opposite from Ayn Rand's teachings, if you believe in socialism and communism. So, I doubt that you are "with" Ayn Rand.

 

[Rhian L'Arson]

You are the polar opposite from Ayn Rand's teachings, if you believe in socialism and communism. So, I doubt that you are "with" Ayn Rand.

Ayn Rand was in favor of capitalism. Socialism is just capitalism taken to its logical conclusion. Every wage worker under capitalism is an entrepreneur. They are in the labor business. The product they produce and sell is their labor and they're in competition with other workers.

Politics is just business. Anyone in business needs to maximize their profits. Voters vote for whoever will deliver the best return on investment.