No, tax dollars don't go anywhere except to the incinerator (actually edits in digital ledgers). The Govt. DOESN'T NEED tax dollars for spending purposes. (Taxes serve different purposes). The US Treasury (with the Fed) can print whatever money it needs (as proven by the bank bailouts and Covid spending, amongst others). Check out MMT (if you want to understand how it really works instead of the narratives that people have been fed).
I have listened to my husband, who is a statistician, but with a sound background in economics, and an economist friend explain to me how the Fed can simply print the money it needs, and it boggles my mind every time I listen to them. I can't be the only confused person.
But getting back to the greed motive. If the basic instinct is to survive, then competitiveness must be innate. Maybe what we compete on is relative to the society in which we live, or the social milieu in which we find ourselves. Greed, whether it be of money, land, power, etc. could be seen as an aid to survival. Ok, my brain is getting tired, but I must say, it's been a very interesting discussion.
Sure, greed like many other traits such as, hmmm, eating, is innate. And we all know what happens when you over eat. It's threatens your health, and as you continue getting fatter because of overeating, it eventually makes you feel asyou can't control your innate instinct to eat.
We all know we must be measured and disciplined in what we eat, how much, and time of day. And we see the pain, humiliation and often short lives of those who chronically over eat. Yet none of us are asking for govt intervention to create prime conditions for over eating.
Greed may have always been with us, but greed at this level is beyond toxic. It's murderous, genocidal. And it's harming the very systems that support life, the environment, the planet and the people.
If gov't will not intervene to stop greed, and they will not, some will take it into their hands to do the job that govt won't do.
RIP (but really, I hope you twist in hell for the evil you've done) Brian. I hope you'll have the company of your peers soon.
Yes, agree with you - all these human emotions/psychologies/behaviors are innate (greed, survival, competition, cooperation, altruism, caring, love, hate, anger, etc.). All are needed (in different ways and at different times) to aid in survival.
Think about this. Human evolution is slow. Greed didn't just suddenly evolve in humans when Capitalism came about. It has always existed (in some form/magnitude or another).
I think you are technically correct and missing the point. Infrastructure, Social Security, public education, healthcare, the minimum wage and more, are all marginalized and railed against because they “can’t be afforded.” War and its profiteers see collective needs as weakness and expendable luxuries.
>>"I think you are technically correct and missing the point."
Yes, you are right - and that is partly on purpose - I really want people to understand MMT - because with MMT, one can do ALL the things you mentioned above (Infrastructure, Social Security, public education, healthcare, the minimum wage and more) WITHOUT, repeat WITHOUT taking anything away from some other area (i.e. with MMT, it is NOT a Zero-Sum game wherein someone needs to lose for someone else to win). With MMT, there is a possibility for EVERYONE to benefit, not just SOME people. (Ofcourse, this only applies to countries that have control over their sovereign currencies - and it only applies at the FEDERAL level, not the state or local levels).
No, tax dollars don't go anywhere except to the incinerator (actually edits in digital ledgers). The Govt. DOESN'T NEED tax dollars for spending purposes. (Taxes serve different purposes). The US Treasury (with the Fed) can print whatever money it needs (as proven by the bank bailouts and Covid spending, amongst others). Check out MMT (if you want to understand how it really works instead of the narratives that people have been fed).
I have listened to my husband, who is a statistician, but with a sound background in economics, and an economist friend explain to me how the Fed can simply print the money it needs, and it boggles my mind every time I listen to them. I can't be the only confused person.
But getting back to the greed motive. If the basic instinct is to survive, then competitiveness must be innate. Maybe what we compete on is relative to the society in which we live, or the social milieu in which we find ourselves. Greed, whether it be of money, land, power, etc. could be seen as an aid to survival. Ok, my brain is getting tired, but I must say, it's been a very interesting discussion.
Sure, greed like many other traits such as, hmmm, eating, is innate. And we all know what happens when you over eat. It's threatens your health, and as you continue getting fatter because of overeating, it eventually makes you feel asyou can't control your innate instinct to eat.
We all know we must be measured and disciplined in what we eat, how much, and time of day. And we see the pain, humiliation and often short lives of those who chronically over eat. Yet none of us are asking for govt intervention to create prime conditions for over eating.
Greed may have always been with us, but greed at this level is beyond toxic. It's murderous, genocidal. And it's harming the very systems that support life, the environment, the planet and the people.
If gov't will not intervene to stop greed, and they will not, some will take it into their hands to do the job that govt won't do.
RIP (but really, I hope you twist in hell for the evil you've done) Brian. I hope you'll have the company of your peers soon.
Yes, agree with you - all these human emotions/psychologies/behaviors are innate (greed, survival, competition, cooperation, altruism, caring, love, hate, anger, etc.). All are needed (in different ways and at different times) to aid in survival.
Think about this. Human evolution is slow. Greed didn't just suddenly evolve in humans when Capitalism came about. It has always existed (in some form/magnitude or another).
I think you are technically correct and missing the point. Infrastructure, Social Security, public education, healthcare, the minimum wage and more, are all marginalized and railed against because they “can’t be afforded.” War and its profiteers see collective needs as weakness and expendable luxuries.
>>"I think you are technically correct and missing the point."
Yes, you are right - and that is partly on purpose - I really want people to understand MMT - because with MMT, one can do ALL the things you mentioned above (Infrastructure, Social Security, public education, healthcare, the minimum wage and more) WITHOUT, repeat WITHOUT taking anything away from some other area (i.e. with MMT, it is NOT a Zero-Sum game wherein someone needs to lose for someone else to win). With MMT, there is a possibility for EVERYONE to benefit, not just SOME people. (Ofcourse, this only applies to countries that have control over their sovereign currencies - and it only applies at the FEDERAL level, not the state or local levels).
What is MMT?
MMT = Modern Monetary Theory
Some resources (you can search for additional ones):
(1) The Deficit Myth: Modern Monetary Theory and the Birth of the People's Economy [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45731395-the-deficit-myth]
(2) https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/4/16/18251646/modern-monetary-theory-new-moment-explained
(3) https://www.investopedia.com/modern-monetary-theory-mmt-4588060
(4) How Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) Actually Works (w/ Warren Mosler) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W97s3zbFKvc]
(5) MMT Is Misunderstood | Warren Mosler [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCUPBpSiISU} -> Check out the "Tax and Money" chapter
(6) MMT vs. Austrian School Debate [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUTLCDBONok]
(7) Modern Monetary Theory and the Changing Role of Tax in Society [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/social-policy-and-society/article/modern-monetary-theory-and-the-changing-role-of-tax-in-society/B7A8B0C7C80C8F7E38D20BE4F5099C83]