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Living Under a Communist Government
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Posted by: deccie

Whatever the differences in the views between all of us is has been an interesting discussion.

I've certainly learned stuff I did not know before and I think Keith is now aware of US agricultural subsidies in a way he was not aware of before.

So, we all win.

Posted by: Texas Proud

Quote:

Originally Posted by deccie

Whatever the differences in the views between all of us is has been an interesting discussion.

I've certainly learned stuff I did not know before and I think Keith is now aware of US agricultural subsidies in a way he was not aware of before.

So, we all win.

Deccie...

Yes, a good debate even if we did not change anybody's mind...

Unfortunately, your country gets to support my nephew as he just moved back there from NZ... so, great that your country has a good system to live on the dole

Posted by: OzGuyLooking

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Proud

Depending on his nationality he might not get the 'dole' for 2 years. It isn't automatic anymore for NZ citizens.

I to have enjoyed the debate. Keith you are one hard cookie to crumble but I admire your tenacity. Keep up the good work Deccie you might be a 'lefty' as you put it but you are broad minded and thats a good thing.

Texas, I like how you come into things, quietly but with a grreat abundance of knowledge to share. In Oz we have BHP which gave itself the title of 'The Quiet Achiever', I think you deserve the title as well.

Well tommororw is New Years, so have a good one.

Posted by: Keith In Kodiak

Happy New Years to you all!

Posted by: Texas Proud

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzGuyLooking

Thanks!!! I kind of get that at work also... a know it all...

My nephew is (was) a US citizen.. married a gal from Oz, live here in the US for a short time, moved to OZ.. had a kid.. divorced.. moved to India (the holy land???)... moved back.. met a girl from NZ.. married, moved to NZ, had another kid... never got any good job... now moving back to Oz because of a job (yea right)... he does have an Australian passport...

Again, thanks for supporting him... I am glad I am not .

Happy New Years to all..

Posted by: deccie

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzGuyLooking

Thanks Oz! Hope your having a good one.

There is defintely a part of my nature that wants to take the counter view in most (reasonable) arguments.

Posted by: Vikochka

I spend 30 years

) under Communism regime. It is not pleasent life.

Posted by: Pin Boy

hi vikochka and welcome,

care to elaborate about some of your experiences/thoughts living under a communist government?

thanks,

pin boy

Posted by: Irish Lad

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith In Kodiak

If the people of Texas and California overwhelmingly voted to become independent or to rejoin Mexico, you might have a valid point.
They don't want to do that. They prefer to be part of the US.

That's not the case in Chechnya.

Yet, would it surprise you to know that in a recent national referendum 71% of Iraqis said that the US should "stay as long as they are needed" and another smaller number said we should we should stay for a fixed time limit, and only a tiny percentage said we should leave immediately.

The overwhelming majority of people in Iraq favor the US invasion and occupation. Would you wish to deprive the Iraqi people of what they want in the same way you favor depriving the Chechen people of what they want?

I'm with you here Keith solidarity with the Chechen People

Posted by: BradIL

Quick observations on oil, taxes, distribution of federal income.

No state gets the return of the District of Columbia (not a state, but a district) in federal funds return vs. federal taxes collected.

Keith, I recall when Prudhoe Bay began really producing crude in the 70's that there was a big debate on a state tax slapped on every barrel of crude that left Alaska. I recall the state tax was deemed constitutional and at the discretion of the Alaska legislature. Is that so? Does the Alaska treasury still get revenues on the oil pumped at Prudhoe Bay?

Keith, just think what the revenues would be if ANWR started producing oil! Might be worth getting Alaskan citizenship, if ANWR and other areas on the North Slope were 'uncorked'.

The best deal on federal taxes is for those living in one of the commonwealths (Puerto Rico-US Virgins, Northern Marianas, the Marshalls). You pay 15%, and most of that goes to the commonwealth treasury. These economic development funds/councils allow you to pay as little 5% in federal tax... but they are under scrutiny. I'll try to find a link about them.

Posted by: Keith In Kodiak

Sure there's a state tax on Alaskan oil. But It's much lower than the state taxes on Texas, Oklahoma, California oil, etc. The number I heard quoted was that it was less than a 1/3rd what CA charges, less than 1/2 what other states charge.

There is something to be taken into consideration when you measure federal tax dollars returns by state. Alaska in total is about 1/3rd as large as the lower 48 states combined. And most of that land is federal - parks, forests, wildlife refuges, military bases, etc. The coast off of Alaska in the Bering Sea and Guldf of Alaska is the last great fishery in the northern hemisphere; again a lot of money to maintain with Coast Guard and fisheries people keeping the Japanese and Russians out of our economic zone as well as search and rescue presence for our own fisherman.

That is a LOT of land (and sea)with a lot of employees and maintenance. Yet the state population is the second smallest so when you measure dollars coming in divided by number of state citizens, it looks slanted. Yet, if you measure dollars by the amount of land vs other states, it doesn't look bad at all.

I'll give you an example on something I'm very familiar with. You may have seen these shows on Alaskan crab fishing which according to the Department of Labor is the most dangerous occupation in America. Why is it so dangerous? Look at how few Coast Guard bases, boats, ships and planes there are in the state. Alaska has more coastline than the rest of the US put together, it has more commercial fishing than the rest of the US put together, yet we have fewer Coast Guard than states such as Massachussetts which has a coastline so small it's not even measurable in Alaskan terms!