Congratulations 48%

[emaN]

...arguing with someone who won't change their opinion regardless of the robustness and validity of the arguments they're presented with...

Yep.
Precisely why I've given up trying to get supposedly educated people to do something constructive with all that wool hanging about over their eyes, 'confusedly' following High Priest Gore where-ever he may roam.

[Robert Taylor]

Or everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die. The neoliberalist doctrine holds that economic success comes from cutting taxes and reducing government expenditure through allowing the private sector to provide all but the most fundamental of what government's used to supply. The theory is that lower taxes give citizens more money which they can then spend on what their taxes used to cover. Fundamental to the success of this concept is the idea that privately owned businesses operating in a competitive free market are more efficient and competitive than state run enterprises with no competition.

Unfortunately worldwide experience has shown that the free market model generally offers more expensive services than the state, usually with few advantages. Therefore the services we depend on are either still being paid for by the state from a reduced tax take, or are more expensive which means most people (including businesses) have less money.

The neoliberal answer to that problem is to call for tax cuts, and over the last 25 years we have had a steady stream of tax cuts and most western governments have been spending far more than they have been earning and borrowing to fill the gap. The neoliberal solution to these huge deficits is to cut government spending, and while there were incredible efficiencies made 25 years ago, all the low hanging fruit have been picked and the only way to reduce government spending is to cut what are now increasingly essential services.

Why not just bite the bullet and raise taxes? I wouldn't have a problem if my tax rate was increased if it meant that we'd avoid going bankrupt just as a clever businessman will reduce drawings if the business is in a slump. We're all in the shit which means everyone needs to "cut their cloth", not just low income earners and beneficiaries.





So was it a bad idea to pay off government debt and rebuild the stripped infrastructure? Would it have been better if they had have given us all tax cuts so we could buy more TVs?

Are you contributing to the economy with a meaningful job, or just spending all of your time on here espousing your socialist doctrine?

[Robert Taylor]

Actually Mr Crasher wasn't talking to me. It seemed to be a fairly general attack on anyone who disagreed with him merely because they disagreed. Personally I love it when people disagree, especially when they make me think with a hard argument, but for a lot of people that's the last thing they want because their argument is not defensible and that is scary because their worldview is based on myth and confusion.

And if you guys aren't wound up, how come you're all biting?

Yes, same tired old self assumption, that Socialism has the moral high ground.

[oldrider]

And that is the end of the discussion from me because I would rather expend my energy finding a solution than arguing with someone who won't change their opinion regardless of the robustness and validity of the arguments they're presented with.

Pot - kettle - black .... mirror.

[rainman]

Funny that those of you on the left (as clever as you obviously are), are the minority though eh. That must do your head in.

Not at all. Smarter people can see further than their own self-interest (apart from those ultra-smart psychopath dudes, that is), and can see longer-term issues better, so are usually lefties.

Fuck that... why would I settle for being nearly the leader... I'm JK'ing it, if I can't have it all I don't want to play.

I think Mashman as FM would be fun. Better than Billy English, I'd suggest (but I'd really rather have Cunliffe or Cullen).

[Headbanger]

Not at all. Smarter people can see further than their own self-interest (apart from those ultra-smart psychopath dudes, that is), and can see longer-term issues better, so are usually lefties.

ffs, truly a stupid generalation to make, If you believe that then its only due to your lack ability to comprehend your own prejudice.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Not at all. Smarter people can see further than their own self-interest (apart from those ultra-smart psychopath dudes, that is), and can see longer-term issues better, so are usually lefties.
.

You're still a virgin right? You're so far up yourself that there's no room for anyone else.

[rainman]

ffs, truly a stupid generalation to make, If you believe that then its only due to your lack ability to comprehend your own prejudice.

You're still a virgin right? You're so far up yourself that there's no room for anyone else.

Two such intelligent responses, how can I fail to be persuaded?

Try this for some light entertainment:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...-form-insanity

John Stuart Mill: "Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative."

Where are the canonical examples of right-wing intellectuals? Who is the opposite number of Chomsky, for example?

[jonbuoy]

Two such intelligent responses, how can I fail to be persuaded?

Try this for some light entertainment:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...-form-insanity

John Stuart Mill: "Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative."

Where are the canonical examples of right-wing intellectuals? Who is the opposite number of Chomsky, for example?

Too busy playing with a fleet of these to be writing books dressed in a corduroy patched cardigan smoking woodbines.

http://www.superyachts.com/largest-y...achts-live.htm

[rainman]

Too busy playing with a fleet of these to be writing books dressed in a corduroy patched cardigan smoking woodbines.

More fool them. There is more to life than money.

[shrub]

Are you contributing to the economy with a meaningful job, or just spending all of your time on here espousing your socialist doctrine?

I work part time (around 12 hours a week) and study the rest of the time - you might notice that I come and go from here - at present I am waiting for some data to come in for analysis, so I am twiddling my thumbs on KB. At the moment I am working with 3 businesses and soon a fourth, and my role is to advise on specific key aspects of their business planning and marketing which I am able to do with a ludicrous charge out rate thanks to my education and qualifications. Two of the companies are exporters with combined exports of just over $117m in 2010, one is a national retail chain and my new client is in the music industry (I'm doing that one for fun and a trip to an overseas concert next year).

How do you contribute to the economy? I understand you import expensive (the less charitable would say overpriced) suspension components for bikes - how does that make NZ a richer and more productive country?

[shrub]

Yep.
Precisely why I've given up trying to get supposedly educated people to do something constructive with all that wool hanging about over their eyes, 'confusedly' following High Priest Gore where-ever he may roam.

It must be bloody frustrating trying to convince people who know more about something than you that you're right and they're wrong.

[Headbanger]

Two such intelligent responses, how can I fail to be persuaded?

Where are the canonical examples of right-wing intellectuals? Who is the opposite number of Chomsky, for example?

Its not about persuasion, Its about calling a spade a spade, and any man that actively engages in your argument is as retarded as the comment you made.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Not at all. Smarter people can see further than their own self-interest (apart from those ultra-smart psychopath dudes, that is), and can see longer-term issues better, so are usually lefties.

.

Two such intelligent responses, how can I fail to be persuaded?

Try this for some light entertainment:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...-form-insanity

John Stuart Mill: "Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative."

Where are the canonical examples of right-wing intellectuals? Who is the opposite number of Chomsky, for example?

The funny thing about intelligence, is that like anything else, it's best to not try and compare yourself with others. For no matter how smart you think you are, someone far smarter is normally not far away.

I have a good mate, we go way back. He was doing 7th form math in the 3rd form, and by the 5th form, was basically wasting his time at college as there were no teachers there able to cope with or match his intelligence.

He earns nearly 300k a year. Yet he's a stupid cunt. He gives a huge hunk of that 300k away each year, to three different women for child support, and has done of the dumbest things I've ever seen and nearly killed himself a few times doing them.

People that try and tell me how much smarter they are than me make me laugh. It's like I care.

[MisterD]

Where are the canonical examples of right-wing intellectuals? Who is the opposite number of Chomsky, for example?

That's a stupid question. Intellectualism, which is really just thinking about how other people should live their lives is a definitively left-wing occupation.