I make a little more than double the cap. I’m in favor of increasing or eliminating the cap but that would double my check in the future. (Not quite, I haven’t made double the cap my entire working life, but it would increase it a lot.) That would still help a bit because not all of our withholdings go to basic social security. Some goes to disability, spousal benefits, etc. Increasing taxes and benefits proportionally, which is the way benefits are structured now, doesn’t solve anything.

I believe social security has a lot of value so I’m in favor of not just fixing the funding, but expanding it as well. But if you want to make it healthier just with payroll taxes they would have to be progressive, like income tax, without increasing benefits.

Bilbo is rich and Frodo is a nepobaby.

I read “it is a ‘very vascular organ’” in the voice of Stewie Griffin and I’m still laughing.

https://youtu.be/CbmjLKyiTYQ?si=Frwt8Ajv3911NxLa

Again, you’re putting words in my mouth to argue against an imaginary person because that’s all you can do. Save that shit for the shower.

I never said there weren’t conditions that create the will. There are always conditions for everything. My condition is hungry so when I’m done typing this I’ll eat a banana because I have the will to do so.

I’ve read plenty of leftist theory. But unfortunately your reading has only prepared you to hammer anything you run across into the circles you seem to be unable to think outside of.

If any discussion with you requires one to accept your reading of theory that labels as impossible something that has already been accomplished, many times, that’s not theory, that’s dogma that ignores reality, and you’re in a cult.

Banana calls, you can have the last word. Imagine me dumbfounded and humbled by your brilliance, just like in the shower.

That’s a nonsensical thing to say. Everything that’s ever been done by anyone has been done because the person(s) doing so had the will to do it. From making lunch to toppling a government.

If your world view is some kind of circular human centipede of tautological alternate definitions that doesn’t allow for any discussions that don’t accept your conclusions a priori then talking to you isn’t likely to be any more fruitful than a discussion with a Qultist or a MAGAt.

That’s a lot of word salad for “nuh uh”.

Don’t put words in my mouth to make me fit one of your cookie cutter fake opponents, dealing with whom seems to be the only thing your theory reading has prepared you for.

There is nothing stopping funding levels from returning to the level they once were other than the will of the people with the power to do so and the will of the people that put them there and allow them to remain. We know this because we’ve already done it, in many places with a variety of underlying systems. We did it where I live for quite a while before the last few decades of reversals.

No system of government, with a capitalist economy or otherwise, is inherently incompatible with, or inherently supportive of people being employed by or receiving grants from national institutes for arts/sciences or other similar organizations, public or private.

If a country is lacking in that regard it’s not the fault of their economic system. It’s due to the values of the people in power. And in the case of a democracy, it’s partially due to the values of the voters as well.

In my country, public and private funding for arts and sciences without a profit motive has been on the decline for decades and I would love to see huge increases. But no matter what the system is, there are limits. Everybody can’t be an artist, scientist, or philosopher. A large portion of people are going to have to produce necessities.

Being able to chase your dreams is no guarantee you will be good enough to catch one of the limited slots, even if the number of slots is high.

Exactly, charge me what you need to to pay your employees what they’re worth.

Shit, I’d take paying them enough to go back to the way it was before anything less than 20% was taking food out of the server’s mouth. 0% fuck you I’m never coming back. ~5% substandard. 10-12% acceptable. 15-20% excellent.

That’s better. I guess the Aristotle helped with making coherent arguments.

Don’t threaten me with a good time.

Yes, I did read it. I’m going to need a source that says that was written by Diogenes Laertius quoting sometime else, not a quote of him, and he was quoting Diogenes of Sinope and not one of the other “pretty much all of the famous Greek philosophers”.

Maybe you should brush up on basic logic with Aristotle.

Wrong Diogenes.

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laertius

I like how you included fuck with the modes of transportation. Now I’m imagining some sort of tricycle or quadcycle that harnesses thrusting motion to propel you.

How they can’t see the belt and road initiative as an attempt at establishing hegemony blows my mind. They really think China is doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.

I agree it will take him some time, maybe not quite as much as you think, but my point was I don’t think anyone else could even get there. Even Regan had limits in what the faithful would put up with, he wasn’t teflon. But no matter what Trump does, the MAGAts will support him and the moderate republicans, if there is such a thing anymore, will go along to avoid earning their wrath.

There is only one caveat I can think of. Trump can do anything without losing MAGAt support, but he can’t say anything. There have been scattered instances of Trump saying something that deviated from the MAGA ethos and actually getting booed. He can still do the things that would get him booed but say he’s doing the exact opposite and those morons will never question it. He just has to keep assuring his cult he’s hurting the people they hate.

As long as he keeps tossing red meat to those hateful scumbags by abusing our most vulnerable fellow citizens and increasing oppressive efforts on other groups they hate, they will cheer any and every thing he does even as they’re being herded into forced labor ghettos.

The difference is republican voters gargle his balls to an extent I’ve never seen, not even with Regan. The whole thing about being able to shoot someone on fifth avenue might be the truest thing he’s ever said.

What this means is, with the help of a willing Congress he can do anything. Even things previous republican presidents couldn’t without losing support for themselves and their lackeys in Congress. Republicans in purple districts couldn’t pass just anything and expect to get reelected, but with Trump taking the lead you hardly even hear about individual representatives so they’re willing to vote for some crazy shit.

He can feed them shit and call it caviar all day, every day. Republican voters will eat it up and never question it no matter how much it harms them.

Republicans always do this to some extent, but usually there is a limit.

Trump has no limits.

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Shouldn’t you be listening to a Jordan Peterson podcast?

If I’m understanding correctly, it’s not the porn itself that’s addictive. Some people have a personality disorder that results in a compulsion to fixate on something to the point that it interferes with living their lives normally. Their mental illness would have forced them to fixate on something eventually, for some people it just happened to be porn.

Chickenfucker. No one is admitting that to the nurse.