#88

Do Prague.

There is a saying, that all the capitals want to be Paris. Paris wants to be Prague. Prague is one of the few places I don't get bored with.

Bastogne would be an easy day trip. If you've ever watched the Series Band of Brothers, you can still see the foxholes that Easy Company dug in the Bois Jaques. It's pretty cool.

I guess we're kinda neighbors now.

"You joined a volunteer army. You don't get any credit from me for drawing that paycheck and doing your job."

Me? Yes.

Adrian was a civilian. He attended some sort of civilian SOF training course at Ft. Benning. Then he went back to the Balkans to kill commies.

#75

Tell me about the problems in the other capitalist countries. Like Norway. Or Finland.

"Or maybe you mean tax cuts for the rich, which added about ten trillion dollars to the debt, since 2001."

And the lack of taxes on the non-rich?

How much has that cost the country?

Have I been living in Europe too long???

"They will have to cut programs and raise taxes just to keep the country from defaulting. Ensuring they all get voted out next election."

In order to save SS, taxes would need to be increased by 2.14%. Is that too much?

Can you imagine what an 18% VAT would provide in terms of tax revenue?

#5

Beat me to it...

Debt won't go away until USans become willing to pay taxes. Until then, the US is basically living on an equity loan.

"You don't have to be in favor of Cuba to realize the system in the US is broken."

OK. But what does that have to do with capitalism.

I assume you're now on your feet in NLD, correct? And NLD is a very, very capitalist country.

The US is in tatters, but it's not because of capitalism. If capitalism was the issue, most of the world would be in tatters.

The problem in the US is that USans want lots of rights, but no responsibilities. It's that simple. You will soon recognize that, living in your new home.

Congrats, btw. Where are you living?

"I don't think you or your friend are old enough to remember the Yugoslav Wars, or who Slobodan Milosevic was."

I don't think me and my friend give a ---- what you think.

He was belly crawling through pastures to avoid landmines while you were doing something totally unremarkable.

"Just look up the current state of welfare in the Nordic countries. It's been deteriorating."

Has it?

I don't think they've noticed.

"Millennials in the 30-44 age range were closer to Gen Z, with just 15 percent saying they had a very positive view of capitalism."

My question to them would be, what do you have a positive view of? Cuba? North Korea?

There really aren't many non-capitalist countries left in the world. And the ones that remain, they SUCK!

"Serbian war criminals aren't Socialist. In terms of ideology, they're aligned with American Evangelical Christians like BillJohnson. They hate Muslims and fear a Muslim takeover of Europe."

Telling me yer 'murican without telling me yer 'murican.

Ever been to Serbia? Bosnia? Croatia?

Do you even know where to find them on a map???

And those war criminals? They were acting on behalf of the Socialist Republic of Serbia. Slobodan Milosevic wasn't exactly a religious dude. He was a communist.

"Economically, their "Socialism" was subsidized by the USSR."

Actually, it wasn't. Enver Hoxha was a staunch supporter of Stalin. When Kruschev began the de-Stalinization of the USSR, Hoxha cut ties with them, and formed a new alliance with Mao. When China began liberalizing, he cut ties with them, electing to go it alone as the Socialist vanguard for the people of earth.

Know your history, bruh.

"Neither did you. There's never been a socialist nation. A stateless, classless society where workers fully own the means of production has never existed. You're really stupid."

Maybe I'm stupid..

But how about my best friend, who grew up in the People's Socialist Republic of Albania?

I don't know that you would want to discuss the virtues of "socialism" with someone who lived under it. Especially if that someone landed working with JSOC hunting Serbian war criminals and made his bones that way.

Is your name Donny?

I think you're seriously out of your element.

#23

I have to wonder if this isn't because Gen Z did not exist in a world where socialism was prevalent. Where the horrors of socialism weren't front and center on a daily basis. Where the difference in standard of living between the socialist countries and the capitalist countries wasn't easily recognized.

"Nobody can stomach being labeled soft on defense or soft on crime."

I have to disagree.

The Trump regime has led the US to the greatest strategic military defeat in the history of the US. Ever. Not kidding. Crime? Maybe. But defense? That is something I fear we are no longer capable of. And that's what I do for a living.

"Take a tax free loan, just like how they pay for groceries."

But to be clear, unlike Europe, it would be only the rich in the US covering the tax burden, correct.

Low and middle-class households would see no increase in taxes.

"If it meant not having any black people around, probably."

Boom!

Throw down the race card when you know the economics card is going to be a bust.

Appeal to emotion when rationalism no longer works.

"My share of the debt should be in proportion youy share of America's aggregate wealth."

Based on what, exactly?

Your opinion?

The rich should pay. The poor shouldn't?

Not very western European of you.

Right now, to pay of the national debt, each USan would need to write a check for ~117K.

The DSA is mostly theatrics. Their positions, especially when it comes to the economy, are not grounded in reality.

"The other half is revenue; something conservatives don't want to discuss!"

Do progressives?

Consider Finland. A household in Finland making 53K EUR ($62K) per year would have a tax rate of 34%. The tax rate for someone earning that same income in Boise Idaho, would be 12%.

Do you think someone living in Boise would be game for seeing their annual tax obligation nearly triple? And that's ignoring the fact that Finland also has a value-added tax.

#183

Many businesses in Germany are still cash-only. It allows them to avoid taxes.

"Trump wants to Break the Government and make it Function only for the Wealthy, Reverse Robin Hood. Only the Morbidly Rich deserve anything. He shows this everyday."

Mah dude,

I think you're mistaken if Trump only supports the wealthy. Trump couldn't give a ---- about them anymore than he cares about anyone else.

Trump is in this for Trump.

And to be fair, Trump did adopt what would have been considered a far-left populist model when it came to the economy. He's more Huey Long than Ronald Reagan.