Bernie needs to get those numbers right: It's Musk as a half trillionaire pays the same Social Security tax as someone who makes 170,000 dollars!! Not 170 million. When you talk millions to billions no one stays focused. When you talk about a person making $170k now ears start hearing because it's them! You got to get those numbers right.
Yes, the US BLOWS at diplomacy. (It's fucked up that that the American diplomatic budget is one-tenth of the military budget, because it speaks to the US prioritizing killing, death, and chaos & the financial gains of the military industrial complex over peace & diplomacy.)
Yes, expansion of NATO (particularly in the ways that it was done) was a mistake.
But those mistakes and fucked up priorities are done. Biden's contributions to the poor handling of the the most recent invasion of the Ukraine did as much harm as good.
But what now? What should happen now? Do you just let Unkraine go? Do you capitulate to Putin? (I don't have a good answer, but I'm pretty sure capitulating is the wrong thing.)
Zelenskyy wasn't the one doing the antagonizing on Friday. "You didn't thank us" is childish and just flat-out shitty. For Trump to demand thanks from a guy that he tried to blackmail several years ago and is trying again to bend over a barrel for mineral rights.... for fuck's sake.
I love your show and I support a strong social security program, but I don’t understand the problem with calling the social security program, as it stands, a massive Ponzi scheme. It sort of seems to exactly meet the definition. It’s in trouble because it is inherently flawed. The entire thing - minus 20% which actually is in an interest earning trust - is dependent upon the “newer investors” paying into it via payroll taxation. As working population declines, the flow of money slows and the thing collapses. Suggesting that “new investors” pay more is a fine idea, but it doesn’t negate the fact that the structure of the program is a Ponzi scheme. The Musk quote comes from a Joe Rogan interview which I heard in its entirety. The context was not in any way a discussion of eliminating Social Security. I think it was quite the opposite.
Simply put, Social Security is not a Ponzi scheme nor is it a pension system. It is a 'pay as you go' system. Younger workers pay for the benefit of retired older workers, disabled workers, and some descendants of dead workers. Ponzi schemes are as you describe and are unsustainable.
Aaron, for the love of Karl Marx, stop with the "lower class" nonsense. There is nothing low about the men conscripted to fight in the Ukraine, and their designation is "working class".
Love your show. You might want to check this out:
“Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy” by Katherine Stewart
Bernie needs to get those numbers right: It's Musk as a half trillionaire pays the same Social Security tax as someone who makes 170,000 dollars!! Not 170 million. When you talk millions to billions no one stays focused. When you talk about a person making $170k now ears start hearing because it's them! You got to get those numbers right.
Here's my problem with this perspective:
Yes, the US BLOWS at diplomacy. (It's fucked up that that the American diplomatic budget is one-tenth of the military budget, because it speaks to the US prioritizing killing, death, and chaos & the financial gains of the military industrial complex over peace & diplomacy.)
Yes, expansion of NATO (particularly in the ways that it was done) was a mistake.
But those mistakes and fucked up priorities are done. Biden's contributions to the poor handling of the the most recent invasion of the Ukraine did as much harm as good.
But what now? What should happen now? Do you just let Unkraine go? Do you capitulate to Putin? (I don't have a good answer, but I'm pretty sure capitulating is the wrong thing.)
Zelenskyy wasn't the one doing the antagonizing on Friday. "You didn't thank us" is childish and just flat-out shitty. For Trump to demand thanks from a guy that he tried to blackmail several years ago and is trying again to bend over a barrel for mineral rights.... for fuck's sake.
We should not capitulate to Putin. We should try to negotiate, trying him out.
I love your show and I support a strong social security program, but I don’t understand the problem with calling the social security program, as it stands, a massive Ponzi scheme. It sort of seems to exactly meet the definition. It’s in trouble because it is inherently flawed. The entire thing - minus 20% which actually is in an interest earning trust - is dependent upon the “newer investors” paying into it via payroll taxation. As working population declines, the flow of money slows and the thing collapses. Suggesting that “new investors” pay more is a fine idea, but it doesn’t negate the fact that the structure of the program is a Ponzi scheme. The Musk quote comes from a Joe Rogan interview which I heard in its entirety. The context was not in any way a discussion of eliminating Social Security. I think it was quite the opposite.
Simply put, Social Security is not a Ponzi scheme nor is it a pension system. It is a 'pay as you go' system. Younger workers pay for the benefit of retired older workers, disabled workers, and some descendants of dead workers. Ponzi schemes are as you describe and are unsustainable.
Trump has a more sinister plan for Ukraine according to Brian Berletic. I agree with Brian Berletic, but I love you guys.
This $$ squandered has been going on for over a year and now all the Democrats are trying to blame Trump for putting a stop to it
Aaron, for the love of Karl Marx, stop with the "lower class" nonsense. There is nothing low about the men conscripted to fight in the Ukraine, and their designation is "working class".
Check this out. https://substack.com/@elizabethkucinich/note/p-158037662?r=j38x5&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Kati and Aaron,
Did you see where four Congresspersons- all for ongoing war met with Z just before he met with Trump and don’t deny they coached him? I’m wondering if they set this up just to embarrass Trump? https://www.yahoo.com/news/fact-check-zelenskyy-met-democrats-205100784.html
Katie, Even better , Z should say “I fear you will also feel the pain.” Better than “feel.”