updates are required 
Every tariff or duty (a tax by any other name) is a poor tax. At least this way it is in at least mostly voluntary.
I am skeptical, but hopeful.
Good chat.
Always an interesting thought experiment to muse over past mistakes/failures and apply ideas to future choices.
Too bad those that make the big mistakes are more likely to double down than put in the work required to correct course.
Sounds like a line Joe Goldberg would say in You.
Only a fraction of those that paid attention understand that what was lost.
Then and now, more so now.
They called it weak but that was what could have made it stronger in the long term.
Would be an interesting alternative history novel if nothing else.
Starting with the possibility of Native tribal “states”, no civil war, different outcomes for southern and northern borders. Not to mention western territories and involvement in “world wars“.
I could honestly see a larger present day union in more than just North America.
In some respects the European Union is closer to our original intention after independence than we are today.
The use of “state” here is in the context of governing body so yes all the way to the individual…”, if you can keep it”.
Sure they should be able to but they shouldn’t need to. Ideal hypothetical scenario aside.
If Taiwan wants to indenture itself to a new master It should be able to FA&FO.
The USA Government and European Union are already a gun for hire, there is no hypothetical theory about that.
Unfortunately it is at the expense of their own citizens rather than benefit. Creating the indentured servitude required to keep costs low and profits high for a few by the pseudo enslavement of countries we protect.
We would all be better off if it were an above board contract between nations for protection rather than using the guise of independence as an enslavement/indenturing tool.
Globalization, as it exists, is about exploitation not humanitarianism.
**Like Herbie and Rudolph, “let’s be independent, together”.**
Independence is irrelevant and an illusion and as such should be recognized and fostered whenever asserted. Doing so strengthens relationships making interdependence not only more palatable but stronger in the long term. Like rebelling children, the more you stifle their independence, the more they will find their dependence elsewhere. Unfortunately not always a dependency to their ultimate advantage.
Unfortunately the USA was usurped without a shot fired in 1789.
The U.S. “administers” five permanently inhabited island territories; American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
If Puerto Rico (or Hawaii for that matter) declared independence and secured China (or Russia) as its protector, what do you think would happen?
China “should” recognize Taiwan’s independence and foster a relationship with them rather than dominate them because they can but if they don’t, the USA and European countries “should not”interfere.
Every outcome would be better.
Same with Russia-Ukraine, Palestine-Israel.
California and Texas and any other states should be able to decide to take their independence back as well if they believe they aren’t being served by the union as it is.
Leading by example, respecting sovereignty (even within the USA, 10th Amendment is the most ignored) and fostering relationships between states inside and outside the union is the way forward.
Want to pay your fair share?
Want to contribute to society?
Want to do the most good possible a single person can to make society better?
Do a job.
Create a job.
If you have extra, creating opportunities for others is better than any charity and certainly better than a tax.
Outsourcing your contributions to society via charity or government tax is the most inefficient method of doing good. So inefficient it borders on evil.
You can and should do better.
Unfortunately I don’t have much hope for more than a financial trim around the edges and a HUGE amount of grand standing. It may have some positive impact but unfortunately the largest difference between the left and right is the benefiting pet projects.
Think of it as just being prepaid and being given all the research to do the good work he is doing today.
After all who would know more about syphoning money from the government than someone who has.
Who better to get it done than someone who has a large sum available to fall on when the tit runs dry and those that got comfortable lash out.
I am sure there is something in it for him.
If he eliminates even one tenth of the waste, everyone with a pulse knows is there, what he gets will be well earned.
Hopefully they all have amazing life insurance.
Outsourcing a good deed is evil.
nostr:note108tugphwjkml66tducw3je0q0k56exeyc8d6az8n3rv3w4gfaqksquxngc
Children can be taught.
Math teachers that are the equivalent of a grammar nazi, cannot.
I should have added emphasis on the part
“…distributive property of multiplication means this doesn’t fucking matter”.
If you say it out loud
“Three times, four” that would be
4+4+4
Only an idiot would read that as
“Three, times four” ( right? )
I am so glad that the distributive property of multiplication means this doesn’t fucking matter.
forget Groundhog’s Day, it is 1984 again.
Ouch, my condolences.
I literally hate the T-bag and do not think anything he is doing is for anything but his own narcissistic benefit. (Legacy is everything to a narcissist, for good or ill but never indifferent)
That said he is slightly better than your flavor of people pleasing yes-men (or is that “yes-them”?) you are required to endure.