California and Capitalism
There were so many things I thought of today where I wanted to sit down and write ... at least to blog, but I didn't. The problem with having a job where you can't alter your focus from your work is that when those moments of clarity or epiphanies happen you can't take advantage of them.
I had thought to log into Linkedin and keep that open while I'm at work, but alas, I spend more time reading than actually posting. And yet, there was a little post made by an old Army buddy of mine on Linkedin that forced me to stop and think.
This particular friend of mine happens to be a card carrying member of #TrumpNation. He spent 8 years ranting and wailing about President Obama's policies, posting conspiracy theories, half turths, outright lies and whatever else came from the talking box and Fox News (America's most popular fake news source).
This particular friend was on the birtherism bandwagon, nearly feinted the one time President Obama wore a tan suit and believed Hillary Clinton should have gone to jail for being Hillary Clinton and not a clairvoyant.
Needless to say, this particular friend isn't exactly in his right mind and like all people in TrumpNation he's happy in his ignorance and ecstatic in his cluelessness. But, never fear! He will tell you to think for yourself, read the facts he's reading and he's assured the rest of the world is wrong about the truths he clings to.
You know, your basic libertarian and/or Trump supporter.
Yesterday this particular person posted a video of Grant Cardone bragging that back in 2012 he predicted businesses would flee California due to the higher tax rates. This particular friend didn't look any further than a rich person telling him wealthy people were being taxed too high for him to come to the conclusion that California is a failed state because it taxes higher than most of it's peers.
But, let's put this into perspective, shall we?
California, were the state a nation unto itself, would be the world's 5th largest economy. That's right, California's economy is on par with the United Kingdom and is larger than most of the world's other nations.
California pays more into the national coffers than any other state and takes less in return than most, if not all, red states. It contributes 16% to the national economy and is the ninth lowest recipient of federal funds per person.
But, let's put that into perspective: California has a populations of just under 40 million people. States that take less federal funds than California are states with a fraction of the population California has. These are states like Utah, with less people than the Denver metro area at just over 3 million; Texas with only 28 million residents; Kansas with just under three million people and more.
Per capital California takes far less federal funds than states like Virginia, Alaska, West Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi and other bastions of conservative ideologies.
This means, while California has to take care of California with far less funds than states like Georgia, Florida, Montana and other places across the country. Thousands of miles of highways, rivers, state parks, 840 miles of beaches, schools, National Guard, and the thousands of other programs and services not covered by capitalism to include, but not limited to firefighers, cops, animal control, wildlife control, water, health inspectors, hospitals, and countless more.
Yes, Californians pay more in taxes because Californians are more self-reliant than red states. California has higher taxes because California has to pay for services that aren't provided for by the mythological belief in capitalism.
Capitalism, for example, would sell off the beaches to the highest bidder, thus reducing quality of life for everyone else. Capitalism doesn't care about numbers of students in a classroom or the age and accuracy of books, because people who can't read make great workers. Capitalism isn't interested in the safety and welfare of food supplies due to the misguided belief that supply chains can change when, in fact, there are very few suppliers. Capitalism doesn't care about pot holes; snow removal; ambulances or anything else because they do not contribute to profitability.
You want to know what California's taxes are so high?
Because California has to has some of the wealthiest people and corporations living there who demand a lower pay rate so they can take more money overseas and not have to pay for the roads, services, hospitals and other functions government provides. And when it comes time to admit you're part of the problem and not a very good neighbor, you blame the government for covering when your beloved capitalism has failed.
I had thought to log into Linkedin and keep that open while I'm at work, but alas, I spend more time reading than actually posting. And yet, there was a little post made by an old Army buddy of mine on Linkedin that forced me to stop and think.
This particular friend of mine happens to be a card carrying member of #TrumpNation. He spent 8 years ranting and wailing about President Obama's policies, posting conspiracy theories, half turths, outright lies and whatever else came from the talking box and Fox News (America's most popular fake news source).
This particular friend was on the birtherism bandwagon, nearly feinted the one time President Obama wore a tan suit and believed Hillary Clinton should have gone to jail for being Hillary Clinton and not a clairvoyant.
Needless to say, this particular friend isn't exactly in his right mind and like all people in TrumpNation he's happy in his ignorance and ecstatic in his cluelessness. But, never fear! He will tell you to think for yourself, read the facts he's reading and he's assured the rest of the world is wrong about the truths he clings to.
You know, your basic libertarian and/or Trump supporter.
Yesterday this particular person posted a video of Grant Cardone bragging that back in 2012 he predicted businesses would flee California due to the higher tax rates. This particular friend didn't look any further than a rich person telling him wealthy people were being taxed too high for him to come to the conclusion that California is a failed state because it taxes higher than most of it's peers.
But, let's put this into perspective, shall we?
California, were the state a nation unto itself, would be the world's 5th largest economy. That's right, California's economy is on par with the United Kingdom and is larger than most of the world's other nations.
California pays more into the national coffers than any other state and takes less in return than most, if not all, red states. It contributes 16% to the national economy and is the ninth lowest recipient of federal funds per person.
But, let's put that into perspective: California has a populations of just under 40 million people. States that take less federal funds than California are states with a fraction of the population California has. These are states like Utah, with less people than the Denver metro area at just over 3 million; Texas with only 28 million residents; Kansas with just under three million people and more.
Per capital California takes far less federal funds than states like Virginia, Alaska, West Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi and other bastions of conservative ideologies.
This means, while California has to take care of California with far less funds than states like Georgia, Florida, Montana and other places across the country. Thousands of miles of highways, rivers, state parks, 840 miles of beaches, schools, National Guard, and the thousands of other programs and services not covered by capitalism to include, but not limited to firefighers, cops, animal control, wildlife control, water, health inspectors, hospitals, and countless more.
Yes, Californians pay more in taxes because Californians are more self-reliant than red states. California has higher taxes because California has to pay for services that aren't provided for by the mythological belief in capitalism.
Capitalism, for example, would sell off the beaches to the highest bidder, thus reducing quality of life for everyone else. Capitalism doesn't care about numbers of students in a classroom or the age and accuracy of books, because people who can't read make great workers. Capitalism isn't interested in the safety and welfare of food supplies due to the misguided belief that supply chains can change when, in fact, there are very few suppliers. Capitalism doesn't care about pot holes; snow removal; ambulances or anything else because they do not contribute to profitability.
You want to know what California's taxes are so high?
Because California has to has some of the wealthiest people and corporations living there who demand a lower pay rate so they can take more money overseas and not have to pay for the roads, services, hospitals and other functions government provides. And when it comes time to admit you're part of the problem and not a very good neighbor, you blame the government for covering when your beloved capitalism has failed.
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