MumboJumbo wrote on Nov 17
th, 2014 at 7:35pm:
longweekend58 wrote on Nov 17
th, 2014 at 7:24pm:
This whole silly thread hinges on the definition of 'socialism'. probably everyone except Andrei would promote some socialist policies in our otherwise strongly capitalist countries. Australia for instance, is undeniably a market capitalist economy but with a social conscience. That does not make us a socialist country by any stretch of the argument.
Greece was a socialist economy. And the reference to Norway cannot simply ignore the massive oil income. Without it, Norway would be an economic desert.
From the mouths of (intellectual) babes. Well said longy.
Grappler Deep State Feller wrote on Nov 17
th, 2014 at 5:43pm:
Now you've arrived at the nub of the matter, Grasshopper - your comment equally applies to Honourable Capitalists, Honourable Communists.. and every other Honourable -ist.....
THERE lies the truth of your comment - and you adherence to your thesis of a discriminatory reading causes your thesis to fail.
Well said, Master Grappler.
It's always the failing of ideologists like Thatcher, Regan, Stalin, Pol Pot and so forth that they fail to apply the same values and standards to everyone of whatever inclination - and thus create without fail a situation of confrontation, hostilities, and trumped-up causes for exterminating the 'other' side.
I would hardly have said that Thatcher's Britain was in any way 'socialistic' in the extreme - no more than we are/were here in Australia - and the long-term harm wrought by her silly and selfish policies is apparent to this day.
To revert to the Joe rich concept - there is a point beyond which a person has more than adequate money to get on - and it is at that point (those points on the sliding income tax scale) is considered ABLE - or indeed MORE than ABLE - to pay extra into the common coffers for social security, health and so forth.
Let's take our Andrei (purported) - he claims an income that has varied over the time I've been here between $250k and $500k - and claims for his wife the same. Therefore he claims his family unit to be earning $500k-$1m per annum (and all the while cheating tax with trusts, offshoring of work performed HERE in reality, tricks like altering the payment arrangement between self and company, and being harboured in a relative tax haven - whose people, BTW, in many areas , have an unemployment rate of 26%, and whom he heartily despises.
Now how much does Lord Andrei and Lady Andrei The Mythical of OzPol actually NEED to get by?
Therefore it is mandatory that they contribute to the public coffers at a much higher rate. I prefer, personally, Thatcher's 80% that she demolished as being too much of a burden on those who earned ten times the income of the average salary earner.
We'll accept 48%, Andrei, for every bit of work you do that relates to Oz.... Deemed Offshore Industry Contribution Tax.
Take it up with your pirate bosses hiding in Ireland and our ATO.... I'm sure they'll accommodate you well....