Ben's Bankruptcy sweepstakes!

[Dinner]

Oerdin, for ****s sake, the reason those central California counties are going bankrupt is because they're filled with poor meth addicts getting dicked over by ****ing absurd taxes and crushing business regulations levied by *******s from LA and the bay area. Software companies and movie studios are inherently more resistant to environmental laws and work laws and so forth than farms and industry.

You really are a **** who loves to repeat Republican memes which aren't even remotely based upon facts or reality. There is a 5% difference in total effective tax rates for people of median income between "High tax" California and "low tax" Texas if you live in any of the major cities. Texas just loves to charge people sky high property tax rates and local sales taxes where as California does the taxing in a progressive manner at the state level. A for regulations, go ahead and actually name them instead of just repeating stupid talking points. The most commonly listed and complained about ones are the coastal commission (which doesn't effect inland counties) and Republicans love to whine endlessly about the carbon tax (which hasn't actually been enforced) so let's have some specifics instead of the usual brain dead nonsense.

[regexcellent]

What in the hell does Texas have to do with central California being a meth addicted ****hole?

[SlowwHand]

The city in which I live has exceedingly low property taxes and traditionally has high schools ranked among the best in the nation. It's extremely well run.
Your impressions and generalities are just impressions and generalities, based on ignorance..

[Alexander's Horse]

I don't understand how a state can go bankrupt.

[regexcellent]

By spending more money than it brings in for years and years.

[The Mad Monk]

I don't understand how a state can go bankrupt.

It depends. Do you mean state in the nation sense, or the national subdivision sense?

[SlowwHand]

By spending more money than it brings in for years and years.

Exactly.

[Dinner]

By spending more money than it brings in for years and years.

To bad the budget is balanced, was balanced until slightly before the great recession, and it was just a temporary drop in revenue due to the bad economy (as the realestate bubble hit California hard) so once again we see you're just repeating Republican talking points which have no relation to reality.

[SlowwHand]

When I was stationed at Travis in the mid 70's highways were great, and then there were these ramps that just ended in space, due to lack of funds.
This isn't a new thing, but what you cite is an isolated time period.

[Pax]

Of course, the U.S. has problems. It's never been perfect. But what I don't understand, is why someone from Canada comes here and is so critical of the United States. I really don't think that you have a real understanding of what it means to be American. You seem to be the most fervent Texan that is actually from another country.

[Ben Kenobi]

Of course, the U.S. has problems. It's never been perfect. But what I don't understand, is why someone from Canada comes here and is so critical of the United States. I really don't think that you have a real understanding of what it means to be American. You seem to be the most fervent Texan that is actually from another country.

How would you define 'having a real understanding of what it means to be American?'

From my vantage point as a non-American this is what I see.

1. Most people who actually hate America, hate patriotism, cheer against America in a war, are leftists. This is no different between Canada vs America, except that the leftists in Canada believe that Canada is defined by 'hating America', that unless you have sufficient hate for America you do not qualify as a Canadian.

2. Most people who actually love America, fly the flag, love patriotism and cheer for America in a war are conservatives. Who puts on the uniform? Conservatives. Who express pride and thankfulness towards the servicemen who devote their lives to America? Conservatives.

3. Therefore, it seems obvious to me that if I love America I should love conservatives.

4. This also means that not all Americans are actual 'Americans' and that many Americans who claim to be Americans are actually ashamed of their country. I firmly believe that if you look towards Canada and believe that Canada is superior to America, you are a failure as an American. It's an easy test for me.

5. I'm not sure why you would be surprised that someone who hates what Canada has become would find comfort in Texas. I grew up in a rural area, hunted geese, went fishing, rode horses, all of that lifestyle. I am not a city person even if I have lived most of my life there. I found that when I came to Texas it was like returning home to what I remembered. There are amazing folks in Texas and I am very thankful for them. They gave me hope.

[Tuberski]

How would you define 'having a real understanding of what it means to be American?'

From my vantage point as a non-American this is what I see.

1. Most people who actually hate America, hate patriotism, cheer against America in a war, are leftists. This is no different between Canada vs America, except that the leftists in Canada believe that Canada is defined by 'hating America', that unless you have sufficient hate for America you do not qualify as a Canadian.

2. Most people who actually love America, fly the flag, love patriotism and cheer for America in a war are conservatives. Who puts on the uniform? Conservatives. Who express pride and thankfulness towards the servicemen who devote their lives to America? Conservatives.

3. Therefore, it seems obvious to me that if I love America I should love conservatives.

4. This also means that not all Americans are actual 'Americans' and that many Americans who claim to be Americans are actually ashamed of their country. I firmly believe that if you look towards Canada and believe that Canada is superior to America, you are a failure as an American. It's an easy test for me.

5. I'm not sure why you would be surprised that someone who hates what Canada has become would find comfort in Texas. I grew up in a rural area, hunted geese, went fishing, rode horses, all of that lifestyle. I am not a city person even if I have lived most of my life there. I found that when I came to Texas it was like returning home to what I remembered. There are amazing folks in Texas and I am very thankful for them. They gave me hope.

Red tinted glasses.

1. Most people who blindly allow young men to go to war for non-existent reasons, and cheer those reasons are Conservative

2. I'm not conservative and about a third of the people I served with aren't conservative. But we don't count right?

3. Because then you can put on blinders and charge full steam ahead.

4. To say that Canada doesn't have things that are better than here is retarded and destructive. What you "firmly believe" is just that, a belief, not a fact.

5. Some of those amazing people are, in fact, liberal. I guarantee it.

ACK!

[Ben Kenobi]

1. Most people who blindly allow young men to go to war for non-existent reasons, and cheer those reasons are Conservative

I lived in a country that had people who were happy to see Americans die because they were Americans. They didn't care about the welfare of Americans in general, only that they were punished for their perceived hubris. There are some folks like this in America. Most of these folks are leftists.

There is a difference between not wanting to go to war because you believe it isn't in the interests of Americans and between cheering on America's enemies hoping that they lose the war.

2. I'm not conservative and about a third of the people I served with aren't conservative. But we don't count right?

I said most. Not all. I am aware there are folks who aren't conservative like yourself who have served, but that still means you served, you put your ass on the line for America.

Now, what is a Canadian to think when these same people put their ass on the line for our country too? It's not just America you protected. Canada is the little kid that freeloads and then complains about the service. That got driven home to me when I went down - I hadn't realized the extent this was true.

3. Because then you can put on blinders and charge full steam ahead.

What blinders? That conservatives are more likely to serve their country? Even you said this is true. Sure, there are exceptions. There are always exceptions, but that doesn't change the basic fact. Remember, I'm on the outside looking in.

If it's conservatives who are proud of their country, isn't that going to have an impression on someone who isn't an American? If I love America, which side am I going to be on?

4. To say that Canada doesn't have things that are better than here is retarded and destructive. What you "firmly believe" is just that, a belief, not a fact.

As a Canadian who's lived there and here, yes, I am qualified to say that any american who believes things overall are better in Canada is wrong. Believing Canada is better is again, often associated with the same folks who would cheer on America's enemies. I am not saying America is perfect, far from it. But I believe America is better having lived in both.

5. Some of those amazing people are, in fact, liberal. I guarantee it.

No one is perfect.

[Dinner]

Of course, the U.S. has problems. It's never been perfect. But what I don't understand, is why someone from Canada comes here and is so critical of the United States. I really don't think that you have a real understanding of what it means to be American. You seem to be the most fervent Texan that is actually from another country.

There is nothing worse than a convert and that's essentially what Ben is.

[regexcellent]

To bad the budget is balanced, was balanced until slightly before the great recession, and it was just a temporary drop in revenue due to the bad economy (as the realestate bubble hit California hard) so once again we see you're just repeating Republican talking points which have no relation to reality.

Going bankrupt being a result of budgets not being balanced is not a republican talking point, it's just um...accounting?