the economy is solid

where it is heading is anyone's guess

employment is strong and wages are rising so inflation is possible

technology is multiplying productivity so deflation is possible

the rich are getting richer but the poor are getting richer too

damned if i know where its headed or why

Posted by dahsdebater on 3/8/2019 1:55:00 PM (view original):
The Medicare age has already been disentangled from Social Security eligibility. Morbidity numbers for people over 65 are slightly increased from 1937, so if you do anything to the Medicare age it would likely be to lower it. That's not the same discussion.

Unless I misunderstood cccp, I think he was arguing to raise the medicare age.

that tax cut the republicans rammed through

that made american companies more competitive internationally

had it been matched by a revenue neutral wealth tax on individuals

i'd be 100% for it

as it is its just another wealth transfer from the poor to the rich

Posted by bagchucker on 3/8/2019 2:06:00 PM (view original):

Posted by cccp1014 on 3/8/2019 10:00:00 AM (view original):

Posted by strikeout26 on 3/8/2019 9:05:00 AM (view original):
Topic of the day: The economy. Where is it heading and why?

We need a federal sales tax. I recommend 2% on everything until debt dips below $10Trn. Raise the retirement age to 73. Try to do a better job with fraud. Better border security and enforcement of green card overstays and we should be OK. Low unemployment, high level of innovation, wage growth is all great.

tax wealth not spending

IF they'd ever take-out all the loopholes and deductions, maybe, but since they refuse, and it certainly isn't working "as is", why not try something different?

People who make more are going to have more to spend on "non-essentials", so why not just collect then? Far, far and away a much simplier and easier system, and I think the most fair. If three different people of three varying incomes can all afford the same $50,000 car, why not tax them the same on that amount? Chances are the three aren't going to purchase such vehicles with the same frequency, so the one with the most income is going to pay more over time, but in that moment, they all have equally as much "excess" to spend.

Posted by bagchucker on 3/8/2019 2:36:00 PM (view original):
deficit up + defense untouchable == entitlements at risk

Almost enough to make me root for a growing deficit.
Far, far, far too many freakin' handouts in this Country. If people want to give to charities, they have that option, but their Government shouldn't be acting as one.
(This comes from a person who tithes and donates regularly.)

Tax all Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, Temples, and Cults

Posted by bronxcheer on 3/8/2019 4:32:00 PM (view original):
Tax all Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, Temples, and Cults

Add in hospitals also. You shouldn't be exempt if you aren't government owned.

Posted by cccp1014 on 3/8/2019 12:24:00 PM (view original):

Posted by ncmusician_7 on 3/8/2019 10:21:00 AM (view original):

Posted by strikeout26 on 3/8/2019 9:05:00 AM (view original):
Topic of the day: The economy. Where is it heading and why?

I think we will have a recession in 2021. Not having close to a balanced budget in the current economy is ridiculous.

What event or events cause the recession in your opinion?

Since WW2, the current expansion is about as long as u can go without at least a mild recession. I think some of the same problems in the mid 2000's r happening now -banks requiring next to nothing down, too much debt, etc-.

Posted by bad_luck on 3/8/2019 12:40:00 PM (view original):

Posted by cccp1014 on 3/8/2019 12:35:00 PM (view original):
And wages are up

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.com/platform/amp/2019/3/8/18255983/february-jobs-report-job-growth-wage-growth

From your link:

"In the past 12 months, average pay has increased only 3.4 percent, and that doesn’t even take inflation and cost of living increases into account."

"Slow income growth has been the most persistent problem affecting the US economy in its recovery from the Great Recession. Wages have barely kept up with the cost of living, even as the unemployment rate dropped and the economy expanded."

Are they up? Yes or no?

Posted by dahsdebater on 3/8/2019 1:23:00 PM (view original):

Posted by rsp777 on 3/8/2019 11:47:00 AM (view original):
Who in the hell thinks ANYBODY should retire LATER. 73??? They should lower it to 60 if they do ANYTHING. This country is headed ***-backwards into a MASSIVE recession and civil unrest and if anyone can't see it they're simply in ignorant denial. When the presidouche loses the office by impeachment OR the 2020 election his 35% base is going to flip out so much it will become something resembling a civil war. I can't believe that rational people still support a criminal liar and just don't even CARE what he does. It's mind-bending how this minority of hate and fear mongers cling to him like burrs in a field on a flannel shirt. dummy is a perfect example of Dunning-Kruger, which the dark lord's base seems to be infected with like measles on non-vaxxed children. How did so many people get so terrified of anything different or progressive in SOCIETY? I'm glad I'll probably check out sometime in the next 25 years and miss the oncoming shitstorm. If you have children you should be TERRIFIED of what ONE MAN has done to our country, because this divide HE ALONE has created grows miles larger by the day. Your children and grandchildren will be left to build a bridge the size of which humanity simply cannot comprehend.

I don't see the link between virtually anything in this rant and retirement age...

Since the Federal retirement age was established in 1937 it has advanced from 65 to 67, two years. Over that same time, life expectancy in the US has increased from about 61 years to about 79 years.

Of course, that's terribly misleading. Since retirement age is ~65, we can find data for life expectancy at age 65. In 1937 it was between 12 and 13 years. Right now it's about 19 years.

Both of these data points are important. More workers are surviving to retirement age, so total life expectancy matters. But life expectancy from retirement age likely is closer to the true representation of the change, since the largest chunk in the pre-65 improvement in death rate consisted of people who died before entering the workforce. So say we push it 6 or 7 years. That would put people in SS for about the same amount of time as they would have expected to withdraw benefits when the program was established.

I'm not necessarily advocating pushing the age. But I can see a case for it. Whereas I certainly don't see a case against it in your meandering post.

Thank you

Posted by cccp1014 on 3/8/2019 5:34:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 3/8/2019 12:40:00 PM (view original):

Posted by cccp1014 on 3/8/2019 12:35:00 PM (view original):
And wages are up

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.com/platform/amp/2019/3/8/18255983/february-jobs-report-job-growth-wage-growth

From your link:

"In the past 12 months, average pay has increased only 3.4 percent, and that doesn’t even take inflation and cost of living increases into account."

"Slow income growth has been the most persistent problem affecting the US economy in its recovery from the Great Recession. Wages have barely kept up with the cost of living, even as the unemployment rate dropped and the economy expanded."

Are they up? Yes or no?

If wages are only up enough to keep pace with inflation, they are stagnant. Which is what I said:

No, we do not need a federal sales tax. We do not need to raise the retirement age.

Wage growth is somewhat stagnant right now.

link: https://www.whatifsports.com/forums/Posts.aspx?topicID=513093&threadID=11600098#l_11600098

Posted by bad_luck on 3/8/2019 6:20:00 PM (view original):

Posted by cccp1014 on 3/8/2019 5:34:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 3/8/2019 12:40:00 PM (view original):

Posted by cccp1014 on 3/8/2019 12:35:00 PM (view original):
And wages are up

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.com/platform/amp/2019/3/8/18255983/february-jobs-report-job-growth-wage-growth

From your link:

"In the past 12 months, average pay has increased only 3.4 percent, and that doesn’t even take inflation and cost of living increases into account."

"Slow income growth has been the most persistent problem affecting the US economy in its recovery from the Great Recession. Wages have barely kept up with the cost of living, even as the unemployment rate dropped and the economy expanded."

Are they up? Yes or no?

If wages are only up enough to keep pace with inflation, they are stagnant. Which is what I said:

No, we do not need a federal sales tax. We do not need to raise the retirement age.

Wage growth is somewhat stagnant right now.

link: https://www.whatifsports.com/forums/Posts.aspx?topicID=513093&threadID=11600098#l_11600098

Inflation was 3%?

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/31/pay-gains-under-trumps-best-since-the-great-recession.html

CNBC

Again, according to your link:

"Slow income growth has been the most persistent problem affecting the US economy in its recovery from the Great Recession. Wages have barely kept up with the cost of living, even as the unemployment rate dropped and the economy expanded."