Ayn Rand's Utopia

On Wed, 22 Jul 2015 18:18:50 -0400, Lord Vath
wrote:

Disliking the IRS, or the way the tax system operates, isn't the same
as disapproval of income taxes. I dislike the IRS and the way the tax
system operates, but I have no fundamental issue with income taxes.

That's because you pay none.

Not true. I pay quite a lot now, and at times have paid much more.

On Wednesday, 22 July 2015 20:09:21 UTC+2, wrote:

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner...rles-c-w-cooke

The problem with gun ownership is the owner is given instantly increased power to be judge, jury and executioner while receiving little or no training [nor screening] for any of these tasks. There is a wonderful irony that the completely innocent man [or woman] in the street can be [and are regularly] executed in America. While the proven guilty can remain on Death Row for [quite literally] a lifetime. Or can freely walk the streets provided [only] that they can afford a top team of lawyers. Where's the justice [in America?]

"Chris.B" wrote:
On Wednesday, 22 July 2015 20:09:21 UTC+2, wrote:

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner...rles-c-w-cooke

The problem with gun ownership is the owner is given instantly increased
power to be judge, jury and executioner while receiving little or no
training [nor screening] for any of these tasks. There is a wonderful
irony that the completely innocent man [or woman] in the street can be
[and are regularly] executed in America. While the proven guilty can
remain on Death Row for [quite literally] a lifetime. Or can freely walk
the streets provided [only] that they can afford a top team of lawyers.
Where's the justice [in America?]

Vermont is in the middle of the gun deaths league in the USA.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...o-arizona.html

On Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at 3:54:39 PM UTC-4, Mike Collins wrote:
wsnell01 wrote:
On Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at 1:13:28 PM UTC-4, Mike Collins wrote:
Chris L Peterson wrote:
On Wed, 22 Jul 2015 18:16:25 +0200, Paul Schlyter
wrote:

In the US it's even easier, since
almost anyone can get a gun legally in that country, just say you
need it for "self defence"...

You don't need to say you need it for anything. Indeed, actively
claiming that you need a gun for self defense might marginally
interfere with a purchase or licensing in some cases (probably not
often, but if you want a gun, you're best off not justifying the
reason at all).

http://youtu.be/HZFLk5L70MQ

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner...rles-c-w-cooke

Vermont gun deaths about 65 per year.
population 626,000
That's one gun death per 10,000
Uk rate 0.025 per 10,000

Most of those gun deaths in Vermont are not murders.

The rate of murder by firearm (and other means) is much lower in Vermont than in the rest of the US, and murder rate is probably less than that of the UK, given the vagaries of crime reporting in the UK.

Vermont -might- have a slightly elevated suicide rate, but that's not the issue.

Clearly, other factors are at play, but social opprobrium often denies us the opportunity to suggest what those other factors might be.

wrote:
On Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at 3:54:39 PM UTC-4, Mike Collins wrote:
wsnell01 wrote:
On Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at 1:13:28 PM UTC-4, Mike Collins wrote:
Chris L Peterson wrote:
On Wed, 22 Jul 2015 18:16:25 +0200, Paul Schlyter
wrote:

In the US it's even easier, since
almost anyone can get a gun legally in that country, just say you
need it for "self defence"...

You don't need to say you need it for anything. Indeed, actively
claiming that you need a gun for self defense might marginally
interfere with a purchase or licensing in some cases (probably not
often, but if you want a gun, you're best off not justifying the
reason at all).

http://youtu.be/HZFLk5L70MQ

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner...rles-c-w-cooke

Vermont gun deaths about 65 per year.
population 626,000
That's one gun death per 10,000
Uk rate 0.025 per 10,000

Most of those gun deaths in Vermont are not murders.

The rate of murder by firearm (and other means) is much lower in Vermont
than in the rest of the US, and murder rate is probably less than that of
the UK, given the vagaries of crime reporting in the UK.

Vermont -might- have a slightly elevated suicide rate, but that's not the issue.

Clearly, other factors are at play, but social opprobrium often denies us
the opportunity to suggest what those other factors might be.

The dead don't care if it's a murder or not. More guns makes more deaths.
Is Vermont such a bad plac2e compared to Massachusetts or Rhode Island. Or
is it just that more guns make suicide easy?

On Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at 4:23:46 PM UTC-4, Chris L Peterson wrote:
On Wed, 22 Jul 2015 11:56:03 -0700 (PDT), wsnell01 wrote:

So for example if confiscating the wealth of the top 1% of earners has a
"high-degree of popular support" then that's OK????

Possibly, yes.

It's either 'yes' or 'no' not 'possibly.' Choose.

No, because you haven't defined the scenario well enough. I would not
support "confiscating" the wealth of anybody. Neither would I support
taxing the upper 1% out of all of their wealth. But I'd certainly
consider it reasonable to assess higher tax rates on higher incomes.

peterson, YOU defined the "scenario" when you wrote:

"... It doesn't really matter what a government does, as long as what it's
doing has a high degree of popular support."

On Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 3:38:46 AM UTC-4, Chris.B wrote:
On Wednesday, 22 July 2015 20:09:21 UTC+2, wrote:

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner...rles-c-w-cooke

The problem with gun ownership is the owner is given instantly increased power to be judge, jury and executioner while receiving little or no training [nor screening] for any of these tasks. There is a wonderful irony that the completely innocent man [or woman] in the street can be [and are regularly] executed in America. While the proven guilty can remain on Death Row for [quite literally] a lifetime. Or can freely walk the streets provided [only] that they can afford a top team of lawyers. Where's the justice [in America?]

Most guns owned by the law-abiding are, by definition, not used in crimes. The VAST majority of gun owners are law-abiding.

The justice in America (and some other places) often arises when criminals decide not to break into a house or rob or attack someone for fear of getting shot in the @$$. Bad guys choose soft targets and don't obey guns laws.

Just ask Aunt Minnie. She only weighs about 100 pounds, yet no one messes with her. Go ahead, make her day.

wrote:
On Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 3:38:46 AM UTC-4, Chris.B wrote:
On Wednesday, 22 July 2015 20:09:21 UTC+2, wrote:

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner...rles-c-w-cooke

The problem with gun ownership is the owner is given instantly increased
power to be judge, jury and executioner while receiving little or no
training [nor screening] for any of these tasks. There is a wonderful
irony that the completely innocent man [or woman] in the street can be
[and are regularly] executed in America. While the proven guilty can
remain on Death Row for [quite literally] a lifetime. Or can freely
walk the streets provided [only] that they can afford a top team of
lawyers. Where's the justice [in America?]

Most guns owned by the law-abiding are, by definition, not used in
crimes. The VAST majority of gun owners are law-abiding.

The justice in America (and some other places) often arises when
criminals decide not to break into a house or rob or attack someone for
fear of getting shot in the @$$. Bad guys choose soft targets and don't obey guns laws.

Just ask Aunt Minnie. She only weighs about 100 pounds, yet no one
messes with her. Go ahead, make her day.

Unfortunately she became depressed and shot herself.

On Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 7:30:33 AM UTC-4, Mike Collins wrote:

The dead don't care if it's a murder or not. More guns makes more deaths.
Is Vermont such a bad plac2e compared to Massachusetts or Rhode Island.

That's for Vermont to decide. However, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have murder rates about 3x higher and gun murder rates about 5x higher.

Or
is it just that more guns make suicide easy?

However, Aunt Minnie is very careful with her gun. She's a good shot too. Don't mess with her.

On Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 7:49:07 AM UTC-4, Mike Collins wrote:
wsnell01 wrote:
On Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 3:38:46 AM UTC-4, Chris.B wrote:
On Wednesday, 22 July 2015 20:09:21 UTC+2, wrote:

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner...rles-c-w-cooke

The problem with gun ownership is the owner is given instantly increased
power to be judge, jury and executioner while receiving little or no
training [nor screening] for any of these tasks. There is a wonderful
irony that the completely innocent man [or woman] in the street can be
[and are regularly] executed in America. While the proven guilty can
remain on Death Row for [quite literally] a lifetime. Or can freely
walk the streets provided [only] that they can afford a top team of
lawyers. Where's the justice [in America?]

Most guns owned by the law-abiding are, by definition, not used in
crimes. The VAST majority of gun owners are law-abiding.

The justice in America (and some other places) often arises when
criminals decide not to break into a house or rob or attack someone for
fear of getting shot in the @$$. Bad guys choose soft targets and don't obey guns laws.

Just ask Aunt Minnie. She only weighs about 100 pounds, yet no one
messes with her. Go ahead, make her day.

Unfortunately she became depressed and shot herself.

No, shooting that burglar in the @$$ boosted her spirits. The fact that she did so before the garbage got picked up, still more.