@memeticsisyphus In 1950, life expectancy was 68. In 2020, it was 77. That's more than the increase the chart shows. I think you have an unconsidered view re: boomers. Most stuff you post I agree with, but the boomer rants seem to lack thought.
@SkyKingsTopGuy@memeticsisyphus I and millions of other Boomers would have immediately opted out of SS / Medicare if that was an option, same as you. Instead they took my money and gave it to the previous generation. This was set up long before Boomers could vote. Get mad at FDR, and people who voted for FDR.
@caesararum When I lived in Sweden, the gov't did your tax return for you. All you had to do was sign. That's what your suggestion would do.
How about using all that LLM brainpower to write a simpler, easier to understand tax code? The problem there is Congress will not pass it.
@aubetony In Sweden on an extended business trip, I found the apartment building I was staying in did not turn on the heat until a certain date, no matter how cold it was. When the inside temp dropped into the 50s, I turned on the oven and left the oven door open. 24/7.
@secondorderfx Ringworld. Niven brought to a teenager in the early 1970s an understanding of where we are on the Kardashev scale, along with awe and wonder.
@DrSuneelDhand@ranboy I'll never forget a Swedish friend's first visit to a Dallas-area grocery store. She stood in the produce section, slowly looked around, and started crying from joy.
@DrSuneelDhand@ranboy I lived in Sweden, Finland, Norway, England and Italy (as well as the US), and my experience, my "truth", is the opposite of yours. London does have more and better Indian restaurants than Dallas, I'll give you that.
The RW lawmaker who has the strength to propose a bill to "suspend" suffrage for those accepting government assistance will be a national hero (in time).
The sex difference in the parties is really a taxpayer vs beneficiary difference. The metastatic growth of the nanny state since Wilson has been a long march of beneficiaries voting for more benefits. Reform this by suspending the vote til "you're back on your feet." Otherwise, no vote for you. Sorry, not sorry.
@gak_pdx@Rokeniswatching@AlexHollings52 I used to resent this, until I realized that white males with engineering degrees might as well have their own, if relatively small, entitlement program. They actually have skills the country might urgently need at some point.
@gak_pdx@Rokeniswatching@AlexHollings52 Nobody in the "upward" path (management, DoD) minds this, or at least they didn't in the past.
The primes respond to the behavior of the DoD towards them. The DoD has learned to behave in response to how Congress treats the DoD: a huge jobs / cash slush river for districts.
@romanhelmetguy Maybe that's one reason why Elon is enthusiastic about mass drivers on the Moon. He's rather bright, and less politically naive than before.
@secondorderfx Thank you for answering! I think those percentages are a much more accurate way of presenting the facts. I would add that some "progressivism" isn't found on the tax side, but the benefit side. Social Security is the largest US example - get your 40 quarters in at any wage rate.