R&E Political Discussion

R&E Political Discussion - Spring 2026
[ R&E Political Discussion - Spring 2026 ]

Why do large American cities elect socialists?

Posted by Arwen on May 5, 2026, 8:02 am

The results are always predictable. The new wave of Democrats, fueled by an insatiable appetite for other people’s money, immediately attempt to tax those evil millionaires and billionaires. The millionaires and billionaires decide to move to other places, where they can keep more of what they earn. And, of course, by doing so, they not only destroy the tax base, but take much needed capital with them as well.

The Democrat mayor of Seattle, when confronted with this reality, first said it was “super overblown,” and then smirked and waved “bye” with a childish giggle.

Seattle and New York get what they voted for, but watching once great American cities turn into hellholes is painful to watch.

Conservatives don't really understand what Democratic Socialism even means.

Posted by KR on May 5, 2026, 4:00 pm, in reply to "Why do large American cities elect socialists?"

It means things like single payer healthcare, guaranteed maternity and sick leave, mandatory vacation time (you know...those things that people in more civilized countries have).

As far as cities go...that is where the SMART PEOPLE ARE. Nothing important happens in rural America. Everyone outside of a major metropolitan are should just learn from the places where the educated live.

All paid for by someone else ... got it!

Posted by Mondo Fuego™ on May 6, 2026, 7:22 am, in reply to "Conservatives don't really understand what Democratic Socialism even means."

Sucker!

Smart people move out of blue cities.

You are not very smart. In face, you are dumber than a box of rocks.

Just say "NO" to single payer healthcare

Posted by Otto Kleinberg on May 6, 2026, 3:24 am, in reply to "Conservatives don't really understand what Democratic Socialism even means."

Why?

Posted by 7:77 on May 6, 2026, 7:08 am, in reply to "Just say "NO" to single payer healthcare"

I have direct and relevant experience with both the US system and a single-payer system (Japan*). I struggle to think of any areas in which the US system is clearly superior. Waiting times for appointments are shorter, quality of care is absolutely first rate, and the costs, including insurance premiums and patient out-of-pocket, are far lower. In the US, the quality of care is excellent (if you can get it), but the financing system behind it is broken on a massive scale no other modern country on earth even approaches.

* Japan's system isn't a traditional single-payer system in the European sense. Rather it's a universal statutory health insurance system (SHIS). But for this comparison, that's splitting hairs...

Gives government too much control

Posted by Otto Kleinberg on May 6, 2026, 8:00 am, in reply to "Why?"

Single-payer healthcare, or government-run healthcare, simplifies the payment system but raises debates on autonomy and responsibility.

Single-payer healthcare would be a constant target for Republican administrations.

I have zero problem receiving excellent, prompt health care.

Posted by Mondo Fuego™ on May 6, 2026, 7:47 am, in reply to "Why?"

Nashville is a major medical center.

My MDs are educated at top medical schools. The facilities are first-rate.

JuJu and I together pay about $12,000/year for health insurance ... no other out-of-pocket costs.

A bargain.

We have Medicare (~$5,000/yr) and Tennessee Farm Bureau ($6,844/yr).

Medicare if not free. It is deducted from SS, so you don't notice it, but it's there.

Lawyers and fat cat insurance cats drove up medical costs.

Europe is not a bargain because of higher tax rates. There are no free lunches.

Getting care is not going to be a problem for people like us.

Posted by 7:77 on May 6, 2026, 11:08 am, in reply to "I have zero problem receiving excellent, prompt health care."

If I desperately needed a hospital, I'd buy one. ;P

All kidding aside, it's not people of means (even far less substantial means then we enjoy) who suffer. It's the rapidly-growing number of people, most of them working people, who are just one serious illness or accident away from medical bankruptcy (a thing virtually unheard-of in literally the rest of the industrialized world).

The real problem is there is no good way to fix the problem. You can't count on government ...

Posted by Mondo Fuego™ on May 6, 2026, 5:37 pm, in reply to "Getting care is not going to be a problem for people like us."

... to fix the problem while being in $36 Trillion and rising debt. Anything it does will make things worse. Meanwhile, Congress doesn't give a damn about the constituents ... they are busy getting rich and re-elected, and spending debt.

Private employers want to get rid of people and the cost of employee benefits. With AI, supposedly unemployment will get worse.

Meanwhile, people are getting obese and sicker from the garbage food they are being fed and lack of exercise.

Not sure how things will play out, but I don't see a rosy glow on the horizon.

Stay thin and healthy, my friend.

The situation iis unsustainable...

Posted by 7:77 on May 7, 2026, 7:43 am, in reply to "The real problem is there is no good way to fix the problem. You can't count on government ..."

...but as you say, there is no easy (or even "pretty hard") solution. There are some very wealthy, politically powerful interests for whom any massive change to how healthcare is paid for in the US would be financially ruinous. Combine that with the not-unreasonable fear that any government created by the as-broken-as-US-healthcare political system would do a terrible job with reforms, and you have a ticket to inertia. But healthcare costs have been an albatross around the neck of the US economy for decades now, and it gets worse every year.

As Elon Musk has stated (disingenuously? Who knows...), AI should be a path to humans being able to pass most labor that they don't deliberately choose to perform on to our technological servants and dispense entirely with currency in a world free of artificial scarcities, a la Banks' "The Culture" books. Instead of remaining under the control of a handful of oligarchs and causing unemployment and horrific long-term ramifications for everyone else. I think we both know which is the likely outcome, at least in the short- to medium-terms.

Stay healthy yourself, amigo! You're no spring chicken any more (me either...where did all the years go?!?), and you're still super-active. Can't manage that sort of thing when you're not fit. I still cycle (almost) like I'm still training for racing. On a stationary trainer more often than I'd prefer: some of the places I live aren't suited for road work, Multi-home first world problems, but I get the work in. Usually... lol I'm pretty fussy about food...but I travel a lot and sometimes you gotta eat what's actually available, not what's on your ideal diet!

So those people defecating on the streets are smart people like you.

Posted by Arwen on May 5, 2026, 8:22 pm, in reply to "Conservatives don't really understand what Democratic Socialism even means."

Where would this board be without smart people like you explaining the inexplicable….?

Apparently, neither do you...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 5, 2026, 4:30 pm, in reply to "Conservatives don't really understand what Democratic Socialism even means."

...but you sure can parrot their talking points quite well.

Good luck in your dystopia.

Oh, and as a reminder:

"Who's your Daddy until Jan '29?"

Trump will be gone early next year

Posted by Otto Kleinberg on May 6, 2026, 3:27 am, in reply to "Apparently, neither do you..."

the Blue wave is coming in November BIGLY !!!

I am right. You know nothing.

Posted by KR on May 5, 2026, 4:54 pm, in reply to "Apparently, neither do you..."

GFY

Again, for the nth time, you come off sounding like an idiot.

Posted by Mondo Fuego™ on May 6, 2026, 8:04 am, in reply to "I am right. You know nothing."

You ARE nothing. A total NOBODY. A lexicon of expletives. An angry bitch.

Self-centered individuals, such as yourself...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 5, 2026, 6:07 pm, in reply to "I am right. You know nothing."

...always make better targets.😏

Conservatives don’t really understand what Democrstic

Posted by KR on May 5, 2026, 3:56 pm, in reply to "Why do large American cities elect socialists?"

Why do Republican adminitrstions always give tax cuts

Posted by Tony Goom Batts on May 5, 2026, 9:50 am, in reply to "Why do large American cities elect socialists?"

to corporations and the wealthy.

I heard Warren Buffett is down to his last $65 Billion.

gaping loopholes need to be fixed

Posted by Trish on May 5, 2026, 2:53 pm, in reply to "Why do Republican adminitrstions always give tax cuts "

sneaking around tax law by using write offs ...

Arson as a Business Expense: A business owner tried to deduct $10,000 paid to an arsonist to burn down their own failing store as a "consulting fee".

A "Luxury" Air Bubble: Claiming the cost of creating a "bubble of pure air" as a medical expense.

Personal Pets as Security: Trying to deduct a family dog as a business security system.

Wedding and Party Costs: Listing a daughter’s wedding, a Quinceañera, or the honeymoon as a business marketing or entertainment expense.

Fake Family Payroll: Trying to pay children or non-working family members to reduce taxable income.

Commuting and Grooming: Claiming daily gas to a regular office or personal haircuts/manicures as "uniforms" or business necessities.Hobby as Investigation:

A CPA deducted millions in costs to investigate his father's death, claiming it was for a future book, which the Tax Court ruled a hobby, not a business.

The "Whole Life" Art Project: An artist tried to write off all groceries, clothes, and living expenses because they created a book photographing their daily life, which the IRS rejected.

Botox: A taxpayer tried to write off Botox treatments as an "image enhancement" business deduction.

Sperm Donation Costs: A man tried to claim his sperm donation costs as a medical deduction, which was struck down because he was not infertile.While some expenses might have legitimate business purposes (like a uniform), they must be ordinary and necessary, which personal luxuries are

New Jersey has lost $31 billion in personal income over the past decade.

Posted by Arwen on May 5, 2026, 10:08 am, in reply to "Why do Republican adminitrstions always give tax cuts "

People are leaving for Pennsylvania and Florida where taxes are lower and living costs are less.

People appreciate keeping more of what they earn.

You mean "Poor People" are leaving New Jersey

Posted by Tony Goom Batts on May 5, 2026, 10:46 am, in reply to "New Jersey has lost $31 billion in personal income over the past decade."

Good riddance!

Still doesn't answer why republican administrations give corporations and the wealthy tax cuts who really don't need them.

If you raise corporate taxes, yo will just see more inflation as they pass the cost to you.

Posted by Mondo Fuego™ on May 6, 2026, 8:09 am, in reply to "You mean "Poor People" are leaving New Jersey"

No. I meant what I wrote. Why do you hate “poor people?”

Posted by Arwen on May 5, 2026, 11:02 am, in reply to "You mean "Poor People" are leaving New Jersey"

You aren’t one of those self-centered low life trash without any morals or respect for others lives, are you?

I proposed a question, which you ignored by asking another question. Answer my question and I will give some thought to answering yours. That’s how civil discourse works.

Monty Python on wealth redistribution:

Posted by Ken C on May 5, 2026, 9:45 am, in reply to "Why do large American cities elect socialists?"

Big cities generally have more wealth disparity than smaller cities.

Posted by Ken C on May 5, 2026, 9:37 am, in reply to "Why do large American cities elect socialists?"

I think the wealth disparity in big cities is a problem, but socialism is not the best way to address the problem.

https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/2/pgae587/7994571

"Research shows that large, dense urban areas tend to generate high incomes at the top while simultaneously limiting equal economic opportunity, which widens the gap between rich and poor."

If wealth disparity is bad, socialism is a quick solution.

Posted by Arwen on May 5, 2026, 10:17 am, in reply to "Big cities generally have more wealth disparity than smaller cities."

But what happens after everyone is poor and business and commerce are thriving where taxes are lower and good paying jobs are plentiful?

Free market capitalism has always afforded the best opportunities for poor people willing to get an education, work hard, and create value. Opportunity comes not from redistributing wealth, but from creating pathways to success.

Tax cuts to Corporations and the Wealthy

Posted by Tony Goom Batts on May 5, 2026, 10:58 am, in reply to "If wealth disparity is bad, socialism is a quick solution."

is an example of redistributing wealth.

If Corporations and the Wealthy are not paying their fair share of the tax burden someone else is paying their share for them.

Keeping more of what you earn is NOT wealth redistribution.

Posted by Arwen on May 5, 2026, 11:04 am, in reply to "Tax cuts to Corporations and the Wealthy"

Taking the earnings of someone else because you arrogantly think they have too much is called theft.

When Corporations and the Wealthy

Posted by Tony Goom Batts on May 5, 2026, 11:14 am, in reply to "Keeping more of what you earn is NOT wealth redistribution."

get away with paying their fair of the tax burden it's the middle class working families who pay the freight.

Middle class working families would like to keep more of what they earn also but Republicans will always cater to corporations and the wealthy.

The top 1% of wage earners already pay more than 40% of the federal taxes.

Posted by Arwen on May 5, 2026, 11:24 am, in reply to "When Corporations and the Wealthy "

And what happens when you raise taxes on corporations?

They raise prices.

How does making things more expensive for the middle class allow them to keep more of what they earn?

Wow, your mind is controlled

Posted by Tony Goom Batts on May 5, 2026, 11:29 am, in reply to "The top 1% of wage earners already pay more than 40% of the federal taxes."

President Bill Clinton gave tax cuts to Corporations providing they created jobs. It was a Win-Win scenario.

Republican administrations don't want Win-Win.

Do facts and logic always upset you?

Posted by Arwen on May 5, 2026, 11:43 am, in reply to "Wow, your mind is controlled"

Anyone can spew partisan talking points, Scalise.

I prefer to defend my opinion with facts, logic, and reason.

So, tell me. Do you disagree with the fact that 1% of the top wage earners pay 40% of federal taxes? If not, then who controls your mind?

Amen!

Posted by Deanna on May 5, 2026, 9:22 am, in reply to "Why do large American cities elect socialists?"

You stated it ...Oh, So well!!...as usual!! Thanks so much!!

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[ R&E Political Discussion - Spring 2026 ]