The Federal Pie Chart

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Third world countries also have a low cost of living. Naturally their standard of living and quality of life is adjusted accordingly.

It's funny how people from Texas talk it up because no one I have spoken to in the NE would move to Texas. Ironically we constantly have Texans moving into the area, they're easy to spot out too.

Considering you are in the accounting field, you might want to look at a supply and demand chart again.

The average household income in Fort Worth is $43,271, The average individual income in Sydney is well over $55K.

You're ignoring the 'cost of living' factor.

Average income means squat if the cost of living is much lower here than it is there.

Also, you're "average" income for Sydney in USD (if you're using AUD) is $50,600 a year...

Edited March 10, 2010 by Paul and Vanessa

[Ali G. 37]

You're ignoring the 'cost of living' factor.

Average income means squat if the cost of living is much lower here than it is there.

For obvious reasons, BMWs, Mercedes and Audi's cost a fair bit as well. Otherwise, why not move out into the woods, where your cost of living will be even lower. Or why is it people from third world countries, where the cost of living is quite low, are so desperate to move to first world countries? In contrast why do you think Vancouver is such an expensive market?

America is no longer the country of choice for most from first world nations. Out of anyone I have spoken to or know that is working here from abroad, they are solely here because the pay is better in their line of work. However, all have plans to move back. Why do you think that is? Whereas, a lot of people who migrate to AUS from other first world countries, including Americans, move there for good. I can personally vouch for that having worked with a few in a number of jobs. Actually, they are the ones who told me I was crazy moving to the US and should just bring my wife there. I remember seeing an episode on Australian prisons here, where even an American prisoner wanted to stay there rather than exercise his option, using a prisoner exchange treaty, to move to a US prison.

Edited March 10, 2010 by Booyah

[Obama 2012 1,714]

For obvious reasons, BMWs, Mercedes and Audi's cost a fair bit as well. Otherwise, why not move out into the woods, where your cost of living will be even lower. Or why is it people from third world countries, where the cost of living is quite low, are so desperate to move to first world countries? In contrast why do you think Vancouver is such an expensive market?

America is no longer the country of choice for most from first world nations. Out of anyone I have spoken to or know that is working here from abroad, they are solely here because the pay is better in their line of work. However, all have plans to move back. Why do you think that is? Whereas, a lot of people who migrate to AUS from other first world countries, including Americans, move there for good. I can personally vouch for that having worked with a few in a number of jobs. Actually, they are the ones who told me I was crazy moving to the US and should just bring my wife there. I remember seeing an episode on Australian prisons here, where even an American prisoner wanted to stay there rather than exercise his option to move to a US prison.

I'd much rather live in Sydney than many other US Cities myself if I didn't have the option to stay here in Fort Worth.

It's all about preferences though and what you're looking for. Everything I want and need or could ever want and need is right here and affordable.

[Ali G. 37]

I'd much rather live in Sydney than many other US Cities myself if I didn't have the option to stay here in Fort Worth.

It's all about preferences though and what you're looking for. Everything I want and need or could ever want and need is right here and affordable.

Keep in mind I am not saying it in the context of 'ha ha they are better'. Not at all actually. What I am saying is that there are things we can learn from countries and cities around the world. Heck, even China is starting to acquire expertise in various areas. Rather than just condemn them for ironically being successful communist, I want to learn from what they do best. You know those commie bastards sure as hell copied others wherever they could. A nation does not go from nothing to the second most powerful economy within a decade, without having done some serious copying. Furthermore, they also have the benefit of a coordinated federal government calling the shots. Whereas, every city, county and state is doing their own thing here and rarely coordinates with one another. Can you imagine trying to run a company, the military or even a family while everyone just does their own thing? Epic fail is what that would be.

Forget about Australia or any other country, I see the same thing happening here. People just don't understand how to analyze or accept that others might have a better way of doing things. Trying to mention other states doing something better does not go down well at all. It's why little gets accomplished here, just bickering.

The system is broke and can only be fixed by one of few ways:

1. Completely break up and form your own countries and regions; where those that are like-minded can once and for all call the shots. So if Texans want zero government and think this is going to propel their newly formed country into the 21st century, go for it.

2. Switch to the ever popular and highly successful (practical) federally oriented model; where the federal government calls more of the important shots. Furthermore, move a number of responsibilities from the hands of counties to the actual state.

Edited March 10, 2010 by Booyah

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The system is broke and can only be fixed by one of few ways:

1. Completely break up and form your own countries and regions; where those that are like-minded can once and for all call the shots. So if Texans want zero government and think this is going to propel their newly formed country into the 21st century, go for it.

2. Switch to the ever popular and highly successful (practical) federally oriented model; where the federal government calls more of the important shots. Furthermore, move a number of responsibilities from the hands of counties to the actual state.

Hey, if we wanted to be our own country again, I wouldn't be against it and we'd have excellent trade terms with the states that would matter to us... (theorhetically of course).

Well, see each state does things its own way depending.

Our Texas constitution dictates a lot of how things are handled here. We can't by law have a State income tax, a state property tax, etc... The only thing the state constitution does is 'regulate' how property taxes are allowed to be collected in each county.

Would I be for breaking that up into 'county regions' versus every county having a tax office? Sure, why not... With the exception being Dallas, Collin, Tarrant, Travis, Harris, El Paso, and Bexar which would need their own because of the cities that sit in them.... but if you want to take central Texas and have a region or two, East Texas and have a couple of regions, that might work better and also might work better to find a 'median' tax bracket that would be good for everyone. There again, it could raise taxes in some aeras too depending.

I'm not saying in given situations, things couldn't be better managed for certain aspects of a large state, but at the same time if it's not broken and might just have a few dents, just tweak it a bit and don't replace the entire way things are done.

[Ali G. 37]

The problem is that the system is fundamentally flawed - it's inefficient. Having cities and counties manage police, schools, the legal system and sales tax is the equivalent of asking Exxon to setup a new operations, from the bottom up, in every county or city they have gas stations in. They'd be bankrupt within the week. Not only would it be a waste of money but it would not deliver any added value to the end customer or user, rather, simply increased costs.

Breaking up is not ideal for the country by any means but it seems to be one of few logical and viable solutions for the country. The reds clearly have no problem wasting $1.3 trillion on the military, whereas, the blue states want to rightfully invest this money into their country, into curing cancer, as every other successful first world nation currently does. The country is basically stuck in a stalemate due to the diametrically opposing points of view. It's the same deal with guns, the reds think that this is the best thing since sliced bread. The blue states realize this is lunacy and idiocy at its best.

The reality is that the US is falling further behind the rest of the world in numerous areas yet many like yourself actually propose accelerating the use of measures and policies that got America into this position in the first place. Rest assured, you are not the first supper power to go down the same way.

Edited March 10, 2010 by Booyah

[mawilson 2,133]

80% of the interest on the national debt is because of the military and Homeland Security, half of NASA and the FBI are military programs.

The chart is a piece of #######.

Yeah, really.

How did the interest on national debt become "Past Military"?

The problem is that the system is fundamentally flawed - it's inefficient. Having cities and counties manage police, schools, the legal system and sales tax is the equivalent of asking Exxon to setup a new operations, from the bottom up, in every county or city they have gas stations in. They'd be bankrupt within the week. Not only would it be a waste of money but it would not deliver any added value to the end customer or user, rather, simply increased costs.

Repeating this falsehood ad nauseam won't make it true, Booyah.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Breaking up is not ideal for the country by any means but it seems to be one of few logical and viable solutions for the country. The reds clearly have no problem wasting $1.3 trillion on the military, whereas, the blue states want to rightfully invest this money into their country, into curing cancer, as every other successful first world nation currently does. The country is basically stuck in a stalemate due to the diametrically opposing points of view. It's the same deal with guns, the reds think that this is the best thing since sliced bread. The blue states realize this is lunacy and idiocy at its best.

Texas goes for a fair balance of both.

That's why I love this state.

There are so many misconceptions about Texas being so "red" when we are just as much "blue" as we are "red."

Hell, we lead most of the nation is medical research, cancer research, etc.. here and even a good chunk of the world. On top of having the world's largest medical center.

[SMR 368]

Texas goes for a fair balance of both.

That's why I love this state.

There are so many misconceptions about Texas being so "red" when we are just as much "blue" as we are "red."

Hell, we lead most of the nation is medical research, cancer research, etc.. here and even a good chunk of the world. On top of having the world's largest medical center.

Everything is bigger in Texas.