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The Decline of the United States

Discussion in 'Politics & Current Affairs' started by Neophyte, Oct 3, 2023.

  1. Neophyte

    Neophyte Administrator Staff Member

  2. buffyfan

    buffyfan Moderator Staff Member

    Hunter's "laptop" that was in 3 hands before the FBI. And from tech experts I have read who have seen it? There are some very questionable entries there that seem to be added later.

    Even if everything on Hunter's laptop is true? In court? The fact it is an IMAGE of the hard drive that passed through multiple, not current LEO, hands first. Chain of custody is broken and it is likely highly inadmissible in court now.

    Not to mention that Hunter had to fly from LA to NORTHERN NJ, dropped a laptop at a repair place 3000+ miles from his home at the time and 100s of miles from his Dad's home, and then forget about it. To a "blind computer repair shop owner". Who's security camera was down that day.
     
  3. buffyfan

    buffyfan Moderator Staff Member

    We complain that China is stealing our innovations. Then INSIST because it give the "Stockholders" a better return? That things be made there to cut expenses.

    We complain we dont have the influence we used to. Then INSIST "America FIRST, everyone else when our overall debt is ZERO".

    The joke rant in the 1st episode of Newsroom is apt here. US is only ranked #1 in three things. Number of incarcerated PER CAPITA. Military spending where we outspend the next 10 nations combined, 9 of which are allies. And number of adults who believe Angels are REAL (a shot at the rise of "religion directly in government" of the 90s).

    You ask how do we fix that. Lets go back to the 50s and taxes. Top MARGINAL rate at 90%+. Encourages owners to keep money IN the business, not take ROI at high rates. Roll back the rules added later for "Capital gains rates to be decided by Ordinary income". Was instated as a FLAT 12.5%. Later gimmes like "if your ORDINARY rate is below X it becomes ZERO". Encouraging work around compensation for Execs to make theirs 0. Flat rate of say 20% for businesses. We need a valve that will prevent draining companies.

    Personally I also support a change to the Ch 7 and 11 processes for companies. If "123 1st st LLC" goes under? But the "primary" on the LLC also has "125 1st st LLC" "127 1st st LLC' and "131 1st st LLC"? 123 is not allowed any bankruptcy protections. Because the connecting "primary" just segregated each house he rents out. People should not be allowed to run 10 businesses in the same area and then "segregate" the risk of each. Also, all bankruptcy filing needs to be investigated deeper. Example. If the company is found to have been at a MASSIVE LOSS since day 1. But magically the owner had funds without outside help to open other businesses now? All are in play. If the business tanked and the owner magically had 4 homes and a fleet of luxury cars by the end? No BK. Either sell the assets to pay them off, or find a way to pay off the owed, in full.
     
    Polarbears likes this.
  4. buffyfan

    buffyfan Moderator Staff Member

    Know why Israeli companies seem to be at the forefront of medical lately, along with German? They keep their religion out of science. We cant use X Y Z in medical research because it "offends" Evangelicals and some Catholics too.
     
  5. bw19481

    bw19481 Trusted.Member

    Except that Hunter is now suing the computer repair shop owner and in the court documents acknowledges that the computer was his. that he dropped it off, and that the information is correct.
     
  6. buffyfan

    buffyfan Moderator Staff Member

    Please share the filing that says everything they say is on the laptop is "true".

    Also does not matter. For it to be definitely admissible? Owner to FBI. Not owner to someone to someone to Rudy to FBI later.
     
  7. Neophyte

    Neophyte Administrator Staff Member

    The FBI has the original laptop. The owner of the repair shop made a copy of the disk drive before he handed the laptop to the FBI. After a time when the FBI just sat on the laptop and did nothing, the shop owner gave the copied drive to people that did do something about it. The FBI still has the original laptop so the authenticity of the copy being used can be verified at any time. So far the FBI has not refuted any information being released. And Hunter has lived in several locations and has places near the repair shop that he had stayed. He has also admitted that he did indeed dropped the laptop at the repair shop and he actually owns the laptop in question.
     
    D.C. Barnet likes this.
  8. Sisterfister98

    Sisterfister98 Trusted Member

    China is a lot further behind than the media would have you believe.
     
  9. Neophyte

    Neophyte Administrator Staff Member

  10. D.C. Barnet

    D.C. Barnet Trusted.Member

    Yes. Biden is so much more respected and credible !
    The world is at peace!
    . . . and the best part is that no one is distracted by personalities and parties !
     
  11. D.C. Barnet

    D.C. Barnet Trusted.Member

    You don't get it.
    Only George Soros and Claus Schultz can save humanity from humans !
     
  12. D.C. Barnet

    D.C. Barnet Trusted.Member

    And don't be superficial. Don't judge a book by it's cover.
    Soros and Schultz only look like villans out of an Ian Fleming novel. You'd think they were Nazis or something . . . . . oh wait! Never mind that . . . I mean that would be a stereotypical CLASSIC conspiracy theory !!
     
  13. Lian

    Lian Friendly One

    Oh sure Trumpers blame Biden, Obama and anyone. Yes, suuuuure. Its not because of Republicans, its just THE OTHER SIDE.
     
  14. Polarbears

    Polarbears Trusted.Member

    There is intelligent life here after all. Alert the media. :D
     
  15. SMilty

    SMilty Trusted Member

    How many of you have realized that we are kind of reaching the last phase of democracy as we know it? I am talking about all democracies around the globe. There will be updates in the whole democratic system.
     
  16. Lian

    Lian Friendly One

    USA are in decline, yes. It will last years, decades. But USA will not collapse. The West will not collapse. The East will not rise to dominate the world. If anything, we'll see a more divided world, with less democracies and more wars, for a while, until a big war puts everyone back on track and democracy back in power
     
    Akbloke and vikmon like this.
  17. raju shoumo

    raju shoumo Trusted Member

    Yes
     
  18. Lian

    Lian Friendly One

    But anyway, decline is normal. All empires have their golden age then decline. Is it the end fir USA? Far from it. They may not be as powerful as before, but they'll always be a big player
     
    vikmon likes this.
  19. Funnsafe

    Funnsafe New Member

    The USA had a bump after WWII which was the peak and has steadily declined ever since.
     
  20. vikmon

    vikmon Trusted Member

    While I agree that it will take time, I think that the time frame of a 'collapse' - which I take to mean a reordering of the global security and societal status quo is on the nearer side of decades (my bet is between 10 and 30 years tops). The West model of modern/post-modern means of societal cohesion building has ran out imho. It's not even a technical parameter that will slip, it's more so a mix of internal and external strains that a western-style liberal democracy cannot handle (i.e. population pyramid slippage, atomised socium, etc.)