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posted by takyon on Friday January 25 2019, @10:22PM   Printer-friendly
from the we're-safe...-for-now... dept.

Senate Passes Short-Term Deal To Reopen Government, With Trump's Endorsement

President Trump has endorsed a bipartisan deal that would end the 35-day partial government shutdown. The three-week stopgap funding measure would reopen shuttered agencies while negotiations continue.

Trump announces deal to lift shutdown

President Donald Trump has endorsed a deal to reopen the US government for three weeks, after a record-breaking shutdown of federal agencies.

But the pact does not include any money that Mr Trump has demanded for a US-Mexico border wall.

See also: Dem senator unveils 'Stop STUPIDITY Act' to prevent all shutdowns
White House: 'Large down payment' on wall could end government shutdown
35 ways the shutdown is affecting America


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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 25 2019, @11:55PM (37 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 25 2019, @11:55PM (#792102)

    If we stopped paying public school administrators, it'd go a long way to fixing education in this country.

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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by darkpixel on Saturday January 26 2019, @12:08AM (33 children)

    by darkpixel (4281) on Saturday January 26 2019, @12:08AM (#792111)

    Abolish property tax. Forever.

    Work your entire life to buy nice property and pay off a house, raise your family, etc... Then keel over at your desk and the government will throw your wife out on her ass for not paying "rent" on the property you already own.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @01:56AM (15 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @01:56AM (#792142)

      Then keel over at your desk and the government will throw your wife out on her ass for not paying "rent" on the property you already own.

      1) Why would you when alive "pay 'rent' on the property you already own"?
      2) That's one of the applications of life insurance
      3) Terms and Conditions state that you will pay property tax or the property will be handed over to someone who will. Whether you call it "'rent' on the property you already own", "protection money", or "taxes" really doesn't matter.

      • (Score: 4, Informative) by hemocyanin on Saturday January 26 2019, @02:09AM (3 children)

        by hemocyanin (186) on Saturday January 26 2019, @02:09AM (#792146) Journal

        He's saying you can never really "own" your property. Even if you have no mortgage, you have to pay property taxes every year or the gov't will swoop in, sell it at auction and evict you. That's just like what happens when you don't pay rent to a landlord so in essence, the ultimate landowner is the government -- we all just rent from it.

        This is another way to think about sovereignty -- it's very hard to buy land AND sovereignty over that land. Until you can buy the latter, all you are ever buying when you buy land, is the right to rent it from the gov't.

        • (Score: 2) by krishnoid on Saturday January 26 2019, @02:15AM

          by krishnoid (1156) on Saturday January 26 2019, @02:15AM (#792150)

          Well, I can [youtube.com], but ... well, there you go.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @05:29PM (1 child)

          by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @05:29PM (#792360)

          He's saying you can never really "own" your property. Even if you have no mortgage, you have to pay property taxes every year or the gov't will swoop in, sell it at auction and evict you. That's just like what happens when you don't pay rent to a landlord so in essence, the ultimate landowner is the government -- we all just rent from it.

          No shit. This is the real world, not sovereign fantasyland.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 28 2019, @06:26PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 28 2019, @06:26PM (#793149)

            fuck you, you goddamn whore piece of shit. it's cowardly suck asses like you who perpetuate this bullshit. guess what bitch? you will likely see civil war in your lifetime and i hope you get what's coming to you for all your years of seditious boot licking.

      • (Score: 3, Touché) by Whoever on Saturday January 26 2019, @04:02AM (10 children)

        by Whoever (4524) on Saturday January 26 2019, @04:02AM (#792170) Journal

        Right, because you don't need fire service, police, roads, schools, etc. in your neighborhood.

        • (Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Saturday January 26 2019, @06:43AM (1 child)

          by hemocyanin (186) on Saturday January 26 2019, @06:43AM (#792218) Journal

          And if you have an off-grid cabin in the sticks of Alaska where the only way in or out is by hiking, you still pay property taxes despite the lack of services.

        • (Score: 2) by Magic Oddball on Saturday January 26 2019, @06:53AM (6 children)

          by Magic Oddball (3847) on Saturday January 26 2019, @06:53AM (#792223) Journal

          Schools, no, I don't need those in my neighborhood, though adults who do procreate do.

          There are other tax-based ways to fund schools, firefighters, police, etc. that could be more closely aligned with the person's funds, though. I'd be all for property taxes if they took personal circumstances into account the same way that income taxes supposedly do, and didn't let renters completely off the hook regardless of their financial circumstances. (If Richie Rich rents a fancy condo it means he won't have to pay property tax, while Granny Poor has to pay it because she lives in an old house close enough for her kids to visit & help her out every few days so she doesn't get stuck in a shitty far-away retirement home.)

          • (Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Saturday January 26 2019, @12:59PM

            by AthanasiusKircher (5291) on Saturday January 26 2019, @12:59PM (#792268) Journal

            Just to be clear, you do realize that LANDLORDS (and other property owners) pay property tax, right?

            And most landlords take that into account when deciding what to charge for rent. In many locations, landlords even pay significantly higher taxes for a rental than for a property they live in. Given that they pass along that cost to renters, renters are often paying a lot more property taxes effectively than owners of their own houses.

          • (Score: 1, Flamebait) by Whoever on Saturday January 26 2019, @04:54PM (2 children)

            by Whoever (4524) on Saturday January 26 2019, @04:54PM (#792350) Journal

            Schools, no, I don't need those in my neighborhood, though adults who do procreate do.

            Ah, so you are an incel.

            You didn't attend public school, funded by other house owners when you were young?

            You don't care about the value of your house? No schools == people move away, so your house becomes worthless.

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @06:56PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @06:56PM (#792395)

              You've never been treated by a doctor who went to public school
              You've never driven a car engineered by a public school alumnus
              Your computer was completely designed by self-taught hardware gurus

              Etc. etc.

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 28 2019, @06:29PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 28 2019, @06:29PM (#793152)

              you're an idiotic slave. you willingly send your kids off to be brainwashed by the state just like you obviously are. what a derelict fuck.

          • (Score: 2) by Whoever on Saturday January 26 2019, @04:57PM

            by Whoever (4524) on Saturday January 26 2019, @04:57PM (#792352) Journal

            I'd be all for property taxes if they took personal circumstances into account the same way that income taxes supposedly do,

            But they do. It's more like a wealth tax than an income tax. The more your house is worth, the more taxes you pay.

            Move to a cheaper neighborhood if you want your taxes to drop.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @11:11PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @11:11PM (#792473)

            "Schools, no, I don't need those in my neighborhood, though adults who do procreate do."

            Actually, yes you do, unless you like living in a shit hole of a ghetto.

        • (Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Saturday January 26 2019, @01:42PM

          by Pslytely Psycho (1218) on Saturday January 26 2019, @01:42PM (#792279)

          OMG! Those are *gasp!* SOCIALIST programs!!!

          /s?

          --
          Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @07:24AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @07:24AM (#792244)

      Track this guy and tax his capital gains. And his booty. Illicit gains. Tax his White privilege! In fact, just tax him until he is dead, and then impose the death tax upon him. It's only fair.

    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Monday January 28 2019, @04:41AM (14 children)

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday January 28 2019, @04:41AM (#792879) Journal

      Work your entire life to buy nice property and pay off a house, raise your family, etc... Then keel over at your desk and the government will throw your wife out on her ass for not paying "rent" on the property you already own.

      Throw her on her ass along with a huge amount of money that was the value of your property. I don't see what the problem is supposed to be here. The government isn't here to protect lifestyles. If you can't afford the lifestyle, then develop a cheaper lifestyle.

      • (Score: 1) by darkpixel on Monday January 28 2019, @06:34AM (13 children)

        by darkpixel (4281) on Monday January 28 2019, @06:34AM (#792909)

        What part of "my property" do you think means "government property"?

        • (Score: 1) by khallow on Monday January 28 2019, @03:25PM (12 children)

          by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday January 28 2019, @03:25PM (#793025) Journal

          What part of "my property" do you think means "government property"?

          The part where you're not paying for the government you voted for your whole life. At least with property taxes, the cost is borne more by the ones who created the costs, zoned the zones, and did all the other things that resulted in property so highly priced that your wife can't afford to pay for it.

          • (Score: 1) by darkpixel on Monday January 28 2019, @03:37PM (10 children)

            by darkpixel (4281) on Monday January 28 2019, @03:37PM (#793032)

            Prima Nocta is the price we pay for living in a civilized society.

            • (Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday January 29 2019, @02:54AM (9 children)

              by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday January 29 2019, @02:54AM (#793398) Journal

              Prima Nocta is the price we pay for living in a civilized society.

              Again, you and your wife want a fancy lifestyle, but you don't want to pay for it. Please drama it up all you want, but I don't have to agree with the premise.

              • (Score: 1) by darkpixel on Tuesday January 29 2019, @03:43AM (8 children)

                by darkpixel (4281) on Tuesday January 29 2019, @03:43AM (#793416)

                I'm not saying you have to agree. You can believe the Earth is flat for all I care. It doesn't make it so.

                Property taxes are am insidious form of slavery, they are immoral, and they institute socialism in America.

                • (Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday January 29 2019, @05:40AM (7 children)

                  by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday January 29 2019, @05:40AM (#793435) Journal
                  Before it was some imaginary noble raping wives on their honeymoon night, now it's imaginary slavery. I wonder what non sequiturs will come next?

                  My view is that the most legitimate and moral sort of tax is a wealth tax. Property taxes are pretty close and hence, never going to be immoral in my book. Once again, you want to live in an expensive house, then you pay the piper. And contrary to your earlier assertion, I don't believe there is a more parsimonious way to pay for the services that property taxes pay for.
                  • (Score: 1) by darkpixel on Tuesday January 29 2019, @05:58AM (6 children)

                    by darkpixel (4281) on Tuesday January 29 2019, @05:58AM (#793439)

                    > Before it was some imaginary noble raping wives on their honeymoon night, now it's imaginary slavery. I wonder what non sequiturs will come next?

                    You're the one trying to justify acts of violence as being "part of living in a civilized society" or some other such nonsense. If you're willing to accept taxation as being the price we pay for living in a society, you should have no problems with prima nocta.

                    > My view is that the most legitimate and moral sort of tax is a wealth tax.

                    I'm betting you wouldn't know morality if it bit you in the ass.
                    I'm sure you've seen the memes "It's only illegal when you do it". That's taxation.
                    If I come over and demand a few thousand dollars at the point of a gun while threatening to throw you and your wife out on the street so I can sell your house, it's robbery. But it's legal when the government does it.
                    If I flash my lights at you, run you off the road, draw a gun on you and claim you were driving faster than some random number I made up, it's impersonating an officer, assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, false imprisonment, etc... But when the government does it, it's ok.

                    > Once again, you want to live in an expensive house, then you pay the piper.

                    Sure. I paid the contractor for the materials and his time and labor to construct it. What other piper needs to be paid?

                    > And contrary to your earlier assertion, I don't believe there is a more parsimonious way to pay for the services that property taxes pay for.

                    Perhaps that's your limitation to deal with. I grew up with a fire department that was privately funded by the neighborhood. You had the *freedom* to pay for their service or not. If they mismanaged funds, everyone could easily say "nope--I'm not paying anymore". Try doing that when the government mismanages funds.

                    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday January 29 2019, @06:21AM (5 children)

                      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday January 29 2019, @06:21AM (#793448) Journal

                      You're the one trying to justify acts of violence as being "part of living in a civilized society" or some other such nonsense. If you're willing to accept taxation as being the price we pay for living in a society, you should have no problems with prima nocta.

                      Just like you don't?

                      I'm betting you wouldn't know morality if it bit you in the ass. I'm sure you've seen the memes "It's only illegal when you do it". That's taxation. If I come over and demand a few thousand dollars at the point of a gun while threatening to throw you and your wife out on the street so I can sell your house, it's robbery. But it's legal when the government does it. If I flash my lights at you, run you off the road, draw a gun on you and claim you were driving faster than some random number I made up, it's impersonating an officer, assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, false imprisonment, etc... But when the government does it, it's ok.

                      Ok, so there seems to be this quasilibertarian viewpoint driving your posts. But you are in error on a couple of important points. First, it's not "I come over and demand a few thousand dollars at the point of a gun while threatening to throw you and your wife out on the street so I can sell your house", it's "I, appointed by the local community, come over and demand a few thousand dollars at the point of a gun while threatening to throw you and your wife out on the street so I can sell your house only taking that few thousand dollars while you and your wife keep the rest". There's a huge thing that gets missed here, namely only that small amount of money is seized.

                      On the second point, if someone doesn't have that power in a cartel or monopoly situation, then everyone has that power. It can work if the society is generally libertarian in outlook, but that's not the real world. You have a bunch of people who for whatever reason will use the power irresponsibly. And you have a bunch of people who will sacrifice freedom for security, even though that's frequently been a bad deal. People are far from perfect and for the libertarian viewpoint, the problem is that there's way too many people who won't respect libertarian ideals. At that point, you need someone to enforce the laws that most people won't enforce, or you won't have law.

                      • (Score: 1) by darkpixel on Wednesday February 06 2019, @02:06PM (4 children)

                        by darkpixel (4281) on Wednesday February 06 2019, @02:06PM (#797159)

                        Just like you don't?

                        I absolutely have a problem when the government (or anyone else) thinks they have a right to your body or your property.

                        it's not "I come over and demand a few thousand dollars at the point of a gun while threatening to throw you and your wife out on the street so I can sell your house", it's "I, appointed by the local community, come over and demand a few thousand dollars at the point of a gun while threatening to throw you and your wife out on the street so I can sell your house only taking that few thousand dollars while you and your wife keep the rest". There's a huge thing that gets missed here, namely only that small amount of money is seized.

                        "I, appointed by the local community"?!? That's contrary to liberty and the job of government in a representative republic as outlined in our Declaration of Independence.

                        "taking that few thousand dollars while you and your wife keep the rest"

                        ...except I sold your house well below market value so I could quickly recoup the money I feel I'm owed and I don't care if I screw the people over in my quest to get "my money". But hey--who cares if we sell your $100,000 house out from under you over a pittance, right? I've been to tax sales.

                        namely only that small amount of money is seized.

                        Oh, I forgot we justify right and wrong based on amount. So rape is ok if you only rape just a little?

                        On the second point, if someone doesn't have that power in a cartel or monopoly situation, then everyone has that power.

                        I disagree. If government disappeared tomorrow, I'm not somehow magically granted extra rights (you can't grant a right), and I'm not somehow magically granted extra privileges. If government didn't exist, murder would still be illegal, wrong, immoral, etc...

                        It can work if the society is generally libertarian in outlook, but that's not the real world. You have a bunch of people who for whatever reason will use the power irresponsibly. And you have a bunch of people who will sacrifice freedom for security, even though that's frequently been a bad deal.

                        I can't agree more.

                        People are far from perfect and for the libertarian viewpoint, the problem is that there's way too many people who won't respect libertarian ideals. At that point, you need someone to enforce the laws that most people won't enforce, or you won't have law.

                        I won't claim to understand the libertarian viewpoint, but as I understand it, it's not lawlessness. The government's sole job is to protect and defend individual rights. So if someone steals from you or murders you, the government is supposed to intervene.

                        But I'm hoping you wouldn't chase me down in your car and demand money because I was doing 75 in a 70...we don't need those 'laws' enforced.

                        • (Score: 1) by khallow on Friday February 08 2019, @02:11AM (3 children)

                          by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday February 08 2019, @02:11AM (#798105) Journal

                          Oh, I forgot we justify right and wrong based on amount. So rape is ok if you only rape just a little?

                          Indeed we do all the time. You can't rape a little, but you can tax a little.

                          I don't get the reason you're still posting. You claimed for some reason that property taxes was a particularly bad way to collect taxes. To the contrary, I think it's a good way to impedance match taxes, which I consider a necessary evil, to services used from the local government. That's just a matter of disagreement.

                          But this over-the-top complaint that your wife will have to sell the house and move somewhere else? I still don't believe the role of society is to protect wealthy peoples' life styles. Your wife would indeed be wealthy because of that property even if she doesn't have liquid assets. By merely selling the house and then moving somewhere cheaper (and possibly with a much lower property tax rate too!), your wife solves all the problems. And if she's stubborn enough that she'll refuse to pay taxes and force the state to take over the house and sell it for whatever. That's just bad decision making which is its own reward.

                          • (Score: 1) by darkpixel on Friday February 08 2019, @03:46AM (2 children)

                            by darkpixel (4281) on Friday February 08 2019, @03:46AM (#798129)

                            Indeed we do all the time. You can't rape a little, but you can tax a little.

                            A little rape is wrong. A little theft is wrong.

                            But this over-the-top complaint that your wife will have to sell the house and move somewhere else? I still don't believe the role of society is to protect wealthy peoples' life styles.

                            *Wealthy* peoples' lifestyles? What does wealth or destitution have to do with it. The government is supposed to be fair and even-handed to *everyone*. Stealing from the rich to give to the poor is wrong for *exactly* the same reasons as stealing from the poor to give to the rich. One, it's immoral, and two (in this context) the government has no business doing it. Before the 1900s you could *actually* own your land--no taxes, no one throwing your wife out on the street because she was a homemaker for her entire lifeand doesn't have a marketable skill at the age of 82. Gee...how did the country survive?

                            • (Score: 1) by khallow on Friday February 08 2019, @03:52AM

                              by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday February 08 2019, @03:52AM (#798132) Journal

                              A little rape is wrong. A little theft is wrong.

                              But a little rape is a huge amount of harm. A little theft is indeed little. Wrongness is not a bit flag you set.

                            • (Score: 1) by khallow on Friday February 08 2019, @04:02AM

                              by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday February 08 2019, @04:02AM (#798139) Journal

                              *Wealthy* peoples' lifestyles? What does wealth or destitution have to do with it.

                              A great deal, of course.

                              The government is supposed to be fair and even-handed to *everyone*.

                              Like allowing the rich and poor alike to sleep under a bridge? I'm using the tropes of socialism here, because there are real issues you aren't considering. Government is used for a number of services. As a result, it needs money. The rich (and property owners in general) use those services to a greater degree than those without.

                              Stealing from the rich to give to the poor is wrong for *exactly* the same reasons as stealing from the poor to give to the rich.

                              So what of the things we spoke of, is this robin hood activity? Law enforcement, emergency services, roads, education?

                              Before the 1900s you could *actually* own your land--no taxes, no one throwing your wife out on the street because she was a homemaker for her entire lifeand doesn't have a marketable skill at the age of 82. Gee...how did the country survive?

                              Depends on the region. Property taxes didn't come out of nowhere [eh.net].

                              In 1796 seven of the fifteen states levied uniform capitation taxes. Twelve taxed some or all livestock. Land was taxed in a variety of ways, but only four states taxed the mass of property by valuation. No state constitution required that taxation be by value or required that rates on all kinds of property be uniform. In 1818, Illinois adopted the first uniformity clause. Missouri followed in 1820, and in 1834 Tennessee replaced a provision requiring that land be taxed at a uniform amount per acre with a provision that land be taxed according to its value (ad valorem). By the end of the century thirty-three states had included uniformity clauses in new constitutions or had amended old ones to include the requirement that all property be taxed equally by value. A number of other states enacted uniformity statutes requiring that all property be taxed. Table 1 summarizes this history.

                              In other words, the use of property taxes by valuation existed before the US Constitution did.

                              One, it's immoral, and two (in this context) the government has no business doing it.

                              You have yet to present a reason why it's supposed to be immoral. As to your 82 widow getting thrown on the street, she can just buy a home in a cheaper neighborhood and then she avoids that fate.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 28 2019, @06:31PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 28 2019, @06:31PM (#793153)

            they didn't create anything. they are parasites that need to die. just like the sycophants like you that support the status quo.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 28 2019, @06:37PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 28 2019, @06:37PM (#793157)

      hear, hear! a whole country of slaves who are so stupid they think they are free.

  • (Score: 1, Troll) by realDonaldTrump on Saturday January 26 2019, @03:05AM (2 children)

    by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Saturday January 26 2019, @03:05AM (#792159) Homepage Journal

    They're holding our Country back horribly, that's so true. We have an education system flush with cash but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge. But there's an answer. It's called Charter School. And I hired Betsy DeVos, she's a huge believer in Charter. She's blond. But she's very smart. She put her money on, it's called K12. Like Kindergarten and 12th. Grade, get it? It's a Company that, they're doing the Cyber Charter. Where kids don't go to school. The Cyber is their school. They have modern digital. And a kid, instead of going to school, they sit down in front of the digital. The online. Less money, more profit. And works much better. It's what they do.

    And we're moving very strongly on the Education. On bringing our Education system into the 21st. Century. Bringing choice -- so important. We love choice. The right to choose. America First!!!

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @07:30AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @07:30AM (#792245)

      And I hired Betsy DeVos, she's a huge believer in Charter. She's blond. But she's very stupid

      FTFUs. Betsy is dumb as rock. She is more embarrassing, if this is possible, than Obama's Sec of Ed! Trump, and blondes. No wonder Nikki Haley had to go.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @06:18PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @06:18PM (#792374)

      It was fun watching Nancy castrate you.