Oligarchy-Monopoly
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kalm
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Oligarchy-Monopoly
Something we all should agree on is monopolies are bad including government based or supported monopolies. What should be done about it?
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Caribbean Hen
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
Bernie didn’t give a shit and only cares when the pendulum started shifting back the other way
well at least according to 3 house socialist Bernie
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kalm
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
If you’d like to start a thread about your fear of democratic socialism and your tribalistic nature, be my guest.Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Fri Mar 13, 2026 10:20 am![]()
Bernie didn’t give a shit and only cares when the pendulum started shifting back the other way
well at least according to 3 house socialist Bernie
This one is about monopoly which transcends sides of the political spectrum. The biggest monopoly of all is government or government supported corporate control.
Surprise us with your own reasonable and principled response either in support of consolidation or what we should do to limit it.
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Caribbean Hen
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
You posted a stupid Bernie twitter tweetkalm wrote: ↑Fri Mar 13, 2026 11:32 amIf you’d like to start a thread about your fear of democratic socialism and your tribalistic nature, be my guest.Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Fri Mar 13, 2026 10:20 am
![]()
Bernie didn’t give a shit and only cares when the pendulum started shifting back the other way
well at least according to 3 house socialist Bernie
This one is about monopoly which transcends sides of the political spectrum. The biggest monopoly of all is government or government supported corporate control.
Surprise us with your own reasonable and principled response either in support of consolidation or what we should do to limit it.
Deal with it
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kalm
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
I’ll refrain from characterizing your own reply as “stupid”.Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Fri Mar 13, 2026 12:01 pmYou posted a stupid Bernie twitter tweetkalm wrote: ↑Fri Mar 13, 2026 11:32 am
If you’d like to start a thread about your fear of democratic socialism and your tribalistic nature, be my guest.
This one is about monopoly which transcends sides of the political spectrum. The biggest monopoly of all is government or government supported corporate control.
Surprise us with your own reasonable and principled response either in support of consolidation or what we should do to limit it.
Deal with it
What do you find stupid about what Bernie said? Are you pro-monopoly? I guess draining the swamp has trun its course.
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Caribbean Hen
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
You need billionaires stop crying about them
https://www.cato.org/blog/whats-tax-rat ... ax%20rates.
https://www.cato.org/blog/whats-tax-rat ... ax%20rates.
- UNI88
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Sat Mar 14, 2026 3:34 pm You need billionaires stop crying about them
What’s the Tax Rate for the Forbes 400?
The US tax code is highly progressive. Official US Treasury estimates show that the top 10 percent of income earners pay more than 60 percent of all federal taxes and 72 percent of income taxes. Yet some political rhetoric may lead many Americans to believe that the wealthiest taxpayers pay tax rates in the single digits or otherwise sidestep tax laws that apply to everyone else. New research shows that billionaires pay tax rates at least 13 percentage points higher than those of ordinary households.
However, measuring how much tax the wealthiest Americans actually pay is not as simple as it may seem. Depending on the definitions and assumptions, estimates of the effective tax rate for the Forbes 400 range from 38 percent to as high as 73 percent, when including charitable giving. Recent estimates that claim billionaires pay lower tax rates than the average American rest on flawed methods that, when corrected, show the US tax system remains highly progressive, which means as income rises, so do tax rates.
The wide range of reported effective tax rates for America’s wealthiest taxpayers illustrates how sensitive the analysis is to the researchers’ assumptions. Understanding why these estimates diverge is essential to understanding the broader debate over tax fairness.
Being wrong about a topic is called post partisanism - kalm
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kalm
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
Indeed. This seems like a highly reputable organization. In the end, the top 40 pay 24% vs the average, 30%. And don’t forget corporate rates. Tesla effectively paid zero in 2024 on profits of $2.3 billion.UNI88 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 14, 2026 4:54 pmCaribbean Hen wrote: ↑Sat Mar 14, 2026 3:34 pm You need billionaires stop crying about them
What’s the Tax Rate for the Forbes 400?
The US tax code is highly progressive. Official US Treasury estimates show that the top 10 percent of income earners pay more than 60 percent of all federal taxes and 72 percent of income taxes. Yet some political rhetoric may lead many Americans to believe that the wealthiest taxpayers pay tax rates in the single digits or otherwise sidestep tax laws that apply to everyone else. New research shows that billionaires pay tax rates at least 13 percentage points higher than those of ordinary households.
However, measuring how much tax the wealthiest Americans actually pay is not as simple as it may seem. Depending on the definitions and assumptions, estimates of the effective tax rate for the Forbes 400 range from 38 percent to as high as 73 percent, when including charitable giving. Recent estimates that claim billionaires pay lower tax rates than the average American rest on flawed methods that, when corrected, show the US tax system remains highly progressive, which means as income rises, so do tax rates.
The wide range of reported effective tax rates for America’s wealthiest taxpayers illustrates how sensitive the analysis is to the researchers’ assumptions. Understanding why these estimates diverge is essential to understanding the broader debate over tax fairness.
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kalm
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
Why do we need billionaires? What would happen without them?Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Sat Mar 14, 2026 3:34 pm You need billionaires stop crying about them
https://www.cato.org/blog/whats-tax-rat ... ax%20rates.
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Caribbean Hen
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Caribbean Hen
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
You need some incentive for innovation and investmentkalm wrote: ↑Sun Mar 15, 2026 10:50 amWhy do we need billionaires? What would happen without them?Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Sat Mar 14, 2026 3:34 pm You need billionaires stop crying about them
https://www.cato.org/blog/whats-tax-rat ... ax%20rates.
Without billionaires, you might not be able to sit around in your basement all day posting crap on your iPhone
You sure do complain a lot
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kalm
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
So the prospect of wealth and power is the the only motivation?Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 4:52 amYou need some incentive for innovation and investment
Without billionaires, you might not be able to sit around in your basement all day posting crap on your iPhone
You sure do complain a lot
Only billionaires invest?
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Caribbean Hen
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
Of course notkalm wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 7:21 amSo the prospect of wealth and power is the the only motivation?Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 4:52 am
You need some incentive for innovation and investment
Without billionaires, you might not be able to sit around in your basement all day posting crap on your iPhone
You sure do complain a lot
Only billionaires invest?
But their Mega companies do very well with fueling the stock market which every day Americans rely on for retirement funds ….. go ahead and try to tax them more and they will just figure out how to pay less
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kalm
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
So the stock market won’t be fueled with less or no billionaires?Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 7:44 amOf course not
But their Mega companies do very well with fueling the stock market which every day Americans rely on for retirement funds ….. go ahead and try to tax them more and they will just figure out how to pay less
40% of all Americans have no investments for retirement. Only 28% of the working poor (those making less than $50k do. Those are large chunks of the population. How does having more billionaires help them?
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Caribbean Hen
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
There will be poor alwayskalm wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 8:24 amSo the stock market won’t be fueled with less or no billionaires?Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 7:44 am
Of course not
But their Mega companies do very well with fueling the stock market which every day Americans rely on for retirement funds ….. go ahead and try to tax them more and they will just figure out how to pay less
40% of all Americans have no investments for retirement. Only 28% of the working poor (those making less than $50k do. Those are large chunks of the population. How does having more billionaires help them?
pathetically struggling
look at the good things you got
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kalm
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
So 40% being poor is sustainable? Under what kind of regime?Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 8:58 amThere will be poor alwayskalm wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 8:24 am
So the stock market won’t be fueled with less or no billionaires?
40% of all Americans have no investments for retirement. Only 28% of the working poor (those making less than $50k do. Those are large chunks of the population. How does having more billionaires help them?
pathetically struggling
look at the good things you got
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Caribbean Hen
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
Being poor does not necessarily equal being unhappy, just like being rich doesn’t equal happinesskalm wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 9:00 amSo 40% being poor is sustainable? Under what kind of regime?Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 8:58 am
There will be poor always
pathetically struggling
look at the good things you got
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Caribbean Hen
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kalm
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
Read some history. That sentiment doesn’t end well. But the wealthy are happy you’re vouching for them. Extra scraps from the table for you!Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 1:48 pmBeing poor does not necessarily equal being unhappy, just like being rich doesn’t equal happiness
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kalm
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
Your satire receiver is broken there buddy.Caribbean Hen wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2026 1:49 pmThe problem is it’s not billionaires buying those avocados and toast, it’s the people that can’t afford it and then wonder why they’re broke
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Re: Oligarchy-Monopoly
2021
Top 1% 26.3% of AGI, paid 45.8% of income taxes.
Top 5% 42% of AGI, paid 65.6% of income taxes.
Top 10% 52.6% of AGI, paid 75.8% of income taxes.
Top 25% 72.1% of AGI, paid 89.2% of income taxes.
Top 50% 89.6% of AGI, paid 97.7% of income taxes.
Bottom 50% 10.4% of AGI, paid 2.3% of income taxes.
https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/fede ... data-2024/
Appears the top half (I’m sure includes all of us) are overpaying and need to pay less. The bottom 50% are freeloading and need to pay more.
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