Today's Environmentalists Are Really Luddites

[Isaac]

For you to recognize that, YOU should be able to see that your liberal viewpoint is shining through.

I DO in fact recognize that my viewpoint has become a bit liberal on some topics.

I cannot stress enough that this nation was founded on self-sufficient people who were generally law-abiding, and it will collapse on welfare-dependent people who don't give a damn about anyone else but themselves. What was John F. Kennedy's message? "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

Society, because it is overloaded with dependents (lawful or otherwise), is unable to manage the number of miscreants who walk the streets. Some of the liberal strongholds have reached the point where corporations want to move out, businesses close up in indigent neighborhoods, and homeless public defecation in the streets has been witnessed

I agree. "...overloaded with dependents" - DAMN that's a succinct way of saying it, I totally agree.

 

[Isaac]

Fast food joints are closing because of the exorbitant minimum wage mandated there

SO true. My brother is the CEO of a pretty good sized restaurant franchise of fast food joints like BK, Popeyes, etc., and the mandatory high minimum wages simply drive up the cost of food - it's such a simple thing, not sure why liberals don't get it. Artificially propping up one element of the economic engine is often a bad idea

 

[The_Doc_Man]

I've been confused recently, reading stories about people still fleeing California supposedly due to the wealth tax, but that wealth tax would apply to anyone who lived in CA as of 1/1/2026, so ...

Have you also noted the corporations that are moving out of California? That and the businesses that have folded. They don't like the heavy (and heavy-handed) corporate taxes. Hard to maintain a profit when the government is siphoning your profits away. And despite Thales750's viewpoint, if the corporation was chartered as a "for profit" enterprise, they kind of HAVE to make a profit or else fold up and float away.

 

[AccessBlaster]

I've been confused recently, reading stories about people still fleeing California supposedly due to the wealth tax, but that wealth tax would apply to anyone who lived in CA as of 1/1/2026, so ...

The proposed California "2026 Billionaire Tax Act" is designed to be retroactive, applying a 5% tax on the assets of individuals with a net worth over $1 billion who were California residents as of January 1, 2026. Because the vote occurs in November 2026, this "snapshot" date makes it retroactive.

They'll still hunt you down even if you move out of state.

 

[Isaac]

The proposed California "2026 Billionaire Tax Act" is designed to be retroactive, applying a 5% tax on the assets of individuals with a net worth over $1 billion who were California residents as of January 1, 2026. Because the vote occurs in November 2026, this "snapshot" date makes it retroactive.

They'll still hunt you down even if you move out of state.

Exactly, that's why I find it strange people are moving now

 

[AccessBlaster]

The funny thing is they'll still vote for socialist liberal ideas. As they move their mansions to a red state.

 

[Isaac]

The funny thing is they'll still vote for socialist liberal ideas. As they move their mansions to a red state.

Or they might end up compromising a bit more, 'coming around' so to speak.
I dunno about anyone else, but the longer I live the more my political views become piecemeal - a little Left here, a little Right there, I just can't paint with as broad of a brush as I used to be able to. But personally, I don't see it as much ME changing as the Republican party changing, as well as the Democrat party changing. They've both gotten more extreme.

 

[Isaac]

Out of 80 current open job postings at my company internally, 50 of them are for the benefit of those located in Hyderabad INDIA and some other India city. Sad. I mean, happy for Hyderabadians, I suppose ... but you root for your company's success, you root for them every day, and for what? the natural end goal of all this 'rooting' for your company's success and all the efforts is supposedly so that they can do well and grow - but WHY? Essentially so that new, higher, better opportunities can continue to emerge. Then you wake up one day and find out all those opportunities are in India, it makes you wonder what you've been rooting and striving for all this time...

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Then you wake up one day and find out all those opportunities are in India, it makes you wonder what you've been rooting and striving for all this time...

At least it is an indicator of the company's growth, which makes the company stronger and (hopefully) more stable. Which in turn would imply that since the company is hiring, maybe they won't be implementing layoff plans right away. Should count for decreasing stress levels if nothing else.

 

[Isaac]

At least it is an indicator of the company's growth, which makes the company stronger and (hopefully) more stable. Which in turn would imply that since the company is hiring, maybe they won't be implementing layoff plans right away. Should count for decreasing stress levels if nothing else.

I'd agree except for 3 weeks ago they laid off my only close coworker (we were a team of 2) and a month prior they did an additional layoff.
Makes no sense, they lay off dev's but say they are hiring dev's too - they're too lazy to shuffle them around, or are being very picky about the skillsets involved.

At least it is an indicator of the company's growth, which makes the company stronger and (hopefully) more stable

But there's my gripe - what's the purpose of rooting for a company's growth if the only thing that comes out of it is they siphon off jobs offshore? I mean I guess I ought to be happy for India, but...I'm struggling right now. Life has become a living hell since they laid off my coworker, who knew everything about everything. now I am left to reverse engineer tons of stuff because admittedly we didn't cross train quite enough...

 

[The_Doc_Man]

now I am left to reverse engineer tons of stuff because admittedly we didn't cross train quite enough...

Sadly, it has been my experience that no matter how hard you try, you never succeed in fully training your successor. My intro to Access in the business world included reverse-engineering a DB that used an Excel spreadsheet as its primary table, because the engineers didn't think they could handle an Access app - but they sure as heck kvetched loudly when only one person at a time could have Excel open to that sheet.

 

[Isaac]

Exactly. and the 'problems' that I now wish I had more expertise in, they'd only occur once every year, or once every 1-3 months. Very little opportunity to 'practice'

 

[AngelSpeaks]

Exactly, that's why I find it strange people are moving now

Many moved in January. I'm betting their lawyers are ready to challenge the law if it passes.

 

[Thales750]

Have you also noted the corporations that are moving out of California? That and the businesses that have folded. They don't like the heavy (and heavy-handed) corporate taxes. Hard to maintain a profit when the government is siphoning your profits away. And despite Thales750's viewpoint, if the corporation was chartered as a "for profit" enterprise, they kind of HAVE to make a profit or else fold up and float away.

You're exaggerating my position Doc. You know that, I am one of the least binary thinkers you know. There is a huge difference between the Socialist models of the 20th century and what is being entertained now. And, there is an equal need for the elimination of 19th and 20th century capitalist models as well. Both are becoming extinct, and the sooner the better.

Automation makes capitalism into a monarchy, the worst part about this new monarchy is that, for the first time in history, it has no need for poor people to do the work.

The machines are taking care of all that.

 

[Thales750]

Or they might end up compromising a bit more, 'coming around' so to speak.
I dunno about anyone else, but the longer I live the more my political views become piecemeal - a little Left here, a little Right there, I just can't paint with as broad of a brush as I used to be able to. But personally, I don't see it as much ME changing as the Republican party changing, as well as the Democrat party changing. They've both gotten more extreme.

It's a sign of intelligence, and wisdom.

 

[RogerCooper]

Or they might end up compromising a bit more, 'coming around' so to speak.
I dunno about anyone else, but the longer I live the more my political views become piecemeal - a little Left here, a little Right there, I just can't paint with as broad of a brush as I used to be able to. But personally, I don't see it as much ME changing as the Republican party changing, as well as the Democrat party changing. They've both gotten more extreme.

It is worth noting that Governor Newsom and other leading California Democrats are opposing the wealth tax as they are concerned that it will reduce future income tax collection as well as employment. Wealth taxes are also administratively difficult, which is why they quickly abandoned when enacted.

It is worth remembering the moral objection to the wealth tax. The moral basis of taxation is payment for government services. The proposed wealth tax makes no claim about being payment for services. The sponsors of the initiative have made it clear that simply would prefer to take money from some people to give it to the members of their union. That is the theft.

Note that is different than claims that the rich are not paying a fair share of taxes, which is a defensible idea.

 

[AccessBlaster]

It is worth noting that Governor Newsom and other leading California Democrats are opposing the wealth tax

He want's to appear more moderate as he ramps up for his presidential run. He's moving towards the middle while not addressing the recent fires, homelessness and crime.
Look past the hair gel, what has he really accomplished? His biggest accomplishment is making all of California San Francisco.

 

[Thales750]

He's want's to appear more moderate as he ramps up for his presidential run. He's moving towards the middle while not addressing the recent fires, homelessness and crime.
Look past the hair gel, what has he really accomplished? His biggest accomplishment is making all of California San Francisco.

One of his kudos is his relentless attack on the Pennsylvania Ave Conman. Many that have done that have been visited serious illegal, immoral, and unethical treatment by the Grifter's Fascistafied MAGA Minions.

To this day I keep waiting see where the line in the sand is located.

 

[AccessBlaster]

One of his kudos is his relentless attack on the Pennsylvania Ave Conman. Many that have done that have been visited serious illegal, immoral, and unethical treatment by the Grifter's Fascistafied MAGA Minions.

To this day I keep waiting see where the line in the sand is located.

It's just an act, Gavin has no substance.

 

[Thales750]

It is worth noting that Governor Newsom and other leading California Democrats are opposing the wealth tax as they are concerned that it will reduce future income tax collection as well as employment. Wealth taxes are also administratively difficult, which is why they quickly abandoned when enacted.

It is worth remembering the moral objection to the wealth tax. The moral basis of taxation is payment for government services. The proposed wealth tax makes no claim about being payment for services. The sponsors of the initiative have made it clear that simply would prefer to take money from some people to give it to the members of their union. That is the theft.

Note that is different than claims that the rich are not paying a fair share of taxes, which is a defensible idea.

I've always bean ambivalent about the wealth tax. The problem is that wealth can grow exponentially with 0 taxes being applied to it. And from this billions can be borrowed for personal use completely tax free.

What we need is a way to comprehensively rectify that problem.

Once again, it comes back to Citizens United. Our entire Federal Government is dominated by concentrated wealth at the top. We must end Citizens United.