Right or left of up and down?

“You and I are told we must choose between a right or left, but I suggest there is no such thing as a right or left. There is only an up or down. Up to man's age-old dream -- the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order --or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path. Plutarch warned, “The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits.””
― Ronald Reagan

What is democracy? Do we live in one?
(originally posted on Bubblews)

Most developed countries in the world are democracies. Nowadays, I hear many people having the opinion that we don’t have a real democracy because people are not free, because we have too many taxes and government impose us a lot of unfair rules and payments.

In My opinion that is not true. In most developed countries we do have democracies, we do have what we chose and the taxes we pay are the taxes we "asked for".

If we don’t agree we should vote differently (in parties that defend that freedom, less taxes, etc.), and if we think “nothing is different” we shouldn't participate in the political regime (so, if your country forces you to vote, than, maybe you do not live in a democracy, at least that’s my opinion).

Most countries do not force us to vote, so if we don’t agree there are several ways to show. Not to vote, vote blank, make a null vote. We have the means to show and demand the system we want. But most people do want what we have. Most people want “free stuff”, so we have to pay for that "free stuff", so we have a lot of taxes. Most people want social security and welfare for those that don't work (whether it is because they, or because they just don’t want to), so we have to pay a lot of taxes to keep that welfare, and so on.

We have the system most people want, so we can’t complain and say this is not a democracy. It is, for most developed countries. We may complain about our lack of freedom, it's true, we are not free but that’s because we don't want to be.

+Politics +Democracy +Vote +Conservatives +Republicans +Democrats +Socialism + freedom

Tax the rich and give it to the poor

(posted originally on Bubblews)

But when do we stop taxing the rich? when is it just considered steal? when is it just too much?

who are we to determine what the rich need or what is fair? How did the rich became rich? why taking from someone who worked hard to get there? or are we assuming all rich are thief's?

Now compare yourself to third world countries and/or to people poorer than you (people with no home, no internet access)... You are the rich one? should we tax you, take from you (who have so much in comparison) to give to all those poor? and how much do we take from you? how much is it fair?

When deciding what is fair just try to walk in someone else's shoes... but walk in both, in the richer than you and in the poorer and then decide what you want to the world, and then "be the chance you want to see"... YOU are rich! if you think the rich should give, than start giving yourself, don't force other to do it. Others you know nothing about!

This post was inspired by another one written by &ronlemco

+RICH +POOR +Politics +Liberalism +Economics +Socialism

I agree with David Cameron on immigration

(originally posted on Bubblews)

David Cameron "used his long-awaited immigration speech to insist that curbs on tax credits, child benefits, job-seekers allowance and council housing will be a key demand for his talks on renegotiating Britain's EU membership." 

"- Working migrants will not get tax credits and council houses for four years

- Jobless migrants offered no support and kicked out after six months 

- Prime Minister insists his ideas are not 'outlandish' and need to be heard"

I'm Portuguese, and as I said before I do love the UK and if I could (I can't for a number of reasons) I would go there. But I think Cameron is right in what he is proposing.

British tax payers shouldn't be forced to have their taxes increased because of people coming from outside that never contributed but are asking for Welfare.

I believe the EU will not allow this to happen, though, but, to be fair, I think they should not only allow it, but also make it a rule to all countries.

If you go to a country to work, improve your live and contribute, you will not give up going there if they don't give you those benefits. More: If I migrated anywhere it would never cross my mind to ask for benefits, to exploit tax payers that way.

And anyway you still have the access to the health system, education, protection, infrastructures that are probably better than in the country where you came from.

What is poverty nowadays?

(posted originally on Bubblews)

People tend to say, to write on social media: "I'm poor". But what does that mean, really?

Well, you obviously have access to a computer and the internet. You post about photograph, about selfies with your cellphone, sometimes even about travelling. Yeah, you probably backpack all over Europe or America and you consider yourself "poor" and even your own country considers yourself one of the poor in the statistics that alarm so many people.

But what does our poverty really mean? Do YOU feel poor, or do you just say you are not to offend other people who also think they are?

What is really poverty in Eastern Europe and North America? Are we all just spoilt Brats?

We are the 99%? Are we?
(posted originally on Bubblews)

I hear, too many times, people complaining about their lives in strikes and demonstrations, screaming to the top of their lungs: "We are the 99%!". Because the 1% richer own about 35% of the richness. Implying that they have to give it to us, the 99%... Doesn't matter how they got it, we must get what they have because we are the 99% and we are poor?

Are we?

Are you, sitting in your chair, in your home, reading this in your computer with internet connection, poor?

What people don't say, or ignore, or don't want to know is that if you earn more than 10 dollars a day you are in the top 20% of the wealthiest people in the world! if you have 5 dollars a day you are in the top 60%! About half of the world don't have 2,5 dollars a day to live, but you are worried about those 1%.

Shouldn't you be worrying about the 80% above you? shouldn't you be worrying about the 60% above you? and the 50% above you? Why do you want those 1% to give you when, by your own logic, you should be giving to the 80% poorer than you?

Are you really the 99%?! don't you thing claiming that is offensive to the 60 to 80% people poorer than you?

Steal the rich and give to the poor

(originally posted on Bubblews)

Months ago the Labour Party (United Kingdom) proposed a "Mansion Tax". Labour leader Ed Miliband said that owners of properties worth more than £2m would face an annual charge. A big charge.

Nowadays most of London homes worth more than £2m and a lot of £2m mansions are family houses, belonging to the same family for years and years, that were bought in a time when they worth much less, and now you have people with "normal" incomes that may be paying a luxury tax just because their house happens to be worth a lot.

So, if labour wins the next election, you will be forcing people to sell their homes because they won't afford to pay the tax of the home they bought years ago...

In my opinion income taxes and property taxes are a way for "us" to steal from those who worked harder, were luckier, are successful. You steal them and called it "social justice" and "equality".

People should not be punished for their success.