Sociopaths

[Ladewig]

See post 53.



When an organisation (which generally has tax exemption status, i.e. does not pay taxes) is entitled by law to receive tax deductible donations (different but connected concept), in effect gets "government money".

When you say to the tax office "I gave $10,000 to the Church of Scientology, so my income is reduced by this amount" and your marginal tax rate is, say, 50%, in effect you say "instead of giving you $5,000 to spend at the Government's pleasure, I have given your $,5000, plus $5,000 of my own money, to the Church of Scientology, with your blessing."

I had never thought of it that way.

 

[Ladewig]

people who really do think they have some sort of powers. I imagine these people dont get too far money wise with predictions because they don't learn to cold read.

I'll agree with that description. I am not sure if the big names in the industry started out as believing in their powers or not, but I am convinced that people who get as far as having their own show (or regular guest spots on someone else's show) are playing the game and are full of it.

 

[luchog]

My apologies, Luchog, but I still have difficulties following your reasoning.

That's clear enough.

As regards the use of "libertarian", as I expected, you take it to the extreme of being virtually a synonim of anarchist. I repeat my question. Would you care to identify a country with a more libertarian culture than in the US where you would like to live?

Wrong again. You clearly didn't read the links I posted. There are exhaustive defintions of libertarianism posted there, with clear differentiation between minarchist and anarcho-capitalist libertarian political philosophy.. And as previously stated, I'm a minarchist.

I don't see the point in continuing this, since you are clearly not reading or understanding anything I'm posting, completely ignoring the context of the thread, and making the slightest attempt to educate yourself on the concepts involved.

 

[luchog]

Again, I have never heard of that. Could you direct me to the relevant thread?

Can't find the thread, for some reason; but I found the following 501c organizations either incorporated by psychics or supporting psychics, after a quick 30-second Google search:

Profound Awareness Alliance
University Of Metaphysical Sciences
Parapsychological Association

All of these are incorprated as 501(c)3 non-profit corporations, which means they have tax-exempt status, and donations to these organizations are tax-deductible.

Also, are you equating "getting government money" with "not paying taxes"? I see the two as very different.

No, I'm not, which you would know had you bothered to read the post you originally replied to, where I clearly stated money or special privileges, the latter of which would definitely apply to tax-exempt status. An argument could be made that the tax-exempt donations also mean that they're getting tax money indirectly, but I don't think that's a valid argument. By "receiving government money" I'm generally referring to direct funding, such as research or educational grants, which are sometimes done on the state level.

 

[Ladewig]

in a libertarian society, pychics would not get government money or privileges like they do in our current one.

No, I'm not, which you would know had you bothered to read the post you originally replied to, where I clearly stated money or special privileges, the latter of which would definitely apply to tax-exempt status. An argument could be made that the tax-exempt donations also mean that they're getting tax money indirectly, but I don't think that's a valid argument. By "receiving government money" I'm generally referring to direct funding, such as research or educational grants, which are sometimes done on the state level.

I did "bother to read your post", it is just that I had never heard of state or federal funding of psychic research or psychic educational grants. That's why I asked for clarification.

 

[Thinktoomuch]

Wrong again. You clearly didn't read the links I posted. There are exhaustive defintions of libertarianism posted there, with clear differentiation between minarchist and anarcho-capitalist libertarian political philosophy.. And as previously stated, I'm a minarchist.

I don't see the point in continuing this, since you are clearly not reading or understanding anything I'm posting, completely ignoring the context of the thread, and making the slightest attempt to educate yourself on the concepts involved.

Indeed I have been wrong, in assuming your bona fide. As anybody who cares enough to read again your posts in this thread, including yourself, may verify, you :
- ignore evidence of your poor reasoning and/or misunderstanding;
- try to gloss over your glaring "misstatements";
- deliberately twist words: you never previously stated to be a minarchist, you just said "The US is nowhere near a libertarian society, even a minarchist one."
- deliberately hide behind words to avoid answering questions. I ask it again: would you care to mention a better "minarchist" society where you would prefer to live?
- try to defend yourself by accusing everybody who disagrees with you of not appreciating your wisdom and finally
- use this alleged lack of appreciation to try to get out without acknowledging your mistakes.
I hope you too will make a slight "attempt to educate yourself on the concepts involved".