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rethomas's comments:
on Live from Salem
In actuality it might be beneficial to Oregon if the richest 1% did move... while their taxes represent somewhere around 20-30% of the state's revenue, they also have the most volatile incomes so that in a downturn the state ends up with a large revenue gap. If they all left, the state would have to raise the lost revenue on the rest of us, but the revenue stream might be more stable.
posted 2 years, 1 month ago
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on Live from Salem
Florida, Nevada and Texas are similar options... and warmer :-)
posted 2 years, 1 month ago
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on Live from Salem
Absolutely nothing wrong with that idea... the need for more research is obvious :-)
posted 2 years, 1 month ago
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on Live from Salem
Thinking a little further... another alternative is to cap the income of the richest 1% (perhaps by income averaging).
posted 2 years, 1 month ago
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on Live from Salem
I'd like to ask the legislature by what means they plan to stabilize the fluctuations in state income?
I finally read an article:(http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704604704576220491592684626.html) that explained the volatility and backed it with data. In essence and without taking sides, the more we tax the rich, the more volatility we get because the rich have volatile incomes.
So what are more stable sources of income that are "flatter" during downtimes?
Sales Taxes? Maybe, but folks will spend less in down times.
Property Taxes? Maybe, unless large deltas between value and assessment.
Fee's? Likely, if it's something everyone needs/does.
Gas Tax? Likely, massive conservation will have negative impact... and then the state can hike fee's on electrics (like Washington is proposing).
Other ideas?
The state should have data on what declines and what doesn't decline as much in down times... figure out what those are and tax them... couple that with a rainy-day fund and we might do a better job of getting thru the next one.
posted 2 years, 1 month ago
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on Health Care Changes
I'll take the Swiss, German, French or Finnish healthcare systems, but please don't stick me with the one they have in the UK or Canada. I don't want to have to wait that long for treatment and I don't want an arbitrary government bureaucracy deciding which drug's are appropriate/not-appropriate for my illness. Example: if NICE, Britain's clinical body that decides (can involve age, expected life extension and contribution during extended life) that a particular drug for your cancer treatment isn't cost effective, you're SOL... nice.
Admittedly here it's not much better when people are priced out of treatment options... but personally I'd rather be faced with a funding problem than a faceless, namesless bureaucrat.
As to whether medicare is good enough for my parents... as long as you're willing to fight for your treatment options... agreed.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Live from Salem
True, but they're a nice break from MRE's. (tongue in cheek)
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Suggest a Show
How about a show discussing the potential fallout coming our way from Japan's troubled nuclear plants?
Japan's meterorological agency is reporting "good news" that the prevailing wind in the affected area's was blowing east into the pacific, which should help carry away the radiation... Gee thanks...
The US carrier and other 7th fleet ships in the area are being moved after one of their relief choppers came back showing low-level radiation exposure.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on International Students in Oregon
While in my heart I agree with your sentiment to support those fighting for their freedom, practical considerations (given we're already engaged in two wars) make me ask who would pay for it? Regardless whether I'd like to or not, we can't afford to be the world's super hero anymore.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Sealing the Cracks in Foster Care
"Up to 40% of all Americans have some diagnosable psychiatric illness"
This stuck with me... So I took notice when Consumer Reports recently quoted 14%... would it be possible for you to share the source of the 40%? Thanks in advance!
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Live from Salem
Agreed... they would also be ineffective in an era of mass mobile communications.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Life Review
"Recalling all the memories that made your life worth living, so you can realize you won’t be living it anymore---might this make it harder to leave the party?"
In a word... No. I was with my younger brother when he was dying of cancer... remembering good things and happy moments gave him something to smile about as he faced the darkness... remembering the things that weren't so good (especially between he and I) provided an opportunity for us to make amends and come to closure. It gave him peace.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Life Review
Timely topic... I'm in the process of putting my parent's recollections about their life on a set of DVD's... stories of what the culture was like in their Germany, their WW2 experiences as children, coming to Canada with practically nothing and living the Canadian/American dream, as much as they can remember for a lasting legacy.
In parallel I'm doing something similar myself, at times an incredibly emotional exercise...
One is sort of a running video-letter to my 3yr old. In case anything ever happens to me I want him to know who I was, how I fell for his mum, how much joy he brought into my life, how much I love him and all the practical life-advice I can give him... mistakes I made and how I should have done things better.
Second is a similar video-letter to my wife, again in case I'm gone, laced with supportive messages, remembrances of special times together, all my favorite memories of "us"... along with advice on what to do, who to listen to (and not to listen to) in order to get on with her life.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Suggest a Show
How about a session on academic cheating... which apparently is rampant according to the Portland Tribune: http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=129849991904365300
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Meth Laws: Five Years Later
Not anymore Tom... meth was put into chocolate by the Germans in WW2 (see Fliegerschokolade or Panzerschokolade)... for all I know most of WW2 was meth-enhanced.
Over the past 10yrs other, non-amphetamine, non-caffeine, non-addictive (yet very effective) mental alertness drugs have taken their place in our military (for the most part).
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on Meth Laws: Five Years Later
sorry for not being crystal clear lolo... I was interested in the list of drugs you think children "don't need"... thanks
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on Meth Laws: Five Years Later
I'd like to ask your guests whether it was the Oregon law itself or the combination of the Oregon law and the federal restrictions that has caused the slump in Meth arrests.
I ask because it seems relatively easy to get limited quantities of decongestant in other states as long as one is willing to sign for it.
Second question... where is Meth in Oregon currently coming from (perhaps a statistical breakdown)?
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on Meth Laws: Five Years Later
"educating people as children to learn that they don’t need many drugs"
It sounds like you have a list or a proposal in mind, would you mind sharing it (genuinely curious),
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on The Biomass Question
Curious question (acknowledge that I might have missed something)... we live in a volcanic region, why no discussion of geothermal energy?
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on The Biomass Question
{TIC} As an alternative I'd propose the Bioa$$ initiative... if you're out of work, down on your luck or homeless, you can earn meals and a place to sleep by pedaling a bike (hooked to a generator) for a 6hr shift... 1000people producing a modest 100W average each yields 100KW per hour... keep multiplying to the total number of jobless/homeless (and assuming 4-shifts a day) and it might become meaningful while simultaneously improving the overall health of the population.
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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