Watch out for claims that government spending would "pay for itself". In some cases that's true, but the companies that would get the money will try hard to exaggerate the public savings that would supposedly result. Thus, most of these claims are bogus.

Those arguments are harmful at a deeper level. They inculcate the idea that state's highest priority is to reduce its budget deficit, so it should fund whatever activities will have that effect.

However, if the state considers funding something inessential specifically to make a profit, that shows it's not one of the state's important functions — because those must be done, even though they cost money.

The very idea of insisting on a balanced budget for the state is foolish, since that policy tends to turn any recession into a depression.

The US needs to increase the estate tax and the capital gains tax.

Increasing the estate tax does not necessarily mean increasing the estate tax rate, although that can be done. Primarily it should mean defeating the methods people use to avoid the estate tax.

The motive for taxing capital gains less than ordinary income is to encourage rich people to invest. That's wise, and I agree that the capital gains tax rate should be less than the tax rate on ordinary income.

Therefore, to increase the tax rate on large amounts of capital gains, we should also increase the tax rate on large amounts of ordinary income so that the latter remains higher than the former.

Despite nationalist political movements, internationalism remains strong world-wide, perhaps increasingly so.

Young adults and adolescents are the main recruiting field for terrorist movements on all sides.

A few hundred supporters of the bully rallied in Washington and were outnumbered by Juggalos (supporters of Insane Clown Posse).

I hope the troll doesn't retaliate against the Juggalos for this.