Ridiculing Religion or Religion of Ridicule

hamidm: This is an example of what is meant by External Costs: Getting Joe the Plumber to his office (e.g. McCains clogged toilet that Joe the Plumber is going to fix for $250k) requires Internal Costs (i.e. gas for the car, which Plumber pays the gas station), and External Costs (i.e. the street, which Plumber pays the government as Income Tax). OK?

Here is your homework assignment: Name ten other types of costs that are needed to get Joe the Plumber and the broken toilet together.

Re: # 45

urstruly,

welcome back! .... how is life in a cave on the pak-afghan border ..... in case you decide to come back to civilization my offer still stands even though i am a little short of change because of the collapse of the western capitalist system ..... i hold you moslems personally responsible for this - you guys have been praying five times a day for the destruction of the united states ...... damn! you guys and your moon god are good !

With apology to the writer of this article:

I am looking for SR; I haven't seen him around since the economy of the whole country has been fukked up by soodkhors. I value his opinion. Where is he???

oh i just realized that its a movie not a book -see what i mean.

I saw Maher on JOhn Stewarts' The Daily show, touting his book. He sounded below average in intellect; regurgitating the evasive outbursts that atheists usually make and are only capable of; kind of like our hamidm here. I am not going to spend my dime to read his innanities - no thanks.

Re: # 40

tahmed,

... call me dense but what the heck are you talking about ..."the money they (or anyone) makes involves external costs of production" ...... what external costs of production ?? .... joe the plumber pays his bills - utilities, labor, parts and tips for the strippers at his brother-in-law's bachelor party ..... what hasn't he paid for ? ... why should he pay for masadi's cheese

Mr. Masadi: I look forward to an illuminating discussion with you on Marxism...but...after you have read up on it, per what I wrote at the end of #32.

tahmed writes "Because, O Hamidm the Plumber, the money they (or anyone) makes involves external costs of production...(sigh) "

That is not it o janitor of the West, it is because the money they make is traced to the surplus that those without the money have contributed to, and the privilege and power that big money has been able to muster to consolidate their privilege.

Have a nice day and take it easy,

TNI Masadi.

Hamid writes ".. tahmed mian did not say " marx's theory" .. he said "marxist" ..... think about it - it is the same theory that is being pushed by obama and his communist economic advisors ........."

It cannot be the same theory "of development" because that does not figure out in Marx's cosmology...

Have a nice day and take it easy

TNI Masadi

hamidm #37 " why should people be taxed on the money they make ? "

Because, O Hamidm the Plumber, the money they (or anyone) makes involves external costs of production...(sigh)

Khurram writes "Again, who determines what is beyond the need"

If your a$$ is getting fatter because you are eating beyond your need, you should quit eating...In a classless society it would be very easy to determine basic needs, everyone will get a free Harvard education...

Have a nice day and take it easy,

TNI Masadi

Khurram writes "This is the same fallacious argument that there is no democracy in Islam becuase sovereignty belongs to God."

Actually I believe that there is democracy in Islam, which is a completely different discussion to "ownership". Instead of dealing what I wrote 100% from the Quran you try to deflect the argument into absurd directions. There is democracy in Islam because God has put his sovereignty on hold where it concerns humanity by giving them 'free will'and the basic tools (and they are very basic) based on which they can align themselves with the material conditions of the wider universe in which God is sovereign. Otherwise there would be no purpose behind the creation of a conscious being like man. Of course the state will initiate the redistribution function but once the people develop that consciousness of not being owners but trustees the state will not have to play any role. Petty bourgeoisie Pakistanis like your good self worry about the state taking your money as Zakat that is why the bugs in your a$$ start acting out....

Have a nice day and if you have to rebut my arguments deal with what I write rather than deflect them towards absurd directions.

TNI Masadi

Re: # 31

teddy roosevelt might be a darling of the conservatives but he was a communist ! ... people should not be penalized for making more money .... i am against any kind of income tax - why should people be taxed on the money they make ? ..... they should be taxed on consumption - that sounds fair to me ....... it is the old 'you want to dance, you have to pay the fiddler' principle ......

Re: masadi #18,
"everything beyond the needs is to be spent as redistribution"

Again, who determines what is beyond the need and who distributes it? Is it the individual, acting through private charity? Or is the State that makes the decision for him? That makes all the difference.

masadai #18,
"There is btw no private ownership in Islam, ownership belongs to God and humans are mere trustees.."
This is the same fallacious argument that there is no democracy in Islam becuase sovereignty belongs to God.

The real question is who are the trustees (or agents) of God? If you believe it is the individual, then you believe in individual property rights and democracy.

If you believe it is the community as a whole, or the State acting on behalf of the community, then you are a socialist or communist.

If you believe it is some class of people (e.g. clergy) or some special individual (king, khalifa, imam etc.) then you are a theocrat or a monarchist etc.

Just saying that ownership (or sovereignty) belongs to God is nether here nor there.

hamidm: you will be pleased to know that this financial crisis has indirectly helped spread some of your wealth around to the rest of us. Hope that makes you feel better. :-)