I think Gates is just saying we can’t undo the great progress we have made.

Yeah after I posted, I looked it up. We would have to have zero murders in 2.5 months. That seems unlikely.

Hmm…is our total tax system (not just federal system) really more progressive than other OECD countries?

I feel like most states have a VAT, it is called a sales tax.

Also taxing the working poor does not even bring in much revenue.

Sigh, not the set of thing we should be disincentivizing.

tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/earl...

No, I knew a ton of folks who went last time .. but most of them did not seem to go back this year.

If PPS had to spend millions bailing out PERS this year (despite record stock market returns), I can’t imagine what it might owe if market returns remain negative this year.

lol, did I say five days a week? We have Portland supervisors in charge of public safety who live in Nevada!

So many industries are sustained by full out addicts.

20 years!

opb.org/article/2025...

Inexpensive electric cars would be a huge boon to the working class. It would certainly hurt autoworkers but given the broad based economic benefits (not to mention the environmental lift) I think it might be a good thing.

I think I’m going insane.

It is better than much of the rest of the developed world, but not nearly at replacement levels.