Originally Posted by JMintzer (Post 2085227)

Why is my name in your quote?

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2085255)

If I were fortunate enough to have children or grand children, I would love him or her the same as I loved her or him. My approval of their choices is not required for my love. That's just the way I am.

Originally Posted by Two Bills (Post 2085257)

Because you are a sweatshop owner, and make Nike shoes with all those other countries!!:ohdear:

Originally Posted by Zenmama18 (Post 2085132)

How about if your daughter/granddaughter loses out on a rowing scholarship to Laurie Laughlin's daughter? Or loses a gymnastics scholarship to the girlfriend of a football recruit? The point is that a talented athlete will have other choices for scholarships.

Originally Posted by MartinSE (Post 2084960)

In Sweden, MOST (not all) people pay only local tax which ranges between 29.08 and 35.15 per cent depending on municipality, on their annual income. In addition earners above a certain income threshold set by the Tax Agency also pay 20 per cent state tax.

The Swedish tax system includes a so-called basic deduction, a sum that is exempt from the taxable income. The sum differs depending on whether a person is under or over 65, see link above.

So, if you make less than the basic deduction you pay no taxes, sort of like here.

And for the VAT, the standard VAT rate for goods and services in Sweden is 25 per cent, but there are reduced rates of 12 per cent for foodstuffs and 6 percent for books, newspapers, passenger transport within Sweden.

So, lets take the high road, and say citizens in Sweden pay 55% (35% local and 20% state). On top some pay as much as 25% VAT. Kind of a "sales" tax which is sort of like sales tax here. Which runs depending on state between 8% and 12%(?) not sure.

Now, Federal tax rate goes from 0% to 35%, state tax rates vary, CA is highest at 12%, then 9000 local jurisdictions have local income tax up to 3%. So, add those up and your get 50% income tax max for US Citizens. (Let's not quibble over the 40,000 pages of Federal tax code and all the possible infinite variety of marginal rates).

Two things pop out in Sweden you pay more VATG than we pay in sales tax. Agreed.

Second using the highest rates, in the US and Sweden, in Sweden you would pay 55% income tax, and in the US you pay 50%. For that 5% you get Universal healthcare - well, not just you EVERYONE. You (everyone) also gets unemployment compensation, which benefit consists of two parts: a basic unemployment insurance and a voluntary income related benefit. If you retire you are covered by their state run pension plan, which unlike private pension plans in the US which trend to go bankrupt leaving workers holding the bag.

Anyway it goes on and on. The bottom line, Sweden pays MORE taxes, but if you include Heath Insurance in the US, we actually pay a LOT more than they do. And it covers everyone, not like here with 30 million Americans uninsured for healthcare, and vastly more under insured because of massive deductibles and not covered issues. And let's not go into how much better their healthcare outcomes are.

I am not sure what you point of bring up Sweden, but they are far better off than US citizen both in what they pay, and what they get for what they pay.

At least that is my humble opinion.

Originally Posted by blueash (Post 2084471)

All you experts in a man is a man and a woman is a woman... What is a person with XXY chromosomes? What is a person with XO? What is a person with XYY? What is a person with ovotestes? What is a person who has cliteromegaly that mimics in all respects a small phallus? What is a person whose brain tells them beyond any shadow of a doubt they are a woman? You experts are so certain in your ignorance and intolerance. The genders are not as simple as you wish or your church may have taught you. It is very complex and the exceptions to your wrongheaded wisdom prove the fallacy of your beliefs.

Of course you would support forcing teachers not to teach the truth about gender identity because telling children the truth would threaten your so tightly held beliefs. There is every color of the rainbow in human expression and experience of sexuality and gender.

And any corporation that understands how the emerging picture of the complexity of gender must be boycotted. Cancel culture I believe is the term the thought police use on TV

Originally Posted by jimjamuser (Post 2085273)

That was an impressive analysis of Sweden's tax system and hints at the country's philosophy. I know that Sweden beats the US in qualities like UPWARD MOBILITY. The Nordic countries place in the top 5 or 10 of all countries for various qualities of life. The US places below 20th and often below 30th in world lists. (do NOT just believe me, but check for yourself) The US was the top country in the world after WW2. But, due to various causes, has dropped steadily thereafter! Personally, my favorite issues for problems are unrestrained population growth and lack of nationalized health care........but, there are many othet problems.
.........Blaming shoe advertizers and a tiny % of the population like GENDER FLUID people, seems, to me, to be a "blame game" type distraction that allows people to MISS the real cause of their problems (besides aging).

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2085279)

GENDER FLUID????? I can't find the fill tube. Is that located between the power brake and automatic transmission fluids???? And since pink and blue are already taken, as is green for antifreeze, what color is "gender fluid"?:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC (Post 2085265)

Sorry now have my wife making my sneakers and all of our friends. She works hard but if we leave the A/C on is she working in a sweatshop? Asking for a friend.

Originally Posted by macawlaw (Post 2085140)

I have a daughter who had a D1 volleyball full ride. I wondered how this issue would/could potentially affect her. So, I went looking for statistics. I have found a lot of opinion, but very few facts.

Here are a few facts. Multiple sources agree that .6% to .7% of American adults identify as transgender. This is fewer than 2 million American adults. Not that many.

Another fact: only 7% of high school athletes play a varsity sport in college. Less than 2% will play at D1 schools. Scholarship Stats.com states that it's 55:1 for men and 57:1 for women who play D1 after high school.

Looking at the factual statistics, very few trans individuals would make it to the D1 level.

This is a small number, and the very elite numbers are even smaller.

Lia, the trans swimmer, started a fire storm. I also saw a story about Chelsea Mitchell, a Connecticut high school runner.

Having watched volleyball for years and observing the differences between men and women and how they play, I know the physical advantage that men who have gone through puberty have over women in the sport.

What I did not know was what happens when a man transitions. What do the drugs do to him? How many years does one have to be on them in order to compete as a woman? Who makes these decisions? I wanted specifics: What does lack of testosterone do as far as strength, jumping ability, times, etc.?

I don't know because I could not find the statistics. There is a severe lack of information on these issues. How do we know what is fair when there is nothing but feelings and emotions to make a decision?

Lia won the national title, but Katie Ledecky still holds the world record. Mitchell lost to two trans girls in 2021, but beat both of them in 2020. Do these facts make a difference?

Title IX did so much for women. The argument now is that transgender women will ruin it for women such as my daughter. Maybe it will. Maybe it won't. Until hard evidence is available, opinions will prevail.

Originally Posted by RayMan (Post 2085228)

You embrace her, show her respect...and enjoy your game. That simple!

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2085279)

GENDER FLUID????? I can't find the fill tube. Is that located between the power brake and automatic transmission fluids???? And since pink and blue are already taken, as is green for antifreeze, what color is "gender fluid"?:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Originally Posted by MartinSE (Post 2084960)

In Sweden, MOST (not all) people pay only local tax which ranges between 29.08 and 35.15 per cent depending on municipality, on their annual income. In addition earners above a certain income threshold set by the Tax Agency also pay 20 per cent state tax.

The Swedish tax system includes a so-called basic deduction, a sum that is exempt from the taxable income. The sum differs depending on whether a person is under or over 65, see link above.

So, if you make less than the basic deduction you pay no taxes, sort of like here.

And for the VAT, the standard VAT rate for goods and services in Sweden is 25 per cent, but there are reduced rates of 12 per cent for foodstuffs and 6 percent for books, newspapers, passenger transport within Sweden.

So, lets take the high road, and say citizens in Sweden pay 55% (35% local and 20% state). On top some pay as much as 25% VAT. Kind of a "sales" tax which is sort of like sales tax here. Which runs depending on state between 8% and 12%(?) not sure.

Now, Federal tax rate goes from 0% to 35%, state tax rates vary, CA is highest at 12%, then 9000 local jurisdictions have local income tax up to 3%. So, add those up and your get 50% income tax max for US Citizens. (Let's not quibble over the 40,000 pages of Federal tax code and all the possible infinite variety of marginal rates).

Two things pop out in Sweden you pay more VATG than we pay in sales tax. Agreed.

Second using the highest rates, in the US and Sweden, in Sweden you would pay 55% income tax, and in the US you pay 50%. For that 5% you get Universal healthcare - well, not just you EVERYONE. You (everyone) also gets unemployment compensation, which benefit consists of two parts: a basic unemployment insurance and a voluntary income related benefit. If you retire you are covered by their state run pension plan, which unlike private pension plans in the US which trend to go bankrupt leaving workers holding the bag.

Anyway it goes on and on. The bottom line, Sweden pays MORE taxes, but if you include Heath Insurance in the US, we actually pay a LOT more than they do. And it covers everyone, not like here with 30 million Americans uninsured for healthcare, and vastly more under insured because of massive deductibles and not covered issues. And let's not go into how much better their healthcare outcomes are.

I am not sure what you point of bring up Sweden, but they are far better off than US citizen both in what they pay, and what they get for what they pay.

At least that is my humble opinion.

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan (Post 2084933)

I DO NOT go into public bathrooms unless it’s a single stall and I can lock the doors; it’s one less place where I don’t have to deal with them.

Are you looking?