Starship Troopers and the Right to Vote

Making It Up As I Go..... ^ | November 7, 2011 | Dan Thompson

[ExGeeEye]

Without the vote, there is no representation, and

Taxation without representation...

...well, you know the rest.

[DuncanWaring]

Didn’t you pay in to Social Security ...

Ida Mae Fuller "paid in" $22 during her working career; in retirement, she collected $22,000.

[2ndDivisionVet]

That was in the 1930’s when the program was first instituted, correct? That’s not happening anymore, is it?

[DuncanWaring]

You meant “15th and 19th”, right?

[DuncanWaring]

She was the first Social Security recipient, and probably the most imbalanced in terms of payments vs. receipts.

But, for many decades after that, retirees collected an amount equal to their lifetime payments within the first two or three years of their retirement.

Future retirees will never get back their “investment”.

I’m not retirement age yet, and I’ve been the max in FICA payments for most of the last 30 years. I’m not likely to collect what I’ve paid.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Join the club.

[DuncanWaring]

Getting to be a fairly large club, isn’t it?

Social Security needs to go away.

[DuncanWaring]

Perhaps you recall that a man attempted to get a ruling that he was legally dead overturned.

I remember that story.

Did that mean that if someone actually killed him, they could not be charged with murder as you can't kill someone who is already dead?

[SatinDoll]

Yeah, probably. I have a copy of the Constitution right here and I was just too lazy to look it up. Shame on me.

[donmeaker]

I wonder if there is a double jeopardy defense available for him.

[Swordmaker]

Not unless he “killed” him the first time. . .

[DakotaGator]

A great Mark Twain excerpt which I had not encountered. As usual, Clemens provides delightful humor with much food for thought.

Thanks for the ping. And make sure you visit South Dakota sometime. Am sure it will be an enjoyable addition to your travelogue.

[donmeaker]

I am told there are some really big stone carvings that are popular there.

And some oil field jobs. I may get there in a few years.

[donmeaker]

I guess he is stuck with the “lure them to the Idaho part of Yellowstone” approach if he wants to murder someone.

[donmeaker]

Black freedmen were permitted to vote in NC until 1835.

Women got the vote first in Wyoming. They thought it would lure some women there, and the cowboys were lonely.

[DakotaGator]

Seems I remember some mention about stone carvings. Probably a good thing to check out!

Oil fields & jobs are really booming in North Dakota. Also there’s activity in northwestern South Dakota. Good opportunities in spite of federal government resistance.

Enjoy your travels.