: : Don: I am not claiming New Mexico is a failure. That is *your* strawman. I would not hold up any individual state as an example of capitalist success, unless I could show it can support itself. : Can you give an example of a capitalist state that supports itself, or even a transnational corporation that supports itself, Don?
: The US external debt last year was $862 billion.
Don: Due to the fascist system FDR and LBJ saddled us with. Anyway, how much do the various nations of the world owe the US? What is the net balance?
: (as opposed to Russia's $164 billion)
: US corporations take over $1300 per year from each US citizen in tax breaks.
Don: And how much do they pay in taxes? And how are tax breaks taking from US citizens? I am happy when any individual or corporation can reduce the amount of taxes they pay.
: Would you call that "self-sufficient"?; and are you going to admit that, by your yardstick, the US is a failure?...
Don: Not at all. The US is the most successful nation in the world. Agreed, it has too many fascist policies. If the US government started following the Bill of Rights (specifically the 10 th Amendment), the federal government would operate at a surplus with a much smaller tax base. Nevertheless, the debt can't be looked at in isolation. You have to look at the net.
: Farinata.
