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"Why should one be forced to pay rent or buy food?" Well, you're not. You don't have to exist. I kinda like existing, though. Yes, yes, utopian society and al

by s73ver 9y ago

"Why should one be forced to pay rent or buy food?" Well, you're not. You don't have to exist. I kinda like existing, though. Yes, yes, utopian society and all that. It's the way things exist now, and while it can be fun to imagine a world without it, it's not entirely practical when trying to figure out a problem for those displaced from automation. "I do not advocate welfare with this, just elimination of as much financial pressure as possible. Eliminating rents is the first step IMHO. This includes phasing out mortgages, which are rents on money that only serve to inflate home prices thereby increasing demand for loans. On this point I am not totally convinced, but I think gradually reducing the percent of sale price than can be borrowed would be a start. I don't know if lowering that to zero is actually optimal, but I suspect 50 percent would be better than where we are today." So nobody but the uber wealthy can buy houses? And how do you eliminate the rent when I live in an apartment?

phkahler 9y ago
>> So nobody but the uber wealthy can buy houses? Adjust that so nobody but the wealthy can afford to build a NEW house. We already have it that the poor generally buy used cars (or buy with bad deals, negative equity etc...). If there were no loans then there would probably be an eventual housing shortage, but we currently have people over extending themselves just to get in the game. As housing prices fall, your rent will too. But I'm in favor of doing as much as possible to eliminate rentals as well. As an example, look at the housing bubble forming in the bay area. If people had to put down 50 percent of the purchase price, they would not be able to afford todays prices and the prices would come down.
- s73ver 9y ago
  "Adjust that so nobody but the wealthy can afford to build a NEW house. We already have it that the poor generally buy used cars (or buy with bad deals, negative equity etc...). If there were no loans then there would probably be an eventual housing shortage, but we currently have people over extending themselves just to get in the game." Housing shortages tend to RAISE prices, not lower them. And no, I'm not going to adjust my statement, as it reflects current reality. You adjust your response. "As housing prices fall, your rent will too." There's not much to indicate this would be true. "But I'm in favor of doing as much as possible to eliminate rentals as well." So while I'm busy not being able to buy a house, where do I live? "As an example, look at the housing bubble forming in the bay area. If people had to put down 50 percent of the purchase price, they would not be able to afford todays prices and the prices would come down." That's assuming there aren't people buying those houses.

by s73ver 9y ago

phkahler 9y ago

>> So nobody but the uber wealthy can buy houses? Adjust that so nobody but the wealthy can afford to build a NEW house. We already have it that the poor generally buy used cars (or buy with bad deals, negative equity etc...). If there were no loans then there would probably be an eventual housing shortage, but we currently have people over extending themselves just to get in the game. As housing prices fall, your rent will too. But I'm in favor of doing as much as possible to eliminate rentals as well. As an example, look at the housing bubble forming in the bay area. If people had to put down 50 percent of the purchase price, they would not be able to afford todays prices and the prices would come down.

s73ver 9y ago
"Adjust that so nobody but the wealthy can afford to build a NEW house. We already have it that the poor generally buy used cars (or buy with bad deals, negative equity etc...). If there were no loans then there would probably be an eventual housing shortage, but we currently have people over extending themselves just to get in the game." Housing shortages tend to RAISE prices, not lower them. And no, I'm not going to adjust my statement, as it reflects current reality. You adjust your response. "As housing prices fall, your rent will too." There's not much to indicate this would be true. "But I'm in favor of doing as much as possible to eliminate rentals as well." So while I'm busy not being able to buy a house, where do I live? "As an example, look at the housing bubble forming in the bay area. If people had to put down 50 percent of the purchase price, they would not be able to afford todays prices and the prices would come down." That's assuming there aren't people buying those houses.