# Debaser, you've never been poor. Can't say the same about "presumptuous cockweed", though **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 19, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651 "2013-10-19T14:02:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/81 "2013-10-20T01:39:36Z")
> [@cornopean](#): > > No. It appears to me that the Great Depression rates were the highest sustained unemployment in US history. Really? And what would change if your realized your impressions were wrong? ---
**Author:** ![cornopean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cornopean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornopean)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/82 "2013-10-20T01:40:23Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Got your list for post #50 yet? How about just 3 countries that qualify? I get that data from the Index of Economic Freedom: [Index of Economic Freedom: All Country Scores | The Heritage Foundation](http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking) ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/83 "2013-10-20T01:40:36Z")
> [@cornopean](#): > > That chart wasn’t all that useful to your argument, was it? 🙂 Wow, you’re a moron. ---
**Author:** ![cornopean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cornopean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornopean)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/84 "2013-10-20T01:41:29Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Really? And what would change if your realized your impressions were wrong? am I wrong? I am happy to be corrected. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/85 "2013-10-20T01:41:50Z")
> [@cornopean](#): > > I get that data from the Index of Economic Freedom: [Index of Economic Freedom: All Country Scores | The Heritage Foundation](http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking) And which ones qualify for your post #50? ---
**Author:** ![cornopean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cornopean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornopean)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/86 "2013-10-20T01:42:32Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Wow, you’re a moron. Do you concede that unemployment was basically zero during the 20s and that it was much higher during the 30s? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/87 "2013-10-20T01:43:20Z")
Just a reminder for you: > [@cornopean](#): > > We know for a fact that countries with high amounts of economic freedom are more prosperous, take better care of the enviroment, have more human rights for minorities, etc. etc. Would you say that Hong Kong or Singapore qualify? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/88 "2013-10-20T01:44:07Z")
> [@cornopean](#): > > am I wrong? I am happy to be corrected. Yes, you are wrong. That shouldn’t surprise you, because every single factual statement you have made has been wrong. Let me just say, I love the way your opinion never changes, no matter how your understanding of the facts does. You’re impervious to knowledge. I mean, you could probably learn to parrot facts, but it will never affect your behavior. Basically, you’re not much smarter than a tape recorder. ---
**Author:** ![cornopean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cornopean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornopean)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/89 "2013-10-20T01:44:57Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And which ones qualify for your post #50? The index makes clear that countries with high amounts of economic freedom (that would be those countries with a score closer to 1) are better at human rights, more prosperous, enviro friendly, etc. than countries with little economic freedom. Take Africa. What is the most prosperous country in Africa? Most people say Botswana. Now ask yourself…what country has the greatest amount of economic freedom? Also Botswana. Take South America. Chile is generally considered to be the most prosperous country in SA. No surprise that it is also the freest. Anyone seeing the correlation between liberty and prosperity? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/90 "2013-10-20T01:45:21Z")
> [@cornopean](#): > > ok…fine. But some things are just so clear. We know for a fact that countries with high amounts of economic freedom are more prosperous, take better care of the enviroment, have more human rights for minorities, etc. etc. You have been asked repeatedly which countries you mean, yet you refuse to answer that very simple question. Are you talking about Liechtenstein (pop 35,000) and Monaco (pop 36,000)? Because while being a money laundry, a tax haven for companies operating in other countries but having only a post box locally, and a producer of collectible postage stamps can work for a couple miniscule countries, it doesn’t scale up. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/91 "2013-10-20T01:45:33Z")
> [@cornopean](#): > > Do you concede that unemployment was basically zero during the 20s and that it was much higher during the 30s? You really don’t understand why this is a stupid question, do you? I really am starting to feel sorry for you. Let me ask you a question; did American history begin in 1890? ---
**Author:** ![cornopean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cornopean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornopean)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/92 "2013-10-20T01:46:09Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Yes, you are wrong. That shouldn’t surprise you, because every single factual statement you have made has been wrong. > > Let me just say, I love the way your opinion never changes, no matter how your understanding of the facts does. You’re impervious to knowledge. I mean, you could probably learn to parrot facts, but it will never affect your behavior. Basically, you’re not much smarter than a tape recorder. I am not yet aware of you proving incorrect any of the facts which I have asserted. ? ---
**Author:** ![cornopean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cornopean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornopean)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/93 "2013-10-20T01:47:12Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > You really don’t understand why this is a stupid question, do you? I really am starting to feel sorry for you. > > Let me ask you a question; did American history begin in 1890? No. but it does appear that accurate data about unemployment doesn’t exist from the earlier times. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/94 "2013-10-20T01:47:12Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Yes, you are wrong. That shouldn’t surprise you, because every single factual statement you have made has been wrong. > > Let me just say, I love the way your opinion never changes, no matter how your understanding of the facts does. You’re impervious to knowledge. I mean, you could probably learn to parrot facts, but it will never affect your behavior. Basically, you’re not much smarter than a tape recorder. Maybe he was home-schooled. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/95 "2013-10-20T01:47:59Z")
> [@cornopean](#): > > I am not yet aware of you proving incorrect any of the facts which I have asserted. ? You mean like the “fact” you asserted that unemployment was zero in the 1920s? Followed buy your acknowledgement that there was a recession in 1921 with a 17% unemployment rate (that lasted into 1922). Followed by your re-assertion that unemployment was zero in the 1920s? Did you ever star in Memento? ---
**Author:** ![cornopean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cornopean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornopean)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/96 "2013-10-20T01:48:24Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > You have been asked repeatedly which countries you mean, yet you refuse to answer that very simple question. Are you talking about Liechtenstein (pop 35,000) and Monaco (pop 36,000)? Because while being a money laundry, a tax haven for companies operating in other countries but having only a post box locally, and a producer of collectible postage stamps can work for a couple miniscule countries, it doesn’t scale up. I referenced Botswana and Chile in previous posts. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/97 "2013-10-20T01:49:39Z")
> [@cornopean](#): > > No. but it does appear that accurate data about unemployment doesn’t exist from the earlier times. You really do need me to give you some terms to Google, don’t you? I can if you think it will help. Do you think learning that the great depression wasn’t the longest American depression alter your worldview at all? For some reason I’m guessing not. ---
**Author:** ![cornopean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cornopean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornopean)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/98 "2013-10-20T01:50:02Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > You mean like the “fact” you asserted that unemployment was zero in the 1920s? Followed buy your acknowledgement that there was a recession in 1921 with a 17% unemployment rate (that lasted into 1922). Followed by your re-assertion that unemployment was zero in the 1920s? > > Did you ever star in Memento? my assertion was that in the 20s, unemployment was virtually zero. by the way, do you know what “zero unemployment” means (hint: it doesn’t mean the rate is 0)? [Full employment - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_employment) ---
**Author:** ![cornopean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cornopean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornopean)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/99 "2013-10-20T01:51:34Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > You really do need me to give you some terms to Google, don’t you? I can if you think it will help. > > Do you think learning that the great depression wasn’t the longest American depression alter your worldview at all? For some reason I’m guessing not. Ok either this chart is inaccurate or it is correct. If it is correct, then it does appear that the Great Depression was the highest unemployment in US history. [File:US Unemployment 1890-2009.gif - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_Unemployment_1890-2009.gif) but I am still not sure I get your argument here. Assuming that the Great Depression was not the highest unemployment, what does that prove? Give me the conclusion of your argument for which this fact is the premise. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651/100 "2013-10-20T01:52:32Z")
> [@cornopean](#): > > my assertion was that in the 20s, unemployment was virtually zero. by the way, do you know what “zero unemployment” means (hint: it doesn’t mean the rate is 0)? [Full employment - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_employment) First, I am much more educated in economics than you are. Probably everything else as well. Second you have provided a link to “full employment” which, you will probably not note, is not the same phrase as “zero unemployment”. I know, that’s just another pesky fact. Third, explain to me how 17% is practically zero, please. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debaser-youve-never-been-poor-cant-say-the-same-about-presumptuous-cockweed-though/671651.md?page=6)