USA, Canada / Poles Living in the Chicago Area [343]

Obama is not in charge now - left 3 years ago. Now it's Crazy Donald the disinfectant drinker.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

I think PO wasted a lot of opportunities in Poland for sure during their time in charge. But overall it was a stable time of good growth and rising incomes.

I think PO were corrupt but I didn't feel democracy was under threat and I didn't feel I was propping up a growing dependent class with my taxes. That is why I strongly think Duda needs to be removed.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Watch this space Spike as it is already happening - most speculators disregard ethics but the largest funds in bond purchases are US pension funds.

These include the state pension funds of California, New York, Illinois, Michigan etc and they all have ethical investment policies in place - this will be right on their radar and rightly so. So taking them out of the market will increase the borrowing cost and reduce the number of people willing to lend to PiS dinosaurs.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

So I notice on my LinkedIn tonight that Dudas words are being shared widely, often by people I didn't think were political. This could have a serious blowback - especially for selling Polish bonds and for Poland's state owned banks - PKO, Alior and Pekao - by depositing money with them you are lending it to the Polish state.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

I didn't know Adrian spoke English - but there is no way he can claim this is fake news.

There will be a few international effects - I expect the US are considering their response. A slap on the wrist to Poland costs them nothing politically at home and I think the US ambassador has very inclusive values. She has been a positive surprise to me.

I also expect some effect on international investment in Polish stock market - of course most international funds left already but the ones who are left will not want To invest in govt owned companies until this blows over.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Well it probably achieved one thing - we are talking about that and not about their pathetic economic response to the pandemic. Where PiS will need to shore up its support is not in the villages but in the new housing on the edges of cities - they did well there in 2015, even among voters in their 20s and 30s. And they won't win more votes there by obsessing about gays.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Dudas words today were disgraceful. This is from the sitting President, not from a fringe candidate. A low moment for Poland.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

The debates should focus on two things - the fact that he is not the real boss and the fact that most businesses have been left to fend for themselves.

Even so I think Duda will be able to get his message across to the old and the stupid.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Mission accomplished with this Karta Rodzina - it gets everyone talking about a divisive but unimportant subject. Focus should be in the way PiS has left business high and dry during this mess and how we recover.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

I have no problem with real asylum seekers - like many on here my own family were refugees once. But I understand some voters are concerned about it so PiS can refuse to take them. Probably won't do them many favors when the next round of cash is being discussed but I'm sure they have taken all the pros and cons into consideration.

I hope the finance minister who also comes from a refugee background is able to talk some sense into them.

As for the miners they have obviously been working in a very dangerous environment so I don't really begrudge them their extra 20 percent but that applies to many others who worked through this period.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Yes that's the biggest question facing Poland today.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

What is the status of TV debates ? A Duda v anyone TV debate would be horrible for him but also might give him a chance to push his message about more handouts.

Off-Topic / Human colonization of space - Where are Poles and Slavs in it ? [10]

Crow - I think we are too busy destroying this world to think about the new ones !

The Serbs can organize the alcohol when we colonize space.

Love / Does Polish guy hide his divorce usually? [7]

No that is not normal behavior.

Law / Opening a Mini Market Store in Poland. Starting cost / Expected monthly income? [22]

To fit it out about 1200 zloty per sqm plus whatever the cost of fridges is.

Rent obviously depends where it is - can vary wildly but should be some good deals at the moment.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Electorally it has been very successful - there is no denying its appeal.

The problem is the long-term sustainability of it. The taxes raised for the keynesian bit have to be paid by people who don't share the right wing values bit.

I would also suggest that keynesianism involves more than just flat handouts - rather investment in infrastructure and services.

And of course long term it leads to inflation and stagnant growth.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Yes but someone has to buy that debt. And if all countries are selling debt at the same time then Poland will be less atttractive. The fact that the government has taken control of the courts and the volatile zloty make it even more difficult.

We do indeed wait for the governments stimulus - but so far I have not received a grosze. . Neither has anyone else I know. I paid my employees, ZUS and other fixed costs for 3 months with no income.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Amiga - can you just confirm that not a grosze of taxpayers money is funding you ? Or any shareholders money from Orlen or KGHM etc which I see have all had huge increases in marketing costs in recent years.

If it's PIS funds then OK but if I'm paying for this I want to know.

BTW being a paid troll is the lowest rung of society - I hope you realize you will be unemployable in a few years

Real Estate / Time limitations to selling a flat in Poland (bought a year ago) [4]

Well that Capital gains tax would only be the case if you were making a profit on the sale - unlikely at the current market prices.

You will have to pay the stamp duty (or sort it out with a buyer) and the notary costs but that should not be a huge amount.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Respect does not come with the office but has to be earned.

He has done nothing to earn it over 5 years. In fact he has no self respect as he allows himself to be a puppet. He is a disgrace to the office and to Poland. He is ignored whenever he attends international functions - other leaders want to speak to the real boss.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Supporting independent voices and then in the second round voting for a ventriloquist dummy.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

I'm a Polish citizen and will be voting in this election. I'm also a taxpayer and holder of Polish govt debt so I am precisely the kind of guy whose money will be handed out.

To provide stimulus you either need to tax or borrow - genuine benefits are healthcare, Functioning legal system, a good education system and good infrastructure. They are all conceptually different from handouts

I have no idea where the Spanish think they will get this money from but if they want to make promises they can go ahead.

If all that was required to stimulate your economy walls and outs then people would have discovered that many years ago and everyone would do it. Unfortunately you need to make things that other people want to buy.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

No - the aim was to encourage the birth rate and it is available to millionaires kids too.

I agree that it has had many positive effects. I'm happy to keep it but we shouldn't be promising more handouts

It hasn't helped the birth rate however - the one thing that will help was the Czechs closing the border a few months ago

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

I see PiS latest idea is a true socialist gem - they want a state owned chain of grocery stores. It's such a dumb idea I assumed it was a parody but seems they are serious about bringing back the golden days of the PRL.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

I'm fine with the election being held as soon as possible - just didn't want it done by post during the lockdown,

Adrian probably wanted a long delay so he could spend the summer lounging around at Jurata avoiding work.

Who pays for PiS troll factory ? I hope that is not coming out of taxpayers funds like in Hungary

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

I don't blame them for that of course. But I do blame them for their economic response which is to let businesses deal with it themselves, with no support and no tax relief.

On top of that they have spent a lot of the gains of recent economic growth on election sausage and handouts instead of saving it for a rainy day like this.

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Spending someone else's money on jobs for their cronies is PIS economic policy

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Yes I realize that - but my point is that after Covid a smaller number of people will be paying taxes to fund more and more benefits. That's a very unhealthy situation

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

Ordinary people do get something - the continuing payment of the 500 plus and extra pensions. And this is a problem - hardworking taxpayers see their income fall, in some cases to zero but the people who get 500+ are not asked to make any sacrifices

News / Presidential elections 2020 - your opinions about campaign, candidates [2222]

With regards to business they have one policy - you are on your own.

If you were successful before March then basically you are not entitled to anything.

If you were unsuccessful or small before March then you will probably get various things adding up to about 5-10k zloty.