Don't blame the rich, blame Ron Paul. After all he is the one that voted for all the Bush tax cuts for the rich. He even voted against ending the tax cuts for the oil companies.

Ron Paul votes for the 1% to make them richer and he knows it's not their fault they are richer.

I am a Ron Paul supporter. But he makes more sense than any other candidate I have every heard. He is as consistent as water is wet. When the government interferes there is a lack of price controls for those company's involved. Even our Military wastes money. When natural laws of supply and demand are averted resources will not be allocated to the most productive use. That is the law of supply and demand. Give the power to states to allocate for the individual situations and there will be an improvement of resources being used more productively.

Larry, how on earth does he make sense? I grant you he is consistent, but he is full of misinformation for those who vote against their own economic self interest. Unfair taxation has nothing to do with "the natural laws of supply and demand." What we have here is too many wealthy Americans making their money show irresponsible legislators a career path to dirty politics. They put their own self interest before that of the people they were elected to serve, and they are there to help wealthy folks who don't need any help. Ron Paul is one of their devoted pawns.

This guy's thinking is completely muddled.

Read more carefully.

He essentially says that blaming the wealthy for income disparity CAUSES the disparity. Like a king, he says, don't complain or we'll treat you worse.

And then he says don't blame anyone who works and doesn't receive government assistance.

Huh?

Much of the "wealth" in this country nowadays is made without anyone actually "working" for it. In fact, many of the richest people on Wall Street made their wealth by creating bogus transactions and then trading money -- our money -- back and forth. Nothing was created, and there is no inherent value to the "work." There are a lot of jobs besides Wall Street that fall into this category -- notably health insurance executives, who do nothing but suck off the teat of other people's hard-earned money and are nothing but well-dressed middlemen. What do they add to the health care system other than cost? And yet, some of them make billions of dollars -- billions of dollars which, if there were a single-payer system, could be devoted to health CARE rather than to profit.

In addition, even those who do work to achieve can hardly say they've never received government assistance. They receive it every day when they drive to work, send their kids to school, walk down the street, cross a bridge, or use an airport. They receive it every day in the form of small business assistance, government-sponsored research that has helped them develop their products or technologies, or the natural resources that we allow them to exploit and sell back to us, keeping the profits that in reality should belong to us. We ALL pay for their "success."

Ron Paul is largely right about the military, but wrong about most other things. In that, he is dangerous.

news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/american-workers-race-against-machine-165318939.html

The authors contend that advances in technology have reduced the economy's ability to create new jobs for humans. And in the years to come, Brynjolfsson and McAfee argue, that impact is only likely to get stronger. Even when the economy eventually recovers from its current slump, they maintain, employment levels may not return to where they were even just a few years ago.

But don't worry, increased union membership, tariffs and another $1T in stimulus spending will cure it all (as well as blaming Bush and the Republicans).

<sarcasm>I am so glad Obama is the adult in the room so that we're having this conversation. Better that than demagoguery </sarcasm>

Rephrase -- Don't blame all of the rich. Some of the rich, particularly those in Hollywood and Silicon Valley have said they want their taxes increased. They know a double-dip recession helps no one and is harmful to democracy, which would hurt them as well.

1. Definitely blame Wall Street fraud and negative banking practices.
2. Definitely blame corporations that off-shore American jobs because they now expect huge profit margins so they can pay CEOs disproportionately, and unrelated to performance.
3. Definitely blame Big Oil for suppressing alternative energy and lying about reserves, "drill, baby drill," and other BS per Perry's Big Oil Wish List, AKA "jobs plan."
4. Definitely blame all the lobbyists, lawyers, accountants and kick-backs paid to congressional members and others of influence. And this goes for the current right-leaning SCOTUS that legislated from the bench with the Citizens United ruling.

Most of all, blame policies passed by congress that enables the the above, AND the transfer of wealth from the 98% to the richest 2%, most of all tax policies, but also privatization of government services that used to be non-profit thus costing the 98% double or more for that same service, starting unnecessary wars and then wanting those wars to be permanent, bail-outs of criminals within Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, AIG, major banks, etc. that should be perp walked instead, allowing companies to charge outrageous fees from banks to utilities to landlords, etc. instead of enforcing consumer protections, and well heck there is a long list.

Anyone can look at how the rich, particularly on Wall Street and in the banking industry, have destroyed savings by paying ridiculously low interest on savings, by encouraging day trading when they know only the big boys can play because of advantages of kick-backs, insider trading, etc., and they have destroyed people's retirement whether pensions or 401ks with fraud and toxic mortgage securities, which also destroyed personal wealth in the form of home equity...

So don't preach to us, Ron Paul, and most of all YOU Paul Ryan how the rich should not be blamed or how the president is the one responsible for "divisive" class warfare, or how failed "trickle-down" voodoo economics of favoring the rich who are NOT "job creators" will solve all our problems, because that is the great big LIE that has gotten us into this mess.

I hope Ron Paul supporters will step away from Ron Paul's crazy talk and join the saner, more realistic OWS movement. As for Paul Ryan, the audacity of making his hate speech on the same day the CBO released statistics showing how large the disparity between rich and poor has become in the US should put Paul Ryan back at the top of the Most Despised Person list.

Ron Paul is right again. Can't wait until he is our next president. Maybe then we can get the spending under control and cut taxes for those of us that actually pay taxes.

Ron Paul 2012

In addition, even those who do work to achieve can hardly say they've never received government assistance. They receive it every day when they drive to work, send their kids to school, walk down the street, cross a bridge, or use an airport. They receive it every day in the form of small business assistance, government-sponsored research that has helped them develop their products or technologies, or the natural resources that we allow them to exploit and sell back to us, keeping the profits that in reality should belong to us. We ALL pay for their "success."

I am sooooo grateful for the benevolent government that takes part of my salary, but bestows on me such gifts as roads, bridges and airports. It's as ridiculous as one poster earlier calling a tax-cut a government hand-out for the rich. Tell me AM are we entitled to expect any goods or services for our taxes? Do ever think that government sponsored education is actually an investment because the government will receive more in taxes from you over a lifetime than if it didn't educate you? I don't throw the socialist word around a lot but you do remind me of the propaganda that the Soviet Union would use, or even 1984, regarding the benevolence of the Big Brother state. Seriously, reading your post I think you believe the government ultimately owns everything and I doubt you believe in private ownership.

Tell you what, why don't we tax everyone at 100% for a week, then return to the current rates, and you can call it government assistance. (Only I wouldn't trust you to revoke the 100% rate).

Anna Molly hates people that make money. That is pretty much the only coherent message I got out of her post.

Feisty: Don't you love the complete inability of the Paul cultists to understand that he is unelectable and will never be POTUS? Reading what the Paulistas write is a little like listening to children's dream of castles and unicorns.

That is why most of these people who are complaining about "rich" only base their opinion on what the MSM tells them because A. They don't actually know any rich people therefore the lump all of them into the same boat with the scumbags that scammed the market and were reported on by the MSM and B. Don't understand how they with all their hard work aren't making the same wage as these rich people, eventhough they should realize that they aren't all that smart and/or ambitious hence the reason the are still in the middle class. The middle class IS NOT something that Americans should aspire to remain in. The old C+ half-ass line about "my grandfather was a plumber, so was my daddy and that is what I will be" is the most pathetic excuse for not wanting to improve your financial situation I have ever heard. All I have to say is thank God for ambitious entrepreneurs otherwise this country would be a third rate one with a bunch of mediocre workers producing third rate products no one want to buy.

Anna Molly can't hate rich people.

She a 'mature' attorney. She's got to be pulling down at least six figures.

In fact that kinda makes he a 1%-er, right?

Christ, I'm thinking Anna Molly bills out more in an hour than Amy makes in several days.

What are we talking AM, $250 - 350 per hour?

Fat stacks, that's what Am's got.

Tracy, you are no doubt one of those whose sole measure of success is an individual's net worth. I am not a wealthy man financially, but I have a very fine career that I find meets my needs. In my career it is what I can do for others rather than how big the wheelbarrow needs to be to get it all to the bank.

What is making people angry is the fact that there are those who use their fortunes for advancing their own agendas at the expense of others. All of the present republican candidates want to scrap our safety net, leaving our most vulnerable citizens in great peril. meanwhile the fortunes of the few have increased exponentially, and our present tax system has allowed that. Many wealthy Americans aren't happy with having more, a lot more. They now want it all. They want to strangle the "American Dream" and want to make that dream all about them. They had better figure out how to get through an eye of a needle. All that cash will be left here, and they will end up in a new high sulphur environment.

Wethepeople:

Anna Molly hates people that make money. That is pretty much the only coherent message I got out of her post.

Not at all. In fact, I wish I made more. But I also don't whine about my taxes or begrudge people who need help the help they need.

@ Wayne -- exactly. Thank you.

All of the present republican candidates want to scrap our safety net, leaving our most vulnerable citizens in great peril. meanwhile the fortunes of the few have increased exponentially, and our present tax system has allowed that. Many wealthy Americans aren't happy with having more, a lot more. They now want it all.

Ever consider the fact that the safety net promised too much and is running out of money? You do understand that there are currently around 40m in SS/Medicare. Within 10 - 15 years that will rise to 80m. Add to that the fact that medical costs (not insurance) are rising at around 6% - 8% a year. So go ahead and raise taxes on the rich to 80% or 90%, and raise the taxes on the other 52% as well. But don't be surprised that these programs will still run out of money.

It is running out of money because of the fact that "the money" is going to the top. I don't buy your idea, Alan. If the wealthy cared about the people in this country instead of the bottom line, they wouldn't keep miminum staffing in their companies, squeezing the life out of their employees with endless hours and lower paychecks. They wouldn't send jobs overseas, and they wouldn't twist their politician's arms to cut more jobs from the public sector, degrading public safety and education. This is class warfare and has been class warfare since the Reagan administration, and only now are people waking up. I find your arguments stale and tedious. I have no problem raising taxes on people who refuse to "create jobs." They are of no use to this country.

'Don't talk to me unless spoke to first", Herman(love that smile)Cain. These are the dingbats you me first and always guys worship. Compassionate Conservative another oxymoron. By the way your own reverend of the free market did admit his core policies were wrong you know him as Alan Greenspan. Not to throw you all in the same boat but it sure stinks around the I got mind too bad for you crowd. About as humane as a Momma Grizzly bear.

Anna Molly, I am a great admirer of your posts. You get my vote every time. Thanks.

Wayne-I understand where you are coming from. You like to help others and it makes you feel good. It probably makes you think it will save your soul and that after you pass on you'll be in the Kingdom of Heaven hanging out with Jesus, Mohamed and Buddha. That's fine. Helping others is a very good thing. That's why there are charities. But for you or other people to get angry at the rich is just silly. The problem is that there are 2 sets of people in this country. Those of us that PAY for the free stuff and those that GET the free stuff. The PAYEES are sick of the paying. The GETTERS just want more free stuff.I think that sums it up pretty well.

@ Wayne-1656909

"Tracy, you are no doubt one of those whose sole measure of success is an individual's net worth."

Well sorry your are dead wrong. I am not wealthy either ($80k as an architect here in Houston)

"In my career it is what I can do for others rather than how big the wheelbarrow needs to be to get it all to the bank."

And in mine it's the same and then some.

"What is making people angry is the fact that there are those who use their fortunes for advancing their own agendas at the expense of others."

The number of peole that are making the everyone angry is a very small number of people but then again there legions of people who are making the producers of this country just as angry when they see them complaining about what the government is going to do the help them.

"All of the present republican candidates want to scrap our safety net, leaving our most vulnerable citizens in great peril"

WTF? Cite where a Republican candidate or any consequence, want to "scrap" our social safety nets. More like reform them.

Ron Paul just another Tea Bag mouth piece for the wealthy.

My point Tracy, is that you feel it is pitiful not to aspire to great wealth. I feel sorry for you. I don't call a health care voucher a safety net. I don't call putting Social Security into the stock market a safety net. Cain wants to scrap both of them entirely and tells people they should show up on the doorstep of their neighborhood church for their retirement needs. As for the resting guy. I am not saying that what I do will get me to Heaven, but cutting a check to my favorite charity is not enough. I get into it up to my elbows. If cutting a check makes you feel warm and fuzzy, that's great, but Jesus didn't think that was enough. I am one of those who honestly believes that we are here to make the problems of our fellow travelers to the grave a little less burdensome. You don't have to tell me your motto. Could it be, "He who dies with the most toys wins?"

Let's see, you are claiming poor, vulnerability with an 80K paycheck? My husband and I are both college educated, holding advanced degrees and combined income doesn't reach that level. My son finished a degree in architecture and cannot even find an internship in his field. So, I guess he will be working at Burger King or Wal-Mart, because the safety net doesn't apply to those of us who actually work for a living...and he will pay the majority of his salary to cover the student loans that he took, because that is what is honorable. Somebody was willing to take a risk on him, and that person or entity deserves the return of what they loaned. We cannot protect everyone from every eventuality. Life is unfair, and it can be very hard. It doesn't have to be anyone's fault. Circumstances are constantly changing, and sometimes not for the better. Nobody promised any of us anything. It wasn't stamped on our backsides at birth that we would all have excellent jobs, McMansions, Mercedes, big screen TV's...one size does not fit all. And we can't make one size fit all. So, you can sit and whine about what you don't have, or that "it isn't fair" or you can get out in the world and try to make lemonade out of lemons until the next harvest. I have spent my whole life trying, and maybe by the measure of finance, I have not been successful....Oh well, I am not really hear to suit anyone else anyway. I have re-invented myself as situation dictated and moved on with my life. I didn't sit on the sidelines waiting for the "perfect job." I took the job that would pay my bills while I kept looking for that opportunity. Any one of us could have been born into a mud thatched hut in a third world nation instead of where we are....and yet none of us seem to have any sense of gratitude for what we do have, but rather run whining about what we don't have. I have had it with the professional victims, the continual whiners and complainers.....this is not what built the US to what it was and could be again. Everyone wants somebody else to fix their problems and it has a real cost, not only in dollars but in sacrificing your freedom to determine the course of your own life.

The 1%, the millionaire income earners, who are they?

If you ask an OWS lawbreaker they will likely tell you it is those evil fat cats on Wall Street.

If you ask a Liberal Progressive person they will likely tell you it is those evil fat cats on Wall Street.

The Congressional Budget Office just published a report on income growth. And in that document is a study of the occupations that make up the EVIL 1%.

The study found that:

1. Nonfinancial executives, managers, and supervisors made up the largest subgroup of the highest-income households, accounting for 31 percent of the top percentile.
2. Medical professionals were the second largest occupational category, making up 16 percent,
3. Financial professionals accounted for 14 percent
4. Lawyers were 8 percent.
5. No other single occupational group accounted for more than 5 percent of the top percentile. This includes Superstars (Athletes, Actors, Musicians)

Interesting is a discussion suggesting that executive pay increased because the size of the firm also increased over the time period (1979-2007).

Also another discussion is the advantage from technology exposure. Think Kim Kardashian who without reality TV would likely just be another model. Lebron James, The Yankees, The Redsox, NBA, NFL, etc....

Fascinating stuff. Those evil medical professionals are earning too much money. Those pesky lawyers like President Obama and all the politicians are right there too.

I think the answer is clear, turn off the TV's, stop attending movies and sporting events, stop the lawsuits, stay healthy, and make your own things and all those evil fat cats will lose their money!!

Or we could just tax the snot out of them when they earn income.

Or we could stop our pathetic jealousy and strive to better ourselves.

I know I am going to continue to strive to be a 1% income earner!

------------------------------

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/124xx/doc12485/10-25-HouseholdIncome.pdf

Cite where a Republican candidate or any consequence, want to "scrap" our social safety nets. More like reform them.

Tracy -- Please research this if you intend to vote. Cain's 9-9-9 plan does not include payroll taxes that pay for safety nets of Social Security and Medicare. Perry has openly called Social Security a "Ponzi Scheme" as well as unconstitutional. Perry, and I believe Cain as well, want to allow people to opt out of Social Security by age 25. If younger workers no longer pay into SS, it will end the program. There is NO "reform" to this at all.

As for Medicare, Paul Ryan wants to privatize it, thus transferring even more profits to health insurance scam artists. More importantly is the fact that NO health insurance company would offer coverage to folks once they turn 65. As a doctor, Ron Paul should know better. At least he hasn't advocated chickens for medical services, which would be in keeping with his 1920s (or even earlier) belief system.

Most notably neither Perry or Cain specify an alternative solution to these programs, beyond Cain saying people should look to charitable organizations and churches. So when folks turn 65 they are supposed to go to their local church and ask for retirement and health care? I say WTF? to you.

@ Wayne: Actually the motto is "Get rich or die trying". For those that are not as culturally diverse as myself, that was a quote from 50 Cent. But he nailed it.

The federal reserve, which Ron Paul is against, is a constant transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich. Ron Paul is the ONLY candidate who wants to stop that transfer and get rid of the federal reserve, and that is why corporations do not support him.

The more debt we get as a country the more wealth is transferred from the poor to the rich.

Aside from that, the reason why your argument is ridiculous is you shouldn't punish people for making money. Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater. When you start punishing people for making money, YOU ARE NOT HURTING THE 1%. You are hurting the 99%, which are those who are trying to make an honest living. Even worse, you begin to prevent the 99% from every moving forward.

You want to put up a 5 feet wall in order to stop the people who are 5 feet tall. All the while, you completely ignore that all the people who are 1 foot tall are now faced with an even bigger obstacle, while the 5 feet tall people will get over it.

If you want to fix things, then get rid of the federal reserve and let the people maintain the value of their currency.

Give it a rest, you truly do need to give it a rest, as you just don't get it.

Sue -- No one is asking for favors. They are asking for a level playing field, which we once had in this great nation. No one is asking for a hand-out from the rich. They are asking for a fair tax code in which the rich pays their fair share so as to reinvest in this country that has helped make them rich.

Many people have taken jobs beneath their qualifications, or cuts in hours and pay, and many have done it many more times than you (with every recession since Reagan) and perhaps at an even lower pay than you. To say these people should just accept that that their wages have been stagnant over the last 30 years while their CEO's income has increased by 300%, or to say they should just accept that they no longer have benefits such as pensions or health care even though many companies are sitting on piles of cash and making record profits, or to say that they should accept that they can no longer send their kids to college, etc., etc., is to say that YOU have no clue what's going on.

Please research this if you intend to vote. Cain's 9-9-9 plan does not include payroll taxes that pay for safety nets of Social Security and Medicare. Perry has openly called Social Security a "Ponzi Scheme" as well as unconstitutional. Perry, and I believe Cain as well, want to allow people to opt out of Social Security by age 25. If younger workers no longer pay into SS, it will end the program.

So what if we don't have payroll taxes? The current excess is spent as general revenues anyway. In a year SS will have to be paid from general taxation so if someone wants to reform taxes so that we pay into one bucket what is the big deal? Money fungible as the President alluded to when he claimed that SS checks may not be paid unless we could borrow more money.

On your other point on its running out because the money is going to the top, how can that be? The only administration that has cut payroll taxes is this one. So by your own argument cutting income tax should have no effect on the revenues available for SS and Medicare. So to sum up, it's either the Democrats that have caused the shortfall in revenues for the safety net, OR the programs promised too much and can meet their liabilities due to increased demand.

Which is it?

I don't call putting Social Security into the stock market a safety net.

But putting it into the treasury bonds of a country that had its credit rating downgraded is?

That's the ticket Alan, trust Wall Street!

Straight up - don't trust Walls Street.

Trust the government, cause you know they really seem to know what they are doing.

Especially at 'leveling the playing field.'

Too funny.

That's the ticket Alan, trust Wall Street!

No. I invest in companies that I have confidence in.

You put out a straw man argument. Why don't you explain to me what you mean by Wall Street? Is a the same as a mutual fund company based in Boston? Is it the same as Apple based in California? Is it the same as a company that specializes in State and City Municipal Bonds that are used to finance capital projects? Or is your wrath aimed at the 4 or 5 investment banks that are still operating? Of course the financial crisis was triggered by AIG, an insurance company, that is not considered part of Wall Street.

@ Wayne ~ Thank you. That made my day. Ditto.

@ TruePat ~ Excellent response to Sue. Just keep letting them slap you down, Sue.

Spanky:

Trust the government, cause you know they really seem to know what they are doing.

With the exception of a few years under Bill Clinton, not since Ronald Reagan, no.

By the way, if you think I accidentally your earlier post to me, with all the sarcastic insinuations, think again. I won't be responding to any more of those.

Alan:

Why don't you explain to me what you mean by Wall Street?

Red herrrings and straw men if ever there were. You know darn well what he means.

Thanks Anna! You made mine as well.

Alan, I suppose that people should trust that Social Security is secure when all of the lobbyists on Capitol Hill will be pushing their corporations to invest Social Security funds in? There are a lot of people out there who would not know the first thing about investment who would be left no recourse but to trust the government to invest their funds for them. I cannot imagine a greater recipe for disaster. There are a lot of people out there who were sure their retirements were secure in 2008 who feel differently now.

@ Rational AmeriCAN, Alan, and trolls we all know -- Read the CBO report. Heck, look at the GINI coefficient, look at the slew of statistics that rank the US along with third-world countries, look at incomes by percentile over the last 30 years -- The data, evidence, FACTS are all there for those with half a brain to clearly see and understand. YOU turn off FAUX Noise and Hate radio, come out of your right-wing Echo Chamber and cone of silence, or go back under the rock you climbed out from under.

Look at investigations over the decades of Wall Street and companies from WorldCom to Enron -- Of course people should trust elected officials they can vote out of office FAR MORE than Wall Street and Big Business with no transparency or recourse. Granted we are at a point where we need to force congress to be accountable to the people more than ever. But to trust Corporate America and profit over people more -- What's wrong with you people, do you eat off lead plates or something?

TruePat:

do you eat off lead plates or something?

LoLoL Best giggle of the afternoon.

Only if the plates are on the floor to catch the crumbs their corporate pay-masters drop.

True Pat, I loved it too. Thanks a lot! The lead plates makes a good theory. I am certain some of these folks are foaming at the mouth.

@ Wayne:

LoL I'm sure you would, too, if you ate off lead plates.

Either lead plates or the John Birch Society was on to something about what's in the drinking water. Ha!

But seriously, Wall Street's purpose is to raise capital for companies to actually produce a product and/or service, but very little of this is done on Wall Street anymore. Likewise banks aren't lending. What's the point of their existence then?

It's to make money off money for the richest 1%, and this often involves fraud whether knowingly promoting worthless stock, or bundling toxic mortgage securities and hedging against the failure they anticipate, or speculating on oil and artificially driving the cost up (Eric Cantor). And these hedge fund managers and investment bankers who nearly destroyed the US and global economy, are supposed to have tax breaks on capital gains, dividends, and their estates?

And Perry's Big Oil Wish List (AKA "jobs plan"), I challenge anyone to lay out how this creates jobs nation-wide. Maybe a few in Texas, but oil drilling doesn't create a lot jobs. And Perry's claim that he will create 2.5 million jobs is ludicrous (over what? one term or two?) since we need WAY MORE then that, and this is even less than President Obama created in only one years time. What a friggin' joke the GOP/TP presidential field and platform has become.

Sean Insanity devoted 30 minutes to Ohio Governor Kasich to rant about evil union bosses, and never once mentioned first responders being laid off, or safety for first responders and their communities, or all those really important things. It's no wonder right-wingers can't grasp basic math or economics.

Oh forget all this. What's really important is abortion.

Oh Anna Molly - 'sarcastic insinuations?

Me, why heavens no.

Just the truth.

You are a lawyer. You have been one for 20 plus years. You either make in excess of $100k or you have chosen not to.

You do bill out at rates that many here would call ridiculous and greedy.

You are a 1%-er, or at least are far closer to one that Amy.

So let's talk reality, not the fantasy world you and Michael "I'm worth $50 million but am not a 1%-er" Moore seek to live in.

Own it AM, it's who you are. You worked for it, went to school for it, and live it, every day.

Unless - say do you work for a non-profit? Donate the bulk of your time?

Of course not. You work and bill and earn lots of cash for your firm.

Excellent work.

And this gets you where, Spanky?

[By the way, if you think I accidentally your earlier post to me, with all the sarcastic insinuations, think again. I won't be responding to any more of those.]

Uh oh...Spanky's got nobody to play with...OK...don't worry Jr...I got your back, bruh...

By the way, have you managed to dig up that Al Gore post you're supposed to provide? I can help if you like.

I'm waiting for my oven to heat up so I can bake my little frozen pizza for dinner -- no happy hour for me, Spanky -- so I'll make one stab at replying to your last two posts, and then I'll have done. Completely.

You are correct as to my billing rate, although I haven't had in increase in my rate since the crash occurred. You are also correct that there have been some years where my income has been high. And you are correct that I worked for that income. Sometimes at great personal sacrifice that is, quite frankly, none of your business.

Beyond that, I don't think how much I make is relevant.

The reason that it's not relevant is that I'm not a person who believes that life begins and ends with how much money you make, how many vehicles you own, how many fancy vacations you take, or how big your house is.

To be sure, I haven't always thought that. That clarity has only come to me in recent years. But at least it has.

For you, Spanky, I truly fear that clarity will never come.

I have never been a person who complains about the size of government, the amount I pay in taxes, what others make relative to me, or whether others have better benefits than I have. I have paid my way my own life, and I have worked every year since I graduated from college except for a year when my daughter was born and the years I was in law school. I took no government loans for school. I receive no government assistance, and never have. Out of what I earn, I pay my own health insurance and retirement.

I am not the 1 percent, but that is probably as much by choice as it is by economic circumstances. It simply no longer means that much to me.

Time and peace of mind mean more.

But I don't begrudge wealth to others. What I do begrudge is when the truly wealthy begrudge it to others and hoard it for themselves, deliberately and systematically rigging the game so that they thrive while others fall further and further down the economic ladder -- so far that despair creeps in. What I also begrudge is smug, sarcastic, stereotyping about liberals -- not just you, Spanky, although you do it, too -- the assumption that because we are liberal, we are all worthless slackers. What I begrudge is the callous disregard displayed by many conservatives of the suffering of others.

No one is worthless, except perhaps for those who believe others are worthless based on how much money they make.

Government isn't the problem of conservatives. Conservatives are their own misery. And now they want to spread their misery and their own class envy onto all of us. We don't all aspire to be you, Spanky. We merely aspire to be ourselves, and we resent the attempt of those with great wealth to tear down all the institutions in this country that allowed so many of us to achieve.

Herman Cain is dead wrong.

You are "where" you are because others have gone before you.

But "what" you have become is your own fault.

And trust me, Spanky, although I wouldn't mind being Michael Moore, despite the Twinkies, I do NOT aspire to be you.

There weren't any guys from Goldman Saks or Merrill/Lynch telling investors to invest in stocks they knew were sh*t. So you go investing in companies you're confident in only who's feeding you that information cause according to your wall street guys telling you one thing and doing another is just business as usual. Stop the BS and quit believing in your bubble economics. No one is self-made no one, period. Also we want the government to back to the size it was at it's birth after all the country has remained the same size with the same needs internally and internationally.

Now, was that so hard?

Like I said - earlier, today was about self reflection.

Me, I'm a priest and Ms. Spanky is a Nun. Straight out of the worst/best movie Evah - Nuns with Guns.

Self hate is what Moore is all about, or maybe all he has got.

You talk a a lot about income disparity, and that business should just pay their workers more.

You pay your staff more. My staff gets what they get, and by my estimation they do alright.

You bill $250 per hour. Amy earns $15 per hour.

But I guess because you are empathetic you are one of the gang.

That you no longer aspire to like be me is of little importance now. That you never ever ASPIRED to be Amy is what counts.

Have a great weekend AM.

Spanky, what happened to "radio silence"? Maybe you should tap the mic and say "Is this thing on?"

May you find the fortune you truly seek, Spanky.

Have a great weekend.

@ TruePatriot

@ Rational AmeriCAN, Alan, and trolls we all know -- Read the CBO report. Heck, look at the GINI coefficient, look at the slew of statistics that rank the US along with third-world countries, look at incomes by percentile over the last 30 years -- blah blah blah liberal blah blah drivel

So I posted only facts and some minor commentary about the interesting discussion points within the CBO report and I even provided the link to the report and you toss me under the bus as a troll who eats off lead plates.

Must have scored some points with my FACTS huh? Your retorts are pathetic and make you look childish again.

Or maybe the education gap (creates the vast majority of the income gap) and the failure of the democrats to embrace education reform, or maybe the dramatic influx of low skilled legal and illegal immigration that drives down wages, or maybe entitlement policy that doesnt provide incentives for achievement and success while embracing nanny state views and feels that equality of outcome is more important than taking personal responsibility and focus on self reliance. I wonder which party embraces these policies?

Toyota3, well that works too. Actually it goes back as far as reagan and bush 1, george jr just completed the ride. there are many here among us who remember the truth because we lived it and we won't be forgetting who is part of the upper 1% and who spends their time making sure those upper 1% are always protected. Kind of makes me sick to know that we have such greedy citizens in this great nation, especially considering their churches fawn all over them - so funny, they are Christian because they don't believe in abortion, bet not one single upper 1% ever read the book of James or knows that Jesus was born to a working middle class family, not a mega rich family or upper 1% family.

Whats Jesus got to do with it. So who owns your local gas station? Dry cleaners or sporting goods store? Do you go to the doctor and are you happy he worked hard, used his intellect for your benefit? Did all these working wealthy just have it handed to them and you really think they were born into it? Did you go open up a store and work 7 days a week and risk everything to make it a success? It was your choice to be a union baby so stop blaming others for your economic state in life and be accountable and having rich envy. I dont understand how your doctor is being protected as he spends 50% of his income and more supporting the local, state and federal governments.

Kirk, talking sense doesnt work with these moonbats, they are socialist class warfare haters.

Typical gibberish from a right wing Howling Monkey.

It seems that the liberals that post here don't know how to use logic or reason. They regress into children and resort to name calling. If they were honest with themselves and really wanted to place blame for the economic meltdown they should look at the Federal Reserve and their policies of just printing money to try to inflate the debt away.

Dear Ron Paul and Kirk, (as they used to say on Saturday Night Live) you ignorant sluts,

I do not blame the rich for the income gap, although a partial case could be made for that if I had complete access to all political contributions made regarding tax policy since about 1980.

I do blame the GOP, the wealthy, and corporations for the deficits, much of the debt, and the fact that we as a country are not able to prime the pump properly when our economy is in a slump, because we've leveraged that ability by awarding tax cuts, corporate welfare, and loopholes to the wealthy and corporations. While I realize that you may not support all of those positions, you, and your political party, supported and voted for most of them.

While a good case can be made for class warfare, since the GOP declared war on the lower and middle classes about Reagan's time, I'm not ready to riot in the street yet. I will, however, vote against you and your party, and get as many others as possible to join me. You should pay taxes in proportionate to the benefits you've received by being part of this country. You should pay a progressive income tax, with each additional dollar being taxed at a higher rate. You will agree with this.

If you don't, then we will take to the streets and make sure that you do. The one bad thing about being grossly wealthy is that you are always in the minority. We can and will outvote you. Especially in general elections. In the past, many of us haven't turned out because we didn't think it made a difference or the income dispartities weren't perceived as being that great. That's over now. You went too far. You got too greedy.

Your perception that it is only hard work that determines whether one ends up wealthy or not is false. I know a lot of wealthy people that are quite lazy, and poor people that work several jobs just to make ends meet.

If I wanted to live in a monarchy, or a under a caste system, I'd have Kurt as my leader. Unfortunately for Kurt, our forefathers trashed that idea and some even died doing it. If some of us have to die to make it right again, we will. Ayn Rand was a piece of trash that talked about personal responsibility and against government programs, but died on government assistance.

Like most Republicans, you love government programs for your constituency, you just don't want anyone else to have access....you are phonies.

(headline) Ron Paul says don't blame the rich for income inequity.

* * *

He is actually right. The rich (or some of their past relatives) did sometime productive, creative, or crooked to become rich. They got the idea and ran with it. Gates helped Microsoft along, right. He is not such a bad person.

O.K., now as far as tax policy goes, this one rests with Congress. If you think the rich should pay more, then vote in people who believe as you do. BUT, don't blame the rich for their successes in life. Ron Paul is actually right, once today.

MKE, Thank You !

barbra - a CEO or other upper level manager can probably all turn a wrench or stand at an assembly line, but many of the wrench turners or worker bee workers have the skill sets to do what upper management can do.

There is a reason why government and businesses have a pyramid structure.

American, you said

There is a reason why government and businesses have a pyramid structure.

The reason is: crap and responsibility always flows downhill.

american. Most CEO do not know how to turn a wrench or stand at an assembly line, they have no clue. So without worker bees were would the CEO be? What would he be the CEO of? What makes any CEO worth 50 million a year or more. Nothing. because without someone to turn that wrench he is nothing.

Where do you read stuff like this? Does your local doctor buy his yacht overseas? Do the local wealthy business owners in your town who took the risk and worked hard to make their business a success think globalization is a bad thing but not consume at home. The working wealthy are 70% of the consumption in this country. Trickle down in foreign countries? Like which one? Globalization has winners and losers but do you really think that GM doesnt make money and employ people here in the US to sell overseas? Thats good dont you think? If it was easy, why dont you go out and start your own business selling to Europe and be rich why dont you do it. So when Obama wants to pass his jobs bill to save teachers etc, is their a trickle down from that? Or does the lack of trickle down on apply to the wealthy who invest?

It's time Ron Paul and others learn we don't live in the 1920s anymore, and we don't WANT TO. It really sucked back then, so all you Ayn Rand tin-foil hat types, stop glorifying it.

Isn't that the truth TruePatriot?

It's time Ron Paul and others learn we don't live in the 1920s anymore, and we don't WANT TO. It really sucked back then, so all you Ayn Rand tin-foil hat types, stop glorifying it.

And it's time you big union types learned we don't live in the 1950's anymore with no competition around the world. But keep pushing the idea that more unions, more tariffs and more government spending is the answer.

Ayn Rand, Rick Santorum, and Marco Rubio all relied on government programs. Look it up.

They just don't want YOU to have access to any............

I own a small business or make six figures so automatically I identify with those that earn exponentially more cause I lived in the dream world that those folks care about my interest QUACK!

Kirk, it might interest you to know that my local doctor is not happy with Governor Walker.

Thanks to Governor Walker, my doctor is losing patients.
Thanks to Governor Walker, my doctor just laid off staff.

You may want to remember that every single business relies on their customers.
When you take away from those who make purchases supporting small businesses every single day, it hurts the businesses.

Next time you should listen to the small businesses. They are the ones saying money needs to go into the hands of the lower and middle class because it results in their customers spending more.

Why bother? Kurt doesn't listen to anyone but his own lectures. I imagine he sits at his computer all day, hopelessly unemployed, with his copy of "Atlas Shrugged" safely tucked under his armpit.

If the guy was a member of the real world, he would know that wealth isn't a guaranteed reward for hard work and vice versa. He spouts the simplistic rant of people that have no actual experience.

In Kurt's world, no one is born with developmental disabilities, disadvantages, illnesses. Everyone has the same opportunities and faces the same barriers, and the weak deserve to perish. Until Kurt has to face the hardships of actually seeing and connecting with people that can't possibly become millionaires, or choose not to be millionaires because their lust of money isn't the same as his, Kurt will be clueless. God help him if he ever reproduces. It is when we have children that we finally come out of our selfishness and can experience the world that is outside of ourselves.

Kurt doesn't know what the phrase "There, but for the grace of God, go I" means. He just wants to bitch about how we don't need to share. Good luck with that philosophy, Kurt. You'll die old and alone.

Another example of evolution the "missing link" the ones who have not evolved beyond themselves. knowing life is not fair should make us want to keep it that way. Even if you don't believe in the Bible greed is not good but alas knowing that might invoke compassion and common sense.

You liberal's all sound like babies. "wah.. My doctors not happy" "Wahhh. You're all greedy" "waahhhh."

I like yachts and nice cars. I want them. I want to be rich. What's wrong with that? Morally?

And you think that inflating the currency is the answer, printing money, why? So the consumer's strong enough that we can put two starbucks on every corner? You guys are all talking about how greed is so wrong and that those people with money try to stack it up. Well then why do you want a jobs bill past to stimulate consumption?? We need starbucks' to close down!! We need housing values to drop! We need the price of education to drop!! You're a fool if you think the government is looking out for you.

How indeed Amy.

And all the while your wages remained stagnant.

What hwve you done to address that on a personal level AMY?

More education, sought a job in another area?

What Amy.

Amy - are you entitled to make the same amount of money as me? If you are why?

If not, then what's this crap about inequality. Inequality is just life. Some people are taller than me, most are not.

What is inequality in a free society?

Amy,

And your point is what? That Corporations paid their employees lower bonuses last year? I thought the whole point of the OWS crowd was these excessive bonuses the management were getting?

But businesses as a whole paid lower bonuses in favor of showing more profits? As shareholders of public companies have a say in the allocation of bonuses, I would suspect this is an argument to show that the corporations are listening? Instead of bonuses they are paying people more base salary?

I dont understand your libbie point with this post. Corporations are paying less in bonuses (and I assume a CEO is an employee) than they did in 2006 by 39%. This reflects a shift to higher salaries (employees make more base pay). More is left over for profits to benefit the shareholders (has your 401K benefitted?)

So basically CEO and management and employee bonuses decreased (but not according to OWS), salaries for all employees increase, and more profit is put to the bottom line to bolster share prices, which helped the rebound of the reitement 401K plan.

And the Wall Street investor who was paying attention (along with the average Etrade, Scottrade and 401K and pension investor) made money.

So now we have riots in the streets from those who cannot figure out why they are protesting and have no idea what they want. And your post does nothing to support their position other than re-enforce the reason they have no direction and common concern.

Contrary to their position, BONUSES have been going down, salaries are going up (which is NOT in the compensation group that is taxed at a lower rate such as capital gains) and the value to the shareholders (which is NOT just wall street tycoons but includes pensions and 401K and individual investors ) has been going up.

So why all the protests? What is wrong with this? Or did you like it better when the Bonuses were out of this world, the CEOs and management had their main compensation in the form of capital gains (which is lower tax rate) and the valuations were declining for the investor?

I dont get what point you are trying to make from this post.

Or have you seen the light and are pointing out the fact that the OWS crowd is a bunch of whiners protesting against the Greed, when in fact they are the greedy one wanting something for nothing?

If so, welcome to the real world and glad you came to your senses.

ABO 2012

You talk about a level playing field but that hasn't been around for quite a long time if ever. Even the most successful sports league uses some form of fairness (or socialism as you like to call it) just look at the NFL, revenue sharing, worst team gets top draft choice and easiest schedule. Stop your self-made crap its gotten way too old. The game is fixed and has been for a long time so stay greedy.

Using the NFL, a group of millionairs and billionaires to make a point about a level playing field and greed?

Oh. My. God.

Too good.

Let's see - equality - so you55 you a huge athlete that can compete in the NFL? If not that, not just 'unfair' it's unequal.

Yeah, the game is fixed - there will always be winners - Green Bay, and losers, like the Bengals.

Amy will always make $15.00 per hour and Anna Molly will always bill her time at $250-300 per hour.

So is Amy just an altruistic soul bent on helping others? Sadly, Amy can't even fund her own retirement.

Is annaMolly a greedy SOB that helps herself to large wads of cash? No, she's a giver, both time and money.

Fairness - I pay the same tax rate for my place in this republic as any other citizen.

Yes because even they know that unbridled capitalism doesn't work and by the way the Bengals fill their stadium and have you seen the standings lately. Too bad for you and your lies cause you don't pay the same tax rate as 'any other citizen". Stop peeing on my leg and telling me it's raining.Green Bay holds the crown but what happens this season?

My lies? What lies would those be you55?

Oh and it seems Green Bay will get to and win the Super Bowl again. The bengals?

Please.

Nice non-response on the fairness issue.

Uh oh, Spanks...you're not doing too good today, "counselor"...you're making enemies all over the place! It's OK Jr...don't cry...like I said, I got your back, bruh.

Your view of life is that your living in a climate where the temperature gets colder and colder so you start too make adjustments ( clothing,shelter) and you some advance but the truth is it's more like you are living in a artifical structure and the temperature keeps getting colder and colder, you would continue to make your adjustments while you could just go over and turn the thermostat down. have a nice day! oh yeah cause repeating as champs is always happening know your nfl history do you?

Do you guys have any real responses? Spanky: perfect response. The bangles have been losers my entire life, and will be. The Packers, two of the best quarterbacks to play the game in 2 decades, consecutively. Capitalism is the best system in history to make it so the lower class is capable to move up to upper class. These losers are too lazy to do so, spending to much time in news forums. hahaaa

What tax policy would favor all? What do you think the correct rate of tax on the wealthy should be including working wealthy who already pay combined rates of almost 50%. What should the tax rate be for workers above the poverty rate be? Dont include payroll taxes because thats just retirement contribution that you get back and more from social security. What would a fair tax policy be?

pen what is lost in the debate or that libs won't acknowledge is that what ones skill sets are and the willingness to learn will determine pay. Go to any tech company and tell HR that you can turn a wrench faster than anyone else won't get you hired to a high paying position. Go to a manufacturing facility and say this and they are likely to point to a stack of applicants saying all those can too, what else do you have?

Get the picture pen, there never was and never will be an "even playing ground". One has only three choices... One - develope desirable skill sets to get a given pay. Two - Be self employed so that you define what the desirable skill sets are with commiserate pay or live off of the government.

Nice try with the fair share rhetoric. First you need to define it and then you have to apply it. There is a reason why government and business structures are pyramids in structure.

and never will be an "even playing ground".

That's why I support a tax plan similar to Huntsman's minus the capital gains, just tax that at 20% for hedges.

American,

I don't want more pay. I just want you to pay your fair share of the deficit and the debt, proportionate to the amount of income you've generated by living in this great country. I want a progressive tax system that taxes every additional dollar everyone earns at a slightly higher rate than the previous dollar.

And if you don't like that, I want you to stop bribing the politicians and just pack up and leave. Stop using your money to gain tax advantages.

mike - we already have a progressive tax system. What we need to do is reform it to get rid of the loopholes. Unfortunately for us, neither the right or left want to do anything about it, except talk about it.

Even obama just wants to talk about it. I would have to reread ryans FY2012 budget plan to see what deductions the right modified/eliminated to lower tax rates.

American,

Your GOP is trying to create a regressive tax system when you look at Rick Perry's 20/20, and Herman Cain's 9/9/9 and Mitt Romney's support for a flat tax. All flat taxes hit lower and middle incomes harder because there is less of it to tax and support the taxes paid. We need higher tax rates that increase as income rises, not that level off once you hit $150,000 in income. You are correct on the loopholes.

Ryan's recent proposal was to take away the tax deductions corporations currently get for providing health insurance. About 70% of the companies interviewed said that they would discontinue the current health insurance that they offer if that were the case. Another GOP debacle in the making.

The GOP has been shanghied by the wealthy and corporate interests and won't do anything that is in everyone's best interest unless they are voted out once and for all and have to reform themselves.

How does allowing companies who have profits overseas, return those profits at zero tax, encourage them to move back here, where they would pay more? That's sort of like saying "amnesty works."

And, which regulations? OSHA regulations? EPA regulations? FDA regulations? FAA regulations? A lot of the "regulations" are the price we pay to live in an advanced, developed country. You want to become "less civilized" in order to "compete" for old jobs in new economies, most of whom are at a different stage of capitalism?

I don't think it matters if we have 0 taxes for businesses. Too much greed. They want to pay slave/starvation wages like is done in other countries. I don't think they will come back unless we make it uncomfortable for them to produce items in other countries to sell here--tax the crap out of their imported products. Maybe that would provide incentives for them to produce here. If not, provide incentives for companies that produce here and hire American workers. We may get a lot of new start-up companies to replace the over greedy dudes!

"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly

Thanks, MkeMike---now I have to admit that I have in my lifetime watched the Lawrence Welk show and I have that song in my head!! Very funny!

Or maybe even better MkeMke, have some self reliance and go work for it. You have a choice and use your local immigrants who love this country as examples. Do you see them whining as they open up small businesses across this country? You have choices in life, what school, what education, whether to be a pregnant teen, whether to be a teacher, whether to take drugs, whether to take a mortgage that you cant pay for, whether to rack up student loans private or public, whether to max out your credit card bills, whether to use your talent hard work and ambition to be a doctor, small business owner etc. And guess what there are consequences positive and negative for all your choices. Have some pride and self reliance and quit blaming others for your state of affairs. Obama has created the bail out, no consequence mentality and blame the successful that is currently tearing politics apart I know MkeMke, its everyone elses fault probably Bush's since he is easy to blame but no way is it yours or any of the 99% for their own situation is it? The 1% were just handed the golden key and now they need to give it back because equality of outcome is now the magic words. We want to be like those successful European countries who have tried it. Which ones are those?

Right on cue, Kirk blames those not working for their own unemployment, forgetting the fact that many corporations aren't hiring and those that are have 9 or more applicants for every job.

Germany and Sweden would be good examples. Both are far more "socialized" than the U.S. and both carry less debt and have higher growth rates.

2010 figures:

USA - GDP Growth Rate = 2.8%; Debt to GDP ratio = 92.7%

Germany - GDP Growth Rate = 3.5%; Debt to GDP ratio = 74%

Sweden - GDP Growth Rate = 5.5%; Debt to GDP ratio =41%

Kirk conveniently forgets that even with 10% unemployment, 90% of people are working. Yet, net income for anyone but the top 11% has fallen since 1980's Reagan "trickle down" tax cuts. Meanwhile, deficits and the national debt has grown.

So, Kirk, other than trying to get blood out of an onion, by taxing poor and middle class people more, why are we supposed to be supporting lower taxes for wealthy people? We gave up two more years of the Bush tax cuts to the GOP as a good faith bargaining tool, and where are the jobs? Where is the increased income? Ron Paul just confirmed that "real income went down 1.7%". Your ideas aren't working....

Hmmm...right. In addition to having far more socialized societies than our own, Germany and Sweden have another factor in common...both run relatively large current account surpluses in comparison to their GDPs, while we run deficits. Current accounts include ALL ingoing and outgoing transactions, investments as well as goods and services trade balances.

Lots of detail...blah...blah...blah...but basically the U.S. 1%ers sold out the 99%ers to accumulate enough concentrated wealth to fund the NEXT stage of capitalism and consumer growth, in the emerging economies (as well as the Mansions, foreign cars, yachts and jets). Why do people rob banks? Because that's where the money is. Why is investment shifting to the emerging economies (China, India, et al), because that's where the consumers are going to be.

MKE, that's what could happen if we don't change the direction we're going with the greed and selfishness we see. No one's saying people can't be rich but the 1% have twisted things for their own agenda so remember try sitting still on a moving train cause its still moving despite the 1%ers and their obsequious followers.

Ok. Because you are too lazy to do it yourself, I went and looked up his voting record.

He broke party ranks and...He voted against the bailouts.

And against TARP.

www.thepoliticalguide.com/rep_bios.php?rep_id=47384468&category=views&id=20110323190614

Guess he just answered your question.

No such thing as too big to fail.

Yeah, teknishan, but Nathan has a good point--"Why not be afraid of Big Finance?" In part, that's what many in OWS are saying.

I'm not particularly mad about TARP or the bank bailouts. I am mad that they didn't come with strings attached, and that the Obama administration let probably their only opportunity to really reform the system slip away.

Paul's supposed solutions for the economy all focus on cutting government. He wants to repeal Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley, removing whatever miniscule protections they provide against abusive corporations and financial entities. What is he going to do to make Wall Street more accountable? Nothing. His goal, like all the Republicans running right now, is the opposite. Just hand the keys to the hen house over to the wolves and have faith that "the invisible hand of the free market" will make everything work out alright. And if all the hens get eaten, well it's their own fault for not being born wolves. Libertarianism is a naive philosophy, but one that is easily adopted by those with ulterior motives.

We may have always paid taxes but we did not always pay the income tax. Ironically, the Federal Reserve was created in 1913 and the year or so after the Federal Income tax was required, which is to say the government owns your money before you do. I agree it is time to pay the piper, how should the American people be responsible for the debts made on behalf of the private bank, the Federal Reserve. We just bailed out the French banks yesterday via the IMF. Why should American tax-payers be responsible for the French banks??? We have our people losing their homes and we have the biggest number of people on food stamps, 44 million people, and we are in five different military involvements. This is crazy!!!

Why don't you contact them and tell them; maybe they'll hire you.

stone6,

I am trying to get a better understanding, and this stuff gives me a headache.

Thanks for your sarcasm.

thetotas -- I'm not sure but you bring up valid questions. There are technical issues with the web site and I was waiting on the lasted orders to explore them. If I figure it out I'll post it. All of these measures are small steps but steps none the less.

Have a great day!

Your head is hurting because you are thinking. Don't worry, you'll become accustomed to thinking and your head will hurt less. It helps to focus...so you might want to forget the stimulants or depressants and simply use what God (and your parents) gave you...your natural brain.

stone6,

So, you got nothing.

thetotas - Please disregard my use of the word orders as I typed without thought. : ) Shawna Thomas had a nice article explaining the difference between executive actions vs. orders and I certainly made a glaring error.

What I have been able to find on the last 2 actions is that the actions are designed to streamline resources for small businesses by creating a better website that puts all information in one place. Not much info to be found yet...

Maybe First Read will do an in-depth on the actions by the President. PLEASE!!! It might be helpful to all.

The - Democrat Soldier

Very nice post, thank you!

Soldier

That's a pretty bleak outlook, insightful, but bleak.

Dont carry it all,

Thanks, I will look forward to your response. Good luck with USA Jobs, the server is always down.

You know, in a way, I like the idea of using the local Mom and Pop operations, but I hate to tell you that Big Government has effectively shut down that option as well......with a little thing called "the prevailing wage" Example: A Mom and Pop construction company, non-union, small...bids on a job to rehab/build a community center for a town. They win the bid because they have the lowest costs (so far everyone is cheering here, because the town saves money and gets the community center, and the small construction company has work-win/win situation) The husband and wife decide that they can handle the project on their own, properly, and bring the project to completion on time-or perhaps even a bit ahead of schedule (still hear the cheering out there-still a win/win) Project is done to the satisfaction of all parties. The agreed upon money is paid...But they all didn't live happily ever after because of the prevailing wage thing. It seems that hubby and wifey didn't pay themselves the prevailing union scale wages for the work that they did in the company that they own, and as such were deemed unfair competition to the big construction boys with their army of union laborers.....soooooooo, Mom and Pop get sued, and Mom and Pop get fined, and the whole thing breaks the bank and Mom and Pop construction doesn't exist any more. True story from the Lake/McHenry county area in Illinois.

Soldier,

I dont get it. In your article you say

Pay my price when I say and how I say... because you have no choice. We owned the goods, services and the government, but more importantly- YOU.

But then go on to say you had a choice with your brake job to NOT pay their price.

See, this is the free market system working. It FREE MARKETS. It is not socialism. It is supply and demand. If a place raises their prices too high, a competitor will spring forth and sell for less. It is how the system is supposed to work. If the government stays out of the way, it will continue to work. But they wont stay out of the way.

So there is no-one making anyone support these corporations. And it is not the fault of the corporations, but rather the fault of the American consumer being too lazy to shop for a bargain or realize they are being ripped off. So maybe the current plight is the fault of the 99%? After all, as you point out, options exists to avoid supporting these giant corporations. But average Americans are more for convenience than anything else. They dont want to go to mom and pop stores, but just want one stop shopping at Wal-Mart.

So it is not the fault of the corporations that society has allowed itself to be ripped off. And no one is forcing the people to pay the corporations. We just seem to prefer it that way...... After all, it is easier...

And as you love the Mom and Pop stores, maybe your should realize the burdens of Obamacare will hit them much harder than these giant corporations. So get used to fewer of them being around shortly. Because every step BHO takes, he put smore burden on the business. This hits small businesses much harder than the giants you seem to demonize. So obviously you are supporting the man who intends to kill the businesses you wish to support.

Isnt this counterproductive? Can you not see the policies of BHO are killing the mom and pop stores? Can you not see the goal of the GOP is to remove these burdens so they can survive?

ABO 2012

dsdsherm, one problem with your statement and companies have proven this over and over. If government stays out of the way then businesses will simply begin price fixing. They will collectively get together and agree an a high price they will all charge for the same item thus goes choice. If any business tries to undercut this price they will be eliminated. It was done years ago and will be done again unless government creates regulations against price fixing. Every hear of this.

Robert who do you think gets the lawmakers to create these laws to benefit the rich. RICH PEOPLE DUH!

LOYALTEXAN

Good post, I only have one thing to add, you mention the "For Profit Universities"

The year after George W Bush's daughter graduated from the University of Texas he deregulated college tuition, this just happened to be the same year my son started at UT, the tuition for a State College, esp UT went up 86% that year. I know this from experience and the sad thing is that my Parent Plus Loans for his first year I have paid $10,000.00, my son however with a degree from UT currently has $49,000.00 in student loans and at this time in this economy he is an assistant manager at a retail store making $10.50 an hour working part time with no benefits, his loans payments are most of his take home. State schools have become for profit too!

All Universities are about profit....In order to be a professor, you have to do research and publish and bring a certain dollar value of grant money to the institution. The education of students has very little to do with that particular process. Students are often taught by graduate students with little more knowledge or experience than the students sitting out in the lecture hall. And if a professor actually teaches, his renumeration for teaching is separate from what he gets paid for research-particularly research that will reflect well on the reputation of the university. He also gets to use alot of the grant money as he sees fit....it doesn't necessarily all have to go to test tubes, beakers, computers, etc.....there are worldwide symposiums to attend where the educated listen to other educated pontificate about some minute littles aspect of their field. So the grants pay for world travel, and of course, you aren't going to sit in a stuffy lecture hall when in Paris or Rome for the entire time of your stay.....grant money covers those little jaunts. Universities, exist in theory, to further the scope of knowledge, enhance and improve the world condition by expansion of knowledge and technology, and to teach those revelations to students who can continue the process further....Notice that education is the last in the list of responsibilities???? Universities seek to curry favor from their successful alumni in contributions which means that they have to offer something in exchange...isn't that business rather than education?

Nothing will change even if someone else gets elected. Both parties are going to cut social security and medicare.

the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

People will still be instigated by the news-media (CIA- corporate outlets) to keep fighting among themselves. Ever stop and wonder, Why?

Jeff you need to do some reading on how Social Security works. It is self funded by payroll tax. The more people working the more money put into Social Security. The fewer people working less money. Now put that with people reaching the age of 65 when the number of people unemployed and you have an embalance, more money going out than coming in. The Government does not take any money out of this fund it is not used for the general fund. From time to time the Government raises benefits as they just did based on cost of living. Again more money going out than coming in. This is why it will run out of funds in the next 20 or 30 years unless some corrections are made. Cutting benefits is not the solution. They basic system needs to be modified to correct for the times when we have high unemployement. Please do some research on the subject.

Tis, Trustees of the system say the next 25 years full benefits and 85 years after with 3/4 benefits without anything done to correct this. Correct about the amount of people putting into the system that's why we need jobs, not abortion bills. By the way where those that say MSN writes only articles that are pro the half-white President under their rock today?