trying to grok

Oooo, freaky. I posted a comment on your last post when you were writing/posting this one. Hmmm...the internets are strange, aren't they?

That grade scenario is nutsy...just about as nutsy as being graded against everyone else to see if one is worthy of practicing law or not. I know that feeling ALL too well.

I miss you.

And, I may have had wine with dinner so excuse me if I'm all sappy about looking forward to next month and seeing you on the left coast. :)

Does anyone really believe that a teacher/business owner/tradesman/police officer/paramedic, (or any number of other similarly paid jobs) are working less hard then some million dollar a year earning CEO or "investor" who was probably given every dollar they started with by their similarly rich parents????

RIIIIdiculous notions you people have.

I can't believe you are so sorry that some jerk isn't going to be able to buy his third yacht... his third yacht that he'd be sailing while selling out american jobs to some third world factory. Trickle down only trickles to some other country cause the super rich in their skyrises don't care about you or your community. Wake up.

I've heard that grades/taxes analogy before, and I mentioned it the other day to some teachers when I was subbing. They liked that analogy, too. Of course, I'm in Texas, so teachers around here aren't automatically liberals...

And, Joe the Plumber isn't trying to buy his third lot. Never mind that no one every got a job from a poor man... The idea should not be to "spread the wealth", but to make it easier to create MORE wealth, and if someone has the initiative to bust a$$ to provide a good or service that people want/need to pay for, more power to them. That's not me, and I will never be "rich", but I don't begrudge those who work to earn what they have.

However would someone get the idea that Sarah or the people who comment on her site are idle rich with big inheritances?

Do I come off like that? How funny. I WISH I had inherited some money instead of a MIL that sucks my bank account dry!

And how is taking money someone didn't earn through the government any different from inheriting money one didn't earn? Except, you know, for the will of the person who actually DID earn the money. If that matters to anyone. And it does matter to me - it's kind of the difference between "gift" and "theft".

I still think Obama's tax plan sucks donkey ass. I want to earn my own way, not steal it from someone else.

"Does anyone really believe that a teacher/business owner/tradesman/police officer/paramedic, (or any number of other similarly paid jobs) are working less hard then some million dollar a year earning CEO or 'investor'..." - Will

Well, ideally, yes. No, it doesn't always work that way, and yes, some ridiculous CEOs ruin their companies and walk away with "golden parachutes", but ideally, those people who make millions of dollars running large companies make that kind of money because they know how to make their business make that kind of money. I don't make that kind of money, but I'm pretty sure that at least a few of our company partners make some pretty hefty salaries, at least in comparison to mine, but let me tell you; they earn it. If I had their skills, and put in the kind of effort they do, I would expect to make a pretty decent wage, too. And in the business I work in, these guys and gals mostly work on commission. So yeah, it's hard work.

As far as teachers or police officers or whatever "not working as hard", no; I don't believe that. My mom is a teacher. She works her tail off. But she didn't decide to teach for the money. She decided to go into teaching for many reasons, but she didn't go into teaching to get rich. If she wanted to get rich, she would have done something else. Police officers don't join the force in order to get rich; they do it to protect people, to serve their community, or because their dad did it. No one is stopping them from getting an MBA and becoming a business executive. No one but themselves, based upon the things they think are important.

I firmly believe that in this country you can do anything - anything at all - if you put your mind to it and work hard enough for it. Even if you start out with nothing but a pocket full of change, given time you can do anything you want.

Now, as for the fact that some people are less capable than others in general? Well, if that's the case, should it be expected that people who are less capable or less willing to make the required sacrifices to gain the skills/knowledge required, that they should be able to obtain the same benefits at far less cost than those who are capable and willing and have worked their darndest to earn them?

*sigh*. Looters.

What business is it of yours or the flipping
government's WHAT that rich "jerk" spends
his money on?

It's his money. Meaning he EARNED it. It does not
belong to the federal government. If he wants to
buy a 3rd yacht,so WHAT!

I am pretty sure that good old Will makes some
purchases I would not approve of. Do I get a say?
Do I get to stand at the cash register and say
"Nope! Nope! Nope! Caffeine is EVIL Will! We need
to take that money and give it to the government
and let them spend it on WORTHWHILE things."

If I did that,he'd be outraged. I'd be infringing
on his freedoms.

It's always okay when it's the "Other Guy",huh?

Sheeeeeesh..

Will, honestly. Did you read what you wrote before you posted it?

If a person earns money, it's because someone is willing to pay for whatever it is he/she is willing to do. Fortunately for those of us who have no interest in running a huge corporation, there are those who do it and do it well. Otherwise, all the money people invest in their retirement accounts (which are funded via some of these large companies) wouldn't grow nearly large enough to be of any use.

It is NOT the place of the government to force citizens to give up money they have rightfully earned only to turn around and give it to someone who has NOT earned it. Period.

I could do a helluva lot more good in my community if the politicians in my state and in D.C. would get their grubby mitts off the money I make. I'm a charitable gal, Will, ask anyone. It's hard for me to be that way when I have to work until May or June to pay my tax bill.

THAT'S ridiculous, Will. Just as I don't want anyone telling me what to do with my money, I don't pretend to have the authority or right to tell a wealthy person just exactly how many yachts are enough...because there are a LOT of people who make their money via that one boat purchase.

Thank you for all of your feedback.

I'm not sure how regular, decent conservative folk get suckered into believing that the richest .05% aren't waging war against them, but your acceptance of the status quo is mind boggling.

This isn't 1950s America, this is corporate America. This is feudal lords and their plebs America. It's OKAY to realize that the system has failed, and that we need checks against looters who, using their great power, are actively stealing and consolidating wealth for a very small minority.

Honestly, I don't think giving a few tax cuts to the middle class is actually the solution.

We need a whole overall of the beast- this system of corporatism, where independent entrepreneurs and business owners are squashed by powerful mega-giants.

Okay, enough rhetoric.

Here's my solution.

Only allow a business owner to own a business in his or her city/region of residence.

No national franchises.

A return community and the ideal form of capitalism, where businesses and the people that support them and work for them have a beneficial relationship..

Or, go support Walmart and the end of everything... whatver.