Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
Posted on 11/19/2010 5:45:47 PM PST by Chunga85
The rich, thanks to government handouts, are getting richer at everyone else's expense. At least that's what David Cay Johnston claims in the book Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and Stick You with the Bill)
"This enormous growth of incomes at the top is not the result of market forces -- there's some market forces -- but it's largely the result of all these rules nobody knows about," he tells Dan and Aaron in this clip.
The problem starts with government subsidies, says Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. States are spending around $70 billion on government subsidies, he estimates. That doesn't include the hundreds of billions more doled out in federal subsidies.
"Is that capitalism?," he complains. "Go compete in a competitive arena. Don't go to Washington and say 'give me money' either by saying 'I don't have to pay taxes' or forcing other people to pay taxes that go to me. Go earn your money in the marketplace."
The wealth gap in America is outpacing much of the world. "Income inequality in the United States has soared ... with 1 percent controlling 24 percent of American income in 2007," New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently wrote. Kristof notes that's worse than "historically unstable countries like Nicaragua, Venezuela and Guyana."
What's even more striking is that many of these unfair advantages are given to the biggest political contributors. The Wall Street bailouts are a perfect example.
"There's been a massive turnover of money to people who didn't have to face the consequences of the market," Johnston says. "Goldman Sachs got its bad bets paid off at 100 cents on the dollar. I’ve never seen the government do that for me."
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
Click through to the link and it links to even more anti-business nonsense. Like this one
I did not click the link. Did the butt munch mention later in the article what percent of income taxes are paid by that 1% or how many jobs are created by that 1%?
I am not in that 1%, nor do I envy them or even care how much wealth they have.
Now, having said all that, I have to add that our VAST government budget, with it's TRILLION dollar deficit is being parceled out, by government bureaucrats, to both rich and poor alike. There are government regulations and government subsidies that help the rich. Rich folks make a lot of political contribution either on behalf of themselves, or on behalf of their companies -- and while they might sometimes make these contributions out of the goodness of their hearts, in most cases they do it because they want something in return.
We have a fascist system. It's been here for years. The government helps certain people and those certain people help the government.
I don't know if the author looks at it the same exact way I do, but I say the Rich get Richer, and the solution to that problem is to drastically decrease government spending and make the government a smaller part of our economy and a smaller part of our society.
Thou shall not covet what belongs to another man
There is plenty for everybody if God is your copilot.
If the devil is your guide, you have to grab for all you can because there might not be enough left.
I don't know if the author looks at it the same exact way I do, but I say the Rich get Richer, and the solution to that problem is to drastically decrease government spending and make the government a smaller part of our economy and a smaller part of our society.
Correct, whoever has the gold makes the rules, always been that way , always will. The thing is with government such a huge influence over everything this becomes more blatant. I just resent government hacks telling everyone they're for the "middle class" when we know they benefit from this arrangement.
22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
*********************************************************
I guess you didn't bother to read the original article either.
Let's quote it again...and I'll take the liberty of adding some emphasis.
"Is that capitalism?," he complains. "Go compete in a competitive arena. Don't go to Washington and say 'give me money' either by saying 'I don't have to pay taxes' or forcing other people to pay taxes that go to me. Go earn your money in the marketplace."
The wealth gap in America is outpacing much of the world. "Income inequality in the United States has soared ... with 1 percent controlling 24 percent of American income in 2007," New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently wrote. Kristof notes that's worse than "historically unstable countries like Nicaragua, Venezuela and Guyana."
If you had clicked the link you'd see a neat video that explains how this 1 % pays ZERO taxes. But as you've stated "nor do I envy them or even care how much wealth they have."
You don't care, you have not read the article, you have not clicked the link and yet have drawn the conclusion that this guy is a "butt munch".
Sounds like a pretty typical response. Has anyone ever seen a t-shirt with a sarcasm tag? I want to buy one.
Obama’s buddies at Google pay what 2% tax.
That's not true.
This guy is a "butt munch".
you have to translate that for me
Bush’s fault...
“What’s even more striking is that many of these unfair advantages are given to the biggest political contributors. The Wall Street bailouts are a perfect example.
“There’s been a massive turnover of money to people who didn’t have to face the consequences of the market,” Johnston says. “Goldman Sachs got its bad bets paid off at 100 cents on the dollar. I’ve never seen the government do that for me.”
I’ve never seen the government do that for me either. I don’t care how rich people get unless they are taking from me to get that way like the banks we were forced to bail out for example. They socialized their losses and privatized their profits and they were big political contributors to Obama does that tick me off H*ll yes!
Yeah, we should have gotten rid of Fannie & Freddie years ago.
Wait a minute. He’s got a point that conservatives can back 100%.
There are two types of successful entrepreneurs - market and political.
A market entrepreneur does it without any government help or subsidy - think Vanderbilt or Rockefeller.
A political entrepreneur does it with “tax breaks” and subsidies or tariffs - think Sugar or Ethanol.
We want and need the market entrepreneur. We need to destroy the second the political entrepreneur.
That’s a political posture that a huge majority of Americans can support. It’s a winner for 2012.
Bingo.
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