Someone with a bit more saved up might invest in something a bit beyond his control ~ stocks, bonds, simple bank savings ~ maybe a new car so he can travel to a better job. Someone with even more savings might open up a business and employ himself, or maybe just hire a manager to run the shop.
You work your way up the line and you'll find that NO ONE with some little bit of free money (not tied down by basic investments in meat, potatoes and condiments) gives up trying to make more money.
Current rules allow GE to not make a profit ~ so they didn't pay any taxes!
I want that part!
That’s not actually how people spend their money. Lots of people spend their money on vacations, clothes, bigger houses, fancier cars, expensive restaurants, etc..
In our culture investing is more the exception than the rule.
The crony capitalism that GE plies is obscene—but that doesn’t have a thing to do with personal marginal tax rates.