Why should I apologize for making lots of money?

Boston Globe ^ | Larry Paquette

[Keith]

No institution of higher learning in this country does not benefit from Federal tax dollars in one form or another, none.

Untrue...the college I graduated from takes NO federal money at all...Bell grants are not accepted, no federal aid, nothing. They are a private institution with a religious background and want no federal interference.

So...it can be done. They have a $400 million endowment built solely from alumni and patron giving...because the donors believe in what the school is doing. It can be done...it's just a lot harder that way. I usd to wok in the treasurers office there, so I know how tough it is.

As for this whole argument, everyone believes in a hand-up...but most of us seeing the permanent welfare class as what happens when you get people who expect to get a handout.

The income tax was invented during the Civil War...it was 3%.

3%.

Now what we have is a redistribution of wealth gambit, and it doesn't work here any better than it has in the socialist states anywhere in the world.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Republicans are the party of wealthy and well-connected. Democrats are the party of the poor and struggling.

Politicians want to have the largest constituencies they can voting for them.

Therefore, Republicans want to see more people wealthy and well-connected. Democrats want to see more people poor and struggling.

This is an over-simplification, of course, but something to say whenever some Democrat says that the GOP is the party of the rich.

[NittanyLion]

Cin...The author specifically names "welfare" above. What does he call it that he received for four years of financial aid in college? For the man on the bottom, it is called "welfare", is there really any difference than the man in the top one per cent that took money for those four years?. The author should be glad of where he is, nevermind the media, he paid his dues, just be happy he is in a position to pay lots of taxes, the alternative is not very nice.

So in your opinion his attendance at a university that accepted government assistance nullifies his right to speak out against taxes? By that logic, just about any American who was born in a hospital has benefited from others' tax dollars and should not complain about the system.

That's a really silly argument.

[George W. Bush]

Why should I apologize for making lots of money?

Because you're one of those damned Republicans and a bunch of smug Democrat millionaire journalists need someone to look down on and villify?

Just a wild guess...

[angkor]

I find it difficult to accept any PHD from MIT saying, "I did it all on my own".

The "points" you're making are cheap, academic, and trivial (which is why they are intellectually insulting rather than factually insulting).

In your reductio ad absurdum, no one can really "do it on their own" if they drive on public roads or take the bus to work.

Turning on a lightbulb to study is "taxpayer supported" because utilities are de facto state entities.

Conversely, by your absurd logic MIT should now send a bill to the Feds and to all U.S. taxpayers for inventing computers, the Internet, the Unix OS, Rayon, over-the-horizon radar, the transistor, and synthetic penicillin.

Your argument is ridiculous.

[IncPen]

No institution of higher learning in this country does not benefit from Federal tax dollars in one form or another, none.

Ever heard of Hillsdale College?

[George W. Bush]

Sorry to disappoint Larry, if he went to college, chances are ten to one that he did not pay for all of his education. One way or another the taxpayers of America picked up a good part of the tab.

The author could hardly attend an unsubsidized school. There just aren't very many of them.

Your basic position then is that if you've ever benefitted from the public schools or driven on a tax-subsidized road (horrors), then you're another variety of welfare mother and should therefore pay any amount of taxes happily while licking the boots of your socialist masters with a show of genuine gratitude?

Are you sure you belong at FR?

[Will_Zurmacht]

student loans are not welfare. When the welfare guys start paying back monthly payments like mine, then we can talk. Yes, student loans enabled a kid like me to go to college. It also enabled a kid like me to pay taxes on a higher wage than I would probably have commanded without an education. I have no problem paying back the money I borrowed for my education. I could spend the same or less for a brand new car, but somehow I think an education is a better investment than a new truck for a young man or woman.

And now for the end result of your argument.If we really want to play the harsh reality game, old farts should be willing to give up all their benefits too, yes I know they pay for the system, but that argument doesn't seem work for student loans, so why should it work for senior benefits? And as for all those tax breaks, end 'em all! It's not my problem you have 5 kids, so tough! And if your crops go bad, sucks to be you! And when you lose your job to some kid fresh outta school who'll do your job for half the price, well, cry us all a river.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

....elite, smug Democrat millionaire journalists need someone to look down on and villify - don't forget they're "elite."

[RichGuy]

The workers do not pay the taxes in this country. The top ten percent of wage earners pay the vast majority of taxes. Therefore the author is paying for the next generation like himself.

[George W. Bush]

Ever heard of Hillsdale College?

Yep. I thought of them. But then I realized that some of the students who attended it have parents who take tax deductions to support them. And maybe alumni donations are tax-deductible. Heck, Hillsdale is probably taking business deductions and forcing the working class to subsidize them. And their selfish evil students even drove on public roads and bridges (in SUVs!) and some might have attended a public school.

By this line of thinking, Hillsdale is sucking the socialist teat of federal money just like the biggest sponges among the public universities.

</sarcasm>

[Glenn]

The workers do not pay the taxes in this country.

I'm sure the workers would be amused by that statement every time they take a peek at their pay stub.

[Mo1]

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[joesbucks]

I believe the argument has changed from I got to where I am on my own to the difference between a hand-out vs a hand-up.

I believe there are institutions of higher learing who accept no direct federal money such as Pell grants, but I would probably bet that they pay no taxes either being granted religion exemption. I have no problem with that.

I agree that there is a permanent hand-out class. That needs to be stopped.

I also have a problem with someone looking down their nose at me because they view my lower earnings as being proof I have no work ethic. That is quite wrong. I also work in supply chain management with almost 15 years of experience and work long hours and am well regarded in my company and industry. I however do not make anywhere near what the gentleman who wrote the article makes. It could be the industry he's in, it could be he got lucky and when the ax someday falls at his company he will never be able to replace the earnings he currently enjoys or he could be one of those very unique individuals who either had extraordinary talent or got very lucky.

I have no animosity for his advance earings and only marvel that he has been able to do it. I wish I could do the same. But my envy is not of why but how. How was this guy able to make more than double my salary? Why instead of saying I'm a sloth is he not reaching out to guys and gals like me who share a similar work ethic on how to improve our salaries?

Probably because it's easier to stand from his perch and cast his barbs at me. In a way, it's reverse class envy.

[Mamzelle]

re: Sorry to disappoint Larry, if he went to college, chances are ten to one that he did not pay for all of his education. One way or another the taxpayers of America picked up a good part of the tab.)))

Yeah, I guess you can claim that he also went to government elem/high schools and drives on public roads, therefore he's the rightful slave of the resentful and envious losers forever and ever, amen.

The productive don't have as many choices as your silly comment would imply--they pay the taxes that support the schools, too, and no productive member of society enjoys more of a benefit than he provides.

Larry owes no one an apology.

[unixfox]

However, all of us have taken "welfare" to one degree or another, all I ask is that he acknowledge it.

BULLSHIT !!! I have NEVER "taken" nor have I been "given" one dime from the very government that extracts money at every single junction in my life.

You should go back to Afghanistan and see how well a socialist government really works.

[NittanyLion]

I have no animosity for his advance earings and only marvel that he has been able to do it. I wish I could do the same. But my envy is not of why but how. How was this guy able to make more than double my salary? Why instead of saying I'm a sloth is he not reaching out to guys and gals like me who share a similar work ethic on how to improve our salaries?

My read is that he's condemning the folks who take more money from the government than they pay in taxes; you don't appear to be in that group. I think the reason he named his salary is because liberals target the $100,000+ range as the "rich" - his purpose was not to denigrate those who make only $50,000.

[FITZ]

Probably because it's easier to stand from his perch and cast his barbs at me. In a way, it's reverse class envy.

I agree. The middle class does pay plenty of taxes, income, property, sales, state, and all the others. The elite class isn't what makes the USA unique because every third world country has a wealthy class, in most countries 10% are doing great financially. It's the middle class that makes the USA stable and a first-rate country.

[Adder]

You have made an assumption not supported by the article. He does not state that he received any financial aid. If he paid his tuition from his jobs then he paid for his education. One can quibble whether said tuition rate is set for the full cost of the education but one cannot assume he received "handouts".

[dennisw]

Sorry to disappoint Larry, if he went to college, chances are ten to one that he did not pay for all of his education. One way or another the taxpayers of America picked up a good part of the tab.

Larry's story is common and very good. BUT the flipside is that the upper classes are becoming self perpetuating. They can send their boys and girls to university well prepared by the best schools. Send them to SAT prep classes. And the kid DOES NOT have to bust his butt working but will get his ticket punched (degree) that will take him to $100,000/annum level and better. Only problem is the upper class kid can be a moron or a jack off and not take advantage of the his parent's paying for private schools and university..