PA budget

[Flint]

Hyperbole.

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

If a teacher candidate has to decide whether they're better of working at Wal*mart or being a teacher, we're not going to get the best teachers. We've lost the war.

Try describing things this way in a meeting at work and see if your boss ever takes you seriously again.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Flint

Yes, there are those things. Oh, I'm sorry, you wanted me to read it with your spin?

Obviously you didn't get it the first time.

I know you don't like me, and it's interfering with your thought process.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Flint

Hyperbole.

Douchebag

[Flint]

I don't know anything about you.

Well, to the limited extent that any of us are able to express ourselves via textual exchange, I could speculate.

But I don't.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Flint

Hyperbole. Try describing things this way in a meeting at work and see if your boss ever takes you seriously again.

This from the guy who said

Originally Posted by Flint

Be that as it may, I'll be goddamned if Spex and his ilk are going to give away MY table scraps.

Hyperbole, hypocrisy, and a straw man argument.

[Flint]

Guess this thread is about done. Thanks for "being you," sport.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

This from the guy who said



Hyperbole, hypocrisy, and a straw man argument.

Curious. From what I can tell, this is the standard m.o.


I got my handbook at sign up.

Chapter 1
"Please be snarky, use circular logic and for gots sake, use haggis as much as possible and never, ever stay on topic."

I hate haggis, so I fail at that, but I'm pretty well versed, as we all are, at the other requirements.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Except that every time the economy gets good again, taxes get cut again. Things are only tight right now because taxes were lowered after the Clinton surplus years.

Then look where taxes were cut. The average worker saw almost no tax reductions. I know from personal experience that as income increased, tax cuts approached 50% reduction. Many of America's richest people and largest corporations paid almost nothing.

This thread will continue here and elsewhere due to so many myths. For example, an America that wants to get productive again would eliminate all ethanol from corn. Would eliminate corporate welfare that now increases America prescription drug prices by 40%. A 20% across the board reduction in military spending. Remove $1+ billion per year of military aid to Israel. Eliminate the $1billion per year we spend to manufacturer $1 paper bills. But those are sacred cows for the 'powers that be'. Cannot happen in a Congress so dominated only by extremists due to gerrymandering.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by tw

snip--
Eliminate the $1billion per year we spend to manufacturer $1 paper bills. --snip.

With the recent rise in the price of cotton, it now costs $0.10 to print a dollar bill (regardless of denomination).

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Flint

Going back to the original topic... if the belief is that regular middle-class folks should not have to take a hit in this bad economy, and the reality is that they already HAVE, why should there be a "protected" class of regular middle-class folks who get special treatment? Seeing as they work directly for our government overlords, they get to experience an "imaginary" economy where everybody still has a job?

I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A RAISE IN THREE FUCKING YEARS, YET THESE FOLKS HAVE THE AUDACITY TO COMPLAIN??? Give me a break.

Here's a protected class for ya, champ.

At a time most employees can barely remember their last substantial raise, median CEO pay jumped 27% in 2010 as the executives’ compensation started working its way back to prerecession levels, a USA TODAY analysis of data from GovernanceMetrics International found. Workers in private industry, meanwhile, saw their compensation grow just 2.1% in the 12 months ended December 2010, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Here's another

General Electric Co (GE.N) went on the defensive on Thursday over a report it paid no income taxes in 2010, unapologetically saying it seeks to reduce what it owes, but expects to pay more this year.

...
The New York Times reported last week that GE owed nothing in federal income taxes in 2010 despite earning $14 billion, about a third from its U.S. operations.

But let's continue to screw the hard working middle class, like the folks who teach your children (the country's next generation) and the people who serve the needs of the community every day.

[classicman]

From your own link.

And even though CEO pay is increasing, it’s still below 2007 levels. “Given the years of pay decreasing, there’s a certain amount of catch-up to get pay back to where it was in 2007,” says Paul Hodgson of GovernanceMetrics.

Also, the rising stock market was one of the biggest drivers of CEOs’ hefty windfall in 2010

Terry Madonna, a political scientist at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, said part of the political backlash Immelt faces stems from the fact GE Capital received U.S. government debt guarantees during the financial crisis. It left the debt program in 2009.

On the tax issue, Madonna said the problem "seems to me to be inherent in the tax code."

I believe we need to severely reduce the corporate tax rate from the current 35% and eliminate a lot of the loopholes. Add to that - reductions for keeping and investing here in the US and penalizing for moving jobs elsewhere.

[tw]

Originally Posted by classicman

I believe we need to severely reduce the corporate tax rate from the current 35% and eliminate a lot of the loopholes.

Extremists always hype that 35% tax rate. Forget to mention what most of the Fortune 500 actually pays. Somewhere about 7%. Many (ie GE) have been paying no taxes. GE will pay no taxes this year. Previously posted were so many large companies who pay no taxes over many years.

Yes, loopholes are a problem. But those promoting a corporate tax reduction always forget that part so that the rich will keep getting richer.

The average American from 2000 to 2008 saw his income drop 2%. And then the resulting recession hit. A recession created by mismanagement such as tax cuts and other money games. And made even worse by tax laws intended only to enrich the elite at the expense of people who actually create jobs.

Routine is for major companies to pay little or zero taxes. We have the laws that will happen when we elect political extremists - not the pragmatists and moderates.

Appreciate how dumb the Democratic Party was. Because those extremists would not even cooperate with Obama, then most moderate Democrats lost their elections. Left were only extremist Democrats to deal with a Republican party already dominated by extremists. Lies about taxes - the 35% corporate tax rate - is simply another example of what extremists do to enrich themselves at the expense of America.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by classicman

From your own link.

My bold. I present links that don't just show my point of view, unlike some people around here.

Fair enough. CEO pay is still below 2007 level. What was that level? Have CEOs had to radically modify their lifestyles? Could they continue to pay their children's college tuition? Were they able to afford health insurance? Did they lose their homes? Think of the comparison you're making and what you're defending. State workers, teachers, in PA will lose their jobs. Middle class income (I think this means you and me) has been stagnant for 20 years. Do you really want me to feel sorry for CEOs, and think that it justifies middle class people losing their jobs?

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

I present links that don't just show my point of view, unlike some people around here.

Backhanded shot at anyone in particular?

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

Think of the comparison you're making and what you're defending.

Where was I defending anyone? I was just showing some additional info for those who don't look at links.

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

Do you really want me to feel sorry for CEOs, and think that it justifies middle class people losing their jobs?

I couldn't care less who you feel sorry for - that has nothing to do with this.