Sunday, May 3, 2009

Words of the real deal or the pretender?

Property is the fruit of labor. . . property is desirable. . . is a positive goal in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that hsi own shall be safe from violence when built.

29 comments:

Ric Larson said...

Sean, I really like this posting!

It did make me think… “Have I ever worked for a poor person”? No. “What if there were no rich people, who would we work for or be employed by”? No one.

mat said...

Youd work for the government.

Ric Larson said...

I hear you Mat, I was thinking the same thing too. But then I realized, if there were no rich people around to work for, thus no worker…who would pay for the taxes to hire government employees? No one would be working a legitimate job then. We would all become pirates like those in Somalia.

rac said...

I wonder where this notion came from that Democrats are anti-personal wealth. Especially when statistics say otherwise. First let's examine red vs blue in the richest vs poorest state demographic:

Top 10 Richest States
1) Maryland - $65,144 (blue)
2) New Jersey - $64,470 (blue)
3) Connecticut - $63,422 (blue)
4) Hawaii - $61,160 (blue)
5) Massachusetts - $59,963 (blue)
6) New Hampshire - $59,683 (blue)
7) Alaska - $59,393 (red)
8) California - $56,645 (blue)
9) Virginia - $56,277 (blue)
10) Minnesota - $54,023 (blue)

9 Poorest States
42) Montana - $40,627 (red)
43) Tennessee - $40,315 (red)
44) Kentucky - $39,372 (red)
45) Louisiana - $39,337 (red)
46) Alabama - $38,783 (red)
47) Oklahoma - $38,770 (red)
48) Arkansas - $36,599 (red)
49) West Virginia - $35,059 (red)
50) Mississippi - $34,473 (red)

And then there's this from Fox News: Heritage Foundation Study Finds Democrats Represent More Wealthy Districts Than RepublicansNot to mention such uber rich supporters of the Democratic platform as Warren Buffet and George Soros. I suspect they rather enjoy being the 2nd and 29th wealthiest men on the planet. I'm guessing they don't want to turn their fortunes over to some kind of ill conceived socialist state.

Ric Larson said...

Are you sure that is correct RAC? Where is New York on this list? It didn’t even rank?

“I wonder where this notion came from that Democrats are anti-personal wealth” from this thread?

mat said...

I think thats the point rac is democrats are always bitching about big this or big that and big corporations don't pay their fair share. But as a party the number of millionaires in government are democrat.We talked about this before in an earlier post. You beat us "righties" up over it but never really explained it. I'll break it down as best as my in breeding,red neckin, trailer livin self can explain. I'm a rich son of a bitch, a Billionaire, if you will, and I decide to buy a toy. I buy a Hummer and I am charged an extra 10-20 percent tax when I register it due to it's adverse effects on the environment. I am charged a higher personal income tax rate because the roads and highways need to be maintained and upgraded. Yet I never drive it because I'm busy working and making the money for the Government to take its "Share" of my money so I have the company limo or helicopter pick me up.AH HA you say. So now I'm destroying the world with my carbon emissions AND squandering my share holders and investors retirement funds(who are also billionaires by the way). The thing is I'm quite sure you're not a billionaire but why do you begrudge me striving to be one? Liberals are so full of shit. There I said it. I hope you make a billion dollars someday. Or at least become a millionaire like Dave.

Ric Larson said...

Gosh Dang it Mat, you make the difficult seem so easy! Good job bro!

Ric Larson said...

Breaking news! This will make the liberals happy! Government control over our private industries. "New Role for Wall Street, Obama says Wall Street won't play as dominant a part in economy as regulations reduce leveraging, risk taking".

rac said...

See Ric, I don't think you even know what that means. The reason the economy is in the tank right now is because of over leveraging. Everyone who is anyone (Republicans included) is calling for tighter regulation. It was deregulation that got us in the mess we're in now.

rac said...

The richest (and poorest) places in the U.S.

rac said...

And Mat I don't even know what the your point is suppose to be. Exactly why would I begrudge you striving to better yourself? The people I most look up to are those who are the most successful. IMO Bill Gates is the smartest person in the world and a man I admire greatly.

So what is it you are doing to better yourself? Are you just talking about it or are you actually doing something about it. As for me I actively trade stocks in the market. I may or may not ever be a giant success but at least I put my money where my mouth is (and for the record I don't leverage but I do take a considerable amount of risk). ;)

Cindy said...

I hate being put in some kind of box that says "this is how you think" just because my voting card says that I'm registered as a Democrat. One of the main reasons I changed jobs last month was because I was going to make more money. As a clinical microbiologist I certainly felt that I had a more direct impact on affecting patient care but in the end it was the almighty dollar that convinced me that I could be just as happy getting people to wash their hands.

I also am very passionate about an organization called Womem for Women International that helps women in war-torn regions with financial and emotional aid, job-skills training, rights education and small business assistance so they can rebuild their lives.
I've sponsored three women so far. We write to each other. The last woman I sponsored was able to start building her own house and the woman I help now in Rwanda has started a business selling candles.

It's a stupid notion that you guys think that we non-Republicans think we should all just to able to sit around doing nothing, letting the rich pay all the taxes so we can let the government fix all our problems and control every aspect of our lives.

And now I'm going to go out to clean the pool of my beautiful home and not feel one bit of guilt that the government didn't bail out the previous owner who had a loan he couldn't afford when the housing market went to hell around here.

rac said...

Leverage 101: The Real Cause of the Financial Crisis

mat said...

rac,you choose not to know what I'm talking about. I'm not saying that dems don't want wealth.They do. They just want to take it from "Righty" and redistribute it to their pet projects that let them sleep better at night thinking they made a difference in the world. Would you like to pay more in personal income taxes? Most normal people wouldn't.We work hard for our money as I'm sure you do too. Like I said in my post you don't really answer the question,you just skirt around it. Thats cool. Thats how you roll. You like to post links to articles. You want big corporations to pay more taxes because they are more culpable for the ill's of our nation. So I guess that you don't ever want to be sucessfull enough where you're paying more because then you wouldn't be able to handle the guilt of societies and the planets downfall. As for your crack about me bettering myself, I have my family and my health. And I pay the bills every month. Again thats not what the post was about. But since you brought it up,Suppose Bush was still in office and we were facing huge deficits and the republicans were in control and they anounced that taxes were going up and we would be bailing out the banks and automakers and etc. You would be having a fit. Again,You're gonna say "yea thats what happened" its all Bushes fault. But the current administration doesn't have to perpetuate the sin. They were about change remember? So what changed? Nothing. They could say this whole economic bailout is BS and we're not going along with it. But nooooo they're licking they're chops and going along with it. Get real dude.

rac said...

The point is there was/is a financial crises. We could have done one of two things. First we could have done nothing, an option most economist agree would result in a depression that would have made the 30's look like a board game. The other option was government intervention - an option that prevents the meltdown but still has to be paid in the long run. I guess it's a matter of choosing your poison. I'm not really sure the world was ready for complete economic melt down. This is why every developed country in the world has stepped up to avoid such a crises. If you had a better solution maybe you should have brought it to someones attention.

rac said...

BTW - I get that you guy's think you shouldn't have to pay taxes. You've made that point perfectly clear.

DRL said...

Dang, no one knows what anyone is saying.
Many of the richest are Democrats, that is understood. Look at the "lion" of the Democrat party. Ted "Killer of a girl" Kennedy. But remember he has wealth. "Wealth is not taxed" only "income". Look at Al Gore, Barbra Streisand, and them many other liberals that tell us we don't pay enough. I all of them would not be hypocrites, they could pay off our debt. That is not the point, I think that what the Bible says is more important. "if you don't work, you don't eat". Why should someone sit on their fat rear end and receive my hard earned money? This is precipitate through their generations, as I work two jobs in pain. I hurt so bad some days I can't sleep. I am on two types of pain pills and still live in constant pain. I have been offered "disability" on numerous occasions, yet turning them down, I pull my own weight. While I work, why is obesity a disability?

DRL said...

I am proud to be a home owner, and work for a home owner, and through my work others are able to own a home.

DRL said...

Oh and Cindy, I agree with you,even though I am on offender.

No one can be put into a box of "liberal" and "conservative" by title. But they can by speech. If someone touts and supports socialism and puts down capitalism, then they have made there own box. I can say that about myself. No one but myself have made me a conservative that will go down fighting for our veterans. I stand proudly for what I believe, everyone should. I don't care how diametric our opinions are, as long as we stand by them. I love you, RAC, Doug, Joanna, Juliet, etc...., regardless of our opposing views.

If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.

Ric Larson said...

I see it in two ways too. #1. Republicans; “Pull your-self up by your own boot straps, get over it and move on”.
#2. Democrats; “Whaaa, whaaa, whaa, “I’m on my period. Some one help me. I can't do it myself”.

Just the way I see it folks.

Ric Larson said...

RAC, Republicans (or me, an Independent) have no problem paying taxes. It’s our duty as an American citizen. Don’t know where you got the idea that we don’t want to pay taxes? Maybe we are just frustrated paying taxes for Socialist programs or ideas?

rac said...

Like state provided mental health care?

DRL said...

Ric don't hit me, but he got you there.

Although, we have already said that we believe the government is needed. It is the worthless social programs that are a problem. I have said for a long time that obesity is not a disability. Too many Americans sit on there duffs, drawing welfare. I have no problem with the "safety net" idea. But look at who is on the dole. I believe you agree with me, but it is a slippery slope if you admit to agreeing with me, on the fat and lazy person drawing welfare.

juliet said...

Not to mention unemployment and food stamps which some have mentioned they occasionally had to use. "whaa whaa whaaa can't do it myself" and "I am on period" are you implying that women are the biggest whiners.

rac said...

I agree DRL, those who sponge off of society disgust me as much as the next guy. Where we differ is in how we categorize them. I don't automatically assume they are all white trash conservative rednecks... I've met my share of liberal trash too. Maybe it's time to revisit themes in the movie Soylent Green.

juliet said...

Several states, including Florida, West Virginia, and Tennessee, have outsourced some food stamp and child support call centers to India, ABC News reports. The centers are managed by JP Morgan Chase, which is contracted to provide food stamp debit cards in many states and outsources the support jobs. "Why is the state of Florida sending these jobs away?" asked Florida recipient Michele Brown. "The thing that really iced it for me, I knew that JP Morgan had gotten bailout funds." Drudge Report"

DRL said...

Juliet, I agree with you. The only difference would be the litanies test. But if there was one at all, I would be happier than I am now. The safety net has to be there, but to whom, not every one that doesn't "want" to work. So, if they would come up with one, I would say yipeee!

Oh and on the outsourcing, who would give it to someone that cant manage there own house???????

Why not to some charitable organisation that is use to living off nothing, yet helps allot of people???? Go figure.

juliet said...

Is there a connection between farm subsidies and the owner-operator trucking community? At first glance one would think that was ridiculous, but let's examine it for a minute. Our government just passed a $307 billion (yes billion!) farm subsidy to benefit an industry that is already profitable. http://www.truckertotrucker.com/trucker/1/2008/05/Farm-Subsidies-and-Trucking.cfm

DRL said...

Juliet, fortunately there is. The trucking industry, except those owed by the farmer to move his/her own product, is hurt by farm subsidies. For example, the higher the price of potatoes, the lower the freight price is. Less of them to be moved. When the feds step in and pay farmers not to plant, or store them product in warehousing the farmers have less incentive to grow-to-consumer. So, yes, every time we in the community see another "farm bill", we know we are hurt. Look too at the employment. CRP is the grass grown in place of crop to stifle erosion. The farmer does not even till or seed that land until the government lease is up. So, it hurts the consumer at the store, the trucking industry, the local employment, and support systems such as fuel, maintenance, sales of implements, etc..
I do have to go back and expound on what I meant by "them moving there own product". Little know fact. A farmer moving his/her own product to and form there own "farm" does not have to obey the same rules as the other truck driver/owners. No log books, less tie downs, maintenance, etc... That too hurts motorists on the road and because they have "tax exempt" status, they don't have to pay what OTR driver do.