Nearly half of U.S. pays no federal income tax

[Ugmo]

The problem is, it seems on one side - yours - there is this mentality that big business can do no wrong and we should bend over for whatever they want. On the other side - Ugmo's - is a mentality that we should tax the fuck out of the rich. As usual the answer is somewhere in between.

No, the answer is definitely that we should tax the fuck out of the rich!

[Hames Jetfield]

Promoting business and proseperity in this country is a good thing. It's the system it is built on and has caused the U.S. to be a shining light for hundreds of years. You are correct. I am a capitalist, not a socialist. Business produces jobs. Jobs promote growth and family. Build from the bottom up. Not the top down.

You're a corporatist! I believe in meritocracy, you do well you are rewarded--simple, really. However, the way the government favors the super-wealthy over the individual is disgusting. Add corporate welfare to it and it's a broke system. The whole mentality of the country--from the trailer park folks to the Wall Street fat cats--is fucked. Everyone wants to game the system and contribute nothing to it.

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

Promoting business and proseperity in this country is a good thing. It's the system it is built on and has caused the U.S. to be a shining light for hundreds of years. You are correct. I am a capitalist, not a socialist. Business produces jobs. Jobs promote growth and family. Build from the bottom up. Not the top down.

So why do the guys at the top deserve welfare and those at the bottom don't?

He really believes this!!!!

[thejuggernaut]

Damn, there sure is a lot of Walmart bashing.

Personally, I find it to be a disgusting disease incubator where the filth of the world gathers, but credit where it's due - to be able to just make a super giant chain like that and drop one in almost every city and have it be successful is impressive.

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

Damn, there sure is a lot of Walmart bashing.

Personally, I find it to be a disgusting disease incubator where the filth of the world gathers, but credit where it's due - to be able to just make a super giant chain like that and drop one in almost every city and have it be successful is impressive.

The question is why Walmart, ADM and other huge, highly profitable corporations deserve welfare while the average Joe should carry his own weight and never ask for a handout? Why is income redistribution OK when it comes out of our pockets and ends up in Sam Walton's? Why are the assets of the wealthy sacrosanct while mine and yours are not? I picked Walmart as an example because it's world famous, not because it's 'more evil' than any other corporation. It's ridiculous that these clowns like YourMomma rant against mythical 'welfare queens' and 'poverty pimps' while the CEOs they admire go to board meetings in welfare Cadillacs.

[Heenan Snuka]

I think there should be a tax credit for not having kids.

lol, yes...but that would make too much sense

[FullDJacket]

Personally, I find it to be a disgusting disease incubator where the filth of the world gathers, but credit where it's due - to be able to just make a super giant chain like that and drop one in almost every city and have it be successful is impressive.

Why look down on people who work for a living?

[thejuggernaut]

Personally, I find it to be a disgusting disease incubator where the filth of the world gathers, but credit where it's due - to be able to just make a super giant chain like that and drop one in almost every city and have it be successful is impressive.

Why look down on people who work for a living?

Why assume that all people who shop at Walmart work for a living ?

[chickenona]

It's just the government tacitly acknowledging that half the country doesn't make a wage it can live on.

[Hames Jetfield]

Personally, I find it to be a disgusting disease incubator where the filth of the world gathers, but credit where it's due - to be able to just make a super giant chain like that and drop one in almost every city and have it be successful is impressive.

Why look down on people who work for a living?

Why assume that all people who shop at Walmart work for a living ?

Well, you could apply that line of logic for any place where goods and services are being offered, genius. STFU, though I know you won’t, which is what makes this so fun!

[thejuggernaut]

Why look down on people who work for a living?

Why assume that all people who shop at Walmart work for a living ?

Well, you could apply that line of logic for any place where goods and services are being offered, genius. STFU, though I know you won’t, which is what makes this so fun!

That's terrific, except I am not talking about any other place, genius.

However, I sure if I walked into Barney's, Saks or Tiffany's, I'd find a lot of the same kinds of people who buy canned pasta at Walmart.

Now, do YOU ever "STFU" with your whiny, infantile "sharing is good" nonsense ? You come off as a pothead. And a pothead who took offense to what I said because his apartment "living room" is "decorated" with Made In China Walmart "furniture".

[vlad]

It's just the government tacitly acknowledging that half the country doesn't make a wage it can live on.

This.

I tried to say it earlier, but was too wordy.

[FullDJacket]

Personally, I find it to be a disgusting disease incubator where the filth of the world gathers, but credit where it's due - to be able to just make a super giant chain like that and drop one in almost every city and have it be successful is impressive.

Why look down on people who work for a living?

Why assume that all people who shop at Walmart work for a living ?

Are you playing me? I figured you were shitting on people who work at WalMart.

[chickenona]

I like how schmucks like YourMomma cry about the "half pay no income tax" thing like THAT's the problem, when the real problem - which they seem perfectly okay with - is that real wages in America haven't risen since 1974 and are in no way sufficiently compensatory to keep pace with the ever-increasing cost of living.

These right-wing guys are all the same. They claim they have a problem with the poor because they're "lazy", even though the hardest work in this country is done by the lowest-paid people. They don't have a problem with "laziness", they have a problem with poverty. In their world, everyone should just "work hard" (read: be rich) and "succeed" (shut up and stop worrying about not having enough money to live on). They blubber endlessly about handouts for the poor but have no problem with big businesses receiving ten times as much welfare as AFDC, in perpetuity, simply because their welfare is classified as things like "credits" and "subsidies" and it "creates jobs" and "provides incentives".

I gotta admire the racket Wal-Mart has going here. They get all these gifts and tax breaks out of OUR MONEY, push our local businesses out of competition with the cheap goods and labor these incentives afford them, and ultimately get even more of OUR MONEY because we often end up with no other place to go shopping.

[thejuggernaut]

Why look down on people who work for a living?

Why assume that all people who shop at Walmart work for a living ?

Are you playing me? I figured you were shitting on people who work at WalMart.

No, I am not referring to the people who work there.

I am referring to the people who buy "groceries" there, among other things.

[thejuggernaut]

They claim they have a problem with the poor because they're "lazy", even though the hardest work in this country is done by the lowest-paid people.

That's a tad inaccurate.

To a frail person, ditch digging is hard work. To a muscular person, it's not.

If you think conference calls at all hours, 24/7 contact and having to hop on planes to go from A-B all the time is easy, you are mistaken.

Is it BETTER than digging a ditch in the sweltering heat with bugs swarming around ? Of course it is.

However, let's not confuse shitty work with hard work, because a ditch digger doesn't have to watch every word he/she says for fear of having the business crumble, and have to field calls at all hours of the night from clients across the globe - the ditch digger knows where and when he is working in advance and, when his day is done, it's done.

The average competent director/CEO works a hell of a lot harder than the average ditch digger, janitor etc. His/her day is NEVER over. It's just that the work itself isn't as horrible.

[Hames Jetfield]

How many "middle class" people shop at those places, douche? Wal-Mart is a social melting pot, it draws people from all walks of life because they got cheap shit and people want--guess it--CHEAP SHIT!

As for being a stoner, no I'm not. I tried it once and freaked out. That same shit you used to break down vanitybinge isn't going to work here--because I don't give a shit. Now I'm going to go re-distribute my wealth at the local strip club, while pondering why passive-aggressive internet-tough-guys use big PINK letters to get themselves noticed on the net.

[thejuggernaut]

How many "middle class" people shop at those places, douche? Wal-Mart is a social melting pot, it draws people from all walks of life because they got cheap shit and people want--guess it--CHEAP SHIT!

Really ? I had no idea people bought cheap, horrible garbage there.

As for being a stoner, no I'm not. I tried it once and freaked out. That same shit you used to break down vanitybinge isn't going to work here--because I don't give a shit.

That's great. Too bad I said you COME OFF as a pothead, not that you are a pothead. But it's good to know your crybaby persona is natural.

Now I'm going to go re-distribute my wealth at the local strip club, while pondering why passive-aggressive internet-tough-guys use big PINK letters to get themselves noticed on the net.

Yes, that's it, I want to get noticed. My parents actually named me "The Juggernaut". That's my real name and I am trying to carve out a cyber-name for myself. Speaking of internet tough guys though, you might want to tone down your screaming "douche" at people you disagree with; wouldn't want people to think you're an "internet tough guy". After all, we know there's really only two possibilities with you; disgusting fat slob, or concave piece of trash.

PS. Nice trump card by the way. Nothing screams "I win" like having to pay women to take their clothes off. Moron.

[KillDevilHill]

I had to pay for the first time this year,I only made over the federal limit when I was 18 and got all of my taxes back. I made something like 12000 this year working fulltime in the summer and partime in school, have to scrape the chump change together just to pay up.

Being an adult is bunk

[bane]

They claim they have a problem with the poor because they're "lazy", even though the hardest work in this country is done by the lowest-paid people.

That's a tad inaccurate.

To a frail person, ditch digging is hard work. To a muscular person, it's not.

If you think conference calls at all hours, 24/7 contact and having to hop on planes to go from A-B all the time is easy, you are mistaken.

Is it BETTER than digging a ditch in the sweltering heat with bugs swarming around ? Of course it is.

However, let's not confuse shitty work with hard work, because a ditch digger doesn't have to watch every word he/she says for fear of having the business crumble, and have to field calls at all hours of the night from clients across the globe - the ditch digger knows where and when he is working in advance and, when his day is done, it's done.

The average competent director/CEO works a hell of a lot harder than the average ditch digger, janitor etc. His/her day is NEVER over. It's just that the work itself isn't as horrible.

As a guy that has been on both ends of that particular spectrum, I strongly disagree with that assessment. The mental demands and stress of being the top dog are very draining and demanding, absolutely, but working a shovel in 100 degree heat is far and above harder.

[thejuggernaut]

They claim they have a problem with the poor because they're "lazy", even though the hardest work in this country is done by the lowest-paid people.

That's a tad inaccurate.

To a frail person, ditch digging is hard work. To a muscular person, it's not.

If you think conference calls at all hours, 24/7 contact and having to hop on planes to go from A-B all the time is easy, you are mistaken.

Is it BETTER than digging a ditch in the sweltering heat with bugs swarming around ? Of course it is.

However, let's not confuse shitty work with hard work, because a ditch digger doesn't have to watch every word he/she says for fear of having the business crumble, and have to field calls at all hours of the night from clients across the globe - the ditch digger knows where and when he is working in advance and, when his day is done, it's done.

The average competent director/CEO works a hell of a lot harder than the average ditch digger, janitor etc. His/her day is NEVER over. It's just that the work itself isn't as horrible.

As a guy that has been on both ends of that particular spectrum, I strongly disagree with that assessment. The mental demands and stress of being the top dog are very draining and demanding, absolutely, but working a shovel in 100 degree heat is far and above harder.

Have you ever been the top dog of a global company ?

[bane]

Nope. I don't see their job being much different than mine though. The buck stops here in both cases. I'd say my workload is probably on par with your typical global CEO, as is my level of personal responsibility.

[vlad]

Nope. I don't see their job being much different than mine though. The buck stops here in both cases. I'd say my workload is probably on par with your typical global CEO, as is my level of personal responsibility.

Same here....a small business owner works their butts off....and, a snide aside, don't manage to nearly take down the world economy while they are at it. If those top dogs of global companies are working so fucking hard..then why is it such a fucking mess? My hats off to those who actually do create a successful company, but judging frm the past years...not that impressive. Nothing like a pity party for a gazillionaire. There is nothing wrong with being a CEO if done honestly and intelligently, though the compensation ratio has gotten so ridiculous in tha past few decades, even for the failures.

My family's own business involves 24/7 activities as well..and aside from employees (nothing like getting woke up from a sound sleep to bail a crewman out of the pokey so the boat can fish) I do still actually do the physical work of net building and repair ( no dainty affair). While being the CFO, HR, and whatever other fancy title I'd want to give myself.

And really, those hard working CEO...I'd love to get one out on the boat during the crab season....the snot freezing on their noses while they hunker down when the waves break over the side, for at least two days straight (no 8 hour shifts there). Oh the manicures!

The above description is not from the Deadliest Catch, btw, but from the Oregon Coast. There are not pot launchers here, well there are, but they are bipedal and cranky.

Thankfully I do not have to do that anymore, and neither does the husband (he's the driver (something I still do rarely), a very stressful job, done for the same hours, bouncing around on the top of a boat, trying to find tiny buoys in the vast nasty ocean. And when he's not literally running the boat, he has to be constantly looking for markets, dealing with crew, the state, the feds and every acronym you can throw at him.

And I forgot! The politics...aside from all the above, meetings, lobbying, etc. There's a strike right now, as I write this...lots of back channel yacking, hence my presence on the comp right now. hey, I'm a CEO...banking, lobbying, doing taxes, dealing with employees, wheeling and dealing...all at the same time.

Hopefully that last paragraph will explain my outburst. I'm a bit cranky.

[thejuggernaut]

Nope. I don't see their job being much different than mine though. The buck stops here in both cases. I'd say my workload is probably on par with your typical global CEO, as is my level of personal responsibility.

That's where you're wrong.

When you're in bed at 3 AM and the phone rings and, on the other end is someone in Hong Kong wide awake in the peak of their work day, you have to compose yourself and get your shit together, right quick like.

It most certainly is different. It actually, literally is night and day different.

Not only is it a time shift with a lot of international clients, but it's a cultural thing; a LOT of eastern worlders in Asia and the middle east views us Westerners as lazy, and they don't give a fuck about bed times or rest or anything of the sort. They want answers, they want them now, and they don't give a fuck if it's the middle of your night and you were asleep.

Sometimes screening the call to voice mail is effective, but you've got about 10 minutes TOPS to wake up, get a coffee into you, shake the cobwebs out, and get your shit together.

This is just an assumption, but, if you're not global, you have what, a 5 hour swing, assuming you do business in Hawaii ? And the occasional emergency call in the middle of the night ? I am guessing you don't get regular "how ya doing. I was just curious about... " calls at any given moment between the hours of 11 pm and 6am, on top of the calls you do during "core hours".

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

Have you ever been the top dog of a global company ?

Have you?

[thejuggernaut]

Have you ever been the top dog of a global company ?

Have you?

Pfft

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

Have you ever been the top dog of a global company ?

Have you?

Pfft

I didn't think so.

[thejuggernaut]

Have you?

Pfft

I didn't think so.

You didn't think what ?

[Hames Jetfield]

Have you ever been the top dog of a global company ?

Have you?

WTF are you talking about? Juggersnot is a high-rollin', call takin', jet settin', global company rockin'--motherfucker! I've a new respect for this man, he's obviously better than many average Joes. Yet he still finds time for us plebs on sludge. Thanks Juggersnot!

[thejuggernaut]

Have you ever been the top dog of a global company ?

Have you?

WTF are you talking about? Juggersnot is a high-rollin', call takin', jet settin', global company rockin'--motherfucker! I've a new respect for this man, he's obviously better than many average Joes. Yet he still finds time for us plebs on sludge. Thanks Juggersnot!

Juggersnot ?

So, that's your triumphant return ?

I guess a simpleton like you probably can't figure out that maybe, just maybe, somebody has been on these boards since before he became a "global company rockin'--motherfucker".

It certainly explains why you gather with the other sad sacks of humanity and fat pigs to pay filthy women to take their clothes off.