Class warfare summed up in a simple joke (with an accompanying cartoon)

Why not ask the upper class workers to take less? What is wrong with that? At my union shop, we took a 6.5% pay cut. Management took a 1% pay cut. What is wrong with that picture?

 

The upper-class workers are getting what the owners of the company agreed to pay them. The middle-class workers should be getting the same, and that includes the company honoring union-negotiated contracts.

Outside of the truly impoverished, I wouldn't mind if everyone just shut up and fought for their piece of the pie, accepting what they end up with.

 

Just received my estimated 2011 tax from my accountant.

$134,000 not including Social Security and Medicare which would add another $8000 to my bill.

I feel like I am doing my fair share

 

Why doesn't someone just turn that "joke" into a cartoon?

 

Here's my question: does anyone here really believe that they do not have the wherewithal to be succesful in today's America?

Besides YGBFKM, I probably have less formal education than anyone on this board.

But, most of you chose to go into professions that appealed to you and salary wasn't the primary concern.

So, knowing this, why do you get so upset when others make more money? That's how the world works.

Most of you could have been lawyers or worked on Wall St., but you chose not to.

And, besides, there are million ways to make money today.

The fist beer's on me for anyone who hasn;t already read this article who can guess what this guy does for a living:

 

YF -- it's not whether people are successful. It's that we are at a point in this country where a person making $350,000 can't be asked to live without an extra $4,000 -- the extra 4 percentage points in the plus-$250K marginal range -- while a teacher making $48,000 is a public disgrace if he or she does not give up $4,000 to help the government make ends meet.

That says something terrible about this country.

 

But, how much you make is largely dependent on decisions you make.

If you made decisions that result in you making $48,000, why does it matter what someone else makes?

 

And if the State of Wisconsin signed union contracts granting low-cost health care and generous pension contributions, why does it matter what the new governor thinks? We could play this game all night. The point is that the cartoon and the resulting thread discuss the gigantic income gap and the rich's outlook on what caused that gap. It's a national disgrace.

 

If the issue is the reluctance of the wealthy to pay taxes, I'll agree we have a problem.

If the issue is poverty, I'll agree we have a problem.

If the issue is union-busting and going back on agreements, I'll agree we have a problem.

If the issue is just the growing wealth gap between the middle class and the rich, I say it's your job to go out and get yourself a piece of the pie.

 

But that's not how it works. If everyone in Wisconsin making over $250,000 gave up an additional $4000 it would not even come close to making up the shortfall.

 

I think it speaks to the mindset -- the same political party demanding union concessions is the one that calls ending the rich tax break "chicken crap" -- and despite your tired trolling, you know it does as well.

 

Aside from Jimmy Dolan, who do you think the "rich" are?

They usually worked hard in school and went to good colleges. They've worked hard in their careers.

They are entrepreneurs who've taken risks. They've started their own companies -- working long hours and often taking no salary while getting it off the ground.

They own your local dry cleaned and pizza place.

Why is it a disgrace that they make more than people who didn't apply themselves in school? Why shouldn't they make more money than someone who works 40 hours a week and doesn't push themselves to achieve.

I don't know any business owner or CEO who works a 40 hour week.

I've had CEO's reply my emails at all hours of the night. Anyone in sales knows that to get around a top executive's gatekeeper, you call his/her office early in the morning or late at night. You call on a Saturday or Sunday when they're likely to be at their desk with no secretary screening their calls.