Rich People: Now They’re ‘Job Creators’

As of Thursday, August 4, 2011

I usually don’t read a lot of “celebrity” news, but for some reason, a story in the online version of the British newspaper The Guardian caught my eye.

According to the Guardian story, Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg and Gwyneth Paltrow (who, as it turns out, is Spielberg’s goddaughter) recently got in a little bit of trouble when a motorboat from Spielberg’s 85-meter yacht, the Seven Seas, got a little too close to a beach in Sardinia.

Swimmers were quick to call in the Coast Guard, which slapped a fine of 172 euros (about 247 bucks) on Spielberg for violating Italy’s strict laws about beach safety.

My first thought upon reading this story was, “Heck, he ought to just rename the boat ‘Job Creator’ and come back to America. In this political environment, he could do anything he wanted: run over fishermen, crash into the docks, generally act like the Rodney Dangerfield character in ‘Caddyshack’ did when he got on his boat.”

See, thanks to the no-taxes-on-the-wealthy rhetoric that has been mandated by the fanatical wild-eyed mullahs of the Tea Party Jihad (or Teahadists, as I call them), what used to be known as “rich people” are now “job creators.” And God forbid anyone doing something that might disturb the delicate feelings of the JCs, like asking them to pay their fair share for the running of this country.

According to the speaker of the House, Cryin’ John Boehner, “The mere threat of tax hikes causes uncertainty for job creators, uncertainty that results in less risk-taking and fewer jobs.”

Hear that? Even talking about asking the JCs to pony up a few more shekels is likely to make them curl up like snails into their shells and take the jobs with them. Environmental and financial regulations? Fuhgeddaboudit. We can’t make the “job creators” angry.

This deification of the so-called “job creators” has gotten so entrenched that I’ve actually considered getting a license plate that says “JOBCREATOR” so I could drive as fast as I want and never get my car inspected. On April 15, I’ll just write “Job Creator” on my tax form, send it in, and tell the IRS to go pound sand. And if anyone dares cross me, I’ll threaten to sic John Boehner or Mitch McConnell on them.

The only problem is, the frequently repeated assertion that “if we tax the rich, it’ll kill jobs” is a crock. After all, Bush the Younger was a tax-cuttin’ fool (literally), and The Wall Street Journal (not exactly a bastion of liberalism) called his track record on jobs “the worst on record.”

According to The WSJ, “The Bush administration created about 3 million jobs (net) over its eight years, a fraction of the 23 million jobs created under President Bill Clinton’s administration and only slightly better than President George H.W. Bush did in his four years in office.”

Yet the Teahadists act like Clinton-era tax rates are so heinous an example of government tyranny that they’re perfectly willing, even eager, to suicide-bomb the entire economy to stop them from ever coming back.

As so often happens, neither history nor math is kind to the Teahadist dogma. The Center for American Progress looked at the numbers and found that top income tax rates bear little or no relation to job growth.

In fact, they note, “In the past 60 years, job growth has actually been greater in years when the top income tax rate was much higher than it is now. ... For instance, in years when the top marginal rate was more than 90 percent, the average annual growth in total payroll employment was 2 percent. In years when the top marginal rate was 35 percent or less — which it is now — employment grew by an average of just 0.4 percent.”

Further, “When the marginal tax rate was 50 percent or above, annual employment growth averaged 2.3 percent, and when the rate was under 50, growth was half that.”

Long story short, lower taxes on the wealthy don’t equal more jobs. They never have. That’s just another one of the long cons the GOP is running on people, playing on economic fear to reap more tax breaks for the same fat cats who’ll most likely use the extra cash to give themselves huge bonuses for sending jobs overseas.

Don’t fall for it.

Dusty Rhoades lives, writes and practices law in Carthage. Contact him at dustyr@nc.rr.com.

More like this story

JER 1 year, 9 months ago

Teahadists...very, very good, Dusty!!! And for anyone thinking that any of the above is not correct, please refer to the financial section of your daily newspaper to read about the latest "job creator's" announcement of quarterly profits.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 9 months ago

Thanks, JER!

ProudYankee 1 year, 9 months ago

Unfortunately for our middle class, you nailed it in this column.

Thanks for providing some humor and clear headed thinking to us every week.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 9 months ago

Thank you!

Alistener 1 year, 9 months ago

Amen, Dusty! You covered the situation perfectly. For those who aren't aware, did you know that each person reading this column paid more federal taxes last year than Bank of America, Chevron, Boeing, and Exxon, among many others - because they paid NO FEDERAL TAXES! If just the top ten corporations had paid their fair share - not an increased rate, just their fair share - it would have brought in over ONE TRILLION DOLLARS to the U.S. Treasury. If all corporations had paid their fair share it would have raised over $2.4 TRILLION DOLLARS. That would have created or maintained a lot of jobs. Yes, Boehner's glibly Republican "taxes equals lost jobs" threat is a huge leap of logic that I don't follow.

I am sick of watching wealthy senators and representatives in both parties play with American lives. They wear expensive suits, drive great cars, have beautiful homes, awesome jobs, well-educated kids, fantastic health care, and all the time forget that many Americans have none of that. Yet playing with Social Security and military pay is alright with them as long as they get re-elected.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 9 months ago

Thanks!

DaveyNC 1 year, 9 months ago

Here's the problem, Dusty. Since WW2, government as a percentage of GDP has averaged somewhere between 17 and 20 percent. Right now, we are closing in on 26%, which is 30% higher than is sustainable, at a minimum. That number needs to come down under 20% in order for things to start working again.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 9 months ago

When you say :"government as a percentage of GDP' do you mean government spending or government debt?

Zippy 1 year, 9 months ago

If I could write columns for this newspaper I couldn’t do better. I especially liked the deliciously satirical tone that makes fun of those who are trying to make fools of us. I mean congressional Republicans. How anyone could believe the hogwash they’ve come out with is sad. I don’t think it originates with them but with their marketing team who mimic the successful TV commercials you love to hate. The ones where the volume goes up and, usually it’s a car salesman, yelling at you to buy a car, repeated over and over again. Effective like the empty Republican rhetoric about the rich because the message is hammered at you repeatedly and it doesn’t matter that its not true. The strategy behind saying so many absurd things constantly about why we shouldn’t raise taxes on the rich or regulate them is like one of those car commercials. They’re annoying, repetitive, yet effective or else why would Americans continue to go in hock for cars they can’t afford and don’t need, or even more damaging, vote Republican. Why, because Republican sloganeering is relentless and consistent, saying the same bogus tag lines until we’re so brainwashed that we don’t consciously pay attention to how meaningless and invalid it all is.

Toda 1 year, 9 months ago

Bob I couldn't have said it better....

AbdominalDohMan 1 year, 9 months ago

A simple economics lesson for all of you to ponder: Whenever a corporation's expenses go up, whether that is raw materials, labor, fuel, or taxes, the end cost ALWAYS ends up in the consumers pocketbook. You can tax the big companies all you want but they will always pass the cost down to the consumer.

Alistener 1 year, 9 months ago

It is true that corporations pass along expenses to the consumer. However, many times we consumers can choose not to deal with these entities. I don't have to go on a Carnival Cruise (paid almost no federal taxes) or bank with Bank of America, or deal with Boeing. Vote with your wallet!

tileman 1 year, 9 months ago

That is true, however the American people can't get united on a cause long enough to not buy products or use services that hurt our economy. Just like when we get the e-mails giving specific days to not buy gas and every station in town is still full all day. Its time we put the United back in The United States.

Toda 1 year, 9 months ago

Yep ~ that has been tried before. When I pass an Exxon station who is still paying for the Exxon Valdese spill, I wonder why a motorist wouldn't cross the street an pay a few cents less. I never stop at an Exxon station.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Corporations do not pass income taxes along to customers. That zombie myth remains as popular as it is incorrect. If you think about it for a while you'll see the fallacy.

TreadLightly 1 year, 9 months ago

I think I you have helped me to finally understand. If taxes, raw material costs, shipping costs, rent, utilities or labor costs go UP, the company just eats the difference. Right?

BigE 1 year, 9 months ago

Actual, that is possible. Collusion is illegal in this country and as someone who was an asset manager of a $50MM business, I can tell you pricing was dictated by the competition in the market which was always dependent on supply/demand balances. As evident by our golf course prices around here, when the competition holds their pricing firm, it doesn't really matter what your costs are the market determines the value of your product and services. Cost plus enterprises don't last long.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Yes, if costs exceed revenue, the company goes bust. They still don't pass incomes taxes on to customers.

AbdominalDohMan 1 year, 9 months ago

You are delusional if you don't think the "cost" of taxes isn't passed onto the consumer. Most of the companies that people are saying don't pay taxes are at the very top of the "food chain". If their taxes are increased, then the cost to the next level down on the pyramid goes up and it snowballs from there all the way down. If everyone is in such an uproar over taxes not being paid fairly across all wage scales, then why don't more people press their representatives to support the FairTax plan? Or even a flat tax across the board for everyone and every company with ZERO loopholes and deductions?

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

The FairTax is a fraud! Corporations do not pass taxes to the customers. That is impossible. And even if they could, they don't. Look at the airlines. Through Republican blundering, the FAA is currently unfunded leaving it unable to collect the $30 million a day passenger ticket tax. Did the airlines stop collecting that tax? Heck no! They're collecting the tax and pocketing it.

Here's my question: Exactly which corporations have pledged to reduce their prices when the federal sales tax takes effect? What makes you think they'll reduce prices by a penny?

AbdominalDohMan 1 year, 9 months ago

Another thing. Your reply right there makes my arguement for me. You say that they don't pass down taxes but you also say that companies that have costs that exceed revenue go bust. Extrapolating from your statement... taxes are costs that could close down businesses. There, you said it, not me.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Taxes are charged on profits. If you have little or no profit, you pay little or no tax. After you've sold your product, you deduct the cost of producing that product from the price you got for selling it. The difference (if it's positive) is generally taxable. If you can't make enough profit to be taxable, you should find another line of work.

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

Different types of taxes passed on to the consumer: Tariffs, Excise,License, Payroll, Property, SocSec, Corp, Environmental, User, Tolls and add in Local, State & Federal. Tell me companies don't pay tax.

Toda 1 year, 9 months ago

With that said ~ let's discuss airlines and the free tax ride they are enjoying while collecting previous taxes and not passing those savings on to customers. The reality of the real corporate world....

bigD 1 year, 9 months ago

It is called price elasticity of demand. If a good like gasoline is inelastic then the corp can pass along all or most of the tax. If we are talking about a fast food joint then they eat most or all of the tax.

Bflat 1 year, 9 months ago

Corporations collect taxes from the employees and send them in to the Government. Corporations also have to make a profit in view of operating costs and materials. So many of the so-called jobs created have gone overseas because labor and materials are cheaper, so if this trend continues what is going to be left in the US? We have gone from a country producing (industrial revolution) that made most of what we need to one that is sending jobs overseas.

I get that the article is aimed at the circus going on to do with the debt/default/SS mess. As long as the Govt pays the interest on loans, there is no default, with that interest less than 10% of income and there is enough money to pay out SS, Medicare, Medicaid. The Govt is required to pay its debts before all else. Actually mortgage interest rate might stay the same or be lower instead of rising if the debt .limit isn't raised. Raising it only means the Govt has more borrowing power and can spend more. Less Govt spending may actually mean lower taxes in the future.. This debt ceiling thing in the past has gone longer than what we're now being told is required to be settled or else. If I remember correctly this was around end of 1995 and early 1996 and at that time didn't have negative impact.. Economic stimulus programs don't seem to have lowered the unemployment rate as it is climbing in comparison to other countries that only has a small increase. Scaring old people, those dependent on SS , Medicare, Medicaid and other programs is the equivalent of pushing an old lady off a cliff in a wheelchair, so it needs to stop. Take a look at who actually authorizes the SS checks to be written and who can order that they are not written. It might be a real eyeopener.

Again, I get that the article is satirical on the circus surrounding the debate of Govt default and what needs to be done. It's serious business and politics, as usual.

madstork 1 year, 9 months ago

Oh DR the great one...if individuals with capital don't create jobs, who does?

dustyrhoades 1 year, 9 months ago

People who buy things.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Bingo! Absolutely right and the foundation of any economy. When people come into the store, the store hires. When the floors are empty, out the door they go. It's all as simple as that.

bigD 1 year, 9 months ago

Where do people who buy things get money? What came first the chicken or the egg?

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

They get their money from Gov't handouts. then they buy things with it to create new jobs, therefore, Gov't is indirectly responsible for creating jobs. It's a great cycle that keeps on working.

Zippy 1 year, 9 months ago

Point of fact. The "rich" have always been job creators, take Feudalism for instance. The Barons had peasants to work for them, that's job creation. People here in the South worked like slaves in textile mills that relocated from New England, that's job creation. U.S. corporations move overseas to pay less than sweat shop wages to foreigners, or they hire the Chinese who do the same, that's job creation. madstork is right, capital creates jobs, only owners are the ones who reap the profit and they've done everything they can to destroy unions that in many cases are the only hope workers have for decent wages. Yes, I celebrate the job creators.

Toda 1 year, 9 months ago

Bob you left out plantation owners...they created jobs the same as big corporations in 2011...just in foreign countries since moving off shore....Congress is a BIG JOKE!

Ramona 1 year, 9 months ago

There's no click in my understanding about the four word answer given above.

If people who buy things make the economy roll and that also creates jobs, then who has the stores from which the people who buy things buy them, and who put the commodities into the store that someone had to have available with the employees hired to sell the things and take the money???

I just gotta ask, "Do this make sense,whut you say DR?" The answer you provide is just not broad enough.

Never, never, never should we hate or mistreat the poor because they are poor and never never should we mistreat nor hate the rich just because they are rich. I don't hate Dentists and Doctors and Lawyers. I don't hate the rich. I often wish I could afford their services, but I don't begrudge them of their money. They don't owe any of it to me.

Alistener 1 year, 9 months ago

Who said anything about hate?? Asking all Americans to pay their fair share of taxes isn't even emotion-worthy; it's just what should be done. Now, when the rich take from the rest of us through cheating, not paying taxes, lobbying to have even more tax loopholes for their own gain, that's when I start to feel the burn. I still believe that the 2.4 TRILLION DOLLARS that our largest corporations weaseled out of paying would keep our precious soldiers from worrying if they'll be paid this month or our seniors receiving money they are owed. Yeah, I'm going to remember this!

pacer 1 year, 9 months ago

Thank you, again, Dusty. I so enjoy your articles. Last week, after reading one of yours about "angels" being all around us, my husband gave a ride to a gentleman across town. He said that your article stuck with him. Today also, I love to read your pieces, especially when you shed such honesty on the political disaster that is our government. Keep it up!!

OldPilot 1 year, 9 months ago

Well said, but, in my humble opinion, it's a matter of both individual and corporate tax rates. The debate about the debt ceiling has brought both into focus. It isn't enough to cut spending/expenses. The other side of the equation is increasing revenue from all sources. The lemmings: Republicans/teapotties/Teahadists (wish I had thought of that one), being lemmings, are willing to jump off a cliff. That's what lemmings do. That in and of itself is fine, good riddance,no great loss. Bye, bon voyage, hope you brought your life jackets, it isn't the fall that hurts, it's the sudden stop. The trouble is they are willing to take the country and the economy over the cliff with them and both sufficiently stupid and short sighted to do so.

TreadLightly 1 year, 9 months ago

You guys are making a lot of noise slapping each other on the back. But the last election made a dramatic statement! You have pronounced the demise of the tea party, and look forward to getting back to monkey business as usual in smoke filled back rooms in D.C.

THE NEXT ELECTION will be great cause for celebration if you are right.

But if you are totally out of step with GRASSROOTS AMERICA, in the NEXT election, they may send a raft load of Marco Rubio, Jim Dement and Rand Paul types to the senate, and another 50 or 100 more free market types to the congress.

My personal standard is to NOT VOTE for anyone who can't hold a town hall meeting and tell us about his plan for America. I suppose that is a little old fashioned, but America seems interested in what their senators and congressmen think about free markets..

Alistener 1 year, 9 months ago

Are all business owners wealthy? Of course not. Many business owners are average Joes who struggle to stay afloat - in part, because they pay their fair share of taxes while huge corporations do not. That's what's unfair.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 9 months ago

Like most wingnuts, Mackdaddy is responding to an argument I never made.

BigE 1 year, 9 months ago

What makes more sense... letting the top 15% of a society possess 80% of the wealth of a country or (fill in the blank of whatever ratio works for you). Should I have an extra $50K on top of my $500K annual take so I can buy a second home or boat or third country club membership?...or should 20 families earning $45K get an extra $5K to spend on the basics that I don't think twice about buying, e.g. cable TV. What's better for our society. Me living the high life or 20 other familes getting to buy a new car every 6-7 years?

People act like when the government spends money they just put it in a shreader! Don't we understand that it goes to families, e.g., teachers, police officers, clerks, or laborors, who turn around and buy goods and pay taxes? It helps to spin the wheels of an economy. Is some government spending producing a higher return on the investment, e.g. technology like OLED that spawns companies and jobs, than others? Sure, so we should be talking about being more efficient not just shutting it down. If you think unemployment is high now, wait until the government stops spending money.

bigD 1 year, 9 months ago

BigE this sounds a lot like socialism, does it not?

BigE 1 year, 9 months ago

Not even close. BTW, want to scare the lemmings, say "Socialism." We all learned in 10th grade Social Studies (during the Cold War) how evil it is. Go ahead repeat a mindless buzzword.

In reality our bigger problem is that for the last 50 years a redistribution of wealth has taken place where $'s have shifted from the many to the few. This has and will continue to result in serious societal problems, e.g. crime. Someone trying to slow down or reverse this destructive pattern is not a Socialist. They are concerned Americans who worry that the thing that made us great, a strong middle class, may be eroding and leading to a weakening of our country. How those of us in the top 1.5% of household incomes convinced the masses to accept a greater financial burden so we could pay lower taxes is just plain sickening. Oh, I could voluntarily give up more of my income and I do... it's called charity. Go ahead call me a Lib, regardless of the fact that I am a capitalist, a business owner, an investor, and not a very strong proponent of unions which promote inefficiency and protect mediocrity.

JER 1 year, 9 months ago

Rich people create the business, develop the product or service, decide the pricing structure and design the distribution channels to be used to get the product or service to the POTENTIAL customer. Businesses need to be capitalized to get started because they are making no money while setting up their business so, yes, they have created the jobs to get the business started. However, if no customers buy their product or service, no jobs are "created" and their capital runs out and the start-up jobs created are lost. People who buy things create jobs.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

"Now if we can just figure out where they will get money to buy things."

You have precisely defined the problem. the rich (thanks to the Bush tax cuts and billions of dollars to the banks) are swimming in cash. American corporations have over $2 trillion in cash they'd rather not send to their shareholders. So where are the jobs these "creators" are supposed to be generating? Could it be that there is no demand because the actual job creators have little money to spend?

It's up to the government to flush cash into the economy to get it restarted. Do you have a better plan?

Amazed 1 year, 9 months ago

whose tax cuts? I think they can safely be called Obama's tax cuts since he extended them. Oh, but then we won't be able to blame Bush anymore if we do that.

Alistener 1 year, 9 months ago

Ummmm...the tax cuts that cheated us out of so many trillions of dollars were made long before Obama showed up.

Toda 1 year, 9 months ago

How feeble minded some taxpayers have become when this mess started with Dubba and his save the rich's assets so jobs will be created - in China!

honesty2 1 year, 9 months ago

Seems it comes from private citizens via taxes. We foot the public employees' salaries. I like to think of things this way: people were trading goods/services long before gov't and thus could operate independent of it. Government cannot operate without the people.

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

Just for your information - I went into the new Cracker Barrel this weekend for breakfast and though I wasn't that hungry, I ordered two Old Timer's Breakfasts. In addition to leaving my 10% tip, I paid 3 times the amount of tax, because I felt I had an obligation to pay more tax. In doing so, I created 3 new jobs.

theonewithsense 1 year, 9 months ago

Rich people don't create jobs, government does!

honesty2 1 year, 9 months ago

from Dr. Bill May "The government only has three sources of money: Taxes, borrowing or printing. If they pay an government employee with taxes, they are taking money away from taxpayers who would otherwise use the money either to buy things that provide jobs or to invest in something that ultimately will also provide jobs. The difference is that leaving the money with taxpayers results in something beneficial happening, either a product or service, while hiring a government employee provides neither.

Borrowing is largely the same. The lender, if not loaning money to the government, is using it to fund some beneficial product or service. The lender hardly ever just sits on the money, they invest it where it might be useful and generate a return on the money. So the job created by lending the money to an industrial entity produces things of real value whereas lending it to the government to pay an employee generates no product or service. The industrial employee will spend just as much as a government employee, thereby helping the economy; BUT the industrial employee produces something of value in the process. The government employee does not.

Printing money to pay a government employee is a little more subtle, but the answer is the same. When money is printed to pay this salary, there is more money floating around in society. But there are no more products or services being produced, that because the government employee doesn’t produce anything. So you have more money chasing the same amount of goods and services as before. It is fundamental economics that in such a situation, prices will rise (inflation). Now everyone’s money buys less than it did before. The economic system is now paying all the previous employees plus now a government worker, yet nothing more is produced. Obviously, all the other employees are getting less so the economy is no better off than before. And all the other employees have to chip in to pay the government employee. Just a more subtle form of taxation. Had all these other employees kept the value of the money, they could have purchased something of value.

The bottom line: There is no free lunch. You can’t add non-productive workers and expect the economy to blossom. Government workers are no different than hiring someone to dig a hole and fill it back up. Certainly some government workers are essential to a smooth running economy, like policemen. They are necessary but they don’t aid the economy except to keep it running smoothly."

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Dr. May ignores velocity of money. Until he understands that, his economic knowledge is a bit limited.

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

teufelhunden 1 year, 9 months ago

Wow. Article is profoundly irresponsible.

teufelhunden 1 year, 9 months ago

Playing on fear? Calling the tea party people "Teahadists"? It's just gross.

Alistener 1 year, 9 months ago

No, actually it's amusingly, but sadly, insightful.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Mom said teatard was impolite.

honesty2 1 year, 9 months ago

Agreed. Guys, the name calling has got to stop. Overdone, not funny.

freedomisdaonlyway 1 year, 9 months ago

Yeah! Illegals having rights is just plain stupid and unAmerican. I'm pretty sure the founders called them inalienable because illegal aliens aren't supposed to have them. BOOM how's that for some Tea Party Constitutional logic?

Alistener 1 year, 9 months ago

So, it's fair (American) to tax the middle class so we can keep up the abject poor, tax the middle class because rich people WON'T pay taxes, tax the middle class because corporations WON'T pay taxes, then use our middle class tax dollars to bail out these same corporations? Got it.

bigD 1 year, 9 months ago

The luxury tax passed by G H Bush turned out to be a huge failure. Perhaps Dusty and his friends could try this expiriment again and end up with the same result....a one term president!!!!

teufelhunden 1 year, 9 months ago

Logic? You realize they are breaking the law and you are just fine with that? What about the strain on our economy? Incarceration, "free" medical, "free" food, etc?

freedomisdaonlyway 1 year, 9 months ago

It doesn't! I agreed with you. These people are illegal, so the Constitution doesn't really apply to them because that has laws and stuff in it and illegal is, like, against the law so pretty much you're right.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Let's see, our government is deeply in debt, our population is aging, conservatives can't afford Social Security and Medicare, health care costs are rising steeply, higher education costs are rising even more steeply, fourteen million Americans can't find full-time jobs, life-expectancy in some areas in this country are actually declining and your big worry is illegal immigrants. Alrighty then ...

AbdominalDohMan 1 year, 9 months ago

OK JimHeim, then let's try your little example out. Raise taxes on BP, Exxon, Mobil 1 and see if the cost of gas to the local stations doesn't go up. That in turn makes the local stations raise their prices. That in turn makes you take more out of your bank account to pay them. Yeah, you're right. They never pass raised taxes down to the consumer.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Taxes are charged on profits after the sale is made. How do you suppose they pass that cost along?

AbdominalDohMan 1 year, 9 months ago

Next sale, duh.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

That would rather violate the principle of supply and demand wouldn't it? Any company that is not charging what the market will bear is grossly incompetent. But if the product is already priced as high as the customer is willing to pay, how do you propose to increase the price to cover the previous income tax?

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

Since when has the price of gas been a function of supply & demand?

JeremyG 1 year, 9 months ago

Trickle down is a myth and tax cuts for the rich have not created jobs. The only thing that has happened is the rich have grown richer and middle class wages have seen a relative decline for years. The systematic elimination of the middle class is well underway. Our system is a joke and designed by both parties to cater to the top 1%.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Bingo!

TreadLightly 1 year, 9 months ago

Karl Marx wins! We all want our little purse full of coins to be MINE and MINE ALONE, but no one considers the money of the rich people to be HIS OWN PRIVATE PROPERTY. .

Rather, it is a "resource" that we should use to support government handouts. Here is a challenge--eliminate the current REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH by the government and see if that helps EVERYONE. Have welfare for the sick and old people ONLY. Let the Red Cross, Salvation Army, local churches, civic clubs and the coalition do the handouts for other needs.

JeremyG 1 year, 9 months ago

Good use of hyperbole.

buddysmith 1 year, 9 months ago

when did we get to the point, in this country, that being rich and successful is frowned upon? is that not the basis of a free society, to work hard, show ingenuity and suceed?? rich folks should not have to pay any higher tax percentage than the rest of us, period!! "their fair share" hmmm borderline socialism for sure!! when the handouts to the "dont want to work, and dont really care" crowd is cut dramatically, it will be a grand day, indeed!! until then they will keep voting democrat, and keep getting paid!!

Alistener 1 year, 9 months ago

Excuse me, but I am NOT a "don't want to work, don't really care" citizen. I work very hard as do my neighbors, and do not ask for handouts. We GIVE as much help as we can through church and community. And I STILL think that making ME and other Americans pay taxes and EXCUSING others (rich individuals and corporations) from paying taxes is not only unfair and wrong, it is un-American!

JeremyG 1 year, 9 months ago

It is not about the rich not being allowed to be so or being frowned upon. It is the fact they use loopholes in the tax code, and find a way to screw the rest of us out of pure greed via the political process.

buddysmith 1 year, 9 months ago

can you blame them? in a round about way it keeps prices down because the more money they make is less they have to charge you when you buy their product?? also your reps in washington can change the laws to stop the loopholes but they wont.

Alistener 1 year, 9 months ago

Yes, thank you, JeremyG!

Bflat 1 year, 9 months ago

Have you heard or did anyone notice that illegals are allowed to stay .... those who are in or will be in college or the military? The news media has been busy reporting on the debt ceiling and scare tactics of Congress which detracted from any other news. Most states are facing huge deficits because of the illegals...strains on health care, programs and services being drained financially by these illegals.

buddysmith 1 year, 9 months ago

but if you object to illegals you are called a racist, I am glad I will not see what america is like 100 years from now!

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

A hundred years from now, this will be a majority Hispanic country. Does that bother you? Why?

buddysmith 1 year, 9 months ago

you need to change your name from "alistener"to a "reader", anybody said anything about excusing anyone from paying taxes? leeching off the taxpayers and not working, the class that pays no tax, no work, no count, never will work or show any initiative, plus blame everyone but themselves for their predicament, are the ones I am pointing at! if this is you, you should apologize to the taxpayers and thank them for feeding you, paying your doctor bill, and providing you free cable. if this isnt you then re-read my original post and then agree or disagree!!

Roorke 1 year, 9 months ago

buddysmith: My friend, you will not have to wait 100 years from now. Look at the change in just the last 10 years. We are in a country where even a nobody such as the Moore County democrat chairman spews his hatred towards the TEA Party People, average citizens that feel they have been taxed enough already, inciting the left with rhetoric straight from the White House and Senator Schumer. Now even Biden is calling the TEA Party terrorist. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60421.html

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Mr. Biden is correct. al Qaeda cannot destroy our economy. The tea party can, has threatened to, and will do it again and again, having found that extortion works. They are the most dangerous enemy this country has ever faced.

moonchild7 1 year, 9 months ago

I have no idea who a Dr. Billy May is, but he is absolutely wrong about the sources of income that our government receives. Our GOVERNMENT owns LOTS of Land and Buildings which they lease out. Sometimes they even sell them. So TAXES are NOT the only income that our GOVERNMENT receives and is shall we say an "Untruth". The rich have gotten away with a FREEDOM FROM PAYING THEIR FARE SHARE of taxes for way too long now. It's obvious that they are not investing in our country and it's future but rather in themselves and other countries. We are a Democracy that collects taxes to help run the government. We wouldn't be here without them because it's impossible to be safe, secure and free if we didn't. Just watch. These next few months that the TEAPOTTIES(LOVE THAT ONE OLDPILOT)start dismanteling as much as they can of "what they don't like" we'll see people asking themselves if they are for real or not. Yes, they're FOR REAL....FOR REAL RIGHT-WINGED DESTROY THE GOVERMENT AS SOON AS THEY CAN TACTICS. Hopefully though the REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY that President Obama used on them we'll soon hopefully see them start going after each other to their final demise. They DO NOT represent the majority of AMERICANS. Oh, great article Dusty, loved it.

MonkeyJunction 1 year, 9 months ago

The "rich" people (those making $250K or more) pay 70% of the taxes collected by the government. While 49% of Americans pay no taxes at all yet they get the same benefits as the "rich" people and make more use of public services. I am not rich but I'm sick of Obama and the same ilk painting class warfare. Preying on the stupid and illiterate to get votes.

JER 1 year, 9 months ago

Sure is a good thing the Republicans/Teahadists don't prey on the stupid and illiterate to get votes or this country would be in very bad trouble.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

The 49% of Americans who pay no income taxes are in that state because after their standard deduction and personal exemptions, there's nothing left to tax. Are you suggesting that the poor not be allowed the same deductions you get? How would that be fair?

I realize that to some being in poverty is a lucky thing because they don't pay as much in income tax as rich people, but I'll bet they'd be willing to trade places with you and write checks to the IRS every year.

MonkeyJunction 1 year, 9 months ago

Why is there nothing left to tax? Is it because the tax code is stupid? What's wrong with a flat tax for every working American, are we not equals? I support a 10% across the board tax for everyone, but no it's much easier to play class warfare. How about a national sales tax? Then you just tax the people spending money and poor people don't have money to buy stuff, except for cell phones, cigarettes, etc., etc.....you liberals don't care about poor people, all you care about is being able to puff out your chests and say look at me helping out all these poor people, let'm get welfare checks to buy drugs and alcohol, pay their cell phone bills ( I see kids getting free lunch with iPhones, what's wrong with that picture). You've created a country of give me something for free because I'm poor and you're rich and I deserve to have the same as you. Well you're wrong. You don't deserve to have the same as me if you haven't earned it. I'm not rich, I don't make over $250K (I don't come close to making half that) but I have to work for what I earn and I get PO'd everytime I'm in a grocery line and I see the junkfood and energy drinks like RedBull being paid for with food stamps, hell I can't afford to pay $4 for an energy drink that costs more than a gallon of milk. But you liberals want to give everybody the same rights, even when that right hasn't been earned. And there is no way in my mind taxpayers should be paying for RedBulls.

JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago

Flat tax - nice for the rich, deadly for the rest of us. I'll stick with the progressive income tax that made this the richest country on the world.

moonchild7 1 year, 9 months ago

The Republicans in the Senate just voted down resolving the issues with the FAA. The US Government will LOOSE over ONE BILLION $$$$$$$$$ in tax income the next month because of this. The TEAPOTTER REPUBLICANS are unbelievable LIARS!!!!!!!! They don't care about the poor, the middle class or even JOBS!!!!! They only care for themselves and the rich. To HELL with the rest of us.

teufelhunden 1 year, 9 months ago

Yea it's political suicide for the Dems if they don't cater to the ones who depend on the government for everything...

Taxpayer dollars going toward illegals and able bodied lazy bones who would rather sit on their bums watching TV than take care of themselves...

Guess it guarantees votes...

honesty2 1 year, 9 months ago

Many of you seem to be so amused by all of the name-calling. I simply find it sad. It does nothing for intelligent discourse, and frankly, it's rude. There's nothing to be proud of in it, no matter which side of the aisle one is on.

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

What you call "Teahadists" are really TeaPats. They are the only ones that are trying to build a better America, standing up against the Socialists in the House & Senate. They are not against raising taxes, they are against the US from spiraling further into debt and the US becoming bankrupt. They are steadfast in not raising the debt ceiling and cutting spending to bring the US back to a better America. These are the people you should be supporting!

moonchild7 1 year, 9 months ago

The Debt of the United States of America grew more during Ronald Reagan's and George W. Bush's Presidency than EVER before. Where was this so-called TeaParty? Where were they when TARP was signed? They were NO WHERE until Barack Obama was elected and that makes them illegitimate. The Republicans Impeached Bill Clinton and they wish they could do the same now to President Obama. The TeaParty is made up of mostly rich, white older men and they are grasping for that CLEAN PURE AIR that they were so used to having but that is changing rapidly. It's getiing a lot less "PURE". Oh, they also don't believe in Global Warming(we just had a record HOT July). A new Pew research Poll shows that 72% of those polled are disgusted with Congress. 42% are anti-Republican and 30% are anti-Democrat. No they are NOT the only ones trying to build a better America. Yes, we need to have a balanced budget, and a simplified tax system. Just not the way those people want it. The military needs gutting. You do know that S.P. has a "Military Defense Contractor" out on US 1 that just got a $24 million Contract. For what? K-9's? Where was the TeaParty when the Banks were ripping the American People off with their Fee laden Credit Cards and overpriced Homes/Mortgages? And honesty2....you need to get a sense of humor, soon. It's called sarcasm. Those "funny" names are much better than what many of us would really like to call THOSE people.

honesty2 1 year, 9 months ago

The power of the pen for persuasion is greater when dipped in honey. Your poisonous pen is dissuasive. To be blunt, because you are continually name calling and YELLING, we do not see sarcasm. We see hostility and a total inability to see anything from another viewpoint. In name calling, one wishes to demean, but in so doing simply reflects the author's character- or lack thereof. btw, I have a great sense of humor. I just don't get a kick out of calling people names like "libtards" or "demonrats." And I find nothing funny about the debt debacle.

teufelhunden 1 year, 9 months ago

Well said and Amen

teufelhunden 1 year, 9 months ago

You're kinda scary MC7-how would you like being called a left wing radical or terrorist?

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

MC7 - You prove my point - 72% anti-Republican & Democrats which translates to 72% Pro-TeaPats, our US saviors.

moonchild7 1 year, 9 months ago

Wrong, Courseaire. It's more like 72% of Americans are not identifying with either party and consider themselves Independents NOT TeaPots. I'm scary teufelhunden? How would you have liked to have your LIFE threatened with being KILLED/DEATH because of having Left Leaning/AntiWar beliefs the way I was back in the 70's?!!!! I think being called a much simplier name like a Teapot is preferable. Terrorist? Is that what you consider "Left Leaning" people? The Economic Terrorism that is being espoused by the Teapots is REAL, you need to read THE SHOCK DOCTRIN.

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

MC7 - I think you should read: Demonic: How the Liberal Mob Is Endangering America by Ann Coulter.

freedomisdaonlyway 1 year, 9 months ago

I think you should both read The Ultimate Cookie Cookbook by Barbara Grunes and Virginia Van Vynckt. Simply amazing!

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

A definite read, but a few of the recipes should be modified with a little hemp. It would certainly make all the stuff above more digestible.

moonchild7 1 year, 9 months ago

honesty2, you must not have had the life and experiences that I have had. While there has been much good there has also been a lot of bad, sad, and depressing events. But most of all there is a tremendous amount of unmitigated FRUSTRATION that riles up inside me. WHY? Because these arguments seem to NEVER end. We've debated these problems so many times before and we know the answers. We must help the young, poor, elderly and disabled. WE MUST! We need to be productive, hard working and ETHICAL. While our TAX System needs "adjusting" it must be adjusted so that those who have more, contribute more without being terribly HURT by it; as most of the wealthy can be. The companies that are becoming VERY rich are doing so by downsizing and moving their businesses overseas. Way back in the 60's and 70's the "Crystal Ball Readers" were telling everyone to get a good education because the FUTURE was going to need more of the smarter intelligent people and less of the dumber manual labor type people because of AUTOMATION. Now while the dumb people who operated those machines were probably not going to be needed there was going to be a need for "somewhat smarter" types who would learn how to be TECHNICIANS, MECHANICS and PROGRAMERS. The population was aging so we needed more Nurses and Doctors. Engineers above all would be needed to help with our Energy demands. So, honesty2...Honestly I don't think I'm being hostile, only troubled that people like you weren't as angry with Ronnie and George as you are with our First Black President who has had to try to solve some of the most complex problems our country has ever seen.

honesty2 1 year, 9 months ago

mc7, the 1960's and 70's seemed to have had a great impact on you, even an imprint. I appreciate your sincerity, and in it I sense also pain (if so I am truly sorry for it) in addition to your anger and frustration; but allowing resentment and bitterness to take root clouds objectivity. Blind allegiance to any party is anathema and can lead to horrific results (i.e. Holocaust). I imagine there are some things upon which we can agree when objectivity rules the day. FYI, there are some of us who either were not old enough or not yet born during some of the times of which you often speak. I'll be the first to admit, I have always disliked politics and probably did not do my due diligence as I should have- until more recently. So, we are in the present and have the cards we've been dealt. We need to plow on. We have to stop the spending. I know "we" have obligations to help the destitute, save Medicare, soc. security, etc. There are loopholes to close, but there are also savings to be had in ending some big govt. bureaucracies and fraud in entitlements. What constitutes "enough" of the entitlements? One last thought: why would you use "dumb people" and "Black President?" Please be a bit more aware- there are plenty of smart people who choose manual labor, and I really don't care what color the president is (nor do I think 99% of people do). He does not need a label to shield him from criticism. He chose the job and answers to us.

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

Most people that lived in a commune learned (were told/brainwashed) that what is yours belongs to all. There was no such thing as personal property. Commune was derived from communism - owned by everyone. However, many of the communes in the 60s & 70s usually died, because they were actually ruled by one corrupt leader that usually kept all the valuable property for themselves. If someone revolted, they were branded and banned from the society. However, some of those that lived that way and still think that way is the only way and are threatened by success.

Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago

Oh my, I see raising the Death Ceiling was just approved. Heaven help us.

teufelhunden 1 year, 9 months ago

We need to be productive, hard working and ETHICAL. While our TAX System needs "adjusting" it must be adjusted so that those who have more, contribute more without being terribly HURT by it; as most of the wealthy can be. -MC7

Ok so get all the lazy leeches off gov't assistance who are deemed able to work. Stop using our tax dollars for illegals-no more freebies on our dime.

smcleod 1 year, 9 months ago

Your column would hold more water than a rusty pail were it not for the inconvenient fact that the "wealthy" are are already the most heavily taxed segment of our society. How much is "fair" Dusty? Will you not be satisfied until every successful person has all their earnings confiscated by Government? Rather than engaging in class warfare, you should be saying thanks for all the taxes they pay to support this administration's welfare agenda. And as for those of you who say corporations do not pay taxes???...just how much Kool-Aid have you had?! Besides, a grade school understanding of economics would reveal that any increased expense (taxes) would be passed on to consumers of the goods and/or services sold by that corporation. By calling for higher taxes you are saying you want to pay more for the things that you have to buy....oh wait, you probably already have your spending subsidized by government which gets most of it's money from "wealthy" America. Hopefully you see the folly of your anger, but probably not.

Rich People: Now They’re ‘Job Creators’

More like this story

Comments

May events