Should Billionaires Even Exist?

[Brain357]

Lower taxes, cash payments, regulations that lead to monopolies.... We have lots of issues and you love them all. You are a good sheep for the elites.

Given the fact that the top 20% of earners in this country pay over 80% of all collected income tax, obviously their plan isn't working too well for them. Now if you want to get rid of lobbying altogether, I'm fine with that. But it's not just the corporations that lobby. You have your trial lawyers, insurance companies, environmentalists, unions, entertainment and so on.

I don't want anyone buying politicians. They should be working for the people, not a lobby. When they work for a lobby it only benefits a few.

Does it? So without lobbying, they would be paying more in tax, correct? Do you think that when corporations are hit will more expenditures, they just dig deeper into their pockets?

What are you suggesting?

Let's take your cell phone company for instance. They can't lobby, so they can't get any kind of reduction in regulations or taxes. Do you suppose your cell phone bill would stay the same? Seriously?

Now we will look at the other side of the coin. Let's say they can't pass on their losses any longer. What do you suppose that would do to their stocks? Investors would flee. Do you have your IRA invested in the stock market? How about personal investments?

So you think lobbying is good economics? That is too funny! You are a good elitist loving sheep.

 

[dblack]

Sure man. Run with that. Also - you're a free market capitalist. We're all squared away now.

Yes I am. And that being the case I don't believe a company could get 90% share without help in healthy markets. You seem to think so, I'm not so sure you believe in markets.

I'm not sure actually. You may be right. I'm just saying that your focus should be on showing how that's happening and doing something about it. Showing how government is helping these companies achieve dominance and banning it. But that's not your focus. At all. You want to jump straight to the part where the government marches and raids the company. WTF is that all about?

Yes that can be done to avoid future monopolies. But something needs to be done about the ones we already have. Do you think monopolies make for good markets?

If the "help" that is creating these monopolies is removed, the market will take care of things. No need for government dick-waving.

I don't think we have time to wait. Monopolies have been broken up in the past and it should happen again.

So you have no interest in identifying the problem? It's just staring to sound like excuse-making for state plunder of private wealth.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Given the fact that the top 20% of earners in this country pay over 80% of all collected income tax, obviously their plan isn't working too well for them. Now if you want to get rid of lobbying altogether, I'm fine with that. But it's not just the corporations that lobby. You have your trial lawyers, insurance companies, environmentalists, unions, entertainment and so on.

I don't want anyone buying politicians. They should be working for the people, not a lobby. When they work for a lobby it only benefits a few.

Does it? So without lobbying, they would be paying more in tax, correct? Do you think that when corporations are hit will more expenditures, they just dig deeper into their pockets?

What are you suggesting?

Let's take your cell phone company for instance. They can't lobby, so they can't get any kind of reduction in regulations or taxes. Do you suppose your cell phone bill would stay the same? Seriously?

Now we will look at the other side of the coin. Let's say they can't pass on their losses any longer. What do you suppose that would do to their stocks? Investors would flee. Do you have your IRA invested in the stock market? How about personal investments?

So you think lobbying is good economics? That is too funny! You are a good elitist loving sheep.

Merely explaining that when you stated it only helps a few, I believe you are wrong. Just like the people that complain about farm subsides. They'd complain even more if they couldn't afford their Fruit Loops for breakfast.

 

[Brain357]

Yes I am. And that being the case I don't believe a company could get 90% share without help in healthy markets. You seem to think so, I'm not so sure you believe in markets.

I'm not sure actually. You may be right. I'm just saying that your focus should be on showing how that's happening and doing something about it. Showing how government is helping these companies achieve dominance and banning it. But that's not your focus. At all. You want to jump straight to the part where the government marches and raids the company. WTF is that all about?

Yes that can be done to avoid future monopolies. But something needs to be done about the ones we already have. Do you think monopolies make for good markets?

If the "help" that is creating these monopolies is removed, the market will take care of things. No need for government dick-waving.

I don't think we have time to wait. Monopolies have been broken up in the past and it should happen again.

So you have no interest in identifying the problem? It's just staring to sound like excuse-making for state plunder of private wealth.

The problem is government corruption and lobbying.

 

[Brain357]

Yes I am. And that being the case I don't believe a company could get 90% share without help in healthy markets. You seem to think so, I'm not so sure you believe in markets.

I'm not sure actually. You may be right. I'm just saying that your focus should be on showing how that's happening and doing something about it. Showing how government is helping these companies achieve dominance and banning it. But that's not your focus. At all. You want to jump straight to the part where the government marches and raids the company. WTF is that all about?

Yes that can be done to avoid future monopolies. But something needs to be done about the ones we already have. Do you think monopolies make for good markets?

If the "help" that is creating these monopolies is removed, the market will take care of things. No need for government dick-waving.

I don't think we have time to wait. Monopolies have been broken up in the past and it should happen again.

So you have no interest in identifying the problem? It's just staring to sound like excuse-making for state plunder of private wealth.

You should educate yourself on the problems caused by monopolies.

 

[Brain357]

I don't want anyone buying politicians. They should be working for the people, not a lobby. When they work for a lobby it only benefits a few.

Does it? So without lobbying, they would be paying more in tax, correct? Do you think that when corporations are hit will more expenditures, they just dig deeper into their pockets?

What are you suggesting?

Let's take your cell phone company for instance. They can't lobby, so they can't get any kind of reduction in regulations or taxes. Do you suppose your cell phone bill would stay the same? Seriously?

Now we will look at the other side of the coin. Let's say they can't pass on their losses any longer. What do you suppose that would do to their stocks? Investors would flee. Do you have your IRA invested in the stock market? How about personal investments?

So you think lobbying is good economics? That is too funny! You are a good elitist loving sheep.

Merely explaining that when you stated it only helps a few, I believe you are wrong. Just like the people that complain about farm subsides. They'd complain even more if they couldn't afford their Fruit Loops for breakfast.

Farm subsidies don't lower the price of food....

 

[San Souci]

How are we being hosed? Please give me an example or two.

Who do you think funds presidential campaigns. It ain’t grandma.

I don't see campaign contributions as hosing the people.

You love corporate welfare and being ruled by the rich elites. Of course you don't get it.

Corporate welfare, you mean as in lower taxes? Doesn't everybody want lower taxes? Hell, nearly half of the country pays no income taxes. Who did they lobby for that deal?

LOL. You just keep it coming. They don’t pay taxes because they have little to no income. Are you now advocating for the poor to pay taxes?

Yes. Since they get the most BENEFIT from Tax.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Here's the thing, Brain357. I actually agree that many large corporations enjoy market domination via collusion with government. They use their lobbying clout to manipulate regulation in their favor, and to penalize their competition. If you are interested in targeting that kind of corruption, I'm down with that. But what is usually going on, among those concerned about income inequality, is that it's simply the fact that a given company has a large market share that makes them a target. There's rarely any effort to go after the actual corruption. The goal is remedial solutions that assume the guilt of the company without really identifying, much less, proving it.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying. We need serious campaign finance reform. Then we need to break up all the near monopolies and get markets working. We need to get some power back to the workers.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying.

Shrink the government by 75%, people will have less incentive to buy government.

We need serious campaign finance reform.

I agree, remove all contribution limits.

 

[San Souci]

Here's the thing, Brain357. I actually agree that many large corporations enjoy market domination via collusion with government. They use their lobbying clout to manipulate regulation in their favor, and to penalize their competition. If you are interested in targeting that kind of corruption, I'm down with that. But what is usually going on, among those concerned about income inequality, is that it's simply the fact that a given company has a large market share that makes them a target. There's rarely any effort to go after the actual corruption. The goal is remedial solutions that assume the guilt of the company without really identifying, much less, proving it.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying. We need serious campaign finance reform. Then we need to break up all the near monopolies and get markets working. We need to get some power back to the workers.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying.

Shrink the government by 75%, people will have less incentive to buy government.

We need serious campaign finance reform.

I agree, remove all contribution limits.

No. Just vote Republican. Good things happen when ya do.

 

[OnePercenter]

If a billionaire donates 99% of his income to charitable causes, is he still a billionaire?

And if a lower middle class person donates 0.001% of his income to charitable causes, what does that make him? Discuss.

If a billionaire donates 99% of his income to charitable causes, is he still a billionaire?

He'd be a millionaire.

And if a lower middle class person donates 0.001% of his income to charitable causes, what does that make him?

Broke.

 

[OnePercenter]

Ending homelessness does not carry a single one time cost. In other words, if you could spend $20 billion and end homelessness On one day, the next day there would be new homeless people. Like I said, lack of money is not the main cause of homelessness.

It seems the biggest cause of homelessness is Liberalism.
Proof- New York City and cities in California have the most homeless people.

Of course not. Do you have any idea how much wealth the billionaires have?

What the hell difference does that make, they have no more obligation as a citizen of this country than you.

.

The point was they have the wealth to easily fix the problem. Sorry you are incapable of deciphering the point.

Please don’t take me out of context to fit your screwed beliefs.

No commie, your the one that doesn't seem to be getting the point. The US has spent more than 22 trillion dollars over the last 50 years on the war on poverty, tell the class how that's ******* worked out? Add to that another close to 5 trillion wasted on the dept of indoctrination and you'll quickly see that taking all our billionaires money won't do squat. No citizen should pay a penny more than the law says is owed.

.

LOL. Now I’m a commie. You repubes have lost your minds.

That’s peanuts compared to the trillions paid out to big corporations. If only you could think.

The commie is sleeping in the White House.

 

[Andylusion]

If a billionaire donates 99% of his income to charitable causes, is he still a billionaire?

And if a lower middle class person donates 0.001% of his income to charitable causes, what does that make him? Discuss.

If a billionaire donates 99% of his income to charitable causes, is he still a billionaire?

He'd be a millionaire.

And if a lower middle class person donates 0.001% of his income to charitable causes, what does that make him?

Broke.

I donate far more of my income to charitable causes than that. In fact, I donate more than 10% of my income to charitable causes. I am not broke. I have a positive net worth, with many investments.

So you are wrong, as fits the pattern of your posts.

 

[Andylusion]

Here's the thing, Brain357. I actually agree that many large corporations enjoy market domination via collusion with government. They use their lobbying clout to manipulate regulation in their favor, and to penalize their competition. If you are interested in targeting that kind of corruption, I'm down with that. But what is usually going on, among those concerned about income inequality, is that it's simply the fact that a given company has a large market share that makes them a target. There's rarely any effort to go after the actual corruption. The goal is remedial solutions that assume the guilt of the company without really identifying, much less, proving it.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying. We need serious campaign finance reform. Then we need to break up all the near monopolies and get markets working. We need to get some power back to the workers.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying.

Shrink the government by 75%, people will have less incentive to buy government.

We need serious campaign finance reform.

I agree, remove all contribution limits.

No. Just vote Republican. Good things happen when ya do.

Well, I can say for certain, that if you vote Democrat, bad things will happen to you. Bad things happened to me, thanks to democrats.

 

[OnePercenter]

If a billionaire donates 99% of his income to charitable causes, is he still a billionaire?

And if a lower middle class person donates 0.001% of his income to charitable causes, what does that make him? Discuss.

If a billionaire donates 99% of his income to charitable causes, is he still a billionaire?

He'd be a millionaire.

And if a lower middle class person donates 0.001% of his income to charitable causes, what does that make him?

Broke.

I donate far more of my income to charitable causes than that. In fact, I donate more than 10% of my income to charitable causes. I am not broke. I have a positive net worth, with many investments.

So you are wrong, as fits the pattern of your posts.

I was simply giving the answer the post deserves. If you have market investments or investments tied to the market you'd better park them for a while, the market is going to get really hairy this summer.

 

[OnePercenter]

Here's the thing, Brain357. I actually agree that many large corporations enjoy market domination via collusion with government. They use their lobbying clout to manipulate regulation in their favor, and to penalize their competition. If you are interested in targeting that kind of corruption, I'm down with that. But what is usually going on, among those concerned about income inequality, is that it's simply the fact that a given company has a large market share that makes them a target. There's rarely any effort to go after the actual corruption. The goal is remedial solutions that assume the guilt of the company without really identifying, much less, proving it.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying. We need serious campaign finance reform. Then we need to break up all the near monopolies and get markets working. We need to get some power back to the workers.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying.

Shrink the government by 75%, people will have less incentive to buy government.

We need serious campaign finance reform.

I agree, remove all contribution limits.

No. Just vote Republican. Good things happen when ya do.

Well, I can say for certain, that if you vote Democrat, bad things will happen to you. Bad things happened to me, thanks to democrats.

What bad things did Democrats cast upon you?

 

[Andylusion]

Here's the thing, Brain357. I actually agree that many large corporations enjoy market domination via collusion with government. They use their lobbying clout to manipulate regulation in their favor, and to penalize their competition. If you are interested in targeting that kind of corruption, I'm down with that. But what is usually going on, among those concerned about income inequality, is that it's simply the fact that a given company has a large market share that makes them a target. There's rarely any effort to go after the actual corruption. The goal is remedial solutions that assume the guilt of the company without really identifying, much less, proving it.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying. We need serious campaign finance reform. Then we need to break up all the near monopolies and get markets working. We need to get some power back to the workers.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying.

Shrink the government by 75%, people will have less incentive to buy government.

We need serious campaign finance reform.

I agree, remove all contribution limits.

No. Just vote Republican. Good things happen when ya do.

Well, I can say for certain, that if you vote Democrat, bad things will happen to you. Bad things happened to me, thanks to democrats.

What bad things did Democrats cast upon you?

So in 2006, I had a great private insurance policy, that was $67 a month, and covered everything I needed.

By 2010, to this day, no such plans exist. The cheapest plan that is available at all, is $350/month, and that's with a lower max cap, and a higher deductible, than my $67/month plan back in 2006. Obama wrecked all of it.

 

[Andylusion]

If a billionaire donates 99% of his income to charitable causes, is he still a billionaire?

And if a lower middle class person donates 0.001% of his income to charitable causes, what does that make him? Discuss.

If a billionaire donates 99% of his income to charitable causes, is he still a billionaire?

He'd be a millionaire.

And if a lower middle class person donates 0.001% of his income to charitable causes, what does that make him?

Broke.

I donate far more of my income to charitable causes than that. In fact, I donate more than 10% of my income to charitable causes. I am not broke. I have a positive net worth, with many investments.

So you are wrong, as fits the pattern of your posts.

I was simply giving the answer the post deserves. If you have market investments or investments tied to the market you'd better park them for a while, the market is going to get really hairy this summer.

First, people have been saying that since 2007. Ironically when the market was going down, that is exactly when I started investing in the market.

Additionally, if the market goes down this year or next, I will increase my investments.

When stocks are on sale... that's when you buy. Even left-wingers know this. Warren Buffet famously said, if you want to buy low and sell high.... first you have to buy low.

The problem is, when stocks go low.... all the people like you say "market is going to get really hairy this summer!".

So? That's when you should invest even more.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

If a billionaire donates 99% of his income to charitable causes, is he still a billionaire?

And if a lower middle class person donates 0.001% of his income to charitable causes, what does that make him? Discuss.

If a billionaire donates 99% of his income to charitable causes, is he still a billionaire?

He'd be a millionaire.

And if a lower middle class person donates 0.001% of his income to charitable causes, what does that make him?

Broke.

I donate far more of my income to charitable causes than that. In fact, I donate more than 10% of my income to charitable causes. I am not broke. I have a positive net worth, with many investments.

So you are wrong, as fits the pattern of your posts.

I was simply giving the answer the post deserves. If you have market investments or investments tied to the market you'd better park them for a while, the market is going to get really hairy this summer.

That's been the same thing as been said for the last three years or more.

 

[San Souci]

Of course not. Do you have any idea how much wealth the billionaires have?

What the hell difference does that make, they have no more obligation as a citizen of this country than you.

.

The point was they have the wealth to easily fix the problem. Sorry you are incapable of deciphering the point.

Please don’t take me out of context to fit your screwed beliefs.

No commie, your the one that doesn't seem to be getting the point. The US has spent more than 22 trillion dollars over the last 50 years on the war on poverty, tell the class how that's ******* worked out? Add to that another close to 5 trillion wasted on the dept of indoctrination and you'll quickly see that taking all our billionaires money won't do squat. No citizen should pay a penny more than the law says is owed.

.

LOL. Now I’m a commie. You repubes have lost your minds.

That’s peanuts compared to the trillions paid out to big corporations. If only you could think.

The commie is sleeping in the White House.

No. The Commie won the CommieCrat Primary in New Hampshire.

 

[San Souci]

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying. We need serious campaign finance reform. Then we need to break up all the near monopolies and get markets working. We need to get some power back to the workers.

Clearly we need to stop the lobbying.

Shrink the government by 75%, people will have less incentive to buy government.

We need serious campaign finance reform.

I agree, remove all contribution limits.

No. Just vote Republican. Good things happen when ya do.

Well, I can say for certain, that if you vote Democrat, bad things will happen to you. Bad things happened to me, thanks to democrats.

What bad things did Democrats cast upon you?

So in 2006, I had a great private insurance policy, that was $67 a month, and covered everything I needed.

By 2010, to this day, no such plans exist. The cheapest plan that is available at all, is $350/month, and that's with a lower max cap, and a higher deductible, than my $67/month plan back in 2006. Obama wrecked all of it.

Thanx to Pelosi--Pass it now.We can understand it later.