[CA renter]

What’s that he’s drinking?? Wha…is that…BEER??
—————

No, it’s absinthe! 😉

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

I think Rich looked very young — lucky guy!!! 🙂

It was a very fun time there at Pizza Port. We should have SD get-togethers more often.

[CA renter]

BTW, I totally disagree with the notion that high pay is the reward for hard work or even education (I can show you many hard-working PhDs who make very little money).

Seems to me that high wealth/income is most closely aligned with proximity to those who control money flow. Those who have the money, control where it flows, and vice-versa. Extreme wealth has very little to do with “hard work” or intelligence (other than knowing how to scam the system). The fact that cap gains & dividends are taxed at a lower rate than labor is a great example of this.

[CA renter]

BTW, I totally disagree with the notion that high pay is the reward for hard work or even education (I can show you many hard-working PhDs who make very little money).

Seems to me that high wealth/income is most closely aligned with proximity to those who control money flow. Those who have the money, control where it flows, and vice-versa. Extreme wealth has very little to do with “hard work” or intelligence (other than knowing how to scam the system). The fact that cap gains & dividends are taxed at a lower rate than labor is a great example of this.

[CA renter]

BTW, I totally disagree with the notion that high pay is the reward for hard work or even education (I can show you many hard-working PhDs who make very little money).

Seems to me that high wealth/income is most closely aligned with proximity to those who control money flow. Those who have the money, control where it flows, and vice-versa. Extreme wealth has very little to do with “hard work” or intelligence (other than knowing how to scam the system). The fact that cap gains & dividends are taxed at a lower rate than labor is a great example of this.

[CA renter]

BTW, I totally disagree with the notion that high pay is the reward for hard work or even education (I can show you many hard-working PhDs who make very little money).

Seems to me that high wealth/income is most closely aligned with proximity to those who control money flow. Those who have the money, control where it flows, and vice-versa. Extreme wealth has very little to do with “hard work” or intelligence (other than knowing how to scam the system). The fact that cap gains & dividends are taxed at a lower rate than labor is a great example of this.

[CA renter]

BTW, I totally disagree with the notion that high pay is the reward for hard work or even education (I can show you many hard-working PhDs who make very little money).

Seems to me that high wealth/income is most closely aligned with proximity to those who control money flow. Those who have the money, control where it flows, and vice-versa. Extreme wealth has very little to do with “hard work” or intelligence (other than knowing how to scam the system). The fact that cap gains & dividends are taxed at a lower rate than labor is a great example of this.

[CA renter]

The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.
————————–

These arguments always ignore the most important aspect of wealth…where did the “rich” man get his money?

Does he sell goods/services where the margins are very high? If so, one could make the argument that he is:

1. taking “excess” money from his customers

OR

2. not paying his employees or suppliers enough (taking “excess” money from them)

OR

3. both

———————————–

Do the people who run the companies (in the case of many executives, often not taking any personal risks, whatsoever) deserve all the “excess wealth” or does it rightfully belong to the workers who make that company run? I’ve seen plenty of examples where the owners/executives can leave for extended period of time and everything runs smoothly (often better than when he/she is there). Take the executive’s secretary out for a day, and all hell breaks loose. Who makes more money?

Don’t even try to tell me that these executives/fund managers/deal makers are so much smarter or more capable than most highly-intelligent individuals. If nothing else, this credit/housing bubble has shown the falacy in that thinking. How many “regular” people nailed what would happen **years** ago, while these executives raped the companies (and the shareholders and employees and society) while claiming that they knew what they were doing? Even if they knew what they were doing (and intentionally stealing), where were all the geniuses who were supposed to keep this from happening?

[CA renter]

The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.
————————–

These arguments always ignore the most important aspect of wealth…where did the “rich” man get his money?

Does he sell goods/services where the margins are very high? If so, one could make the argument that he is:

1. taking “excess” money from his customers

OR

2. not paying his employees or suppliers enough (taking “excess” money from them)

OR

3. both

———————————–

Do the people who run the companies (in the case of many executives, often not taking any personal risks, whatsoever) deserve all the “excess wealth” or does it rightfully belong to the workers who make that company run? I’ve seen plenty of examples where the owners/executives can leave for extended period of time and everything runs smoothly (often better than when he/she is there). Take the executive’s secretary out for a day, and all hell breaks loose. Who makes more money?

Don’t even try to tell me that these executives/fund managers/deal makers are so much smarter or more capable than most highly-intelligent individuals. If nothing else, this credit/housing bubble has shown the falacy in that thinking. How many “regular” people nailed what would happen **years** ago, while these executives raped the companies (and the shareholders and employees and society) while claiming that they knew what they were doing? Even if they knew what they were doing (and intentionally stealing), where were all the geniuses who were supposed to keep this from happening?

[CA renter]

The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.
————————–

These arguments always ignore the most important aspect of wealth…where did the “rich” man get his money?

Does he sell goods/services where the margins are very high? If so, one could make the argument that he is:

1. taking “excess” money from his customers

OR

2. not paying his employees or suppliers enough (taking “excess” money from them)

OR

3. both

———————————–

Do the people who run the companies (in the case of many executives, often not taking any personal risks, whatsoever) deserve all the “excess wealth” or does it rightfully belong to the workers who make that company run? I’ve seen plenty of examples where the owners/executives can leave for extended period of time and everything runs smoothly (often better than when he/she is there). Take the executive’s secretary out for a day, and all hell breaks loose. Who makes more money?

Don’t even try to tell me that these executives/fund managers/deal makers are so much smarter or more capable than most highly-intelligent individuals. If nothing else, this credit/housing bubble has shown the falacy in that thinking. How many “regular” people nailed what would happen **years** ago, while these executives raped the companies (and the shareholders and employees and society) while claiming that they knew what they were doing? Even if they knew what they were doing (and intentionally stealing), where were all the geniuses who were supposed to keep this from happening?

[CA renter]

The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.
————————–

These arguments always ignore the most important aspect of wealth…where did the “rich” man get his money?

Does he sell goods/services where the margins are very high? If so, one could make the argument that he is:

1. taking “excess” money from his customers

OR

2. not paying his employees or suppliers enough (taking “excess” money from them)

OR

3. both

———————————–

Do the people who run the companies (in the case of many executives, often not taking any personal risks, whatsoever) deserve all the “excess wealth” or does it rightfully belong to the workers who make that company run? I’ve seen plenty of examples where the owners/executives can leave for extended period of time and everything runs smoothly (often better than when he/she is there). Take the executive’s secretary out for a day, and all hell breaks loose. Who makes more money?

Don’t even try to tell me that these executives/fund managers/deal makers are so much smarter or more capable than most highly-intelligent individuals. If nothing else, this credit/housing bubble has shown the falacy in that thinking. How many “regular” people nailed what would happen **years** ago, while these executives raped the companies (and the shareholders and employees and society) while claiming that they knew what they were doing? Even if they knew what they were doing (and intentionally stealing), where were all the geniuses who were supposed to keep this from happening?

[CA renter]

The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.
————————–

These arguments always ignore the most important aspect of wealth…where did the “rich” man get his money?

Does he sell goods/services where the margins are very high? If so, one could make the argument that he is:

1. taking “excess” money from his customers

OR

2. not paying his employees or suppliers enough (taking “excess” money from them)

OR

3. both

———————————–

Do the people who run the companies (in the case of many executives, often not taking any personal risks, whatsoever) deserve all the “excess wealth” or does it rightfully belong to the workers who make that company run? I’ve seen plenty of examples where the owners/executives can leave for extended period of time and everything runs smoothly (often better than when he/she is there). Take the executive’s secretary out for a day, and all hell breaks loose. Who makes more money?

Don’t even try to tell me that these executives/fund managers/deal makers are so much smarter or more capable than most highly-intelligent individuals. If nothing else, this credit/housing bubble has shown the falacy in that thinking. How many “regular” people nailed what would happen **years** ago, while these executives raped the companies (and the shareholders and employees and society) while claiming that they knew what they were doing? Even if they knew what they were doing (and intentionally stealing), where were all the geniuses who were supposed to keep this from happening?

[CA renter]

IMHO, it’s the idea that capital is more valuable than productive labor that got us into all this trouble (highly indebted, highly inflationary, decaying society/econony) in the first place.

Either we want to encourage production OR we encourage parasites sucking capital (substitute/means of exchange for production) out of the system so they can hoard it and use it to suck even more out of the productive system.

Suggesting that production should be valued more highly than capital isn’t “socialist” or “communist”…it’s common sense, and taking a long-term view of how our world and future economy can be sustained and made better for our children and grandchildren.

[CA renter]

IMHO, it’s the idea that capital is more valuable than productive labor that got us into all this trouble (highly indebted, highly inflationary, decaying society/econony) in the first place.

Either we want to encourage production OR we encourage parasites sucking capital (substitute/means of exchange for production) out of the system so they can hoard it and use it to suck even more out of the productive system.

Suggesting that production should be valued more highly than capital isn’t “socialist” or “communist”…it’s common sense, and taking a long-term view of how our world and future economy can be sustained and made better for our children and grandchildren.

[CA renter]

IMHO, it’s the idea that capital is more valuable than productive labor that got us into all this trouble (highly indebted, highly inflationary, decaying society/econony) in the first place.

Either we want to encourage production OR we encourage parasites sucking capital (substitute/means of exchange for production) out of the system so they can hoard it and use it to suck even more out of the productive system.

Suggesting that production should be valued more highly than capital isn’t “socialist” or “communist”…it’s common sense, and taking a long-term view of how our world and future economy can be sustained and made better for our children and grandchildren.

[CA renter]

IMHO, it’s the idea that capital is more valuable than productive labor that got us into all this trouble (highly indebted, highly inflationary, decaying society/econony) in the first place.

Either we want to encourage production OR we encourage parasites sucking capital (substitute/means of exchange for production) out of the system so they can hoard it and use it to suck even more out of the productive system.

Suggesting that production should be valued more highly than capital isn’t “socialist” or “communist”…it’s common sense, and taking a long-term view of how our world and future economy can be sustained and made better for our children and grandchildren.

[Author]

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