Dan's diatribe is simply that, opinions and statements that represent what he feels, sees and thinks about some of today's most heated and controversial issues. These are usually more in depth statements than those written in "Today'sTopic" and will not be updated as often. Hey, it's his website so he can write what he wants.
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Tax the Rich, Why Not?
A simple example to get started;Corporation “X” has one hundred employees and made a five million dollar profit in 2010. Due to the recent outcry for public “fairness” a new law was put into place by the government taxing an additional 10% on corporate profits for any amount in excess of four million dollars. So, in our example of Corporation “X”, this company would now be taxed an additional $500,000 bringing them to a net profit of less than they made in 2009. Due to this taxation, Corporation “X” will now not be able to higher six more employees and open a new office in another state. Good tax, bad tax?
I use this example to dummy down the reality of simply increasing corporate taxation or a tax on the wealthy to better the opportunity for the average employee. The reality of the situation is that the 100 employees of Corporation “X” probably do not care about the $500,000 tax as long as it did not affect their income or jeopardize their job, all is good.
So let’s say Corporation “X” like any other corporation takes it on the chin and moves on. Where did that $500,000 go to? Did any of the 100 employees see their tax bracket decrease? What if Corporation “X” returns 20% back in employee profit sharing, didn’t the 100 employees just lose out also?
Before we continue to throw all of our angst at Wall Street to get big corporations to pony up, might we want a better accountability of what is currently being spent and were it is spent? Isn’t that really what we are asking for? Before we barrel down the highway for tax reform and realignment of any tax codes (which we need), why not make the government accountable for stupid mistakes like Solyndra and the other hundreds of earmarked special programs (from both political parties) that should not take our tax dollars.
This is not a class issue and our government is trying to make it such in order to divide Americans and side step the real issue which is a spending issue. More money always fixes the issue until again you need more money. People addicted to drugs simply need more drugs to fix the issue. Our country is addicted to spending to solve its problems. It’s time to put our government into rehab! Spend less, save more, tax less.
Elected Political Officials Do Not Equal Leaders
A little prequel to this editorial; I had this pontification written and ready to send when I received and email from a good friend of mine. Being that he is twenty plus years my senior I have a tendency to listen and learn from what he has to say as he is much smarter and wiser than me. His statements came as a reply to an article in the City Journal that I sent him a link to titled, “Who Lost the Middle Class? A question for historians in the not-too-distant future by Fred Seigel. As not to violate any copyright laws inadvertently, I will leave this up to you to research and read as you deem necessary. I have included a link to the article at the bottom of my diatribe.
Needless to say the article sparked a number of feelings within me as to the self-serving interests of those in the political arena that have chosen to and decide to ignore what was the true middle class and has now substituted the government’s definition based on an income level in an effort to divide our people and our country into those that have an have not. Make no mistake, the political powers that be know and understand that there are far many more of those they define as “not having” in the struggling middle class than those that make “X” amount of income and are now thrown into the “upper echelon” of society (as defined by the government). This is truly a political move to separate Americans into two distinctive groups. This further empowers those in political power to gain control over those that are weak minded and weak willed who happen to earn less than those on the other side of the line drawn in the sand by the government. Whatever happened to personal accountability and the will and desire to succeed for oneself? Who would not want to pay less tax if you could make someone else pay more of your “just” share? (Notice I did not say fair; you better refer to my “Recent Posts” for more clarity.)
Here is the excerpt that my friend wrote to me after reading the article referenced above,
How do you get young voters to understand what they never experienced? If you were born after Neal Armstrong walked on the moon most of this article is just theory. Most people today respond to how an idea feels. The whole notion of a class system doesn't feel very good. But it’s not about feelings. You don't need to be wealthy to be a high class person. I know many people who have very low annual incomes and live very simple conservative lives who are the classiest people I have ever met. I also know some very wealthy people who are very low class. I don't like the way the politicians are using the class issue. I think people are who they are by their own choice. My generation wasn't class conscious we didn't worry about it. There was no class envy. We were just who we were. Class envy and anger is the product of people who don't have a value system or any clue who they are or what they need from life. Bad politicians are using them for their own gain.
It has become more important to be elected and stay in power under false or misguided pretenses rather than take the risk of being booted out of power for doing the right things and enforcing the law. Authenticity and accountability appear to be words that are found only in the dictionary and not in our elected political officials. Where has the ownership and responsibility for ones actions disappeared to? Find the scapegoat and hang it on someone elses neck so our elected official's image can be preserved (like that's of value).
Politics has come to the end of a lonely dark tunnel that disappears into an ominous black hole. We must realize that our elected political officials are simply that and not true leaders. I have dealt with enough bullies in my time and realize that political power creates personal self-interest and not the interest of those they were elected to represent. You are more than likely thinking of your state representative, or senator or maybe event the President of the United States (these individuals need to be challenged by you and me). The people that you might simply disregard are your local officials representing counties, towns and schools. Chances are that you may not even realize the entrenched “good-old-boy” nepotism that becomes so prevalent in local politics that it undermines good business and quality education. They hide behind the elderly or the children to mask their real intent which is local power that makes them valuable and needed to the weak minded or self-serving.
In all fairness to these individuals, elected officials really only represent the interest of those people that elected them. With less than 50% of the voting population actually voting and realizing that a portion of those actually wanted the other candidate, the elected official is in office with no more than a maximum of 30% of the population that wanted him there in the first place. So why try and make the other 70% happy when they didn’t care enough to vote for you in the first place? You have positional power now so damn the minority!
As I said earlier, our elected political officials are simply that and not true leaders. The sooner we all recognize this, the sooner we can find a sense of reality. They marketed better to the population that got out and voted. Between the internet, social media and slanderous T.V. commercials, it isn’t necessary to have a true message, just get as many hits to your website as possible and don’t stick your foot in your mouth at a political debate and you are well on your way to election euphoria.
I’m sure that you can remember the guy or girl in high school that was voted most popular at school. Chances are they were most likely the head cheerleader or captain to the football or best sports team. We equate popularity with success and then call these people leaders because the weak minded need someone to look up and tell them what to do. When you don’t have an opinion or the ability to think for yourself, why not have the government do it for you. What the hell, you are now over the age of eighteen and have the right to vote. Who cares if you didn’t graduate high school and can’t form a complete sentence. You still can fill in the bubble to vote for someone that will take care of you right?
Well I do not need someone to look up to because I possess enough confidence and strength in myself to realize that true leaders are not looking to get elected nor do they need positional power in order to lead and gain respect. True leaders are working to make positive change at their own expense and not that of others. I’m sure that you know one of these types of leaders if you simply look around. They are the people that volunteer at your local church or place of worship. They spend eight hours on their day off helping to build a home for someone that cannot afford to buy one. They run home at lunch and drive an elderly neighbor to their doctor’s appointment. They go out of their way to make a difference without needing a title or inflated ego to do so. They don’t hold television speeches, town-hall meetings or take photo ops with babies. They are real people leading the way because it is a part of who and what they are.
The next time you see a true leader, point them out to someone who can learn from them and be thankful for them. Who knows, maybe one of our elected officials might learn something about being a leader if you help them to actually see what a leader is and what a leader does.
Click on the link to read the full article by Fred Seigel, http://www.city-journal.org/2011/eon0811fs.html
Occupy Wall Street? Why Not Occupy Your Street?
Ok, I get it; every one is stating that they are the 99% and fed up with the politicians and corporations that got us into this economic mess. At nine percent plus unemployment American’s are fed up and becoming tired of a non-eventful government and executive branch. Corporations are spending more money on accountants and tax attorneys in one day than an average American will make in a lifetime in an effort to maintain ridiculous profits and pay little or no taxes. We have a President that is a professional marketer and not a true leader. And the list can go on and on and on…… Did it start withIt is always good to know where something started but the reality of our current state of affairs is where is it going? Certainly we can learn from our past as we should but what are we doing about our future? Those that wanted change voted for President Obama and boy did they get it. It appears that when you are too general in your quest for change, you may get something a little unexpected; a little more or less than you bargained for.
So grab your signs, your sleeping bags and tents and head for the nearest financial or political district in your home town and let your voice be heard. Tell everyone that you are not happy with the current state of affairs and as the Rock Band Quiet Riot professed in one of their most popular songs, “We’re not going to take it.” Expend your energy shouting and building the aggravation within you to levels of adrenaline equivalent to those flowing through the bodies of UFC competitors or extreme sports enthusiast. Or……
Consider starting on your own street, in your own home, with the person staring at you in the mirror. No, I am not stating that you be a pacifist or simply turn on the television and accept with is going on. The question, is what are you doing right now and what have you done to be accountable for your own past and current actions? What can you control and what can you make happen going forward? All-to-often it is easier to point fingers and blame any and everyone else for what has happened. Just because the bank would lend you “x” amount of dollars to buy a home when you knew it would most likely break your family’s budget if the stars did not stay aligned, is not a reason to blame mortgage lending practices. Or what about the four credit cards that you have all with limits over ten thousand dollars that are close to being maxed out. Should you be angry at the credit card companies for extending you the credit? If you are not going to use good judgment in how you operate your own life why would you expect the government to be any different? In fact we are simply getting what we deserve.
It is said that the baby boomer generation and the children of the baby boomers have had it very easy relative to prior generations and has become very much a “me” society. Our government and financial institutions are merely a reflection of the wanting it all, do it all and dealing with it later mentality that a “me” society created. Financial and political freedom comes at a price, a price that a “me” generation wants someone other than “me” to pay for it.
I urge you to be proactive and get involved with correcting issues that you are passionate about. Take time, take control but be true to yourself and hold yourself accountable. But Dan, what about all of the people that choose not to be accountable? That is exactly why you need to be accountable. If enough people live by and demonstrate the right behavior and morals, then others will follow and you will have the right to demand change and your change will have purpose. Change for the sake of change with no purpose or direction is simply an exercise in futility. Start on your street in your own home and make it happen.
