Biden calls paying higher taxes a patriotic act

[GaryC 7]

I want an America where a persons station in life is dictated by the choices they make and the work the provide.

that would be possible if we all started with the same privilages, but we don't

Anyone, regardless of where they start in life, can succeed in America. It happens all the time. We don't need the government taking from one group to give to another for that to happen.

[HAL 9000 96]

I fail to see how detrimental it would be for a rich person that didn't need the money to have to pay a pittance on what already makes them financially apical to the rest of the nation... while the absolute majority end up paying more proportionally for cost of living and market items than the rich.

Who are you to say they don't need it? Who died and made you god?

What is it like to be extraordinarily wealthy, I wonder? At some point, money must become meaningless. The aquisition of money must be the desire rather than the actual money itself. The need to get it rather than have it. Perhaps it's an addiction. Maybe it is simply greed.

Perhaps no two people would agree on the amount, but I'd be surprised if we couldn't agree that at some point you don't 'need' any more money. It's also interesting, I find, that some of the very rich have since looked beyond their wealth to find a sense of well-being: Bill Gates, for example. Ending malaria would be such a greater legacy to the world than the epitaph "he had a lot of nice houses".

Unfortunately not all rich folks are like the Gates.

I want an America where a persons station in life is dictated by the choices they make and the work the provide.

that would be possible if we all started with the same privilages, but we don't

We certainly do not.

Here you go

Second bump.

[SteveLaura 0]

I fail to see how detrimental it would be for a rich person that didn't need the money to have to pay a pittance on what already makes them financially apical to the rest of the nation... while the absolute majority end up paying more proportionally for cost of living and market items than the rich.

Who are you to say they don't need it? Who died and made you god?

What is it like to be extraordinarily wealthy, I wonder? At some point, money must become meaningless. The aquisition of money must be the desire rather than the actual money itself. The need to get it rather than have it. Perhaps it's an addiction. Maybe it is simply greed.

Perhaps no two people would agree on the amount, but I'd be surprised if we couldn't agree that at some point you don't 'need' any more money. It's also interesting, I find, that some of the very rich have since looked beyond their wealth to find a sense of well-being: Bill Gates, for example. Ending malaria would be such a greater legacy to the world than the epitaph "he had a lot of nice houses".

Unfortunately not all rich folks are like the Gates.

True. Hence 'greed' or addiction'. I'd be interested in the argument from a multi-billionaire why they 'need' another million, screw you and your taxes.

[britty 1]

I don't really care about most Americans - they certainly don't care about me

f##k them.

Wow. And I thought that the Republicans* held the monopoly on what is to be considered patriotic or un-american.

Seriously - this should be their new party slogan.

"We don't care about most Americans"

*Just thought I'd try on Kaydees hat of ridiculous generalizations.

and how about you quote the whole of the post instead of the one piece that fits your agenda? Typical behavior.

[HAL 9000 96]

Bolshevik!!!

Now now I have to google that one

Vote Republican. Avoid the Bolsheviks.

Oh p-lease!

What is interesting is that when you look at the majority of cities in America that are the money hungry capitalism capitals of America, of the world in many cases, the majority are democrat strong holds. Like Chicago where maviwaro lives.

Seems to be quite an interesting coincidence.

But hey, the republicans are the money hungry capitalist elitists. Anyone ever stop to think about how many mouths the hundreds of billions of dollars wasted spent in America colleges each year, the heart of liberalism, would feed.

Clearly rich white republicans are the sole culprits here. Unlike those battler, for the people, democrat typess. After all Biden takes a train. Therefore he knows how to be a commoner.

New York's mayor is not a Democrat. AS for Republican policies, its no joke that they are indeed skewed towards protecting the rich in the same way.

If it were a Democrat vs Republican issue, we'd get nowhere.

Also very funny you mention universities- places where you may have a foaming-at-the-mouth diatribe about smart intellectuals playing liberal on TV, but certainly the place where the voters of America are borne- and while many more of the 'educated' tend to vote along Democratic lines, its not in one party's domain.

[rocks 494]

Anyone, regardless of where they start in life, can succeed in America. It happens all the time. We don't need the government taking from one group to give to another for that to happen.

so those who start with less have to work harder to get to the same place as those who has been handed the world on a plate, how is that fair?

[HAL 9000 96]

I fail to see how detrimental it would be for a rich person that didn't need the money to have to pay a pittance on what already makes them financially apical to the rest of the nation... while the absolute majority end up paying more proportionally for cost of living and market items than the rich.

Who are you to say they don't need it? Who died and made you god?

What is it like to be extraordinarily wealthy, I wonder? At some point, money must become meaningless. The aquisition of money must be the desire rather than the actual money itself. The need to get it rather than have it. Perhaps it's an addiction. Maybe it is simply greed.

Perhaps no two people would agree on the amount, but I'd be surprised if we couldn't agree that at some point you don't 'need' any more money. It's also interesting, I find, that some of the very rich have since looked beyond their wealth to find a sense of well-being: Bill Gates, for example. Ending malaria would be such a greater legacy to the world than the epitaph "he had a lot of nice houses".

Unfortunately not all rich folks are like the Gates.

True. Hence 'greed' or addiction'. I'd be interested in the argument from a multi-billionaire why they 'need' another million, screw you and your taxes.

There are fears borne out of a misplaced desire to make merit the sole factor in achieving success in this nation. But common sense and a very real sense of context makes that- IN THIS CURRENT ECONOMY... quite impossible. Fears that by taxing the rich for what they are- rich... we will become Cuba or some third world country.

Anyone, regardless of where they start in life, can succeed in America. It happens all the time. We don't need the government taking from one group to give to another for that to happen.

so those who start with less have to work harder to get to the same place as those who has been handed the world on a plate, how is that fair?

Well, anyone CAN succeed in this nation. On top of triple the amount of work, they also have to have Lady Luck on their side in order to surmount the endless amount of competition for less and less spots on the success train.

[SteveLaura 0]

Anyone, regardless of where they start in life, can succeed in America. It happens all the time. We don't need the government taking from one group to give to another for that to happen.

True, to a point. But this doesn't happen in a vacuum. Society operates in a way that allows this to happen. One can study in a library, walk home unmolested afterwards because of the police on the streets, spend free time in a park to relax, not get sick because garbage is piling up on the streets or the sewers are backing up, etc, etc... We pay into this system because everyone benefits. The problem is when you get so high up the ladder that you don't think you need to contribute to that anymore.

[HAL 9000 96]

Anyone, regardless of where they start in life, can succeed in America. It happens all the time. We don't need the government taking from one group to give to another for that to happen.

True, to a point. But this doesn't happen in a vacuum. Society operates in a way that allows this to happen. One can study in a library, walk home unmolested afterwards because of the police on the streets, spend free time in a park to relax, not get sick because garbage is piling up on the streets or the sewers are backing up, etc, etc... We pay into this system because everyone benefits. The problem is when you get so high up the ladder that you don't think you need to contribute to that anymore.

I don't think all people on that ladder view themselves in that light, but yes... in essence, many do.

Why does extreme wealth DO that to people? Does money make people that detached from the rest of human society? Is that what we want to pass on in terms of humanity to the next generation? I sure as hell do not want an America that takes pride in defending inequalities just by the reality that it is not as upwardly mobile as it could be.

[britty 1]

I fail to see how detrimental it would be for a rich person that didn't need the money to have to pay a pittance on what already makes them financially apical to the rest of the nation... while the absolute majority end up paying more proportionally for cost of living and market items than the rich.

Who are you to say they don't need it? Who died and made you god?

What is it like to be extraordinarily wealthy, I wonder? At some point, money must become meaningless. The aquisition of money must be the desire rather than the actual money itself. The need to get it rather than have it. Perhaps it's an addiction. Maybe it is simply greed.

Perhaps no two people would agree on the amount, but I'd be surprised if we couldn't agree that at some point you don't 'need' any more money. It's also interesting, I find, that some of the very rich have since looked beyond their wealth to find a sense of well-being: Bill Gates, for example. Ending malaria would be such a greater legacy to the world than the epitaph "he had a lot of nice houses".

Unfortunately not all rich folks are like the Gates.

True. Hence 'greed' or addiction'. I'd be interested in the argument from a multi-billionaire why they 'need' another million, screw you and your taxes.

There are fears borne out of a misplaced desire to make merit the sole factor in achieving success in this nation. But common sense and a very real sense of context makes that- IN THIS CURRENT ECONOMY... quite impossible. Fears that by taxing the rich for what they are- rich... we will become Cuba or some third world country.

Anyone, regardless of where they start in life, can succeed in America. It happens all the time. We don't need the government taking from one group to give to another for that to happen.

so those who start with less have to work harder to get to the same place as those who has been handed the world on a plate, how is that fair?

Well, anyone CAN succeed in this nation. On top of triple the amount of work, they also have to have Lady Luck on their side in order to surmount the endless amount of competition for less and less spots on the success train.

as an immigrant in the US, I worked my a$$ off to get where I am now. No luck, but probably 20 hours a day on a regular basis. Anyone can succeed if they put the effort in.

[HAL 9000 96]

I fail to see how detrimental it would be for a rich person that didn't need the money to have to pay a pittance on what already makes them financially apical to the rest of the nation... while the absolute majority end up paying more proportionally for cost of living and market items than the rich.

Who are you to say they don't need it? Who died and made you god?

What is it like to be extraordinarily wealthy, I wonder? At some point, money must become meaningless. The aquisition of money must be the desire rather than the actual money itself. The need to get it rather than have it. Perhaps it's an addiction. Maybe it is simply greed.

Perhaps no two people would agree on the amount, but I'd be surprised if we couldn't agree that at some point you don't 'need' any more money. It's also interesting, I find, that some of the very rich have since looked beyond their wealth to find a sense of well-being: Bill Gates, for example. Ending malaria would be such a greater legacy to the world than the epitaph "he had a lot of nice houses".

Unfortunately not all rich folks are like the Gates.

True. Hence 'greed' or addiction'. I'd be interested in the argument from a multi-billionaire why they 'need' another million, screw you and your taxes.

There are fears borne out of a misplaced desire to make merit the sole factor in achieving success in this nation. But common sense and a very real sense of context makes that- IN THIS CURRENT ECONOMY... quite impossible. Fears that by taxing the rich for what they are- rich... we will become Cuba or some third world country.

Anyone, regardless of where they start in life, can succeed in America. It happens all the time. We don't need the government taking from one group to give to another for that to happen.

so those who start with less have to work harder to get to the same place as those who has been handed the world on a plate, how is that fair?

Well, anyone CAN succeed in this nation. On top of triple the amount of work, they also have to have Lady Luck on their side in order to surmount the endless amount of competition for less and less spots on the success train.

as an immigrant in the US, I worked my a$ off to get where I am now. No luck, but probably 20 hours a day on a regular basis. Anyone can succeed if they put the effort in.

Eventually at that rate, you'll die shortly after reaching "success."

But yes- there is nothing illogical with your statement.

[Peikko 1,575]

We had a few articles at the beginning of the year that most definitely suggested that the 'rise to the top' phenomena that Gary is so proud of simply isn't working any more, partly due to the ridiculous price tag on education these days. Socialzed countries provide more opportunities for success, go figure...

Oh, I am sure I will be told to go live in one very soon

[HAL 9000 96]

We had a few articles at the beginning of the year that most definitely suggested that the 'rise to the top' phenomena that Gary is so proud of simply isn't working any more, partly due to the ridiculous price tag on education these days. Socialzed countries provide more opportunities for success, go figure...

And I believe that a person's disposition and demeanor (attitude) can definitely become a contributing factor once access to the tools needed to reach success are available in a real sense across the board.

[Heracles 417]

Democrats have a fine and outstanding tax paying senator to be proud of, Congressman Charles Rangel.

Oh wait..

Edited September 18, 2008 by Aficionado

[Chica Yeyé 41]

We had a few articles at the beginning of the year that most definitely suggested that the 'rise to the top' phenomena that Gary is so proud of simply isn't working any more, partly due to the ridiculous price tag on education these days. Socialzed countries provide more opportunities for success, go figure...

Oh, I am sure I will be told to go live in one very soon

Why do you hate America?