I can't speak for anyone else. As a child I believed that Socialist forms of government made sense. Let's help everyone. We have the resources. As I grew up and delved deeper into human nature and the markets, I came to understand that free markets with a limited form of government are a better way to operate. It is merely my opinion. The market prices the cost of capital, which then pursues risky ventures which in turn creates wealth. That means jobs, taxes, products to consume, etc. If you think another system is preferable, then fine. When 4% of the world's population accounts for 20% of global GDP, I think it validates much about our system. If folks want to move the goal posts and have a different measure of success, then I can't help you there.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

The thing is, not everyone is starting from the same place. People pay lip service to merit, but most don't really want and wouldn't thrive in a true meritocracy.

I don't have the answers. But it makes me shake my head when I hear people complain of being "taxed to the brink". The brink of what? Not being able to buy another flat screen? Naturally, capitalism works okay from a practical perspective. It's based on greed. And unfortunately, modern man is a greedy creature. Whether that's the inherent nature of man or a behavior learned via cultural input, I'm not sure. Maybe a little bit of both.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I don't demonize the rich. There is a problem when they moan about govt intervention publicly yet seek it privately. Everyone touts the glorious ness that is free market capitalism until they don't. The lobbying industry is based upon govt intervention. If there was not an incessant need for business to intervene in the business of govt, then there would not be a need for lobbyist.

Subsidies, Tax Breaks and write offs, off shore shelters, tariffs, are but a few of the ways in which business has benefitted from govt intervention. Corporate welfare has always been the largest form of welfare in this country. It is always made under the guise of growing the economy, yet the only thing that grows is the percentage of income grown by the rich.

Numerous studies have been conducted which illustrate the growth in income of the country's top 1%. Since 1980, ironically, real wages have remained stagnant while the earnings of the nation's top 1% has grown exponentially. The income divide that everyone seems to reference can be directly traced to this pd.

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Lucky sperm club has more to do with whether or not a person is rich or not. The rich in this country are mostly comprised of individuals whose parents were rich. It's true that someone had to earn it, but the notion that merit,hard work, or talent is necessaril the basis for wealth is simply fallacious.

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that’s been going on since the dawn of man though. there are much more factors involved than just that the rich are screwing us. personally and I can't believe this is not similar in other areas, the richest people I know are also some of the most intelligent, inventive, and hard working people I know. they go 24/7. they are driven. they are turning over everything and trying to make a buck out of it. not because they are only "greedy" and "power hungry" but because it gives them purpose. many started with nothing and perserviered. many started with something and it may have been easier.

I don't begrudge them but I really think they despise (for lack of a better term) the lower and middle class because we don't have that same drive. that same purpose. that’s why some of them treat people the way they do. like lower class citizens.

I do know that anything I read from Gawker and the NYT is typically met with a lot of healthy skepticism on my part.

I do have a cousin that works for amazon in VA in their IT department. I can tell you he is compensated well and loves his department and job.

There is nothing wrong with being ambitious. The only issue that I have is when they make it seem as if it's simply about drive and effort. There is a good book titled "Free Lunch" by David Cay Johnson. In it he details how the rich and wealthy have benefitted from Govt handouts. It will make your head spin. That's my issue. They talk out of both sides of their mouth when it comes to Govt intervention.

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What. The. Frick.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Have read it.

Without knowing truly, i would guess that "I really think they despise (for lack of a better term) the lower and middle class because we don't have that same drive. that same purpose. that’s why some of them treat people the way they do. like lower class citizens." is the reason they have no problem using the gvt. They perceive they offer value to the gvt, therefore the gvt and they work as a team. Where as, lower class citizens offer nothing of value comparitively and thus, don't deserve it.

A "Say No To Drugs" campaign sponsored by Chapo Guzman would have more credibility than you right about now.

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Don't be mean.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Just got off the phone with a client that lost a contract because they couldn't pay warehouse workers as much as Amazon is paying.

_________________

Have we decided who actually has the power yet?

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Good.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Don't be a goof. You know management and its lackeys in government are making it as difficult as possible for workers to organize.

Jeff Bezos should pack his own fuckin' boxes. That asshole running around taking bows for computerizing Taylorism and incorporating some Japanese salaryman concepts like ringiseido. A real American hero.

You seem like a guy who recognizes the disparity in wealth as a problem. You shouldn't defend its roots.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

It's just another false premise that laborers need to organize to be paid properly.

And in many cases, the company is now better than the union.

_________________

It's not a false premise. Organized labor invented the 8 hour day and the weekend.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I think they invented the 2 hour workday where you get paid for 8 as well.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

That has zero to do with today's labor market.

Companies give that now days. And more even.

_________________

Clearly, Jorr has a romanticism of the halcyon union days where the working man had a great life. I never hear much about the equally happy non union people working in a number of foreign owned manufacturing plants all across the US. They are making a hell of a lot of cars and stuff and do not appear to be miserable working for Scrooge. At least from my limited impression.

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Elections have consequences.

Actually they do. The Era in which income inequality was considered to be at its lowest, post WWII, is also the Era, coincidentally in which union membership was at its greatest.

Income inequality and it's growth correlates directly with the decline of Unions in this country. There are other factors but this can't be ignored.

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As opposed to what? Wanting the working man to have a bad life?

Now that unions have done the dirty work like that pesky 40 hr week, overtime pay, weekends off, and living wages we don't need them anymore so Really.Smart.Rich.Guys. can work on destroying them and putting people back in their low wage earning place.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

It really does seem that way.

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I would like a show of hands for:

-People here who have ever worked in a union

-People here who have ever dealt with a union as a business owner

I think that will help separate romanticism from reality here.

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Actually, I think someone named Vanderbilt or Whitney or maybe Carnegie invented that.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Actually, they don't. Ask W_Z about Amazon.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

The fact that the American worker has long been considered to have a right not to be worked to death and now that right is being attacked is hardly romanticism.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

That was a conference call at 9:00AM. TODAY.

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I admire any middle manager who pressures an employee talented enough to hire in the first place to work more nights and weekends instead of caring for his or her dying father. That's pro-life. Of the company.

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Soccer 1,2,3
Spanish Honor Society 1,2,3,4
Forensics 1,2,3,4

"Smiles with Nostrils"

"...no Hmong, go find some blacks"