YEAH! Tax day, baby!

[Skulhedface]

Originally Posted by El Blanco

Well, if they earn it, yes. Whats wrong with that? If I work hard and bust my ass to provide a good or service that people like and are willing to pay lots of money for, why can't I be rich?

The American Dream is financial indepenadance ie being rich.

The problem lies in earning it. Most business owners are content to rest on their laurels.. err, titles.

[El Blanco]

Most business owners are content to rest on their laurels.. err, titles.

What? Are you high? Do you understand the hard work behind bussiness? My dad sure as hell hasn't been resting the last 25 years. If you want to get to the top in any company (yes, any) you have to bust your ass. Same thing if you want to stay on top.

The thing about being rich in America: its difficult to stay there. Making money and managing it are talents that require hard work to maintain.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Would you say this is true for CEOs like Michael Eisner??? Did he bust his ass? Do you think his company's earnings for the past year warranted the pay increase he, like many other CEOs, have given themselves this year...?

[Skulhedface]

Not entirely.. I have respect for the CEOs that did work, that DID bust their asses, that DID put in their time. They deserve it, by all means.

But if you want to look at a prime example of what I AM talking about? People like Kathie Lee Gifford or Nike, who make all their profits on the blood and sweat of child labor. Kathie Lee in this case is for all intents and purposes, the CEO of this company, and she's making enough to put a love tub in her mansion's 50th bathroom because children are busting their asses to line her pockets.

Have I clarified my position on this yet?

[VinceZeb]

Skullhead and anyone else who thinks the rich should be paying more taxes: Do you agree with this statement?

"To each according to his need. From each according to his ability."

[Protoclown]

Did you ever post that submarine letter?

[Skulhedface]

Actually, I guess you can say my problem lies in the government, namely misappropriation of tax funds. But that's a whole other beast, isn't it?

If the government didn't plain out waste so much money, would heavy taxes even be an issue? I'm sure the rich alone could pay it, and the poor wouldn't be taxed right into poverty.

In other words, I've seen stories about rich fat cats who didn't earn a dime they made, yet can sit on their asses and even collect a refund. However, a single mother who works two or three jobs to support her children because her husband's a deadbeat or asshole or something to that effect are getting audited and taxed into homelessness.

That doesn't seem right. I know "life isn't fair", but if that were basically an acceptable answer, a lot of protests would be solved with one simple sentence, wouldn't they?

[VinceZeb]

You still did not answer the question.

[mburbank]

Yes, Vince I-

OH NO!! OH JEEZE, THAT QUOTE!! It's from KARL MARX!!!

OH! OH! I'VE FALLEN INTO VINCE CAREFULLY LAID TRAP!! I'VE REVEALED MY TRUE COLORS! BECAUSE IF I AGREE WITH ONE THING A PLOITICAL PHILOSIPHER SAID TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT, WHY I'M THE VERY SAME AT HEART AS STALIN!!!

OH! OH, GOD, I'M A MONSTER!!!!!

Thank you Vince. You've made me take a good look at myslef with your clever tiger trap of words. I've had a change of heart. You've saved me from life of Godles communism. From now on my philsophy will be

"From each according to my strength. To each according to their ability to pry it from the hands of someone evenb weaker ."

[VinceZeb]

And you say I have bad spelling.....

Yep, its Karl Marx. And God forbid I take that great man out of context!

[mburbank]

I never said you had bad spelling. I said you had no understanding of grammar or syntax, that you frequently use words incorrectly, that you often use the wrong words, you don't understand paralell construction, you use the wrong verb tense almost a quarter of the time and that taken together your communication skills are very, very bad.

You're spelling is somewhat better than mine, which is hardly a compliment.

Conest schmontext. I'm mocking the childishness of your littlle gambit.


Communism as it was layed out by Marx has never been practiced or even seriously attempted. Do you think Marx would have seen Stalin's Gulag system or Mao's cultural revolution as delivering "To each according to their needs"? And did you honestly think people here wouldn't recognize the quote?

[VinceZeb]

Communism is evil. Every time it is tried, it is produced nothing but evil. 100 Million+ have died from Communism. So sorry if I don't really value it. It is based on using my life to work for others because there is no God and nothing else to work for but the state.

[mburbank]

Hmmm. An interesting if debatable point of view.

But what of my charge that you are a very, very bad writer and that it has nothing to do with your spelling or typing speed? What of my implication that all your boasts about your intelligence and personal superioroty fall apart before the ferocious assault of your lousy writing?

[FS]

Originally Posted by VinceZeb

Communism is evil. Every time it is tried, it is produced nothing but evil. 100 Million+ have died from Communism.

That's the second time you've made that gross misstatement here. It really were "communist" dictators that are responsible for those deaths, you know.

[Vibecrewangel]

On paper communisom is beautiful. A fairly perfect system.

In practice.....not so good. Human nature tends to fuck things up. That is exactly why capitalism works so well. It plays into instead of agains human nature.

[mburbank]

You don't seriously beleieve you guys are going to have a substantive conversation on the merits and pit falls of communism in theory VS communism in historical practice, do? Do you think Vince is even up to comprehending the question?

I'm far more interested in seeing him engage the "Vince is very bad writer" debate without insisting I'm criticizing his spelling or typing.

[Vibecrewangel]

Nah, just interjecting my opinion.

[mburbank]

Well, that is they say, is a horse of an entirely different color. In this case, Red.

And I agree you you almost entirely. I just think Capitalism needs to be regulated and overseen so that it doesn't turn into robber barron white collar crime enron global crossing style free for all. That's the kind of things that can lead to unsightly Bushes growing in the Oval Office.

Like Churchill, (praphrased) I'd agree that our system of Government is the very worst ezxcept for ll the others.

Of course, that doesn't count for too much, since ngland is a filthy socialist mire, and socialism is only one step up the slippery slope from communism. We should probably liberate the English as soon as possible.

[VinceZeb]

So, Max, if you think Bush is such a dumbass, tell me who would have done a better job with what is going on between Bush, Gore and Nader?

Why don't you run for president yourself since you are so fucking wise and intelligent? You won't. You will bitch and whine just like your pals did when they blamed the Supreme Court for stealing the election, when recount after recount proved Bush won.
Communism is a nice little deal on paper. But it is just a THEORY. When put into practice, it kills and destroys. I don't see why people can't let it rest. That would be like the people who write books about how little children want to have sex get the reigns to the country and allow child-fuckers to run wild. People like Max would sit there and argue "Well, screwing 7 year olds because they have shown to want it looks good on paper, so let’s keep trying it till we get it right!"

[Vibecrewangel]

God is just a theory too.

Looks great on paper, but has caused 100's of millons of deaths.

[mburbank]

See, it's when you pull stuff like that out of your ass that I worry you may be insane on top of being stupid.

If I follow your logic (and it's a stretch) governments attempting to practice Communism in spite of it's historical failures is like me (or people in some way like me) endorsing child sex.

What, pray tell, put child sex into your head? Had anyone here mentioned it? Is it something on your mind? Do you feel some need to go on public record as being against child sex?

Honestly, Vince. I think you need help. It's bad enough you can hrdly go a day without talking about rape, now your onto child sex!

This is I-mockery. I think you may be looking for some kind of survivors support group.

[Protoclown]

Nice try, Vibe, but he won't understand why that quote about God is pretty much exactly the same as his blaming communism for so much death.

[sadie]

wait. how does vince know your pals, max? looks like you've another stalker. you are so popular!

[El Blanco]

We should probably obliterate the English as soon as possible.

I whole heartedly agree

I would also just like to say, listening to a socialist is like listening to a battered wife, " It can work this time, just give us another chance. We'll go back, give it a try, and everything will be all better."

[mburbank]

HET, VINCE! HOW IS THE THINKING ABOUT CHILD SEX GOING?