America

America
Showing posts with label economic downturn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economic downturn. Show all posts

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Random Quotes on Taxation



Random Quotes on Taxation

I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents... -- James Madison

When there's a single thief, it's robbery. When there are a thousand thieves, it's taxation. -- Vanya Cohen

A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money. -- G. Gordon Liddy

America is a land of taxation that was founded to avoid taxation. -- Dr. Laurence J. Peter

Worried about an IRS audit? Avoid what's called a red flag. That's something the IRS always looks for. For example, say you have some money left in your bank account after paying taxes. That's a red flag. -- Jay Leno

We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. - Ronald Reagan

Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a refund from the IRS, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. ~Author unknown, from a Washington Post word contest

You don't pay taxes - they take taxes. ~Chris Rock, Bigger and Blacker

The federal government was NEVER supposed to provide all the social services that have essentially bankrupted the nation. Just ask James Madison. - Bob Hubbard
"If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare,
and are the sole and supreme judges of the general welfare,
they may take the care of religion into their own hands;
they may appoint teachers in every State, county and parish
and pay them out of their public treasury;... Read More
they may take into their own hands the education of children,
establishing in like manner schools throughout the Union;
they may assume the provision of the poor;
they may undertake the regulation of all roads other than post-roads;
in short, every thing, from the highest object of state legislation
down to the most minute object of police,
would be thrown under the power of Congress.... Were the power
of Congress to be established in the latitude contended for,
it would subvert the very foundations, and transmute the very nature
of the limited Government established by the people of America."

by:

James Madison
(1751-1836), Father of the Constitution for the USA, 4th US President
Source:

referring to a bill to subsidize cod fisherman introduced in the first year of the new Congress

The politicians say "we" can't afford a tax cut. Maybe we can't afford the politicians. ~Steve Forbes

Question: " I understand that Congress is considering a so-called 'flat' tax system. How would this work?"

Answer: "If Congress were to pass a 'flat' tax, you'd simply pay a fixed percentage of your income, and you wouldn't have to fill out any complicated forms, and there would be no loopholes for politically connected groups, and normal people would actually understand the tax laws, and giant talking broccoli stalks would come around and mow your lawn for free, because Congress is NOT going to pass a flat tax, you pathetic fool." ~Dave Barry

The flat tax would be so simple, you could fill it out on a post card. A post card that would say, in effect, having a wonderful time; glad most of my money is here. ~Steve Forbes

U.S. Internal Revenue Service: an agency modeled after the revenue raising concepts of the 19th century economist, Jesse James. ~Robert Brault,

The government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. ~Ronald Reagan

To force a man to pay for the violation of his own liberty is indeed an addition of insult to injury. ~Benjamin Tucker, Instead of a Book

Of course the truth is that the congresspersons are too busy raising campaign money to read the laws they pass. The laws are written by staff tax nerds who can put pretty much any wording they want in there. I bet that if you actually read the entire vastness of the U.S. Tax Code, you'd find at least one sex scene ("'Yes, yes, YES!' moaned Vanessa as Lance, his taut body moist with moisture, again and again depreciated her adjusted gross rate of annualized fiscal debenture"). ~Dave Barry

What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue. ~Thomas Paine

America is a land of taxation that was founded to avoid taxation. ~Laurence J. Peter

That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly. Thomas Paine

Monday, May 11, 2009

Why is the economy a mess and businesses going under? A reason. by Bob Hubbard



Why is the economy a mess and businesses going under? A reason.
by Bob Hubbard

I recently got married. As part of that life's journey, one contacts a number of businesses and key people to make the day run smoothly. We contacted several facilities, visited 3. We received no call backs or follow ups from any of the places, other than the 1 we ultimately chose. We contacted several photographers, and were waiting on a promised call back from one when another contacted us out of the blue. We went with her and its a good thing we did as we still haven't heard from the one who promised to call us. We left messages with several dj's, tux rental places, and 2 hotels. Not a single call back. Are you seeing a trend here? All over the place people are crying "business is down", "I'm not sure if I'll make it" and similar. Yet we had a hard time finding anyone to take our money.

We stopped at a local fast food chain the other day. Place was empty. We waited 5 minutes before walking out, as no one felt like taking our order. Cleaning the back counter was more important, as obviously was the smoke break. A few days earlier, another chain store, we got indifferent service, mediocre "food", and a shrug when I complained about it.

Last year I made several calls to the management of a local mall, looking for information about possibly renting space there. Despite calling every day for 2 weeks, I never managed to reach the one single person there who could talk to me about anything rental related. He was always "just stepped out" or "gone for the day". I finally asked if he ever comes in, and when the person expressed surprise, I said I'd been calling all week, leaving messages and hadnt heard back. They said that was common. The mall has quite a few vacancies. I wonder why. Another local mall has a waiting list as it's full. They answered their phone and were available to talk. Big difference.

A couple months ago a family member had a plumbing emergency. We called at least a dozen plumbers (with the 24 hr service ads) before reaching a live person. We left messages at the earlier ones, and not a single one ever called back.

The economy may be shaky, a few large companies may be facing ugly restructuring, but the core of the economy has always been the small businesses. Maybe the reason why the core is seems to be rotting lies with the core it self. Maybe, it's shooting itself in the foot by failing to follow up, provide quality service and a quality product, and failing to follow through. Maybe, the solution to the economic mess isn't trillions in bailouts to a few big names, but for consumers to find and reward those companies that do go the extra mile, that do care about their product, that deserve to survive.

Maybe then the slackers, drifters, and such will wake up and step up, or die out like they deserve to make way for the real economic stimulus.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Re: "Redistribute the Wealth"



Re: "Redistribute the Wealth"

Quote:
How many Americans here have friends and associates who's deepest concern is who won what game or who's topic of conversation is always "man I got so wasted last night"?
But that's ok. Those of us who work hard, educate ourselves, start businesses, or work 2-3 jobs while putting ourselves through higher education....we can pay more taxes so that lazybones and slacker can have government subsidized health care (while we pay top dollar for ours), government subsidized heating and electric (while we pay for ours), and even free money to spend on lotto and lobster (while we watch our money and live frugally). It's ok. It's our "Civic Duty" to help those "unfortunates".

On education: I read several hundred books every year, own a thousand+, read 4 newspapers (onliine) daily (SF CA, Austin TX (2), Buffalo NY), plus dozens of discussions like this one every day. I've taken extra training classes, community ed courses, online training, and am at Borders/Barnes & Nobel or my local ibraries weekly. I also run history chanel, food network, HGTV, DIY and Discovery as background. If our "unfortunates" did 10% of that, they'd be miles ahead.

Schools today in the US are woefully behind the technical requirements. Teaching methods in many cases are outdated, classes are over crowded, and teachers are still using maps that show the Soviet Union, and still using text books that list Sadamn as the head of Iraq. Unfortunately, even if they were up to date, balanced, and truely designed to learn, even the best teacher can't teach when the student isn't open to learn, or isn't there in the first place. Kids don't want to learn because they know they can grow up, go on welfare and have the government pay for everything. They have no idea of the value of a dollar, not because it's arbitrary imaginary money, but because they aren't required to know how to manage it.

We argue people go bankrupt because of medical bills. Those lotto winners went bankrupt because they were incapable of handling money.

Before you redistribute the wealth, maybe you need to revamp your education system so that people will be able to handle that which you give them.

Then again, maybe it's time that kids learn that they aren't entitled to anything, anything! that they didn't earn themselves.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

In reply to "April 15 is patriots' day"


Commentary: April 15 is patriots' day

  • Story Highlights
  • Paul Begala: April 15 is one day most Americans sacrifice for government
  • Begala says paying taxes to support worthy government services is patriotic
  • "Tea parties" are being pushed by GOP supporters who lost election, Begala says
  • He says President Obama and Congress have cut taxes for most

In the article above, Mr Begala makes some interesting points. I disagree that these "Tea Party's" are simply disgruntled losers from the last election. I'm sure some of them are, but I think the vast majority of American's are reaching the boiling point in frustration with administration after administration simply selling us out to the special interest groups, and covering their buddies asses. We The People are tired of paying more and more for everything, while watching government subsidized incompetence continue. We're tired of our so called leaders pushing flawed laws through then later going "oops, we've no idea how that was missed / got in there" after someone finds a problem with the latest 10,000 page maze of confusion they dump on us, while ensuring their buddies get a little something on the side. Our so called leaders are more worried about getting on a more prestigious committee, or impressing a campaign donor, then caring what we want.

Mr Begala makes an excellent point here:

He wrote "
You want something to protest? How 'bout protesting how little we give back to our veterans? Or how 'bout protesting that the entire budget of the National Cancer Institute (where government researchers battle a disease that will strike half of all men and a third of all women) is 0.03 percent of what we gave the bandits at American International Group alone? Oh, but veterans benefits and cancer research might cost money. It might require -- dare I say it? -- paying taxes."

Yes sir, you are right. It will take tax dollars. Maybe rather than bailing out collapsing businesses and rewarding the people who brought them to ruin with million dollar pay outs, it could have been funneled to help those who fight to keep this a free country. $11 Trillion dollars would have been a hell of a boost to our discarded veterans and their long term care.

In the mean time, it's time to start working to vote the elite's out. Rather than pick one of the tired old 2, look up the Libertarian, Green, Constitution or other third parties and see what the Democrats and Republican's don't want you to know. You have a choice. More importantly, you have the power to retake your government. Use it.
====

Taxpayers upset about officials who haven’t paid



Taxpayers upset about officials who haven’t paid


Quote:
Facing today’s tax deadline, some Americans wonder why they should pay when the man who oversees the IRS didn’t.

By Tom Hamburger and Ralph Vartabedian
LOS ANGELES TIMES

WASHINGTON—The treasury secretary, who oversees the IRS, didn’t pay all his taxes. Neither did five other top nominees for the Obama administration.

Now, as today’s tax deadline looms, some Americans are asking: Why should we comply with the arcane requirements of the IRS when top administration officials failed to do the same?

The harsh reaction to such disclosures resonates not just among the anti-tax people organizing protests around the country this week but also in low-income neighborhoods of cities like Los Angeles— and is even discussed in the hushed hallways of the Internal Revenue Service.
http://www.buffalonews.com/180/story/640070.html

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Redistribute the wealth.

Redistribute the wealth. (originally posted on MartialTalk 09-30-2008)

People look at things like the following, decide that wealth in the US is unfairly distributed, and look for more ways to take money from the top 10% and pass it out to the bottom 10%, usually without the bottom having to actually earn it.

Quote:
Here are some published numbers, taken fom Forbes magazine. This would be the top 10 on their 400 list....1. Bill Gates Net Worth $57.0 billion
2. Warren Buffett Net Worth $50.0 billion
3. Lawrence Ellison Net Worth $27.0 billion
4. Jim Walton Net Worth $23.4 billion
5. S Robson Walton Net Worth $23.3 billion
6. Alice Walton Net Worth $23.2 billion
7. Christy Walton Net Worth $23.2 billion
8. Michael Bloomberg Net Worth $20.0 billion
9. Charles Koch Net Worth $19.0 billion
10. David Koch Net Worth $19.0 billion



'The rich haven't gotten richer--or poorer--this year. The price of admission to this, the 27th edition of The Forbes 400, is $1.3 billion for the second year in a row. The assembled net worth of America's wealthiest rose by $30 billion--only 2%--to $1.57 trillion.' (quoted from Forbes)
Now, take that in perspective. The 400 richest americans have a net worth of 1.57 trillion dollars.

The entire GDP of Canada from a 2007 estimate, as found in teh CIA world factbook (correct or not?) https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat.../print/ca.html is listed as being 1.432 trillion dollars.
Really... stop and think about that. The accrued wealth of 400 people essentially exceeds the annual value of the national economy of 33 million people.

You would really have us believe that there is NOT an uneven distribution of wealth?



Whether it's right or wrong is an entire other debate, but I don't think the numbers or the fact of the matter is a subject of much informed debate.
Rod
A reply to the above was this
Quote:
How about, it's their money, and you don't have any right to it. You want more money, go work for it.
A statement I agree with.

Having worked retail in supermarkets, convenience stores and the like, I can say that simply giving people money won't make them suddenly know how to manage it, or even appreciate it. Many arguments occur over people trying to use welfare and food stamps for beer, lotto and cigarettes.

A discussion I had on the idea of taking money from the top earners and passing it out included comments like "they owe it to us", and "they have plenty" and similar. Bill Gates, who isn't one of my favorite people, earned his money. He already gives plenty to charity. The Walton's inherited theirs from their father Sam, who earned it. Sam you may recall drove a pickup truck and not a Caddie because "you can't put hunting dogs in a Cadillac.".

People rarely appreciate something that is given to them unearned. The gift is usually squandered, and all that has happened is they have been trained to expect a handout.

One comment is that if you evened out the bank acounts so that everyone had the same amount, within a short period of time, the previously rich will be so again, and the previously poor will be so again. One only has to look at the bankrupsty rate of lottery winners (80%) to see that wealth without understanding causes wealth to vanish.

Rather than taking cash from the wealthy, a better system would be to encourage a voluntary system that would teach people how to manage their money, and become self sufficient. As someone once wrote, teaching someone to fish sustains them for life, giving the a fish only feeds them for today.

Libertarians ask, ‘What is Obama ashamed of?’

Press Release

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Libertarians ask, ‘What is Obama ashamed of?’

LP knocks Obama for breaking more promises in a secret signing ceremony

WASHINGTON – America’s third largest party asked Wednesday why President Obama enacted the $490 billion FY09 omnibus spending and its over 8,500 earmarks behind closed doors, and despite campaign promises to end earmark abuse.

“President Obama’s decision to hide from the media while signing this bill isn’t just a violation of his promise of transparency, it’s an attempt to avoid questions about breaking another promise to end earmark abuse,” said Libertarian National Committee Communications Director Donny Ferguson.

“He promised to end earmarks. He promised transparency. He promised fiscal responsibility. He didn’t mean a word of it. More and more Americans realize his crippling taxes and crushing debt are prescriptions for prolonged economic suffering. Now he has to hide behind closed doors to sign his pork-stuffed plan to explode wasteful spending,” said Ferguson.

Libertarians support an economic renewal plan centered on tax and regulatory relief for employers, preserving the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts that blunted previous recessions and greatly simplifying the tax code for employers and taxpayers. Polls such as Rasmussen show voters prefer the Libertarian approach over the Republican and Democrat plans to increase government spending.

For more information on this issue, or to arrange an interview with the Libertarian Party, please call Director of Communications Donny Ferguson at 703-200-3669, 202-333-0008, x. 225, or email Donny.Ferguson@lp.org.

The Libertarian Party is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.LP.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

# # #

The Palin Family - Enough Already

It was bad enough we had to sit through months of Sarah Palin showcasing her incompetence during the past election, the months of jokes, gags and worse parodying her, or often simply quoting her and being so outrageous that it seemed a parody.

Now, the media's going on and on about her daughters break up with the guy who knocked her up.

Really, who the hell cares?

Enough Palin Saga.

There's more important things to worry about nowadays.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

So you want "Change"?

So you want "Change"?


Barack Obama campaigned on the idea of "Change". He was going to change how the US was seen in the world, how we dealt with our own problems, and more. He was going to tear down to tired old "how it's always been done" walls and sweep in a new world.

So, less than 100 days in, people are screaming about "where's the change?".

First thing: Obama is the President, bound by law, constrained by decisions his predecessor made, and having to work with 2 unwilling to change branches of Congress. He is not a King, ruling by whim, whose every decree is law, descended from the gods on high. American's would do well to remember the difference. He can't just say it, will it into existence and it is so. He must work through the same tired systems, until they decide to change.

American's like the idea of change, yet continue to reelect the same people who cause all the problems, who are more concerned with keeping their jobs, than actually doing their job, which is to represent "We The People".

Maybe the problem is while we like to give lip service to the idea, we don't actually understand the idea, of "Change".

What is "Change"?

Change is the slaughtering of our "Sacred Cows", those outmoded beliefs, assumptions, practices, policies, systems, or strategies that inhibit change and prevent responsiveness to new ideas and opportunities.

What sacred cows? Some examples are the 40 hour work week, job security, holding 1 job until you die, retirement at 65, and single payer households. It is "How we always do things".

Change fails because while most of the ideas that come along sound nice, and make sense on paper, when it comes time to do it people dig in their heels and resist it. End result? Billions of dollars wasted and people get more jaded. The fail point in change is, people.

People have the power of change, or not-change. You've heard it. "Better the Devil you know....", "Who knows what will go wrong...", and so on. People say they want change, but when change comes along, they resist it, fight it, sabotage it and make excuses for it. Change opens up the unknown, it's uncomfortable, it's unpredictable and feels unsafe. "What if it fails?", "What if I get hurt", "What if?". People naturally resist change.

For Change to work, people must want Change, not just say they want it. They must be an active, willing & positive part of the whole process. One can't sit home at rest and wait for change to happen. One must move, become involved, participate, and help fuel change.

For change to happen, people need to be open to change. They must be receptive to it, to new ideas. They must be excited, not anxious about change. Be challenged, but not threatened, and commit to change as an ongoing process, not a final destination.

If you're good, you react quickly to change, but if you're great, you become the catalyst for change itself.

The old saying goes, if you want something to happen, make it happen, don't wait for it to find you.

If you like Obama's promises for change, then get involved and help him change the system and make the changes. If you don't like them, then get involved and make your own changes happen. Either way, don't sit home waiting for someone else to do it.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

President Obama and Congress want to know who's to blame....

It's entertaining to watch them play their game.

Obama blames Bush, Bush blames Clinton, Congress blames AIG, etc....

They want to know who to blame?
I suggest they look in a damn mirror.

Washington is "business as usual", which is why I keep saying if people want real change, they need to clean the place out. Until then, it's just more crap on top of crap.

People blame Obama, he's not "saving us" or "Changing us" fast enough.
People
blame Bush for all the crap, all the problems, because he was such a buffoon.

Bull shit. Pure bull shit.

Lets put the blame, at least for the screwed up bailouts that are putting this country over 11 TRILLION Dollars in the whole where it belongs. The majority of the screw ups are caused by the 100 traitors in the Senate, and the 500+ traitors in the House, and the countless lobbyists, and other scum suckers that infest our government. You know, the ones who -had- to pass emergency bailouts for rum distillers and arrow fletchers last November, the bailout we -needed-, that went from 10 pages to over 400 pages, to "protect our investment", yet managed to forget little things like accountability for all that free money of ours they were giving out.

You would think the American People would be outraged.

Yet, most of those traitors kept their jobs.

-3- of those traitors got promotions.

Remember, Senator Obama, Senator Clinton and Senator Biden all said that these flawed bailouts were "urgent" and "vital" and "well prepared". Remember Senator McCain also was all gung ho for them.

But none of them had time to really read it before they voted it into law and sold us out.

The system is still broken, and whoever wears the title "President" gets all the blame for what the rest of those screaming sorry sons of bitches screw up.

and "We The People" continue to devolve into sleeping sheep.

But, lets keep blaming Bush, or blaming Obama. It's easier after all than actually fixing the problem.

Like firing ever last one of these sell outs.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Why what you the voter want doesn't really matter.

See here for background
Seven upstate Democrats reject all 9 state budget bills

Some key bits:

What’s going on? Why would so many Democrats buck their leadership on such a crucial matter?

One answer is because Democrats control the Assembly with a highly secure 109-41 margin, leaving plenty of wiggle room to let some members avoid making a politically uncomfortable vote without affecting the overall outcome of a bill the leadership wants passed.

Yes, they can say no, while being assured they, and not we the voters get what we want.

But why? Don't our elected officials work for us?

Hardly.

For those senators, it’s not an easy choice: risk alienating an unknown number of voters back home or a known number of Democratic leaders in Albany with the power to end political careers. But all the Senate Democrats are sticking together to approve the budget.

Yup. Better to piss off us voters, who will forget about this mess in a few months because we have a short attention span, and are too stupid to actually look things up, remember, and look at third party candidates, for most career politician's to worry about.

Wake up NY, and America. Before it's really too late to retake your government.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

How to solve NY's budget crisis

Hmm....

Quote:
2009-10 executive budget

In 2009, New York faced a budget deficit of $15 billion, and state debt approached $55 billion.[101] During his state of the state address, Governor Paterson outlined many issues critical to closing the budget caps, and restoring New York's economic strength and quality of life.[102] He recommended adapting the Suozzi commission recommendations on a property tax cap and circuit breaker, and even joked that he should switch parties as the proposal has remained more popular amongst Republicans than his own party.[103]
To address the State's budget gap, the Governor recommended a Deficit Reduction Assessment for the 2009-10 School Year, which will result in a decrease of $1.1 billion in total State School Aid.[104] He also outlined several new taxes and fees he supported. The 137 tax and fee increases contained in Governor Paterson's 2009-10 Budget would cost the average NY family an extra $3,875.48 annually.[105]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Paterson

Lets cut Paterson back to $40k. That'll save $139k right there.
http://www.seethroughny.net/Payrolls...9/Default.aspx

Executive Chamber Payroll $16,712,660
# members 196
Savings $8,872,660

Total Pay NY Legistlature $165,811,510
# persons 3,845
# earning > $40k 1,743
Savings $96,091,510 (If you cap NY Leg. pay at $40k per)


In addition, do the following:
- Fire all do-nothing patronage jobs.
- Require all new hires to be justified.
- Remove all perks of office. Let them pay for their own hair cuts, car insurance, etc. Just like we do.
- Push through social service reforms.
- No more 3rd generation welfare!
- Restrict food stamps to food. No more buying lotto with -our- money.

Time our elected officials are reminded It's "public service" not "public wealth building".
Time our welfare mommies learn that welfare is to get you back on your feet, not allow you to stay off them and pump out income boosts every year.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

So you say there's going to be a revolution?

If I can fit it in between the commercial break and my bathroom run, I'll join the revolution. Otherwise, let me know how that goes. The American People don't want the America that Jefferson oversaw. They've become too conditioned to letting the "smart men" in Washington think for them, and such.

People are marching around, demanding jobs. Sorry, no one owes you a job. Rather than walk around and demand something you don't deserve, go grow a pair and start a business and make your own job. That's what a Real American would do.

This country was built on something we no longer have, a fierce independent nature, a desire to march to your own drum, the need to explore, to expand, to grow beyond. Now, we grow fat and our kids fatter, watching tv and playing Sega, while waiting to hear the next order of our masters. We awake to an electric rooster, eat lunch when told we're hungry, and squander our minds on drugs and booze and partying. Working a full day to us is 8 hrs. Rome built a bridge over the Rhine in a week, by working round the clock. Today, it's a 2 year project mired in meetings and planning and waste.

We created the mess, we expect government to coddle us, to provide for us, to think for us. We deserve it, because we no longer deserve what our fore fathers fought and died to give us. We forgot the lessons they left us. Only when we relearn them, and pay the price they did, will "We The People" again mean something.

Oops, commercial breaks up. Lemme know how that revolution goes guys.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Who Stole The American Dream, Part II?

Who Stole The American Dream, Part II?
Who Stole The American Dream, Part II.
by Bob Hubbard


In my previous article I touched on some points that have generated some thought on my part. I'd like to clarify and expand on my original article here. This is less organized than the previous article as I am quoting my replies and further thoughts with minimal editing.

I was asked about the political comment at the beginning. For the record, it's not about Barack Obama and his plan, though it did encourage my writing. Part of many platforms includes some idea of adding additional taxes on the so called "rich" and passing that on to the "poor". I have a problem with this as it punishes success and rewards failure. I really don't want to get into a political discussion here as that's not my goal. What is my goal?

I don't want to make $30k. I want to make $30M. I don't want to work hard, only so that ever increasing percentages of my labors go towards keeping 3rd generation food stampers in free eats. Sure company executives make huge paychecks nowadays. So do pro athletes. Why is the CEO worth so much more than that cashier?

Maybe because in alot of cases, the CEO worked his way up, put in time, got an MBA, etc. That same cashier goes home, parks their butt on the couch and watches "Friends" or is out having a good time on Friday night.

I want to make $1,000 an hour, every hour, every day, be it if I'm in front of this PC, or on a beach taking pictures of some hot model. Why should I subsidize some slacker who's biggest aspiration is to get laid by another slacker?

"The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement."

If my ability takes me to the stars, why should I be required to bring along those who aren't willing to put the time, effort and desire in like I did?

Gates got where he is by putting in 100 hour weeks. No, I don't care for the guy, sure he's loaded, but why should he subsidize those to whom a 20 hr work week is on par with Kryptonite to Superman?

I don't like Mr. Obama's plan, but this isn't about Obama nor is it about his tax plan (which I'll save $1,000 more under btw).

It's about generations of people being brainwashed into thinking that things like being one of those affluent people was beyond them, that they weren't "good enough", that working for 40 hrs a week and collecting a paycheck and retiring at 65 was "it".

I want to retire at 40, spend not the last few years of my life in a home peeing in a bag, but the last -half- of my life traveling, and enjoying myself and fulfilling my other dreams.

I put in 60+ hours a week right now. I'm running an easy dozen businesses. In a few years, I'll be able to drop my work week down to 10-15 hours, keep the same income levels, and start living that life. It's only taken me a decade of sacrifice and hard work to do it. Explain to me how it's a good thing to be punished for working hard and making it?

I'll redistribute my wealth by paying others to work for me, freeing me up to do other things. I'll pass on my knowledge to others to do what I did, hopefully faster and avoiding my mistakes. Then they can join me on that beach.

What do Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Sam Walton, Ray Kroc and that Trump guy have in common, other than huge bank accounts? They worked for themselves. Microsoft started as 8 or so guys crammed into a New Mexico apartment, Apple started in a garage, so did Hewlett Packard. Walmart was once just another little 5&10 store, McDonalds once a drive in diner, and Trump used to work for his dad. Some came from the affluent, some didn't. Jobs spent time wandering India in an LSD daze, Kroc sold milk shake machines. But all knew that punching a time clock wasn't a long term plan.

It just took a while, lots of hard work, a bunch of speedbumps, and a few knocks to the head to get there.

When I was working at Picture People, I had a discussion with one of the other photographers about working for me. He does good work, is great with kids (a weakness of mine that I'm working on), and is great with posing groups. We discussed things in depth and we're set to launch together until budgeting kept me from opening the studio as I'd planned.

Why do I mention this?

Because I'd had similar offers out to 4 others from the same store, however none of those 4 could find the time to meet with me. 3 couldn't even take the time to hand me a simple write up of their experience (a mini resume) to include in the loan request.

All of them lost their jobs when Picture People closed that studio, and currently none are working in the photography field. A shame because all had good eyes and were great at it.

Side Note: I was offering $12+/hr, PP, Sears and JC Penny all hire at min-wage.

Going back to the question about worth though, no. I don't think there should be such a large seperation between the ends. I think if people put the time in to become worth more, they would get more however. It might mean getting out of the comfort zones and looking for a better job. It might mean launching something part time on weekends and phasing out that job. It might just mean something as simple as asking for a real raise, not 5 cents an hour. I've talked to to many people who settle for what they got, shuffling through life eyes aimed at their feet, lamenting those "lucky" rich who have planes, boats and homes.

Some were given it sure. But the recently completed "World Wealth Report 2008" by Capgemini and Merrill Lynch puts the total GLOBAL number of millionaires at just 10 million, and the number of US millionaires at around 3 million--about one in 100 people.

The US is a wealthy nation, with opportunity everywhere. People need to step up and reach for it.

We need to stop rewarding failure. Stop making sure that everyone "feels good". Stop lowering acceptable education. F used to be 65, now it's 45, and some schools have even stopped failing kids so it doesn't hurt their feelings. That's BS. Raise the bar, set the standards high and push people to bust their asses to get there.

Black belt isn't 45 minutes a week, 5 years, and here ya go.
Why should the person who does the minimum be rewarded and the one who goes the extra mile punished?


Here's how to get ahead in a job.
-Show Up. On time, ready to work.
Don't come in 5 minutes late, take 10 minutes to get your coffee, stop n chat for 10 more, then take 10 more in the john taking a dump. Be at your desk/station/whatever on time, ready to go.

You've just beat half the people out there.

- Do your best. Don't short cut, don't streamline, don't do a half assed job.
You just beat another 25%

- Lead by example. Don't leave things be "someone else's problem". Take initiative. If extra training is offered, take it. If there is a college reimbursement program, use it. You might have to give up bowling or karate for a year or 2, but it'll help you move forward.
You just beat another 25%.

Wait. Isn't that the "Lie" I talked about earlier?
Not quite. It's the part that most people miss going in, the "secret to success" that they say the rich keep to themselves.

How do you get ahead on your own?
Do the same stuff above, but in your own dream, not someone elses.

"But Bob, I have a good job, I like what I do, and I like not having to worry about all that self-employement stuff."

That's fine too. Some people have good jobs, they meet their needs, and they are happy. What I'm suggesting should help you grow at them, earn more money, gain promotions and perks and help improve your own quality of life. The cashier rarely gets access to the company box at the stadium during the playoffs. The higher ups however, do.

Here's a few good books to check out.
  • How Come That Idiot's Rich and I'm Not? by Robert Shemin
  • The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
  • See You At The Top by Zig Ziglar
  • All You Can Do Is All You Can Do, but All You Can Do Is Enough! by A.L. Williams
  • Various Books by Dan S. Kennedy
  • Straight A's Never Made Anybody Rich. Lessons in Personal Achievement by Wess Roberts


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Bob Hubbard owns several businesses, including SilverStar WebDesigns Inc., MartialTalk.com and is an independent photographer. He can be reached at BobHubbard.net.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Who Stole The American Dream?

Who Stole The American Dream?
by Bob Hubbard

This year, we have a presidential candidate who seemingly wants to punish people for achieving the American Dream. But that's only the latest in a series of actions that have neutered us.

For over 200 years, Americans started, ran, and lived on the idea of small business. Main Street USA wasn't McDonalds and Burger King and Walmart. It was Ted's Hot Dogs, Talking Leaves Books, and the 5&10.

Today, traditional main street is pretty much gone, swallowed by cheep imports, mega-chains, and greed.

Also often missing is the entrepreneurial spirit that launched them however.

Walmart was once a small store, struggling to compete with the local Woolworths. McDonalds used to be just a pair of brothers selling burgers, fries and shakes.

Today, colleges turn out thousands of well educated employees. People trained to be workers, but workers for someone else. They are trained to believe in the myth of "get a good job, get a paycheck, live Monday through Friday working 9-5" and no longer believe in their own ability to chart their own path and earn a living income on their own merits. They are trained to believe that all they ear is what their employer puts in their paycheck each week. Author Burke Hedges in his book "Who Stole The American Dream?" details a great deal of the lies we are told that have locked so many people into the "JOB", living paycheck to paycheck working for someone else. While he advocates the network marketing system as the means to escape it, there are other options equally viable.

It is ironic to see immigrants come here, having no preconceived notions other than "America is the Land of Opportunity", start businesses, put in incredible effort and create successful businesses. Pay attention the next time you eat at that Chinese take out place or Irish coffee house. New arrivals, often poor and struggling, making both ends meet while native born Americans complain about their job and lament how life with only 200 cable channels is so unfair.

But times are changing. As we enter increasingly uncertain times, as major institutions collapse, and unease covers the land, more and more Americans are rediscovering their strengths and birthright, and launch new businesses. As the chains cut back and shutter their doors, old employees are using what they know and launching new and exciting ventures. An old McDonalds becomes a new gourmet burger place, serving higher priced but better quality burgers. Where a Picture People mall store once was, now sits many an independent photo studio, often staffed by many of the same people, but now owners not just workers.

When I started out on my own, I struggled. I still do from time to time. Each time I hear "Why don't you get a job?". People are well meaning, but unfortunately there is no security nor freedom in a job. The American Dream was never about "I want to work 50 years for someone else, spending most of my time on the job, only seeing my family on the weekend, so that I can retire when I'm old and try to live on 1/2 of what I barely made it by on before."

No, the American Dream is one of Freedom, Independence, and Prosperity.

Historian and writer James Truslow Adams first coined the phrase "American Dream" in his 1931 book Epic of America:
"The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position."
What is your Dream? What's stopping you, really stopping you from taking the steps towards reclaiming your birthright?


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Bob Hubbard owns several businesses, including SilverStar WebDesigns Inc., MartialTalk.com and is an independent photographer. He can be reached at BobHubbard.net.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Wow, he really said it - redistribution of wealth, punish the rich.

Wow, he really said it - redistribution of wealth, punish the rich.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123681860305802821.html


Quote:
The "top 1%" isn't just going to pay for these policies. Many of them would assent to that. The rancorous language used to describe these taxpayers makes it clear that as a matter of public policy they will be made to "pay for" the fact of their wealth -- no matter how many of them worked honestly and honorably to produce it. No Democratic president in 60 years has been this explicit.
Quote:
The primary goal is a massive re-flowing of "wealth" from the top toward the bottom, to stop the moral failure they see in the budget's "Top One Percent of Earners" chart.
The White House says its goal is simple "fairness." That may be, as they understand fairness. But Figure 9 makes it clear that for the top earners, there will be blood. This presidency is going to be an act of retribution. In the words of the third book from Mr. Obama, "it is our duty to change it."
http://www.wiredcatholic.com/wc/2009...t-tell-anyone/

Quote:
“There’s nothing wrong with making money, but there is something wrong when we allow the playing field to be tilted so far in the favor of so few. . . . It’s a legacy of irresponsibility, and it is our duty to change it.”
Quote:
Surprise, surprise, Obama really did mean what he said when he told Joe the Plumber he wanted to spread the wealth around. Obama’s tax and spending bills are not intended to raise revenue or stimulate the economy, but to redistribute wealth and he’s inserting his ideology for everyone to see right there in the most blaring of terms in the driest of documents, the federal budget. This should be a true wake-up call to those who think Obama is a benign pragmatist. A guy who feels it necessary to proselytize this explicitly in the budget ain’t no pragmatist; he’s a propagandist and he wants to convert you (BTW this reminds me of those in the last century who were stunned that another demagogue actually meant what he said; those who weren’t surprised had read Mein Kampf and took the writer at his word).
___________
(From MartialTalk)


I remember the lie I was told when I was growing up. You know, the one that said if you work hard, and are of good character you could grow up to be rich and live well.
They skipped that part that said "and a third of what you earn will be legally stolen from you, and given to those who don't work hard and who didn't succeed like you did."

Show me an honest, hard working person in Congress. He's probably the guy pushing the broom.
Copyright © 2009 Bob Hubbard. All rights reserved.