More On “Soak the Rich”

So, last night I presented data that demonstrated you would have to lift every single dime in income from those making $200,000 or more to cover the deficit.  Not pay the bill for the year, just pay the deficit.

What if we just go after those making $500,000 or more a year?  The really rich?

Start with a $1.5 trillion deficit.  Back out the taxes paid by those making over $500k.  You now have $1.85 trillion to cover.

How much do the folks who bring in $500,000 or more make as a group?  They make $1,270,000,000.  That’s it.

If you call being rich as making more than $500,000 a year rich, then you have to take all of it.  Everything they make.  ALL.  And you still are short $600,000,000,000.

You can not tax your way out of this.

Can We Tax The Rich Enough To Get Out Of Debt?

The battle lines are drawn.  On one side you have the conservatives demanding that we cut spending.  The other; we have to raise taxes on the rich.

The battle?  Well, the battle is the deficit.

So, who’s right, who’s wrong?  Let’s check it out.

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One Of The Good Guys

So, last night Carolina had some vicious weather pass through.  We’re okay, but MAN! did we get some rain and wind.

After the storm passed I went out to catch “Atlas Shrugged”.  But before I left, I changed shirts and walked into my bedroom.  I heard the distinctive drip-drip-drip of water moving.  BUT—the storm had passed hours earlier and rain water shouldn’t be dripping where I heard it.

Up into the attack I went and sure enough, my polybutylene pipe had sprung a leak; water everywhere.

I turned the water off, went to the theater, watched my movie while drinking a beer an came home.  Today I tried to fix said leak and gave up.

I called the plumber and within 4 hours on a Sunday drove up Triangle Plumbing.  Complete with pure awesomeness ad everything on his back bumper:

It took him more time to climb up the ladder and get his tools than it did for him to fix it.  PLUS he offered poly fixing service AND referred me to a restoration service.

Whadda country!

Middle Class

For a long time now I’ve been interested in “The Middle Class”, or as I call it, The Big MC™ What it is, what it means and how it’s been used over the years. My fascination comes from two sources; my own personal experience and then the use of The Big MC in today’s Liberal shaping of the term.

America’s greatest allure is that through the promise of Liberty any individual is able to achieve that goal of leaving the days of back breaking labor to the days of our fathers and giving a better life to our children. It is our birthright as a nation that our citizens are able to have a better tomorrow than a better yesterday. It’s our hope, our collective yearning, that our drive to and from the salt mines will bring better days, that has framed our national dialogue.

It is both ironic and horrifying that the same should be used as a wedge to drive us apart and serve to prevent that very dream from it’s manifest.

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The Cost Of Labor

How much does it cost to hire someone?  Or, better asked is this:

What has to be true in order to hire someone?

For many who champion “worker’s rights” the lesson is becoming crystal clear.

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Swimmin’ Wit Da Fishes

In breaking news, the sand and sand bars of North Carolina’s Outer Banks are prone to shifting, moving and overall change.  What once was impassable water often turns into a navigable channel.  In a similar manner, mother nature may decide that she would like to “fallow” a section of the sea from time to time.

This should not surprise any one.  Or alarm them.

But the expectations and actions of our government is both surprising AND alarming.

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Thought On Affordable Housing

I spent an awesome weekend camping with an awesome bunch of guys and their awesome daughters.  6 dads, 6 girls.  Lots of fun; little sleep.

However, we did have the chance to talk loud and sound smart after the little princesses went to bed.  One night, after awhile, the conversation touched, touched I tell you, on politics and specifically the housing crisis.

I need your thoughts.

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We Need A State Law To Prevent Cheap Gas?

A new gas station opened up in a North Carolina town recently.  As it turns out, that gas station is interested in attracting customers AND selling things other than gas.

It would seem that station owners would or should be able to adjust the price of their gas at whatever levels they see fit.  Higher prices would generate more money per gallon to be sure, but lower prices would generate more gallons.

Discretion of the station owner, right?

Wrong.

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Where Is Pino?

I’ve been traveling as of late.  Work has been especially demanding these last few weeks and I’m adjusting to a new schedule and responsibilities.

On the upside, a colleague of mine that I met on a recent trip commented that he thought I looked like this:

I’ll take Armand Assante as Odysseus any day.

My wife would disagree.

Shaping The News?

I wonder ifg the results below mean anything or if it’s just weirdeness in the Interlink?