11:54 It isn't fair that some people can pay for Amazon prime and some cannot. Perhaps those who can afford prime should pay for those who cannot or chose not to do so.

I work at DOJ and most of the attorneys there could make more money and cut it in the private sector. They choose to be in the government because they care about what they do. There is nothing wrong with working for a firm and making more money, it is just a different choice. Hopefully many firm lawyers like what they do as well; I don't know for sure.

11:57 Are you suggesting a plumber should make the same as an attorney? Yes, both provide a needed service, but the requirements to do both job are quite different.

Anonymous wrote:Reading this thread makes my heart race. The vitriol is frightening. All of you with high HHI and complaining about those who "choose" to make less money: who would fix your toilet if everyone in the society was a lawyer? I am being serious. A basketball team of all high shooters may still lose if they are too weak on defense.

And are all the people posting here working for a salary? If not, what will you do if your DH or DW trades you in for a newer model?

Pre-nup.

I worked in law at the IRS. Most of those attorneys wouldn't last a week in the private sector. Talk about waste in government. Maybe 1/3 had private sector work ethic and abilities, the rest were clocking in there hours until retirement.

Reading this thread makes my heart race. The vitriol is frightening. All of you with high HHI and complaining about those who "choose" to make less money: who would fix your toilet if everyone in the society was a lawyer? I am being serious. A basketball team of all high shooters may still lose if they are too weak on defense.

And are all the people posting here working for a salary? If not, what will you do if your DH or DW trades you in for a newer model?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:11:18, really? STFU? Seriously? I've been to Brazilian favelas and Kenyan kiberas, I've seen the wealthy barricaded behind barbed wire and cement walls. I will gladly pay more in taxes to live in a more equitable society.

And if you've really been to those societies you'll realize that only in America can some1 come from the bottom and make it to the top. Our system is built on using your own talents. In Kenya a few families have it all and the rest live like paupers, in Brazil you better be of European descent. Again America is the greatest country in the world. Look at the immigrants that show up on our shores and "make it". Year after year, check out your local university you'll see them as TAs or researchers working so hard.

I'd take Switzerland and Finland over Brazil, Kenya, *or* the United States anyday. There are other choices besides Brazil or the United States, more equitable choices.

Switzerland huh? Only for the white. See you may enjoy Switzerland , but its a small closed homogeneous society that doesn't allow immigration. Have a great time. I'll take Jupiter Fl.

Do you really think our society's inequality stems from our diversity or our immigration laws? It is impossible to prevent greedy powerful people in a diverse country from stealing all the wealth for themselves (and making sure to only study in school things that will allow them to steal ... Harvard used to have a much much smaller fraction of its graduates go into investment banking) (and I'm not denying that stealing is hard work. It is very hard work and often in this country requires a fancy degree and long hours. But that doesn't mean it is not stealing). You think investment bankers and others in this country feel free to steal and look down on people who do labor for a living because most of these people are of a different race? and those in Switzerland do not feel this freedom because the people that actually assemble their watches and chocolate look like them?

Anonymous wrote:Until the 50% of America that is skating starts paying taxes the rates should stay at current levels.

Yeah, I often see the cleaning ladies and day laborers just skating by. Oh, there goes the Giant cashier.
Really, why chase after their "fair share" of less than $50,000?
Tax the uber wealthy. Warren Buffet says the rich won't mind. So I'd say $5,000,000 and above should pay at the highest tax rate. Now that would add up to something.

10:06 I have worked in the private sector and for the federal government. From my experience, the vast majority of federal workers (at least in my prior agency) were grossly overpaid. The work habits and work product would never cut it in the private sector. Our tax dollars used to "create jobs" that would be unsustainable in the private sector.

I'm curious what agency you worked for, and what field you are/were in with the government? The most in-depth and comprehensive studies have shown that most service type jobs (cashier, food service worker, janitors, etc) in the fed make more than their private sector counterparts, but the skilled workers (doctors, engineers, lawyers, economists, nuclear analysts, etc) make SIGNIFICANLY less.

At my agency, people usually put in 10-20 years and then leave for the private sector where the "real" money is at. I had a colleague who was basically asked to leave (leave or we'll fire you) and he moved over to a defense contractor and is now making double what he made before.

11:50 Ditto

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Order everything through Amazon.

And if you're a Prime member, it's 2 day free shipping!

And if you frequently order baby items, you can join Amazon Mom and get (most) Prime benefits for free!

(And if you sign up for the program using a link on DCUM, Jeff & Maria get a tiny cut!)

Anonymous wrote:Until the 50% of America that is skating starts paying taxes the rates should stay at current levels.

They do pay state taxes, Medicare, and Social Security.

How about we tax Capital Gains at the same rate as income? Let's level the playing field a bit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:OK ok lets get back to this on a local level. Why are so many high income earners in DC ashamed of their incomes?Is this just liberal white guilt?

Because it is frightening to live in a nation with low equality. Just ask the aristocrats of France prior to the revolution. Or ask the wealthy in Arab countries these days (will they be able to get out with their lives?) You can joke about asking the wealthy to pay a similar fraction of their income as taxes as class warfare, but real class warfare has and always will exist.

But again these societies you mention are so different from America today. Can a black man born out of wedlock lead Saudi Arabia or the French monarchy? In America you can do it if you try.

Reason 2,941 for inequality: our failing school system.

The French monarchy in 1789 you DIPSHIT. I know that France isn't a monarchy today. I'm comparing apples to apples. That society to ours. Use your brain.

Anonymous wrote:Order everything through Amazon.

And if you're a Prime member, it's 2 day free shipping!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK ok lets get back to this on a local level. Why are so many high income earners in DC ashamed of their incomes?Is this just liberal white guilt?

Because it is frightening to live in a nation with low equality. Just ask the aristocrats of France prior to the revolution. Or ask the wealthy in Arab countries these days (will they be able to get out with their lives?) You can joke about asking the wealthy to pay a similar fraction of their income as taxes as class warfare, but real class warfare has and always will exist.

But again these societies you mention are so different from America today. Can a black man born out of wedlock lead Saudi Arabia or the French monarchy? In America you can do it if you try.

Reason 2,941 for inequality: our failing school system.