monkey business!

[michael clubb]

     If private companies ran their business the way our individual states and the federal government run theirs, the company owners would probably be jailed for misuse of funds or at the very least, lose their business license.

     I guess this is more of a rant than a question but I'm damn tired of picking up the morning news and reading another "Oops, sorry" bit about the mistakes they've made. How is it going in your neck of the woods?

[P.A.]

In my neck of the woods the republicans and trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and working people while giving tax breaks to the cooperations and  rich people. I don't think they are doing it by mistake. They just do not understand basic human nature and economics. If the poor and the middle class do not have money to spend nobody will be able to buy what the rich and big businesses are selling.

[Quinn]

They're doing the same thing in my state PA :(

Our new Governor is going after education, from the elementary to college level, cutting grants among other things.

He's threatened the Unions.

He approved drilling of Natural Gas that he says will bring revenue to the state, but will cause serious ecological damage and will cause neighborhoods to decline.

 

He did, though, increase funds for state employee's pensions and healthcare---glad to see he's taking care of himself while my neighbor can't afford his medications...

 

 During his speech he made this comment:

"If government is here to share the taxpayers' wealth, then everyone needs to share in the sacrifice," ...

Someone in attendance [media probably] shouted, "what are you going to sacrafice?"...Now, you have to be an invited guest at any appearances the Governor makes...

[P.A.]

Our governor is sacraficing his salary. He is a billionaire so it probably doesn't make that much difference to him. Our last governor also didn't take a salary and he was only worth about $100 million. He was also a democrat.

I really don't think our governor is a crazy as some in other states but our legislature is crazier. They are trying to force the gov to cut things he says he will not cut.

[michael clubb]

Did anyone see the news reports that the republicans are trying to pass a bill allowing employers to pay teenagers wages below minimum wage? What do you think of this idea?

[Quinn]

What Dot said!

 

[Hiya dot, how ya been?]

[CWO3ROBBIE]

What Dot and Quinn said.

[Bob Stepp]

I posted this on another thread, but it's worth posting again.....IMO...

[Snagg]

Basically, private companies DO run the federal government. They treat it as a idiot stepchild, to be pandered to, exploited to and jerked around for their own amusement.

 

I got into it with a Tea Bagger the other day. He was blathering the current party line, bitching about how it's those damned dirty greedy STATE WORKERS AND THEIR GODDAMN PENSIONS THAT ARE MAKING THEM ALL MILLIONAIRES that is the sole cause of this country's economic and financial woes, and how the states and the gubmint oughta be run like "businesses".

I asked him if he was aware that GE declared a profit of 14.2 BILLION dollars for 20120 and still got a 3 BILLION dollar plus tax rebate, instead of paying a dime in taxes. While he sputtered and squawked at that, I asked him if he really thought that GE's windfall was the result of clever pension-hungry bastards in the GE mail room, and not GE's sleazy board of directors and their well-funded, tax-code writing lobbyists. Then I suggested to him that he apply that power ratio to the "dirty greedy state employee pensioners" and to congresspeople who keep giving tax breaks to the filthy rich while cutting services to guys like him. After a few seconds of stammering, eye-popping and fidgeting, he told me to go fuck myself and that everything was Obama's fault.

 

I am seriously beginning to wonder if the chickens are not coming home to roost for the United States of America. If assholes like that are the average American, whose personal stupidity and selfishness have steered us to this point, then maybe this country really does deserve what's coming.

[Bob Stepp]

Very well said, Snagg.

[michael clubb]

yeah snagg, I understand what you mean. I guess I should have clarified what I meant by "private companies." I was talking about small companies. Those that don't have stockholders. Like the guy in the strip mall selling furniture or the couple who own a restaraunt. 

[CraigD]

With Chris "Krispy Kreme" Christie, do you think things could get any worse for New Jersey? Have another donut Governor, heard he needs a hoverround in the statehouse.