Wealth is Good

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:06 am

So far the Democrats in Congress see the solution to our economic woes through the spend mode. Did the last stimulus help much, what did people do with the money? Well, as was foretold most of it was either saved or used to pay debt and stimulated nothing, just as any future such give away will fail.

Let’s try and make it attractive for people to invest and take risk and create new jobs and yes make money, let’s allow people who do that to keep more of the money they make so they can do it all over again. Yes, those who are successful will make lots of money, far more than the average person, but so what, in the process they create more jobs, new industries and OMG stimulate the economy.

We should stop worrying so much about shifting wealth and worry more about creating it and all the benefits for society that go with it.

And here is a thought that I know will stimulate some juices, average people should receive average pay and live in average homes and drive average cars and people who are not average and who do above average things through above average effort and drive and sacrifice should have above average income and all the stuff that goes with it. So, if you drop out of high school, you’re screwed and you will be average or below for the rest of your life and if you choose to skip college you will not make as much as the person who goes to college who will not make a much or have as much stuff as the person who gets a Masters Degree. There are exceptions to all of this of course and those exceptions are caused by people who do exceptional things with the resources they have.

If you are happy in a low paying but very fulfilling job, be happy. If you enjoy your life making pottery and selling at craft shows, be my guest. If you are a Type A personality and workaholic and make lots of money but never see your family, I pity you but go for it.

But when all is said and done and you have made your choices and your decisions, don’t’ come back to society years later and say I can’t live on Social Security, those guys have too much and I want not only lower taxes but tax credits, I am living in poverty after I retire.

Chances are you can’t have it all, not many of us can, so from the very beginning it is a matter of choices and priorities and ultimately the consequences of both.

The real point is that everyone should have a fair chance to do whatever they want with their lives and to define success as they see it, but no chance to complain about the other guy when they have rethought their lives.

Kindle · Post by **Kindle** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 12:00 pm

amen!

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:38 pm

I wouldn't argue with that.

You shouldn't expect things that you haven't earned. (this also goes for people earning million dollar pay packets for not doing very much except crawling to the top of the tree)

Also, I would suggest that if you live in a free society, you can't expect to

enjoy the freedoms that citizenship of such societies bring, if you have no interest

in the responsibilities and duties that come with it.

Thirdly if you do happen to be in the lucky position that you are rich, your actually no more or less important than any other citizen under the law, and money is not the basis upon which a member of societies intrinsic worth should be based on.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:45 pm

Well Quinns I agree with you. :-3

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:01 am

Galbally;1079992 wrote: I wouldn't argue with that.

You shouldn't expect things that you haven't earned. (this also goes for people earning million dollar pay packets for not doing very much except crawling to the top of the tree)

Also, I would suggest that if you live in a free society, you can't expect to

enjoy the freedoms that citizenship of such societies bring, if you have no interest

in the responsibilities and duties that come with it.

Thirdly if you do happen to be in the lucky position that you are rich, your actually no more or less important than any other citizen under the law, and money is not the basis upon which a member of societies intrinsic worth should be based on.

Right you are and if you are wealthy you have some obligations to give back, but you should be able to do that as you see fit and most people in that position do so through various trusts, charity foundations and the like. Many schools, libraries, museums, quality performing venues and such owe their existence to the wealthy past and present and today you see people like Gates going way beyond that.

PS What the heck did you do with your bacon over there?

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:11 am

Scrat;1080323 wrote: Pure bullshit. Tell that to the computer programmer here in Seattle passing out lattes, he put in 6 years of college.

You never address inherited wealth Quinn. It would be a different story if we all started at the same place on the race track of life.

Sorry you are simply wrong, in the larger scheme of things it all does work out, the misfortunes (often temporary) of some are opportunities for others and that is very true today. And, with few exceptions the choices people make or do not make directly impact their fortunes (not money) in life.

As far as inherited wealth, so what, I would very much like to leave a bundle of wealth to my children, not that I will, but I'd like to. Let's say you are successful and you earn a great deal of money which you then pay taxes on and when you die you then pay more taxes on and along the way you likely gave a lot away, you invested, you created more opportunities for others and whats left goes to you family who then begins to pay more taxes on the earnings of that money or spends it or invests it in some other venture. Tell me why that is bad or unfair?

Besides the fact is that very little of the wealth today is inherited. The bulk of millionaires in the US are small business people who have worked their tails off and to look at them you would never know they were "wealthy."

wildhorses · Post by **wildhorses** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:22 am

QUINNSCOMMENTARY;1080442 wrote: Sorry you are simply wrong, in the larger scheme of things it all does work out, the misfortunes (often temporary) of some are opportunities for others and that is very true today. And, with few exceptions the choices people make or do not make directly impact their fortunes (not money) in life.

As far as inherited wealth, so what, I would very much like to leave a bundle of wealth to my children, not that I will, but I'd like to. Let's say you are successful and you earn a great deal of money which you then pay taxes on and when you die you then pay more taxes on and along the way you likely gave a lot away, you invested, you created more opportunities for others and whats left goes to you family who then begins to pay more taxes on the earnings of that money or spends it or invests it in some other venture. Tell me why that is bad or unfair?

Besides the fact is that very little of the wealth today is inherited. The bulk of millionaires in the US are small business people who have worked their tails off and to look at them you would never know they were "wealthy."

There is nothing bad about inheriting money. I think the poster meant that it just gives them a head start over someone else. So the playing field is not really equal. Plus those born into money have connections that those less fortunate do not get automatically. I personally think that the rich should not have to give money to the poor. Instead the poor should have access to decent jobs so they can build something during their lifetime. Wages are currently depressed and there is no job security....this causes poverty. Blue collar jobs use to provide this opportunity.

Kindle · Post by **Kindle** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:26 am

wildhorses;1080444 wrote: There is nothing bad about inheriting money. I think the poster meant that it just gives them a head start over someone else. So the playing field is not really equal. Plus those born into money have connections that those less fortunate do not get automatically. I personally think that the rich should not have to give money to the poor. Instead the poor should have access to decent jobs so they can build something during their lifetime. Wages are currently depressed and there is no job security....this causes poverty. Blue collar jobs use to provide this opportunity.

Two things everyone should be taught from birth on:

1) MONEY IS POWER

2) LIFE ISN'T FAIR

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:41 am

wildhorses;1080444 wrote: There is nothing bad about inheriting money. I think the poster meant that it just gives them a head start over someone else. So the playing field is not really equal. Plus those born into money have connections that those less fortunate do not get automatically. I personally think that the rich should not have to give money to the poor. Instead the poor should have access to decent jobs so they can build something during their lifetime. Wages are currently depressed and there is no job security....this causes poverty. Blue collar jobs use to provide this opportunity.

You are right, if you start life with a nice chunk of money, you do have a head start at least when it comes to money. On the other hand that may mean nothing if you have the misfortune of being born into a dysfunctional family or in a bad place.

But as the above poster said life is not fair and the best we can hope for is to be able to level the opportunity playing field as much as possible and we all know there is a few centuries of work to do on that one.

In fact, I have concluded it is an impossible task, we will never abolish poverty, or war or even slavery for that matter, they are unfortunately part of the human condition and as long as there are people who seek to take advantage of others not much will change.