Quote: (10-26-2011 06:47 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 06:40 PM)MikeCF Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 06:32 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

You're wasting your breath brian. Mike is trying to get you to lay down now and admit defeat. If he were a top earner his tune would change. Some people like to find any excuse to their failures and wait for the gubmint to give them a handout "cuz life ain't fair". It's a socialist mindset. Why work hard when there's no incentive not to?

I grew working my ass off. It started helping my father laying rock and block at the age of 13 during the summers. I worked my ass off then, and still do. I'm in the top of the top 5%. My tax bracket paid 58.66 of all income taxes. Doesn't seem fair does it? Seem I'm pulling the someone's weight. Do you hear me bitching? No. It gives me more incentive to earn more to offset what I'm having to pay out.

Cool story, bro.

If you're paying so much in taxes, then you're an EMPLOYEE.

You should go into business for yourself.

Get those write-offs.

Ali you could jump on board at my storage lot it shows -1700 a month. lol but true.

Hey Emech, don't you think it's ironic we're probably the most successful two on this thread and our posts get passed up? Ironic huh?

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:18 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

Hey Emech, don't you think it's ironic we're probably the most successful two on this thread and our posts get passed up? Ironic huh?

True to the extent you say "probably," though false in the absolute sense.

Let's put it this way. Your bragging about having health insurance tells me far more about your net worth than any posts you could make about your net worth.

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:08 PM)Gmac Wrote:  

Quote:Quote:

The 1% for the most part consists of parasites, Wall Street traders, etc.

Wrong.

gmac-

So why do you get on your knees for your masters?

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:30 PM)MikeCF Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:18 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

Hey Emech, don't you think it's ironic we're probably the most successful two on this thread and our posts get passed up? Ironic huh?

True to the extent you say "probably," though false in the absolute sense.

Let's put it this way. Your bragging about having health insurance tells me far more about your net worth than any posts you could make about your net worth.

Hold on. Excuse me for not knowing about this but whats the beef? Who are the 99ers pissed with? And why?
Remember that I watch cartoons and any news I get is from this forum.

Thanks for the concern G, but I am and will always be my own master. I was merely pointing out an error.

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:30 PM)MikeCF Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:18 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

Hey Emech, don't you think it's ironic we're probably the most successful two on this thread and our posts get passed up? Ironic huh?

True to the extent you say "probably," though false in the absolute sense.

Let's put it this way. Your bragging about having health insurance tells me far more about your net worth than any posts you could make about your net worth.

Why not answer my question Mike? What earning percentage are you in? I grew up in a family business. I know what it costs to provide personal insurance. And I'm not bragging. I'm letting the young players know you can work for an employee and still have solid benefits. If your shits so straight why not give us an idea of your background? Right now you sound like a keyboard jockey.

@Gmanifesto- Are you referring to me killing myself from being in that tax bracket, or being a worker bee?

60% of the 1% consists of (non-finance) Managers, Executives, Supervisors.
Medical professionals. And then Financial professions. The next big group are lawyers.

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:56 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

Why not answer my question Mike? What earning percentage are you in? I grew up in a family business. I know what it costs to provide personal insurance. And I'm not bragging. I'm letting the young players know you can work for an employee and still have solid benefits. If your shits so straight why not give us an idea of your background? Right now you sound like a keyboard jockey.

I am not anonymous.

That you are ignorant of me makes you the keyboard player.

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:08 PM)Gmac Wrote:  

Quote:Quote:

The 1% for the most part consists of parasites, Wall Street traders, etc.

Wrong.

gmac-

So why do you get on your knees for your masters?

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:44 PM)Gmac Wrote:  

Thanks for the concern G, but I am and will always be my own master. I was merely pointing out an error.

No concern here.

I was asking the question the thread was about.

I am interested to know.

I don't hang out with anyone personally that has your challenged (by your own admission) income level, yet stays on his knees and defends the his masters.

When you were in high school did you also defend the "popular kids" yet have them laugh at you behind your back?

Or was it like this:

Quote: (10-26-2011 05:41 PM)kerouac Wrote:  

I imagine them to be "grown up" versions of the doofuses who wouldn't mind taking it up the bum from the popular high school QB

They imagine that one day, if they suck up enough, that they will be rewarded... by getting it up the bum

They wake up, going through their high school year book, flipping to that marvelous page featuring the high school football players, and they imagine Johnny Football Hero throwing them down on all fours

and giving it to them up the bum

but they don't realize that Johnny Football Hero doesn't care about them. Johnny Football Hero has more important things on his mind.

Which one?

Quote: (10-26-2011 06:32 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

You're wasting your breath brian. Mike is trying to get you to lay down now and admit defeat. If he were a top earner his tune would change. Some people like to find any excuse to their failures and wait for the gubmint to give them a handout "cuz life ain't fair". It's a socialist mindset. Why work hard when there's no incentive not to?

I grew working my ass off. It started helping my father laying rock and block at the age of 13 during the summers. I worked my ass off then, and still do. I'm in the top of the top 5%. My tax bracket paid 58.66 of all income taxes. Doesn't seem fair does it? Seem I'm pulling the someone's weight. Do you hear me bitching? No. It gives me more incentive to earn more to offset what I'm having to pay out.

Once you start jawboning about socialism you sound like you're on another planet. In the last 20 years the only hand outs have been going upward.

You're in the top 5% from laying brick and block when you were 13? Or b/c your dad owns the company that you laid brick and block for?

Now you're just trolling.

This isn't good for anyone, including the 1%. The middle class are the ones buying the stuff they sell:

"Over the past three decades, the distribution of income in the United States has become increasingly dispersed -- in particular, the share of income accruing to high-income households has increased, whereas the share accruing to other households has declined," the CBO said.

For the top 1% of the population, average inflation-adjusted household income grew by 275%. The rest of wealthiest fifth of the population, not including the top 1%, saw household income grow by 65% during that time, faster than the rest of the population, but "not nearly as fast as for the top 1%."

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:08 PM)The_CEO Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 06:32 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

You're wasting your breath brian. Mike is trying to get you to lay down now and admit defeat. If he were a top earner his tune would change. Some people like to find any excuse to their failures and wait for the gubmint to give them a handout "cuz life ain't fair". It's a socialist mindset. Why work hard when there's no incentive not to?

I grew working my ass off. It started helping my father laying rock and block at the age of 13 during the summers. I worked my ass off then, and still do. I'm in the top of the top 5%. My tax bracket paid 58.66 of all income taxes. Doesn't seem fair does it? Seem I'm pulling the someone's weight. Do you hear me bitching? No. It gives me more incentive to earn more to offset what I'm having to pay out.

Once you start jawboning about socialism you sound like you're on another planet. In the last 20 years the only hand outs have been going upward.

You're in the top 5% from laying brick and block when you were 13? Or b/c your dad owns the company that you laid brick and block for?

I learned a work ethic. My dad was a one man army and needed help. My parent will die poor, as will I, but we work. I bet you are a mysterious person, just like MikeCF and Gmanifesto. You talk shit but don't want to disclose what you do or make.

Until you bullshitters put up some info, and stop selling the dream, well........

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:16 PM)The_CEO Wrote:  

This isn't good for anyone, including the 1%. The middle class are the ones buying the stuff they sell:

"Over the past three decades, the distribution of income in the United States has become increasingly dispersed -- in particular, the share of income accruing to high-income households has increased, whereas the share accruing to other households has declined," the CBO said.

For the top 1% of the population, average inflation-adjusted household income grew by 275%. The rest of wealthiest fifth of the population, not including the top 1%, saw household income grow by 65% during that time, faster than the rest of the population, but "not nearly as fast as for the top 1%."

And when we break down that top 1% (which is about 350,000 people of vastly differing incomes)? You'll see that the people you are really talking about is closer to 0.001%, or 3,500. The people at the top are a much, much smaller group than 1% (not even close to the actual number). To understand this difference is to understand the real picture.

G, don't mistake clarification for "getting on my knees." I figured you were more intelligent than that.

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:06 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:08 PM)Gmac Wrote:  

Quote:Quote:

The 1% for the most part consists of parasites, Wall Street traders, etc.

Wrong.

gmac-

So why do you get on your knees for your masters?

Quote: (10-26-2011 07:44 PM)Gmac Wrote:  

Thanks for the concern G, but I am and will always be my own master. I was merely pointing out an error.

No concern here.

I was asking the question the thread was about.

I am interested to know.

I don't hang out with anyone personally that has your challenged (by your own admission) income level, yet stays on his knees and defends the his masters.

When you were in high school did you also defend the "popular kids" yet have them laugh at you behind your back?

Or was it like this:

Quote: (10-26-2011 05:41 PM)kerouac Wrote:  

I imagine them to be "grown up" versions of the doofuses who wouldn't mind taking it up the bum from the popular high school QB

They imagine that one day, if they suck up enough, that they will be rewarded... by getting it up the bum

They wake up, going through their high school year book, flipping to that marvelous page featuring the high school football players, and they imagine Johnny Football Hero throwing them down on all fours

and giving it to them up the bum

but they don't realize that Johnny Football Hero doesn't care about them. Johnny Football Hero has more important things on his mind.

Which one?

gmac-

I am honestly trying to figure out where that mentality comes from.

Which of the two above is it?

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:20 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:08 PM)The_CEO Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 06:32 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

You're wasting your breath brian. Mike is trying to get you to lay down now and admit defeat. If he were a top earner his tune would change. Some people like to find any excuse to their failures and wait for the gubmint to give them a handout "cuz life ain't fair". It's a socialist mindset. Why work hard when there's no incentive not to?

I grew working my ass off. It started helping my father laying rock and block at the age of 13 during the summers. I worked my ass off then, and still do. I'm in the top of the top 5%. My tax bracket paid 58.66 of all income taxes. Doesn't seem fair does it? Seem I'm pulling the someone's weight. Do you hear me bitching? No. It gives me more incentive to earn more to offset what I'm having to pay out.

Once you start jawboning about socialism you sound like you're on another planet. In the last 20 years the only hand outs have been going upward.

You're in the top 5% from laying brick and block when you were 13? Or b/c your dad owns the company that you laid brick and block for?

I learned a work ethic. My dad was a one man army and needed help. My parent will die poor, as will I, but we work. I bet you are a mysterious person, just like MikeCF and Gmanifesto. You talk shit but don't want to disclose what you do or make.

Until you bullshitters put up some info, and stop selling the dream, well........

So that experience taught you to be glad that a company that makes billions in profits pays no taxes?

I'm not selling a dream and never have.

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:21 PM)Gmac Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:16 PM)The_CEO Wrote:  

This isn't good for anyone, including the 1%. The middle class are the ones buying the stuff they sell:

"Over the past three decades, the distribution of income in the United States has become increasingly dispersed -- in particular, the share of income accruing to high-income households has increased, whereas the share accruing to other households has declined," the CBO said.

For the top 1% of the population, average inflation-adjusted household income grew by 275%. The rest of wealthiest fifth of the population, not including the top 1%, saw household income grow by 65% during that time, faster than the rest of the population, but "not nearly as fast as for the top 1%."

And when we break down that top 1% (which is about 350,000 people of vastly differing incomes)? You'll see that the people you are really talking about is closer to 0.001%, or 3,500. The people at the top are a much, much smaller group than 1% (not even close to the actual number).

G, don't mistake clarification for "getting on my knees." I figured you were more intelligent than that.

You're right. I think that something like 400 families control the majority...

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:08 PM)Gmac Wrote:  

Now you're just trolling.

Don't feed the trolls. If Gmanifesto was a real person he would meet me in Socal. I'm in Oceanside right now and would love to meet him. But he won't. I've talked to amistod and caguila, and met Emech. Some of us are real.

Gmanifesto talks big game but he's against the 1%. So why would a guy that could afford custom suits fight against the man? Sounds fucked up as a womans checkbook.

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:30 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:08 PM)Gmac Wrote:  

Now you're just trolling.

Don't feed the trolls. If Gmanifesto was a real person he would meet me in Socal. I'm in Oceanside right now and would love to meet him. But he won't. I've talked to amistod and caguila, and met Emech. Some of us are real.

Gmanifesto talks big game but he's against the 1%. So why would a guy that could afford custom suits fight against the man? Sounds fucked up as a womans checkbook.

Come on guy, you wear a wetsuit out at night.

And you are hypersensitive, and have zero sense of humor.

Please excuse me for not wanting to "roll" with you.

Your reasoning is hilarious, though.

There are tons of people with money that don't like the current system.

If you read anything I have written, you would know that I have been against that system my whole life.

I will ask you the same question I asked gmac, look above.

Which one is it for you?

G, you want the truth? Neither.

Growing up, I stayed in the shadows and kept to myself, aside from a few close friends. I neither defended nor "took it up the ass" (your words) from the popular crowd. Honestly, that's a terrible analogy anyway, because most of the "popular" people I knew in high school aren't anywhere near what's defined as successful today.

Where does the mentality come from? Because my dad makes up the lower tier of that 1%. So I can easily call bullshit when people like you make generalizations. And no, I didn't grow up with a silver spoon in mouth. Quite the opposite (in fact I grew up as a military dependent -- lower middle class).

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:30 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:08 PM)Gmac Wrote:  

Now you're just trolling.

Don't feed the trolls. If Gmanifesto was a real person he would meet me in Socal. I'm in Oceanside right now and would love to meet him. But he won't. I've talked to amistod and caguila, and met Emech. Some of us are real.

Gmanifesto talks big game but he's against the 1%. So why would a guy that could afford custom suits fight against the man? Sounds fucked up as a womans checkbook.

You should throw your computer in a dumpster and go to the beach.
If I was in Socal, that's what I'd do.

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:40 PM)The_CEO Wrote:  

You should throw your computer in a dumpster and go to the beach.
If I was in Socal, that's what I'd do.

Come on really, is this what we've resorted to guys?

Quote: (10-26-2011 06:26 PM)Brian Wrote:  

let me ask you a question - if the top 1%, whatever that particular cutoff may entail, all decided to close their businesses and fire/layoff all their employees what would happen to the economy?

I don't agree with that because IMO the US economy is fucked period. Those employees that you fire/layoff are the backbone of US GDP.
I think the part of the problem is the wages of the 99% have barely kept up with inflation since I believe the early 80's. So, now you take away credit for the average consumer and asset bubbles (taking cash out of your appreciating house) and the problem that has been masked for decades is now out in the open: most people start to feel the squeeze as their compensation has barely kept up with current expenses. How will GDP grow? The economy has to slowdown as GDP is 2/3 consumer spending and we officially have a 100% debt to GDP as of this week, so govt. spending is out of the question to fill the remaining 1/3.

The top 1% fully have the right to keep most of the money to themselves, but at some point, the 99% who are struggling, out of work, sick, disabled etc. will revolt. The veil of civility falls apart regardless who's fault it is - it's human nature. If some of you 1%'ers want to go down to Occupy Wall Street with a whiteboard and a marker and explain Econ101, be my guest, but I wouldn't suggest it.

I attribute our recession a huge part to wall street (my firm included) and those who had real jobs and their firms went out of business are wondering why the tax payers bailed out the banks and not their firms? These are the people I sympathize with as opposed to some hippie who got a degree in art and is looking for an outlet to complain. A decent amout of the 99% grew up in middle class households, have useful degrees, and envisioned a similar life for themselves. Basically, its like taking away a bone from a dogs mouth and you shouldn't be surprised if it bites back. Sadly, the American dream for most is just that, a dream.

I hate to be pessimistic, but because of the wealth distribution, IMO the US economy is fucked. Corporations may make money as they expand internationally, but that won't do much domestically. I'm not sure how you fix this inequality in income? Someone told me in Japan that the CEO only can make a fixed multiple of the lowest salaried employee, so therefore if the CEO gets a raise, so do the employees. Whether this is true or not, it seems like a good idea. Ultimately, the CEO maybe the visionary, but it did take the employees underneath him to make it happen. If you didn't need the employees, why have them on payroll? I'm sure there are shortcomings to this, but it's the best model I've heard of to keep the economy going and people content, especially if you have a market like the US with no savers.

In answer to your original question, although I'm not the 1%, I'm relatively close and can agree that the 1% has mostly worked their tails off to get there and taken more risks than the 99%-there are always tradeoffs. Having said this, to expect there won't be consequences down the road as the economy gets derailed is ignorant. What the 1% needs to consider is that at some point the way things are going, will the US become third world whereas the standard of living for the average person declines such that that the 99% have nothing to lose and resort to crime. Does the 1% want to live in a compound and have their kids dropped off to school with bodyguards, etc.? It's sounds like something that would happen in Mexico, but if the US continues the way that it has, I wouldn't be surprised if this is where we end up decades from now.

I like to think of this way: I live in a doorman building. The doormen are great, do their jobs well, and I can count of them do whatever I need even if I'm not around. During the holidays, I know I have to put some cash in an envelope for the entire building staff to supplement their working class compensation. If I don't "grease the wheels" I know that my packages or drycleaning might get lost or should my toilet clog, the maintenance guy will take forever to respond. I'm not saying its right, but I'm willing to send a bit down the chain to keep everything working smoothly.

I'm walking into Equinox = communicates more than a job with benefits. At least if you're in the know.

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:42 PM)Gmac Wrote:  

Quote: (10-26-2011 08:40 PM)The_CEO Wrote:  

You should throw your computer in a dumpster and go to the beach.
If I was in Socal, that's what I'd do.

Come on really, is this what we've resorted to guys?

Translation- saying I'm jealous he's in Socal in November.

You need to relax.