I can't believe what I'm watching

[DollaBill]

I feel safe inviting you to stay with me cuz I know you wont show up

If you do decide to come...learn Punjabi first....your co workers at 7-11 wont understand you.

But Welcome to Canadaindia anyway buddy.

I'll still continue to do business in the US. But the company will be based out of a nice tax free place and so will my income. I'll just be "hanging out" in Canada for a few weeks at a time.

BTW - I learned that if you reside in Puerto Rico you pay no income tax . And you get all the benefits of being a US citizen. Something to look into

[Tommy Gun]

It could have been a better bill if the Republicans leaders weren't so arrogant. They agree to most of whats in the bill (and have said so), but were to set in their "tear it up and start over" mantra to actually consider trying to make it better. If they had come out with some "we will vote for it if you change" ideas you can bet they would have been adopted just like all the other deals-for-votes.

Are you serious? The greedy Dem's cut the Republicans out of the process because they had the neccessary fillibuster proof vote. They had no reason to listen or care what the Republicans said. They only invited them in when Brown won mass. Perfect example, where is the tort reform?...you want to reduce costs? Creating more competition between companies by allowing customers to purchase across state lines? Logical but ignored. They voted no because there were several things in the bill they were adamantly oppossed to. Special treatment, corruption, pork, back room deals, taxes, gimmick accounting, deficit spending, etc.

The Republicans wanted a bill based on the concepts both parties could agree on; the Democrats wanted none of that...it was their way or the highway.

[TCEd]

"Statewide, some 536,000 uninsured residents will gain access to coverage, and 781,000 young adults will become eligible for parental policy coverage"

Numbers released for Michigan.

[phragle]

Adding 536,000 and 781,000 you get 1,317,000. According to the US govt census data in 2006 the population of detroit was 871,121.......

[DollaBill]

Adding 536,000 and 781,000 you get 1,317,000. According to the US govt census data in 2006 the population of detroit was 871,121.......

AND you expect them to know math? right......... LMAO

[LotoSteve]

AND you expect them to know math? right......... LMAO

Its special math called ACORN and its only used for counting votes and government entitlements.

[TCEd]

Adding 536,000 and 781,000 you get 1,317,000. According to the US govt census data in 2006 the population of detroit was 871,121.......

Those are the numbers for Michigan not Detroit ! Remember, the hand shaped state with a penninsula added above.

[Tommy Gun]

Its special math called ACORN and its only used for counting votes and government entitlements.

LOL! http://www.firenancypelosi.com/

[GregP]

Don't you work for a greedy corporation Greg?

Yes and I'm sure the CEO's are also overpaid and they work the Congressional Plus-Ups like other companies but I don't agree with it.

Republicans (nor Dems) will ever touch real tort reform, like making lawyers who work on % liable as co-defendents if the suit is ruled frivolous, limiting the % of an award that the lawyers can consume, and stating to the jury just what the lawyers $ arrangements are, as they are both full of lawyers who won't do anything to cut down their and their friends money tree.

The republicans ARE the party of big greed and big corporations, which is why I left the party. Rember who was the leading cause for both the financial crash (which was really only a crash to the few companies with the government in their pocket who didn't want to take their loss and are now paying themselves back big bonuses) and started the Friends of the gov bailout (remember who started dumping $ with no strings to the favored few) ... although the Dems are close behind in getting corporate $.

If you really want the government to listen to the majority (not just the favored few campain contributors) what we need is NO private campain $, only a strictly set public-funded allowance for each candidate who gets on the ballot. Also no paid political party positions, no corporate paid political ads, no PAC paid political ads, only whatever speaches the candidates can get covered by the press and their personal appearances. But I don't see anyone pushing for that kind of real "take the $ away from running things" reform.

The only reason anything gets passed in congress is because it benefits some company or big $ contributor.

-Greg

[GregP]

Are you serious? .

Yes. Even the religous right got in their pay-to-play gift with the last minute abortion directive. The Republican leadeship's only goal was to see if they could make it not pass, as even being part of passing something good can't be allowed if it isn't on their watch.

-g

[phragle]

Those are the numbers for Michigan not Detroit ! Remember, the hand shaped state with a penninsula added above.

I was meaning as a ratio example of Detroit (lrgest city in state) vs. the numbers for the entire state, but I did not phrase it well.

[Tommy Gun]

Yes. Even the religous right got in their pay-to-play gift with the last minute abortion directive. The Republican leadeship's only goal was to see if they could make it not pass, as even being part of passing something good can't be allowed if it isn't on their watch.

-g

Did the Democrats not jerk themselves around for months because even they couldn't agree on the bill?...and puleese, the religious right got nothing with that worthless Obama order; it was pure political cover so Stupak could vote yes and tell his consituents he was looking out for them.

But I am on totally board with limiting the contributions, just think what good could be accomplished with that money.

[phragle]

Greg, as I have stated before, it's not tort reform persay in medical malpractice. a lawyer is doing his job within the confines of the law. What really exacerbates the problem is judges who allow frivolous suits to move foreward and allow obscene judgements and docotrs themselves. To bring a successfull malpractice suit foreward you must have expert testimony to prove that negligance does indeed exist. that expert testimony is provided by doctors who charge obscene amounts to provid testimoney. Without those doctors testifying, malpractice would dry up. If judges stood their ground, ma;practice would dry up considerably. While it is popular, you reallycan't blame lawyers wholely for the problem. If the lawyer didn't go after everything including the kitchen sink, the party could turn around and sue the lawyer for what amounts to legal malpractice.

[GregP]

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - The Associated Press says Reynolds American CEO Susan Ivey made $16.2 million last year, about 84 percent more than the previous year as the nation's second-biggest tobacco company struggled with declines in cigarette demand.

Another example of gross corporate greed. No one should get that kind of $, even if the company sales icnreased by 1000 times.

-g

[LaughingCat]

You guys are all worked in a frenzy and will achieve nothing, much like what your guidance counsellors once told you.

You can be extraordinarily weathly backing either party. The fact is, few people actually attain real wealth. The rest are given their rally cries and little bags of hope so they can tow the line for the few wealthy.

So they give you things to argue about and we dabble around in the sport. But in the end, most people will never see any real benefit, from either party, but we'll always blame the other side and keep on fighting.

Here's reality: If everyone voted based on their wallets, Republicans would never win anything. If people always voted Democrat, there'd be nothing in their wallets. So we just waver between the two parties hoping to scrape a few coins together.

[GregP]

Phragle -

I agree judges are a lot of the problem ... and judges were - and are always concerned they may one day have to go back to being - lawyers.

Juries are no better, they are hand picked by the lawyers to have minimal intelligence and follow the herd like lemmings by - lawyers.

I don't know about you but I keep seeing a trend here.

-g

[DollaBill]

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - The Associated Press says Reynolds American CEO Susan Ivey made $16.2 million last year, about 84 percent more than the previous year as the nation's second-biggest tobacco company struggled with declines in cigarette demand.

Another example of gross corporate greed. No one should get that kind of $, even if the company sales icnreased by 1000 times.

-g

why? if the company's sales increased dramatically a few million won't make a dent.

[OldSchool]

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - The Associated Press says Reynolds American CEO Susan Ivey made $16.2 million last year, about 84 percent more than the previous year as the nation's second-biggest tobacco company struggled with declines in cigarette demand.

Another example of gross corporate greed. No one should get that kind of $, even if the company sales icnreased by 1000 times.

-g

You are right Greg. There is no way that that woman needs all of that $$$. The Gov't should take 15 million of it and send $10,000 to 1500 people. That way, more people could be happy!!!

See how ridiculous that sounds??

Disclaimer: I'm not being serious!!

[fund razor]

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - The Associated Press says Reynolds American CEO Susan Ivey made $16.2 million last year, about 84 percent more than the previous year as the nation's second-biggest tobacco company struggled with declines in cigarette demand.

Another example of gross corporate greed. No one should get that kind of $, even if the company sales icnreased by 1000 times.

-g

Sounds like an emotional argument.
It's called the free market system Greg. Socialists really hate it, because those "wealthy fat cats" just pizz them off. What they forget is that 86% of all federal income taxes are paid by the top 25% and the bottom 50% pay just 3%.
Ms. Ivey has been President and Chief Executive Officer of RAI since January 2004, and was elected the Chairman of the Board of RAI effective January 1, 2006. She served as Chairman of the Board of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, a wholly owned operating subsidiary of RAI, referred to as RJR Tobacco, from July 2004 to May 2008. From July 2004 to December 2006, she also served as Chief Executive Officer of RJR Tobacco. She served as President and Chief Executive Officer of B&W from 2001 to 2004. Ms. Ivey also served as a director of B&W from 2000 to 2004 and Chairman of the Board of B&W from January 2003 to 2004. Prior to 2001, Ms. Ivey held various marketing positions with B&W and BAT after joining B&W in 1981. Ms. Ivey commenced serving on the Board of RAI as of January 2004. She also is a member of the board of directors of R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company. In addition, Ms. Ivey is a member of the boards of directors of the United Way of Forsyth County, the Winston-Salem YWCA and the University of Florida Foundation; and serves on the boards of trustees of Wake Forest University, Senior Services, Inc. of Winston-Salem and Salem College.

From Equilar:
Her base pay in 2008 (last year verifiable) was $1,200,000 and bonuses took her to around 8m. She paid more in federal tax in a single year than you could obviously ever imagine.

I don't think that it is any of your business what somebody else's bonus package is unless they work for you, or the government.

[OldSchool]

This is one of my favorites of all time. Every now and then I feel that it's appropriate to post it. Enjoy!!!



The liberal daughter



Father/Daughter Talk

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many
others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and
among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to
support more government programs, in other words redistribution of wealth.


She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a
feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had
participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her
father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he
thought should be his.


One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on
the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed
objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she
indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in
school.


Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let
him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very
difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to
go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a
boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all
her time studying.


Her father listened and then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She
replied, 'Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she
never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus;
college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots
of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'

Her wise father asked his daughter,


'Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your
GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both
have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of
GPA.'


The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired
back, 'That's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard
for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey
has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my
tail off!'

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to the Republican
party.'