The 2008 SOP Democrat stump speech

[R.R.]

The 40% figure was from 2000 when Cheney worked in the private sector. I misread it.

[R.R.]

The Cheney's paid $529,636 in taxes.

You should be thanking the Cheneys, not trying to punish them. They have contributed millions to the federal government over the years. To all of those government handouts that you liberals love so much.

[Xavier_Onassis]

The Cheneys managed to make so much money because Halliburton managed to pilfer (entirely legally, I suppose) even huger amounts from the taxpayers. I am not going to bless the Cheneys for anything.

In addition to the 8 million they made in 2006, they still have most of the 21.7 million they made in 2004.

21,700,000 a year is the same as 59,452 per day, or 7,431 per 8 hour day, 27.44 per minute. $41.28 per second, if we assume that they were productive 24/7/365.

Mr and Mrs Cheney probably make a lot more than most average Americans while pissing and taking dumps. How it possible to justify their feasting so heartily at the public troughs as to justify this?

Remember that Halliburton earned most of its money on government contracts when Dick was President of Halliburton. Had he never served in Olebush's and Ford's cabinets, there is no way they would hire him to preside over Halliburton. He was hired because of his influence peddling abilities, NOT because of his managerial skills.

[sirs]

So Xo, where's all the hatred aimed at Hollywood, and the $20+million per movie an actor gets for pretending to be someone else?  And to Professional athletes like Tiger and ARod, making $20+million for hitting small white balls with a club??  Where's the outrage?  Where's the demand they be given massive pay cuts since they're literally just playing games

[Xavier_Onassis]

The one thing that can be said of overpaid actors and sports figures is that their salaries come from VOLUNTARY payments by consumers. Dick Cheney made his bazillions as a result of his influence peddling.

The economic system is by its very nature unfair. There are no fair economic systems.

The healthiest societies appear to be those of the Scandinavian nations, such as Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, which tax the wealthy rather heavily, but which provide adequate subsidies so that no one suffers hunger, death and illness from a lack of adequate medical treatment or poor housing. Observe that none of these nations is particularly rich in natural resources, certainly not as rich as the US is, and that the average Icelander, Norsky, Dane, Swede and Finn lives a middle class existence with affordable education, medical and housing for all.

The poorest are the Iraqis, Bosnians and such that have arrived in these countries more recently.

[sirs]

The one thing that can be said of overpaid actors and sports figures is that their salaries come from VOLUNTARY payments by consumers. Dick Cheney made his bazillions as a result of his influence peddling.

There's no difference.  Tiger, ARod and Tom Cruise made their "bazillians" by peddling their talents, be it hitting a ball with a club or playacting.  And we won't even touch on their endorsements.  Your opinion of what Cheney does or doesn't peddle is noted, the point being no one was forcing the $$ on anyone or TAKING money from someone else to give them.  They are all voluntary payments, be it from fans or salary

So again, where's the equivalent venting of outrage??

[R.R.]

Tee said:

Cheney's tax rate oughtta be 98%, but what the hell, let it be 96%, THAT is a fair tax rate.

What is raising the taxes on one man going to accomplish besides bringing a few million more into the treasury? This is based on animus against Mr. Cheney, and nothing more. It's his money. He earned it. It's not your money and it certainly isn't JS's, although you act as if it is. Cheney has paid plenty in taxes. Millions over the years. He paid 40% in 2000. It's time that John Edwards, Micheal Moore and Rosie O'Donnell start paying their fair share. Why aren't they -- the loudmouthed liberals -- voluntarily sending money into the federal government? Nothing is stopping them from sending in more.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Well, I despise Dick asshole Cheney and everything he stands for. Halliburton extorts money from the gummint and gets paid with my tax dollars. Tom Cruise only gets my money of I watch his movies, so this is vastly different in my book.

I will agree that both Cheney and Cruise be taxed dollar for dollar at the same rate, which should be higher than the average guy, becaue as I said, the system is not fair and the only way to make it more so is by taxing those who benefit from their good fortune at a higher rate in keeping with said advantage.

If you want to be equally outraged, I am afraid I will still despise Cheney more than Cruise, because he is more despicable. Cruise has never mongered a dumb war, only jumped on Oprah's couch.

If this violates your somewhat warped sense of fairness, all I can say is "tough bungies", go ahead and feel violated if it makes you happy. I hate Dick Cheney, and also abhor, despise, loathe and abominate him. There is much to abominate about the man.

[R.R.]

XO said:

Remember that Halliburton earned most of its money on government contracts when Dick was President of Halliburton.

Awarded by the Clinton administration.

Cheney has earned a lot of money and he has paid a lot of money in taxes. He also gave up about $30 million a year to go into public service.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Cheney has earned a lot of money and he has paid a lot of money in taxes. He also gave up about $30 million a year to go into public service.

===========================================================
How utterly selfless of him. I am totally unimpressed. The world would be a vastly better place if the abominable asshole had never been spawned.

He is an annoying old bastard who has done irreprable harm to thousands of Americans and Iraqis. He can take his sense of public spiritedness and ram it up his ample butt.

Twice, rotated, and thrice more again.

[sirs]

Well, I despise Dick asshole Cheney and everything he stands for.

So, it has prescious little to do with the $$ anyone makes, it has largely to do with whom you deem an a$$hole or not.  Strange how pretty much all those you deem such have an (R) after their name.  Perhaps you're also under the derranged belief system Republicans want women to die of cancer, as well.

 

[_JS]

The one thing that can be said of overpaid actors and sports figures is that their salaries come from VOLUNTARY payments by consumers. Dick Cheney made his bazillions as a result of his influence peddling.

There's no difference.  Tiger, ARod and Tom Cruise made their "bazillians" by peddling their talents, be it hitting a ball with a club or playacting.  And we won't even touch on their endorsements.  Your opinion of what Cheney does or doesn't peddle is noted, the point being no one was forcing the $$ on anyone or TAKING money from someone else to give them.  They are all voluntary payments, be it from fans or salary

So again, where's the equivalent venting of outrage??

Why wouldn't these people pay the higher rate as well? They make the income then they pay the higher rate (actually A-Rod and Tiger made a hell of a lot more than Cheney and should pay more in taxes). I have no clue what Tom Cruise makes. But certainly if he makes enough to fit into the top percentiles, then he should pay more in taxes.

What is so difficult to understand about that?

And if that is such a destructive concept, why do Scandinavian nations do so well?

Denmark:

Infant Mortality Rate 4.51 per 1,000
Life Expectancy 77.79 years
Unemployment 2.8%
Welfare State: 29.2% of GDP
Tax Burden: 47.7% of GDP
Highest Marginal Tax Rate: 63%
Inflation: 1.7%
GDP Growth: 3.5%
Gini-Coefficient: 24.7 (Best in the world)
Balance of Payments: $4.9 Billion (positive = surplus)

The United States:

Infant Mortality Rate: 6.4 deaths per 1,000
Life Expectancy: 78 Years
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%
Inflation: 2.5%
Tax Burden: 29% of GDP
Highest Marginal Tax Rate: 35%
Welfare State: 14.8% of GDP
GDP Growth 3.2%
Gini-Coefficient: 40.8 (Right behind Ghana and Turkmenistan)
Balance of Payments: -$811 Billion

Why is Denmark so much better at this than we are?

[sirs]

Js, perhaps you missed the point......where's the outrage at what they make, analogus to what Cheney supposedly makes.  Cheney is railed on as some supposed bazzillionaire, while folks much more welathy than he, at much younger ages get not a hint of outrage.

[The_Professor]

The rich have too much money.

Anyone who buys a $6000 shower curtain should have all their money taken away.

Paying that much money for something so worthless should be considered a crime when there are veterans and children sleeping in the streets in ANY country.

If everyone in the world could have a $6000 shower curtain, I'd be fine with it but no one should have anything so vulgar while a child goes hungry.

However, if we tax them too heavily, what would stop them from simply locking up and going overseas, taking their businesses (and jobs) with them?

[The_Professor]

The rich have too much money.

Anyone who buys a $6000 shower curtain should have all their money taken away.

Paying that much money for something so worthless should be considered a crime when there are veterans and children sleeping in the streets in ANY country.

If everyone in the world could have a $6000 shower curtain, I'd be fine with it but no one should have anything so vulgar while a child goes hungry.

Whoa! It is THEIR money; if they want to do it, it is certainly THEIR perogative.