Tonight I'm Proud To Be An American

[phylo]

Mike,  
 
But, but...but....ah nevermind.  
 
Anyone own the MOTU 828 mk3?

[hydrargyrum]

Sorry Paul,
 
I think that you may have unintentionally been the recipient of some of the frustration I have been feeling by observing the reactions of others on the internet to this election.  Clearly you do not imply that everyone who voted for Obama was racially motivated, and I apologize for implying otherwise.  I really didn't intend to direct my second statement at you, but this was obviously unclear from my post.

[hydrargyrum]

Exxon Posts Record Profits:
 
http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/01/news/companies/exxon_earnings/
 
http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/01/news/companies/exxon_earnings/
 
I am guessing with these kinds of numbers, Exxon at least won't be going anywhere.  All of this amid the highest gas prices ever in America's history.  Even if this isn't greedy, I still think it isn't good for America's economy, and is especially hard for those to swallow in the lowest tax brackets (such as myself).

[pas]

Kevin,
 
De nada...

[bassman10096]

I am happy if BO's election means we don't have to endure as much snarky snideness from those in other countries whose race and class problems are just as real as America's.  It's good when our actions serve to disprove widely parroted BS about us.  I also think it's good that America went for a younger, certainly more exciting candidate.  In fairness, the Dem's lucked into Obama on that score, but between Bush, Gore and Kerry in 2000 and 2004, there wasn't much to get charged up about.  
 
On the other hand, I genuinely can't find anything else that I like about the result.  My hard work is redistributed enough already, thank you.  And I don't consider myself unpatriotic to say so.
 
America spoke clearly and concisely, what was going on had to stop.  
With all due respect, can the melodrama on the left have finally reached its crescendo?  Who will be to blame now?  
 
Sorry for politicizing.  I'll say no more.

[dlbydgtl]

What's really upsetting is that the L.A. Galaxy paid all that money fot Beckham and let him play the off season for AC MIlan ouch. now there's a waste of money.

[phylo]

My last post here, I swear:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qL-CgzQ0FY

[olieoliver]

Thanks Bill, I've just been slammed for time. With school, studio work, playing (at Church) and my recent carreer change, I haven't been able to log on much.
 
OO

[flaxattack]

wasnt being melodramatic justfactual....
ps
i will blame obama if he fs up
he isnt god
he isnt the savior
just president- he may get a bit of a longer leash but dont think everyone is going to give him a free pass....
 
btw- think the dead will play the inaugural?

[glocke]

Im jsut wondering if this thread will break 100 posts tonight...

[3rd_ray]

Post number 86...
 
Kevin, everyone knows Exxon Mobil makes a ton of money, but nobody ever mentions the taxes they pay.  
 
Flax, some of us will blame Obama if he messes up, but will the press? Don't count on it.  
 
And right on to Bill/bassman. I've been hearing people take cheap shots at our president and our country for the past 8 years. It got real old about 7.9 years ago. I'm almost glad to see Obama win just so we can stop having to listen to all of that crap. But somehow I don't think it's going to end. Obama is everyone's hero until the first time he has to tell someone no. Then they won't be so happy anymore.  
 
Mike

[dlbydgtl]

i just want my alembic to be finished and shipped before the new Government figures out how to tax interstate internet sales. uh oh i'm getting sucked in...how bout them Bears

[bassman10096]

wasnt being melodramatic justfactual....
 
Hey Flax:  I was just picking on you.  But at some point, it's hard (it may even become physically impossible!?!) to gloat and whine in the same sentence.  Everybody has their day in the barrel and each dog has his day (just to mix metaphors).  Enjoy your victory.  I know this meant a lot to you and a lot of us out there.  Now, if you'll forgive, it's my turn to whine...

[hydrargyrum]

I'm not sure what you mean by no one ever mentions the taxes that Exxon (or for that matter, any other large corporation pay).  Sure no one ever seems to mentions the exact figure, but you can't deny that one of the fundamental principles of the republican platform is to reduce corporate taxes.  This seems to be one of their strongest talking points in any election, and hardly is ignored as topic in politics.  Are they too high?  I don't know.  How much wealth does any one person really need (and I specifically refer to corporate CEO's here).  When does exorbitant wealth become greed?  The average CEO of a fortune 500 company made 14.2 million dollars in 2007.  I just don't feel sorry for these folks when I hear they are going to pay higher taxes.  This is the social contract they make when they enjoy the freedom and abundance of being an American.
 
I expect that there will be lots of no's in Obama's presidency.  The country is on the brink of an economic peril not seen in nearly a century.  I expect we all will see lots of tough choices ahead, aside from the dangers we now face in two foreign wars.  Let's keep perspective that these are inherited challenges, and that they would test the greatest of our leaders on both sides of the aisle.

[crgaston]

I was going to stay out of this, but I'll weigh in to boost the post count. :-)
 
A good friend of mine is a self-employed house painter with 9 kids (!).  He has observed that he doesn't get hired by poor people.  
 
Reducing corporate taxes lets the companies hire more people and reinvest in their businesses. It also lets them pay their executives ridiculous amounts of money.  Maybe salary caps is the answer?  How do you legislate against greed?  It'd be like trying to make lust illegal.
 
The best thing to do, I think, is to abolish income tax and institute a federal sales tax.  You could exempt necessities, and maybe add a premium on luxury items.  It would eliminate the IRS, reward people for saving, and catch all the under-the-table income like drug dealers and illegal immigrants.