40 Responses to “Fifteen Thousand Freeloading Millionaires”

1. Xman says:

   Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 10:06 am

   It would have been nice of the gvt to provide a list of these guys.
   I expect they will all get a payment plan for back taxes.

   Reply
2. pelmo says:

   Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 10:56 am

   Xman for a liberal, your not a bad guy. My question is why do they get and amnesty, and every time I have made an honest mistake on my taxes, they slam me with all kinds of fees, penalties and intrest.

   Joe I am afraid that all this story is about is grabbing a few headlines by the present administration, at how they are going after tax cheats. In reality they might be closing ONE little door, and opening many more back doors, so that these same people will end up paying even less taxes then they are now. End result, we will be paying more, and they pay less.

   Just like all that bull about excessive pay and bonuses. All that talk and outrage, but the beat goes on.

   Joe do you know what the magic words said by a politician are a clue that your taxes are going up???

   “WE ARE GOING TO TAX THE RICH” to pay for it.

   Reply
3. JoeC says:

   Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 6:48 am

   @Xman: Yeah, I’m guessing they’ll have a payment plan, but with penalties added in.
   @Pelmo: No doubt, the rich will find another loophole to cheat through. But around here, all the rich folks continue to blame deadbeat poor folks for buying houses they couldn’t afford, for spending welfare dollars inappropriately, for “pumping out more kids” to get more welfare — things that are wrong, but that are far less in scale and far less damaging to the national debt than the crimes of the rich freeloaders in this country. And when confronted with these facts, a lot of folks around here apologize for the rich criminals, saying but they’re productive and successful so it isn’t as bad as whereas the welfare moms are lazy and crooked.

   I don’t buy that. While I pay my taxes, these rich tax dodgers take advantage of my honesty by using the roads, military, etc., etc., that I’m paying my fair share for while they are not paying their fair share, as agreed on by the rule of law. Criminals are criminals, no matter how “successful” they are, because they are theives…I mean, should a successful person get fewer years in prison for murder than an unsuccessful person? If you think so, you believe the rich are special and deserve preferential treatment, whereas I believe what this country was founded on — the principle that nobody is above the law. Sadly, thinking a freeloader who buys booze with $20 of foodstamps is somehow worse than a rich person who buys a jet with millions stolen from his fellow citizens seems to be an all too common sentiment these days. So, that was sort of what I was thinking about when I read this article…all the rich folks need to stop blaming others and start looking in the mirror…take the log out of their own eye. Awwww crap, I’m quoting the Bible…starting to sound like a birther teabagger now… ;-)

   Reply
4. pelmo says:

   Friday, November 20, 2009 at 2:25 pm

   Joe in a way I can not blame millionaires for hiding their money in fancy gimmicks and schemes. We should not have an escalating tax scale which is very unfair to the rich, married couples who both work and someone like myself who worked two jobs so I could send my kids to private schools.

   Why should a married couple have to pay more in taxes because their combined salaries put them in a higher tax bracket. Why should I and countless others be punished by paying more taxes, just because I worked two jobs and it put me in a higher bracket. And so it is with millionairs, why should they pay more then everyone else, simply for making more money.

   We should have a flat rate tax so that everyone no matter how much they make pays only their fair share. I heard an economist explain that if we had a flat tax it would be only 7% and the government would have more money then they needed. Nobody would bitch, since we all were paying our fair share.

   Reply
5. JoeC says:

   Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 4:09 pm

   Pelmo, the marriage tax penalty was largely done away with in 2003 (http://marriage.about.com/od/finances/a/marriagepenalty.htm). I agree in principle that a rich person shouldn’t have to pay a higher percentage of taxes than a poor person. But, in reality, “unfair” taxes keep wealth distribution from getting out of hand, and this is needed because nations with greater wealth inequality have their power tipped away from the middle class and into the hands of a small minority, and the minority in power change laws that favor the rich, and eventually you end up with a government leaning toward dictatorship and a country torn apart by class war.
   So, it seems you can have a fair tax rate and live in a highly-destabilized society where the few rich are constantly robbed and lynched and must live behind ever-higher walls of security, or you can have an unfair tax rate and live in a society where it’s pretty safe for everybody to walk down the street without armed guards.
   I’m not in favor of making the tax rate totally unfair…just as unfair as it used to be when the income inequality in the U.S. wasn’t as pronounced as it is today…a little more economic equality (through higher taxes for the rich) would also benefit the rich by making the society in which they live a much more rewarding and enjoyable society.
   That being said, the tax code does need work: Warren Buffett, an American and one of the wealthiest individuals on earth, is in a lower tax bracket than either of us (http://www.maxfunds.com/?q=node/149) and that’s definitely NOT fair, and Buffett himself agrees it’s not fair.

   Reply
6. pelmo says:

   Monday, November 23, 2009 at 11:12 am

   Joe I think you are missing my point. We are taking away incentives to make more money. Right now with all this talk of taxing people who make more then $250,000 at a higher rate. Where is the incentive for me to make a dollar more, knowing I will be loosing thousands by doing so. Same thing with the man making $20,000. Why should he make more knowing he will loose thousands in credits by doing it.

   Taxes are the wrong way to go in trying to fix the ills that our society faces. We can not pick and choose who the bad guys are. Right now it is Wall Street and all those corporate heads with outrages salaries and bonuses that are the villians. How dare they make all that money, while the rest of us suffer. The president and congress are slamming them every day. But when is the last time you heard someone complain at the redicules salaries and bonuses that athletes make today. As a matter of fact, fans scream at owners for not throwing enough money to attract one for the local team. It’s ok for them to use creative book keeping so they pay less in taxes, especially for the ones on the home team.

   Reply
7. libhomo says:

   Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 5:44 am

   Pelmo: Are you joking? The rich are parasites that leach off of the rest of us. They definitely deserve to pay much higher tax rates as a matter of basic fairness. The idea that rich people shouldn’t have to pay society back for what they steal from it is constantly bombarded into our brains by people paid for by the rich to brainwashing us into the laughable belief that rich people actually earn their money.

   Reply
8. pelmo says:

   Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 1:26 pm

   Libhomo: I am not joking. Are you going to tell me that if you joined the ranks of those rich , that tou would pay every penny of that high rate of taxes that would be imposed on you. You would pay a hefty fee to an accountant so that you could find ways to pay less.

   I firmly believe that people should only be made to pay THEIR FAIR SHARE. If you make a hundred thousand you pay ten thousand in taxes. If you make a million, you pay a hundred thousand in taxes. A simple 10%, and the richer you are the more you pay in taxes.

   With one flat rate and no accounting gimmicks they would end up paying more then they are now, with an progressive rate.

   It sounds great when politicians run around screaming “tax the rich”. When you know in reality that all it means is that they are sticking it to the middle class again.

   Reply
   • Lynne says:

     Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 3:49 pm

     I vote for a return to the tax rates under President Eisenhower. The economy was strong, the middle class was on the rise and those at the top paid a 91% rate. As of 2003 that had fallen to 35%,
     Source: http://www.truthandpolitics.org/top-rates.php

     Reply
     • JoeC says:

       Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 6:40 am

       Agreed! And remember, the first $400,000 income of the rich wasn’t being taxed at 91% — only the amount they made over $400,000. In today’s’ dollars, that’d be over $3 million. No wonder the fifties were such a golden age for the middle class in America — the folks who had more than plenty for themselves were also picking up the tab for the nation’s infrastructure and welfare.

       Reply
9. pelmo says:

   Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 10:05 am

   Joe and Xman wishing you and yours a happy Thanksgiving.

   Xman what wild creature will you be consuming today?

   Reply
10. Xman says:

    Saturday, November 28, 2009 at 2:03 pm

    Hey Pelmo.
    Thanks for the wish and back at you and Joe.
    We had a wild turkey and a store bought ham…plus snacks on trout I had smoked. My brother made wine from the grapes in his yard.

    I’m getting closer to growing the tobacco for my own cigars…and guess I should look up the laws on distilling my own white lightning.

    Reply
    • Indigobusiness says:

      Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 10:22 pm

      Hey Xman, I tried to find something for you I saw recently about people growing their own tobacco, but I got distracted and lost.

      I also looked into distilling spirits awhile back. I think you can make very small quantities, like a couple of gal., but don’t hold me to that. I was toying with the idea of making some sour mash bourbon.

      There are some folks selling small stills for making alchohol for cars. You are supposed to add something to make it unpalatable, but that’s another story. You could make whiskey if you wanted.
      —————-

      Pelmo- Whiskey and cigars are actually dessert after the turkey coma wears off. The rest of the story.

      Joe- I saw the first bit of your video. Your little girl gets cuter every day. Lucky man.

      Reply
      • Xman says:

        Monday, November 30, 2009 at 8:14 pm

        Thanks Indigo.
        I used to be pals with an old rancher who really appreciated good whiskey. We talked about making a still. He was a bomber pilot in the Korean War. He has since passed on.
        I think I’m going to do one in his honor.

        I went looking to grow my own tobacco, but got side tracked on a million pot growing videos. And then my order from Cigars International came in…and I got side tracked again.
        I LOVE those Cameroon wrappers!

        I haven’t worked up the guts to order cuban’s by way of canada or europe.

        Reply
        • Indigobusiness says:

          Monday, November 30, 2009 at 11:46 pm

          Check this out, Xman. And this.

          Reply
11. Indigobusiness says:

    Saturday, November 28, 2009 at 8:35 pm

    Happy (belated) Thanksgiving…all you hard-boiled dreamers.

    I had a fifth of Wild Turkey and a Cuban cigar…(probably why I b’late.)

    Reply
12. pelmo says:

    Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    Xman you are really trying to be a self sustaining man. I really miss my youth as my father would make his own sausage, smoke hams and bacon in the back yard and make a potent mead in a large crock.

    He also made his version of white lightning. He would buy a bottle of 200 proof grain alcohol. He then cut it a bit with distilled water and would flavor it with fruit syrup. It was fun having a shot or two with him; as it went down sweet and after a minute or two, beads of sweat would break out on the forehead.

    As hard as I have tried , never could learn how to smoke and enjoy a fine cigar.

    Indigo while many of us enjoy eating our turkey, you seem to prefer drinking it.

    Reply
    • Xman says:

      Monday, November 30, 2009 at 8:19 pm

      Hey Pelmo,
      Cigars are all about the aroma for me. I haven’t tasted a good one yet, but sure have smelled a lot of good ones.

      There is a series of old books called “Foxfire”.
      I think they are from the south east. All about doing it all yourself.
      I read 2 or 3 of them when I was about 25 or so and promptly started doing things the old ways.

      I’m not a survivalist or end of days kind of person, I just wanted to capture the old ways for myself.

      Reply
13. JoeC says:

    Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 7:56 pm

    Happy belated Thanksgiving to you all, too! Wish the holiday could go on and not have to get back to work tomorrow, but, it was good while it lasted. Hope you all had a good one! Instead of reading the blogs yesterday…I got infatuated with playing with Windows Movie Maker; check it out:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeJ9qDN6lUM

    Reply
    • Xman says:

      Monday, November 30, 2009 at 8:36 pm

      Gee, it looked like going to one of my relatives Thanksgiving.
      My impressions:

      1. Oldest boy struggling to be nice.
      2. Never saw a pie that big.
      3. Did you take this vid with your phone? B l u r r y.
      4. Wife looks miffed…or camera shy.
      5. Hey, I had a friend in HS spanish that could look at his watch with one eye and keep writing with the other.
      6. Joe passes on double yellow, xman blinks.
      7. Little girl with medusa head steals the show.

      Reply
      • JoeC says:

        Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 9:39 pm

        1. TRUE!
        2. Rolls, not pie ;-)
        3. Didn’t realize youtube compressed my already compressed video…uploaded a much clearer version here:
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENbsEwThh5A
        4. True…I think both holidays and family tend to stress her out, AND she doesn’t like me pointing the camera her way ;-)
        5. Everybody’s got some sort of talent, even if it’s pretty much useless ;-)
        6. Stole the car scenes from some Japanese video…love the chatter going on as they race down the road. But, it did remind me of the drive we had.
        7. Fact!

        Reply
14. Xman says:

    Monday, November 30, 2009 at 8:40 pm

    I just rememered reading an old Elmo Leonard book years ago, where one of the characters was making what they called “pot likkor” in an apartment.
    They just fermented a bunch of crushed corn in wash tubs and then strained it and sold it.
    Anyone else read that book?
    Just thinking that might be easier than making a still…and not blowing it up….like on tv.

    Reply
15. pelmo says:

    Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 5:09 pm

    Xman and Indigo; Try a good single malt Scotch and you will forget about making your own. I have drank a thousand and one blended whiskeys. Even tried Johnnie Walker black, green and gold and they don’t go down as smooth as those single malts.

    Reply
    • Indigobusiness says:

      Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 9:10 pm

      I cut my teeth on good scotch, Pelmo, but I’d never deign distill it. Sour mash corn liquor is a real possibility. The only difference between white lightning and bourbon is in the curing in charred barrels. That’s what gives bourbon its color.

      Did you know bourbon barrels are used once and then shipped to Scotland to be used to for scotch? Most of the tannins, etc are imparted in the bourbon making, but what remains gives scotch many of its subtleties.

      Good scotch, neat, is a nectar of the gods. Hard to beat. With a good cigar, of course.

      Reply
16. Xman says:

    Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 8:36 pm

    Okay.
    What is good?
    A year ago I tried about a dozen of the better known american stuff.
    The flavor was all the same.

    I only drink whiskey with sprite or 7-up, so not a real appreciator, I guess. But I do love whiskey taste mixed. No so with scotch.

    I’ve seen something called Lafroig (sp) and found a website where I can order stuff for around $150 a bottle. But I don’t want even more intense flavor…of the flavor i don’t like much.

    Reply
17. pelmo says:

    Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 8:17 pm

    Xman and Indigo, this sounds like an AA meeting.

    Reply
    • Indigobusiness says:

      Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 6:56 pm

      I don’t have a drinking problem, Pelmo, I have a drinking solution.

      Reply
18. Xman says:

    Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 9:35 am

    Say anything you want…just don’t spill my tomato beer.

    Reply
19. pelmo says:

    Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 4:44 pm

    Xman sometimes I wonder if all that time you spend in the wilderness and eating all that wild game is not starting to effect you. If you want to protect your tomato beer, I will not be the one to spill it.

    Reply
    • Xman says:

      Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 10:34 pm

      I have no science for it, but if you are what you eat…then eat wild.

      Reply
20. pelmo says:

    Monday, December 7, 2009 at 10:22 am

    In your case Xman you better be eating wild, or it will be eating you.

    Reply
    • Xman says:

      Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 8:56 am

      LOL.
      The last two nights it has been -23.
      But, with an engine block heater, my old ‘67 Ford which I bought for $100 gets down the rocky, snow covered road…to the Rock Rabbit http://www.rockrabbit.com for a hot cup…just fine.

      It is my preferred transportation as the heater works like a blow torch and the cab fills up with heavenly cigar smoke…all the way to town…and all the way home.

      Reply
21. pelmo says:

    Friday, December 11, 2009 at 6:21 pm

    When it’s -23 for two nights in a row back here in Chicago, we call it a heat wave, we don’t even bother turning on the heater in the car on those nights.

    I can see enjoying a fine cigar after a cup or two of hot coco at the rocky rabbit. Knowing you, you probably go the whole route and get it with marshmellows and a healthy shot of whipped cream.

    I can’t believe an out doorsman like yourself patronizes an establishment that calls itself a bistro, and has a web site.

    Reply
    • Xman says:

      Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 2:20 pm

      Ha!
      It’s so cold here that Rock Rabbit serves coffee on a stick….with whipped cream.

      It’s so cold here, that when you insult someone, they can grab your words right out of the air and throw them back at you.

      Reply
22. pelmo says:

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 7:06 pm

    This verbal joust is reaching the epic proportions of a third grade play ground battle. You know where those classic put downs were spoken such as your mother wears combat boots, and my father can beat up yours.

    But getting back to serious things, I have just two little questions to ask. Is it true what I hear about the Rocky Rabbit, that after three visits they give you your own rabbit ears to wear; and after seven visit a cute little fluffy tail?

    Reply
    • Xman says:

      Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 9:57 pm

      Nope…you have to get your own ears and tails.
      But, that is easy.
      Drive south on hwy 189 and honk when they try to run off the road.
      Have to do it in a pick-up though, otherwise they will come up over your hood…they are so big….and this time of year, very white.

      Reply
23. Indigobusiness says:

    Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 9:47 am

    Hey Joe- After seeing this photo of the late and great Bill Narum, the Austin artist who did
    this ZZ Top Album cover, I can’t help but think you might be related.

    ?

    Reply
    • JoeC says:

      Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 4:50 pm

      Hey, that’s me!

      Reply
24. pelmo says:

    Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 5:05 pm

    Xman I like the bunnies we have here. They average about 5′5″ in height, very busty and serve cocktails. Can’t get them with a pick-up truck. Have to use a Mercedes or a BMW and up, to have any luck.

    Reply
    • Xman says:

      Monday, December 21, 2009 at 1:41 pm

      Just the thought of your bunnies makes me smile.

      Reply

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