Hugely profitable companies pay more to CEOs than to Uncle Sam
Now isn’t this special?
According to the Institute of Policy Studies, a liberal think tank, 25 of the country’s 100 highest-paid CEOs were paid more personally than their corporations paid in federal income taxes last year. (The corporations in question made, on average, a profit of $1.9 billion each.)
If you believe many conservatives, that’s pretty amazing. After all, corporate taxes in America are allegedly sky high, so the fact that so many profitable companies somehow managed to pay their CEOs even more than they paid Uncle Sam — well, that’s really saying something.
“In 2009, we calculate, major corporate CEOs took home 263 times the pay of America’s average workers. Last year, this gap leaped to 325-to-1. Among the nation’s top firms, the S&P 500, CEO pay last year averaged $10,762,304, up 27.8 percent over 2009.”
Average CEO pay among the S&P 500 up 28 percent in a year. Tough times. And again, that’s not the high-performers, the CEOs who did something special. The average CEO got a 28 percent pay hike last year.
And how did those companies end up paying so little in taxes? The IJS helps explain:
“No tax-dodging strategy over recent years has filled U.S. corporate coffers more rapidly than the offshoring of corporate activity to tax havens in low- or no-tax jurisdictions. Eighteen of the 25 firms highlighted in this study operate subsidiaries in offshore tax haven jurisdictions. The firms, all combined, had 556 tax haven subsidiaries last year….
How do tax havens work? One common corporate accounting technique, “transfer pricing,” helps corporations shift profits offshore. Technology and drug companies regularly open shell companies — in tax havens — that hold their intellectual property rights. They then charge their U.S.-based operations inflated amounts for the use of these rights. These inflated costs get deducted off U.S. taxes. The overseas tax haven profits go un- or lightly taxed. Adding insult to injury, a coalition of corporate tax dodgers is now asking Congress to reward their tax avoidance with a deeply discounted 5 percent tax rate if they bring these funds back home where many of them started.”
These are American companies — corporations that are based here in the United States because they know that locating here maximizes their profits. They want all of the advantages of being American, meanwhile pretending that a lot of their operations are located on some little Caribbean island.
Personally, I think I’m going to open an offshore branch of Jay Bookman and have my paycheck sent there. I mean, why not? I’m a person, corporations are persons. If they can do it, I can do it too, right?
Well, there is one difference. As the IJS notes,”the 25 firms highlighted in this study spent a combined total of more than $150 million on lobbying and campaign contributions last year.” In contrast, I didn’t spend a dime.
In fact, 20 of the companies in question spent more money “lobbying lawmakers than they paid in corporate taxes. Eighteen gave more to the political campaigns of their favorite candidates than they paid to the IRS in taxes.”
You get what you pay for.
– Jay Bookman
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982 comments Add your comment
kayaker 71
August 31st, 2011
9:22 am
Brocphus,
If it weren’t for these evil corporations, you wouldn’t even have a 401K. Once the money is deposited in a 401K, it is you who determines what the account will produce. The evil corporation has nothing to do with it.
USinUK
August 31st, 2011
9:22 am
@@ – when it comes to getting one’s hump on, no one holds a candle to GLL
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:22 am
Bosch
What’s Jay’s article about? CEOs making too much money. Right?
You make too much money. I need some of your money. Give it up.
(ir)Rational
August 31st, 2011
9:23 am
GLL – I have read the column and the responses. Doesn’t mean that I think it is any of anyone’s business what anyone here or anywhere else makes. With the exception of the people that we elect to office.
Oh-well. Who is John Galt?
1811/0311
August 31st, 2011
9:23 am
Bosch:
The definition of “rich” doesn’t matter. It’s their business. Not yours ……….. not the government’s.
As long as they earn it legally and pay their taxes it’s not for you to involve yourself with.
That’s what made this country great.
Adam
August 31st, 2011
9:24 am
GLL: I think promoting class warfare is criminal.
Then stop trying to tax the poor more.
Joe Mama
August 31st, 2011
9:24 am
Granny — “another wanted horseradish sauce for his roast beast”
I see what you did there.
Bosch
August 31st, 2011
9:24 am
GLL,
That may be YOUR interpretation, but if you insist upon projecting your interpretations onto others and then using those falsities as a basis for arguing that’s how a group of people think, then that’s just nuts, and you will be taken to task on using such weak reasoning.
1811/0311
August 31st, 2011
9:25 am
Good Little Liberal:
Ever notice in communist countries the “leaders” live RICH while the peasants have to tow the party line?
getalife
August 31st, 2011
9:25 am
cons can shut up on personal responsibility.
Wealth care is all they care about.
Wealth care ideology.
BADA BING
August 31st, 2011
9:25 am
Jay…..ATL used to have a ball team called the ‘Crackers’. What do you think they meant by that?
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:25 am
USinUK
So you are not going to tell us all what you make. Hmmm. Then I guess you shouodn’t ne questioning what others make.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
August 31st, 2011
9:25 am
What’s Jay’s article about? CEOs making too much money. Right?
Is the ability to completely miss the point of the article part of that Comprehension 101 training?
Scooter
August 31st, 2011
9:25 am
Oooooh that gets me so emotional I’m beginning to forget the corporations get all that money from the consumer.
Bosch
August 31st, 2011
9:25 am
Scout,
“The definition of “rich” doesn’t matter.”
It does if you are using that as a basis for your argument. So, what do you mean by “getting rid of the rich” people? Who are they?
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:25 am
UsdinUK
And leg hunmping. What a classy term.
Jay
August 31st, 2011
9:26 am
And GLL, you DO have a say in what I make, in much the same way that individual shareholders are said to have a say in CEO pay.
By coming here, you send a message to the company that I’m doing good work and should be compensated. And I appreciate that. Really, I do.
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:26 am
Keep Up
You are exempt.
Adam
August 31st, 2011
9:27 am
GLL: I’ll throw in my tax return from 2010 with my real name and verify everything if you do the same as Jay requested.
Granny Godzilla
August 31st, 2011
9:27 am
Mighty Righty
“Democrats had abslute control of the House, Senate and White House in September of last year.”
Nope. Not true. A fib. A lie. Piffle. Nonsense.
60 votes were required….
Righties would be Mightyier if the were Truthier.
(ir)Rational
August 31st, 2011
9:27 am
USinUK – my dog acted like that once. I took him and got him neutered the next week. Draw your own conclusions, but it worked. Just saying. Also, some mighty evil came out of Old Trafford Sunday. Really put a damper on my weekend. :’(
Oh-well. Who is John Galt?
USinUK
August 31st, 2011
9:27 am
GLL – “So you are not going to tell us all what you make. Hmmm. Then I guess you shouodn’t ne questioning what others make.”
keep on humpin GLL
and I can “question” what CEOs make – particularly when they’re laying off their employees to feed the beast – as long as I like, thank you.
Common Sense
August 31st, 2011
9:27 am
Wealth envy is a wonderful thing.
It’s private wealth, not public wealth.
The first thing you should have told yourself is “It’s none of my business”.
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:28 am
Jay
that’s not really the point is it? You do a good job by stirring s***. Class warfare is lowest form of political discourse.
Adam
August 31st, 2011
9:28 am
GLL: And leg hunmping. What a classy term.
Coming from the guy who has been crass and stupid in most of his posts so far today.
Just go. It’s been fun. Don’t come back.
Brosephus
August 31st, 2011
9:28 am
larry
I can understand your anger, but from my perspective, he served the sentence he was given. The anger you feel is the same anger that the parents of the 4 girls killed when the 16th Street Church was bombed in B’ham years ago. The anger you feel is the same anger I felt when the girl that killed my grandfather got off without even facing charges for manslaughter. Based on past experiences where I’ve been told to just accept it, I see the MV thing the same way. That’s just my opinion, but I’ve been burned by the justice system in the past with nobody fighting on my behalf, so I don’t feel empathy for anybody else.
Adam
August 31st, 2011
9:28 am
GLL: Class warfare is lowest form of political discourse.
Then stop advocating for taxing the poor more.
stands for decibels
August 31st, 2011
9:29 am
1811. The “unholy” denominations. Which ones did you mean?
This is the fourth time I’ve asked you directly.
You said the country was “full of them.” I just want to know so I can let these folks know that they are “unholy.”
Do you need to be asked in a different way?
Let’s see… does the name rhyme with “Repisscapalian?” “Schmethodist?” “Hewnited Burch of Heist?” “The Rosiety of Schmends?”
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:29 am
USinUK
You can do whatever you want. You can also be a hypocrit if you want.
Jm
August 31st, 2011
9:30 am
GLL time to man up
Steve - B.
August 31st, 2011
9:30 am
I can’t believe no one likes my “Minimum Tax” idea. I love it.
How can anyone argue paying 0 is fair?
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:30 am
Adam
YOu need to stop lying. When did i advocate taxing the poor? I just want to tax you more.
Butch Cassidy
August 31st, 2011
9:30 am
irRational – “Butch – you’re the one that brought up the argument that they were profitable because we have a strong military. ”
No I didn’t. You asked – ” I would ask what exactly the government did to earn the money it is taking from the corporations though.”
I responded that they pay for and maintain the strongest military in the world to ensure that said corporations can keep raking it in. I answered the question you asked.
Mighty Righty
August 31st, 2011
9:30 am
Jay is over looking the fact that CEO’s pay taxes at the same rate as corporations, so there is no net los to the government in tax revenue. In fact, if the CEO bonuses were instead paid to the workers, the govrnment would lose money at the lower tax rates.
Common Sense
August 31st, 2011
9:31 am
“By coming here, you send a message to the company that I’m doing good work and should be compensated. And I appreciate that. Really, I do.”
That’s called false logic.
1811/0311
August 31st, 2011
9:31 am
Rich: “Anyone Bosch envies because they have more money than he does”.
Adam
August 31st, 2011
9:31 am
GLL: I just want to tax you more.
Stop the class warfare GLL, it’s really the lowest form of political discourse.
Bosch
August 31st, 2011
9:31 am
“How can anyone argue paying 0 is fair?”
Oh, I can, would you like to hear it?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
August 31st, 2011
9:31 am
GLL will be offering “How to Stay Classy in Blog Posts” classes later this evening…..
Teaser Tip (to entice you to the class): Repeatedly call someone “girl” and then protest loudly and whine about a post using a term that the protestor has used repeatedly.
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:31 am
Adam
I know that you don’t like what I am saying. But I’m sticking around. K?
Joe Mama
August 31st, 2011
9:32 am
Stands — “Not that I especially care, just curious, since it seems like a very specific investment/gain situation to me.”
An accountant friend of mine who taught himself MS Access used it to build a tool to estimate after-tax lottery winnings. You inputted the amount won, the payout frequency (including lump sum), your state of residence and current-year gross income (it worked for smaller amounts, too — like Fantasy 5 winnings) and it spat out how much you’d get after taxes.
And he said the same thing you did — that lottery winnings should be taxed as capital gains. After all, he said, you invested a buck in the lotto, so if it paid off, that’s clearly a capital gain.
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:32 am
Keep Up
I said that you werer exempt. I believe the term is “quit humping my leg”. Was that correct USinUK? Did I use the term correctly?
Adam
August 31st, 2011
9:32 am
Mighty Righty: In fact, if the CEO bonuses were instead paid to the workers, the govrnment would lose money at the lower tax rates.
Sounds like a win-win.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
August 31st, 2011
9:33 am
I am all for taxing Adam more, myself more…all of us more. If only GLL were advocating for raising the progressive tax rates appropriately and closing tax loopholes.
Mary Elizabeth
August 31st, 2011
9:33 am
To reinforce my 8:34 a.m. post, please note the following data, especially, the first point.
I want to reinforce that I am not blatantly against corporations, Cox Enterprises, under Mrs. Chambers, has done an excellent job in serving the public, while making profit. Corporations serve their purposes, but our nation needs balance restored. The first point below shows a trend that does not favor the American Middle Class, most of whom do not work in the corporate world.
• In 1950, the ratio of the average executive’s paycheck to the average worker’s paycheck was about 30 to 1. Since the year 2000, that ratio has exploded to between 300 to 500 to one.
• 83 percent of all U.S. stocks are in the hands of 1 percent of the people.
• 61 percent of Americans “always or usually” live paycheck to paycheck, which was up from 49 percent in 2008 and 43 percent in 2007.
• 66 percent of the income growth between 2001 and 2007 went to the top 1% of all Americans.
• 36 percent of Americans say that they don’t contribute anything to retirement savings.
• A staggering 43 percent of Americans have less than $10,000 saved up for retirement.
• 24 percent of American workers say that they have postponed their planned retirement age in the past year.
• Over 1.4 million Americans filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009, which represented a 32 percent increase over 2008.
The last points show why Social Security and Medicare will remain needed social safety needs for the vast majority of Americans.
Source:
http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/the-u.s.-middle-class-is-being-wiped-out-here’s-the-stats-to-prove-it-520657.html?tickers=%5EDJI,%5EGSPC,SPY,MCD,WMT,XRT,DIA
Brosephus
August 31st, 2011
9:33 am
If it weren’t for these evil corporations, you wouldn’t even have a 401K.
You spoke the damned truth there. I remember when companies actually provided pensions for workers as a token of long-term loyalty to keeping the company going and profitable. After a while, the companies pretty much gave the long-term loyal worker the finger. That would make them evil in my book.
Once the money is deposited in a 401K, it is you who determines what the account will produce. The evil corporation has nothing to do with it.
And who makes the accounts profitable? I don’t, I’m merely an investor at that point. The accounts themselves are invested in the market. It IS the corporation who makes my account profitable. Geez… You make it sound like a 401k is some super duper savings account when it is nothing more than an investment vehicle.
Granny Godzilla
August 31st, 2011
9:33 am
Class warfare….
Actually I think it’s about time.
BADA BING
August 31st, 2011
9:34 am
J Jackson called obama a ****er on a live mike that he thought was off. What do you think he meant by that?
Adam
August 31st, 2011
9:34 am
GLL: I know that you don’t like what I am saying. But I’m sticking around. K?
So am I, and since you place such value on this medium of communication, I will be watching you like a hawk and taking you to task for everything you say.
Jm
August 31st, 2011
9:34 am
This has to be one of the stupidest topics ever
If a company is unprofitable, yeah it will pay the CEO more than it pays in taxes. So what?
Steve - B.
August 31st, 2011
9:34 am
Sure Bosch – I entertain all opinions.
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:35 am
Adam
Class warfare is “In”, man. Haven’t you been keeping up? Companies not paying enough taxes and paying their CEOs too much. It was based on a study done by a liberal think tank and what on earth is more hip than a liberal think tank?
1811/0311
August 31st, 2011
9:35 am
stands for decibles:
I didn’t say the country/world was full of them ………… God did.
If the shoes fits wear it ………… otherwise press on !
Revelation 3:
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.”
Jm
August 31st, 2011
9:35 am
Ah delete last post
Need coffee
(ir)Rational
August 31st, 2011
9:35 am
Butch – I’m partially just being argumentative, but I’m seriously wanting to know what people think the government has done to earn the money that they take from us and from corporations. That part that is being argumentative says the government has the military for their own selfish interests. It also says that corporations can move to other places without as strong of a military and do just fine, so it points me back to wanting to know what it is that the government does to earn their pay.
Oh-well. Who is John Galt?
Mighty Righty
August 31st, 2011
9:36 am
Granny Godzilla
August 31st, 2011
9:27 am
Saying it doesn’t make it true. 60 votes are not required except to stop a filibuster of which there was none. Your ignoance is showing as usual.
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:36 am
Adam
I’m glad you are sticking around. If there’s one thing I never want, its for liberals to ever shut up.
I wouldn’t have supported book burnings either.
Adam
August 31st, 2011
9:37 am
GLL: Class warfare is the lowest form of political discourse
Class warfare is “In”, man.
Which is it?
1811/0311
August 31st, 2011
9:37 am
Granny:
“Class warfare….
Actually I think it’s about time.”
Granny get your gun !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVKmaYOES0
Jay
August 31st, 2011
9:38 am
“Class warfare is lowest form of political discourse.”
I do love that argument. When CEOs up their pay from 263 times the pay of America’s average workers to 325 times the average pay in just a year’s time — and when they give themselves an average pay increase of 28 percent in a time of great economic hardship for millions — that is not class warfare or wealth redistribution.
No, it is only class warfare when you are rude enough to notice such things.
getalife
August 31st, 2011
9:38 am
Thanks for coming here to support Jay cons.
You should rethink your wealth care ideology and look at the costs.
Your wealth care ideology is bankrupting your country.
Not that you really care about your country because you want to default but lets put the blame where it really should be.
You do love the blame game.
Common Sense
August 31st, 2011
9:38 am
“Class warfare….
Actually I think it’s about time.”
The ignorant have no chance in winning a war in which one must use force to control the masses and get what you seek.
Freedom and Independence will always trump it.
Those that want freedom are always more motivated.
Remember that as you hit your front lines there Granny.
larry
August 31st, 2011
9:38 am
Brosephus
August 31st, 2011
9:28 am
Then the man , just like those people, should not be rewarded with 100 million dollar contracts.
The anger you feel is the same anger I felt when the girl that killed my grandfather got off without even facing charges for manslaughter. Based on past experiences where I’ve been told to just accept it,
Except you shouldnt have to just accept it. District Attorney’s run for office, work like hell to get them out when a breach of justice like you discribed happens. Sheriffs run for office too.
As for MV, ive bought my last pair of NIkes, something which i have bought on a consistant basis for the last 30 years. They may not feel the loss , but i will have my piece of mind.
Common Sense
August 31st, 2011
9:39 am
“When CEOs up their pay from 263 times the pay of America’s average workers to 325 times the average pay in just a year’s time — and when they give themselves an average pay increase of 28 percent in a time of great economic hardship for millions — that is not class warfare or wealth redistribution.”
Yet how is this your business?
Granny Godzilla
August 31st, 2011
9:39 am
Mighty Righty
The vote was 53 to 45…..required 60 votes to even bring it to the floor….
I’m not ignorant you’re lazy.
Adam
August 31st, 2011
9:40 am
Common Sense: Those that want freedom are always more motivated.
The more you guys support wealth redistribution upwards and declining wages for everyone else, the closer you bring us to the very Marxist revolution you fear.
Granny Godzilla
August 31st, 2011
9:40 am
Common Sense
Do you really think the only way to wage war is violence?
You married?
Jay
August 31st, 2011
9:40 am
jm, I see you’ve noticed that $1.9 billion in average profit part of the post.
Gotta run for a bit.
Jm
August 31st, 2011
9:40 am
Tax return penis measuring
Faaaantastic fun
This should be entertaining
(ir)Rational
August 31st, 2011
9:41 am
Common Sense – That argument will get you nowhere here. They know better than you on everything. Just accept it and move on.
Oh-well. Who is John Galt?
Butch Cassidy
August 31st, 2011
9:41 am
Jay – ” When CEOs up their pay from 263 times the pay of America’s average workers to 325 times the average pay in just a year’s time — and when they give themselves an average pay increase of 28 percent in a time of great economic hardship for millions — that is not class warfare or wealth redistribution.”
Nope, it’s just being a world class D!@#
kayaker 71
August 31st, 2011
9:41 am
Bookman,
Cox enterprises hires you because you bring worth to their corporation. If you didn’t, I am sure that they would have the sense to either not hire you or get rid of you. If they brought in some twit who only posted 15 or 20 hits on their daily blog, I am sure that they would not last too long. You bring value to the company. On a larger scale, the CEO runs a company and makes decisions based on the company’s well being. Ed Whitaker was paid gazillions of dollars while CEO at AT&T but he built that corporation into the largest communications company in existence. Bottom line……. the corporation hires competent, hard working people who are assets. In turn, they compensate them, based on what they are perceived to be worth.
I hope that Cox Broadcasting pays you 500K/yr. if they did, would you turn it down?
Mighty Righty
August 31st, 2011
9:41 am
The great liberal Warren Buffet was praised last week for saying he should pay more taxes. Obama praised him, liberals on this blog just couldn’t shut up about his generosity. Now we find out his company doesn’t even pay taxes it owes and most likely his conspirators in the administration will cover for him. What a joke!
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:41 am
Jay
Are you still doing it? You won’t even tell us what you make but for some reaso, you believe that you should have a say in what other people make.
You are right: Great hardhip for millions. How about cranking up that check book. You just took some vacations. Wouldn’t that money be better served in helping the poor?
I mean, you can say what you think CEOs should make and companies should do with their money. But you don’t think that I should also have that luxery?
Jack
August 31st, 2011
9:41 am
CEO’s salaries reduce corp profit. The CEO pays taxes based on his income range. The corp profit is then taxed at the corp rate. The dollars are going to be taxed on a personal tax return or a corp tax return, that is, if it’s a C corp. It’s a bit more complicated than Bookman indicates. Anyway, when Bookman begins his corp, the CEO salary will be controlled by him and then he won’t have anything to complain about.
Jm
August 31st, 2011
9:42 am
Jay 9:40 yep
larry
August 31st, 2011
9:42 am
Actually , Mighty Righty, 60 votes are required to stop a filabuster.
In the United States Senate, rules permit a senator, or a series of senators, to speak for as long as they wish and on any topic they choose, unless “three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn”[35] (usually 60 out of 100 senators) brings debate to a close by invoking cloture under Senate Rule XXII. According to the Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Ballin (1892), changes to Senate rules could be achieved by a simple majority. Nevertheless, under current Senate rules, a rule change itself could be filibustered, with two-thirds of those senators present and voting (as opposed to the normal three-fifths of those sworn) needing to vote to end debate.[35] Despite this written requirement, the possibility exists that the filibuster could be changed by majority vote, using the so-called nuclear option, also sometimes called the constitutional option by proponents. Even if a filibuster attempt is unsuccessful, the process takes floor time. In recent years the majority has preferred to avoid filibusters by moving to other business when a filibuster is threatened and attempts to achieve cloture have failed.[36]
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:44 am
Granny
The number one way to fight the class warfare fight: Get a job.
Soothsayer
August 31st, 2011
9:44 am
Ireland’s unemployment rate rises to 14.4 percent (AJC)
DUBLIN — Ireland’s unemployment rate has risen to 14.4 percent on doubts that the bailed-out country can tame its debts and deficits.
Ireland has been trying to escape its 3-year recession through export growth led by its multinational companies. But the domestic economy remains dormant because of weak consumer demand, high household debts and a collapsed real-estate market.
The Central Statistics Agency said Wednesday that unemployment rose from July’s rate of 14.3 percent, the fourth straight monthly increase.
A record-high 470,000 people in Ireland, a country of 4.5 million, are claiming welfare payments for joblessness. About 17 percent are foreigners, chiefly Eastern Europeans who immigrated during the final years of Ireland’s 1994-2007 Celtic Tiger boom.
See, Jay, just reduce them corporate tax rates and everything will be just fine.
(ir)Rational
August 31st, 2011
9:44 am
GLL – typically, I find your posts entertaining, or at the least not annoying, but you’re really pissing me off today. So instead of asking you to shut up or leave, I’m simply going to leave. I’m not in the mood for your sh*t today. The rest of you have a nice day.
Oh-well. Who is John Galt?
Hootinanny Yum Yum
August 31st, 2011
9:45 am
So, I guess none of this off-shoring occurred while Democrats controlled both houses of Congress. And, I assume all those lobbying dollars are directed at GOP members. Democrats are not the beneficiary of any of those dollars.
Democrats, pure as the driven snow.
Granny Godzilla
August 31st, 2011
9:45 am
Mighty Righty
Actually you are right about Berkshire Hathoway oweing taxes…but since the IRS and he both admit it you can put your cover up allegation
back in that happy place your keep all the rest of your conspiracy theories.
Adam
August 31st, 2011
9:46 am
GLL: The number one way to fight the class warfare fight: Get a job.
Then what are you doing here GLL?
Mick
August 31st, 2011
9:46 am
Class warfare? Absolutely, and they win every time and why not? They own our gov’t not the people, what a concept…
Common Sense
August 31st, 2011
9:46 am
“The more you guys support wealth redistribution upwards and declining wages for everyone else, the closer you bring us to the very Marxist revolution you fear.”
Then let’s cut to the chase and have that Marxist Revolution. You are wasting time.
Maybe because in the end no one wants to be controlled, yet they want to control others? Is that what the stumbling block is?
Put your asset sharing principles out there.
Those that love freedom are not afraid. Freedom is worth fighting for.
Lowering a CEO’s pay that’s none of your business? Rally your troops.
Granny Godzilla
August 31st, 2011
9:48 am
GLL
I have 1 full time and 2 part time….
However you are wrong about it being the best way to fight the battles of class warfare. Way wrong.
Information is the key.
larry
August 31st, 2011
9:49 am
Oh-well. Who is John Galt?
He lives in Douglasville and owns John Galt INC. Its on Sullivan dr.
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:49 am
Adam
I’m making lots of money right now.
Lots.
willie lynch
August 31st, 2011
9:49 am
Once again we have a group trying to frame the discussion around wealth envy. Common sense is at work here as usual and good sense is still waiting to be found.
In the words of that great sage Moe Howard, “what a bubch of numbskulls”.
Mighty Righty
August 31st, 2011
9:49 am
larry
August 31st, 2011
9:42 am
I never said 60 votes were not required to stop a filiibuster. Re-read my post. I said the Republicans did not threaten a filibuster.
Paul
August 31st, 2011
9:50 am
Another case of data vs. sound bites and bumper stickers.
Guess which one wins with the Republican base?
I skimmed thru a couple pages. Aside from jimmy asserting corporations have to do this because our tax rate is too high, did anyone seriously refute anything Jay wrote?
Bradley
August 31st, 2011
9:50 am
Mary Elizabeth @ 8:34am is spot on. I honestly don’t understand why so many people fail to realize this. Corporate greed is slowly killing the avereage American.
Common Sense
August 31st, 2011
9:50 am
“Information is the key.”
If it’s none of your business, it’s not the key.
Mind your own business.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
August 31st, 2011
9:50 am
Why is it that someone is so delusional as to confuse a discussion about CEO pay and taxes and try to turn it into a discussion to force contributions to the poor?
CEO of public corporations have a responsibility to their shareholders. Because of lax laws and other market distortions, shareholders do not have real control over the pay of their CEO employees. In addtion, as pointed out, often CEO pay exceeds what profitable corporations are actually paying in taxes for the services they are getting from the federal government.
Seems the real redistribution is the distorted nonsensical arguments.
Morrus
August 31st, 2011
9:50 am
You can blame CEOs or you can blame their lobbyists but the true blame should land in the laps of ur ELECTED representatives. Easily bought because they need cash to stay in the race.
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:51 am
Granny
Three jobs and you still have class envy? Sounds like we need a change in our government. Too many working poor.
Soothsayer
August 31st, 2011
9:51 am
Hershey Co. strike highlights abuses in the J-1 program
The students themselves are required to pay thousands of dollars to participate in the program, to “sponsors” – which are entities that process the J-1 visa on behalf of the State Department and contract with employers seeking workers. The students often have to borrow the money from their families to pay the sponsor fees and for their international travel. Thus they arrive already indebted to their employer, and are desperate to earn back what they have invested. This is exactly what happened with the J-1 students in Palmyra – thousands of dollars were paid to the Council for Educational Travel, U.S.A. (CETUSA), which then contracted with a labor broker to put the students to work at Hershey’s distribution contractor.
The J-1 students confirm that their experience has not been a cultural exchange. Instead, they work long hours and often end up earning less than minimum wage. As a result, they have little time to meet Americans or to travel to other American cities, or to experience any other sort of “cultural exchange.”
You see, corporations import cheap labor under the guise of “cultural exhange” program. Sickening.
Poor Boy from Alabama
August 31st, 2011
9:51 am
JB,
Here’s the list
Company: Percent Change in CEO compensation over 2009
Stanley Black & Decker: +253%
Ford: +48%
Chesapeake Energy: +13%
Aon: +100%
Bank of New York Mellon: +73%
Coca-Cola Enterprises: +71%
Verizon: + 4%
Dow Chemical: +13%
Prudential Financial: +10%
Ameriprise: -11%
Honeywell: +15%
General Electric: +172%
Allegheny Technologies: +48%
Mylan Laboratories: +27%
Capital One Financial: +144%
Wynn Resorts Ltd.: +74%
Marsh & McLennan: +1%
Boeing: 0%
Motorola Solutions: +62%
Nabors Industries: -42%
Qwest Communications: +12%
Cablevision Systems: -21%
Motorola Mobility: +245%
eBay: +22%
International Paper: +75%
There’s no rhyme or reason to this list. These companies represent a broad array of industries and some of them are run by CEO’s who took pay cuts last year. Many of these companies are in cyclical industries. It’s only natural that they would have tax loss carry-forwards and that their CEO’s compensation would jump after the recession ended. Arguing about CEO compensation is a distraction. The real point here is that the tax code needs to be overhauled.
Good Little Liberal
August 31st, 2011
9:52 am
Keep Up
Why are you still humping my leg?
Common Sense
August 31st, 2011
9:52 am
“did anyone seriously refute anything Jay wrote?”
Why must it be refuted? These are private sector companies that have no obligation to justify anything to Jay Bookman.