Economy

[Cerek]

Originally Posted by SpiritWarrior That should have been your original first response to this, is all. That you are celebrating, may have some healthy reservations, but overall this is a nice thing to hear. Nevermind the JD vortex. Most of us can't understand it, not to mention defend it. To think that such a savvy businessman would without prompting, come forward and show his hand, only to flee when tax time comes 'round is just silly. He's the one who suggested he do it. Asking him to pay money right now is silly too (I know you didn't say it).

If you go back, you will see that was my first response. I said essentially the same thing. I just clarified it in the second response by saying I have no problem with repealing the Bush tax cuts. I don't think that will provide a complete solution (as some Dems seem to suggest), but I agree it would be a step in the right direction and I do applaud Buffington by pointing out the percentage of tax he actually pays rather than just listing the amount.

He could have easily said "I don't know why people call for more taxes on the rich. Last year alone, I paid $7 million dollars in taxes". Since that is many times more than most people make in a lifetime (let alone a single year), most of the general public would probably have said "Wow, I guess the rich ARE being taxed pretty heavily after all." Instead, though, Buffet was honest enough to say that, even though that IS a lot of money, it still only represents roughly 17% of his total earnings last year and that every one of his employees (who make far less) actually paid a higher percentage of their income in taxes.

So, yeah, I give him proper credit for his comments and hope that he has the integrity to follow through on them.

[Timber Loftis]

Originally Posted by Memnoch Let's try and leave off arguing about TL and John D's personal characteristics if we can.

I know you're not saying this, but it can be construed from your words, so I want to note this before it goes further: I don't think I attack JD on any personal level. He loves to aim at my profession or my job, tell me what I do and do not do during my working day, and whatnot (which is a bit funny since he knows absolutely nil about such things). I don't think I have ever taken aim at his business or commented on it at all. Aside from chastising him for abusive mishandling of the English language, I don't think I've ever made it personal.

Of course I don't like it when he does this. Of course I'm tempted to turn it back on him and take him to task in a similar fashion. But I try not to.

[SpiritWarrior]

Originally Posted by Cerek If you go back, you will see that was my first response. I said essentially the same thing. I just clarified it in the second response by saying I have no problem with repealing the Bush tax cuts. I don't think that will provide a complete solution (as some Dems seem to suggest), but I agree it would be a step in the right direction and I do applaud Buffington by pointing out the percentage of tax he actually pays rather than just listing the amount. He could have easily said "I don't know why people call for more taxes on the rich. Last year alone, I paid $7 million dollars in taxes". Since that is many times more than most people make in a lifetime (let alone a single year), most of the general public would probably have said "Wow, I guess the rich ARE being taxed pretty heavily after all." Instead, though, Buffet was honest enough to say that, even though that IS a lot of money, it still only represents roughly 17% of his total earnings last year and that every one of his employees (who make far less) actually paid a higher percentage of their income in taxes. So, yeah, I give him proper credit for his comments and hope that he has the integrity to follow through on them.

No, no I read it. My point was you addressed it last, like an afterthought, jumping into JD first. If someone was happy about it i'd think that would be your first line, is all. Refer to my response to it earlier.