Nick Prout:

 

One more point about Norbs rant article is something he has conveniently sidestepped on the several occasions he has mentioned exec pay. When the top marginal rates were lowered in the 80's, a large percentage of available tax deductions went out the window at the same time. Although I am sure that it wasn't a wash, it theoretically took some of the "sting" out of the perceived loss in taxes to the Fed people. I didn't have time to go into that earlier this morning, but that  might qualify as semi-salient and not perceived as sailing around Commodore Norb's point. Any port in a storm!

Still friends, Norb.

 

 

 

Nick, my friend

Sorry, I had an  errand to run, and had to cut off my earlier rant.

After you explain the deduction question, please explain what they have to do with my main points:

1.) CEO's have manipulated the game so that they are paying themselves 10 times what they used to, and for no more benefit (and frequently less benefit) to the corporation that they supposedly work for.

2.) Setting the top marginal rate at a level high enough to discourage such overpayments would strongly encourage them to accept a more rational salary, and would make that saved money available for improving the competitive position of those corporations. If they were to continue to draw the same salaries under this scenario, a large portion of it would go back to the government as taxes -- and this would emphasize how excessively greedy they are.

Am I missing something important?

Norb

Joe Campbell:

 

I enjoyed Norb's Op Ed as well.  Norb, a tip of the hat to you.  I especially liked your application of "a little arithmetic."

 

 

 Thanks Joe,

Actually, the arithmetic was in the submitted text, but they edited it out for space reasons. It was, 141,000 times ($7.44 - $2 million) = $767 billion.  (Or putting it into words, that would be: $7.44 minus $2 equals $5.44 million saved, multiplied by the 141,000 people, equals the $767 billion per year from that group.)

I was kind of sorry that they cut out that equation, because as obvious it is to us, a lot of "arithmetically challenged" people would be scratching their heads and being not sure about where the $767 number came from.

Norb

Norb Weckstein:

was kind of sorry that they cut out that equation, because as obvious it is to us, a lot of "arithmetically challenged" people would be scratching their heads and being not sure about where the $767 number came from.

Norb

 

 Who? Moi?  

Sharron

 

 Yeah, I know the hate crime law debate is, technically, over but since I note the discussion is still ongoing and having no qualifications re the newest question let me just toss this in. Still three years short of eighty I don't get the time for several contributions per day but may I ask?

If a crime is committed against someone not listed as a hate crime victim is the victim entitled to less "justice?" If you harm me because I stand between you and my wallet or because you don't like my leaves blowing in your yard or because you just can't stand fat old baldheaded bearded guys am I not just as harmed as if I had been a member of some "protected group?"

My neighbor and golfing buddy is genetically much darker than I. He recalls his parents being limitted by "Jim Crow" laws but he knows how I was raised and agrees that being defined as a "protected group" is an insult to him and his family.

 

Bob Terry:

Yeah, I know the hate crime law debate is, technically, over but since I note the discussion is still ongoing and having no qualifications re the newest question let me just toss this in. Still three years short of eighty I don't get the time for several contributions per day but may I ask?  If a crime is committed against someone not listed as a hate crime victim is the victim entitled to less "justice?"

Glad you're keeping busy, Bob.  Would less justice be anything like less pregnant?  Personally, I don't think the law is about more or less justice, or insulting any persecuted group by adding another layer of protection, but I haven't asked any blacks, women, or homosexuals how they feel about it.  That seems like the sort of impolite question I try to avoid with friends, neighbors and colleagues.  It seems to me the law is about strengthening the constitutional guarantee of equal protection under the law by providing criminal justice authorities with statutory options for federal resources (to supplement, not impede, state and local efforts).

 

Sharron Smith:

Norb Weckstein:

was kind of sorry that they cut out that equation, because as obvious it is to us, a lot of "arithmetically challenged" people would be scratching their heads and being not sure about where the $767 number came from.

Norb

 

 Who? Moi?  

Sharron

 

 

 Sharron, you are a riot.

While you won't have to concern yourself about this for many years, i have it on good authority that there are no math questions on the entrance exam to the Pearly Gates.

Norb

Norb Weckstein:

Sharron, you are a riot.

While you won't have to concern yourself about this for many years, i have it on good authority that there are no math questions on the entrance exam to the Pearly Gates.

Norb

I always like to find opportunities to agree with my fellow panelists, Norb, so I'd like to say that I agree with your authority that there are no math exams required for entrance into heaven.  My Authority says the same thing.

I also took the liberty of looking up "riot" in my trusty dictionary and was surprised at what I found.  The word has several definitions, but I stopped reading after the first three:

Riot, n,  1. a disturbance; confusion; disorder; wild; violent; public disturbance.   2. a loud outburst.  3.  loose living; wild reveling.

P.S.  My spellcheck rejects "Norb" and suggests "norby."  Do you know what a "norby " is?  My usually trusty Thorndike-Barnhart dictionary doesn't list it.

 

 

 Dave, keeping busy is how I stay verticle. Keeping up with those I know need help keeps me able to tell that I'm still verticle which, by the way, are my two primary criteria.

I'm also very reasonable, no matter what ANYBODY says.

Clonnie Yearout:

I also took the liberty of looking up "riot" in my trusty dictionary and was surprised at what I found.  The word has several definitions, but I stopped reading after the first three:

Riot, n,  1. a disturbance; confusion; disorder; wild; violent; public disturbance.   2. a loud outburst.  3.  loose living; wild reveling.

P.S.  My spellcheck rejects "Norb" and suggests "norby."  Do you know what a "norby " is?  My usually trusty Thorndike-Barnhart dictionary doesn't list it.

 

 

Clonnie

That's the trouble with you old retired guys. You still look things up in books. Get with it man, the web is the way to go!

The reference to "riot," when associated with humor, is shorthand for "laugh riot."  Go to GOOGLE.COM and check out UrbanDictionary.com.

And GOOGLE also tells us that norby is a fictional robot, the hero of children's stories by Janet and Isaac Asimov. The first book was Norby, the mixed up robot -- just like me.

Not to be outdone, in the Harry Potter stories there is also a baby Norwegian Ridgeback Dragon named Norbert. He was hatched from an egg that Hagrid won in a card game. His birthday is February 24th, the same as mine.

GOOGLE also says there are 63 people in the US who have the first name Clonnie, but no known robots or dragons.

Norb

 

Clonnie Yearout:

Riot, n,  1. a disturbance; confusion; disorder; wild; violent; public disturbance.   2. a loud outburst.  3.  loose living; wild reveling.

 

 Who?  Moi?  It has been many years since I was accused of wild reveling.  I am rather flattered!

Sharron Smith

Norb Weckstein:

Joe Campbell:

 

I enjoyed Norb's Op Ed as well.  Norb, a tip of the hat to you.  I especially liked your application of "a little arithmetic."

 

 

 Thanks Joe,

Actually, the arithmetic was in the submitted text, but they edited it out for space reasons. It was, 141,000 times ($7.44 - $2 million) = $767 billion.  (Or putting it into words, that would be: $7.44 minus $2 equals $5.44 million saved, multiplied by the 141,000 people, equals the $767 billion per year from that group.)

I was kind of sorry that they cut out that equation, because as obvious it is to us, a lot of "arithmetically challenged" people would be scratching their heads and being not sure about where the $767 number came from.

Norb

Still, I find your actually including arithmetical proof in your argument refreshing.  I'd prefer exponential notation, though .

 

Norb Weckstein:

Clonnie

That's the trouble with you old retired guys. You still look things up in books. Get with it man, the web is the way to go!

The reference to "riot," when associated with humor, is shorthand for "laugh riot."  Go to GOOGLE.COM and check out UrbanDictionary.com.

And GOOGLE also tells us that norby is a fictional robot, the hero of children's stories by Janet and Isaac Asimov. The first book was Norby, the mixed up robot -- just like me.

Not to be outdone, in the Harry Potter stories there is also a baby Norwegian Ridgeback Dragon named Norbert. He was hatched from an egg that Hagrid won in a card game. His birthday is February 24th, the same as mine.

GOOGLE also says there are 63 people in the US who have the first name Clonnie, but no known robots or dragons.

Norb

 

 Norb -

I love your playful post - thanks for the fun!