The Haters Guide to the Williams-Sonoma Catalog

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by geeker2

I checked my effective tax rate, it is 15%

Mitt's is 14.1 %.

Can't say it makes me want to go out and protest in the streets. If I dug for a few more deductions I could probably equal his but my risk tolerance is low. What I need is a high priced accountant - hey that might even be deductible SWEET!

I'd imagine tho the difference is in millions...but, good for you that you find that acceptable.

[Danzig]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_law_of_oligarchy

Michels stressed several factors that underlie the Iron Law of Oligarchy. Darcy K. Leach summarized them briefly as: "Bureaucracy happens. If bureaucracy happens, power rises. Power corrupts.

Leaders control the information that flows down the channels of communication, censoring what they do not want the rank-and-file to know. Leaders will also dedicate significant resources to persuade the rank-and-file of the rightness of their views.[2] This is compatible with most societies: people are taught to obey those in positions of authority. Therefore the rank and file show little initiative, and wait for the leaders to exercise their judgment and issue directives to follow.

For this latter point he draws upon Aristotle who argued that a democratic polity was most likely where there was a large, stable middle class, and the extremes of wealth and poverty were not great.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...epublic-unive/

researchers compared 1,800 different U.S. policies that were put in place by politicians between 1981 and 2002 to the type of policies preferred by the average and wealthy American, or special interest groups.

Researchers then concluded that U.S. policies are formed more by special interest groups than by politicians properly representing the will of the general people, including the lower-income class.


in the new spending bill (oh thank god they passed it so the govt didn't shut down, right?), a big bank regulation was repealed, that lets swaps go on again. you know, cause we didn't learn anything the last time around when finance caused the biggest economic downturn since the great depression. but hey, bankers paid dearly for that, so they won't do it again. (hahahahahahaha)
i'd say the greatest thing the rich did for themselves is they managed to get a fair amount of americans to support all they've done. it's only made it easier to get laws tilted ever more in their favor, while us peons pay for all their shenanigans.