The general decline in standards today

[Marc Chevalier]

My favorite hip thing to say today is "Please, raise my taxes" being spewed by Million/Billionaires. My ***. All these people have to do it write a check to the IRS, but they won't. Know why? It's BS. Nobody - NOBODY - wants their taxes raised. And if they say it, they're lying. Another example of this bull. Spare me.

KFI AM 640: "More stimulating talk radio!"

 

[ButteMT61]

KFI AM 640: "More stimulating talk radio!"

I do listen to KFI at times - are they talking about this???

 

[LoveMyHats2]

That is a good point and necessary to bring forward. Many people who have money also have no interest in being recognized for the good works that they do. Donating anonymously is de riguer for two reasons. One being that true charity is anonymous---anything less is just advertising. Two being that they just don't want to be hit up for more and more because people think they are a personal ATM machine just because they did it once. They choose who and what to give to on their own time.

You are so correct. Now some business will in fact make a donation because the want the publicity to promote the business and use the venue of the media coverage merely for the donation they are making. Air time on prime time coast to coast network is costly, but to give some charity a hundred grand makes them come out ahead, due to the factors of knowing they will be "on air" via the 6 o'clock nightly news with Peter Jennings. That hundred grand would not buy them 2 seconds of air time if not for the charity act to give it to them.

But yes, many donate and no ones knows it. And there are some that give that want others to know it as they wish to allow others to be able to donate to a cause as well.

 

[Tomasso]

Dexter and Birdie Yager. Billionaires. You can say what you want about what they do..........

Oh, the Amway people.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I do listen to KFI at times - are they talking about this???

They sure were. Rush Limbaugh had some fun with it.

 

[ButteMT61]

...So in the long run, I am very sure what I do, works.

Guess that answer should quell any more fishing. Nicely done, all-around.

 

[ButteMT61]

They sure were. Rush Limbaugh had some fun with it.

Ahh. Well, it's so easy to have fun with garbage like that. I do have one friend who sold his business for 10's of millions some years back and he genuinely seems OK with taxes being raised. But he's an odd duck. He is the kind of guy that is generous beyond belief, and paid his employees handsomely after the buy-out, which he did NOT have to do. I think he's rare, and generally, the more someone talks about what good they do, they less they do it for the right reasons, if it all. I call bunk on the "Please raise my taxes" crowd.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Guess that answer should quell any more fishing. Nicely done, all-around.

Thank you. I really find that as much as anyone can do in life, you really only can get out of it what you are willing to put into it.

I know I am not perfect and at times I just keep a happy yet stubborn way of doing things. But in the daily things I do, I really do day dream of what I could do to help someone or improve something that would really make a good difference for other people in life. That line of thinking has given me some very rewarding results.

I appreciate visiting other places that have a successful business. I have found in many cases the founder of a company has a deep routed sense of value for the mere employee that works for them.

Not one to like reality shows, but my Wife watches one that large companies have the CEO or owners travel to locations to work side by side with the average Joe/Jane working in that business to see what is going on and what ways they may make things be better all around. No one knows it is the CEO until later. I think many companies would benefit for doing that. I think many people that are in the elected officials "group" should have to spend a month living on food stamps to see how that is as well. Give them a taste of reality.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Ahh. Well, it's so easy to have fun with garbage like that. I do have one friend who sold his business for 10's of millions some years back and he genuinely seems OK with taxes being raised. But he's an odd duck. He is the kind of guy that is generous beyond belief, and paid his employees handsomely after the buy-out, which he did NOT have to do. I think he's rare, and generally, the more someone talks about what good they do, they less they do it for the right reasons, if it all. I call bunk on the "Please raise my taxes" crowd.

I can tell you personally I have no problem with what I have to pay taxes on. Some areas have more taxation on a business then others. I never have felt badly about what I have to pay at all, and I am sure I could try very hard to find loop holes to lessen the amount I do pay. But for me, I tend to have more of an issue with what happened to the taxes I did pay? It is an entirely sad topic and not much latitude to discuss due to the political issues it raises. However, the tax pool has become a toilet bowl, and every dirty crook has had his/her hand elbow deep into it.

I also think there are some rather wealthy people that really would not mind if their taxes went up. But maybe not the ones that are on the news reporting it as shown lately.

 

[Tomasso]

One being that true charity is anonymous---anything less is just advertising.

So the great American fortunes that were pledged to philanthropic foundations , from Rockefeller and Carnegie all the way to Gates and Buffet, don't register as true charity. Interesting.......

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I think many people that are in the elected officials "group" should have to spend a month living on food stamps to see how that is as well. Give them a taste of reality.

Or in the very least make elected office (even national office) the part-time job that it once was. Many of our professional politicians are people who have spent nearly their entire working lives in the public sector with little or no experience in private industry.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I do listen to KFI at times - are they talking about this???

I myself am a big fan of John and Ken.

 

[ButteMT61]

So the great American fortunes that were pledged to philanthropic foundations , from Rockefeller and Carnegie all the way to Gates and Buffet, don't register as true charity. Interesting.......

The point is why is giving always attached to a name on the building? I'm sure most are happy to accept this along with the check, but really, what's the intent if you REQUIRE the name on the building? "Look at me" or "I did some good"?
The receivers are happy either way, but there's a point there...

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Or in the very least make elected office (even national office) the part-time job that it once was. Many of our professional politicians are people who have spent nearly their entire working lives in the public sector with little or no experience in private industry.

An older term used in speech more in our time years ago, and not so popular now as a slang sort of label, some would say, "on the dole", for a reference to being given aid. Now I turn that label to those that are paid by our tax dollars to sit in an office and dream up ways to mess with our lives. They are living a life high above the average hard working kind and decent person and do so while "living on the dole" of the expense of all of us. I give little to no respect for them.

As ironic as it may sound, I do actually bring up in my daily prayers, (yep I do that and have no problem stating it) that in some way that those knuckle heads sitting in office, will be inspired to really do something good, kind, honest, and for the people and not just for their own personal agenda.

 

[jamespowers]

I agree with you that it's true charity. Sadly, two strong motivators for big-guns charity giving are prestige and competitiveness, and public charity gets certain big-guns people of a certain socioeconomic set to open their pocketbooks more widely.

If I were Barry Diller, I might give (or give more than usual) to charities because it makes me look good, and because I don't want Edgar Bronfman to be seen 'outgiving' me. Without this public incentive prodding my ego into action, I might give less -- or not give at all.

I give because I want to not because it is good advertising or such. The public be damned.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Oh, the Amway people.

Yes they made the billions selling amway. I can tell you really, if you met them you would see the way their hearts are as people. And, you would love them.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... what's the intent if you REQUIRE the name on the building? "Look at me" or "I did some good"?

Intended or not, one fringe benefit is that it encourages others (with competitive, egocentric streaks) to donate ... so that they, too, can have their names on buildings next to yours.

 

[ButteMT61]

Intended or not, one fringe benefit is that it encourages others (with competitive, egocentric streaks) to donate ... so that they, too, can have their names on buildings next to yours.

Yes, the ego of the giver is not to be taken lightly!

 

[jamespowers]

So the great American fortunes that were pledged to philanthropic foundations , from Rockefeller and Carnegie all the way to Gates and Buffet, don't register as true charity. Interesting.......

Nope. That was advertising. Gates is definitely advertising and dodging taxes. Buffet is using his giving as a tax dodge and advertising. Carnegie and Rockefeller were both using it as advertising to repair what they thought was their damaged image after years of their "Robber Baron" status.

 

[jamespowers]

Yes, the ego of the giver is not to be taken lightly!

And again it becomes advertsing. A big look at me or an image repair devise. They are despicable.