“Hello, my name is Sally. I am addicted to income inequality.”
Group: “Hello Sally.”
Group Leader: “We’ve asked Sally here tonight to please tell us her story, how she deals with income inequality addiction.”
“Thank you for the invite Charis and Irene!”
“Well, my income inequality addiction began at a very early age. At five years of age I saw kids in my neighborhood receiving an allowance from their parents.
These friends of mine were able to buy gum, baseball cards, dolls, G rated Archie comic books, you name it. They bought it with their 25 cents or with their 50 cents or with their dollar bill right in front of me. I felt deprived, anxious and angry.”
Group Leader: “You must have felt a tremendous urge to make demands of your parents.”
“Yes I did. Income inequality anger began to grow deep inside me. I began to covet my friend’s hoard of pennies. “It’s not fair!” I told my parents.
Well, my parents, good folk that they were, gave me an allowance but only after I had washed the supper dishes, made my bed daily, memorized my Scripture verse for Sunday and completed other value-received chores.
Still, you must know, my allowance of 25 cents wasn’t enough. I couldn’t buy what my friends could buy. They had bags of marbles. I had a handful. “It’s not fair,” I told my parents again.
So, I was given the option of washing the family car for two dollars once a week. Cutting the grass was a regular chore so no money was gained from yard work. I had to really think hard as to how to compete for that societal equality that would ultimately, I thought, make me bubble-gum ice cream happy.”
Group Leader: “What did you do?”
“Well, nothing for a while. I stewed and, sometimes, I stole candy and small items from the “Five and Dime” stores.” I wanted my fair share.
As I grew older I did receive COLA allowances but I also received W-O-R-K obligations to match the COLA allowances.
So, you must know, I began working at age 12. The pastor of our little church must have seen the march for equality goose stepping its way though my nervous system as I sat squirming in the pew every Sunday. One day he recommended me for a job at a local photo shop. The store owner, upon the pastor’s recommendation, hired me for PT work. Every week after that day I received a paycheck.
With that piece of the monetized industry I began to spend, to save and to tithe. I stopped saying “It’s not fair!” on a regular basis. “Minimum wages”, unheard of in my youth, were what I got for what I agreed to do. I did not complain. In fact, I beamed.
Still, you must know, that after two years of behind the counter film canister envelope prep and returning unexposed or badly lit pictures to irate customers I was promoted to selling cameras. Nikons, Canons, Hasselblads-the whole gamut of photo gadgetry. I was paid more and beginning to forget about childhood’s income inequality fixation until someone else was hired.
The addition of the another staff member made me wonder if I was paid more or less than the new hired help. I became anxious, secretly hoping to exercise my detective skills to determine income inequality. My addiction was flaring up once again.
Group Leader: “Did you ever find out about the other worker’s pay?’
“No, I didn’t. Circumstances changed: the high school bus started arriving every week day morning. What I hadn’t thought about till then was that the owner of the photo shop had anticipated my leaving for high school and needed to hire a replacement. I kept my anxiety in tact anyway. I wasn’t sure I could trust people to be fair. Nobody else knew how important I was.
Still, you must know, I was at financial odds with my generation. People I knew were going to Woodstock or to San Francisco or to Paris. The unlucky went to Vietnam-no envy was elicited from me on that matter.
And, you must know, that in high school, I wasn’t equal with a good friend who got a car from his parents. It was a car with an eight-track player! “It’s not fair,” I revved up again.
Well, my dad-he worked two jobs-let me use the family car. I became somewhat mollified. I could then at least listen to WLS with Larry Lujack, “Little Tommy” and “Animal Stories” on the punch dial radio. Not only that, the Top Forty Countdown aired between a dozen or so commercials. I sat in the family car or drove the car just for the existential experience of radio “ON” and windows open. Music helped soothe the savage inequality beast.
High school was a challenge for me. I was too busy with band, orchestra, track, tennis, honors math, boyfriends, etc. to worry out loud about income inequality. But, I did want the same clothes, the same shoes, the same pink troll pen tops-you know, the essentials.
Group Leader: “How did you manage without money during high school?”
“It wasn’t easy. My dad worked two jobs and my mom worked a night shift. They were both tapped out. I babysat my younger siblings gratis, biting my nails and watching “Father Knows Best.” I had to wait till summer to abate my income inequality anxiety.
Every summer between my high school years I worked my butt off. Each job was different and demanding. I gained knowledge quicker than I gained income, but again, I would leave my envy intact as a backup. There was always something I felt that was missing, something that I thought I needed to have even when I couldn’t picture it in my mind or on the TV.
Group Leader: “What happened after high school?”
“My father and mother gave me $750.00 and sent me off to Moody Bible Institute, a tuition-free school. That was all the money I ever received for my college education. I worked PT at Garrett’s Popcorn shop and did janitorial work for Moody to cover room and board.
After Moody I began working in the only jobs that I could find-industrial jobs. It had become clear to me that childhood had run its course and that now I must provide for myself. This was scary anxiety driving stuff. Envy was still waiting in the wings hoping that I would rejoin her party.
While I worked different shifts I began studying correspondence courses from Moody-New Testament Koine Greek, New Testament Survey and other courses.
Later, working at various day jobs I made myself learn what I needed to increase my income. So, at night and the weekends I went to a community college.
There, I studied sundry subjects: computer programming, trigonometry, physics, macro and micro economics, accounting, business, and welding! I could stick weld, MIG weld, TIG weld, flame weld, use a blow torch, calculate rates of acceleration, balance your books and code Programmable Logic Controllers. This unique skill set paid more, much more. I found that if I made myself indispensable to my employer I earned more and was kept on staff when there were layoffs. And there were layoffs.
Group Leader: “It sounds like you began making personal decisions that turned your life around.”
“Yes, I forced myself to grow. I am inquisitive by nature so most learning comes naturally. Some learning comes the hard way-through stupid stuff and not paying attention to detail.
At one point after I had worked as electrical panel builder I taught myself how to use CAD software. After that I began doing design work. I then became a designer of electrical automation schematics. I enjoyed the creative aspect of engineering. Income inequality became less of an issue because I felt I was in the game. Then I had a family.
Little materialists popped onto the scene and like the rest of us they were contentment challenged.
Being a Tiger That-Eats-Ones’-Self Parent that I am I put more pressure on myself when I decided to become a partner in a newly formed corporation.
To make a long story short, three of us, two guys and me as Tiger Parent, started a manufacturing business. Each of us brought a different set of skills accrued over time. We felt we could make it happen and we did. The company became a worldwide multimillion dollar company. It also became a 24/7 job in my role a VP of Engineering. So, after fifteen years and thousands of miles of air travel I sold my shares and quit. A little late, but family needed to come first.
As a business owner I certainly had plenty of income as well as other perks. Income inequality addiction was no longer a driving force of my life. In fact a quest for learning had replaced it.
My life’s paradigm shift occurred somewhere along the path of pages and paychecks.
And, as a parent I wanted to make sure my kids knew God and they understood how the world works from God’s perspective.
Group Leader: “”Can you tell us how you came to that perspective?”
“Sure. As I mentioned I studied Scripture. Three verses stand out: “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added.” and “Godliness with contentment” and w/o The Real Housewives of Orange County” “is great gain.” Also, “To whom much is given, much is required.”
My addiction to income inequality began to erode when I chose to cling to those things which are eternal above me, in me and in my children. Then, I was able to love others and rejoice when they gained. I did not need to be equal. I needed to be thankful.
I had finally realized that income inequality addiction is a character flaw. I had used my envy like a baseball bat. I beat the air hoping to smash open the paper mache piñata that held the material goodies I felt should rain down on me.
“I dropped the bat and put away childish things. Thanks for having me here tonight.”
Cindy Wity 
Be Wary of Progressives in Finance Article Clothing or Down Where the Tax Meets the Bone
November 15, 2014 Leave a comment
Let’s talk taxes. Be wary of Progressives in finance article clothing.
The illustrative article/video, “Income taxes are lower than you think” posted on the Yahoo! Finance webpage uses the good finance cop/bad finance cop ploy to get the reader to come around to their terms. This type of social manipulation could be one reason why America’s Judas MIT con artist Jon Gruber spoke of voters as “stupid”, suckers for any ivory tower talking talking-head in a suit bloviating about the glories of redistributive economics. .
The article begins: “You probably think your taxes are too damn high. Chances are, you’re wrong.”
Whoa! I am not wrong! No matter how much they spin this clay argument will my taxes ever appear small and sought-after. Caveat emptor mi amigos! And don’t forget, taxes are the coercive means (ala “Go to jail. Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.00”) used by government to fund more out-of-control deficit spending.
Let’s see. There is the personal income tax, the payroll tax, FICA, MICA, property taxes, sales taxes, Obamacare mandate and “Cadillac” taxes (thanks for memories Justice Roberts), the differential tax of government wage and price controls and stagnant wages. Wage controls include the minimum wage tax placed on employers. I now buy a more expensive to sell hamburger as does the teenager earning minimum wage. Nothing happens in isolation. And, of course, there is the let’s pummel evil business CORPORATE TAX which depresses all forms of economic growth. The direct and indirect taxes are too numerous to mention. I am not cheap or stupid. I am tired of being taxed to the bone.
Forty percent of the nation pays taxes for the remaining recipient sixty percent. Twenty percent of the forty percent pays most of the tax burden. Progressive tax rates, among other redistributive programs, are making the U.S. into a socialist European bankrupt-susceptible entity where the individual is no longer important. The individual is just another “stupid” number on Jon Gruber’s chalkboard.
The video screen reinforces the manipulation of the Progressive dialogue: “Your taxes aren’t as high as you think.” I think both speakers are high on government fumes.
The article refers to the “nonpartisan “CBO to soften its social engineering blow: “ The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office just published its annual analysis of Americans’ income and taxes, and guess what–American taxpayers continue to get a pretty good deal. The average household pays 19.3% of its income in federal taxes, CBO estimates.” Isn’t that special!
We are TOLD that we are getting a pretty good deal. That’s Progressives for you! They think they know you better than you know yourself! And, that’s when they begin their snake oil salesmanship…
The article goes on to tell us that the currently low (in their minds) tax rates “ought to be good news for consumers, except there are three problems (only three?!?) that explain why Americans don’t feel cheery at all about the government they pay for.” (Here they sweet talk us hoping to play on Progressive ‘sensibilities’.)…
First, while federal tax rates have fallen over time, incomes have stagnated. For middle-class earners, real income, adjusted for inflation, has risen just 16% since 1979, and it has actually fallen by a few percentage points since peaking in 2007. That means the typical middle-class family has experienced declining living standards during the last 7 years—which makes the sting of taxes much sharper.
Next up, they pivot to take a pot shot at the 1%: “The only exception to this pernicious trend of flatlining incomes is among the top 1% of earners, whose incomes-nobody will be surprised to hear-have risen 174% since 1979. Tax increases that went into effect in 2013 actually impacted the wealthy more than everybody else, which is why even the 1% earn less than they did several years ago. But nobody needs to worry about America’s millionaires.”
How nice of them to again tell us what to think!
Listen to the words being used to sell their ‘product’: “Pernicious flat lining,” “Exception,” “(the1%) Incomes …have risen.” With a know-it-all Jon Gruber-like condescension they reassure us that they are looking out for us. (“Our ends justify deceitful means.”)
Well, I care about the 1%. The 1%’s money creates industry, jobs, wealth, stockholder dividends, overall economic growth and lo, and behold, personal dignity from an individual’s labor. Besides philanthropy the 1% investments help feed 401K, IRA and pension retirement accounts. The 1% and I pay for the other 50% of the country that doesn’t pay any tax. It is very short sighted to demonize the 1%. In fact, to do so is a form of social manipulation meant for already in place redistributive ends. Progressivism’s Politburo ‘think tank’ of course do not want you to know this, again in Jon Gruber-like fashion.
“Second, while federal tax rates have stabilized at relatively low levels, state and local taxes have risen in many areas. Property taxes, often levied to fund schools, have become a particular burden, because education costs have outpaced inflation.”
The talking heads left out the nonpartisan national debt. Each us, (our children and grandchildren will not be debt free when we die) now owes ten of thousands of dollars.
They also left out that the U.S. dollar is worth less because of the fiscal and monetary policies (printing fiat money for bailouts and financing losers (i.e., Solyndra) to name only two bad GOVERNMENT economic choices) of which these knuckleheads would gladly support. I have no doubt. It’s only money. They go on with the good finance cop talk:
“The third reason Americans are glum about taxes is they don’t feel they’re getting their money’s worth from the government. The Republican sweep of Congress in this year’s midterm elections was an expression of frustration with the economic status quo and the Democrats most associated with it. Poll after poll shows satisfaction with government to be at or near record lows. In Gallup polls, nearly as many people say the government is the nation’s biggest problem as cite the economy. Most people would rather pay a little bit more for something that works well than pay rock-bottom prices for a lemon.” (Yes, government is the nation’s biggest problem along with the nation’s moral bankruptcy.)
Their last line kills me! Be careful! It is a subtle trap. These financial ‘cognoscenti’ are toying with us commoners! Of course, nobody want’s to pay for garbage! But their words imply that we will gladly pay more, just not for a lemon government (read: “It is the institution of government that needs more of your hard earned money to make it less lemony.”)
Our lemon government has paid Jon Gruber $5.9 million for various analyses including The Sting operation known as Obamacare and Amnesty.
Heard at the WH door: “Knock, knock.” “Who’s there?” “Jon Gruber.” “Jon Gruber who?” “Jon Gruber with an invoice for the snake oil you ordered.”
Gruber is listed on the WH visitor list multiple times. He was paid $400,000 to bury the financial truth about Obamacare and to abuse the trust of the American people. Now you want more tax money from me to pay for more abuse? Frick and frack are implying that I should gladly bend over for more of the same.
No, I do not desire to pay more for more bureaucracy, morons! I want a miniscule government and more of my own wages-my personal property-to keep and to give charitably as I see fit. Along with higher aspirations I also seek to be the 1%, at least in the coffers of my mind.
We Americans just loved it, didn’t we, when Obama threw ‘green’ money at Solyndra and then the company went almost immediately into the ‘red’, bankrupt. Most likely, then, the ‘green’ money was laundered into Democrat campaign donations. BTW: When you mix green and red you get a dirty brown color, the color of you know what.
At this moment in time we are paying a huge, huge price for lemon government. You can see this with your own eyes. Our increasing national debt alone is a huge breach in our national security. Frick and Frack don’t mention that government’s revenue collection, via the Founder’s written intention, was intended to provide mainly for our national defense. Our government has failed to do so.
Our government has failed to do so. By creating a national debt payable to other nations, nations that would like to put us under their thumb and make us submit to their will. And, don’t forget the lack of border security that weakens our national security. Taxpayer money is diverted to climate change nonsense or to some inane study of every deviant specter. Sufficient taxpayer money is not headed to secure our sovereign borders. Instead Obama wants to offer taxpayer funded amnesty, offering your taxpayer dollars to buy votes and popularity with his peeps. You, America come last.
Our government with the aiding and abetting of good finance/bad finance cops and the likes of NYT’s Keynesian economics columnist Paul Krugman ‘cook the books’ ala Jon Gruber, ala ad hoc CPI calculations, ala serendipitous GDP calculations, ala smoke and mirrors unemployment numbers and other snake charming incantations. They consider you ignorant and therefore produce junk videos to charm you into paying more taxes, to demonize the 1% and to redistribute your wealth to a ‘higher cause”–bureaucracy
The demand of the collective: “Government give us jobs that pay more!”
In 2016 we will vote again. We vote for a leader of our nation.
One leader may demand more direct and indirect taxes to implement crony policies, he or she may redirect your income to pay for bankrupt ideas like climate change fix-its, college debt bailouts and other Christmas wish-list items. The choice, most likely, is between one of two untrustworthy progressives: Hillary Clinton or Elizabeth Warren
OR, we vote for a leader who would unleash the power of the American people to create wealth.
Litmus test: How do you tell political non-leaders from leaders? Those who do not lead will denigrate opponents; divide the nation up into special interest groups. They will make excuses, lie, pronounce judgment on the 1%, raise taxes as the means to greater government and talk about ‘fixing’ government waste while creating more uncontrollable government.
Those who lead will propose the growth positive reforms necessary to create wealth (not redistributive-wealth as implied in the Yahoo! Article)-for all individuals, not just the Progressive’s chosen elite1%. Leaders have real-life experience in creating wealth and not by deceiving others.
You will know a leader not by the swagger or their buff BS. You will know them by their sworn duty to uphold the rule of law, by their common sense to reduce the burdens put on the people of this nation and by their stand against corruption in any form.
The Yahoo!Finance article ends with them salivating about their main talking point-“the taxman cometh”: “It’s a good bet tax increases of some kind are coming. For all the dissatisfaction today with underperforming government and the price we pay for it, these could seem like the glory days once tax rates go back up to the more sustainable levels of the past.”
Up yours! (“Up your own taxes” is a nicer way to say this.)
Sincerely, Taxpayer Hadden Nuff
Here are some book recommendations. These books are written in plain, nongovernmental, non-Jon Gruber English. They will give you insight into how our tax system came about (e.g., the 16th Amendment and the Federal Reserve were both created in 1913, fancy that.).
These books will give you the taxpayer a basic and I consider necessary understanding of economics apart from the saccharine Yahoo!Finance articles.
“Free to Choose” by Milton and Rose Friedman
“The Real Crash: How to Save Yourself and Your Country- America’s Coming Bankruptcy,” the latest revised edition by Peter Schiff
George Gilder’s “Knowledge and Power: The Information Theory of Capitalism and How It Is Revolutionizing Our World”
Required reading:
Obamcare’s Three-Legged Stool of Deception Regarding Employer Health Plans
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Filed under Economics, Political Commentary, Politics, Progressivism Tagged with Cadillac Tax, Elizabeth Warren, employer Health care, fiat currency, finances, government, Hillary Clinton, Jon Gruber, Keynesian economics, Paul Krugman, politics, progrssivism, taxes, the 1%