"Redistribution of Wealth"

[Burgs]

Interesting little experiment by a mate of a mate in the US:

"Redistribution of Wealth"

Today on my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign the read 'Vote Obama, I need the money.'

Once in the restaurant, I noticed my server had an 'Obama 08' pin on her shirt. When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to her that I was putting into practice the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. She stood there in disbelief while I told her that I was going to redistribute her tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I decided that he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.

At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the server was pretty angry that I gave away the money she had worked to earn even though the actual recipient needed the money more.

I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.

[brokendown gunfighter]

if it was a 10% tip,it was an expensive lunch.Should have gone to subway instead

[Darren]

Your mate must work for the taxation department?

Must say I'm pretty happy to be living in Australia where for the most part there is a reasonable redistribution of wealth that the yanks can only hope to emulate...

[fulvio sammut]

And immediately afterwards, the US government took the $10 from the homeless guy and gave it to the Bankers.

Charity must be directed to those who really need it, after all.

[Thequeerone]

And immediately afterwards, the US government took the $10 from the homeless guy and gave it to the Bankers.

Charity must be directed to those who really need it, after all.

That would be the guy who could afford to spend $100 on a lunch right !

[LarryNJ]

Must say I'm pretty happy to be living in Australia where for the most part there is a reasonable redistribution of wealth that the yanks can only hope to emulate...

I'm glad you're happy there coach but I hope that Obama loses (even though he won't) because I don't want anything to do with a system like yours. Here's a good example why. You are at the mercy of your government for the simpilest of things like a stadium. We have very little problem getting a stadium built for any of our teams. We actually build them in many different sizes. Look Here


Since tipping is something you don't do or understand let me explain the US tax system in something you do understand Beer! and why Obama's Redistribution of Wealth plan will not work. Even for the lazy bastards their free beers will one day run out.

U.S. Tax System Explained in Beer!

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100.
If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that’s what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. ‘Since you are all such good customers,’ he said, ‘I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20. ‘Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers?
How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his ‘fair share?’ They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man’s bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28% savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 ( 22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
‘I only got a dollar out of the $20,’ declared the sixth man.
He pointed to the tenth man,’ but he got $10! ”Yeah, that’s right,’ exclaimed the fifth man.
‘I only saved a dollar, too.. It’s unfair that he got ten times more than I! ”That’s true!!’ shouted the seventh man.
‘Why should he get $10 back when I got only two?
The wealthy get all the breaks!
”Wait a minute,’ yelled the first four men in unison. ‘We didn’t get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!
‘The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up. The next night the tenth man ( the richest) didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!


And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

[Darren]

In Australia, beer is obviously held in much higher regard - no way would we beat up the bloke buying it!

[LarryNJ]

[Cowboy]

I don't mind our tax system, what I do mind is how poorly our government uses the money it recieves.

[Burgs]

mmmm beeeerrr

[Thequeerone]

Heh Larry there is always room for more beer buyers/drinkers in Aus - you will always be welcome - and with the strength of the dollar even more welcome

[LarryNJ]

Thanks TQ1, after all the no shows for Sunday's 141 I understand where you're coming from!

[Em-Forcer]

We have very little problem getting a stadium built for any of our teams. We actually build them in many different sizes. Look Here

Now come on, that's just showing off!

[shasta]

You are at the mercy of your government for the simpilest of things like a stadium.

I admit that's not ideal. It's not easy to get funding from them when they've got other priorities like a somewhat decent support system for our disadvantaged citizens and a universal health care system to run. But there you go.

How does the US tax system make it easier to get those stadia built? Do you mean that because the wealthy have a favourable tax regime they are willing to stay in the US and spend some of those saved tax dollars on public infrastructure projects?

[LarryNJ]

I admit that's not ideal. It's not easy to get funding from them when they've got other priorities like a somewhat decent support system for our disadvantaged citizens and a universal health care system to run. But there you go.

How does the US tax system make it easier to get those stadia built? Do you mean that because the wealthy have a favourable tax regime they are willing to stay in the US and spend some of those saved tax dollars on public infrastructure projects?

Yes Shasta that's exactly what I mean. It's how most stadiums get built here. Let's look at this example. http://stadium.dallascowboys.com/ Jerry Jones is the owner of the Cowboys. This stadium will cost 1.2 billion to build. The City of Arlington investment is $475 million, Jerry Jones the owner of the Cowboys will pay the other 725 million. There's no doubt that the city gave him some tax breaks so that he would spend the $725 million. Now who benefits from that tax savings? The multi billionaire rich guy right? Yes but also many others who get part of that 1.2 billion. Companies sell products and make money, people get jobs and make money, than they spend it on cars, food, houses ect even the city gets their money back in form of taxes on the tickets, concessions, parking, and all the other places that people going to events will spend money in the area, local bars, ect....it keeps the economy rolling. Now Jerry Jones is a bit crazy and in most places that stadium would be scaled down and built for about 1/3 of the cost, I guess it's a Texan thing.

There have been cases where the city or state wouldn't give those rich team owners (or business owners) taxes breaks for their businesses. What do they do? They simply move to another city that will give them a deal to invest their millions. Does the city/state win than because they didn't give them a break? Hell no they lose teams, jobs, taxes ect.

I believe that the smaller the government is the better the country will run. It's a fact that on the local, state or national level government does very little efficiently. The less control that they have over things the better we will all be. Unfortunately our new president will probably be someone with different views. And the real problem is so does the majority of our house & senate.