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Originally Posted by Mark17
Are taxes and charities the only ways people contribute to society? Jeff and Elon's companies make lots of money because people voluntarily choose to work for them, and voluntarily choose to buy from them. That's ordinary people deciding they want to engage with these companies, because they've decided it benefits their lives to do so.
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What absurd pap. It's not the companies' making "lots of money," but the companies' chief executives taking so much that the the wealth inequality created is virtually destroying society. This country was at its greatest post WWII, when we built almost all the (now crumbling) infrastructure that we need (but often fail) to relay on today, educated a majority of our citizens--and made sure that those that needed help in paying for that education got it. That kind of cooperation more than paid off. It enabled, for example, a poor Bronx kid named Jonas Salk to attend City College for free, go on to develop the polio vaccine (for which he willingly gave up all patent and financial rights), and save the lives of hundreds of millions of people since 1954. How was this all possible, you ask (you selfish f*ck)? Because. everyone, and every business, paid its fair share.
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Originally Posted by Mark17
And by the way, who sets the tax code, Jeff, Elon, or Congress. Hmmmm...
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Congress.
Bought and paid for by Jeff, Elon, and their buddies.
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Originally Posted by Mark17
Spoken like a common thief. What right do "we" have to simply take from others? Do you teach your kids that it's ok to take from people who have more than them? Again, that's the rationalization/justification of a common criminal. And it's envy and jealousy at its worst.
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It's mine! It's mine! I earned it! I don't have to share any for the common good! Taxation is theft! Oh, and BTW, would you please tear down that bridge that thousands use every day? I can't get my super yacht out of the shipyard with it in the way.
Amassing obscene amounts of wealth is wrong for so many reasons. It does massive harm to society, and it doesn't even benefit those that hold it. Ever hear the expression "More than a handful is wasted"? (If you haven't, Google it.). These pricks hold on to more than they could ever spend. Ten lifetimes wouldn't put a dent into the pile. What the fuck is the point?
I taught my kids that it is their duty to help those around them, to the best of their ability. If any of them end up making huge amounts of money, they'll know exactly what to do.
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Originally Posted by Mark17
A 160+ year old quote from a politician does not make a compelling, or even coherent, argument.
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Nor does most of what I'm sure you profess to believe in. True is true. I'll take Lincoln over your heros any day.[/QUOTE]