Life is Messy...

[Yooperkat]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

The middle class wouldn't need a tax break if they'd been fairly compensated in the first place!

Who are you to judge what is competitive globally?

Just pay people higher wages without employer consequences? Your company might be out of business if they couldn't compete. They also pay a large portion of your health insurance. When you consider that - you earn much more per hour than you think.

Most corporations earn enough profits that they can afford to pay CEO's handsomely. Most are hired for their credentials and experience in a certain field.

The tax cut you speak of will not amount to much. If you haven't noticed, prices have been going up. The point is that you will buy $8 more a week at your grocery store, you will see 8 extra bucks in your paycheck. The problem is, that since prices have increased 14% over the last quarter, your extra $8 per week will get you the same amount of groceries you usually buy. And the price of gas is also expected to rise again. Higher energy costs also effect employers.

So we wouldn't need a tax cut if only we got paid more. Look, I don't earn tons of money. The reason? Because I don't deserve it. I didn't go to medical school, I didn't go to law school. I do have college in my portfolio, but, you have to decide what you want to do in life.

Some professions pay more than others. I'ts all up to you.

I'm not saying that one thing is better than another. I'm just saying that if you're dissatisfied with your earnings, don't blame your employer. You chose to work there, and you agreed to the wage.

[GloryB]

Originally Posted by Jill1972

That's what my mom always says whenever I complain that life isn't fair.

But what, really is the answer? I mean, is it really fair that somebody like Oprah Winfrey can be a billionaire, when she doesn't really do anything hard (come on...she goes to "hair and makeup" and then sits and gabs in front of an audience for an hour a day)....but then a firefighter makes $40K a year for risking his/her life putting out fires, or a cop risks his/her life protecting citizens...or, for heaven's sake, a soldier puts his/her life on the line defending our country.

But how do you right such a wrong? I don't believe communism or socialism is the answer. But something needs to be done. There is a terrible injustice and inequity in the way people are compensated for the work and contributions given to American society. Tom Cruise earns $20 Million per picture, but an emergency room nurse only gets $25/hour to help save a person's life??

I'm told a runway model can earn upwards of $10,000 a day. But a kindergarten teacher earns approx. $120 a day. But whose work is more important?

When Obama says he wants to "redistribute the wealth in this country" I can kind of understand his sentiments. It's scary as heck, but at the same time, there is a lot of validity to it.

This is capitalism and the free market at work and, in theory, it seems great. But in practice, it really fails a lot of people. I loathe the idea of a government-controlled economy, but I'm also tired of the pathetic rich in this country living so much better than so many people who work so much harder and contribute so much more to society.

I agree.....but I think it is important to realize that it is the public who sets the 'financial worth' of people.....we are the ones would have to answer your questions. That would be "us".... all of us.

When is the last time we would pay $125 for a 2 hour performance from a Kindergarten teacher? When would we pay for a magazine showing nurse fashions? In other words, we create our own gods.....and are willing to pay quite handsomely for those we have put in that position.

So, the next time we pay for a yearly magazine subscription....would we be willing to give that money to an underfunded kindergarten class instead? Only WE can answer that question as individuals.

Will we do what is obviously fair..................... probably not.