Too Big To Pay Taxes

It is tax time, and most Americans are tallying up what they owe, or if they are lucky what they overpaid.  But, did you hear about how much in Corporate tax Facebook paid in recent years?  Brace yourself, if you hadn’t…the number is zero dollars.

After living with corporate entities that get bailed out, forgiven when they break the law, and influence our politicians to make laws tailored to provide the optimum environment to succeed in, it is really shitty to find that now they get taxed less than the average Facebook user.

How is that right, that a huge business so successful and worth so much, and that would not exist without the help and cooperation of all of its American users, can just get off without chipping in to taxman like the rest of us?  Facebook taxes image-1How many billions are enough, before a corporation admits that its time to pay the money they owe like every other business?  People who make billions off of Americans should put money back into the country that made them rich beyond their wildest dreams.  But no, Facebook will instead get a refund in the hundreds of millions, Continue reading

Cancel The Stupid Sequester

Ok, if you are like me, you’ve read the news, and watched your favorite round table discussions on the sequester.  You’ve heard everything from panicked predictions of hardship to complete indifference.  Well, I have had just about enough of this, since it is not necessary at all.  Most people don’t need a doomsday deadline to get them to do their jobs, so why should the legislature?

Congress should just repeal sequestration and get back to work.

If I could communicate with them I would say this: GROW UP!!  Stop blaming each other, stop yakking at the news outlet cameras, and posturing in preparation for primary season.  Continue reading

Fiscal Cliff: Crisis Delayed

So, most of us were relieved that there was news of a compromise reached in Washington, that a bandage was slapped on to the mess our nation’s finances are in.

For most of the United States, 2012 has been a difficult and challenging year, replete with extreme weather phenomena, tragic losses of life, and one of the most polarizing elections of modern times, so I understand why the average American just wants to move on.  We are weary.  We’ve all had enough uncertainty, we need to be able to spend without worrying as much for awhile.  Our economy depends on it.

The new legislation keeps the Bush era tax cuts for persons making less than $400,000 and couples making less that $450,000.  It also makes permanent the fixes for the Alternative Minimum Tax and delays government spending cuts for two months.  Continue reading

Let The Bush Tax Cuts For The Top 2% Expire

I don’t know how much of the fear of losing their next election the outcry of the public will put into our do nothing politicians, but we can put in the calls, yes?  Heck, they even included the phone numbers I need!

Dear MoveOn member, It’s almost hard to believe after such a lopsided defeat in the election, but Republicans in Congress are pushing for a “fiscal deal” that would extend the Bush tax cuts for the rich and slash Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits before the end of the year—and they might win.

They’ve fabricated a story that, somehow, our economy will fall apart if they don’t get what they want. It’s not true, but negotiations are underway and a “deal” could come together at any time.

This is a crucial moment—before a deal emerges—when we need our leaders to stand strong. Can you call your members of Congress and tell them:

“Don’t back any fiscal deal unless it lets the Bush tax cuts for the top 2% expire, as scheduled, on December 31 and doesn’t cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits.” Continue reading

Buffett, Books, and Work

The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart hosts Warren Buffet and Carol Loomis for conversation about books, taxes, and the real moochers of America.

Carol, long time friend of Buffett, and accomplished financial journalist, and editor-at-large at Fortune magazine, wrote a book about the master money maker.  Continue reading

Politics Make Strange Bedfellows

Who would have thought a mega rich porn star and a Jewish billionaire casino magnate would both endorse Mitt Romney?   Sheldon Adelson  is chairman and chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the parent company of Venetian Macao Limited which operates The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center.  Needless to say, he is super, mega, filthy rich. Continue reading

Should Uncle Sam Stick it to the Sinful?

America is a very sick country, and sickness is big business, and business is very, very good.  Health insurers and healthcare providers rake in record profits year after year, and in fact, stand to benefit further from President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, which they fought so hard against to the tune of $86.2 million contributed to the Chamber of Commerce.  Continue reading

Gender Salary Disparity in 2012

Fact- American Women still get paid less for the same positions as their male counterparts in 2012 in virtually every industry.  The disparity increases with the higher education and more prominent positions Americans have in business and academics.  Continue reading