tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189530924198240172.post1175715950815956841..comments2023-07-26T01:58:47.843-07:00Comments on Mort Mather's Happy Blog: Wall Street BonusesScott Supakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04529312586679833360noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189530924198240172.post-68180956862421946122009-10-21T09:26:29.600-07:002009-10-21T09:26:29.600-07:00I'm with you on the populist furor, but I dire...I'm with you on the populist furor, but I direct my ire a little higher up, and have different ideas on how to deal with it.<br /><br />First of all, I don't support a cap. At least I don't think I do. It's interesting to think about. I doubt it would ever happen in this country.<br /><br />Second, back when those 90% rates were in effect, there were tons of loopholes. The rich never paid that much. <br /><br />Third, What percent of the owner's income should the players get? Of course, this race to pay the players the most (see Moneyball), raises ticket prices, etc, making baseball a game for rich people only if you actually want to go to the park. But the players are the draw, and it's certainly unfair to pay them like chumps when the owners are raking in many multiples more...<br /><br />But, yeah, I agree that this is just obscene. Look at <a href="http://flowingdata.com/2009/10/20/how-much-do-ceos-make-in-the-united-states/" rel="nofollow">this post from the Flowing Data site today</a>. Sickening.<br /><br />The Bush tax cuts, especially happening in a time of war, were grossly obscene, and cost about what health care would cost. We should start by repealing them early, rather than letting them expire in a few years.<br /><br />Then, we should raise taxes on the top 5% or so, just to make up for all the loot these robber barons have sucked up out of the system. Conservatives always say it will trickle down and stimulate, but, once again, we see it does the opposite. So, we can shake it loose with higher taxes on the rich, or encourage investment in a green economy through incentives like tax credits.<br /><br />Funny how I woke up thinking along this line, then found the Flowing Data post, and then found your post... Great minds think alike.Scott Supakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04529312586679833360noreply@blogger.com