What a great reply to a whiner!

[Catherine Vincent]

The article was about the Census Bureau discussing the economic status of the population.

Here is one of the comments:

Unfortunately, those of us that sacrificed and worked hard to get our degrees and went to grad school are now called rich and have to support the people that execised their freedom of choices, but made bad decisions. Yeah, I am ticked off that I worked my way through college and grad school and now sit in the IRS crosshairs. I am blessed to have a great career and income, but I earmed it and I will never apologise for my success. I feel abused to pay taxes to support the 50% that pays no taxes. They are the very ones screaming about the "rich" paying their fair share. It is all about sour grapes and making bad choices in life.

Here is a great reply:

You'll mellow out with a little age. Not everyone is blessed with the talents you have. Their burden is to suffer, yours is to work hard and share a little. Squeeze some room into your heart for benevolence and grace, you'll live longer.

http://www.chron.com/disp/discuss.mpl/metropolitan/7338406.html

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. K&R

[Skittles]

2. why do these fuckers think they are the only folk who "work hard"?

arrogant ASSHOLES

[KT2000]

8. that's what gets me

I see linemen out in storms all night trying to repair downed lines, I see nurses aids giving heart and soul to their patients in nursing homes - to say nothing of the back breaking work, I see rescuers risking their lives for people lost or hurt in the woods or mountains, I see road crews clearing landslides from highways, I see workers stemming flood waters, I see workers staying late (no pay) to make sure the project is done on time, I see nurses working their asses off for their patients and on and on.

That guy is repeating the new meme for the continued dissolution of our society. One must resent and hate the lower classes. They must be dehumanized and rationalized out of existence if need be. All the GOP wants out of this is more money but they first have to turn us all against each other. Those in need - are the first to go overboard.
Mr. Well-educated Self-important does not realize he will be thrown overboard too - just later in the game.

[Skittles]

13. CORRECT

and you are right - they haven't gotten around to him yet but they will; it is just a matter of time

[Catherine Vincent]

21. Amen!

Most low income people work just as hard (or harder) at their jobs. I doubt the guy wants to live longer because he doesn't like paying his high taxes.

[newspeak]

32. my hubby worked telecommunications

for over thirty years. He got trouble calls at night, he went out during storms to fix downed systems. All I see is a bunch of selfish, "I got mine" assholes that are more than willing to take from the system if something goes wrong, but cries when others also have to. I remember one of my hubby's workers pushing the Limpballs rant about welfare queens and undeserving people receiving assistance, but he apparently hurt himself on the job (actually he played baseball right before he got hurt) and also took the company vehicle to a game. Yet, it was okay for him to "cheat" the system, see, he deserved it, not those others.

[FLAprogressive]

11. Republicans, especially those who call themselves "Libertarians" smugly believe they have a monopoly

on "hard work". Ironically, most of them would not be where they are right now if some big bad gubmint' commie didn't provide them or their parents with some form of assistance.

[unblock]

17. it's a simple logical fallacy. hard work was most likely a necessary component to their own wealth.

it blinds them to the facts that
(a) hard work is not necessarily sufficient for wealth and
(b) wealth is attributable to more than just hard work. luck, connections, upbringing, etc. all play into it.
but it's so easy to just think hard work is the sole determinant of wealth.

believe it or not, they actually think they're being MODEST to attribute it to hard work, because they believe everyone is capable of hard work and therefore there's nothing superior or privileged about them. the alternative of saying that they're rich because they're smart or because they made the right friends in the right college or they've got innate business savvy or whatever, they think it would be arrogant to attribute their wealth to that.

[EC]

18. Most with his education only put in the time

maybe some hard work for the first 5 years and the rest sitting on their asses telling others what to do...It's the lower paid laborer that goes home with a sore back and many of those have degrees...or had to drop out of college because of $$$

[raccoon]

25. Great post. nt

[raccoon]

24. They always do, don't they? nt

[lonestarnot]

3. I wish I could wipe on ass on his white sleeved shirt.

[thunder rising]

4. 55 SWM ... been thru 3 wives and no kids ... I pay everybody's taxes ... fuck this asshole

greedy piece of shit.

If the MF was such a genius he'd know how to file his taxes.

When Bush said "if a businessman earns $32K in income he pays $12K in taxes" What he doesn't say is that is after deducting the jet, jet fuel, toilet paper on the jet and the airport fees. The only money you can't hide is the PRINCIPLE on your mortgage payment...that's BIG fucking house.

[OneGrassRoot]

5. Brilliant! K&R :) n/t

[midnight]

6. Amen.

[handmade34]

7. wealth and so-called success

do not necessarily come merely with hard work and education... more often it is the result of being born into the right family, having connections, the ability to attend school and not dropping through the cracks... your response will not satisfy anyone with the attitude exhibited in the comment; it is irrational.

I have known very many relatively intelligent, hard working people in my life that didn't make (through no fault of their own). There are many shades of gray in people's "success" of lack of...

[RagAss]

9. Rich fucker needs a good slap upside the head !

[blondeatlast]

10. Ooooh, snap! That's a beaut. nt

[iamjoy]

12. The Poor Do Contribute

just not necessarily by paying taxes to the US government. When "rich" people take a vacation and stay in a hotel, many of the employees (the front desk clerk, the room attendant, etc) who make their stay pleasant are paid less than $10 per hour. Now, at those wages, the workers may well be at the poverty level. If you think they don't work hard, try cleaning 16 rooms in 8 hours day after day. So, those hotel employees likely don't pay income taxes and may even receive government assistance. If they were paying taxes and/or not receiving government assistance, they would either be living utterly miserable lives (read some Charles Dickens to get an idea) or they would demand higher wages. So, even if the "rich" people paid less in taxes, they would have to pay more for that hotel room and probably wouldn't be any better off than they are now.

Of course, the hotel is just an example. No insult to those low wage workers, but unless they are working their way through college or down on their luck and willing to do whatever to pay the bills, they are probably not of the highest intelligence. Hey, we can't all be doctors and rocket scientists. Some one needs to dig the ditches, build our houses, pave our roads, etc. Another example is hospitals. Sure, a hospital would close without doctors, but it couldn't stay open if there was no housekeeping staff to keep it clean. So, let the surgeon enjoy his hard earned wealth, but remember the ones who wash the bloody sheets and clean the bedpans deserve some comforts as well.

And I'm sure many either deny the reality that without a progressive tax system and government safety net good, hard-working people would live like Oliver Twist, or they just don't give a crap.

[TheMadMonk]

16. Someone did the math on this recently.

Service industry workers in the healthcare industry provided the greatest bang per $ expended. IIRC for every dollar spent on them, they returned about 17 dollars worth of value to the community.

Bankers faired worst. Costing the community overall, 3 (or maybe 30) dollars for every dollar they took home in pay.

[nc4bo]

22. It's not all about intelligence, please don't say that iamjoy.

Single moms, single dads, the recently divorced, welfare recipients, the recently unemployed, those not fortunate or privileged enough to afford a higher education, blacks, latinos (IOW, those that generally have the hardest time securing a well paying job in this society), etc.

It's not only about intelligence but many of the times, circumstance.

(ETA: I am using the typical example of blacks and latinos here. I am sure there are many others that fit into that category.)

[iamjoy]

31. Well, that's True

But some folks are smart enough that they become successful regardless of the circumstances into which they are born. I think Condoleezza Rice is an example of this. I disagree with her politics, but she has a compelling story. It is not just hard work, if she wasn't blessed with gifts of intelligence, she couldn't have overcome her background.

It doesn't matter how hard I'd worked, I never could have become a doctor. I'm just not smart enough. But, I was privileged enough to have a solid middle class upbringing, college education, etc. So I do okay.

I bring up intelligence not as insult, but to point out that it not merely hard work and upbringing that lead to success. High intelligence is a gift or talent - just like Barbara Streisand's voice and Michael Jordan's skills on the basketball court.

[pacalo]

14. He "execised" his choice to write an ignorant opinion. He "earmed" his degree & won't "apologise"

for it. And those of us screaming for those so "blessed" to pay their fair share don't pay taxes. Sounds unfair -- if his facts weren't so wrong.

Put another quarter in & try again, son.

[Mz Pip]

15. If this guy went to

a public university it might shock him to learn that the education he earned was subsidized by tax dollars. Does he really believe that tuition/fees that the student pays covers the entire cost of the education?

[Pacifist Patriot]

28. I'm betting he had to use a library at some point too.

[quickesst]

19. My reply?

As a blue collar construction worker, of course that means when I can work, I walk away from my job and can see what I have built with my own two hands. I walk away knowing that what I see when I look back is, " I built that with my own two hands, sweat, and the knowledge that what I have built is perfect because of the time I took to make it perfect. Admittedly, I have a bias against those who, admittedly have achieved some progress in their endeavors of the day, but I proudly look down at my hands and see the callouses, cuts, and bruises that allow those who wear white collar suits to work every day and need to "relax" with a drink when they walk through the door of their home every day. Me, I don't need a drink. I need a shower, a good meal, maybe an hour or two with the wife, a tv show, and hopefully a good nights sleep. A $50,000 to a $100,000 pushing buttons and pencils compared to a 20 to a 22,000 dollar yearly salary with the cuts, injuries, and actual physical labor, if they want to bitch about paying a little more in taxes is pathetic, and for want of a better phrase "pieces of shit". Not all of us were born with silver spoons in their ass..er mouths. Work in a 100,000 office job which I may have had a hand in building? Volunteer for my job for a week. I dare you. Of course this may not apply to everyone, and to those, I give my complete respect and congratulations for their endeavors and opportunities. Just remember, without us, you're not sitting in comfortable chair in an air conditioned office. Thanks.
quickesst

[Skittles]

20. YOU KNOW IT quickesst

yes INDEED

[quickesst]

33. Thanks Skittles...

Sorry for the late reply, but my wife and I were involved in a head on car wreck(other guy's fault)and we've been a little preoccupied. A lot of people here just don't understand that when blood is spilled on the floor, everyone has to look around to figure out who's been cut. That's how use to it we are. I just wish people who make the big bucks in the offices might look at their surroundings and imagine what it took to make them as comfortable as they are. Metal stud framing, hanging drywall, and being at times as close to death as a simple slip may bring might appreciate those who are earning a lot less go through for their comfort. No resentment really, but a little respect might help. Thanks for your kind reply.
quickesst

[hedgehog]

23. Corollary: After a recent family gathering, I realized that

some of us are very "successful" while others of us have "squandered" our talents working to improve our communities. General happiness seemed to be in inverse ratio to conventional success.

[eleny]

26. Sounds like an "oligarch wanna-be"

[Pacifist Patriot]

27. HE feels abused?

The response is brilliant. I would have been tempted to go straight for the asshole's jugular.

I noticed that grad school degree didn't help him with his grammar or attention to detail.

[walldude]

29. 50% don't pay any taxes... Wow what country is that in?

And I feel abused when a multi millionaire pays an accountant to use every loophole and trick in the book so they pay almost nothing in taxes.


You don't have to apologize for being successful, just for being stupid. ;)

[Pacifist Patriot]

30. I caught that too. For a supposedly well-educated person he's woefully ignorant.