Path: ...!eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail
From: John B. <slocombjb@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Subject: Re: Tariffs and bikes
Date: Sun, 06 Apr 2025 07:31:28 +0700
Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
Lines: 119
Message-ID: <tji3vjl8nc5impshb1jtegsih69v2uaq18@4ax.com>
References: <vsn7f2$1v127$1@dont-email.me> <cmtvujp4du2ueafd153951ipsg86rkf38e@4ax.com> <vsp0k4$3qc5f$2@dont-email.me> <vsp174$3nmvp$1@dont-email.me> <vsq314$u1ot$2@dont-email.me> <vsq4jk$1047i$1@dont-email.me> <p861vjhup1gb1gtdi77k547vpmk9ttp1ga@4ax.com> <vsr9gn$28n8r$1@dont-email.me>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Injection-Date: Sun, 06 Apr 2025 02:31:33 +0200 (CEST)
Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="2e65e9bcbbb9851a7e060fd33db7734d";
	logging-data="3806787"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org";	posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1+7Ok/z3uX1P/TCegL3Kipyy5pDDuCFy1Y="
User-Agent: ForteAgent/7.10.32.1212
Cancel-Lock: sha1:2uxGO3GEwHKFk0wwok9WlCwip+A=
Bytes: 5549

On Sat, 5 Apr 2025 08:00:09 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

>On 4/4/2025 9:57 PM, John B. wrote:
>> On Fri, 4 Apr 2025 21:30:12 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> On 4/4/2025 9:03 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
>>>> On 4/4/2025 12:26 PM, AMuzi wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> You can have whatever opinion you like but not your own
>>>>> facts.
>>>>
>>>> Heck, I thought it was fashionable to have "alternative
>>>> facts" if you don't like the look of normal ones! Wasn't
>>>> that made clear during Trump version 1?
>>>>
>>>>> USA has among the most steeply sloped tax regimes on
>>>>> earth, such that the top 1% of earners pay roughly half of
>>>>> all income tax.
>>>>>
>>>>> https://usafacts.org/articles/who-pays-the-most-income-tax/
>>>>
>>>> The USA also has some of the highest income and wealth
>>>> disparity of developed nations. Granted, not as bad as many
>>>> small 3rd world countries - but I think we should not be
>>>> striving to emulate those.
>>>>
>>>> https://www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/issues/economic-
>>>> justice/income-and-wealth-inequality/
>>>>
>>>> I'd say that means our tax structure is still insufficiently
>>>> progressive.
>>>>
>>>> And what should we be trying to achieve anyway? ISTM our
>>>> nation was founded on the idea of doing away with a
>>>> privileged class lording it over those purportedly of less
>>>> worth. Also the idea of everyone (well, as long as their
>>>> complexion wasn't too dark) getting an equal shot at
>>>> prosperity. If nothing else, those ideas, if implemented,
>>>> work toward keeping the masses content enough that they
>>>> don't literally rebel. Rebellions are messy, unpredictable,
>>>> and bad for bike shops.
>>>>
>>>> We now have a new privileged class, one that can rake in
>>>> millions per year and pay lower rates than struggling middle
>>>> Americans, in part because of clever deductions. Remember
>>>> Leona Helmsley? "Taxes are for little people."
>>>>
>>>> And of course, any money made over $170,000 per year is free
>>>> of Social Security duties. Because hey, one's third mega-
>>>> mansion is much more important than better food for the
>>>> family making $50,000 per year. Why should the ultra-rich
>>>> help to keep Social Security afloat?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> The 'disparity' is a myth in that it counts only taxable
>>> earnings, ignoring that fully half the country pays no
>>> income tax.  Many of those receive 'negative tax' payments
>>> and in fact dos very well on relief, much better than many
>>> working people.
>>>
>>> Regarding wealthy citizens, we do indeed have some inherited
>>> wealth but almost all the top earners are self made
>>> including an astonishingly large number of legal immigrants
>>> especially Indian, other Asian and notably Nigerians:
>>>
>>> https://africanmind.org/statistical-portrait-of-nigerian-americans-accomplishments-paradoxes-and-misconceptions/
>>>
>>> who seem to have learned to stay out of Poland Ohio and so
>>> do quite well here.
>>>
>>> Your snarky racism comment is ridiculous.
>>>
>>> https://www.britannica.com/money/Herman-Cain
>>>
>>> https://www.the-sun.com/news/4916213/willie-wilson-how-became-millionaire/
>>>
>>> Mr Wilson literally plowed fields behind a mule before
>>> taking his talents elsewhere.
>>>
>>> Some black one-percenters (not the motorcycle type one
>>> percenters):
>>>
>>> https://247wallst.com/income/2024/08/08/meet-the-wealthiest-black-americans/
>>>
>>> Back to our mere millionaires:
>>>
>>> https://www.forbes.com/sites/korihale/2022/10/25/millionaire-status-is-on-the-rise-with-52-million-people-joining-the-club/
>>>
>>> There are 224 times more black millionaires in USA than the
>>> top 19 countries of Africa combined.
>>>
>>> Go stick your racism somewhere else.
>> 
>> Disregarding any racism I would ask "how does a modern millionaire
>> compare with a millionaire of, say 20 years ago?
>> 
>> 2005 gold was in the $709.00 range and to day's price is ????
>> 
>> 
>
>
>Good point.
>Or in my employee's easily remembered rhyme:
>
>Roses are red.
>Violets are blue.
>Taxation is theft.
>Inflation is, too.


But, but, but, don't you feel so proud  when someone asks you, " how
much do you make?" and you can say, "Oh, only $30.00 an hour".

-- 
Cheers,

John B.