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borepstein
06-27-2006, 03:47 PM
27 June 2006 (http://pyramid.blog-city.com/american_dream_turning_into_a_nightmare.htm)
(http://pyramid.blog-city.com/read/prev/311745238.htm)[/url]

That American CEOs last year earned 262 times the average pay of their own workers is no big deal. It's always possible that some of them actually earned all that money, or at least some of it.

What is, surely, something of a big deal is that according to Corporate Library in Washington, the chief executives of the 11 largest companies in the United States earned a combined $865 million over the past two years at the same time as their shareholders lost $640 million.

What, potentially, is an even bigger deal, is that one of the main activities of American executives these days is figuring out ways to cut the pay of their workers while at the same time hanging on to all they have.

Recently, General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner declared that it was time for the government to become "more proactive on health care."

What Wagoner meant was that Washington should take over much, if not all, of GM's health-care costs, which starts at $1,500 for each car the company makes and is a major reason it's close to bankruptcy.

There's now something called the Employers' Coalition on Medicare. Its essential goal is to transfer health-care costs from companies to the government, perhaps even by creating a Canadian-style, "socialized" national health insurance scheme.

Something along the same lines is going to have to happen to company pension schemes. Company after company is having to "renegotiate," which means cut, their pension commitments to retirees.

The effect of all of this is that at the same time as the U.S. economy has been booming along, most ordinary Americans have been stumbling along.

Once benefits like health care and pensions are taken out, the typical American worker earns no more today than back in 2000 — even though productivity has risen by some 25 per cent since then. [url="http://mparent7777.livejournal.com/9790955.html"]`American Dream' turning into a nightmare (http://pyramid.blog-city.com/american_dream_turning_into_a_nightmare.htm#)
Richard Gwyn, Toronto Star, June 27, 2006

If this is not a case of deliberate stratification of the society, I wouldn't know what is.

Uber Commandante
06-27-2006, 04:04 PM
If this is not a case of deliberate stratification of the society, I wouldn't know what is.

I agree completely. I just resigned from an insurance company that was being merged with another insurance company. Both of these companies are owned by a public parent company. Both of these companies are profitable. However, was is clear during this merger is the strategy of funneling money from the joe schmoe employees up to the investor class. Layoffs, low moral, increased health care costs. And what for? Both of these companies were successful. Well, because our entire economic system is based on greed and short-term thinking, and its OK to hurt people, and even the company in the long-term, if we can show the investors that profit share is up.

I have also truly begun to see our government and legislation as simply tools that expedite the transfer of money from those who don't have it to those who don't need it.

princesskittypoo
06-27-2006, 05:16 PM
i completely agree with the above. i don't understand why the heads of companies are making more and more each year and the lowest employees are getting job cuts and worse fired because of the bottom line. some companies even bring in people to see what can be done to boost productivity and cut jobs this way... the guy finding these jobs to cut is making more than many of the cut jobs he's getting rid of. so the company sometimes is paying more to find out that.
i work at walmart. i think i do an excellent work everyday that i am there. but everyday there is someone on my ass telling me what i could do better. to sell more and more and more. and every year around the same time our managers in the stores have a memo sent down to 'get rid' of undesireable people. which is the ones that have been there longest and make the most per hour and the best benefits. it's getting to wear it doesn't matter what i do i know they are gunning for me at this time and i don't want to work my hardest because i know i'm not appeciated.

AuGmENTor
06-27-2006, 07:23 PM
I have been in almost every work environment known to man. Retail, factories, apt complexes, you name it, I've done it. All to horrific ends. I've quit, been fired, had criminal charges placed against me cause I wouldn't "go quietly". Like 2 years ago, I went into business for myself, and my life has become exponentially better. I still go to work early, because I want to. If I get hung up and I run late, I hear no shit, as long as the job gets done on time. And the best part is, I keep all the money I make, for as I'm sure most of you have read, I refuse to pay income taxes. I emplore all of you, find a niche and live happily in it. I had close calls where rent was due, and I didn't have it, but it all worked out. I'm not boasting, this really is the only way to live. Hell, you could even do the taxes thing if you want, but that's just me!

U.C.C. - ARTICLE 1- GENERAL PROVISIONS
..PART 2

§ 1-207. Performance or Acceptance Under Reservation of Rights.



(1) A party (http://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/1/1-201.html#Party_1-201) who with explicit reservation of rights (http://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/1/1-201.html#Rights_1-201) performs or promises performance or assents to performance in a manner demanded or offered by the other party does not thereby prejudice the rights reserved. Such words as "without prejudice", "under protest" or the like are sufficient.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to an accord and satisfaction. [Note: As amended in 1990.]

http://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/1/1-207.html

borepstein
06-28-2006, 09:41 AM
I have been in almost every work environment known to man. Retail, factories, apt complexes, you name it, I've done it. All to horrific ends. I've quit, been fired, had criminal charges placed against me cause I wouldn't "go quietly". Like 2 years ago, I went into business for myself, and my life has become exponentially better. I still go to work early, because I want to. If I get hung up and I run late, I hear no shit, as long as the job gets done on time. And the best part is, I keep all the money I make, for as I'm sure most of you have read, I refuse to pay income taxes. I emplore all of you, find a niche and live happily in it. I had close calls where rent was due, and I didn't have it, but it all worked out. I'm not boasting, this really is the only way to live. Hell, you could even do the taxes thing if you want, but that's just me!

U.C.C. - ARTICLE 1- GENERAL PROVISIONS
..PART 2

§ 1-207. Performance or Acceptance Under Reservation of Rights.



(1) A party (http://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/1/1-201.html#Party_1-201) who with explicit reservation of rights (http://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/1/1-201.html#Rights_1-201) performs or promises performance or assents to performance in a manner demanded or offered by the other party does not thereby prejudice the rights reserved. Such words as "without prejudice", "under protest" or the like are sufficient.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to an accord and satisfaction. [Note: As amended in 1990.]

http://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/1/1-207.html

What is the relevance of the section of the law you are quoting?

AuGmENTor
06-28-2006, 05:46 PM
Not having to pay income taxes, or so I was told by "The Great Income Tax Hoax"

princesskittypoo
06-28-2006, 06:24 PM
i remember that going around the radio a few years ago. it just sounded like it was a hoax.

princesskittypoo
06-28-2006, 06:25 PM
i would like to say i have not looked into it or read about it in any way. just heard about it on the radio. and it was a long time ago so i basically have no info on it in my brain.