Alicia Loc: NYC

Yes, I've been had. At the time of the SOTU speech I discovered my computer had lost the audio. I wasn't concerned too much over this as I still would have been able to use the video and could listen to President Obama on the public broadcasting station. I could not believe that that station did not air the President's speech. At any rate, I'm presently living in Texas and that should have answered my disbelief.

Bigmac495 Loc: Indiana

You know when the government fines company , they are going to pass that amount on to the consumers !
In essence we will pay the fines through higher prices to consumers !
The only way you are going to punish a company who has control of what they charge for a product is the make them lower their price , cutting their profit since they probably hire I******s for the lower wages paid.
Make them cut their retail prices and take the money out of the C.E.O.'s pockets .

Ricko Loc: Florida

Kevyn-by v**er suppression you mean IDs so that illegal democrats can only v**e once or that dead democrats cannot v**e at all. Now that will deal a serious blow to the democrat party. The audacity of republicans advocating that a person be eligible to v**e prior to allowing him to do so is astounding and infringes upon every illegal democrat's rights. By all means, let us continue fraudulent v****g. Good Luck America !!!

Bigmac495 Loc: Indiana

Amen ! We certainly don't want to violate someone's rights to v**e in multiple districts because they can't track they have already v**ed. I have to show my photo I.D. to buy beer , To cash a personal check , to start a new job , to v**e , to the police , to my own company I worked for 33 years to lease a car from them , to prove I'm not dead , to go on a cruise , etc., etc. . But a verbal O.K. that's me is all you need to v**e in a e******n !!!
Also by all means let people v**e early by mail using absentee b****ts because it interferes with their grocery shopping!
I don't know why they even have e******ns any more , they already know who is going to win !! (who ever pads the e******n boxes the most)

Alicia Loc: NYC

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I agree with you but may go one step further. I would put a percentage limit on the profits a business can accrue on everything they sell. This certainly would diminish the financial ine******y between the classes. I believe it might also stimulate the economy.

Bigmac495 Loc: Indiana

You know companies have to make money or they can't pay you !
If you take their profit away the poor aren't going to get their help and the workers are going to help the poor.
I started out picking water melons and was paid $ 5.00 dollars a day for sun up to sun down work !
There is no reason for anyone to be poor and not even attempt to earn anything , and giving them money just encourages them not to work ! When everybody is on the takers list and no one is on the payers list , what are you saying we ought to do then ?
Read up on the U.S.S.R. , that's what they were doing and all of the people became poor , stood in lines blocks long to get a loaf of bread , then the bread ran out before they got to the door. Everybody was poor , that's why they are laughing at us now , we are going in the same hole they were in .

Brian Devon

Alicia,

I wish you were right, however it is not so. Texas is currently a very red state, with Republicans controlling both statehouses and the governor's office. The Democratic party has long term plans (10-12 years out) to return the state to the Democratic fold. Not quite there yet...not even close.

The Democrats can console themselves with California, the biggest enchilada, with 55 e*******l v**es as well as the recapturing of 3 e*******l prizes; Ohio, Virginia, and Florida.

Alicia Loc: NYC

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I never stated that employers should not make a profit. My suggestion was that there should be a percentage limit so that the employers are not able to take ALL the profits which should be passed on to their employees.

Alicia Loc: NYC

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Perhaps PBS news was lying because I know what I heard.
I also don't think, if your statement is correct, it will take 10-12 years. About 15 years ago the City of Austin (state capitol) offered some great bonuses to companies who would relocate there. One of the things they (Texans) did not take into consideration was that when the companies (mostly Eastern) did relocate, they brought their own people with them. As the Easterners settled in, the Texans moved out. My friend at the library (who has relatives living in Austin) has told me that her visits to that city makes her feel as if it is a piece of NYC. She loves it.

Brian Devon

Alicia. I would love for you to be right. This news story, however is quite a few years too early. Who was the specific person from PBS who said Texas was already blue...and what was the date that the comment was made?

Alicia Loc: NYC

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Brian, I really can't remember the exact date. I do recall it was an afternoon newscast within the last two weeks that aired a male and female discussing the news. It both surprised and elated me. I will say, though, that in the last p**********l e******n the town (can't really call it a city) ran almost 50/50. So, we're getting there.

I will attempt to call the station and inquire.

Oh, before I let this pass: Last week my computer had troubles with the audio. I don't watch television so that was not an option. I decided to tune in to PBS which is aired from the university here and believed I could watch the President's SOTU address while listening to the radio. I trusted they would air that speech it being so important to the entire country. To my surprise, they didn't. I presently live in Texas.

I also recall that I was listening to A Prairie Home Companion when Mr. Kielor began stating his opinions (which are usually based on fact) toward the end of the program and the entire last 15 minutes were spent in listening to a lot of static and other interference. I spoke with a friend, who also religiously listened to that show, and he said that it sounded as if the technician might have been playing with the electronics in order to achieve that effect. It did sound as if someone were pulling and pushing a plug.

Bigmac495 Loc: Indiana

And why are you more qualified to tell companies what they should make as a profit . How many companies have you been the C.E.O. of ? Every Congressman makes over 1 million dollars a year and have a rating of less than 15% public approval for their performance , but I don't see you going after any of them !
People investing in the wall street market make millions of dollars a year for doing nothing and supporting "Zero" family's and workers , I don't see you posting about how bad and overpaid they are .
And employers don't " take" all the profit , They pay Employees , they pay suppliers , they buy equipment and tools , They pay utilities , they pay taxes , most all give to charity , some of them drive cities and towns existence , they pay guys like Warren Buffet millions a year for stock dividends and it's all out of their profits !

Alicia Loc: NYC

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Do you understand what "profit" means in business? It's what is left over after business expenses such as salaries, costs of supplies, costs of utilities, insurance, rent (if applicable), taxes (if applicable). There exists, or used to exist, such a thing as bonuses for good work done. Wall Street is famous for it. In normal non-greedy ones, employees receive a special "gift" for special services and gains that enhanced the business over the year. These were usually awarded in time for Christmas shopping.

As an example: I worked for a publishing house in downtown Manhattan (where Wall Street lies). At one point the boss announced to his employees that the business hadn't done as well as expected. He presented two possibilities (laying off some) but asked if we, his employees, would agree to a small reduction in salaries for a period. We all v**ed to take the reduction. In this establishment the employer spent almost as much time on the premises (including overtime - which often meant overnight) as the majority of his staff. AND, when we punched out for the day, he always said "Thanks." We would do anything for this man and believed him when he said he would "make up" for our sacrifice. During that time the entire corporation was considered a family. Well, we all worked through it and the business prospered.

This was when profits were considered annually. Sadly, today profits are considered on a quarterly basis and, if there is any dip in profits, over a two- to three-month period, employees are tossed out.

It might be a good idea for you to truly read a statement BEFORE shooting your ignorant mouth off which is the result of self-implied misinformation.

I have, at times, begun reading a se******n and initially was impressed with one interpretation only to later (upon a second reading of the entire se******n) see that the author's intent was the opposite of what s/he started out with. Have you ever heard of "satire"?

Bigmac495 Loc: Indiana

Having been a business owner myself you are pretty well self centered on yourself ! And it might be a better idea if you read my posts all the way through before running off at the mouth If you don't like your pay , get another job it's your choice . Almost all the bigger companies with C.E.O.'s have their salary's approved by stockholders ! While I don't believe any C.E.O. is worth a million a year , I also don't believe a "Bonus " is a right for employees either . You accepted a job and the pay for it when you were hired , that's all your company truly owes you !
Anything else is c*******tic thinking that someone owes you ,if they have or make more money than you ! You said in your example , that you "worked "for a publishing House
worked for means you no longer work there . Why use that for a example to try and prove your point if you though it was such a good place to work , yet you quit or was fired from there ?

Bigmac495 Loc: Indiana

I'm pretty sure I understand what a profit is : It's what is left after all the debits are paid !