🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <395nei$1n2@crchh518.bnr.ca> tomg@bnr.ca (Tom Gargulak) writes:
>
>In article <1994Oct29.234419.7312@mksol.dseg.ti.com>, pearceg@mksol.dseg.ti.com (Gary L Pearce) writes:
>> In article <38ud59$gho@crchh518.bnr.ca> tomg@bnr.ca (Tom G) writes:
>> >
>> >Why does a CEO get millions when the cleanup crew working under contract
>> >get minimum wage.
>> >
>> Could it have anything to do with the fact that just anyone can push a
>> broom but not everyone can be a CEO?  Your arguement is identical to all
>> the whimpering that goes on about those spoiled overpaid athletes while
>> our poor teachers don't make much.  Lots of people can be teachers.  A
>> teacher is replaced very easily.  Juan Gonzalez isn't.
>
>Plenty of CEOs makes millions while the company goes down the tubes. 
>
Please provide a source for this claim.  How much is "plenty"?

>Oh I see.  Juan Gonzalez is more important to society than a good
>teacher.  You must be a proud parent!
>
No.  You're reading too much into what I said.  I didn't attach any kind
of value judgement to the salary of Juan Gonzalez vs. a teacher.  It has
nothing to do with importance to society.  There are a LOT of people who
can be a teacher.  That's not a knock on the relative importance to society
of educators, but the fact is that a very large number of people possess
the ability to become a teacher.  Go to college, get an education degree
or a graduate degree in your chosen field, and become a public school or
college professor.  OTOH, there aren't many people who can duplicate
the skills of Juan Gonzalez or Emmitt Smith or Jason Kidd.  No amout of
study or hard work or determination will allow anyone to hit a major-league 
fastball 500' or run a 4.4 40, or make passes in the lane against a 
sagging defense.  These are skills that pro sports owners put a high 
price on because the supply of people who can provide this service is
extremely small.  The fact that athletes make so much more than teachers
(or police officers or firemen or .....) is neither good nor bad; neither
right nor wrong.  It just is.  As for the cleanup crew, all you need are
two arms and two legs, and probably even less than that.  Not much high-
falutin' book-learnin' needed to push a broom.

>> >Just how much money is too much?  Is there such
>> >a thing as having too much money? 
>> >
>> Let me guess....any definition of "too much money" you can dream up
>> is basically "more than Tom G makes."  Ask Bill Cosby how much money
>> he thinks is "too much."  I bet you get a different answer....probably
>> something along the lines of "more than Bill Cosby makes."
>
>BS.  Whats the differnce between having $50m and $100m?
>
I work for TI.  How would I know?   :)

>You'll find
>that the vast majority of people who hit it rich like this were just
>as much lucky as smart and hard working.  
>
Please provide a reference for this claim.  From what study are you
drawing this conclusion?

>I am not saying take away
>the extra $50m, just tax 'em heavy.
> 
Ahhh yes.  Punish the achievers and give the money to da gummint to
buy votes from the poor downtrodden drug abusers, criminals, and ne'er-do-
wells who come to the public trough with their hands out to get "their fair
share" from Big Brother.

FWIW, where I went to college, a large number of the buildings on campus
were named after people.  Why do you think colleges name buildings after 
people?  (HINT:  Fund the construction of a dormitory or a library
at your alma mater, and see what the school coincedentally decides to
name it.)  I know I don't have that kind of cash lying around, but I just
might if I were a business owner making millions.  I'd have the kind of
resources to allow me to better my community in such a way.  Then again if 
the government weren't stealing so much of my paycheck every 15 days.....

What do you suppose we should do with all this "tax 'em heavy" money?
Does da gummint deserve it for doing nothing?  Do deadbeats deserve it
for refusing to get a job and/or an education to better themselves?  
What do you suggest we should do with your punitive tax windfall?
What's so wrong with letting an individual keep and enjoy the rewards
of his (or her) labor, however much they may be?  Why should the risk
takers and achievers be coerced into supported the leeches of society?
-- 
Gary Pearce -- pearceg@mksol.dseg.ti.com. 
Elec. Engr., Circuit Card Assembly and Test; 2nd Trumpet; Texas Instruments
     "Correct thinkers think that 'baseball trivia' is an oxymoron:             
          nothing about baseball is trivial." -- George Will