pBills

I know so many teachers in Maryland that work two jobs because their HUGE salaries don't cover their simple lifestyle. Keep in mind that their job also has a lot of them working 6 or 7 days a week and nights during the school season. Well Tom just for you: "making" covers salary increases and bonuses received via stock options or cash. No matter what it's absolutely ridiculous and there is no reason for their to be that much of a separation between the classes. And it only getting worse. You own your own company... for success you should put in the hours. Most CEO's I have met did not put in ridiculous hours. People keep throwing out the nonsense saying "they only work 10 months a year". Of course easily forgetting the facts that they do work long days, weekends and yes sometimes during the summer. The usual, avoiding all of the details. What do you think would be fair compensation for someone in any profession that works long hours, 6-7 days a week? Should they do it for free? Should they receive overtime? Comp. time?

For two years. The National debt and Trillion-Dollar Deficit didn't all happen within that time frame.

That is most of the Republican Party these days. You know it's bad when Newt feels as though he can act all high and mighty.

Yes. Bend over and take it from the corporations. And people say unions are thugs. HAHAHA!!

I think the newly elected tea party reps are insane. Yes, would like sweeping reform and change but you still have to do responsibly. They aren't. If they were guess what, they would also cut into that trillion dollar area called defense spending. Nope. They would also raise taxes on corporations and the wealthiest few percent, they'll never do that. They are hypocrites. Integrity - adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. Sorry just buying into their "ethical principles" especially when they only affect one group of people. Not everyone has to make sacrifices under their system.

You helped bail most of them out. How long has that person been a teacher? And I find it funny, the complaint about working 10 months. I guess that teachers from now on should get comp time for all of the work they put in over weekends? Maybe comp time for all of the hours they spend at school after hours? Of course not. You would much rather have these people work all of those extra hours for free right? And I am guessing you would be the first in line calling them lazy if they got to work right when the opening bell and left on the closing bell as well. Saying they should be doing more. I find it funny how people are ok with the average middle-class worker actually losing money even with their bread crumb 2% raise because of the COL is going up. The same people are also content that CEO's are making on average 30% more at the same as their workers are struggling. Makes sense to me. Just proves that the trickle down theory sucks and is not true these days. It's a win for the guy at the top and scrape and get by life for their workers and families. Dude you are missing the point. These CEOs and corporations are getting tons of stuff for free through subsidies or like lybob said through no-compete contracts, sweetheart/back room deals. I wish politicians and towns would not buy into the give me what I need nonsense or I'll take my company somewhere else nonsense. Let them leave.

The part about that I find funny is that a huge base of support for the Tea Party / Republicans in their fight to repeal is from the Senior Citizens they lied to. Death Panels and all of that crap. NOW, Republicans love the Paul Ryan proposal which completely F's over Senior Citizens. Granted things need to be changed with Medicare and Social Security but the cuts that they are proposing are ridiculous. Especially when the average senior citizens pulls in roughly 19K per year. For women much less. Senior Citizens were simply duped by Republicans. What SHOULD be done is what I have been saying all along... make amendments. Learn a new word Republicans and Tea Party people... a word called compromise. If you want democrats and their supporters to make cuts on social programs you need to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthiest few percent. According to what I heard 56% of Republicans would rather things be cut, government shut down, etc instead of acting like adults and compromising.

No, actually I don't we actually gave Bush way to much time!! Yeah and your posts are SOOO enlightening. "I am a Republican, Liberals are dumb, Obama sucks" same ol' garbage. Probably have Limbaugh or Beck tattooed on your ass.

So when the wealthy gain and receive huge bonuses and the average worker is lucky to either keep their job or receive a 2% raise it's ok and doesn't mean anything. Ok? I guess that horrible pro-democrat company TIME is making everything up right? To me it's scary... 62 TIMES THE AVERAGE WORKER incentive pay for the chief executive officers of 50 major corporations jumped 30% in 2010. That's on top of their base pay... As a group the 50 CEOs got year-end payouts of $126 million. That was up from $83 million... YET, those damn greedy, lazy unions and teachers are earning WAY to much in benefits and pensions!! But how dare anyone talk about raising taxes on the wealthy. HAHAHAHA!!! I think THIS says it all... Yesterday, the government's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that average hourly compensation for American workers fell 0.5% in February. The average worker now makes $40,672 a year. What we all make is up from a year ago, but by just 2%. Factor in inflation, and the average worker makes just $0.58 more a week, than they did a year ago.

As opposed to Bush. HAHAHAHA!!! Talk about the ultimate empty suit!!! Come on you have Newt, Bachman, Romney all GREAT candidates!! Still laughing!!

Panties in a bunch? Really are you 14? By the way, I am 39. Sorry but I guess you forgot people also lose their minds as they get older. I can completely see past the rich vs. poor. Sorry but it's pretty damn clear that when the average middle-class person is lucky to receive a 2% raise or keep their job if they give up benefits, etc. they should be thankful. When the wealthy receive a 27% increase it's ok and they deserve it. Great philosophy to follow. The fiscally responsible this to do is here... Read this: The only thing failing here is that on our current track we'll have two classes of people. Lower Income and Wealthy. If you look through history, you will also see that when there is vibrant / healthy middle-class this country is in great shape. Only thing in your way is you and the party you believe in

They are restricting Collective Bargaining and union rights. So you haven't heard about Soros... ok but it is true about Republicans using this as their strategy. Nothing more. I support people who don't try to break the backs of the workers so that they can become even more wealthy. I support people who value their workers as well. I have to laugh when you bold sections so that they say ridiculous things like "the unions They have really shown who they really care about and it's not the middle-class". Keep on believing in the Right and the Tea Party... they will support you and your family. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Dumb ass it's all about the Republicans and their leaders the Tea Party Far Right Loons wanting to cut to much to fast. Everyone wants to get the budget under control, but we have to do it responsibly. Not simply cutting for the sake of cutting. It's all about cutting programs the directly relate to the middle-class and people around poverty level. Do they offer plans that alter a way of life for the wealthiest Americans? No. Because that would be to much right? Those people are top talent and deserve better than everyone else right? Laughable. And if you and or any other moron on this board believe that cutting Collective Bargaining is only because they want to use it to address budget issues... you are truly a bigger moron that I expected. It is nothing more than a direct hit against the democrats biggest backers. Another thing I find funny, it's bad for unions to donate and back democrats. Yet, it's ok for Republicans to receive backing from people like the Koch Brothers. Hypocrites. All in all, a big thank you should be said. The overreaching actions by Republicans and Far Right Tea Party Loons have given a HUGE boost to the unions and Democratic backers. They have really shown who they really care about and it's not the middle-class. I'm also glad that these actions have also pushed the normally conservative unions (police and fireman) to want to vote against the Right.

yeah, it comes from that black hole people call a heart. The one thing I will never do is fall into that F everyone except themselves mindset that many Republicans have. Of course they will say that decisions/opinions are being formed to make the country stronger. I wonder who they are making the country stronger for? Obviously not everyone.

I will agree that democrats have screwed up. No doubt. But this attack on the middle-class and union (usually democratic voters) is ridiculous. So I decide not to defend Democrats... I go with team Republican. That means I am ONLY pro CEO and Corporations, not workers, I am against women's rights and I am against the majority of social programs.

I love this board. The usual people complaining about workers, the middle-class and others. The only group of people that is hard working and deserves anything is the wealthy right? HAHA!! Here's something for you all to bash and say how wrong it is: http://www.stanford.edu/group/scspi/cgi-bin/facts.php

Just the handful of Republican Candidates... just be as far as right as you can be and Christian. If you have a shady past... you're born again. HAHAHA!!

So if they were to abolish all of those taxes and replaced them with a Federal Sales tax... how high would that sales tax be to replace all of the money coming in to the federal government? Sorry, only read the first part of it.

Wow, how condescending are you... sorry I guess you know everything because you write a pretty good sized check every year. :rolleyes Of course, tax laws can be simplified and written so that companies like this do not get away with paying nothing. However, who will enforce the law? As I stated earlier..."I'm not surprised by GE going after those breaks. I am amazed that the breaks were as ridiculous as they are." I never said GE did anything wrong, not that case. The problem is with them being allowed to gain such breaks through loop holes and lobbying. Even if "Fair Tax" was the answer... again who actually enforce it? I'm sure corporations like this will find other ways around it.

Not to sure to be honest, it has been going on years and years. Even Reagan (past GE spokesman) was shocked and stated that it was out of control.

Not true at all. You fully believe that companies pulling in BILLIONS should pay nothing in taxes?

I'm not surprised by GE going after those breaks. I am amazed that the breaks were as ridiculous as they are. To pay nothing? $5.1 billion of their $14.2 billion came from the U.S. Again, they made $5.1 BILLION IN THE U.S. They shouldn't pay any taxes on that for fear that they would ship jobs overseas or because we want a climate to be more suitable to business? How much more suitable do we have to be? Should give their shareholders government reps to fluff their pillows at night? And Chef... yes, cut back on spending. However, we should also reign in these ridiculous tax breaks. I wonder how much they would have to pay on that $5.1 billion?

HAHAHA... that is good. So they can make BILLIONS in the US and not pay any taxes on it? Yet, small businesses are? Come on get real. I do like how you applaud that and say it's ok, because they provide jobs. So do many other companies who pay taxes.

G.E.’s Strategies Let It Avoid Taxes Altogether Apparently, small businesses pay more than GE. I know what people here will say: "Do not change a thing" I'm sorry, but with States cutting funding for schools and other social services because they are trying to balance their budgets, along with the Feds stating we are broke.... Change NEEDS to happen now!!

Best thing is that "conservatives" believe that everything is perfect for the middle-class and that unions are no longer necessary. HILARIOUS!! Yes, name calling is my MO. Stay a little while and you'll notice that my name calling here and there is nothing compared to what other people do. Again, you are right... I know nothing about unions. I just work for an International Union. You will do well in this forum, assume the other person doesn't know the subject because they don't agree with you. Examples of Repubicans against OSHA: