30% Say Government Should Limit Pay for Athletes and Movie Stars

I have mixed feelings. Personally, I think one of the best tools to balance economics and create a more peaceful world is to cap the net worth of everyone to say, 10 million. That would include homes, land, investments, etc.. I personally think if the wealth was evenly distributed we'd all be millionaires. If you restrain the greed impulse to perpetually want more digits it would go a long way to limiting injustice. 10 million dollars provides a pretty good life. After people reach that limit, if they chose to work, it would be genuinely philanthropic. If they chose not to work, they can pursue art and invention or whatever. Debt slavery is the root cause of most of our problems. People pre-occupied with being on the tread mill. Way too much thought, feeling and energy is wasted being worker/slaves. Fewer people would have control over others. How powerful can one person be if you or I have the same financial authority they do? Authority would translate into how competently they operated for the benefit of others. Checking the greed impulse would be very beneficial to the "Evil ones". They themselves are the victims of their own mind and impulses. Of course, that would have to be done hand in hand with limiting the worth of organizations (including corporations and "religious institutions") as well as full disclosure of ownership/membership. People could not fabricate more and more organization as extensions of their net worth or at least people would know clearly who was doing what and be able to decide for themselves what organization to associate with. Limiting the wealth of entertainment figures is, in itself, misdirection.

This is one of the best years for science fiction movies to hit the big screen. And it's about time because Hollywood primarily sucks the big one. Taxing Hollywood is the best thing to happen for a long time. I don't understand why they should be regulated for how much they are paid.. The more money they make the more money they pour into the Federal Reserve. Good job Washington for bypassing the donation quota. You should be taxing popcorn manufacturers too.

Originally posted by kinda kurious
When a "person of faith" claims that a secular, fictional book is "Prophecy,"
does that make them guilty of: ....

nothing. Guilty of nothing. And it's true - the book is obviously prophetic.

Your continual combative posts are a drag on the forum.

Originally posted by verylowfrequency
The idea of limiting peoples pay is a bunch of BS and would never work.

In a free market society the idea of this shouldn't even be raised.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by kinda kurious
When a "person of faith" claims that a secular, fictional book is "Prophecy,"
does that make them guilty of: ....

nothing. Guilty of nothing. And it's true - the book is obviously prophetic.

Your continual combative posts are a drag on the forum.

Duly noted. ( I will ignore the stars on my posts. ) Shame on me, please.
Perhaps you confuse my curiosity with combativeness. Especially if it thwarts your logic.

This is a discussion forum, right? Or do you prefer posters with dissenting views just be shooed away?

Likewise, finger-wagging by those who wear their religion as a badge is equally tiresome. Yawn.

Sincerely.......KK

[edit on 29-3-2009 by kinda kurious]

I love stories like this!

I love a thread that brings out all the morons who think they love Socialism-Communism.

It does have a great purpose, a useful tool.

It reminds us what our country was founded on.

It's a great wake up call as to how bad things have gotten.
How much Treason has taken place over the last 96 years. How much control the Tyrannical Govt. has over us.
How Mob Rule has taken place Since 2000.
I really love the fact that these lazy people are being lead by rich people that are twisted.
They think charities are not a buisness. Feed the poor!, so I can take a 3 million dollar salary!!!

The only thing that socialist do is tear down the middle class.
Their best chance at having a better life and they tear it down.

You think that by reducing salaries of Celebs is going to do anything?
Get a clue.

Originally posted by j2000
It reminds us what our country was founded on.

Are you referring to stealing the land from the the native American Indians?

If you are so proud, I encourage you to turn your flag right side up.
(edit to add: thanks, thats better. I like your new Avatar.)

Regards.......KK

[edit on 29-3-2009 by kinda kurious]

[edit on 29-3-2009 by kinda kurious]

Originally posted by ReelView
I have mixed feelings. Personally, I think one of the best tools to balance economics and create a more peaceful world is to cap the net worth of everyone to say, 10 million.

It would require a very intrusive govt to determine what everyone is worth.

I prefer a very progressive tax rate system topping out at 99% for income over 5 mill. And we also need very high estate taxes. No reason your kids should get money they didn't earn.

Originally posted by Vitchilo

Listen, if you don't want them making dozens of millions, DON'T BUY A TICKET. Otherwise, piss off.

These athletes wouldn't be making millions of $ a year except that taxpayer funds are used to build $500 million stadiums.

Hilarious to see this and then in the same breath people will demand govt stay out of their lives.Geez talk about putting elected officials in a catch -22 situation!

Originally posted by williell12
Money is a measurement of value, and those who have more money are usually those who have done more for society, they've added value to our lives somewhere..

BS - most wealthy people are useless parasites who don't actually produce anything. They're lawyers, politicians, entertainers, athletes, corp ceos, investment bankers etc.

The people that deserve to be wealthy are engineers, farmers, truck-drivers, physicists, factory workers.

If you limit athletes' pay, then the Team Owners will be 10X richer.
If you limit movie stars' pay, then the Studio Owners will be 10X richer.
Limiting their pay will not help distribute the wealth.
It will only centralize it further.

Originally posted by ANNED
What many of you are saying is no one should make over 1 million a year.

OK lets limit all lottery winnings to 1 million.

lottery winners did absolutely nothing to deserve over 1 million.
all the did was buy a $1 dollar ticket,

Ok with me. Hell - lets just ban lotteries. Insane that we have all these govt sponsored lotteries.

If anything, we could do away with sports and entertainment altogether and really get down to business, like paying teachers and scientists for making real CHANGES in the minds of youth and improving society, too. People won't LEARN anything NEW from watching grown men do something involving a 'ball' and from ideally 'beautiful' people dolled up to play fictional characters.

Yeah, so the government should limit the pay on certain, privileged people who don't make much of difference on people's lives, other than exposing a few would-be elitists who happen to use drugs and alcohol. What kind of example are athletes and movie stars telling our children? That all they have to do is 'play the part' and earn millions while other 'ugly' people go homeless, starve and die? Meh! [rant off]

[edit on 2009-3-29 by pikypiky]

Originally posted by Make Speed Limit 45
The people that deserve to be wealthy are engineers, farmers, truck-drivers, physicists, factory workers.

May I add a few of mine?

School teachers, Social workers, Physical therapists, Hospice workers, Astronauts,
Those who work with the mentally handicapped and of course...........me.

Regards.....KK

[edit on 29-3-2009 by kinda kurious]

reply to post by dankanight13


karma and reincarnation exist. please research on it
---------------------------------------------
other quotes:
flyersfans:

No. It's prophecy. And it's coming true right in front of you. This 'pay limit for ______' (fill in the blank) stuff ... these executive pay caps.... it's all in the book. And the world economy fell apart because of it all.

prophecy , my A## , if you want prophecy of see the prottocols of zion and analoty Golitsyn's 'new lies for old ' , thats prophetic ,

And the world economy fell apart because of it all.

the world economy has already fallen due to wall street theievery , they bankers deserve a bullet . the chinese do the right things with theieves and frauds

Well then .. perhaps you should get used to not being allowed on the internet and not being allowed free speech - because that's what you'd get under Chinese rule.

chinese internet is free and much freer than american MSM wackos , go see chinese forums , they(citizens) do criticize govt frequently for not effectively dealing with corruption and red tape .despite the fact , Chinese media says thet are not corrupt
but , americans swallow their govt propaganda with ease , unlike China
heres a true representation of USA:
Aldous Huxley - Forward to 1946 printing of Brave New World

"A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude. To make them love it is the task assigned, in present-day totalitarian states, to ministries of propaganda, newspaper editors and schoolteachers.... The greatest triumphs of propaganda have been accomplished, not by doing something, but by refraining from doing. Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view, is silence about truth."
elston:

The job you have in India is probably thanks to US consumers. You may even work for one of the hundreds of Us companies who migrated to India. So in turn, you should thank the US for the diner you put on your family's plates tonight. 10Billion is peanuts in regards to our trade relationship. Seriously. It is about the equivalent of a nickel to you or I. Are you boycotting Bollywood? They make some decent coin.

well , i don't work for them and yeah , those american companies migrated because Indians work much harder than most lazy americans like you, who want to live like rock stars and drive around in cadillacs , while laughing at the plight of the poor and unfortunate

And the people that believe in capitalism and free markets are the crazy ones? Really?

the free markets do not exist , its monopoly and corporatism that exists in USA . refer Ron Paul and Ralph Nader .





[edit on 29-3-2009 by sadchild01]

[edit on 29-3-2009 by sadchild01]

[edit on 29-3-2009 by sadchild01]

Originally posted by redhatty

Originally posted by sadchild01
call me when you pay back the debt you owe us , 10 billion$+ (india)

Maybe you need to research you own country's debt

Let me help you along

Foreign Aid India
reliefweb.int...
www.cato.org...
Interesting fact in that one - India's deficit is 5 times that of the US per capita
in.rediff.com...

138 million$

reply to post by kinda kurious


great post , scientists deserve a lot more than richie rich spoiled brats , they invent things and their innovation must be rewarded

tax the super rich and give it to scientists ,mathmeticans,geologists,biologists etc . , they are innovative and rewarding them is productive for the system . these are the people do deserve to be rewarded , not corporate Ceo thieves , these super rich plunderers wall street banksters and retarded jocks

Damn right. Athletes and film stars are useless parasites who don't produce anything.

Actually, yes they do. Many launch business lines. Not to mention, most of them support some kind of charity effort or cause.

But that's all beside the point.

1). It's still their money. It's not right for the government to cap private income.

2). If we do, then what? The owners of those sports teams or the producers of the movies are the ones who will keep all the profits.

Athletes and entertainers bring in big bucks for the big wigs and also a pretty penny in tax revenue. Supply and demand. This is a private issue the government should not be poking their nose into.

This may well be the dumbest thing I have ever heard! We already have the power to limit how much athletes and movie stars make. It's called not watching their movies and going to their games etc.

I think it sounds more like 30% of the population is jealous of these people.

Why/how is the government going to limit how much money these people make?

The government doesn't pay their salaries, consumers do. So if these people are looking for someone to blame for their "excessive" salaries, they should only look at themselves.

What's next? Is my employer going to tell me that the government is forcing them to cut my salary because I made $91k last year and other people feel it's excessive?

Everyday I keep hearing things like this, with more and more people jumping onboard the anti-freedom train. It was not so bad when it only seemed to be about 10% of people had ultra-authoritarian views, but lately, I guess in partial response to economic woes, fear by war on terror, and the like, it seems that it can even get close to half on some issues.

While I do agree that over $1M a year is crazy money, that no-one needs, I think putting a cap on it would be a terrible idea.

Here's just one argument I use when I argue against this topic when it comes up.

Right now, almost all major companies are moving their manufacturing/factories to other countries to avoid high taxes, and other restrictive laws. Many executives of those companies already move their money around using the legal tax evasion loopholes. If we place even more restrictions on them, they will either just leave the country, and take even more of their taxes and jobs overseas, or a culture of apathy will arise, where people realise they can only make X amount of money, so they will only bother to give X percent of effort.

Although not always, many of those people making the kind of money where they could be restricted are those who have good ideas, and are providing valuable jobs and services. They have often been successful because they have some skill, and by putting a cap on their wage, we in effect will cause many to put a cap on their skill. Why work so hard if you can't earn anymore? Sure there is a percentage in society who will work hard regardless, but many more just work hard to put food on the table, or fuel in their fancy sports car.

I'm never even sure what the real argument is, is it just that it's unfair for these people to have so much? If so, boo-f'in-hoo, life isn't fair.

Somewhere I would be more in favor of clamping down on the rich, is inheritance taxes. That seems more fair to me, as the person receiving that money didn't work hard for it, it's just some freebie by virtue of having hard working parents. Even so, we shouldn't put a cap/tax barrier on that too low either, as it will discourage people from working harder in order to leave something for their children.