Exxon Mobil posts $10.49B profit in 3Q

[Alex+R 0]

Why would anyone want to defend a CEO who, I'm sorry, IS hoarding more than his fair share. Success is great, but supersuccess is a little unnecessary when anyone is under the poverty line who works 40 hours a week.

Haven't you guys ever seen a children's movie? The fat cats are the bad guys...remember?

When did we all start thinking like we're "pre-rich" instead of middle class?

Who is to say what's a 'fair share' Alex? You have no clue what that person does to earn his/her wage....who are you to count someone else's pennies?

I'd hardly cite children's movies as evidence. No one's holding a gun to anyone's head......obviously someone has set the price, and it's willing to be paid, so I fail to see how this concerns anyone. Should actors/athletes make so much? Why not...when you look at what the revenue generated is. It may seem like a ton of money to non-rich ppl, but if the asking price is commanded, then it is market price

I could sell a completely overpriced house tomorrow...and while many may say 'omG that is ridiculous' the bottom line is, in a free market, if someone chooses to pay it, then that's apparantly what it's worth.

I guess I don't have as much faith in a free market as you do. I tend to think we should prioritize people who are suffering, but I realize not everyone does.

Who am I to say what is a fair share? I just don't think many jobs merit that kind of income. Or any jobs. If you think CEOs of large corporations are that important to humanity, that is your opinion, although I do not share it.

Maybe the CEO's market value is a zillion dollars. That doesn't mean I think it's right. But the free market doesn't have a conscience, so whether it is right or wrong is probably not important to you in this case.

[Fandango 1,439]

Why would anyone want to defend a CEO who, I'm sorry, IS hoarding more than his fair share. Success is great, but supersuccess is a little unnecessary when anyone is under the poverty line who works 40 hours a week.

Haven't you guys ever seen a children's movie? The fat cats are the bad guys...remember?

When did we all start thinking like we're "pre-rich" instead of middle class?

Who is to say what's a 'fair share' Alex? You have no clue what that person does to earn his/her wage....who are you to count someone else's pennies?

I'd hardly cite children's movies as evidence. No one's holding a gun to anyone's head......obviously someone has set the price, and it's willing to be paid, so I fail to see how this concerns anyone. Should actors/athletes make so much? Why not...when you look at what the revenue generated is. It may seem like a ton of money to non-rich ppl, but if the asking price is commanded, then it is market price

I could sell a completely overpriced house tomorrow...and while many may say 'omG that is ridiculous' the bottom line is, in a free market, if someone chooses to pay it, then that's apparantly what it's worth.

I guess I don't have as much faith in a free market as you do. I tend to think we should prioritize people who are suffering, but I realize not everyone does.

Who am I to say what is a fair share? I just don't think many jobs merit that kind of income. Or any jobs. If you think CEOs of large corporations are that important to humanity, that is your opinion, although I do not share it.

Maybe the CEO's market value is a zillion dollars. That doesn't mean I think it's right. But the free market doesn't have a conscience, so whether it is right or wrong is probably not important to you in this case.

I'm not saying anything about being humanitarians....I'm just saying that they have apparantly earned their incomes to someone's satisfaction.

How would you prioritize people who are suffering? What do you mean by that? Should we take parts of salaries deemed 'to excessive' and give to others who have not taken life's opportunities? Where does it start? Where does it stop? Who does it affect? How about owners of sports teams? Should we say 'hey! you got enough money, gimme some more!' how about actors? How about Bill Gates....in relation to his empire, is he enough of a private philanthropist to warrant leaving his salary alone? What do you propose, Alex?

I don't understand what you're actually advocating here. Please explain!

[mawilson 2,133]

When minimum reaps a person just over 10g's per year at full time - below the poverty level, while corporate profits such as Exxon are higher percentage wise than ever before in history, some are being denied the American Dream.

If minimum reaps them that much, that's how much they're worth.

They'd be worth a lot more if they had any skills.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

A company I worked at reduced the worldwide workforce by 5% one year because our share price was down, falling profitability, and the fact that one line of business was in the toilet - people who where there 10+ years lost their jobs

The CEO awarded himself a $6 million dollar bonus that same year

Kind of fcked up

[one...two...tree 2,762]

When minimum reaps a person just over 10g's per year at full time - below the poverty level, while corporate profits such as Exxon are higher percentage wise than ever before in history, some are being denied the American Dream.

If minimum reaps them that much, that's how much they're worth.

They'd be worth a lot more if they had any skills.

Really? Walmart executives prefer their employees draw on medicaid because it's cheaper for them. Who's looking out for the American worker? Who should look out for the worker?

In a perfect world, we'd have a country full of businesses that were all competing not only for your business but also for your labor. Corporations in this country have completely underminded true competition. If you're pro-capitalism then your for competition, right? And without competition, what do you call it?

[Alex+R 0]

I'm not saying anything about being humanitarians....I'm just saying that they have apparantly earned their incomes to someone's satisfaction.

How would you prioritize people who are suffering? What do you mean by that? Should we take parts of salaries deemed 'to excessive' and give to others who have not taken life's opportunities? Where does it start? Where does it stop? Who does it affect? How about owners of sports teams? Should we say 'hey! you got enough money, gimme some more!' how about actors? How about Bill Gates....in relation to his empire, is he enough of a private philanthropist to warrant leaving his salary alone? What do you propose, Alex?

I don't understand what you're actually advocating here. Please explain!

What I mean by prioritizing, as a society, people who are suffering, is that when there is such a large income disparity, which is driving hard workers into real, actual poverty, perhaps we should be more evenly distributing the wealth. I'm not advocating absolute equality; I'm just suggesting the radical notion that everyone should be able to afford medical care for their children and themselves (although this SHOULD be free) and that hard work should pay off, although it has stopped doing so in so many cases.

Obviously, that does not mean having the government ask specific people to give their money back, no.

[Fandango 1,439]

I'm not saying anything about being humanitarians....I'm just saying that they have apparantly earned their incomes to someone's satisfaction.

How would you prioritize people who are suffering? What do you mean by that? Should we take parts of salaries deemed 'to excessive' and give to others who have not taken life's opportunities? Where does it start? Where does it stop? Who does it affect? How about owners of sports teams? Should we say 'hey! you got enough money, gimme some more!' how about actors? How about Bill Gates....in relation to his empire, is he enough of a private philanthropist to warrant leaving his salary alone? What do you propose, Alex?

I don't understand what you're actually advocating here. Please explain!

What I mean by prioritizing, as a society, people who are suffering, is that when there is such a large income disparity, which is driving hard workers into real, actual poverty, perhaps we should be more evenly distributing the wealth. I'm not advocating absolute equality; I'm just suggesting the radical notion that everyone should be able to afford medical care for their children and themselves (although this SHOULD be free) and that hard work should pay off, although it has stopped doing so in so many cases.

Obviously, that does not mean having the government ask specific people to give their money back, no.

But you're advocating some sort of salary distribution here.

So where's the cutoff line? I mean we DO have healthcare in this country...go to any county hospital. It's not like you'll be having a heart attack & you can't get treatment. There are programs in each state for health care for kids. There's WIC for mothers for food. There's welfare/unemployment benefit/disability/college grants/etc.

Yet the motivated and successful need to carry those who aren't? I disagree totally.

Whether a particular CEO wants to be magnanimous and donate to this that or the other is besides the point. But said CEO doesn't need permission from everyone in this country who makes a lower pay.

Are you actually advocating it being mandated in some way?

Listen, I personally know someone who came to this country WITH ONLY A TOOTHBRUSH and now is a success. Homeowner, successful businessperson, is very intelligent, educated and motivated...isn't starving, has a family, lives a very comfy lifestyle. Anyone here thinks the 'American Dream' is a hoax? I've seen it firsthand. Not in 60 years ago when I can tell you about some of my immigrant relatives who worked 3 jobs and hit it big time...I'm talking present day, no gov't help, nothing. Just brains. determination, and a very stong work ethic. And that success shouldn't have to be divvied up in order for more handouts to those who aren't as determined.

[Alex+R 0]

Lisa, your perspective on the world and mine are at polar opposites. You believe in the whole "bootstraps" story and I don't. Of course people can and do make something out of nothing that all the time. Not everyone can.

There is no point discussing this because you will always think people start on an even playing field, and I will always see things as more complicated than that.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

Lisa, your perspective on the world and mine are at polar opposites. You believe in the whole "bootstraps" story and I don't. Of course people can and do make something out of nothing that all the time. Not everyone can.

There is no point discussing this because you will always think people start on an even playing field, and I will always see things as more complicated than that.

very good summary.

Daniel

:energetic:

[Fandango 1,439]

Lisa, your perspective on the world and mine are at polar opposites. You believe in the whole "bootstraps" story and I don't. Of course people can and do make something out of nothing that all the time. Not everyone can.

There is no point discussing this because you will always think people start on an even playing field, and I will always see things as more complicated than that.

Of course they don't start on an even playing field...but we happen to live in a wonderful country where someone who was born into poverty can be the next Bill Gates.

I'm not against being a humanitarian, either. I actually do quite a bit of volunteer work and organizing....but I don't believe in government mandated salary redistribution. And I also don't believe in having to apologise when a CEO cashes out stock options yielding hundreds of millions of dollars.

[mawilson 2,133]

You believe in the whole "bootstraps" story and I don't.

Alex, why don't you believe in it?

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

You believe in the whole "bootstraps" story and I don't.

Alex, why don't you believe in it?

reread her post. the answer is there.

Daniel

:energetic:

[mawilson 2,133]

You believe in the whole "bootstraps" story and I don't.

Alex, why don't you believe in it?

reread her post. the answer is there.

Well she did say that some "people can and do make something out of nothing all the time. Not everyone can."

The question is, if they can't (or won't) make something out of themselves, why is it our

responsibility to "help" them?

[almaty 19]

written like a true follower of charles darwin...

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

written like a true follower of charles darwin...

i say amen to that.

Daniel

:energetic: