Winners and Losers - How do you rate them? (NAFTA, lobbyists, how much)

[J746NEW]

Winners and Loosers - How do you rate them?

Wealth and Money are earned, and taken as well via many different avenues.
Is success determined in your opinion, on how much one aquires or the means they used to get it?


Case #1

General Electric
GE paid no taxes in 2010, and in fact recieived a tax benefit of 3.2 Billion Dollars. This is theft, since the tax dollars they could have contributed, not to mention the tax benefit, will have to be made up by others. Also look at the number of lobbyists for GE ensuring the market is rigged in their favor.

Case #2

Ray Dalio
Top Billionaire Hedge Funder Ray Dalio Sees Himself As a Hyena Devouring Wildebeests.
Dalio took home 780 Million dollars in 2008 via Bridgewater Associates which is funded in part by Teacher's Retirement funds.
Dalio's philosophy is survival of the fittest and taking what you can get from anyone.
Top Billionaire Hedge Funder Sees Himself As a Hyena Devouring Wildebeests | Economy | AlterNet

Case #3
Trench Coat Robbers
The 1997 Bank Heist by the TrenchCoat Robbers getting away with 4.6 Million Dollars

Case #4

Goldman Sachs
One that needs to further explanation. Suffice to say, having your guys in government promote home ownership, selling mortgage based securities, and then betting these securities will fail and making a boatload when the housing market failed.
And then having your handout to the tax payers, to pay for it.

Case #5

Walmart
Walmart, with the help of government policies, brought about by lobbyists opened the channel for cheaper labor in China via NAFTA, which has taken a toll on local manufacturing and retail jobs. As a result, the Walton family is one of the richest families in the world.


Case #6

Microsoft
While Microsoft is as close to a Monopoly as you can get without actually being one, since a shared platform most use in the business and personal world is required, their contributions to society nevertheless have helped it.

[LauraC]

Microsoft Two words: Windows Vista

I had to look up Ray Dalio. Never heard of him.

And now, I'm off to walmart...

[A&M_Indie_08]

Originally Posted by J746NEW

Winners and Loosers - How do you rate them?

Wealth and Money are earned, and taken as well via many different avenues.
Is success determined in your opinion, on how much one aquires or the means they used to get it?


Case #1

General Electric
GE paid no taxes in 2010, and in fact recieived a tax benefit of 3.2 Billion Dollars. This is theft, since the tax dollars they could have contributed, not to mention the tax benefit, will have to be made up by others. Also look at the number of lobbyists for GE ensuring the market is rigged in their favor.

Case #2

Ray Dalio
Top Billionaire Hedge Funder Ray Dalio Sees Himself As a Hyena Devouring Wildebeests.
Dalio took home 780 Million dollars in 2008 via Bridgewater Associates which is funded in part by Teacher's Retirement funds.
Dalio's philosophy is survival of the fittest and taking what you can get from anyone.
Top Billionaire Hedge Funder Sees Himself As a Hyena Devouring Wildebeests | Economy | AlterNet

Case #3
Trench Coat Robbers
The 1997 Bank Heist by the TrenchCoat Robbers getting away with 4.6 Million Dollars

Case #4

Goldman Sachs
One that needs to further explanation. Suffice to say, having your guys in government promote home ownership, selling mortgage based securities, and then betting these securities will fail and making a boatload when the housing market failed.
And then having your handout to the tax payers, to pay for it.

Case #5

Walmart
Walmart, with the help of government policies, brought about by lobbyists opened the channel for cheaper labor in China via NAFTA, which has taken a toll on local manufacturing and retail jobs. As a result, the Walton family is one of the richest families in the world.


Case #6

Microsoft
While Microsoft is as close to a Monopoly as you can get without actually being one, since a shared platform most use in the business and personal world is required, their contributions to society nevertheless have helped it.

You forgot the option "they are all scumbags and thieves" (except Microsoft who actually EARNS what they have) which is how would have voted. I know they will be protected by Rushes dittoheads who claim they are harder working than people who have less money though..

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by LauraC

Microsoft Two words: Windows Vista

I had to look up Ray Dalio. Never heard of him.

And now, I'm off to walmart...

I've been running Vista for three years.. no problems... very fast and reliable.

[mufc1878]

bridgewater hq is very nice in westport, ct.

would love to work there.

Cool: MSFT, Bridgewater, Trenchcoat

Uncool: GS, WMRT, GE

[TrapperJohn]

Originally Posted by J746NEW

Winners and Loosers - How do you rate them?

Wealth and Money are earned, and taken as well via many different avenues.
Is success determined in your opinion, on how much one aquires or the means they used to get it?


Case #1

General Electric
GE paid no taxes in 2010, and in fact recieived a tax benefit of 3.2 Billion Dollars. This is theft, since the tax dollars they could have contributed, not to mention the tax benefit, will have to be made up by others. Also look at the number of lobbyists for GE ensuring the market is rigged in their favor.

Go to the end of their 10-K filing. They claim they paid almost $3.0 billion in taxes on $12 billion in earnings. How does this tie to your statement above?

View Filing Data

Click on Financial Statements, then Statement of Cash Flows, then scroll to the bottom.