[Am-info] Microsoft cuts benefits

[Mark Hinds]

Please just ignore this unless you enjoy John and I arguing.
Please also feel free to poor on more gasoline :-)

>> While I do think MS is a particularly heinous Corp, in this regard 
>> they're simply
>> like all the rest - they've got to show earnings growth or the stock 
>> will go down. 
> 
> Well, this cut won't keep the earnings growth from going down for very 
> long.
> So the next step will be ... layoffs.

Sacrificing the future for now is a common Corp tactic. Seems
to me that the tax cuts of the last couple of years are of the
same variety.



> It isn't Corporations that have us over a barrel.  If you don't like the 
> Corp you work for, quit.  Go find another employer, or start your own 
> company.  It *can* be done.  Lots of folks, stupid and smart have 
> started their own companies.  If you're overwhelmed, change your 
> lifestyle - read Thoreau.

I didn't say I was overwhelmed, I merely offered that as an explantaion
for some peoples failure effectively participate in our democracy. Seems
like you hear you want to hear John.

I stand by my statement - People (in general) do not focus on what is
practical and relevant. Instead they focus on irrelevant subject nonesense.
Your response is a good example. While in the abstract it is true that
people (in general - get it John) could exercise their employment
perogatives, the vast majority do not. This is primarily due to the weak
finacial position of the indivual relative to a large organization (Corp or Gov).
It is non trivial to change employement. In order to for one to consider it
worthwhile to change employemnt there must be a significant benefit differential.
This is the frog in hot water effect. So long as the adverse change proceeds
slowly enough the frog sees no need to climb out.

> Who has us over a barrel is Government.   You can't escape Government.  
> They take taxes for Federal, State, Local, FICA and Medicare.  They take 
> them out of your paycheck *before you ever see the money.*  Try not 
> paying your taxes and see what your benevolent Government does to you.  
> They will treat you far worse than any Corporation ever will do.

Try not paying your mortgage, or walking out of a store without paying.
I think you'll find that doesn't work too well either. Note, that in such
instances the government is called upon to enforce paying ones bills.


> You can hate Bush all you want,
No, you can say I hate Bush all you like when I merely express criticism.


> but at least he's reduced people's taxes on the Federal level.
If the economy grows such that resulting deficit is nullified then
these will have been very clever. If such nullification does not happen
then we can most certainly expect tax increases and spending cuts in
the future. Among those the more obvious spending cuts will be SSI.
If this occures then these tax cuts will have further devalued our FICA
contributions. It is my assertion that the adverse long term consequences
will greatly out way the short term benefit. Further, I contend that a
20 year analysis could be done. This would provide upper and lower bounds
on the relative benefits of a various tax initiatives. This sould all be
done by several independent groups (universities). We should be demanding
such analysis - Where's Damn engineering analysis. Would you fly a plane
designed by these guys?

That policy has reversed the Clinton Recession,
> which happened when the pure-hype tech bubble economy burst in the late 
> 90's.  And Bush's tax cut has reversed the devastation that was done to 
> our economy by the attacks of 9/11/2001.  The economy is growing nicely 
> now, thanks to the American people and Corporations with a little help 
> from Bush.

The recession kicked in after Mr Bush took office.
What Clinton policies do you attribute the GW Bush recession to?
Do you attribute the long duration of the Bush recession to Clinton policies?