[Am-info] Microsoft cuts benefits

[Gene Gaines]

OK, want to talk politics?

On wekends, I am a volunteer tour guide at the U.S. Capitol
building in Washington DC.

What do I say to visitors who look me in the eye when I describe
our "greatest, longest-living experiment in democracy and
freedom" in view of this administration's current activities in
Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay?

Shouting "USA-USA-USA" to me is not an adequate answer.

We are pissing away much of the moral authority that just
several years ago was such a source of pride for us.

Gene
gene.gaines@gainesgroup.com

On Saturday, May 22, 2004, 4:33:53 PM, Mark wrote:


> 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?






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