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Sunday’s Forum

Steven L. Taylor
12

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12 responses to “Sunday’s Forum”

  1. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    Let’s say you work on commission rather than on salary. One fine day you go to your boss with a brilliant idea:

    “Boss,” you say enthusiastically, “if you reduce sale commissions from 25% to 20%, there’ll be more money to invest in advertising, manufacturing expansion, and distribution centers. Overall sales will go up and we’ll make more money.”

    The boss agrees. then goes on to invest some of his substantial savings in the company, but also buys back shares and gets a new private jet. Sales go up like 5%, and you make less money.

    “You know,” the boss tells you, “perhaps the commission cut wasn’t large enough.”

    “Yes!” You say. “The commission rate is still too high! Of course! Let’s reduce it to 15%”

    The boss proceeds to buy back some more shares, gets a new yacht, some crypto, and pays consultants to come up with a new logo and color scheme for his growing company.

    Meantime you’re making even less money and are forced to borrow from the bank, and eventually from friends and family. In no time at all, you owe far more than you can ever make, even though you’re working longer hours and your sales have increased 7%.

    So you go to the boss and ask for a raise.

    “Absolutely!” The boss says generously. “I’ll cut your commission to10%”

    1
    1. Eugene Avatar
      Eugene

      A smaller slice of a larger pie. One of the great lies of our time.

    2. Gustopher Avatar
      Gustopher

      I’m sorry, my American education means that I don’t understand metaphors.

    3. gVOR10 Avatar
      gVOR10

      Brad DeLong a couple days ago,

      Want to fix the deficit? Simply have the first item of business on January 21, 2029 be passing a Budget Resolution, to be followed on January 22, 2029 by a vote on the Reconciliation Bill restoring tax rates and taxable income coverage to what they were in 2000.

      I,e. prior to the W Bush, Trump 1.0, and Trump 2.0 tax cuts. And note restoring the base of taxable income is as important as rates. Musk, Gates, Buffet, et al pay an effective rate of around 1%. Not because of rate cuts, but because most of their income isn’t taxed at all.

      1
  2. Kingdaddy Avatar
    Kingdaddy

    Google Maps now says “Lake of America.”

    1. gVOR08 Avatar
      gVOR08

      Damn, I’d commented elsewhere that even Google, who show Gulf of America, no probably wouldn’t go along with this silliness.

    2. Eusebio Avatar
      Eusebio

      Yet the government’s own USGS National Map still shows “Lake Ontario,” as do Apple and Bing (Microsoft) maps. F***ing Google.

    3. Gustopher Avatar
      Gustopher

      Google updates from the USGS data more frequently than anyone, including USGS. I expect that Apple and the rest to follow suit unless they do something to not show Lake America.

  3. Michael Reynolds Avatar
    Michael Reynolds

    According to the WSJ, Steak and Shake is going full MAGA and MAHA.

    So, Wendy’s?

    1. Eugene Avatar
      Eugene

      It’s a burger. It doesn’t matter where it’s from. Meat, grease, salt. The formula is simple and the product pretty uniform, to my tasteslesses, at least.

      1. Mr. Prosser Avatar
        Mr. Prosser

        A local rancher I’ve met who is active in the statewide beef raising industry has said if there actually is any importation of foreign beef tariff-free, the bulk of it will go to commercial burger chains and industrial meal producers not directly to consumers.

    2. gVOR10 Avatar
      gVOR10

      My reaction to any mention of Steak and Shake is surprise they still exist.

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