Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Monday, Nov. 19, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Another view?
View more of the Las Vegas Sun's opinion section:
• Editorials - the Sun's viewpoint.
• Columnists - local and syndicated writers.
• Letters to the editor - readers' views.
Have your own opinion? Write a letter to the editor.
Steve Wynn, Sheldon Adelson and Donald Trump gambled millions of dollars in the last election and lost. Now they know how 95 percent of their customers feel when they leave their casinos.
When the casino owners in Las Vegas start paying their fair share in taxes that they don’t mind paying elsewhere, maybe then Nevadans will be willing to help out with their taxes.
Fred wrote "When the casino owners in Las Vegas start paying their fair share in taxes that they don't mind paying elsewhere, maybe then Nevadans will be willing to help out with their taxes."
Fred should define what "fair share" means. Top wage earners make 17% of total US income but pay 38% of all federal taxes which is up from 1980 when top wage earners paid 20% of all federal income taxes. Fred Walsh and the rest don't like us putting their attacks on top wage earners into the proper context. And they really don't like the fact that union dues collected each year is 2 1/2 times the total of all CEO salaries which leads one to the obvious question. Why don't we start taxing union dues at 50%-70% during our current economic struggles until the economy recovers? Where is the union sacrifice?
http://patrioticmillionaires.net/
The Sun printed two nearly identical letter bashing the conservatives for supporting their candidates
No mention of Democrats support to house members - the House which the Republicans kept
Partisanship is what keeps this rotten system in place; a system that is corrupt. PACS corrupt. Unions corrupt, wealthy contributors corrupt, businesses corrupt, etc, etc.
Instead of arguing about which entitles or individuals corrupt the system more, why don't we agree that they all do; that the corruption is bad for us all; and act to stop it with PUBLIC FINANCING?
Michael
Let's all take a page from Obama and the Dems play book and beat up on the rich who actually build businesses and provide jobs. Why? Because these Casino owners are Republicans. If they were Dems, Obama would invite them to the White House and party hardy. Where you stand, depends on where you sit.
CarmineD
Keep on dreaming people. There aren't too many honest people anymore in politics. Public service? Bah! Let's call it what it is: Self-aggrandizement power trip!
Problem? Yes. Solution? None.
That is the way of the human psyche.
"Steve Wynn, Sheldon Adelson and Donald Trump gambled millions of dollars in the last election and lost"
Isn't Instant Karma a beautiful thing to behold?
refNV: I'll define what guys like Fred mean when they spout "fair share." It's when you pay more in taxes so they pay less. Face it - Dumbocrats or leftists (interchangeable) are always in favor of raising the other guys taxes and then spending it on their Socialistic pap. They always have their hands out pleading for "More, please." We really have to forgive them as we do children who don't know any better as they were brought up in an entitlement society and consider themselves "special." After all, their doting parents and leftist teachers told them so, therefore it must be true. Meanwhile, the productive among us will just have to bear the burden of having the leftists albatross around their neck until the tide turns once again and turn it will. Then watch the squealing, whining and crying from the "entitled" class as they have to what most of us do naturally - take responsibilty for ourselves.
Comment removed by moderator. Not legal to quote so much from a copyrighted article.
Comment removed by moderator. - -
RefNV, Jerry, Carmine...keep spouting your delusions boys, all they do is help us Dems. You lost the election, popular and Electoral, you lost the Senate, you lost seats in the House, all in an election year when you should have cleaned house. You've blamed the darkies and the duskies, the women, the youngsters, the deluded, the takers, the Kenyan socialist Muslim, anybody I missed. You've got more excuses than Bobby Hauck. How about this.....your candidate and your Party lack integrity.
ReFreeman, says,
"Why don't we start taxing union dues at 50%-70% during our current economic struggles until the economy recovers? Where is the union sacrifice?"
By doing so would compound the tax burden on the worker, the middle class. Many workers have no choice but to join a Union to get a job. Kitchen workers, housekeeping, bellmen, and other jobs from the front to the back of the house require workers to join a Union. Especially in Las Vegas.
Why would you want to tax the worker more, which will result in less take home pay! Where is the logic is your suggestion?
Michael Casler says,
"Partisanship is what keeps this rotten system in place; a system that is corrupt. PACS corrupt. Unions corrupt, wealthy contributors corrupt, businesses corrupt, etc, etc."
Michael, your point is on the mark. It's about the amount money in the political system and the sources who contribute. Many of the sources are unknown. Which mean big money can infiltrate all of the organization you mentioned.
"RefNV, Jerry, Carmine...keep spouting your delusions boys, all they do is help us Dems." @Pat Hayes
GOPeoples' House, which controls the purse strings, is still Republican and has been for the last 16 of 20 years. 60 percent of the State Houses in the USA are GOP Governors. And more state legislatures have gone GOP in November 2012. And you're pounding your chest and jumping for joy because Obama eeked out one of the narrowist wins for second termer presidents. And the millionaires' club gained another seat or two. Who's delusional?
CarmineD
@Carmine....how long till you run out of old white men?
"@Carmine....how long till you run out of old white men?" @Pat Hayes
Not to worry. As the white male Dems age and become wiser, they will make up for the shortage.
CarmineD
@ Carmine....I apologize, that previous comment was kinda snarkie. realistically though, the House lost Republicans despite redistricting in republican states which heavily favored R's. Yes, R's have a majority, a large majority, of governorships but look at them....they are more pragmatic and far less doctrinaire that the average member of Congress. Sandoval, Jihndal and others are beacons of moderation in the context of Republican thought. Hell, I voted for Sandoval over that idiot Reid. That said, demographics are working against you. We Dems had to isolate the Dennis Kucinich' of the party, the animal rights nuts, the hard granolas, the peace at any price bunch and we mainstreamed the LGBT and others. Right now we look more like America than you do and voters responded. You mentioned the House. What happened in California when a completely independent, non-partisan redistricting commission drew new districts without regard to Party affiliation? Conservative R's lost heavily. Bob Dylan comes to mind....Times They Are a'Changing, Blowin' in the Wind, etc. More than a few Republicans do not believe in evolution, but unfortunately Mother Nature, capitalism and politics all subscribe to the principle of "adapt or die".
Carmine says,
"Not to worry. As the white male Dems age and become wiser, they will make up for the shortage." (CarmineD)
It's about numbers and votes. Demographics suggest white male are in decline in America. Hispanics and Asian populations are increasing in America. We have witness in this election that young people identify with President Obama and agree with his position on issues the President talked about during the campaign.
Numbers and votes. This is the new power base in American politics. White men are cannot counter this new normal of collective power.
The big question we all want to know,
"What was Sheldon Adelson expecting from his donations? What was Mr. Adelson buying? Who promised him what?"
It looks as if Mr. Adelson became a sucker for the Republican Party in giving money.
First to Newt Gingrich, then to Eric Cantor, Rick Santorum, Karl Rove super pacs, and Mitt Romney.
Mr. Adelson willingly gave to so many flawed candidates. What was Mr. Adelson buying? What did he and his wife expect in return for the huge donations to a flawed and failed campaign?
The GOP has an image problem that is very hard to fix.
Steve Wynn has used extensive plastic surgery and a new trophy wife to make himself seem younger and more vibrant but it's a creepy facade eerily similar to the stretched skin look currently sported by Wayne Newton. Wynn's republican party needs something much deeper than a cosmetic makeover.
Longtimevegan wrote "By doing so would compound the tax burden on the worker, the middle class".
Longtimevegan, Labor unions are nonprofits, and they rake in millions of dollars a year tax-free in member dues. Unions don't have to pay federal or state income taxes on member dues or donations, nor property taxes on much of their real estate. Those items are exempt from the very same taxes unions lobby to raise on everyone else.
We need to remove unions from non-profit status and start taxing these entities. If you check in to the luxury $187 million Westin Diplomat Hotel on the beach outside Fort Lauderdale, Fla., you'll be impressed by sumptuous, art deco features, hotel suites overlooking the ocean, flowing fountains, waterfalls in its infinity swimming pool, the plush green golf course and the top-notch restaurants. You might also be impressed that this opulent hotel is owned by a labor union, and is frequently used for union junkets. As is the $15.4 million Hillcrest Golf Club in Saint Paul, Minn. As is the $33 million lakeside resort and golf club in Onaway, Mich., owned by the United Auto Workers Union, a resort now hemorrhaging millions of dollars at a time of auto bailouts and auto job losses.
Unions need to be removed from non-profit status so we can generate higher tax revenue.
I don't disagree with the assessments made about the GOP losing voter appeal with antiquated opinions on social issues. I disagree with the degree of joy over it which borders on hate. And I disagree with the dire and doomsday forecasts for the GOP not just for the last election but into the future. At a minimum, they are grossly overstated. GOP is and will be fine. It has an excellent line up of diverse politicians of both genders and all races. GOP will continue to attract more as these up and comers acclimate into the GOP culture/party and influence others to do the same.
CarmineD
Here's why the GOP hopes of winning the White House is like the maiden voyage of the Titanic.
The biggest blue iceberg in their way to 270 is California with 55 EV followed by the New York and New Jersey with a combined 43 EV. On the GOP side, Texas with 38 EV is the largest red state. Add in all other reliably-Democratic states and the Ds start out with 240 EV before the race begins.
These are plain facts and the reason republicans have won the popular vote just once (2004) in the last six presidential elections.
Adelson spent less than one half of one percent of his fortune in this election.
Adelson has a $20B nest egg. He spend around 100M of it in this election. To put that into numbers a bit more relateable, that is like someone with a $200,000 nest egg spending $1000.
To say that his expenditure hurts or even stings is laughable.
He did put a hundred million dollars he was sitting on back into the economy where it undoubtedly created a few jobs though, so as backwards as it sounds, I'd say it is a net positive for the people.
ReFreeman, posted,
"We need to remove unions from non-profit status and start taxing these entities."
If doing so, how would this affect other non-profit entities?
Adelson was likely looking to keep the heat off himself in terms of his dealings in China. Now, the investigations will continue and not be disrupted by a "President Romney". Maybe they will drag him out of the Venetian in irons when this is all done!
I would think that if non-profit status was taken from unions, it would also be taken from political organizations, too. But I don't see where it would need to affect charitable organizations.
Keep in mind that contributions to a political organization are not tax deductible.
On a tangent, I think any adjustments to tax deductions is going to have to be examined thoroughly with a view to the impact on charitable organizations.
Lets drop the tax deductions for contributions to churches. I don't need to subsidize another person's religious beliefs.
Union dues....not political contributions....are tax deductible as a business expense. Dues cannot be used for partisan political purposes. Partisan political contributions are voluntary and separate from dues which are used for collective bargaining, member services, administration and the like.
If union dues are made taxable then so too should be membership in the Chamber, dues to the ABA, the AMA and similar organizations....all of which are currently tax-deductible as business expenses. That cruise that RefNV takes every year with his union-busting buddies where they drink, party and discuss how to screw WalMart workers....all deductible as a business expense. Rev is a union-buster, a Pinkerton....take his screed with a grain of salt.
Un..F'ing believable. The amount of Hate generated by the left and the suckers who absorb it all and repeat it like they actually know what they are talking about.
"Their Fair Share"?? When did any of you Obama lovers create anything that paid a salary, paid income taxes and created wealth for another person??
Wynn has uneducated dealers flipping cards and making $100k a year. What other business owner would allow anyone with just a GED to get past the security guard or the trash bins out back??
And yet you mock people give you a life and pay for your measly exsistance while cheering the people who want to make your life more miserable... .
The ones not "paying" their fair share are all those wanting something for nothing and whine because they chose the life of least resistance.....
@ Mark Anthony...
"And yet you mock people give you a life and pay for your measly exsistance"...
Well, isn't that SPECIAL!
So 'Romney-Esque' to speak to the unwashed masses like they're your freaking servants (ala refreeman & his tiresome, yet tireless rants against the Occupy Wall St. folks).
Another gem...
"What other business owner would allow anyone with just a GED to get past the security guard or the trash bins out back??"
Or THIS pearl;
" When did any of you Obama lovers create anything that paid a salary, paid income taxes and created wealth for another person??"
I had NO IDEA that a 2nd Obama Presidency would push people THIS FAR over the edge!!!
At some point in the near future, all of this bizarre, insane, baseless rhetoric will bring down the remnants of the 'R' party.
Whew!
gmag39........
Great comment.
YES, these republicans are still heartless.
They can't help it.
But it sure helps us DEMOCRATS win elections.
LIVE BETTER/WORK UNION!
Tramslation: "Fair Share" = "More".
Except from Fred, of course.
Mr Walsh,
In your letter to the editor you have stated that,"Casino owner's gambled and lost." These casino owner's you mentioned by name were,Steve Wynn,Sheldon Adelson,and Donald Trump.My Question to you is if these same casino owner's were Democrat's would you be saying the same things had the Republican's won the presinental election?
The fact that HUGE dollar investment did not WIN an election - is something we should celebrate.
doubledown_deadender,
A HUGE dollar investment most certainly did win. Take a look at the figures here: http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index....
There is not really enough difference between the two campaigns to matter.