Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: elpolvo who wrote (34936)	1/13/2004 9:51:07 PM
From: lurqer	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

In an earlier conversation you said maybe the key is to tax free enterprise enough that it pays for society's basic necessities but not so much that it destroys the incentive to profit. that's an extremely hard balance to strike and doing it on a global scale is not yet possible. I was thinking about that, and considered some kind of VAT (Value Added Tax) on every transaction the corporation makes - buying or selling. For companies like Greyston Bakery, the tax would be nominal say less than 1.5%. For a company with no pension or health insurance benefits, the tax could be a far more serious 150%. So, a normal $10 purchase is now $25, and a $250 sale gives the company an income of $100 before considering any expenses, other taxes etc. Serious environmental pollution could push this VAT even higher. A company with some intermediate record (most companies), would have a VAT between these more extreme examples. This type of VAT, where the Value is a measure of how peoples lives are being affected, could also be applied to international transactions. Any foreign corporation that wants to export to the US will also be subjected to a VAT import premium based on the way it treats its workers and the environment. All this is just embryonic, but I noticed today that others are consider something somewhat similar. nytimes.com lurqer

To: elpolvo who wrote (34936)	1/14/2004 9:43:16 AM
From: elpolvo	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

From elpolvo's Inbox: The Bush In 30 Seconds ad contest has a winner! The entrants were honored on Monday honored on Monday night by a crew of celebrities ranging from Michael Moore and Al Franken to Chuck "D" and Margaret Cho. But the ads were the stars -- the crowd was bowled over by their power. The Overall Best Ad and People's Choice Winner was (drumroll) "Child's Pay" by Charlie Fisher of Denver, CO. To see the winning ads and support getting them on the air, go to: moveonvoterfund.org Building on the power and creativity of this work, were making an important announcement: With your help, we can take the winning ad to the Super Bowl. We were planning to play the winning ad nationally on CNN during the week of Bush's State of the Union address, but the response to the ads has been way beyond our expectations. We've been working to put together something even more exciting. A political ad has never been placed on the Super Bowl before, and with your help, "Child's Pay" will be the first. Together, let's send Washington a clear message: no more politics as usual. The Super Bowl ad will cost $1.6 million to place nationally, but we can afford this if we can complete our $10 million dollar grassroots campaign, which now stands at $7.5 million. Can you help? To make an instant, secure contribution, by credit card or check, go to: moveonvoterfund.org Remember, for every two dollars you give, a dollar is added by a matching grant, so your contribution goes even further. The energy at the Hammerstein Ballroom was incredible. The winning ad, "Child’s Pay," by Charlie Fisher, 38, of Denver features young children working in difficult service and manufacturing jobs -- washing dishes, hauling trash, repairing tires, cleaning offices, assembly-line processing and grocery checking -- followed by the line: "Guess who’s going to pay off President Bush’s $1 trillion deficit?" Charlie Fisher is an advertising executive who was a registered Republican until the end of the first Bush administration, in 1992. He is currently on assignment in Denmark and flew in to attend the awards ceremony with his cameraman, P. Dreyer. "I was thrilled just to participate in this contest," Fisher said. "When we finished editing ‘Child's Pay,’ I felt it was nice -- maybe a little too nice. Perhaps I learned that you don't have to paint a bulls-eye on someone’s forehead to be effective. Most importantly, my Republican father said this when I told him I was making an ad for this contest, not knowing what his reaction would be: ‘I am proud of you for taking part and acting in the world around you.’" Thanks again to all the entrants who participated and thanks to everyone who's making it possible to put these ads on the air. We're going to take our country back. Sincerely, --Adam, Carrie, Eli, James, Joan, Noah, Peter, Wes, and Zack The MoveOn.org Team January 14th, 2004