Intel Corp (INTC)

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Re: One could argue that the current political ideology in power has an even greater sense of entitlement since they not only want to keep all they earn, but they also don't want to pay taxes on it...

Are you satisfied with a retort that extends the sins of a few to describe the behaviors of the many?

Re: I'm curious what you think the income level threshold is at which one becomes morally bankrupt and republican.

It's the point at which you didn't earn what you got paid for. Given that AIG bonuses are the topic of the week(s), let me put my perspective on it:

I believe that bonuses should be to incentivize performance, and when performance is poor, the bonus should be zero. Rather than accepting a $1 salary and $742k bonus, Jake DeSantis (author of recent letter that was posted here) should have taken a salary commensurate with his pay grade, along with a $0 bonus. It probably would have averted the entire controversy.

Now, as for pay grades, I accept the entire ideology of a pyramid approach to reward the most to those whose decisions have the greatest impact to the company. But even AIG I think would have a tough time opening a $742k salary position for 400 individuals (the number DeSantis described in his letter), which probably explains why bonus money was used instead.

I think the capitalistic system has done a fine enough job in coming up with competitive salaries, without the need to avert the system by using "tricks" like bonuses to pay people more than they are worth. Bonuses should be proportional to the level of profitability in a company - a way of saying, "Job well done," and when there are losses, the bonuses should be $0, leaving the totality of the salary as the employee's compensation.

So what's wrong with that? I am only proposing that we allow our capitalist financial system work, and regulate it in a way that's been proven to work, based on policies that were effective since the Great Depression. Republicans want freedom from regulation and less government intervention, but history has shown that ambition run amok wrecks havoc on the society, and we're better off with regulated capitalism. At least that has a history of both allowing the American Dream, as well as national financial stability.