Kerry's wealth troubling
 

Five Kerry Homes Valued at Nearly $33M


By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - From a sailing mecca to a ski resort, presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, enjoy the trappings of their wealth in at least five homes and vacation getaways valued at nearly $33 million.



This pretty much makes me want to puke. How could anyone possibly need FIVE homes. I know Kerry/Heinz give a lot to charity, but it's not like there's a cap on giving.

The silver lining here, such as it is, is that Kerry is actively campaigning for president against a man who's policies have great increased his personal wealth. Here's an ultrawealthy couple saying they don't need or want the tax breaks W, has given them, and they'd get rid of them given half the chance.

I don't think it changes the fact that truly wealthy people don't have any idea what life is like for most people. But some truly wealthy people have more of an idea than others.

I don't hate rich people and I don't care if they get a tax cut because they are the ones who invest and help create jobs for people like me.

Stop class warfare.

Stop people who have over 5 million dollars.

Its like what Nader, Sharpton, and Kucinich were trying to say. You HAVE to be corprately funded, and wealthy to even run. This is one of the reasons I'm thinking of not even voting at all. This country was bought and sold a long time ago.

Keep this up, and we will be weilding a hammer and sickle in a few years...

I think the same thing will happen here that has happened to every other world power in history: Economic disparity will reach a point where the masses of poor will no longer tolerate it, there will be a bloody revolt, and the whole pile of shit will start all over again.

The human race is too fucking stupid and self-absorbed to learn from its history, and I root enthusiastically for its inevitable destruction.

Egg- Zactly (thats what I meant by the whole hammer and sickle thing)

Its not just this issue either, there are a lot of policies like drug control that are just stupid. According to the Gov't, Its like the prohibition era never even happened.

Revolutions by the poor have always ended in defeat, it is the revolutions of the rising economicaly powerful class that succeed. It just so happens that the powerful class is the poor class at the moment. What people need to realise is that they (you) are part of this poorer class.

It's not a matter of NEED, Max, and it's not even really about what a person deserves to have. This may sound a little Vinthy to you, but I think all liberals should pawn their television sets, dishwashers, and microwave ovens and give the profits to homeless people before they start talking about what the rich do and don't need. The scale is different, but the principle is the same.

And if *you* have an idea of what life is like for people who are worse off than you are, you should really be in a hurry to give up some of your luxuries. After all, the rich at least have the (flimsy) excuse of ignorance.

I work for a non profit, I volunteer much of what little free time I have to public school and the VA, I rent property at significantly bellow the market rate. I keep a roof over my head, own one car and eat and I have health insurance through my job. I have cable, internet and food. I think these are things all americans should have.

You are correct that I could ditch some of this and give it to the poor, but I promise you, it's a balance of my families needs versus the needs of my community that I actively think about.

I don't hate the wealthy, and some people do wonderful things with their wealth. I do admit, however, an inherent distrust of the wealthy. I think comfort makes you myopic. I think the more comfort you have, the more myopic you are in danger of becoming.

I also distrust the aquisition of wealth. I defy anyone to tell me the difference between having say fifty million and five hundred million. You find yourself more and more pressed to do something for yourself so you know and others know your position. Like having five mansions when you'll only live in one at a time, and you can afford the best hotel wherever you go. Or being able to buy a baseball team or a presidency.

"I don't hate rich people and I don't care if they get a tax cut because they are the ones who invest and help create jobs for people like me. "
-Naldo

That's funny Naldo, I didn't know you were a Mexican or an Indian. I've seen a whole lot of wealth redistribution in the last few years and damn little job creation.

To me, it depends on whether or not it's old money or new money. Did Kerry just inherit all of that, or is the money mostly from his ketchup wife? A lot of people who simply receive a load of money when their parents kick off don't know what it's like ot do anything for themselves, and that's bad.

But, when someone like Bill Gates rakes in billions after starting off with nothing, I think they deserve it for using their brain. :(

*SIGH*

When are we going to stop class warfare? I figured we have advanced further along in society then to sit there and whine about "haves/have nots".

The entire concept of people "having too much" money is absurd. We, as a capitalist society, promote and encourage the ability for a man to earn what he can and what he wants to earn within the rule of law. If this man wants to make billions of dollars and horde it until the day he dies, he has every right to. It's not up to you, me, the goverment, or anyone else to decide who has "enough".

Deciding who should have what is what leads to Islamofacists, communists, etc. I don't judge the rich because they have the ability to earn money. I want to be rich as well, and I'll be damned if someone is going to tell me that I have "enough" money and I should be satisfied! What happens if someone gets into power and decides that the only thing Americans should have is a roof, food, and a bed? Would anyone in their right mind consider that enough?

I can tell you the difference between 5 million and 500 million, Max: The person with 500 million had the ability to earn 495 million more than the guy with 5 million. That is capitalism. It has been shown from time and memorial to be the way human beings are wired to run their economic societies.

It also amazes me that the Democrats will slash each other's achilies tendons to get to the podium and talk about the "poor, poor, pitiful poor" and the "evil rich" will pass leglisation that hurts the "poor" more than it does the "rich". -- I have a realitive that is a self-contracting construction company owner. He has came into a lot of business (especially in this "poor, awful, outsourcing, pitiful economy"!) and stands to make a bit of money. No one would ever confuse him with being rich. Democrats would raise our taxes because they are so fucking short-sighted they think that people with gold mansions and rocket cars are going to be the only ones affected. Since my realitive, as a small business owner would file his taxes under his own name, he would be hit hard by a tax increase. He would be forced to let go of workers or not take on projects since the rate of work he would have to put into those projects would not equal the rate of reward. But they don't tell you that on the news.

Freedoms, whether it be economic, social, religious, political, etc., are not for the weak, the whiny, the jealous or the spiteful. They are for people who want everyone to be able to have the chance to succede on their own accords, within the boundries of their own making or choice, rather than boundries made by human beings who think it is their right to tell people who should have what.

If he amassed his wealth honestly, who cares?

Is he a trust fiund baby or did he actually earn most of it?

If it is the latter, that means he is motivated, ambitious, organized and focused. These are qualities I want in a leader. I'm not going to vote for Kerry because I don't agree with where he stands on the issues and I don't like the campaign he is apparently about to run. It has nothing to do with his bank statements.

So, the rich have no idea how the poor feel, but you are totally in touch with the multi-millionares? I'm sure you can see the double standard there.

Vinth, I'm always pleased when you stop by. Where else would I get to see someone write "It has been shown from time and memorial "

I'm concidering telling you what the phrase actually is for the pleasure of watching you say you meant to get it wrong as a joke.

I also like "Freedoms, whether it be economic, social, religious, political, etc., are not for the weak, the whiny, the jealous or the spiteful."

Because like our president you have no idea what's plural and what's singular and because our constitution guarantees all those freedoms to all the people. I'm not surprised that while you're railing about not being told how much money you should be allowed to have (and no one told you anything of the sort) you feel free to say what qualities a person should have to be ensured economic, social, religous and poltical freedom.

Blanco, I make no claims about understanding the ultra wealthy, in fact I think I've been quite clear that I don't understand them, since I've tted I can't imagine hanging on to vast wealth. I don't understand them even a tiny little bit, and I don't imagine they understand the struggling middle class or the poor any better. I do imagine they are more comfortable, safe and well fed while they do their misunderstanding, though.

Most of Kerry's wealth comes from the Ketchup side of the family.

As for class warfare, the disparity between rich and poor in this country is larger than it's been in decades, and our countries wealth is concentrated in the hands of a smaller percentge of it's citizens than it has been in decades. THAT's class warfare, and I know which class is loosing the war. I think it's cute Vinth thinks we're beyond it, and I have no doubt that a well spoken, intelligent man like him will one day amass a great deal of wealth. He'll also ride a flying pig and duck alorange will pour out his ass every time he gets hungry.

Somehow I don't see construction being an industry that's affected by outsourcing. :lol

Well, sure it is! Loo at all the construction Halliburton is outsourcing to Iraq! If we'd kept that war at home, we'd be rebuilding our own infrastructure right now.

I am pleased though, that Vinth has moved from convenient roomates to convenient relatives. I hope his 'relative' knows more about filing 'small business' taxes than Vinth does.

Kikebank, can you figure out a better way to rebuttal my posts? The "Oh VINTH DON'T TALK SO GOOD WELL" posts are childish.

:lol

Please, Vince, explain yourself. For me.

If Man is 'wired' to run society with capitalsm, how do you explain the existence of other socio-economic systems? Primitive communism, slavery, feudalism... Where did they come from if Man is naturaly drawn to capitalism?

But they're so accurate! :)

LOL VINTH IS A WOPCACK!!! :lol

Pern, your question is a good one, but I can only answer it in one way. People are wired naturally to believe in a higher power, but some are atheists.

Holy shit!! You're still alive?!

Zhukov asked the question. He's the communist here.

Well, thanks Vince, but if the only way you can answer my question is in shit format, don’t bother. I already know the correct answer.

"Kikebank, can you figure out a better way to rebuttal my posts? The "Oh VINTH DON'T TALK SO GOOD WELL" posts are childish."

I don't need to 'rebuttal' you. You just did it yourself, and 'time and memorial' has shown out the gold standard of taking you seriosly is worth less than one of the handjobs that are given out to hobos for free by your mother.

"Time and memorial" ladies and gentlemen. "Time and memorial".

Keep dodging the points, Max. Maybe, just maybe, your fat ass will get a workout.