Bruce Springsteen Performing in Berlin:"The Banker Man Grows Fat, Working Man Grows Thin"

[Hissyspit]

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/279-82/11697-focus-qthe-banker-man-grows-fat-working-man-grows-thinq

Bruce Springsteen:"The Banker Man Grows Fat, Working Man Grows Thin"
By Erik Kirschbaum, Reuters
31 May 12

Rocker Bruce Springsteen touched on a nerve of widespread discontent with the financiers and bankers at a Berlin concert on Wednesday, railing against them as "greedy thieves" and "robber barons."

Springsteen, a singer-songwriter dubbed "The Boss" who has long championed populist causes, played to a sold-out crowd at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, singing from his album "Wrecking Ball" and speaking about tough economic times that have put people out of work worldwide and led to debt crises in Greece and other countries.

"In America, a lot of people have lost their jobs," said Springsteen, 62, who performed for three hours to some 58,000 fans in the packed stadium that hosted the 1936 Olympics and the 2006 World Cup final.

"But also in Europe and in Berlin, times are tough," he added, speaking in fluent German. "This song is for all those who are struggling." He then introduced "Jack of All Trades", a withering attack on bankers that includes the lyrics: "The banker man grows fat, working man grows thin."

MORE[p]

[tk2kewl]

1. K&R

[otohara]

2. Pay Your Taxes Bruce

stop using the fake-farmer loophole to avoid paying property taxes.

[sabrina 1]

3. GE too, and all the predatory Corps who move their business offshore, use slave and child labor

to maximize their profits, take subsidies from the American tax payers while getting tax breaks the rest of us would love to get.

Does Bruce get subsidies from the US taxpayer, or employ child labor to maximize his profits? IF he is dodging taxes, then yes he should not, do you have a link to this btw? You say he is a fake farmer, why do you say that?

[otohara]

4. Here's Your Link

It too 9 years to close this loophole in Colorado.

My own Democratic governor jumped through hoops to avoid property taxes on 200 acres of land. First he was going to use the "wood producing" loophole, until he discovered the farmer loophole was a whole lot better. So he bought a goat or chicken, and voila, farmer Hickenlooper.
No more will the Hizzhoner, Goldie Hawn, Tom Cruise and others with "gentlemen ranches", get away with paying $200 in property taxes, while the rest of us pay $1500 for an 1100 square house.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-57324438-10391695/your-tax-dollars-for-the-rich-and-famous/

[sabrina 1]

5. Can you provide something explaining this from a more reliable source than the hypocrite Republican

Sen. Coburn, who himself should have been investigated for his ties to the Abramoff affair btw. I see he lists only Democrats or 'Liberals'. Not a word about any Republicans who might be getting subsidies, like the Oil Companies eg.

This appears to be a political issue with the Repubs trying to take money away from farmers and using their usual tactics, distortions and distractions, to do so. I will have to see what the Dem position is on this.

I've searched myself, but can only find this story on Rightwing sites, repeating Coburn's 'take' on it, Glenn Beck, Fox, all the usual suspects all mentioning the same Liberals and repeating, practically word for word, Coburn's rant.

You'll have to forgive me for thinking that, considering the sources, and Springsteen's recent huge success album standing up for the 99%, an anathema to the far Right, I would need to have more information than the Far Right is providing on this. We all know how good they are at focusing on one part of a story and lying by omission in order to discredit political enemies.

So far, I found that he pays a lot of property taxes on his huge property, except for 200 acres which is rented to a real farmer. More information is needed.

Interesting the timing of the attacks from Rightwing Noise Machine though on someone they once thought, stupidly, was on THEIR side.

[otohara]

6. Oh Look What I Found, NJ Senate Approved Bill Recently

Thanks to Tom Coburn, the NJ Senate thought it was a big enough problem to address.

I don't care who exposed it, because it's true and I hope more states close this loophole that makes liars out of liberals and conservatives in the name of greed.

This NJ bill doesn't go far enough like Colorado did. They are only upping the dollar figure of goods sold from $500 to $1000. The rich folks can easily get their wealthy friends to write a checks to each other for an organic apple or two.

I am one of 99% who is sick and tired ALL millionaires getting all the benefits, I am sickened by the lengths and lies the will go to - to avoid paying taxes when they have so much money.



RENTON — A Senate panel has approved a bill to make it tougher for property owners to qualify for large property tax discounts if they use their land for farming.

Under the bill (S589), sponsored by state Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) and Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), those who claim a farmland tax exemption would have to sell at least $1,000 worth of products from five acres of land – up from $500.

The Senate Environment and Energy Committee approved the measure 4-0.

The bill would also require a review of the tax status every three years, training for tax assessors and have the state Board of Agriculture develop guidelines on what is and isn’t a farm.

New Jersey's farmland tax exemption is intended to preserve open space and keep farmers in state. But it’s been controversial for decades. Environmentalists say real estate developers claim it for land they plan to develop later, and wealthy residents — including several high profile politicians — sometimes use it to pay lower taxes on their estates.

“There is nothing that really guides our tax assessors as to what is and isn’t a farm. So the result has been that we have a lot of fake farmers,” said Beck. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/nj_senate_panel_tries_to_stop.html

[sabrina 1]

7. Well, that's fine, but it still doesn't provide details about the specifics of Bruce Springsteen's

situation. Sorry, but I do not accept 'facts' from Right Wing Nuts like Glenn Beck, Coburn, Fox, Limbaugh et al, and those are the only sources I could find re Springsteen.

Eg, he is renting the property in question. He is paying a large amount of taxes on the land he is NOT renting.

The renter appears to be a real farmer. Does the lease include an agreement that while he is a tenant the farmer will pay the taxes? If that is the case, since Springsteen is paying a huge amount of property taxes anyhow, what is wrong with a farmer renting property and benefiting from the legal tax rate?

Like I said, Coburn, Fox, Beck et al are not known for accuracy in reporting, about Democrats.