He's sooooooo sorry!

[n2doc]

U. of C. law professor stops blogging after outcry
By Ameet Sachdev
Posted today at 12:10 p.m.


Todd Henderson. (University of Chicago photo)
A law professor at the University of Chicago, where President Barack Obama once taught, is sorry he ever complained about the president’s tax policies.

Todd Henderson last week wrote on a blog about the effect the expiring Bush tax cuts would have on his family. He said his family, whose household income is north of $250,000, could not afford higher taxes. His wife is a doctor at the University of Chicago Hospitals.

“A quick look at our family budget, which I will happily share with the White House, will show him that like many Americans, we are just getting by despite seeming to be rich. We aren’t,” Henderson wrote on the blog “Truth on the Market.”

He then went on to disclose some personal details about his family’s finances. He paid $100,000 in federal and state taxes last year and $15,000 property taxes. He has a big mortgage, more than $250,000 in student loans, two cars, a nanny and a lawn service.

more

http://chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2010/09/u-of-c-law-professor-stops-blogging-after-outcry.html

Yep, nothing superfluous about those expenses, we all have to have a nanny and lawn service with a big house. No sirree, He's an average joe living paycheck to paycheck.

[closeupready]

1. Zero sympathy for this guy.

Zero.

[Enrique]

2. DU should take up a collection for him

sounds like Todd is hurting pretty bad. :cry:

[closeupready]

43. Don't cry for him, Argentina.

:rofl:

[qb]

3. He's sooooooo clueless!

Imagining he'd find any sympathy.
:nopity:

[NightWatcher]

4. "just getting by"? how much does his nanny make every year?

or one of the lawn guys?
If he wants to see "just getting by", I'm sure he should ask them first

[FiveGoodMen]

5. "$250,000 in student loans"

Our education system shouldn't be that expensive.

[n2doc]

6. Law and Med schools are notorious for big tuition bills

Still, everybody knows that going in.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

61. he'd have them pretty much paid off if he'd have focused on taking care of that

before deciding that his successful career demanded a mansion, nanny and lawn service.

[liberalhistorian]

98. That's a large reason that I'm beginning to feel a bit better

about not getting into law school this fall, despite being a paralegal for the past fifteen years and despite practicing as a lay advocate in a tribal court, representing tribal members. I'm in my forties and the thought of that kind of debt haunting me for the rest of my life, frankly (hubby's an attorney, but, despite the prevailing cultural presumption, many attorneys DO NOT make a ton of money, especially in rural areas where we are) is not at all appealing. Especially given the current and continuing bleak job prospects in the legal field.

I know some of the ones who did get in and all they're interested in is making big bucks in corporate law, they couldn't care less about using their skills and knowledge to serve underserved or low-income populations, where it is so badly needed and where I wanted to serve. Hubby says he's noticing that change in law schools and young attorneys, that more and more law students and new graduates are far too business-minded, only interested in big money and furthering the interests of corporations and not justice. It appears that that's what too many law schools are focusing on now. Low-income Americans, and even middle-income ones who might not have much liquidity available, are going to pay dearly for that in coming years.

[tblue37]

56. My daughter owes $212 thousand for med school. She wants to

serve unerserved populations in this country and the Third World, but before she can do anything like that, she must first make the big bucks to pay off that loan--and by the time she does, there's is a good chance she will be tied down with kids and a mortgage, etc., and not as free to do that sort of thing.

When they are young and without dependents is the best time for people to travel around donating time to help the poor, but we tie our young people up so tightly with education debt that they are like indentured servants until they reach middle age.

[27inCali]

67. College these days is a scam

not saying it always was, but my experience was excruciating in it's Kafkaesque absurdity and when it was over with I just felt ripped off.
I'm understanding of the fact that this idea is not so practical if you want to be a medical doctor or scientist but........

I mean, you are saddled with all this debt, just to get out, and half the time, whatever special qualifications you achieved while in school are useless to you the minute you go out to find work.

what's the point? basically, any important thing you need to know how to do, go down to the bookstore, get the book, fucking read it. If you are smart you will understand what you read and go out and apply that to your life or career, you'll use the knowledge to perform an important craft of create useful new ideas etc. And if you are smart and do it right, no one will care if there are letters next to your name or not, they'll only care that you know what you are doing and that your ideas are strong and that you have created something useful for them.

Just so you guys know, I have a massive bookshelf filled with books (mostly on philosophy, psychology, sociology, music/arts etc) that I have had the self-control to read and learn from without some ridiculous professor standing over my shoulder prodding me to do it. These books have improved my quality of life in a way that none of the useless text books of college ever did for me.

I guess a good way to sum it up is this.

You can read that lame college text book, and catch one, very short Nietzsche or Jung quote taken completely out of context and end up passing by the gold mine without notice because there are 30 other random ideas that must be temporarily memorized until the text next week..... Or you can read a whole Nietzsche or Jung book on your own -at your own speed, uncensored and in full context and take that gold mine along with you for the rest of your life.

[Hamlette]

79. my college experience was very different

I was introduced to interesting ideas, sent in different directions, met wonderful like long friends who share my interests and I feel better equipped to recognized and translate bullshit

That being said, school should not be so expensive and loans should be partially forgiven, or interest deferred while a graduate performs public interest services.

[drmeow]

82. Have her look into

loan forgiveness programs:

http://www.finaid.org/loans/forgiveness.phtml
http://services.aamc.org/fed_loan_pub/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.welcome&CFID=1528320&CFTOKEN=92251926

[handmade34]

97. new rules

forgive student loans for people serving in underserved and low poverty areas...

[FiveGoodMen]

101. That's a damned shame.

School just shouldn't cost that much.

[Dappleganger]

7. I'll bet he's tasty, too.

*fires up the furnace and notifies Mrs. Lovett*

[annabanana]

75. hee hee

[blondeatlast]

8. Who will stand their ground for the unfortunate 1% of the US if he stops?

Who will think of nannied and gerdenered? Stand your ground, Professor Henderson! On your brave shoulders, ---um, I got nothing.

[notadmblnd]

9. Living beyond his means

Isn't he one of those people who are responsible for this economic mess by buying more than he can afford? Fire the nanny, raise your own kids. Get rid of the lawn service and cut your own grass. Get rid of the cars, commute to work (after all it is Chicago), it's not like you're living in the boonies somewhere. Or you and the little wife can go and get second jobs so you can attempt to maintain your self entitled lifestyle.

Do as the rest of us are told, suck it up and deal with it!

[mrcheerful]

16. And he can sell his house with it's huge mortgage and buy a smaller house without a huge mortgage

What this guy amounts to is a guy who is trying to out do the guy next door, oh look I'm one of the top 2%, I have a mansion and a yacht even though I can't afford both. Stupid is as stupid does.

[Art_from_Ark]

66. "I am Elmer J. Fudd, millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht"

[Arugula Latte]

10. Where is my guillotine?

Fucker.

[tridim]

23. I don't want their heads.

I want them to experience what it's like to live on $35,000/year like the rest of us. I want them to "get it".

That said, if they keep this up lots of average people are going to start calling for their heads.

A bit off topic, I just saw an ad for Barclays that was claiming that their bankers aren't egotistical assholes like all the other investment bankers. Uh, you really expect me to believe that bullshit?

[blondeatlast]

24. That would be perfect and they couldn't cry "victim."

I'm not sure I want to see tha Barclay's ad--but I'm intrigued. And yes, they reall DO want you to believe that tripe.

[Buns_of_Fire]

39. Actually, my banker is a pretty nice person.

So I agreed to eat him last.:evilgrin:

[Iggo]

42. My bankers are all hot chicks who work for BofA.

They smell good, too.

[Wednesdays]

64. Betcha none of the "hot chicks who smell nice" ever make any decisions

Not any corporate-level decisions, anyway, that impact you.

[piratefish08]

11. waaah.

fuck off.

[gratuitous]

12. I cried because I had no chauffeur

Then I met a man who had no limo!

Pity Professor Henderson. Can't we just leave the poor man alone? Do not judge him until you've walked a mile in his Guccis.

[Jackpine Radical]

76. ROFL!

Beautiful. Now stolen.

[Phentex]

83. LOL!

Oh, that was good.

:D

[SoCalDem]

13. He must have a lousy accountant if he really paid over $100K in taxes

:)

[Barack_America]

37. I'm sure this is his pre-deduction amount.

For his enormous mortgage, kids and student loan debt.

[Hamlette]

84. someone figured that based on his taxes and deductions he prolly makes $450,000 per year

and that includes FICA etc. Sounds about right to me but it was some site run by an economist I think (DeLong? not sure but I could find it if you're interested)

[Warpy]

14. He's living WAY above his means

he doesn't need a BIG mortgage, he could have had a smaller one. Good used cars are a bargain and you're not stuck with high payments if you have a good income--you pay cash. With a more reasonably sized house, he could likely bag the lawn service. I'm assuming his wife also produces income from her high powered job, so some sort of day care arrangement is in order, but not necessarily live in help.

I love to hear these moneyed people complaining about how tough they have it, barely squeaking by paycheck to paycheck. Somebody with $250,000 in student loan debt really shouldn't be taking on more debt until that puppy is paid off. Why the hell he thought he was entitled to that upper class lifestyle with his ass so deep in the hole is beyond me.

Had he not been trying to keep up with "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," he'd likely be OUT of debt by now and building retirement wealth.

This man is an idiot.

[Roon]

58. I agree with you on used cars

My mother buys her cars brand new but drives them until they can't go anymore. She doesn't buy a new car every couple of years like her friends do.

[Warpy]

65. The trick is to let some other sucker pay the depreciation

My dad was one of those new car every 3 years kinda guys. His last couple of cars were year old models from car rental places. They'd been all over the road, but they'd been well maintained and he had good luck with them.

I drove 3rd world vehicles most of my life. When I inherited, I treated myself to a little Kia, 40+ on the highway and remarkably comfy and fun to drive, mostly because I couldn't find an equivalent car used out here in SUV and monster pickup truck country.

Seriously, though, that keeping oneself deeply in debt for brand new luxury vehicles in the driveway, a house that's 3 times the size one needs and hell to heat and cool, and paying a lawn service to poison the land while staying a quarter of a million in debt for his education is really beyond the pale. The guy just doesn't have a clue on how to live within his means. He's trying to keep up with the Joneses and it's killing him.

He's got no sympathy from me and he needs to pay his taxes.

[Roon]

102. Word. eom

[dkofos]

15. Just getting by on +250K. You've got to be kidding.

Try using a budget.

[unblock]

30. if he's paying $100k in federal and state taxes, he's making more than $250k

that's 40% total rate on gross income. no way.
he has to be earning a lot more.

his taxable income is something north of $300,000, and that's after taking exemptions and deductions -- which includes something like $25k of state income taxes, $15k of property taxes, and maybe $100k of mortgage interest. i'm figuring is gross income is around $500k.

[Fla Dem]

36. Actually the article said his income was north of 250,00. He would have to be earning

at least $380,000 to pay income tax of $100,000. And that is w/o any deductions for kids, or anything else. I would bet their household income is closer to $500,000.

[Buns_of_Fire]

17. I know how he feels, poor thing.

Just last week, I had to discontinue part of my lawn service and now the nanny is out there, mowing the front part of the estate.

By the way, Todd, does the phrase "fava beans and a nice chianti" mean anything to you?:evilgrin:

(Oh, and to add insult to injury, we had to switch to domestic caviar! Will our suffering never end?)

[COLGATE4]

18. Those who are good at the Law, practice it. Those who aren't

teach it. Enough said.

[HughBeaumont]

19. See this?

:cry: <<< The world's most microscopic tear being shed for your plight.

Some people have absolutely NO clue. People are losing their homes, their jobs, their LIVES. For him to even think he's just an "average Joe" despite making well into the six figures is utterly GALLING at best, downright ridiculous at worst.

[nc4bo]

20. Cry me a frickin' river, Holmes cause ya ain't one of us.

Suck it in. Commander Codpiece cut you all a break. Now it'll expire (hopefully "we" can manage that without screwing it up) and you and your well-to-do buddies are gonna have to deal with it.

:nopity:

[Curmudgeoness]

21. I feel bad for Todd and his thin skin. Should have sharpened

his teeth before he bit into this one. But seriously, I think this shit-for-brains rich guy has learned just how rich he is. He also learned that he isn't as smart as he thinks he is.

[n2doc]

22. Here's his blog entry:

The end, if you can read through it without breaking down in tears....

Like most working Americans, insurance, doctors’ bills, utilities, two cars, daycare, groceries, gasoline, cell phones, and cable TV (no movie channels) round out our monthly expenses. We also have someone who cuts our grass, cleans our house, and watches our new baby so we can both work outside the home. At the end of all this, we have less than a few hundred dollars per month of discretionary income. We occasionally eat out but with a baby sitter, these nights take a toll on our budget. Life in America is wonderful, but expensive.

If our taxes rise significantly, as they seem likely to, we can cut back on some things. The (legal) immigrant from Mexico who owns the lawn service we employ will suffer, as will the (legal) immigrant from Poland who cleans our house a few times a month. We can cancel our cell phones and some cable channels, as well as take our daughter from her art class at the community art center, but these are only a few hundred dollars per month in total. But more importantly, what is the theory under which collecting this money in taxes and deciding in Washington how to spend it is superior to our decisions? Ask the entrepreneurs we employ and the new arrivals they employ in turn whether they prefer to work for us or get a government handout.

If these cuts don’t work, we will sell our house – into an already spiraling market of declining asset values – and our cars, assuming someone will buy them. The irony here, of course, is that the government is working to save both of these industries despite the impact that increasing taxes will have.

The problem with the president’s plan is that the super rich don’t pay taxes – they hide in the Cayman Islands or use fancy investment vehicles to shelter their income. We aren’t rich enough to afford this – I use Turbo Tax. But we are rich enough to be hurt by the president’s plan. The next time the president comes home to Chicago, he has a standing invitation to come to my house (two blocks from his) and judge for himself whether the Xxxxxxxxxs are as rich as he thinks.

http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2010/09/todd-henderson-we-are-the-super-rich.html

:puke:

[blondeatlast]

26. Maybe some Chicago area DUers can elucidate, but isn't the Obama's house

pretty modest for the neighborhood?

Plus I know that in Phoenix two blocks can equal a difference of over $100K.

[AngryAmish]

78. No. He has a nice house by any standard.

[nc4bo]

27. So they are doing so well that they can afford to pay a sitter so they both can work...

Well, I've got some news for him. Most working poor, even middle class families cannot afford a babysitter at all.

If you're working a typical minimum wage job, you'll probably owe more to the babysitter than you'd earn working 40 hours a week.

This guy has his head so far up his ass and has no clue on what the AVERAGE American has to deal with 24/7, 365.

And he's got the nerve and audacity to whine, online? :rofl:

[Tansy_Gold]

29. #1 -- they should be glad both of them HAVE jobs, since many of

their fellow Americans don't.


#2 -- I wonder how many of the "entrepreneurs" they employ are fully documented as to their right to work in this country. Anybody taking bets?




TG, NTY

[nc4bo]

33. True, of course. At least he does have a job!

And now you've got me wondering about #2 and let me put it like this, nothing would surprise me.

[unblock]

35. bwahaha! he's not rich enough to do better than turbo tax!

personally, i also use turbo tax, because i don't want to hand my tax responsibility over to anyone else. i want to know what i owe, how i arrived at the number, i want to research what the tax code lets me deduct or not, and so on. i don't want to pay some accountant and find out later that they screwed up and i'm the one who gets hit with interest and penalties or even goes to jail (that's right, using h&r block or anyone else will NOT keep you out of jail if they screw up).

but the crazy thing is, if he thinks this is the reason his taxes are so high, then he's a fool not to research ways to cut your taxes or just pay someone to point him in the right direction. a good tax guy will find his fee in your tax savings.

if nothing else, they could dedicate one room of their too-big house to 100% office use only, gaining a further deduction. he could set up a schedule c business for certain expenses and run it as a business incurring a loss for yet another deduction. he can do this for 3 years before the irs would deem it a "hobby" and that's if he can't actually make a profit as a consultant or whatever. there are plenty more possibilities that i'm sure he hasn't thought of.


*i'm not a licensed tax guy, so please take with a grain of salt.

[trotsky]

59. NO MOVIE CHANNELS?!?!?

My Koresh, what has happened to my country that he must suffer so?!?!?!? :cry:

[unblock]

25. the problem isn't so much his expenses themselves, but the fact they left themselves no cushion

any two-income family has the problem of daycare/nanny expenses, unless they have free family help (not a possibility for many two-income families). and relative to what their combined income must be (something like half a million), a cost of a lawn service above the cost of buying and maintaining lawn equipment is trivial.

the real problem is, as usual, is the biggest after-tax expense, housing. they chose to imprudently max out on what they could buy, as so many people are encouraged to do, in the hopes that the future would sort itself out favorably enough.

had they bought a house that was only slightly more modest, they would be saving a few thousand a month, and would therefore be able to afford higher taxes (or higher interest rates, for that matter!)

buying a house that locks you into saving only a few hundred a month out of something like a half million dollar annual income is just nuts and hardly the fault of anyone proposing to increase taxes.


finally, note also that the return of the higher taxes in 2011 WAS ALWAYS PART OF THE LAW! it's not as if it should come as any surprise. there was 10 years' warning! there has been more warning on this change in tax rates than any other at any time in history.


personally, i make more than 93% of the country, and i understand his perspective; i'm not remotely rich the way most millionaires, multi-millionaires, and billionairse are. but i bought a house that permits me to save more than this bitter fool can and he surely makes more than double what i do.

[bushisanidiot]

28. Maybe he should do like the other republicon tea baggers do and hire illegal aliens

to watch his kids and mow his lawn.


ZERO sympathy for this RICH WHINER!!

[Orsino]

31. "But the hostility came as a shock to Henderson..."

Of course it did. The difference in his taxes is likely to be less than what he spends on his lawn service, and insignificant next to the cost of tuition for three in private schools, but heaven forbid he should mow his own lawn or see his kids mixing with the commoners.

What he means is that a small tax increase would be inconvenient in his long game of keeping up with the Wentworth Harrington Jones-es.

[unblock]

38. having someone mow your lawn isn't all that much compared to his income level

i mowed my own lawn for years up until my mower broke down a couple months ago. at mrs. unblock's insistance, i now pay $40 for a mow every other week rather than buy a new mower (it wouldn't pay to repair the old one.)

that works out to $320 per year given about 16 weeks of real growing season, maybe a bit more depending on the weather here in connecticut. this is trivial compared to a $500k annual income. it's also small compared to a tax increase of at least several thousand, perhaps close to $10,000.

[Orsino]

54. To be fair, a million-dollar home, or something in that bracket...

...will command more than just mowing to keep its value. We may be talking more acreage, or more detailed work, than would be done by a guy with a mower.

[blondeatlast]

32. He's not at all sorry. Again he whunes about blogger comments, and how he

didn't realize the effect of his stupid, pathetic screed. But nowhere does he offer any empathy, understanding of the angry reaction, or apologize at all.

He's a selfish little man who is living beyond his means and he absolutely deserves the public humiliation he has experienced,

Shame is an effective tool against the likes of him.

[Tansy_Gold]

45. He's also not very bright.

He whines that his taxes are going to go up, but at the same time he states that his income is only a little bit over the $250,000 threshold. My understanding is that taxes will go DOWN on the first $250,000 under Obama's plan/intention/campaign, so Prof. Henderson would see a DECREASE on that portion of his family's income. The only increase would come on his income over the $250,000 threshold. So he if really and truly doesn't make that much over the limit, he won't be seeing much of an increase.

Day care is not the same as a nanny. If he and his wife have a live-in nanny, then they don't need to hire a babysitter.

With both of them working for the U of C, and Mrs. Dr. Henderson working at the medical center, they probably have a very affordable and very comprehensive health care package, more affordable and more comprehensive than anything offered under the HCR package that will reach some of us in another 3.5 years.

No one is forcing him to send his kids to private schools. If he doesn't like the neighborhood, I'm sure there are openings for law professors and pediatric oncologists in "nicer" places than Hyde Park.

I'm not a lawyer, have never been to law school, and so if I can poke holes in this bozo's "case" for his own poverty, I'm thinkin' he ain't so hot a prof neither.

What a wanker.



TG, NTY

[frylock]

34. he doesn't even know who is going to cater his next meal

[ejpoeta]

40. if he can afford a NANNY and a LAWN SERVICE then he can STFU.

i have a very tiny violin playing for him.

[DFW]

41. Those lawn services will get you every time

I have a similar income, paid more in taxes plus 2 college tuitions (until this year), and have to live in
euros, which makes for a 40% reduction in purchasing power.

Still, I live within my means (no nanny, apologies to Fran Drescher). I can handle higher taxes if necessary,
and considering the nation's fiscal state of affairs, IT'S NECESSARY. Instead I channel extra cash into contributions
to progressive Democratic Candidates, things like Bobby Kennedy's environmental causes, giving extra big tips to waiters
in restaurants when I'm in the USA, stuff like that. If taxes go up, and I can't afford to give as much, then so be it,
but if everybody pays their same fair share, the country will be better off--a fair trade, as I see it.

[Barack_America]

44. He thinks Chicago firemen and teachers make more than $250,000 per year.

:wtf:

"A teacher and fireman in Chicago can easily top $250,000 in income, but hardly think of themselves as the super rich. That was my only point."

"Moreover, my wife is a pediatric oncologist who paid nearly $300,000 to go to medical school, and makes about the same as a fireman."

Aww, but bless his bleeding heart...

"I believe in the power of private associations and charity. I gave large amounts to charity last year, none of which were club goods, as I’m not a religious person. I believe in helping the less fortunate. (For instance, I taught my daughter about the homeless this morning at the Dunkin Donuts near our house, and bought coffees and a dozen donuts for the guys outside selling “Streetwise.”)"

From the reposts of his comments:
http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2010/09/todd-henderson-we-are-the-super-rich.html

[kath]

92. "A teacher and fireman in Chicago can easily top $250K" -YEAH, RIGHT!!

Jeebus, this guy is not just an asshole, but a huge LYING asshole.

[Arkana]

46. This guy can go fuck himself. He's better off than about 80% of Americans.

[BurtWorm]

47. By definition, he's better off than 99% of Americans.

However, I do take his point that he is struggling in his own way, hard as it is for me to understand how someone in the top 1% of earners can struggle. He's in the bottom tier of the top 1%, the tier that will actually feel some sting with the expiration of the Bush tax break for his bracket. He didn't express himself well. He came off sounding self-pitying. He had an opportunity to educate, and he wound up infuriating a crowd of people. I feel badly for his family, who suffered because of his, perhaps, inadvertent bomb-throwing.

[Starry Messenger]

48. It's terrible isn't it?

I had to fire Raoul, my yacht-polishing supervisor. Life is a shambles.

[Hepburn]

49. Let him eat cake....

...what an asshole.

[devilgrrl]

50. It must suck having to live within your means making 250k.

:nopity:

[blondeatlast]

55. More like $450-500K; unblock crunched the numbers upthread. nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

57. His family's actual income is $455,000

The guy should lose his position teaching law for being a total imbecile.

[n2doc]

69. So after taxes they are clearing 30,000 a month

Figure 5k/month for their loans, 5k for nanny and gardening (being generous). WTF are they spending 20k/month on???

[devilgrrl]

51. He looks like a petulant little twit.

:nopity:

[Buns_of_Fire]

52. The comments at the site seem to be running about 50-50

And some people over there DESPERATELY need some education about what a "marginal tax rate" is.

[HughBeaumont]

81. THIS.

Absolutely AMAZING there are still those who believe "If I'm making 500,000, yew thank it's raght fer the gubmint to take HALF uh that???!1?"

[kath]

94. A lot of people *everywhere* need some education about what a "marginal tax rate" is.

It's really not a difficult concept AT ALL -- but a lot of supposedly edumacated people (even here at DU) have NO grasp of it.
Pathetic.

[fishwax]

53. I'm not feeling his pain

:eyes:

[onethatcares]

60. 250K is 5000.00 American a week before taxes

that's a lot of dinero.

Reminds me of an old joke. Life is like a shit sandwich, the more bread you have, the less shit you have to eat.

When was the last time he sat down to a meal of beans and rice? Probably never.

[Buns_of_Fire]

62. Perhaps all of America should pledge to send him a package of ramen noodles...

Sure, that would save him from the starvation he's obviously facing, but look at the collateral benefits!

The Ramen Noodles people would see a spike in their sales -- good for their company.

The USPS would collect a lot more postage -- good for PostalPeople.

It's the patriotic thing to do! :patriot: SEND POOR TODD SOME RAMEN! :patriot:

P.S. I read that his wife was very opposed to his online whining.

[donheld]

63. I really wish for one month these fools would get a chance to

really see what "just getting by" really means. Just a month. God I can't bear their audacity of heartlessness.

[deutsey]

68. Whatever would they do without their nanny and a lawn service?

:eyes:

[girl gone mad]

70. The irony is that both he and his wife work in fields that are heavily subsidized..

by the taxpayer.

Would he be able to command such a large salary if the government wasn't providing the student loans and grants that cover tuition?

Would his wife have the medicine and technology she charges her patients a premium for if the government hadn't heavily invested in research and development programs?

This couple has reaped enormous benefits from taxpayer largess, yet they balk when asked to pay a little bit more. Crazy.

[newtothegame]

71. Outcry because someone wrote a personal blog?

:shrug:

[blondeatlast]

88. Outcry because people respond to hus public, personal blog? nt

[DirkGently]

72. He ought to bitch to those "super rich" who "evade their taxes" instead of yarking about "Marxism."

Or, if absolutely necessary, send the Polish nanny on sabbatical. Jesus.

[The Doctor.]

73. It's an odd word, but it fits...

DOUCHE-bag.

[madmom]

74. My hubby and I both worked full time and we NEVER had a nanny. We worked

around each others schedule and occasionally had a babysitter, but never a nanny.(and yes in my opinion they are different)

[pasto76]

77. lose the lawn service AND the gym membership but still get in the workout

get a push mower for even lower overhead.

my family is as stripped down as we can be with very few expenses. Still very hard to have any wiggle rooom.

[Vinca]

80. Guess he didn't count on nannies and lawn service people

reading his sorry, sorry tale. We should all have this guy's problems.

[Roland99]

85. IF he paid over $100k in Federal taxes last year then his income is WELL north of $250k/yr

And a nanny? A NANNY? Really?? And he's bitching about not making ends meet?


Fuck him....sideways...with a rusty razor blade.



asshole.

[veganlush]

86. he's not unusual, he's typical.

..few of them know they're rich....morans....

[Hamlette]

90. there are many who do

I'm a lawyer and hubby is a lawyer and we think we should pay higher taxes. (We are not in this guy's income bracket. I'm in public interest law and have never made that kind of money but honestly, to think I get paid to read and write and think and talk is a dream come true for me.

Most of our friends are lawyers or doctors and every one of them feels like we do. Granted, we'd not hang out with the Hendersons if that's how they feel but still. There are lots of liberals at that end of the spectrum who walk the walk.

[Hamlette]

87. he distanced his wife from his complaints, I wonder why?

bet she was getting heat too, hell, its pretty disgusting that you make you money off the lame and the sick but to then complain about it?

Can't you just hear her? "Honey, they are going to tar and feather me at the hospital. My patients want a different doctor. The nurses and cleaning crew have knives pointed at my back. You better do something or I'll lose my job!"

I bet she DID complain about tax hikes for the rich but at this point, all he can do is try to save her from the humiliation. Would love to know the true story.

One petty observation: doesn't he look exactly like what you pictured? Upper class twit.

[dsharp88]

89. So the Nanny and the Lawn Guy should have to pay a higher percentage of the US tax burden???

How is that not clear to this guy?

[kath]

91. fucking asshole.

Oh, no, he's not rich. He's just getting by. Yeah, right...
Jeebus H. Christ on a trailer hitch. Fucking clueless, selfish, rich Republican asshole. Explore some neighborhoods around the U. of C. if you want to see people who are "just getting by", or more typically AREN'T getting by, you fuckwad.
:mad:

[MedicalAdmin]

96. Ive been in the neighborhood he lives in.

Trust me when I say that no one there is "just gettin' by." They are all well off and can afford taxes. Having said that both doctors and lawyers have a HUGE debt burden before they earn a dime usually starting in their mid 30's - that's 15 years or so of income that they forgo in order to become professionals. Yes, they choose it, but still.

And I would like to note that they are not in private practice (where the real assholes are) but have chosen to work in academia which pays less and does more for our country than any Rush et. al. . I think we can cut him some slack, but not too much.

[Warren DeMontague]

93. Wow. You'd think a law professor at the U of C

wouldn't be so fucking clueless.

[asdjrocky]

95. He should come to my neighborhood.

He should come here, and try to pass some of the BS off to my friends and neighbors.

Then, he should go spend some time working at the one food bank left in my town.

[Historic NY]

99. Only 15k in property taxes...sheesh.....he should come here.

[tclambert]

100. Goodness gracious, we'll have to cut back on our caviar budget to only five times a week.

and Lovey may have to wear some dresses more than once.