Adam Carolla goes on rant about OWS

[ratsapprentice]

So we're now the "OWS generation"? I'm certainly not.
The whole %99 thing really aggravates me, as it really is quite disingenuous.
The way that the term get's banded around you'd think that literally %99 of people support the movement, when in reality I think it's probably a releatively small number who do in fact support it wholeheartedly.

Also the "proffessional protestors" really need to gtfo, they never help anyone.

Also, saying that manual labour should be more highly paid than other forms of work is ridiculous.
I do way more physical work than any of the people "above" me at work, I would feel like I had got an easy ride were I to be paid more than them.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

LOL an aussie answered that for you.


Here's a better question. Who the fuck is Adam Carolla? Google says a "talk show host". Why does he have any credibility in this to where he is being posted on every forum I go to?

He is a comedian. Actually I know him best from the man show... which was a pretty lame show except for the boobz.

 

[drew_drummer]

He sounds like some Jeremy Clarkson cunt wannabe.

 

[Mutant]

One thing is 100% sure: they will not change anything by sitting on their asses in their tents.

In democracy if you want to change something, you create a political party and try to convince people to vote for you.

EOT

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

One thing is 100% sure: they will not change anything by sitting on their asses in their tents.

In democracy if you want to change something, you create a political party and try to convince people to vote for you.

EOT

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This has been my problem with OWS all the time. All you see is snotty, weed smoking, long haired dreadlocks, non showering kids. I mean, come on, you're against the way society handles money? Then do SOMETHING about it, instead of doing the most uninventive "revolution" of all time, sitting around all day on tents smoking some ganja, yep... that will make things work. If people stopped being so fucking sheep all the time and actually came up with ACTIVE ideas and work to REVOLUTIONIZE and not "ocuppy this bullshit" then, maybe SOME things could actually start changing

 

[ratsapprentice]

That's what I meant by "professional" protestors..../\

Also, I agree %100 with Mutant

 

[JeffTD]

One thing is 100% sure: they will not change anything by sitting on their asses in their tents.

In democracy if you want to change something, you create a political party and try to convince people to vote for you.

EOT

That's not fully accurate - they've changed the course of national/international debate, which is fairly tough to do with American politics.

 

[Skinny Viking]

This statistic simply isn't real-- at least not functionally.

The 47% conservatives throw around refers only to federal income taxes. There is still an automatic 7.5% federal payroll tax that working people pay (which is matched by employers with another 7.5%) in addition to whatever state, local, property and sales tax they pay. The number of people who pay no federal income nor payroll tax is around 18%.

FWIW the payroll tax is actually capped so that everyone who earns over $100k year pays the same amount (not percent). So while I pay 7.5% in payroll tax a person making $200k functionally only pays about 3.75%. Theoretically the payroll tax is meant to pay for fixed services (hence the cap) however since medicare and SS are included in discussions of the deficit it's misleading to not include the payroll tax when counting up federal taxes collected (and who pays them).

61% of the 47% who "pay no [federal income] tax" make a household income under $20k. Asking them to pay more is squeezing water from a rock. People forget that you can work a full time job in the US and make $14,500/yr before taxes with no health insurance. We as a culture can either assume that everyone who does that is a lazy unmotivated idiot or we can accept that the world is more nuanced than that and the "hard work = success" motto is at best a best case scenario.

Another thing to consider is the difference between income and wealth. If you make $40k you'll pay 15%+7.5%payroll. If you just have $10billion in the bank that money is untaxed. Even if you invest it you'll still only pay 15% on the profit (capital gains) and no payroll tax. So functionally, the billionaire is paying 7.5% less than the average household. So, a billionaire can easily be part of both the top 1% and the 47% who pay no income tax and the 18% who pay no federal tax or payroll tax.

Anecdotally, I think you'll find very few OWS protestors who fall into that lowest bracket and I think you'll find that most of them are at least middle class and pay taxes. I also think you'll find that most of them are proud to be in the supposed 53% who pay taxes.

Dude

I'm seriously starting to get a little gay for you

 

[MindMunch]

One thing is 100% sure: they will not change anything by sitting on their asses in their tents.

In democracy if you want to change something, you create a political party and try to convince people to vote for you.

EOT

If vote really changed things it would be forbidden.

I'm too drunk to hone in on which side you are taking

I´m on the side that says "Who the fuck is Adam Carolla? Google says a "talk show host". Why does he have any credibility in this to where he is being posted on every forum I go to?". These celebrities never studied even the very basic literature on economics and sociology but all you need to be taken seriously by the right wing is to be on the TV.

Funny thing is to see these sheeps praising Egypt, Syria, Libya, Kant, Sartre, Camus, Luther King, Gandhi, Mandela, Schindler...

The way that the term get's banded around you'd think that literally %99 of people support the movement

Actually it is about the social condition of said 99%, either they realize it or not.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Actually it is about the social condition of said 99%, either they realize it or not.

Your assuming that people with access to the same information can't come to different conclusions.

 

[Trevoire520]

In democracy if you want to change something, you create a political party and try to convince people to vote for you.

You do know that's basically impossible in the US right? It's a total 2 party system there. No one else has a chance. Not unless you've got billions to spend buying tv coverage and brainwashing the nation to vote for you.

Hell in the UK it's the same, we've got a third party who get a half decent amount of votes most of the time, but the system is basically rigged so that it's only the 2 main parties who ever get in.

 

[midget donkeys]

The OWS plan is this:

1.) Protest
2.) Secret
3.) Whole world changes

It is very similar to the Underwear gnomes plan on South Park to make money.

1.) Steal undwear
2.) Secret
3.) Profits

With a plan like this it is sure to work.

 

[Damian B]

Personally, I think I find protesting to be a form of whining, it doesn't really seem to actually do anything.

It's a shame you feel this way. Try telling that to anyone involved in the civil rights movement, or the Egyptian, Tunisian and Yemeni revolutions.

Why do you assume the OWS protestors aren't involved in their communities already?

 

[egan.]

I don't understand why people are so hostile against protesting as a concept. Protesting and petitioning are the two non-violent ways to demonstrate solidarity on an issue. Add letter writing and you have the 3 free ways that US citizens can lobby they're government.

The "secret" is to effect the decisions that officials make and to effect change in the tax and financial systems by drawing attention to the issues and bringing political pressure. OWS has not effected any change but it has focused the political conversation in the same way that the FoxNews sponsored tea party rallies did before the last midterm elections.

What I've found is that most Americans are actually angry about the same things (huge corporate bailouts, no CEO indictments, massive unemployment in the working class coincident with massive executive bonuses). You can disagree about solutions but if you're working class and paying taxes you should at least empathize with the anger.

 

[midget donkeys]

I have no problem with people protesting. Everyone should be able to yell anything they want.

What I want to know is when do I get a free Ipad delivered on the back of a flying unicorn? I am entitled to it. If I don’t get the Ipad soon I am going to yell, stomp my feet and refuse to eat my vegetables.

 

[egan.]

Right, b/c corporate accountability after the financial giants crashed the economy AND after the government has committed $12 Trillion in bailouts, additional investments and insurance is a completely absurd request. I'm sure there are some lazy trustafarians out there but that doesn't change the fact that demanding accountability and socio-economic balance is not the same thing as throwing a temper-tantrum and demanding free rent.

 

[midget donkeys]

Right, b/c corporate accountability after the financial giants crashed the economy AND after the government has committed $12 Trillion in bailouts, additional investments and insurance is a completely absurd request. I'm sure there are some lazy trustafarians out there but that doesn't change the fact that demanding accountability and socio-economic balance is not the same thing as throwing a temper-tantrum and demanding free rent.

Dude are responding to me? I didn't say anything about financial accountability and have no idea what a "trustafarian" is.

Maybe a trustafarian is the name for people from Trustafaville the magical land of free Ipads and social justice.

I propose a new protest where unemployed liberal arts majors protest Midget Donkeys and everything his heinous world view supports. It will be called OMDBS which stands for Occupy Midget Donkey's Ball Sac. It will involve hippies sleeping in my yard, singing songs and...well thats about it really.

I will respond to OMDBS protesters in the only manner possible. Which means I will go to work, play guitar, and watch the tv show House with my wife. In other words the protest will totally change my life.

I also propose that in addition to a free Ipad that I receive a pony. And ice cream. With sprinkles.

 

[egan.]

I was responding to you b/c the way I read your post (perhaps incorrectly) was suggesting that the OWS protest was about whining and demanding free things you didn't earn. My response was to suggest that perhaps there were those sorts of people there (trustafarians and other spoiled brats) but that the overwhelming goal is one of corporate accountability and general economic justice.

 

[AllanD]

Where did the whole "pussy liberals and entitlement" platform come form? The people are complaining because corporations are having too much of a say over government without paying their dues like everyone else.

 

[midget donkeys]

Damn it Egan your responding way to rationally to my inflammatory post. I am trying to piss a bunch of hippies off here so that I am entertained for the rest of the work day and your not helping.

I suppose I will have to return to my actual work of aiding evil corporations in destroying the American dream. Sigh.