Years ago I was having dinner at my sister's, with some of her office friends.
The conversation got around to the (then) news that our astronauts could see the Great wall of China from the space lab.
I remarked that I was sure that you could also see Michael Moore from outer space...and the lady across from me did a 'spit take' of wine, all over my dinner.
Everyone else went silent...she, and I, were the only conservatives there.

Michael Moore = Jerk Extrodinaire

I'm not very familiar with this man, but I'm kind of liking him!

Another approach O'Leary could have taken was to ask Amanda why one of the abject poor couldn't be invited in to do her job. Being a vapid talking head can't be that hard and the position would certainly benefit someone in poverty more than it does her.

yessir, they are eager to give YOUR $$ to the
less fortunate, or more precisely, to their friends. -- j

I love looking at their boats in the harbor on St Thomas,
so let's enjoy the headroom!!! -- j

RonC, I agree, and your point about Henry Ford is well taken. I suspect if the US had gone socialist after the Civil War there wouldn't have been any Henry Fords. The candle and oil lamp unions would have the Ministry of Invention totally in their control and Edison's light bulb idea would have been crushed immediately. Radicals like Ford and Edison would have been picking peas on the collective. Hey, just think, the buggy whip makers would still have a thriving business. ;-)

I assumed you were being sarcastic...There were invisible quotes around 'better handled'.

Jan

Thank you, RonC.

Jan

Most media types have this 'rich guilt' thing going, for the most part, they went from waiting tables to getting a break of some kind and suddenly wealthy. If Tom Cruise wasn't a high-paid actor, I really doubt he would have a profitable business going...

Frequently they seem guilty about their compensation for what they see as not really deserving it or something.

One of my favorite shows on television. It's amazing every now and then you have some idiot in there that doesn't make any money but "wants to change the world"... uh-uh! - Do the Hopey-Changey stuff on your own time and your OWN DIME... Its basic evaluation for these guys. Do you make money? How much? How will our money be used? How much more can you make with our money? (and they do turn down people that seem to not really need it, and I applaud that as well).

A significant problem with high taxation levels is that it both a.) takes money off the table of the middle class that might otherwise be given to charity. and b.) while not giving as much to charity, people still feel "ok" that they are paying so much in taxes, that their taxes are taking care of the poor (doubtful).

I love it... of course, 99 out of a 100 people are going to say No to it, he's just hoping that 1 sucker is both very profitable and very dedicated and very stupid at the same time.

(If you don't know, most businesses in America have something like a 6 or 7% margin, so if you are paying out a 3 or 4% royalty off the top, you are very suddenly working for free or nearly-free as a business owner).

Imagine that. Hard work and dedication leading to wealth creation. The looters' paradise.

Point understood, RonC.

I made a poor attempt to communicate what must be going through the mind of people like Michael Moore. From his point of view government is better equipped because they are anonymous. They can take our money and who do we have to blame? From my point of view, I would rather donate locally or reach out and help someone myself, as I have been helped. I apologize for not being clear. I understand you can't hear my inflection while I type.

I dont have anywhere as much as Kevin O'Leary, but I started from nothing too starting a number of businesses from scratch to sales of several millions of dollars, and without Obama's government help ( in fact in spite of it !!). It IS inspiring to see people "make it". The biggest impediments ARE government regulations and costs. My current business required the FIRST $1500 be spent just on license fees and taxes- even before I even knew if the business would be profitable. In Las Vegas one has to apply to the city and be approved (45 day process AFTER one rents a business location with city mandated upgrades installed) as an "acceptable" business BEFORE one can open it. And one can only open a business listed on their approved list. Its crazy. I have known people who have spent $50,000 getting their location ready, only to be denied a business license because what they were proposing to do wasnt on the "approved list".

I know you don't like Mark Cuban, but frankly his maverick attitude is what makes the show enjoyable.

One of the clearest differentiations between a Capitalist and a Socialist that I have ever seen. I worked for myself just as soon as I could because I couldn't stand having a boss. I could work for O'Leary, though.

I agree with all except the last sentence. Government is horribly equipped to feed the poor, or do any other type of altruism. Witness the Minnesota wheat situation from AS, for example.

Most charities do a much more thorough and cost-effective job at such altruism. However, the better point is "Why does feeding the poor or wealth redistribution have to occur at all?"!. If we are to be consistent with Galt's ethics, we should let those who won't feed themselves or their families starve. The moochers and looters need to feel the full effects of their actions and inactions.

Why not!

When I was in grade school we studied people like Edison, Bell, Morse, Ford, and Firestone. We also covered Washington and Lincoln. That was a different era. Schools no longer waste time on such as that.

In my early business years I read Horatio Alger stories. These were rags to riches stories designed to teach the best way to rise to the top. Success magazine always had a modern day rags to riches story. I was always looking for something in these stories I could use for myself to be a better businessman. I believe in heroes and mentors. If you want to become wealthy, ask a rich man not the guy on welfare. Today it seems our next generation, for the most part, is unaware of anything like this.

I know Mr. Wonderful is right. Consider this, if Henry Ford had wasted his time resenting the fortune accumulated by Carnegie and hanging out at the corner tavern leading the bull session about all that is wrong with capitalism and incentives, where would we be today? What if all those early inventors and pioneers had been persuaded to just accept what government would gladly redistribute? My guess is we would look a lot more like Cypress, or maybe Ukraine.

I'm not against helping others. Some of the best help and advice I have received has come from mentors that were fabulously wealthy compared to me. They gave it gladly because I had an interest in them and what they had done and they were interested in helping me make the next step.

As a matter of fact, my experience is wealthy people are usually the most friendly and helpful folks around. What makes them seem unapproachable sometimes is our own fear of rejection.

There will always be those that would take your wealth and give it to others. I have noticed they are not so eager to forsake their wealth for the same purpose. Michael Moore is not giving up his millions to feed the poor, that is something better handled by government.

yea, kick Cuban to the curb

I love this comment. Also love Shark Tank. The metrics the Sharks use for valuation are so simple. It conveys a understanding of business to a broader audience, which is so helpful to get these people to understand the value of capitalism!

Maybe I should comment for tips.