Argh. Of course it is! I'm not arguing that! If it's an issue of salary caps OR workers getting laid off, of course I'm on the side of salary caps. Which, okay, probably is exactly what you're saying. I apologize -- that was not at all the way I was looking at the argument.

Not arguing with you specifically, Em. Just something you had said spurred a thought in my head. I know that this:

I'm not arguing that! If it's an issue of salary caps OR workers getting laid off

...is not your argument. I too have a lot more empathy for direct personal or household employees who might have to be let go because an exec gets a salary cap.

I'm just not at all sure that companies would take the money they're not paying their executives and use it to keep more rank-and-file employees. If that really is the way it's going to work, then that's a different story. It's just not the way I generally think of corporate finance working.

Here we are in total agreement. Unfortunately. Yeah, I don't think a company forced to not pay a buttload of money to some execs will instead turn around and employ a bunch of low level people either.

I'm just really sick and tired of this threat from corporate "America" that if we tax them or regulate them or try to apply any kind of law or pressure at all, they will immediately shut down all commerce and fire everybody, which is what all of these free market arguments sound like to me. A bunch of childish "I'll take my bat and ball and go home" BS.

I think Obama has started calling them on it, and I hope he continues. I wish he would do it more often, more effectively and more strenuously, though.

I think Friedman school economics is one of the more dangerous and toxic philosophies ever to grace our planet, and it's taken quite a deep root right now.

I guess I just have some trouble with the "no pity for people making/dependent on people making more than $x" position empirically.

I'm not entirely comfortable with it either, but I think it bothers you more than it bothers me.

Sean, I'm having m-net flashbacks. Remember the days when our screaming fights were in tiny green letters on a big black screen?

*snerk* Yes! And it reminds me how happy it makes me to count you as one of my oldest friends.

Um, I had county taxes when I lived in Maryland. I would assume you do to. They are part of the state form, but they are a separate tax based on your county.

So, I'm skimming through the study that article was based on.

An individual in Houston who earns $50,000 would have to make $123,322 in Manhattan and $85,918 in Queens to live at the same level of comfort, according to ACCRA’s Cost of Living Calculator. Someone moving from Houston to Manhattan would pay 68 percent more for groceries, 447 percent more for housing, 54 percent more for utilities, 22 percent more for transportation and 38 percent more for health care.

Ha ha ha! Although I don't understand how transportation costs would go up, unless they are assuming the person brings their car from Houston to Manhattan. But then it would be higher than 22%, I'd imagine. Hmmm.

Yeah, but just try getting an $8 manicure!

Nah, $12 will do.

megan, don't forget the relative cheapness of produce.

People have told me to estimate $30 for utilities for a studio/1 br (that's electricity and gas). Versus about $50 or so in NY.

If I average it out over the whole year, I probably pay $150/month in electricity alone.

[but that's for a 2-br with a washer/dryer, so I it's not really a fair comparison]

according to the data, I am not middle income and well, you know, I kinda am. I own and have luxuries and I do it on less than they say I need.

But still, that chart did very little to help with my on again off again thoughts of jumping ship.

easy peasy....

What I was really thinking of was "okey dokey, artichokey", so even my question was wrong.

Oh fucking hell. After waiting until the freaking 31st to even send out W2s, now a week later they figure out they made a mistake in Medicare withholding. Now I have to figure out how to file an amended return. I'm so pissed about this. You took the entire fucking month to do them, you couldn't god damn check your work before sending them out?

I've never had to pay county or city income tax, just state and federal. However, Cook County currently has a ten percent sales tax, so we pay over and over and over again.

ETA: And our sales tax is on just about everything except for magazines and newspapers. Where my mom lives in NJ, they don't pay sales tax on most groceries, clothes, or books, but they do pay it on magazines and newspapers.

Um, I had county taxes when I lived in Maryland. I would assume you do to. They are part of the state form, but they are a separate tax based on your county.

Well, we don't have anything withheld other than State. Maybe it's different depending which county are in? I dunno...this is why I have a tax guy!

We don't pay it on groceries or clothes cheaper than $110, but the sales tax is 8.something, I believe.