Saturday, January 28, 2012

Wanna Make A Bet?

We all remember the bet:

On Saturday, December 10th, 2011, Mitt "I'm Also Unemployed" Romney bet Rick Perry $10,000 that there is not a passage in his book on individual mandates for health insurance. Immediately the "lamestream" media blasted Mitt for being so out of touch with the average American and for being so crass and, well, stupid to make such a large bet on a nationally televised debate. As we all know, such bets should be restricted to golf foursomes and the snifter room at exclusive mens' social clubs.

So, here I am - more than one month later - rehashing this old news to prove that such a bet was no big deal. To prove my point, I did some simple math. Based on his now released tax returns for 2011, Mitt Romney made about $56,986 a day. According to The USA Today, the median household income in 2011 was $49,445 for the year. Divide that by 365 (fuck that 1/4 of a day shit), and the median daily income for the average American was $135.47 a day.

Here's some more fifth grade math. A $10,000 bet, for Mitt "I'm Just Like You" Romney, based on his average daily income in 2011, is only 17.5% of his daily income. That's like the average American worker making a $23 bet with his buddy that Billy Cundiff is going to miss that last second field goal to cost the Ravens a chance to go to the Super Bowl. Easy money, right?

So, let's all pretend that Mitt didn't bet Rick Perry $10,000. Let's just imagine it was $23, and we can all hold our noses and vote for a Mormon.

8 comments:

NathanaelMcDaniel said...

he also only paid 13.9% on that $56,986 a day, stretching that of the "out of touch" to just about every facet of the conversation.

ADBelmore said...

Only people who 1) do not have a lot of money, and 2) have not the drive nor aspirations to attain a lot of money, complain about those who do.

JlikeBoB said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ADBelmore said...

Oh, he’s definitely a jerk-off, but let’s not “hate” on the man because he’s successful. That’s pretty much the point I was making. All we do is complain in this country…. “it’s not fairrrrr” (in a whiny voice). Instead of formulating plans to attain wealth and acting on them, we sit around and complain about the old-rich-white guys on tv. “They make too much money”, “They’re the 1%”. Get your ass in gear and go after it. It’s the people that claim to be content that are the ones always complaining about how much money somebody else has, which pretty much sounds like the opposite of contentment to me. So let’s stop telling people how to spend their money, or that they have too much and it should be “equally distributed”. America got to it’s super-power status because of people like Romney. Simple capitalism; I make tons of money, I want a yacht, I buy a yacht for tons of money, 400 people work every day in the yacht factory building my yacht, some of them work harder than others someday becoming managers, some managers work harder than others and become directors, directors make tons of money and buy yachts. You want equal distribution, ask Castro how that’s working out for his great nation.

By the way, that really wasn’t directed at you or your comments necessarily, you just provided an outlet for a quick rant. This morning I saw one of my client’s personal year end bonus breakdown. This guy is 10 years older than me and just got paid a $311,982.02 bonus. Do I think it’s fair? Absolutely. And I can’t wait to see what my bonuses will be in 10 years.

JlikeBoB said...

Yes, I think there's a valid perspective there. No sense whining. Do.

I'm kind of fascinated with absurdity, and I think wealth right now is absurd. Probably always has been. There are different realities that aren't based on individual experience, but rather class. I just think we need to assess what it is we value, and how we value it.

Is the goal to become the richest, most successful person that can buy the biggest, baddest stuff? And determine these things by money? I think that's what turned America into a "super power" and its not a healthy existence. I'm sure it's been great for a while, for some, for many... but is that it? There are no other ideas. This is the human existence?

NathanaelMcDaniel said...

these people are applying for office of representation! i am not being represented and neither are you. equally distributed wealth is not a mandated charity — it's the product of a competent tax system, where the ass-in-gear-go-getters (who do not subscribe to the made-for-tv idea of success to which you implied) can live free of the shouldering burden the system's abuse instills in those who lawfully contribute in vain. the problem lies solely in those with no respect to the collectivity of all involved. these people should remove themselves from the party, or be penalized for barnstorming the very ego of their own participation.

you shouldn't publish rants. you should instead nurture and embellish public space. you should only insult individuals who accept the terms of your outlandish, liberal accusations.

Justin Baker said...

I don't know if subtlety is prized in fields where $300,000 bonuses are motivating factors, but the point of the post had nothing to do with wealth. It was a meditation on false appearances. Here's a guy that feigns to be of the people which is an absolute joke. By the way I am well aware that money, self satisfaction, and success are one in the same.

YaYaYaDonTKnowMe said...

So I'm the only Romney fan here?

;)