Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Dems Float “Reasonable Profits Board” Idea
Semi-News/Semi-Satire ^ | 21 Jan 2012 | John Semmens

Posted on 01/24/2012 9:49:47 AM PST by John Semmens

A half-dozen House Democrats led by Representative Dennis Kucinich (Ohio) introduced a bill that would establish a new government agency aimed at insuring that no one makes an unreasonable amount of profit. The bill—the Gas Price Spike Act, H.R. 3784—is initially focused on excessive profits from oil and gas production.

“It’s not that the oil and gas industry is the only one ripping us off,” Kucinich said. “It’s just that we had to start somewhere. Right now, we think there’s enough anger and envy toward this industry that people will more readily accept the idea of a government bureau to control their profits.”

Kucinich maintained that “ideally, the amount of money anyone should be allowed to take from the common pool of society’s wealth should be subject to government oversight. Just because a person is luckier, smarter, or more ambitious doesn’t mean he has the right to take more than everyone else thinks is his fair share. The common good requires that everyone contribute to the best of his ability so there will be sufficient output to meet everyone’s needs. We are our brother’s keeper. It is government’s duty to enforce this moral obligation.”

As written, the bill would impose taxes of up to 100% on all “surplus earnings.” The bill’s co-sponsors include Democratic Representatives John Conyers (Mich), Bob Filner (Calif.), Marcia Fudge (Ohio), Jim Langevin (R.I.), and Lynn Woolsey (Calif).

if you missed any of this week's other semi-news posts you can find them at...

http://azconservative.org/2012/01/21/georgia-judge-refuses-to-accept-obamas-sovereign-immunity/


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Humor; Politics
KEYWORDS: collectivism; democrats; satire; socialism

1 posted on 01/24/2012 9:50:04 AM PST by John Semmens
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: John Semmens

hahaha! The title is right out of Atlas Shrugged, so I had to check the source.

Sure enough... ;)


2 posted on 01/24/2012 9:51:59 AM PST by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Semmens

They should just call themselves ‘National Socialists’!


3 posted on 01/24/2012 9:52:47 AM PST by LibFreeUSA (Pick Your Poison)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Semmens

“...Kucinich said. “It’s just that we...think there’s enough anger and envy toward this industry that people will more readily accept the idea of a government bureau to control their profits.”

Never let a “crisis” go to waste.....


4 posted on 01/24/2012 9:54:41 AM PST by pfony1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Semmens
Great...let's start with the most egregious industry of all, Hollywood.

Earning millions for a few minutes of "so-called" acting. And then residuals? Please! The Academy Awards are coming up, perfect time to inform the entire industry in one place that their greedy ways are not going to be accepted any longer. /s

5 posted on 01/24/2012 9:58:10 AM PST by MarketR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Semmens
Oh..wait. I forgot the business of politics. They never show for work anyway and make millions. There is no cost-of-goods-sold (except to the taxpayer, of course)so it's entirely a profit generating business to them. Just look at those guys in Indiana walking off the job again. Do they ever work?

Let's start there.

6 posted on 01/24/2012 10:03:33 AM PST by MarketR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LibFreeUSA
They should just call themselves ‘National Socialists’!

They would give the NAZIs a bad name!!

7 posted on 01/24/2012 10:06:28 AM PST by ExCTCitizen (If we stay home in November '12, don't blame 0 for tearing up the CONSTITUTION!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: John Semmens

Will this board review the compensation received by Hollywood celebrities? What about liberal websites like the Huffington Post? How about search engines like Google or social networking sites like Facebook? What about “Green Energy” Profiteers like Al Gore? How much profit should Bill Clinton be allowed for giving a speech or writing a book?


8 posted on 01/24/2012 10:08:03 AM PST by Question Liberal Authority (I also think that Obama should be defeated.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Semmens

Directive 10-289:

In the name of the general welfare, to protect the people’s security, to achieve full equality and total stability, it is decreed for the duration of the national emergency that:

Point One. All workers, wage earners and employees of any kind whatsoever shall henceforth be attached to their jobs and shall not leave nor be dismissed nor change employment, under penalty of a term in jail. The penalty shall be determined by the Unification Board, such Board to be appointed by the Bureau of Economic Planning and National Resources. All persons reaching the age of twenty-one shall report to the Unification Board, which shall assign them to where, in its opinion, their services will best serve the interests of the nation.

Point Two. All industrial, commercial, manufacturing and business establishments of any nature whatsoever shall henceforth remain in operation, and the owners of such establishments shall not quit nor leave nor retire, nor close, sell or transfer their business, under penalty of the nationalization of their establishment and of any and all of their property.

Point Three. All patents and copyrights, pertaining to any devices, inventions, formulas, processes and works of any nature whatsoever, shall be turned over to the nation as a patriotic emergency gift by means of Gift Certificates to be signed voluntarily by the owners of all such patents and copyrights. The Unification Board shall then license the use of such patents and copyrights to all applicants, equally and without discrimination, for the purpose of eliminating monopolistic practices, discarding obsolete products and making the best available to the whole nation. No trademarks, brand names or copyrighted titles shall be used. Every formerly patented product shall be known by a new name and sold by all manufacturers under the same name, such name to be selected by the Unification Board. All private trademarks and brand names are hereby abolished.

Point Four. No new devices, inventions, products, or goods of any nature whatsoever, not now on the market, shall be produced, invented, manufactured or sold after the date of this directive. The Office of Patents and Copyrights is hereby suspended.

Point Five. Every establishment, concern, corporation or person engaged in production of any nature whatsoever shall henceforth produce the same amount of goods per year as it, they or he produced during the Basic Year, no more and no less. The year to be known as the Basic or Yardstick Year is to be the year ending on the date of this directive. Over or under production shall be fined, such fines to be determined by the Unification Board.

Point Six. Every person of any age, sex, class or income, shall henceforth spend the same amount of money on the purchase of goods per year as he or she spent during the Basic Year, no more and no less. Over or under purchasing shall be fined, such fines to be determined by the Unification Board.

Point Seven. All wages, prices, salaries, dividends, profits, interest rates and forms of income of any nature whatsoever, shall be frozen at their present figures, as of the date of this directive.

Point Eight. All cases arising from and rules not specifically provided for in this directive, shall be settled and determined by the Unification Board, whose decisions will be final.


9 posted on 01/24/2012 10:09:20 AM PST by null and void (Day 1099 of America's ObamaVacation from reality [Heroes aren't made, Frank, they're cornered...])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LibFreeUSA
They should just call themselves ‘National Socialists’!
“We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” Barack Hussein Obama, 7/2/2008
They don’t call it a Civil Defense force, that would imply we need (or perhaps that we deserve) defense.

The official name is National Civilian Community Corps.

I think of it as the NATCCC, or simply the NATCs...

10 posted on 01/24/2012 10:12:33 AM PST by null and void (Day 1099 of America's ObamaVacation from reality [Heroes aren't made, Frank, they're cornered...])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: John Semmens

:)


11 posted on 01/24/2012 11:15:30 AM PST by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will, they ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson