Hi Humans,

Don't be shy. If you want to comment on my blog entries, please do so. You don't have to be a dog to say what you think. or if you have a pet dog and want to have your dog speak for you, that's also OK. I would like to hear from you or your dog.

Chloe

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Tycoons and Community Needs

Hi Humans,
Some of you humans say that the government should tax the very richest people (the tycoons) heavily and use that money to help the poorest people and to some extent those in the middle. After all there is only so much that one can spend on oneself. Other humans say that tycoons should make as much money as they want, it's their own business how they spend it, and if they have to give the top end of their income to the government they will have no incentive to earn that money. Well, that's a dilemma. The money is needed here, but the people who can supply it don't want to bother unless they can keep it or spend it as they please.
So, let this little doggie propose a possible solution for your human dilemma. Some tycoons who want to accummulate more more money than they could possibly spend are just hoarders or maybe selfish. On the other hand maybe they are just control freaks who don't want to lose control of the money. Some of them contribute some of their excess money to various charities or causes that appeal to them. Maybe they just like to flaunt how much money they make without necessarily hoarding or spending it.
So, this is the doggie proposal. Let's say there is only so much that is reasonable for a tycoon to spend and put away for his (or her) future security and that of his (or her) family. Let's make a number. Let's say 5 million dollars would be taxed in the usual way. Let's say any $ above 5 million should be for Community Needs. Let's take out the usual highest income tax from the Community Needs money. Isn't that about 30% Federal? And let's allow each state 10%. Then let's allow another 10% to be given to whatever charity appeals to the tycoon. That leaves 50% of all the money above 5 million (the numbers might not be exact; they are just for example).
So what should be done with the 50% of that top income that will meet the needs of the community as well as the needs of the tycoon. The government should make a list of community needs and how much the government would ordinarily have to allot to each need. Each tycoon would pick from the list of Community Needs where he wants his money invested. If possible, he would be given a role in managing that money. His name (or whatever name he chooses) would be attached to the money (e.g. if his name were John Smith, the money would form a fund named the John Smith fund or the Smith Family Fund or whatever name he chooses). If a particular need gets met and there are others unmet, then the tycoon would have to take what is available on a first come first serve basis. If he does not want to be bothered with the program, he can just give the money to the government which would use it in any way that it saw fit. So, the tycoon does not completely and blindly hand over the money to the government because he still has some control over it and can take credit for it.
Well anyway, that's what this dog thinks for whatever a dog's opnion is worth.
Chloe

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Statistics

Hi Humans,
You humans have this thing called statistics which is quite useful for sorting out observations for scientific purposes. Unfortunately some of you misuse them to try to prove a point. This is particularly popular with administrators who try to justify some idea they are pushing, often on employees and other people. We dogs only believe what we can detect with our senses (particularly smell). If someone tells you something is this way, but your smell tells you it's really the other way, I would take a careful look at those statistics with a suspicious eye (or nose).
Chloe

Sunday, September 4, 2011

If Only I Were Human

Hi Humans,
If only I were human, I could go with Mommy and Daddy to people restaurants and sit at the table and eat the delicious smelling people food. And I could go to any hotel, not just the doggy friendly ones. I promise I wouldn't bark. And I would go to school and study all those abstract people things that only humans consider important. But alas I'm a dog. When Mommy and Daddy go out to do their human things, I have to stay home in the laundry room. Although I must admit the laundry room has a doggie door which leads to a nice side yard where I can run around and relieve myself whenever I feel the need. And Mommy and Daddy do take care of me. You know, maybe my doggie life is not so bad. I guess it just depends on fate. There are plenty of humans who are poor and hungry in countries where their leaders are rich from oil and other minerals but don't know how to share. What if I were born a human Jewish child in Poland during the holocaust instead of a Jewish princess doggie in America? What if I were one of those dogs in the Animal Rescue who wasn't adopted instead of a cute little doggie who was? When you look at the alternatives, life is not so bad.
Chloe