Maybe some of us tax paying Americans recognize that we are in no way on an even playing field with these athletes. It's not an apples to apples comparison. It's more like apples to dogshit.
Originally Posted by: DakotaT
Honestly.. I don't think we are to be compared in terms of income nor the taxes they pay upon that.. I agree most of us are in a different universe in terms of income vs tax ratio. And personally I hold no contempt in them getting "paid".
Where I take exception is in the fact that the entire sports industry is afforded overall tax and legal exceptions that most of America isn't afforded.
And these breaks do cost us, the Tax paying Americans, in our wallets on top of our money that we spend on their product. Without these exceptions, both tax and legally, these leagues would not be able to rake in the profits that they do. Thus these owners and athletes would have less to divvy between them overall.
As a society, most can agree that we have too much government overall, we have waste and pork in every dollar this government spends.
And here we have leagues that are being given "extra", yet both sides will boldly state that they aren't being treated fairly or that they don't have enough of the pie.
Well damn it.. a chunk of that pie is a benefit afforded you via special treatment from the government in addition to tax burdens being put into place to fund your arenas and stadiums that don't come out of your annual profits.
So for them to cost other citizens even a red cent over there greed.. well I will hold a bit of contempt towards them.
I respect your stance in that it matters little to you.. more or less I am explaining my view point.
It is not that they have "more".. it is simply how they handle themselves with "more "and in the manner that that "more" came. The sports leagues in this country drive a ton of business, no doubt, and they provide hundreds of thousands of jobs. But along with that they are most definitely given exceptions that allow them to garner "more" internally, exceptions that most of this country are not afforded. Sure corporate America is afford more than your average citizen as well.. but they are wise enough not to flaunt nor play the public as openly as these sports leagues have and will continue to do so.
Is it outside of the norm that I see in this country overall? Everything is driven on greed and failing to see and respect what we have in place of what we want. But just because it is part of the norm, doesn't make it right.. so view me as overly righteous upon this issue. That is fine.. it just doesn't change my opinion upon the topic.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"