Do you think it's fair that tax dollars pay Kobe Bryant's $30 million salary

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Disney World is a completely inapt comparison. I daresay Disney World indubitably transformed Orlando's tax base, economy, etc. For sports teams, this concept is mythology. Cities don't give businesses hard cash "all the time." That's bullshit. They may give certain tax concessions or sell land cheaply (I guess) to get a company like Boeing to change their headquarters, but again, that's far more momentous than having an NBA team.

I guess we will disagree what "all the time" means. It certainly happens enough. Additionally, what about the small business loans backed by the SBA? Aren't taxpayers subsidizing small business by backing their loans?

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

I guess we will disagree what "all the time" means. It certainly happens enough. Additionally, what about the small business loans backed by the SBA? Aren't taxpayers subsidizing small business by backing their loans?

I'm going to leave aside the question of whether SBA loans are good public policy or not.

If you're going to use Small Business Loans as an analogy why not student loans? Good Lord. Do you think there's a distinction between the federal government making nickle and dime LOANS to small business owners to foster inovation and and stimulate the economy at a grass roots level, and cities and states giving eight figure handouts to billionaire owners who can't turn a profit because they pay guys $20 million a year and up to play basketball?

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

I still disagree with the premise. I fairly pointed out that likely hundreds of buildings in any city were financed through muni bonds. Does that make every employee within them a scourge?

SU is grandstanding by comparing local civic attempts to revitalize tourism and taxes with our youth dying in Iraq.

Interestingly, our brave soldiers overseas.....they follow their sports teams pretty religiously. I doubt they have any problems with their teams receiving muni bonds for stadia.

You're going for the capillary, and making ad hominem arguments. It's an established fact that the whole NBA edifice in the aggregate increases in value and generates a return to its owners only because it receives local subsidies. I'm really not interested in your bullshit pro-Lakers propaganda anymore. Nobody hardly but you in the whole country is thinking about the Lakers right now. Get a freaking life.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

You're going for the capillary, and making ad hominem arguments. It's an established fact that the whole NBA edifice in the aggregate increases in value and generates a return to its owners only because it receives local subsidies. I'm really not interested in your bullshit pro-Lakers propaganda anymore. Nobody hardly but you in the whole country is thinking about the Lakers right now. Get a freaking life.

Ah, the classic closing salvo of a desperate man....the old "get a life" smack. One generally sees the "get a life" smack come out when the opponent has completely exhausted his remedies. You chose a unique route......you coupled "get a life" smack with the equally classic, "I cant prove it but I will proclaim it to be a well-known fact" smack.

All this would be so much easier if you would just admit your premise was flawed and then accurately restate yourself. It isn't simply a Laker thing. There are other teams that have privately financed buildings.

You were easy. I thought you were supposed to be one of the legendaries....yet it took very little to topple you. I am ready for someone else...someone who has the chops to go the rounds. You're trying to compare a flashlight to a star. Flashlights only last so long, a star is in the sky forever. You are not even close to me, and anyone who knows message board posting knows that.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

I didnt say opposing handouts is racist.

I said you specifically were a racist for claiming that the NBA crowd contributes nothing to the community/society.

You became very agitated and upset, spouting off your non-racist credentials....which is almost always the reaction a genuine racist would have.

I also asked you to regale us all with your exhaustive list of NBA games attended across the country.....the pool from which you draw your conclusion that black people mostly cannot afford NBA games. I am still waiting for that one.

I said NBA fans, who are disproportionately white and have a plantation mentality (you're a good example) don't add a lot qua their role as NBA fans. You revealed your racism intimating that blacks' sole interest and community involvement is spectator sports (desptie that your premise that all NBA fans are black was demonstrably false). How many season ticket holders are there anyway in a city with several million population? The symphony's importance to a community exists on many levels and is more pervasive and continuous throughout the year, and, yes, more substantive.

I'm sorry, call me elitist or whatever. I'm not going to apologize for saying that an NBA team is of little importance overall in the cultural life of a large city, and is certainly less important than the symphony. You just reveal your own cultural ignorance and racism by calling such a correct notion racist. Sorry, but I do see someone like you who's biggest interest in life is the Lakers as pathetic. It's intolerable you paint all blacks with this brush.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

a plantation mentality

You can't keep out of your own racist way, can you?

Next thing you know, you will accuse me of acting niggardly.

PS Is there anything more laughable than a guy who is trying to convince everyone he is not a racist by citing the symphony as a source of civic contribution?

Ask the average Bostonian in the street what he is more proud of....the Sox/Pats/Celtics.....or the Boston Pops. Your wine and cheese Fridays are clouding your common sense.

Again, you are not up to my level in this sort of exchange.

Start with the basics....exUte, Johnny Lingo, mental hos patient, etc.....come back after much training, grasshopper.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

PS Is there anything more laughable than a guy who is trying to convince everyone he is not a racist by citing the symphony as a source of civic contribution?

More racism. Case closed. Seemingly it's unthinkable to DDD that blacks would be interested in complicated music. If you're a symphony fan you must be white, in DDD's view.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

Again, you are not up to my level in this sort of exchange.

The lady doth protest too much, me thinks. Only a loser has to expressly assert his superiority in this sort of exchange. The exchange speaks for itself.

[YOhio]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

More racism. Case closed. Seemingly it's unthinkable to DDD that blacks would be interested in complicated music. If you're a symphony fan you must be white, in DDD's view.

That is a very close minded POV held by Triple Dad. I've seen Asians before at the symphony.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

The lady doth protest too much, me thinks. Only a loser has to expressly assert his superiority in this sort of exchange. The exchange speaks for itself.

Chide me, dear stone, that I may say indeed thou art entirely without knowledge of sports.