New Jersey(USA) – (SatireWorld.com)
Imagine having millions of adoring fans who eagerly rush out and and buy your albums and pay heady prices for concert tickets, all in an effort to enrich your bank account to unimaginable balances.
If you’re living in New Jersey, the cost of star worship comes high even for non-fans of rock stars who just might be simple, hard-working citizens.
Many fans expect exceptional musical talent and glittering star-power when attending a rock concert, including a sprinkling of liberal ideals and causes supported by the likes of native New Jersey sons, Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen.
Born and raised in New Jersey, both rockers support many causes for the ‘little guy,’ from anti-war songs, to programs that define the working class. After all, aren’t they really just one of them?
Yes, they wear the denim flags of the working class, drink the beer of union members, and at every chance display their humble roots from such benign working-class places as Asbury Park and Sayreville, New Jersey.
Just in case you aren’t aware, New Jersey has the distinctive reputation as being the highest property taxed state in the union with personal property taxes way in excess of the nation’s norm, but to some of the liberal elitist, that burden is really for others to pay. You know, those mean-spirited one percenters!
For example… A typical bedroom community home could have property taxes that exceed ten thousand dollars a year levied on an average home placed on a small quarter-acre lot, with both house and lot costing a mere $250K. Imagine what a palatial estate with hundreds of acres would bring in for the tax man? Well, if you’re a well-heeled liberal elite rock star, you live by a different creed… Let someone else pick up the tab.
Perrenial blue-collar singer Bruce Springsteen personally owns hundreds of acres in New Jersey that surround his not-to-humble abode. Local police vigilantly patrol the area to keep people away and to enforce all traffic laws. The fire department is ready and waiting to protect the singer’s personal belongings and beautiful home. The paramedics staff the department with skilled men and women, plus, an array of expensive equipment, ready 24/7 to render aid and save a life. Local schools educate young people, allowing them to prosper and to facilitate their future lives with a proper education.
All are possible by the hard work of local citizens who scrimp and save to pay their hard earned dollars toward property taxes. All it seems except one of those rockers-with-a-concious like Bruce Springsteen.
Living on several hundred prime acres of New Jersey land, the Born In The USA singer pays only two-hundred dollars a year in property taxes. Thats $200.00!
Now, remember, an average quarter-acre lot with a modest home for those hard-working heroes in Bruce’s famous songs pays an average of ten grand per year!
So, how does he do it?
Well, if you’re famous and rich it’s easy. Get an accounting firm like Dewey-Cheatum & Howe and list your home and acreage as ‘agricultural’ or a ‘heritage farm site.’ Then hire a live-in farmer to grow organic vegetables and presto, you’ve saved millions and can sell the crop at a huge profit.
Another famous New Jersey rocker is Jon Bon Jovi. Bon Jovi has about a hundred acres of prime New Jersey real estate. But only pays about one-hundred (that’s $100.00) a year in property taxes. OK, I know you’re really interested now, so how does he do it?
I’ll give you the buzz… It’s simply bees!
Yes, having an apiary, or colonies of honey bees, allows you certain property tax exemptions. I’m not sure, but I can’t remember a single lyric in any of Bon Jovi’s songs that relate to the love of bees.
So folks, there you have it. The inequity of taxes and the flagrant hypocrisy of some of our most revered liberal entertainers. It’s almost too much to bear, given these are two of the most prominent flag bearers of the elitist liberal establishment.
So, next time you hear them play a tune that’s an ode to the workingman, or a liturgy of praise for the down trodden union worker, or perhaps an anti-war song tolling the disparity of the poor soldier going to fight a war that only protects the rich and brings bounty to war profiteers, ask yourself who really underwrites these guys and their rock star lives.
Oh, and please pass the honey and some of those organically grown blueberries.
Awwww…..where’s the fun in that?
And nobody gets to be a dick. It’s unacceptable.
Heh, being “bored” means I was bored enough to reply, not bored at the piece or comments. Let’s be clear there.
Ah, such lack of perspective to consider me a liberal for being pragmatic. Likewise, you are similarly uninformed at ‘my’ experience in this area, else you wouldn’t lump segments of people into convenient categories to make a point. I know better…and you do too, really. OK, I retract the name-calling accusation, but your mastery of innuendo is not lost on me. Thanks for playing, though.
Just food for thought, Bargis, but these segments of people you mention are obviously of singular economic demographics. I am not so limited in my direct experience, so at a future time, I’m sure we’ll discuss the span of political diversity being much wider than you make it out to be. The old “immigrants work harder” myth is not a hard fact or even a general notion except in fiction. I could rephrase it as “poor immigrants work harder, than rich immigrants”, but that goes without saying….just like in America. But to say immigrants don’t want handouts and LIBERALS do…dude are you serious? If you’ve even been to a third world country run on bribes you should choke on your own words. One might say “handouts” are MORE endemic to some of these cultures.
I don’t consider your notion politically insulting by any means, it simply defies logic. But, I understand your perspective is entirely driven by right-biased politics. The “right” doesn’t bother me nor does the “politics” …the “biased” does.
We’ll do this again. I’m sure you’re not going anywhere and you do have a way starting conversation.
Sorry you’re bored Kilroy, but you’re wrong again. I re-read what I wrote and find no derogatory name calling, nor sterotypical descriptions that I made up.
In my business life here in Florida I dealt with many, many new (or fairly new) immigrants who purchased equipment from my firm to start their first (and even second) business. Most often they self-financed with both spouses working several jobs and saving every penny they could.
I don’t know about you, but I find that admirable and exactly the kind of people that most everyone would welcome to America.
I guess they were the ‘sterotypes’ you feel I picked out of some magical hat, but I neglected to list others who were looking to start the American dream and who I became friendly with as well…Russians, Serbs, Lebonese, Kenyans, Brits, and of course, those I’ve listed before. Not one of them was looking for the easy way into business, just a chance to make it in their own way. The only thing they were adament about was the best price and a square deal.
Sorry Kilroy, though I respect your position, you truly don’t know my extensive life experiences in this area. Again, my condolences on your ongoing liberal slanted stance, I’m sure many people who think like you appreciate having a cheerleader during these difficult times.
“More recent immigrants like Pakistanis, Indians, Haitians, Jamaicans, Brazilians, Mexicans, and many others have secured their futures by NOT looking for a handout”
Just got to jump in here, Bargis, because I’m bored
First, I’ll wager you don’t know a single person in any of those demographics, less known statistically significant numbers, so this is just “heresay’ by “persons known”. Unproven yet it still has legs. Like races of people are monolithic, uniform, not diverse so we can say ‘all these people are like this’. Ridiculous! May as well call ’em all liberal too….because the conservatives are trying to deport them (except Haitians…they get the fewest Visas so there ain’t enough here TO deport…but that’s another story).
Pakistanis aren’t looking for handouts? says WHO? Who counted ’em?
Liberals ALWAYS looking for handouts? Yeah, those in communes are getting rich off the govt dole, right? Right? And the limousine liberals are just getting rich off that luxury tax break…wait, what?
Your depictions are too….well one-dimensional. That gives the illusion of your well -written thoughts not being well thought out.
I find the old stereotypes of liberals looking for handouts tiresome. I live in one of the reddest states in the union and the only people getting handouts are…well you guessed it. Everyone always wants gov’t out of their business then one windstorm or wildfire later, “Where’s my disaster aid?” That dog just don’t hunt anymore. Real dialog over philosophical differences and I’m up to it. Hackneyed over-simplifications and depictions. That’s just political masturbation.
Make the points you made, Bargis, (I always agree with a few) but leave the name calling, and stereotypical descriptions out of it and you’ve got better dialog…unless you’re like 14, then by all means, knock yourself out. No one will be listening to you anyway until you’re 18.
Good point Brian…Again, the story was about liberals chastising conservatives over ‘fair share taxation’ and their lack of participating in what they preach, but nevertheless, I will answer your talking point as best as I can.
Of course, we want the brightest to succeed. There are abundant scholarships, grants, student loans, and other financial means to get an education.
Yes, this is a meritocracy where hard work pays off. I see it every day where a fresh immigrant from some third world country opens a business without help, or with help from a relative who’s already established in their own business. You see them too. The indepenent gas station owners. Shoe repair shops. Lawncare companies. Tree trimmers. Nail and hair salons. Taxi cab sub-contractors. C-store owners, and many, many others who succeed with little more than an idea, a work ethic, and the determination to live the American dream.
Case in point…..Cuban expatriates. A vast and overwhelming majority came to Florida in exodus from tyranny. Yet, for the most part, their story is one of success.
More recent immigrants like Pakistanis, Indians, Haitians, Jamaicans, Brazilians, Mexicans, and many others have secured their futures by NOT looking for a handout, but by working hard to be able to afford a better lifestyle, and in turn, provide an education for their children.
I wish I could say the same for natural born Americans who let this dream pass them by because they’re repeatedly told it cannot be…The deck is stacked…Where’s my free education? Where’s the government handouts? It’s too hard. Or with the mindset it’s better to sit back and complain vs rolling up your sleeves and trying to succeed.
Now, I’m sure the stalwart libs on this site will jump in with their own personal hardship examples, but no matter the era or decade, it was always the same difficult task for those not wealthy enough to afford advanced education.
In my time that fate was predetermined for you by educators segregating students by aptitude and grades as to who was going to college preparitory classes, general studies,and who would end up at vocational schools or secreterial training. At least today everyone has a shot at the American dream if they have the right work ethic and the true desire to succeed.
Using the class warfare strategy of ‘full entitlement no matter what’ only gathers votes and will leave most believers empty handed in the end
@Bargis… but what about the 50% that DON’T have rich parents to fall back on. Are they not also part of the American dream?
I thought this was a meritocracy, where hard work alone was enough for one to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. When I was in college in the 90s you could almost work enough to pay for your education, but that dream is dead. Summer jobs don’t pay enough to cover the tuition any more.
Don’t we want the smartest to succeed, or is it better to just allow the richest instead?
C’mon Brian, another dig at Romney? Everyone knows Romney was talking to that half that has money to loan their kids and believes that self reliance is much better than government handouts.
The other half listens to Obama who’ll tell them to wait for Hopey-Changey stuff that so far in four years hasn’t materialized and probably never will.
Barb makes a good point (as I guess all barbs do, heh heh,) but it’s more than that. Our taxation system is among the most regressive in the world. High sales tax with non-existent state income taxes just tips the scales even further.
Liberal rock stars may be out of touch, but none of them can come anywhere close to Romney. He says if you want an education or to start a business, go borrow money from your parents. He genuinely doesn’t realize that about half of all parents don’t have two nickels to rub together.
I agree that’s a travesty, but most of the folks in the multimillion dollar homes next to the golf courses in our city pay around $10K in property tax, the same as the po’ folks in areas next to the rail yard and toxic dumps. What could be more equitable than that?