well thought out response cluggy. don't hate me cause i enjoy my job, life, and income level. god bless JB Hunt...that will really piss him off.

[VitoCorleone99]

I spend substantially less than I did before I started driving OTR. Now, I hardly ever buy gas for my car, I hardly ever have my electricity on, I don't blow money on whiskey and women while I'm not at home, I don't go to ballgames, and the list could go on all day.

It doesn't seem to be a stretch to me that a driver with some experience can expect at least $60K annually, if he wants to work for it. Hell, starting at .26 during training and gradually moving upward, I made over $47K in my first year. Considering that I entered my second year at .36, I have to imagine I'll be well over $50K unless there's some kind of downturn. Then, like the others have said, I'm free to do something else if I think I'm underpaid.

[COLT]

Maybe Greg, you could point out my spelling errors and correct my grammar... Please

And Jed, I have a very good paying job, and it's fun and interesting, as well as challenging. I just think O.T.R. truckers are not payed enough for their time, sure make 50 g in a year and have no life... just living in a truck, saving money, by well... not having a life....

[Sheepdancer]

Have no life as an OTR driver? Life is what you make it. I could see living on the road as a pretty cool life. Hell, when I retire, I want to sell my home, buy one of those huge luxury RVs and live on the road. That seems like a great life. Ive met OTR drivers who were on a break in casinos, Ive met OTR drivers on their break deep sea fishing, Ive met OTR drivers on their break at the gym. Its not like life on the road doesnt present some pretty cool opportunities for recreation and entertainment
Also, I talk to local drivers who work 60 hours+ 6 days a week. I dont know how you can call that more of a life than an OTR driver.

[COLT]

That does sound cool, just driving around getting paid, deep sea fishing, and making big money...investing... going to the gym... Hey, where do we sign up. baaaaaa Man this guy knows his wool :wink:

[Colts Fan]

Originally Posted by Sheepdancer

In a free market society like we are in this country, EVERYONE is paid what they are worth. The GOOD news is that also everyone sets their own pay. If you are not happy about what you are paid, its very simple, make yourself worth higher pay.

Sheepdancer, are you some kind of capitalist pig or what? :wink:

Hey, nothing wrong with that!

[gordoUSA]

I love those that defend many of their practices by saying its a "free market system" or "just let the markets work," then when the sh** hits the fan they are the first ones crying for multi BILLION $ government bailout! (ie., the recent "mortage loan" crisis.)
And everyone makes what they are WORTH? A $20 MILLION a year CEO of some money loosing corporation is worth it?

[redsfan]

Originally Posted by gordoUSA

I love those that defend many of their practices by saying its a "free market system" or "just let the markets work," then when the sh** hits the fan they are the first ones crying for multi BILLION $ government bailout! (ie., the recent "mortage loan" crisis.)
And everyone makes what they are WORTH? A $20 MILLION a year CEO of some money loosing corporation is worth it?

Yup, if you can get it then you're worth it. If a corporation offered that CEO 20 Million and he said no, I'll do it for 1 Million, he would need his head examined. It's the same case that I'll make for millionaire athletes. If you have a problem with Alex Rodriguez making 20 Million per year, why don't you save the Yankees a big chunk of change and volunteer to do his job for less? Why don't you? Because you can't, that's why. So, why should we all be jealous that someone else is able to capitalize on being more qualified or talented than you or I? Why not do things to make ourselves more marketable and quit whining about what others make?

I firmly believe in a "free market system", but you will never hear me crying for a government bailout. If people were too stupid to understand or too lazy to investigate what they were signing up for, I sure as hell shouldn't need to bail them out. We can't see past the end of our nose, nor do we care to try. The mortgage loan distaster is just the latest indication that it's quickly becoming time to pay for our mistakes.

[gordoUSA]

thats my point. The "free market" should be allowed to work,it doesn't always, and not recently. A not everyone is paid what they are "worth." The central european banks and the federal reserve recently injected into the credit markets around $250 BILLION to "provide credit" the what is called the "sub-prime" morgage loan business.
What they are doing, in reality is "bailing out" "hedgefunds, "deriviatives" and their derivatives. Many of these funds are highly leveraged in the "sub-prime" paper. Now "hedgefunds" are really just investment stratagies for the wealthy to avoid paying taxes.
These hedgefunds were created by the "qualified" and "talented" people of Wall Street. They have argued since their creation they are trully "free market" and thus no need for regulation or taxation, as "free market" forces will regulate itself. A few of these "qualified" and "talented" managers made a $ BILLION last year in compensation. Many Wall Street firms own, operate and have interests in both the "sub-prime" mortgage companies issuing risky and suspect paper, and the hedgefunds and the derivitives themselves. All the while buying into, selling and trading in this risky and highly suspect paper on behalf of their very wealthy clients all over the world. These are highly "qualified" and "talented" individuals with vast knowledge of "free market" monetary systems working on Wall Street, trading back and forth with each other. These highly "qualified" and "talented" people have built a house of cards. Now the house is collasping.
So this is now "our" problem? How is it "our" mistake? Now they are asking the already strapped taxpayers of this country, as well as people going to school and working, trying to better themselves to "bail them out?"
I say SCREW THEM! These "qualified" and "talented" people created their own problem. If they go bankrupt so what? Let them start over as many other people have had to do.
In most corporations the daily operations of the corporation are run by the CEO, with oversight from a Board of Directors. Now some "qualified" and "talented" CEO's will load the board with friendly and like minded "qualified" and "talented" CEO's. A club of "qualified" and "talented" individuals. Then they vote themselves back dated stock options, various benefits, and generous retirement packages.
Many times their vision " of the "free market" system for "qualified" and "talented" executives is highly detrimental to the ordinary stockholders, employees and the company itself. Their attitude is one of contempt when one may question their "qualifications" or "talent" for operating a profitable company. It is a attitude of "screw them," they got theirs, and they leave. Fortunately, for the companies, their ordinary shareholders and employees, the company can work through the bankruptcy laws and maybe with some gov't (taxpayer) assitance re-emerge to profitability.

Now you can substitute "qualified" for UNETHICAL and "talented" for GREEDY and it will read pretty much the same way for the above.
You or I will never get a gov't bailout because we don't have enough money, nor do we give the politicians enough money. We are the "free market."

As for athletes:

Well, first you need to understand that professional sports franchises operate under entirely different accounting rules. Those that are totally unique to sports franchises. Far different than those of your typical company.
Even though A-Rod is a outstanding player, his "worth" is more determinded by the sharp pencils of good accountants. Not by what the owner really thinks. It's all in the accounting. (The Cubs don't have a good accountant.)
If we tried to apply the same accounting principles to our taxes, the IRS would be laughing their butts off as we are being hauled off to jail in steel shackles.

But since you mentioned it, even though he is having another great year. Is A-Rod "worth" $20 million? (Actually averages around $23,250,000, the last 3 years, 2004-2006)

Do the Yankees own the best record in baseball? No. 4th best. The Mets have a better record.
Are the Yankees leading their division? No. 5 1/2 games behind Boston.
Will the Yankees at least make the playoffs? Probably. 3 games ahead of Detroit. 19 games remaining.
Have the Yankees won the World Series since aquiring A-Rod? No
Have the Yankees even appeared in a World Series game since aquiring A-Rod? No
Has A-Rod been directly responsible for a increase of $20 million in gross ticket sales per year? Probably not. The seating capacity of Yankee Stadium is 57,545. If you had a 100% sell out each home game you would need to add only $4.29 per ticket, per home game to reach $20 million. But then you must make the assumption that the only reason anyone bothered to come to the game was to see A-Rod. Not Jeter, not Clemens pitching, not Posada, nor any of the other visiting team players, nor for the experience of attending a game in historical Yankee Stadium. Might be stretching it.

In no way am I demeaning his talent or him personally.

[Raafi]

in a perfect world, a free market system is the best

but we live in a very imperfect world, case in point, i love driving truck, i am old enough to know when i am tired, but DOT thinks they can dictate when i am tired and they legislate when i go to bed

where is the freemarket in that?

so there are always caveats in everything, ranting about the freemarket is idealism, at best