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Bass fishing and butt scratching

Wednesday, Jun 25 in Dave's opinion | Comments (27)

Dave has a big-time rant about "bass fishing and butt-scratching". This one really hits with him, and it probably will with you too!

Hear the call

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THANK YOU, Dave. I just heard you show tonight on Fox Business Network. That was awesome. Thank you for having the courage to say what is on a lot of people's minds. Keep up the great work. You are so inspiring. You are changing lives daily!!!

# Posted by Debra | 6/25/08 8:10 PM

Dave,
Great story. Completely agree. I already feel punished for working too hard because my wife and I were exempt from the goverment rebate. It makes me want to have my wife stop working so we can make less. Is that not bad goverment or what?

# Posted by TJ Ogles | 6/25/08 8:20 PM

Dave you have my vote!!! That was GREAT!!!

# Posted by mike cornelius | 6/25/08 8:22 PM

Outstanding Dave! PLEASE keep promoting that!

# Posted by Scott Mills | 6/25/08 8:22 PM

Dave,
That was great. I couldn't agree with you more.
I'm not rich, yet, but I don't think it's fair to give away my hard earned money to those who have sat on their behind waiting for the handout. I loved your last line.

# Posted by Mark Jolly | 6/25/08 8:32 PM

Dave:
Your summary on "Henry" and "John" was great.
This has been my thoughts for many years.
Society today wants everything now and is not
willing to set anything aside for later in
life. We need more Henry's in this world.

# Posted by Hugh Lamar | 6/25/08 8:45 PM

I agree with you 100%! My wife and I have paid off all our debts and just sent the last $758 on our credit cards. House & 1995 auto are also paid off. Keep up the good work!

# Posted by Stephen Brandon | 6/25/08 9:28 PM

Thank God. Please repeat this daily.

# Posted by al singer | 6/25/08 9:33 PM

I completely agree. I am a young professional and I work hard all day for 6 days a week. I go home for dinner with my wife and then go back to work for 3 or more hours at least 4 nights a week. My wife works a full day and then comes home to study every night for her Masters in Taxation program. I have siblings that are in the butt-scratching and bass-fishing category. While it burns my wife and I up that we will pay for their behavior through our hard work and tax dollars, we take great pride in the fact that our behavior, sacrifices, blood, sweat and tears will allow us to be debt free and one day become very wealthy. Preach on brother! P.S. I listen to your show each night while at work to keep me motifvated and on task.

# Posted by Ben | 6/25/08 9:56 PM

If this country was founded on lazy man, entitlement attitudes, we would have all starved! Work or you don't eat.

# Posted by connie | 6/26/08 1:32 AM

Everyone ... EVERYONE ... take heart. Sure, we may work hard only to have some of it taken away and given to butt scratchers. But remember 2 things. First, investing as much as you can into Roth IRAs and Roth 401k plans will let your investments grow tax free. Washington can't touch that. And second, butt scratchers who rely on wealth builders to fund them will never have all that they want. Savers will have enough; butt scratchers will be shining our shoes someday.

# Posted by Chris | 6/26/08 7:28 AM

Where is the transcript, I love it and want to send it to som eof my friends that need to hear your show

# Posted by Nathan | 6/26/08 7:54 AM

Go Dave! My husband has an average Job and I'm a stay at home mom with our 3 kids. My husband busts his butt, and to see how much we pay in taxes makes me sick. If he makes more money, they will take more money! How does anyone get ahead! We live like no one else so we can live like no one else but would it be nice to be ahead sooner without all these rediculous taxes. I say Dave Ramsey for President! I think every politician should be forced to take FPU before taking office!

# Posted by Chana | 6/26/08 11:12 AM

Dave, our society has forgotten the words of Adam Smith.
Enjoyed the monologue.

# Posted by Daryl Fletcher | 6/26/08 12:00 PM

I loved your "rant". Please keep this message going on your shows ...it's moral, it's right, it's the only way!!!

# Posted by Mary Lu | 6/26/08 12:29 PM

I take offense to you using bass fishermen in your analogy...what was the point? I happen to be a bass fishermen with the $75,000. job! I do make most of my son's baseball games as well as my daughters events. However, I do not sit down in front of the TV each night and butt scratch. Dave, the only recurring bill I have outside of utilities and food is my mortgage.

Most bass fishermen I know (and I know many, I have been fishing local and professional tournaments for 11 years) would not ask your friend John for one nickel. Nor expect any hand out from him. In fact they would be trying to help your friend catch up on his receivables.

Much of what your concerns were in your rant are the same concerns I and my fishermen friends share. We don’t need any redistribution of wealth. You should be able to keep what you earn…whether it is $328,000. or $75,000.

# Posted by Bob Slaton | 6/26/08 5:29 PM

Dave you Never cease to amaze me!! I Love this GREAT blog. Thank you!! - OR

# Posted by Nakita | 6/26/08 6:00 PM

To Nathan who is looking for the transcript, go
to the page that has the starter special and if
you look halfway down the page you will see
"Butt Scratching and Bass Fishing" transcript.
You can print it from there.

# Posted by Rita | 6/26/08 6:29 PM

Dave: I was referred to your commentary entitled "Butt Scratching and Bass Fishing." Being a student of Milton Friedman, Tom Sowell, and Walter Williams, I could not agree more with your analysis. However, I was disappointed that you chose bass anglers to illustrate your point. While I don't know about your friend John, 95% of all bass anglers that I know, as well as the bass anglers who have participated in the scholarly research that I have published on bass anglers, identify themselves as die hard conservatives, but are really Libertarian in their beliefs. Although your point is well taken, I think it would have been more precisely demonstrated using a very different group of people.

# Posted by Dr. Jeffery Hahn | 6/26/08 10:21 PM

Thanks for putting into words exactly what my hausband and I have been feeling for years. We have lived on the poverty diet for our entire marriage to get him through medical school while allowing me to stay at home to care for our four children and now we are giving nearly half of his income to the government. I hope your "rant" is distributed far and wide.

# Posted by Valerie | 6/26/08 11:30 PM

Dave, You have a great financial plan and great advice but....you just misled your audience! In the article "Bass fishing & Butt Scratching" you made the statement, and I quote "I have seen several elitist people on the talking-head channels make the statement lately that people making over $250,000 per year have a “moral imperative” to pay more in taxes to take care of the country’s problems." I don't think your bass-fishing persona, "John" is one of the "elist people" spouting that drivel. I am a bass fishereman and do take humbrage to your stero-typecasting of bass fishermen and ladies! From your description of "John", do you think he even cares about making a statement like that? Place your blame and direct your anger to the "elitist people" that are asking for a handout and not John, who is just a regular guy making a living and trying to relax.
I have to agree with your opinion about the it being wrong for the people that have "made IT" finanically to have to support those that have not! I don't think John or my fellow bass fishing cronies would ever ask or NEED to ask for the "rich" people to give us anything. That is why we have family and friends. And John? good luck in the tourney this weekend! Catch a big 'un! g3basser (BFHP)

# Posted by Scott Lisk | 6/27/08 7:26 AM

Hello Dave and Fellow Readers,

I listened to the rant on Fox. You creatively and vividly laid the foundation for you opinion with which I wholeheartedly agree. I started my business with $250.00 in 2000. I know nothing about business or how to produce the products I developed. I just wrote down my goals and got busy on my journey. Over the last eight years, I've experienced many hard lessons. But, I know entrepreneurship is the key to controlling my destiny and building a legacy for the future.
Growing up in a single parent home, I was the first in my family to graduate from a university. Shortly after working as a RN, I knew I was not cut out for life on another persons terms. God gave me the wisdom to realize that it requires, hard work, dedication and "risk taking" to break free of the bondage of poverty. I do encounter many people who feel hopeless and powerless. There is no doubt that life has its obstacles, but faith and persistence can lead to amazing results.

Keep preaching to truth Dave,
Chanelle, CEO Indigofera

# Posted by Chanelle Washington | 6/27/08 8:10 AM

Dave,
You are so inspiring. My husband and I are firm believers in your opinion and will forward the link to our family and friends. Thank you so much for your faith and education on finances and life.

# Posted by Dian Duyck | 6/29/08 11:54 AM

BAD ANALOGY!!! I really don't know what else to say about this. Dave I would expect better from you.
Both guys work for a living and both pay taxes. The fact that John doesn't work as long as Henry might,
or make as much, IS NOT THE ISSUE. So WHY did you put it that way? I will totally agree our tax structure
is messed up and need a big time overhaul. Because the way things are right now they are both not being
taxed fairly. We are becoming a nation of have and have not’s and the middle class is getting squeezed out.
So whether you are Henry or John if our tax structure doesn't change you will only see more money going
to the government to pay for everyone else. Now anyone on this sight might not feel it as bad, because we
are striving to be debt free or already there. Because when there are so many loop holes the Wealthy and
the Poor don't really pay taxes it is the Small business person like Henry or people like John who foot
the bill. All I ask is Please do better with how you choose to Rant.

# Posted by David | 7/1/08 5:10 PM

Great job, Dave! You tell it like it is and have no fear in doing so. Keep up the great work!

# Posted by chip | 7/2/08 1:29 PM

Why don't you post the opinions that don't agree with you?
I have twice posted things to counter what you say, but they never show up.

# Posted by Karl | 7/7/08 5:14 PM

I don't think Dave is trying to run down the bass fisherman... he's saying that the media and elitists are trying to paint the picture that the fisherman is deserving of tax breaks and whatnot simply because he makes less. When the reality is that the fisherman is happy with his life, and if he wanted more money he'd go out and work for it, not ask the rest of us to subsidize him. I think he's ranting more towards the political picture that the media and elitists are trying to paint, a picture that is incredibly different from reality. I believe that most Americans would rather work for their money than ask someone else for it. But if these people who feel guilty about their incomes keep spouting ignorance, eventually more and more people get the "poor me" bug.

# Posted by Liz | 7/18/08 10:21 AM

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