Greed- The restriction of, or desire to restrict, the liberty or opportunity of another person in order to satisfy an aquisitorial instinct.

This is not about greed, it is about preventing criminal activity. This strategy would not hurt real investors at all, but might be a step toward preventing bank meltdowns and stock fiascos.

I agree with Randall that Lou turned around IBM. The stock went from 107 to 46 per share. He came in from Kraft I remember correctly and took his signing bonus and bought IBM stock. He was making an investment into a company that he could directly affect. And he did, in just a short time IBM shares had begun trading (key word trading, not putting in a box) above 100. Most investors (or the greedy) cannot affect the company like he did, so his logic is greatly flawed. With that said, he saved a lot of his employees retirements that had invested heavily ,all be it foolishly, in IBM stock.

Why "fix" something that ain't broke? Just because they can? Capital Gains does not need to be taxed at all or at least not anymore than any other "gain". This feeds our economy much better than any tax that could be collected. Leave it alone.

Are we already a communist country? It is not about gambling, but if you do not take risk, there is no reward. If you do not want to invest, then do not. Just because someone’s definition of investing is greater than a year, that can be their definition. But please do not tell me how to live my life, and how much you want to take out of my pocket to feed and take care of people who are too frigin lazy to get off their ass and do something. If it were not for greed, this country would not be here! How many people wake up in the morning and would go to work for free. Uh, yeah, we ALL want more right. Otherwise we would just all remain on our ass and ask for a handout. Which is one reason we need more tax money.
“The person who gets the farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore.” –Dale Carnegie
“High achievement always takes place in a framework of high expectations.” –Jack Kinder
“We will either find a way, or make one.” Hannibal

You do know that Gerstner is not a product of a public education, don't you? Chaminade High School (a Catholic Prep School), Dartmouth and Harvard Business School.

I worked for IBM from the mid '80s to the late 90s. Louis Gerstner is a primary reason IBM survived - Big Blue was in trouble until he took over.

So, what have you done that is comparable?

What about countering the "Power" in DC. Term limits anyone?

Heck the internet would not exist if not for short term investing. Neither would Microsoft, or IBM or so many other companies. It has been the ability of these companies to attract shortterm investors with the possibility of big returns that has given them the capital to start and not take on massive ammounts of debt.

Sometimes you're the windshield. People working in short term investments are high stake gamblers. They often lose their shirts. If short term investment was a reliable means for making money or "looting", as the ignorant or misinformed think, then everybody would be doing it.
Persons of the left are not risk takers by nature and are deathly intimidated by those that are. Punishing the risk takers by 80% capital gains will further damage the entrepenurial spirit that made America great.

Yeah, 80% short term cap gains tax. Perfect. Say goodbye to all liquidity in equity and bond markets. Maybe don't trade stocks or bonds and think this this wouldn't impact you???? Well, guess again. EVERYBODY would be subject to massive redemption fees on financial products like mutual funds and other vehicles in IRAs, 401k's, 403bs, even pension plans. In fact, I would argue this plan BENEFITS a large part of the financial services industry rather than impairing it. It does not however benefit anyone else....except polticians.

This isn't the first time that this trial balloon has been floated. Graduated capital gains taxes assume that capital gains taxes are necessary at all. If they are, which I personally do not believe, then the scale should be 25% at less than one year, decreasing by 1/5th per year until it is 0% after 5 years.

The fair tax addresses this issue fairly.

If Gerstner were so right on this, then why is the Chinese economy growing as they don't have a capital gains tax at all. (Go research this yourself, please don't take my word for it.)

Anyway, I hate to poke a hole in everyone's bubble, but in the 21st century China is going to be the economic powerhouse of the world. They are doing what America will not do. (Reduce government regulation and taxation on the economy.)

Brazil is doing the same thing. They are reducing taxes and regulation. (They even drill for their own oil, which China wants to buy by the way.)

Here's an idea. Why doesn't congress draft up a bill making it illegal to use tax as a form of punishment? Oh wait, that doesn't expand government's power....