35 soul-crushing facts about American income inequality

[thereisnospoon]

I always did pretty good and I am no bigshot or inheritor of big money . All I did was go to work and kept working and saving . Nothing to it !!

Same here. Of course the left wing socialists on here can come up with millions of excuses, each one total bullshit, as to why working to get ahead is a bad thing.

How well did working to get ahead work during the Capital, Great Depression which had to be bailed out by the virtual Communism of our Wartime economy.

That is an utterly illogical question... In fact it's not a question. It is an opinion based on a conclusion.

 

[thereisnospoon]

I always did pretty good and I am no bigshot or inheritor of big money . All I did was go to work and kept working and saving . Nothing to it !!

How well did that work during the Great Depression? Does the Right do No Thing but "bite" the hand that fed them.

What the hell does the Great Depression have to do with anything?
I suppose you must believe that we should all kneel at the "Government is my God" altar because FDR came up with the New Deal?
Bite the hand that fed them?...WHAT?.....Hiney, check your calendar. It's 2015. Not 1940

socialism had to bailout Capitalism, like usual.

Yes....Of course once the nation got back on it's feet, we no longer needed nor could the country afford socialism.
But for our involvement in WW II the Great Depression which lasted into the early 40's would have gone well into the 1950's...The reason. FDR's policies while in the short term did as proposed, the crushing debt left the country in an deeper hole.

Did you know it was the social concepts (i.e. regulations) from the Great Depression that were applied to our financial sector and are still with us today. Are you seriously claiming we have less Socialism today.

I'm not claiming anything. We are a nation with a capitalist economy. A revenue driven economy.

 

[thereisnospoon]

They already are;

The United States is the world's largest national economy, representing 22% of nominal global GDP and 17% of global GDP (PPP).[2] The United States' GDP was estimated to be $17.710 trillion as of Q1 2015.[2][30] The U.S. dollar is the currency most used in international transactions and is the world's foremost reserve currency.[31] Several countries use it as their official currency, and in many others it is the de facto currency.[32] The United States has a mixed economy[33][34] and has maintained a stable overall GDP growth rate, a moderate unemployment rate, and high levels of research and capital investment.[35] Its six largest trading partners are Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, Germany, and South Korea.[36]--Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States

Simply by coming over here and making us look bad with a third world, capital work ethic, and sending money home so they can buy US goods.

What a dumbass,they're driving down wages while you cry about income equality.

Rent seeking or price seeking by sending jobs overseas is really helping our job market, right. It is merely public policies which accomplish that. We have a Commerce Clause and an official Mint. Why are there No Good Capitalist to be found who can make money on Commerce (well regulated) at our borders.

Funny,I worked for a company that opened a machine shop just over the border.
They fired all the average guys and kept the good ones to rework all the shit that came out of that place.

That's typical. In the home building business, illegals are used for labor. I have a friend who was a superintendent for a production builder. He said the punch lists were long and repetitive. Poor workmanship...

Is management not willing to work hard enough to go union?

HUH?...Unions are not needed nor wanted.
Define "go union"....LOL.

 

[ShaklesOfBigGov]

Yet, the right believes that Capitalism is what increases wealth for the People and not socialism.

Everyone has the same opportunity to start their own business, provide benefits, a fair wage, take risks through personal investment. Why aren't there more middle class citizens that are willing to take the risk and demonstrate to others what a true employer ought to provide for those who work for them? Seeing a problem, complaining, yet not making the personal commitment to invest in setting the example - that's seems to be the norm of those who are only able to say they know best.

 

[IlarMeilyr]

Let us take a moment to reflect upon and to distill this thread to its essence.

"Capitalism sucks because . . .

SOCIALISM!"

 

[BluesLegend]

Liberals want to control all the wealth so they can distribute it as they see fit.

 

[IlarMeilyr]

Liberals want to control all the wealth so they can distribute it as they see fit.

The incentive of those who make a lot of money to fund this scheme form of government goes way down once they see that most of what they earn is taken by the government and that they are allowed (maybe) to have a little back if they ask nicely.

And if they disengage from wealth creation, then the scheme starts running on fumes, financially, pretty damn quick.

Why is it that, in general, liberals and "progressives" (same thing, I know) are so fucking slow to learn the obvious lesson of killing the golden goose?

 

[ShaklesOfBigGov]

People need to quit worrying about what other people earn. (Key word: earn.) There will always be someone who makes more than you and less than you.

The bottom line is that if you can't earn enough in America to live comfortably, then you aren't really trying.

I guess you haven't heard about a natural rate of unemployment or corporate downsizing.

There would be less unemployment if we didn't have politicians that encourage illegal immigration through driver licenses, taxpayer funded education, or amnesty legislation.

Also, there is something to be said about seeking future opportunities and technology, together with making an effort towards achieving an educational means to get there. Opportunity doesn't happen without effort, and planning for the future.

 

[BluesLegend]

Liberals want to control all the wealth so they can distribute it as they see fit.

The incentive of those who make a lot of money to fund this scheme form of government goes way down once they see that most of what they earn is taken by the government and that they are allowed (maybe) to have a little back if they ask nicely.

And if they disengage from wealth creation, then the scheme starts running on fumes, financially, pretty damn quick.

Why is it that, in general, liberals and "progressives" (same thing, I know) are so fucking slow to learn the obvious lesson of killing the golden goose?

Why do they kill the goose that laid the golden egg? Simple, within liberal government is a culture of ima get mine screw you. I have lived in some liberal stronghold areas of the country and they will flat out tax businesses right into bankruptcy cutting off the very revenue stream that was funding them. They just don't care they just turn their sights on the next victim. Its insane but just look at upstate NY, look at Michigan.

And it does not matter if the economy is in the ditch either they want theirs screw you. Some states now have enacted business taxes that have to be paid even if the business lost money that year. I guess you are just supposed to shit money out your ass. And its a business property tax that really nails manufacturing companies killing jobs.

Some public employees pensions NY for example are based on their earnings in their last year of service. So they game the system to 'get mine'. The people up for retirement get gobs and gobs of overtime hours in their last year some earning double what they do in a normal year. Their pension is then based on this inflated amount and the taxpayers get hosed for the next 30 years. Some are now putting a stop to this because...they ran out of taxpayer's money.

 

[boedicca]

hunger is hunger . To quote that old Armenian lady , in the USA even the homeless run around with a chicken leg in each hand SwimExpert !!

Perhaps now you're starting to comprehend how poverty only exists in relation to one's surrounding culture.

That is utter crap. The "Poor" in America live better than did the relatively wealthy in pre-Industrial times. It is because of Capitalism and Freedom that we have at our disposable the technological innovations and abundance that make Poverty viritually NON-EXISTENT here.

Making it "relative" to the wealth of others is an ENTITLEMENT attitude. It would be silly if it weren't so damaging to our culture. Fat People on welfare sitting around eating junk food while watching their big screen TVs in air conditioned abodes with electricity, indoor plumbing and refrigeration are NOT POOR.

It's actually insulting to real poor people who are starving to death and/or live as SLAVES in third world countries to call American Porkers "Poor".

 

[Darkwind]

hunger is hunger . To quote that old Armenian lady , in the USA even the homeless run around with a chicken leg in each hand SwimExpert !!

In the US, the wealthiest even get to keep their multimillion dollar bonuses while on means tested, corporate welfare.

You have an example of this corporate welfare?

 

[SwimExpert]

That is utter crap. The "Poor" in America live better than did the relatively wealthy in pre-Industrial times.

You want to try that again? You really want to argue that the modern day poor American lives better than, say, Benjamin Franklin or George Washington did back in their day?

You're trying to make a flat earth argument. Poverty is relative to one's environment/community/culture. This is a fact to which there can be no contestation among reasonably intelligent people who are educated on the matter. If you can't understand how and why poverty is relative, then you need to do some research into the subject so that you can become educated. After that, I'm sure we could have a delightfully stimulating conversation/debate about the various causes of poverty in America, what (if anything) should be done to address it, etc.

On the other hand, if you seriously want to hold onto the claim that today's poor "live better" than well-to-do people from history, then you should go shake hands with Stephanie and Rdean, all the Trump enthusiasts and birthers, all the folks who say that gay marriage is causing human-goat sex, and every other batshit crazy lunatic on here.

 

[boedicca]

That is utter crap. The "Poor" in America live better than did the relatively wealthy in pre-Industrial times.

You want to try that again? You really want to argue that the modern day poor American lives better than, say, Benjamin Franklin or George Washington did back in their day?

You're trying to make a flat earth argument. Poverty is relative to one's environment/community/culture. This is a fact to which there can be no contestation among reasonably intelligent people who are educated on the matter. If you can't understand how and why poverty is relative, then you need to do some research into the subject so that you can become educated. After that, I'm sure we could have a delightfully stimulating conversation/debate about the various causes of poverty in America, what (if anything) should be done to address it, etc.

On the other hand, if you seriously want to hold onto the claim that today's poor "live better" than well-to-do people from history, then you should go shake hands with Stephanie and Rdean, all the Trump enthusiasts and birthers, all the folks who say that gay marriage is causing human-goat sex, and every other batshit crazy lunatic on here.

Your reading comprehension is very poor. I said "relatively wealthy" - not the Very Very Rich.

But if you want to compare the health and longevity of today's "poor" in American to the Extremely Wealthy, take a look at kings in Medieval England, or even during the Renaissance. Their life spans were often quite short compared today - and some died of things that wouldn't be fatal today in the U.S. with proper medical care (something, sadly, that will be in increasingly short supply due to ObamaCAre).

List of English monarchs - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

 

[rdean]

35 soul-crushing facts about American income inequality - Salon.com

Interesting and disturbing.

Republicans call these good things.

 

[sakinago]

35 soul-crushing facts about American income inequality - Salon.com

Interesting and disturbing.

Republicans call these good things.

Says what republican? These are 35 examples of what happens when those in power help each other out, wether it's one guy giving money to the other, or one guy making laws to help the other make more money. It's called crony capitalism!! And it keeps happening when people keep buying what people in power tell them to think. And what you told to think from those in power that it's the fault of all one group that's not themselves. Why has the middle class shrunk so much under this champion of the middle class, who has been getting everything he wants?

 

[danielpalos]

Yet, the right believes that Capitalism is what increases wealth for the People and not socialism.

Capitalism has brought a billion or so Chinese out of poverty, Not Socialism , in recent years. Socialism is just a different type of power play.

Dude, Socialism has built entire cities. Only bad management has prevented the social concept of, from each according to their ability to each according to their need.

Really...Which ones?.....Holy shit....
Ya know what? I think you are here just pulling everyone's chain. I think you're full of shit.
You don't believe a word you post. You are just here to increase your post count.

Sure; I will do it merely because I have a social work ethic; unlike the lazy right who need to be spoon fed information by their Nanny.

Ordos China A Modern Ghost Town - Photo Essays - TIME

 

[SwimExpert]

Your reading comprehension is very poor. I said "relatively wealthy" - not the Very Very Rich.

Your facts are poor. Franklin and Washington were not "very very rich." They were relatively wealthy, but not very, very rich. In fact, by and large the founders as a whole were not particularly wealthy. The rich elite of the time were loyalists. Perhaps you should learn a bit more history before you try to invoke historical comparisons to make a [faulty] point.

 

[HenryBHough]

It's knee-slappingly funny to see a thread about "soul" produced by a Democrat Lickspittle!

 

[jasonnfree]

hunger is hunger . To quote that old Armenian lady , in the USA even the homeless run around with a chicken leg in each hand SwimExpert !!

In the US, the wealthiest even get to keep their multimillion dollar bonuses while on means tested, corporate welfare.

You have an example of this corporate welfare?

One example of subsidies is USA's military providing protection for oil companies operating in the middle east. Including deaths and injuries to servicemen protecting these for profit companies and the american taxpayers footing the bill, sometimes health care costs for life for some service men, the oil companies are getting a pretty sweet deal. And sometimes they manage to pay no taxes at all, like exxon. Since oil products are one of usa's biggest exports, it's certainly not about getting oil to the homefront or america won't survive.

The Surprising Truth About Oil and Gas Company Corporate Tax Rates - US News

 

[jasonnfree]

just a general reply but anyone of reasonable sound mind has got it made in the USA . Especially in my times and the times of my parents . So that's maybe 1945 after WW2 to my best guess of about 2008 when things started going downhill . Maybe bush but certainly mrobama when it has gone downhill . Still doesn't affect most of my generation but those that are younger are said to be dependent on parents when I was independent at 16 - 18 .

They had it made after ww2 partly in thanks to the policies of FDR and the policies of progressive taxation, sometime up to 90% for those of extreme wealth. How well off would the middle class have been without socialist social security that their parents collected? Lots of them would have had to provide for the care of the old ones at home. God bless democrats for all this, because republicans have never done anything for anyone but those of great wealth.