Income Inequality

[LeftofLeft]

We hear this drum beat by American Socialists and Marxists during US boom times. Now that the US economy has been suffering since 2007 and unemployment has been so high, at what point will the socialists and marxists be content with Income distribution? Last time I checked, there is significant Wealth inequity in North Korea and Cuba.

 

[Mr. H.]

When my income was for shit, I felt inequal to none.

Living in poverty for years, my quality of life suffered but my self-comparison to and perception of others was unchanged.

When my income soared, I felt equal to none.

Living in prosperity for years, my quality of life soared but my self-comparison to and perception of others was unchanged.

I am a Republican and a Conservative. With very humble roots and of belief that wealth lies not in money but family and friends.

Word. Fucking word. Bitches.

 

[waltky]

Uncle Ferd hopes dat basic income goes through so's he can get cable TV...

One of Nation's Wealthiest Men Criticizes Wealth Inequality, Plugs Universal Basic Income
May 26, 2017 | In a speech to Harvard graduates on Thursday, Facebook Founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said it's not enough for young people to find their own purpose in life -- they should "create a world where everyone has a sense of purpose."

He spoke about an "entrepreneurial culture" that gives everyone "the freedom they need to pursue purpose," regardless of monetary reward: We should have a society that measures progress not just by economic metrics like GDP, but by how many of us have a role we find meaningful. We should explore ideas like universal basic income to give everyone a cushion to try new things. We’re going to change jobs many times, so we need affordable childcare to get to work and healthcare that aren't tied to one company. We're all going to make mistakes, so we need a society that focuses less on locking us up or stigmatizing us. And as technology keeps changing, we need to focus more on continuous education throughout our lives. And yes, giving everyone the freedom to pursue purpose isn't free. People like me should pay for it. Many of you will do well and you should too.

Universal basic income is free money – in theory, a guaranteed amount doled out to every American without any strings attached. Advocates say it's an idea whose time is coming, as automation replaces human in the workplace.

On the topic of "wealth inequality," Zuckerberg told Harvard grads it "hurts everyone." When you don't have the freedom to take your idea and turn it into a historic enterprise, we all lose. Right now our society is way over-indexed on rewarding success and we don't do nearly enough to make it easy for everyone to take lots of shots. Let's face it. There is something wrong with our system when I can leave here and make billions of dollars in 10 years while millions of students can't afford to pay off their loans, let alone start a business. Look, I know a lot of entrepreneurs, and I don't know a single person who gave up on starting a business because they might not make enough money. But I know lots of people who haven't pursued dreams because they didn't have a cushion to fall back on if they failed. We all know we don't succeed just by having a good idea or working hard. We succeed by being lucky too. If I had to support my family growing up instead of having time to code, if I didn't know I'd be fine if Facebook didn't work out, I wouldn't be standing here today. If we're honest, we all know how much luck we've had.

One of Nation's Wealthiest Men Criticizes Wealth Inequality, Plugs Universal Basic Income