This 6 minute video sums up the shocking facts of American wealth and inequality

[Ame®icano]

I encourage you to watch the 6 minute video completely and keep an open mind.

I do understand this topic has been discussed thoroughly already, but I think it is interesting how it samples the perception of the issue by the American people.

Wealth Inequality in America - YouTube

Samples on whose perception?

Socialists will always call for wealth redistribution, cry about one-percenters, fairness etc. You know what? I don't give a shit for their moral values, just like they don't give any for mine. They cry about greedy rich just cause they're jealous. They would do the same if they were in their shoes.

Just because rich are having more, doesn't means that poor are having less. What liberals are not getting is that wealth is not zero sum game. That video in OP shows wealth as limited amount of money where if one have more, the other automatically have less. Our physical resources may be finite, but wealth is not. Why? Because physical resources can be arranged and re-arranged over and over in many patterns, with each iteration creating more wealth using the same amount of resources. Some are just better in arranging patterns game then the others. There are 210 new billionaires this year. How they got all that wealth? No, it doesn't mean that everyone else has lost billions in order for those new 210 to have it. Some people created billions pretty much out of thin air. Take Google or Facebook or Amazon, their wealth came from idea, knowledge and taking the risk. That's much different then creating money out of thin air, as Federal Reserve does, but that is another story.

Our problem are not rich people. To make it simple, roots of our problems are corrupt politicians, lobbyists and debt.

My 2c.

 

[Political Junky]

What is the proper amount for the 1% to control?

Roughly the same amount the wealthiest Americans controlled during the decades between the 40s and 80s. You'll find specifics here:
It's the Inequality, Stupid | Mother Jones

oh, mother jones

you seriously think that the libtard source is going to be considered credible?

oh, the naivete of the young

Mother Jones really fucked up Romney's campaign with video.

 

[beagle9]

This is satire, right?

No, it's common sense. Something people would apply if they were spending their own money and / or actually gave a crap about the poor.

As I mentioned earlier, I am the president of a faith-based non-profit in my spare time.

Your logic is quite poor, and also indicative of talking about a subject of which you have no familiarity.

One thing I disagree with, and that is this idea of redistribution and/or the redistributing of the wealth in some strange way, and this is what most are very leery of without an agreed upon set of rules to go by in which are totally transparent and reasonable. These rules must be agreed upon by all who are involved in the negotiations process in which should include all the citizens or people that are affected either directly or indirectly by such as this that is contemplated by someone like yourself. I am saying this because in this idea it usually does not address properly or openly upon who or what would properly be the best candidates to get such a re-distributed wealth given to them or allocated to them by the government somehow in an honorable way, otherwise in order to get it to the right people for whom are then judged properly as based upon their own merits and characters in life, where as we must be careful to not to simply steal from one, just to turn and give to another who is no better..

Now (imho) it would all be just adding to the pain and suffering found in the unfairness of it all when taking monies and then re-distributing them in some sort of blanketing terms, and not actually laying out for all to see as to who would be benefitting from such a shift of wealth in order to try and fix things better, and also who would not, along with whom it would be taken from and also why it would be taken from them in the first place.

The government won't come right out and do this in a way that is notable or understandable, but rather they would want to do it in ways that no one can see or understand what it has done or is going to do, and so this is or would be a serious problem if were to go down this road of re-distribution (imho).

 

[MikeK]

[...]

Now (imho) it would all be just adding to the pain and suffering found in the unfairness of it all when taking monies and then re-distributing them in some sort of blanketing terms, and not actually laying out for all to see as to who would be benefitting from such a shift of wealth in order to try and fix things better, and also who would not, along with whom it would be taken from and also why it would be taken from them in the first place.

The government won't come right out and do this in a way that is notable or understandable, but rather they would want to do it in ways that no one can see or understand what it has done or is going to do, and so this is or would be a serious problem if were to go down this road of re-distribution (imho).

You should make a point of studying the fundamental mechanics of FDR's New Deal, one important element of which was his WPA and CCC make-work programs, which were funded to some extent by the 91% income tax rate he imposed on upper income levels. My own father was among those rescued from near destitute poverty during the Great Depression by this program. He was put to work building and rehabilitating roads in upstate New York and was thereby able to send money home.

So to answer your very valid question, that example of redistribution didn't hurt the rich, it just made them a bit less rich, and the redistributed wealth was put to use repairing and building badly needed roads and other public properties. It put millions of Americans to work and put billions of badly needed dollars back into circulation -- which is critically important to a national economy.

That same effect is needed today and would serve three very important purposes: It would put Americans to work rebuilding our badly degenerated infrastructure and would put the hoarded money back into circulation, which is as important to an economy as is blood circulating in a living organism.

 

[Antares]

Fuck, quit begging and better yourselves.

Thats what the rest of us do.

 

[Asclepias]

Nobody is arguing that the CEO should not be paid more. But CEOs in the 70s made about 30x that of the average worker. Now they make 300x more to do the same job. It doesn't take a genius to figure out something is wrong with that stat. Sorry but they aren't 10x more valuable to a company now.

I think you are getting hung on on the raw power of the numbers. I would agree that something is wrong with that stat. However, penalizing someone for pursuing the American dream is not the answer. If that stat is to be changed its incumbent on the person that seeks that same level of wealth to do what is necessary to gain the skill sets to accomplish that goal. Wealth by its very nature is not limited. Most people just don't know how to obtain it.

Hmmm, but what if blockades are set, and stumbling blocks are placed in front of people on purpose, virtually making it impossible for them to obtain the same results as the other had, even though they are just as talented and aggressive as the other person is, but yet the draw bridge had been lifted quickly on them by the one who had blazed the trail before or the path had been erased so that no one can venture down it, or even get a peak at how it was done, can be done, or is even allowed of them to do it ? Lets face it, people need people to envy and drewl over what they have in life, and as long as this is the case, we will see many different strategies take place upon how one keeps the other out of the circle in which they want to keep control of and to occupy.

I would love to see an honest society, one where if a man or woman creates something in life, then it is not stolen from him or her for whom are the true creators, and if a man and woman works hard and applies themselves honestly in life, it is not stolen from him or her afterwards. There is so much bad going on and/or has gone on these days, that it breaks the individual hope filled spirit into splinters.

There are so many that do not deserve what they have these days or rather have gotten it in such bad ways sadly by ill gotten gains or either they had it past down to them unfortunately for all of us whom may be affected negatively by this process that its ashamed really, where as it is the handing of someone something that they don't or did not ever deserve, and that just isn't even funny anymore by what goes on now or that is being found more and more in it all as we regress and not progress instead, and all because of this problem that has become prevalent it seems more and more in our society.

There is a generation now that has come to pass, for whom had not worked for what they were receiving, and yet it was handed down to them out of pity in hopes that it will take care of their sorry behinds in life, and it was also given them shockingly all due to their lack of hard works and ethics in which they portrayed openly to their parents and friends or even right in front of their co-workers, along with their shady character in life as well in which they did not hide, but give to them it was, because if they don't get it, their parents felt that they won't be saved in life by any other way or method than this one, so the torch was passed, even if it would affect thousands in a negative way into their futures, it was still passed down to them.

You bring up some very valid points. The same points I dealt with growing up Black and from a financially poor situation. Someone asked me a question one day that I will never forget. "If its true the white man is placing stumbling blocks in your path are you going to find a way to go through them, over them, around them or will you just let the white man win?" I think the worst thing you can do is to wait until the person or group that is keeping you back to suddenly change their mind and let you in the door. You simply have to find a way. Once you find a way it will surprise you when you discover that the only thing that was truly keeping you back was your refusal to act.

 

[koshergrl]

Winston Churchill: "The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries."

First, you propose as solution, "limits" where you shift power from people (capitalists) who don't have guns to force people to do anything to liberal lawyers who do have the power to force people to do anything. Looking at what politicians are doing today with an objective mind would scare you far more than what capitalists, and you want to give them MORE power?

And why? You can do whatever you want. Why do you care so much that other people have more than you do?

Everything you have said so far is just fluff, you know that right?

It is in your world where you don't question your own premises. I understand perfectly fine what you are saying. You don't have a clue what I am saying because you want "someone" to do something about your life, and I'm telling you what you don't want to hear, that YOU should do something about your life. And you should start by appreciating what you have, not envying what you don't. Yeah, fluff.

Billy is just our newest propagandist. He spews tripe, and when stymied by facts, claims they aren't relevant, or when he's really cornered, he'll pretend he's not presenting his own views, but just seeking information...or something.

Same old same old.

 

[Billy000]

Everything you have said so far is just fluff, you know that right?

It is in your world where you don't question your own premises. I understand perfectly fine what you are saying. You don't have a clue what I am saying because you want "someone" to do something about your life, and I'm telling you what you don't want to hear, that YOU should do something about your life. And you should start by appreciating what you have, not envying what you don't. Yeah, fluff.

Billy is just our newest propagandist. He spews tripe, and when stymied by facts, claims they aren't relevant, or when he's really cornered, he'll pretend he's not presenting his own views, but just seeking information...or something.

Same old same old.

what facts am I being stymied by? Name one fact in this thread or the one before that I am just ignoring? I sure as hell didn't get any from you.

 

[beagle9]

I think you are getting hung on on the raw power of the numbers. I would agree that something is wrong with that stat. However, penalizing someone for pursuing the American dream is not the answer. If that stat is to be changed its incumbent on the person that seeks that same level of wealth to do what is necessary to gain the skill sets to accomplish that goal. Wealth by its very nature is not limited. Most people just don't know how to obtain it.

Hmmm, but what if blockades are set, and stumbling blocks are placed in front of people on purpose, virtually making it impossible for them to obtain the same results as the other had, even though they are just as talented and aggressive as the other person is, but yet the draw bridge had been lifted quickly on them by the one who had blazed the trail before or the path had been erased so that no one can venture down it, or even get a peak at how it was done, can be done, or is even allowed of them to do it ? Lets face it, people need people to envy and drewl over what they have in life, and as long as this is the case, we will see many different strategies take place upon how one keeps the other out of the circle in which they want to keep control of and to occupy.

I would love to see an honest society, one where if a man or woman creates something in life, then it is not stolen from him or her for whom are the true creators, and if a man and woman works hard and applies themselves honestly in life, it is not stolen from him or her afterwards. There is so much bad going on and/or has gone on these days, that it breaks the individual hope filled spirit into splinters.

There are so many that do not deserve what they have these days or rather have gotten it in such bad ways sadly by ill gotten gains or either they had it past down to them unfortunately for all of us whom may be affected negatively by this process that its ashamed really, where as it is the handing of someone something that they don't or did not ever deserve, and that just isn't even funny anymore by what goes on now or that is being found more and more in it all as we regress and not progress instead, and all because of this problem that has become prevalent it seems more and more in our society.

There is a generation now that has come to pass, for whom had not worked for what they were receiving, and yet it was handed down to them out of pity in hopes that it will take care of their sorry behinds in life, and it was also given them shockingly all due to their lack of hard works and ethics in which they portrayed openly to their parents and friends or even right in front of their co-workers, along with their shady character in life as well in which they did not hide, but give to them it was, because if they don't get it, their parents felt that they won't be saved in life by any other way or method than this one, so the torch was passed, even if it would affect thousands in a negative way into their futures, it was still passed down to them.

You bring up some very valid points. The same points I dealt with growing up Black and from a financially poor situation. Someone asked me a question one day that I will never forget. "If its true the white man is placing stumbling blocks in your path are you going to find a way to go through them, over them, around them or will you just let the white man win?" I think the worst thing you can do is to wait until the person or group that is keeping you back to suddenly change their mind and let you in the door. You simply have to find a way. Once you find a way it will surprise you when you discover that the only thing that was truly keeping you back was your refusal to act.

Good response, but I was talking mainly about all colors who are afflicted by these sorts of things in which are found in these ways, because in reality it is not a color thing in general but more so that of a character thing in which someone will use on another in order to gain from them what they want in life for themselves, and this is especially so if their character is a bad one in which leads them to do such a thing as what we are talking about here to others.

Sadly at one time yes a disproportionate amount of blacks in America were affected by what we are talking here about, and yes it was due to some bad characters, but it is a problem that spans the generations and multi-colorations all the way back for thousands of years gone by now or ever since the beginning of our time on this earth as we have known it in which these things have existed. Sad about your experience that you have had, and it is my wish that you hadn't experienced such a thing, and yet we must move beyond these problems as best that we all can together. Thanks for your input.

 

[Asclepias]

Hmmm, but what if blockades are set, and stumbling blocks are placed in front of people on purpose, virtually making it impossible for them to obtain the same results as the other had, even though they are just as talented and aggressive as the other person is, but yet the draw bridge had been lifted quickly on them by the one who had blazed the trail before or the path had been erased so that no one can venture down it, or even get a peak at how it was done, can be done, or is even allowed of them to do it ? Lets face it, people need people to envy and drewl over what they have in life, and as long as this is the case, we will see many different strategies take place upon how one keeps the other out of the circle in which they want to keep control of and to occupy.

I would love to see an honest society, one where if a man or woman creates something in life, then it is not stolen from him or her for whom are the true creators, and if a man and woman works hard and applies themselves honestly in life, it is not stolen from him or her afterwards. There is so much bad going on and/or has gone on these days, that it breaks the individual hope filled spirit into splinters.

There are so many that do not deserve what they have these days or rather have gotten it in such bad ways sadly by ill gotten gains or either they had it past down to them unfortunately for all of us whom may be affected negatively by this process that its ashamed really, where as it is the handing of someone something that they don't or did not ever deserve, and that just isn't even funny anymore by what goes on now or that is being found more and more in it all as we regress and not progress instead, and all because of this problem that has become prevalent it seems more and more in our society.

There is a generation now that has come to pass, for whom had not worked for what they were receiving, and yet it was handed down to them out of pity in hopes that it will take care of their sorry behinds in life, and it was also given them shockingly all due to their lack of hard works and ethics in which they portrayed openly to their parents and friends or even right in front of their co-workers, along with their shady character in life as well in which they did not hide, but give to them it was, because if they don't get it, their parents felt that they won't be saved in life by any other way or method than this one, so the torch was passed, even if it would affect thousands in a negative way into their futures, it was still passed down to them.

You bring up some very valid points. The same points I dealt with growing up Black and from a financially poor situation. Someone asked me a question one day that I will never forget. "If its true the white man is placing stumbling blocks in your path are you going to find a way to go through them, over them, around them or will you just let the white man win?" I think the worst thing you can do is to wait until the person or group that is keeping you back to suddenly change their mind and let you in the door. You simply have to find a way. Once you find a way it will surprise you when you discover that the only thing that was truly keeping you back was your refusal to act.

Good response, but I was talking mainly about all colors who are afflicted by these sorts of things in which are found in these ways, because in reality it is not a color thing in general but more so that of a character thing in which someone will use on another in order to gain from them what they want in life for themselves, and this is especially so if their character is a bad one in which leads them to do such a thing as what we are talking about here to others.

Sadly at one time yes a disproportionate amount of blacks in America were affected by what we are talking here about, and yes it was due to some bad characters, but it is a problem that spans the generations and multi-colorations all the way back for thousands of years gone by now or ever since the beginning of our time on this earth as we have known it in which these things have existed. Sad about your experience that you have had, and it is my wish that you hadn't experienced such a thing, and yet we must move beyond these problems as best that we all can together. Thanks for your input.

I appreciate your thanks. I understand now that it is an economic issue as well as the occasional racial issue from my personal experience. I dont look at my experience as sad because I had to go through it in order to grow through it if you get my meaning. I honestly believe that informal education is the key. What we need to make the distribution of wealth more equitable is improving our skills and knowledge of self.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I encourage you to watch the 6 minute video completely and keep an open mind.

I do understand this topic has been discussed thoroughly already, but I think it is interesting how it samples the perception of the issue by the American people.

Wealth Inequality in America - YouTube

You know what's shocking? Throwing up a frigging video as your whole post, with no summarization or commentary or independent thought of your own - as a thread opener, no less - and expecting anyone to care enough to watch it, let alone continue on and provide the discussion on it you were incapable of.

If you can't tell me exactly, specifically, what is wrong with "American wealth inequality", rather than simply expecting everyone to assume as a given that it IS wrong and bad, then you have nothing to say to me on the subject, and there is nothing to discuss until that question is answered. Don't worry if you can't, though. Every other leftist economics pretender on this board has run away from that question like a scalded bitch, so I won't expect any better of you.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Liberal by words.

Wealth distribution
Inequality
1%
Wah
The Robin Hood mentality never works, it only makes you thieves

Never personal choices or freedom to make what you want of your life. If life gives you lemons, make some freaking lemonade

Nice graphs though

So you don't find these stats at all disturbing?

No, I don't want communism.

No, I don't want socialism.

No, I don't hate the rich. I understand their importance.

This, however, is just wrong.

Why?

And remember, I don't watch videos, PARTICULARLY when they're posted in place of twits like you thinking and forming your own opinions, so you are going to have to state WHAT is wrong, in your opinion, as well as why.

 

[koshergrl]

That's what he does. He puts up garbage, then says he isn't making a statement while marginalizing anyone who disagrees with it. Later he claims to have posted "facts" that have been undisputed.

It's propaganda.

 

[Cecilie1200]

So you don't find these stats at all disturbing?

No, I don't want communism.

No, I don't want socialism.

No, I don't hate the rich. I understand their importance.

This, however, is just wrong.

it's wrong to be jealous of what others have...it will eat you up

Nothing I said there should indicate jealousy. Clearly you aren't even paying attention to what I am saying. Typical USMB conservative.

YOU didn't say anything, fucknut. You posted a video and let IT do your thinking and talking for you. Typical USMB leftist.

Sneer at others when you've said something of your own, loser.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Because this is inequality taken to absurd extremes. 1 in 6 people in this country are consistently hungry, while a very small group of people own 40% of our wealth. That is crazy.

No one is consistently hungry. Not unless they have other conditions that leads to constant hunger and obesity. Speaking of which, we have the fattest poor people in the world. If you imagine that people are constantly hungry, volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. If nothing else, you will be educated out of your erroneous notions. Our "poor" have so much food, coming from so many sources, that they send food back to their home countries by the barrel full.

You misunderstand obesity and poverty. The reason why we have poor obese people is because junk food is cheap. Healthy food is not. Could these people be smarter about what they buy? Sure, but eating healthy is still difficult when you are poor.

Who says healthy food isn't cheaper than junk food? I save money on my grocery bill every month by shopping in the meat and produce sections and cooking my own meals, rather than buying prepackaged crap. The cheapest food in the store is the in-season produce. Always.

Eating healthy isn't "expensive". It isn't "difficult". It just takes determination and gumption. And thanks to our leftists, we have incredibly lazy, helpless poor people in this country.

 

[Asclepias]

No one is consistently hungry. Not unless they have other conditions that leads to constant hunger and obesity. Speaking of which, we have the fattest poor people in the world. If you imagine that people are constantly hungry, volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. If nothing else, you will be educated out of your erroneous notions. Our "poor" have so much food, coming from so many sources, that they send food back to their home countries by the barrel full.

You misunderstand obesity and poverty. The reason why we have poor obese people is because junk food is cheap. Healthy food is not. Could these people be smarter about what they buy? Sure, but eating healthy is still difficult when you are poor.

Who says healthy food isn't cheaper than junk food? I save money on my grocery bill every month by shopping in the meat and produce sections and cooking my own meals, rather than buying prepackaged crap. The cheapest food in the store is the in-season produce. Always.

Eating healthy isn't "expensive". It isn't "difficult". It just takes determination and gumption. And thanks to our leftists, we have incredibly lazy, helpless poor people in this country.

Its not a political stance. I know some overweight, undereducated, and broke Republicans as well. Our entire society seems to value the easy way out no matter what side they stand on politically.

 

[Cecilie1200]

You misunderstand obesity and poverty. The reason why we have poor obese people is because junk food is cheap. Healthy food is not. Could these people be smarter about what they buy? Sure, but eating healthy is still difficult when you are poor.

No.. it is not... you know how many packs of seeds you can get with the money you send on a value meal?? you know how many healthy veggies that yields??

You know how many chicken legs or thighs you can get when they are on sale at $0.99 a pound once in a while? You know they can keep in a freezer wrapped in cheap plastic wrap surrounded with cheap tin foil?

You know how much cheaper it is to buy fresh produce than it is to buy fast food?

To say healthy food 'is not cheap' is a flat out lie.. but that is par for the course for you and your ilk

Oh, gee how do you suggest they use seeds in the winter time?

A dollar a pound? Are you kidding me? I have never seen that where I live.

You can get a full meal from fast food. You do not get a full meal from fresh produce.

You are obviously one of the ignorant, helpless poor who do not know how to shop wisely and be responsible for their own personal health.

You find great deals on meat and other essentials by getting the sale papers for all the stores every week and planning out your grocery shopping. The stores in my area routinely have "buy one, get one free" sales to entice shoppers into the store. At certain times of the year, such as holidays, they have incredibly good sales on specific items, which is an excellent time to stock up and load the freezer. It does, however, require you to think about the fact that the holidays are coming up and plan your budget ahead of time. Many stores also have "manager's specials" on meat and other items which are a day old and so the price is greatly reduced. They keep just fine as long as they're frozen properly.

You do not get "a complete meal" from fast food. A hamburger and french fries are not "a complete meal". They're one proteins and two carbs. Even if you happen to get a hamburger that has lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles on it - which is less and less likely, if you look at the menu - they have usually lost most of their nutrients (and iceberg lettuce doesn't have any to start with) through the restaurant's storage processes.

While you can't live entirely on produce, you can get a lot more meals out of taking what you would spend on that fast food "meal" and purchasing cheap cuts of meat and some produce and cooking for yourself. Every housewife in America will tell you that.

 

[koshergrl]

I love the way we have changed the definition of "starvation" to "obese" lol.

The reality that our poor people aren't starving, and in fact quite obviously are rolling in calories and food, does not jibe with the hysterical "OMG EVERYBODY'S STARVING" meme...so suddenly, starvation looks different in the US than it does anywhere in the world. Suddenly, if you are starving in the US you are OBESE!

It's right up there with "we risk women's lives to kill babies because it's GOOD for them."

 

[Duped]

Nothing belongs to us untill we earn it, and all we'll really ever have is what we give away

 

[Cecilie1200]

You keep all that in your studio apartment do you? All 400 feet of it.

Excuses.

I have not been in a studio apt. since I first got married. But, yes I could store the food in half a dozen stack able 5gallon containers and a standard freezer.

You do know that most people today who live in apartments or the housing projects don't have freezers.

They may not have a stand alone deep freeze, but they have a refrigerator that has a freezer attached to it. And frankly, one of the best things I did during financial problems was go on Craigslist and find a deep freeze someone was getting rid of and haul it home, so that I could store food.