Redistribution of wealth: New figures.

[Openmind]

Yes.



According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics such an example is not the norm.

And it is arbritrary, because if that person making $126 million took all their money out of the country, it will close the wage gap, but nothing has changed.




No, I have no watched your video. That said, if income inequality all over the world is your issue, why are you not up in arms about the wage gap between the United States and Tanzania? (especially if it is so unsustainable)

NO, it isn't the inequality BETWEEN countries that I (or the video) was referring to. . .it is income inequality WITHIN countries. . .and the US now has one of the HIGHEST income inequalities in the developped countries.

And it is affecting all of us!

If you really mean to be fair and to be informed, I think you owe it to yourself (and to the members of this forum) to inform yourself and watch that video. I am pretty sure that you can learn something that might surprise you.

 

[PLC1]

NO, it isn't the inequality BETWEEN countries that I (or the video) was referring to. . .it is income inequality WITHIN countries. . .and the US now has one of the HIGHEST income inequalities in the developped countries.

And it is affecting all of us!

If you really mean to be fair and to be informed, I think you owe it to yourself (and to the members of this forum) to inform yourself and watch that video. I am pretty sure that you can learn something that might surprise you.

How is it fair that the poor in the USA has food stamps, free rent, public transportation, while a third of the human race subsists on less than $1 a day? How is it fair that even the poorest have TV and computers, as well as cell phones, while half of the human race has never made a phone call?

If the world's 7 billion people had at least a modicum of comfort, a livable house, a steady income, enough to eat, educate their children, and have access to basic medical care, can you imagine what a different world we'd have? Imagine the markets there would be. Sell everyone in the world a widget with a 10 cent profit, and you've made $700,000,000.

 

[Openmind]

How is it fair that the poor in the USA has food stamps, free rent, public transportation, while a third of the human race subsists on less than $1 a day? How is it fair that even the poorest have TV and computers, as well as cell phones, while half of the human race has never made a phone call?

If the world's 7 billion people had at least a modicum of comfort, a livable house, a steady income, enough to eat, educate their children, and have access to basic medical care, can you imagine what a different world we'd have? Imagine the markets there would be. Sell everyone in the world a widget with a 10 cent profit, and you've made $700,000,000.

Before we can solve inequality between nations throughout the world, we need to start AT HOME, and within the developped countries.

Are you trying to say that, since we can't affect the inequality between (to take Rob's example) the US and Tanzania, we should just forget about trying to shrink the inequality WITHIN THE US?

What kind of stand is that?

By the way, as it demonstrates in that video, even countries who are MUCH poorer than the US are HAPPIER and HEALTHIER on every axis studied if the inequality among THEIR COUNTRY MEN is lower!

You haven't watched that video either, have you? How about trying!

 

[clarkatticus]

47% of America does not pay taxes. The sin is not that they don't pay, the problem would be solved if they made enough to pay taxes. All these companies moving out of the US are hurting themselves in the long run. I am now going to boycott Whirlpool for moving out and closing down Maytag after buying it.

 

[PLC1]

Before we can solve inequality between nations throughout the world, we need to start AT HOME, and within the developped countries.

Why?

Are you trying to say that, since we can't affect the inequality between (to take Rob's example) the US and Tanzania, we should just forget about trying to shrink the inequality WITHIN THE US?

No, I didn't say that at all, just that the difference in wealth between first and third world counties is much greater than the difference within a first world nation, even one with a huge disparity like the US.

What kind of stand is that?

quit logical and understandable, it seems to me.

By the way, as it demonstrates in that video, even countries who are MUCH poorer than the US are HAPPIER and HEALTHIER on every axis studied if the inequality among THEIR COUNTRY MEN is lower!

Then wealth doesn't equal happiness, does it? If everyone is equally poor, then everyone is happy since there is no envy. I suppose we could follow that model, but, then everyone would be poor.

You haven't watched that video either, have you? How about trying!

No, I haven't. I've been trying to decide what might be in it from your posts. You just said that people are happier when there isn't a great disparity in wealth, even when they're poor. Is that the main point of it, or is there something else?

 

[Openmind]

Why?



No, I didn't say that at all, just that the difference in wealth between first and third world counties is much greater than the difference within a first world nation, even one with a huge disparity like the US.



quit logical and understandable, it seems to me.



Then wealth doesn't equal happiness, does it? If everyone is equally poor, then everyone is happy since there is no envy. I suppose we could follow that model, but, then everyone would be poor.





No, I haven't. I've been trying to decide what might be in it from your posts. You just said that people are happier when there isn't a great disparity in wealth, even when they're poor. Is that the main point of it, or is there something else?

YOU KNOW that we can't solve the poverty in Rwanda if we cannot even resolve the relative poverty in the US.

Why, are you willing to send another couple of trillions of our tax money to "help" the poor country?

You know that suggestion is hypocritical.

But, we could begin to shrink the inequality right here. . .but the GOP doesn't want to do that. . .they prefer to continue to INCREASE IT.


I guess, if you are not interested enough to even consider good research and factual information, there is nothing else I can do. . .and maybe I do not belong in a site that has so many people who are so damn partisans that they can't even consider another point of view, or even take the time to LOOK at factual information.

If you are happy with the status quo. . maybe you should consider recommending to Walter to change the name of this side from "House of Politics" to "House of Right Politics."

I am getting sick of this, especially when the few people I did have respect for, and I belived had some integrity have their head so far up their A. . that they can't even take the time to consider information that might be "disturbing" to their status quo!

Good bye!

 

[PLC1]

YOU KNOW that we can't solve the poverty in Rwanda if we cannot even resolve the relative poverty in the US.

Why, are you willing to send another couple of trillions of our tax money to "help" the poor country?

You know that suggestion is hypocritical.

But, we could begin to shrink the inequality right here. . .but the GOP doesn't want to do that. . .they prefer to continue to INCREASE IT.


I guess, if you are not interested enough to even consider good research and factual information, there is nothing else I can do. . .and maybe I do not belong in a site that has so many people who are so damn partisans that they can't even consider another point of view, or even take the time to LOOK at factual information.

If you are happy with the status quo. . maybe you should consider recommending to Walter to change the name of this side from "House of Politics" to "House of Right Politics."

I am getting sick of this, especially when the few people I did have respect for, and I belived had some integrity have their head so far up their A. . that they can't even take the time to consider information that might be "disturbing" to their status quo!

Good bye!

If it's really research and information, then let's read about it and see the stats.

I really don't trust online videos to be more than appeals to emotion.

As for Rwanda, how is it the responsibility of the US federal government to solve their problems of poverty?

Interestingly, one of the trends that is exacerbating our inequality within the US is helping to increase the wealth in third world countries: outsourcing.

When US industry builds a factory in a third world nation, people who would otherwise have no income at all can suddenly earn a living. It may not be a lot of money by US standards, but it's a lot for people used to having no money at all.

Now, as to the problem of inequality in the USA, how do we fix it? First, is it a problem? Second, is the government the best entity to address it?

How do we fix inequality? I'd say, first let's put a stop to illegal immigration. When the employers of illegals can no longer find cheap labor, they'll pay more. That should be a good first step.

 

[pocketfullofshells]

47% of America does not pay taxes. The sin is not that they don't pay, the problem would be solved if they made enough to pay taxes. All these companies moving out of the US are hurting themselves in the long run. I am now going to boycott Whirlpool for moving out and closing down Maytag after buying it.

of course what the idea 47% do no pay taxes is wrong..

 

[GenSeneca]

of course what the idea 47% do no pay taxes is wrong..

47% have a zero or negative income tax liability. 53% have a positive income tax liability, i.e., 53% of income tax filers pay 100% of the income tax.

 

[dogtowner]

47% have a zero or negative income tax liability. 53% have a positive income tax liability, i.e., 53% of income tax filers pay 100% of the income tax.

yup. well > 100% as we pick up the tab for those earned income tax credits (negative income tax).

but don't forget that, on average, 22-23% of the cost of everything you buy is imbedded tax.

 

[GenSeneca]

The sin is not that they don't pay, the problem would be solved if they made enough to pay taxes.

Everyone with a job makes enough to pay to at least something towards the income tax.

$1 a year would be two tenths of one penny per day.

$10 a year would be 2 pennies per day.

$100 a year would be 0.27 cents per day.

$1000 a year would be $2.70 per day.

Instead, 47% of income tax filers pay nothing.... while complaining that the "wealthy" aren't paying their "fair share". The "poor" most certainly earn enough to pay at least something towards the income tax, like the other 53% of us do every day.

 

[GenSeneca]

But, we could begin to shrink the inequality right here. . .

By doing what? Tax away 100% of income over $250,000 and redistribute that money directly to the poor to supplement their lower incomes?

A progressive tax will not "shrink" the inequality, it would continue to grow unless you put a cap on earnings, tax away everything over that amount, and then transfer that wealth to the bottom.

 

[PLC1]

By doing what? Tax away 100% of income over $250,000 and redistribute that money directly to the poor to supplement their lower incomes?

A progressive tax will not "shrink" the inequality, it would continue to grow unless you put a cap on earnings, tax away everything over that amount, and then transfer that wealth to the bottom.

We've never actually had anything but a progressive income tax.

 

[GenSeneca]

We've never actually had anything but a progressive income tax.

...Yet "income inequality" continues to rise.

 

[PLC1]

...Yet "income inequality" continues to rise.

Yes, it does. Why do you think that is?