It's the top 1/10th of 1%. Just how distant are these people from the rest of us?

"The more divided a society becomes in terms of wealth, the more reluctant the wealthy become to spend money on common needs. The rich don’t need to rely on government for parks or education or medical care or personal security—they can buy all these things for themselves. In the process, they become more distant from ordinary people, losing whatever empathy they may once have had. They also worry about strong government—one that could use its powers to adjust the balance, take some of their wealth, and invest it for the common good. The top 1 percent may complain about the kind of government we have in America, but in truth they like it just fine: too gridlocked to re-distribute, too divided to do anything but lower taxes."

Seems like we have quite a few people on here who are growing distant. The fate of the working middle class, will be the fate of all.  I posted the link to the full article I got the quote from. I think they convey exactly my thoughts on the 1%, the american dream, and how it is nothing more then a fantasy, with the wool being pulled over 90% of the population, because they can afford to play that ruse to keep a system that perpetually and only benefits the rich.

Fyi, no I didn't read the article, I am to LAZY  to do that work lol

The super rick LOVE government regulation. They may be opposed to redistributive taxation, but they LOVE subsidies, handouts, bailouts, protection from free international trade, grants, corporate welfare, and all sorts of other special privileges.

You are also wrong about the super rich being so much less generous. The term "philanthropist" was coined to describe ultra-rich people like Rockefeller and Bill Gates using their wealth to support charities and promote "public" causes. The more prosperous people become, the more unnatural and ugly poverty appears to them, so they want to do something about it.

What has happened in recent years is that the government has become so bloated and all-pervasive, trying to solve all of society's problems, that many people get the attitude of "I gave at the IRS", thinking the government IS trying to solve the problems using their tax money. Also, many people see the utter failure of government programs, throwing us deep into debt without actually solving the problems, that they become cynical about solving the problems, they have forgotten that there is an alternative to government welfare and entitlements--private charity.

It is government MANDATED "charity" that is the problem.

For every Gates and Buffett, there are numerous madoffs, mozilos, paulsons, blankfeins, etc,etc. Some get your money legally, others do it illegally.they give a pittance compared to what they make from US.  I don't understand how blinded some of you people are to realize we are the problem. We are the complacent ones who allow the growing disparity to continue between the rich  and the proletariat(oh boy, there's another word) because we are the saps paying there outrageous salaries, either because of ignorance or stupidity. I know most off you will say, well they make whatever the market wil give them. Fuck that.when that artificially high income is created by the ultra rich in the first place.

Question for the staunch republicans...how much is enough?(i already know the answer,i just want to see the level of greed here)
*my republican father must be turning over in his grave from what I say and think.

It does not always take money to help others, a person can give of their time instead.  But if you have ever done any charity work, you will find the poor poorly represented among the volunteers.  I'm not saying there aren't any low income people helping others, but the vast majority will be higher income people.  The top one percent make up far more than one percent of the people that give of their time, not just their money.

And that's just the voluntary part.  Now add government to the mix and the help to the poor is significantly reduced and the desire to help diminishes.  The government does not help the rich nor the poor.  It helps itself.

Those who are well off and don't help those less fortunate, I didn't see Biden or O there. Their 2009 tax returns showns virtually nothing as compaired to their income. So much for leading by example.

The poorer they become, the more isolated they become from middle America. And instead of developing a good sense of self-reliance and responsibility, they seem to often sink into a victim mentality. One where they believe they are owed something by their fellow citizens. And because they are so isoltaed, they do not realize how hard their fellow citizens have had to work to earn the stuff they feel they are suddenly entitled to....

I also see this mentality among tsome on this board. People who think it is justified to take for the mere reason that someone else has something and they want it....

Next thing I know you'll be saying some of the friends I have that have been laid off and can't get a job are to blame for the countries problems because they collect a pittance off unemployment(uh oh! Another social program). One of my friends was looking for a low paying entry level job  in the 30k range, she had no idea how many people from different walks of life applied, there were $300-$400 an hour lawyers going after the same job.  She has been unemployed for a little over a year now, still tries her heart out to find work, even applied for a fast food job, but to many applicants, and way over-qualified with her  business degrees. Its fucking sad. I ain't saying there aren't poor lazy people, cause there are lazy people on all sides(sperm lottery winners on the rich side.gotta love warren buffetts little quips). For you to compare a poor persons distance, where the odds are completely stacked against them, with that of the super rich being distant...way to grasp at straws with that reach.  I understand there is no heart in business, all that matters is the bottom line, at any cost, even at the expense off the masses.

What do you think of the yacht tax, as in, the wealthy do not have to pay sales tax when they purchase a yacht, but guess who flips that bill...i know, some will say that  is insignificant.

What about enron and california? You'll also be saying, well, they gamed the system and made there money legally since they were experts and found loopholes in a system they could take advantage of. But what's this? Guess whose best buddy of ken lay was watching his back, none other then G.W bush, who would not intervene, costing california over $40 billion. But hey, they did it legally, right. The system is stacked against the masses, and favors the rich, no matter how much you want to believe it does not, and no matter how much you believe everyone has a chance to reach that 1%. Its a joke of a pipe dream at this point. Disparity wil grow, the empire will fall, sooner then we may think.

To the degree that there is a problem, its the ones who want more government control over the rich that cause it. More government regulation means that the rich need more control over the government in self-defense. More than that, the government regulation gives them the means to control government.

ENRON got its favored position, which allowed it to manipulate the market, by being the ones the regulators went to to find out how the market works and how to regulate it. You see, a politician or other government official has no clue how any particular industry works. Knowledge is obtained empirically, and the only people really in a position to gather empirical data on how an industry works are those people who actually work in the industry. So regulators go to the CEOs and other managers to ask how to do the regulating. They will, of course, pick the industry leaders who kiss their butts the nicest, talk the talk of "serving the consumer" and "the public good", and even grease the right palms. Its always the sleaziest, least competent people in the industry that get the best opportunity for what is called "regulatory capture".

So the regulations get written in favor of the sleaziest, most incompetent companies in the industry. And then when ENRON pulls all sorts of tricks like "Death Star", people like you blame the free market! (Go look up Death Star, and tell me that it could possibly work in a free market!)

It is usually the same people that talk about "redistributing the wealth" who are most interested in regulating industries. So its people like you that play into the hands of corrupt corporations like Enron.

And of course, the SEC was too busy protecting us from that evil Martha Stewart to go after someone like Madoff. Our culture is too focused on "cutting down the tall poppies" to distinguish between the producers and the real crooks.

Its good to hear that a lot of lawyers are now looking for real work.

I may be wrong, but somewhere I learned one needs to go to where the money is to seek employment. Not too many job opportunities on skid row. Wonderful idea, punish the rich so no jobs will be available. That's unless you are talking about those stimulus jobs, temporary at best and go away when the money runs out. Even the great savior for central Florida, the bullet train. 95% of those would have gone away on completion and the tax payers would have been stuck with the cost overruns and the excessive operating costs. Rick Scott will probable be a one term governor, but is actually doing something about cutting the budget.

Better a one term governor doing the right thing.

FDR was a multi-term president, doing the wrong thing. The Great Depression lasted over a decade, and then we ended up in a world war.

Republicans and Democrats/Liberals and Conservatives

It's just so easy.

There is no denying this country is slipping badly.

Yet we have people here who support the tiny number of super rich and their hold over government.

Why?

Because IT IS EASY.

The issue is not about volunteerism or philanthropy both are rubbish created to mislead people like yourself. This is fundamentally about macro economics in this country and has nothing to do with bloated government. The 1% paying their fair share in taxes would definitely help the government to un bloat. Changing the subject and bringing totally unrelated rubbish from the deep sea does not address the issue and it is fucking stupidity. Soon, VF is going to become part of the liberal media, no wonder we have such a biased, fucked up and stupid media. They have to take sides to survive.

Your friend needs to develop a better skill set, and one that is not over-populated. Yes, the lawters went to school, and during the 80s and 90s our law schools were cranking out lawyers faster than they were needed. They choose the wrond field and not the law of supply and demand has dictated they can't find work.

In regards to your friend, and not trying to be mean, but if your friend has been looking that long and con not find anything, they need to have something more to offer to employers. Sorry but true.

Also, is your friend willing to move? Believe it or not, there are parts of the country where work is available, but you need to be willing to move. You go where the work is, it does not come to you.

Sorry, but if your friend has been looking for a year, your friend is doing something wrong.

By the way, please spare me that victim mentality "When the odds are stacked against them". It has been my experience that you cna always move the odds to your favor if you work hard and prepare yourself.

In regards to the yacht tax, the reason is simple. When they had a yacht tax, it was not the rich who were hurt, they just quit buying yachts. It was the poor guys who worked building the yachts, suddenly they lost their jobs. I know that concept would astound some liberals, but YEP., THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS!!

Bush would not intervene? How the hell do you intervene against a person or compnay acting legally???
Man, your bitterness really shone through on this point.

And if it hadn't been for WWII, FDR's depression would have lasted well into the 1950's

and if it ever happens again I will do exactly what I did the last few times I went broke. I will pick myself up, maybe get drunk for a week and wallow in self pity, and then I would pick myself up and go out and make something for myself again.

There are plenty of opportunities in this country, even in these "bad times", there is always going to be someone smart enough, or creative enough, or hard working enough, to make it in any type of bad economic times. I will always be that person. You libs will always be the ones crying about the lack of opportunity while I am making lemonade out of lemons.

Don't it won't.

are the ones taking the beating from the government and helping those less fortunate.  I am a small business owner employing 4 full-time workers including myself.  I am the one that loses sleep when my sales are down and worrying that I will have to let someone go.  I haven't found that either party wants to help me.  But we the people can help each other by supporting local businesses and the people that matter.  And thank you popeye for the apology, I hope I get no tin-foil abuse.  I am just an average person that is a proud American and tears come to eyes when The Star Spangled banner is sung and the fighter jets fly overhead.  I have just lost my faith in government, but I love my country and I love people.  And yes I will help the wild-eyed desperate person that asks for money to pay his power bill or feed his two kids.  Madison

What kind of economy does the US have?
A consumer based one.  We need lots of people, buying lots of crap to keep the ball rolling.
When too much of our wealth is parked in the top 1% to 10% there aren't enough consumers spending in the US to keep people working and getting taxed.

To the people that say you have to make your self move valuable, and to move to areas that need more people...  
The fact of the mater is is that there are just not enough good jobs to go around with so much money parked at the top.

So how do we get the money spread out?
The most obvious way is through taxation of the top.  Use the money to create infrastructure jobs that pay allot of people, that in turn pay taxes, buy things that are taxed and keep other people employed.

Whats the other way?
Philanthropy could help.  Building and funding health clinics, schools, youth centers in the US for example.
Setting up low interest loans or even private grants for small business...  in the US.
Doing things like this and NOT asking the government for a rebate on it will help a bit, but is still won't spread the money out far enough.

Some one mention Bill Gates philanthropy.  Don't get me wrong, it's great that the man is going to give away 1/2 his net wealth in charity and taking others like Warren Buffet and the facebook guy with him.
Thing is that they're spending it all in Africa, South America and such, this doesn't help us.

Money goes to money, it's a basic fact.  Thing is that if it all flows in one direction long enough, eventually the balance tips too far and the system topples
If we don't start spreading out the wealth, one way or another, it will lead to calamity in this country.  
You can call them lazy or stupid or whatever.  At the end of the day, when enough people can't feed their kids, there is going to be a violent shift in our society.

I could be unemployed tomorrow...

Two things

1) I have a boat load of savings in case such a thing occurs, its called planning ahead
2) It could happen, but I made it a point to get college degrees in areas where there are not a lot of people. Biggest problem we have right now is finding qualified candidates to hire.

No doubt, I am an at will employee, but personally, I LIKE IT THAT WAY!!!

-- Modified on 4/10/2011 1:53:51 PM