Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=Jasper]If you are right , then I am clueless why the country went into the toilet , and it takes now two full time incomes in a household to keep a household afloat.
I struggled as a single home owner for 6+ years and realized the issues and if it was not for my recent refiniancing - I would of lost my home.
Unlike most , all of my equity has gone into my properties..
Many without jobs as well as lost their homes and many were MIDDLE CLASS.[/QUOTE]
bingo.
the recent financial crisis had a double pronged negative effect on the middle class because one many people lost jobs. Second the collapse of the housing market destroyed much of home equity which is a huge part of middle class wealth.
and yea the women's liberation movement only made it easier for firms to suppress wages.
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=crosso√er]The same people that love the free-market are the same people who hate it; [I]when they fail to make [B]money.[/B][/I]
The idea sounds intriguing, primarily to people with aspirations, but to the lazy people, they'll blame the system. The wealth distribution is a problem sure, but that's the structure we live in; that's our "American Dream."
It's the same dream that turns into a nightmare for so many Americans.[/QUOTE]
what this thread is about is entitlement. Americans feel this deep embedded sense of entitlement and privilege to wealth and options that's just alien to most people living else where. People want to be ill educated and be rewarded for it. :facepalm
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=RedBlackAttack]In 1950, the ratio of the average executive's paycheck to the average worker's paycheck was about 30 to 1. Since the year 2000, that ratio has exploded to between 300 to 500 to 1.
The bottom 50% of earners in the US now collectively own less than 1% of the nation’s wealth.
Explain those two facts and why they make for a strong, healthy country. I'll be waiting.[/QUOTE]
sigh, I am not saying that is a good thing...I am saying that it isn't proof that we are "unhealthy"...
you are acting like we are all doomed or something...
I am betting those numbers are misleading due to the internet boom anyway...people like Gates make 1,000,000,000X more than the average Microsoft worker, so that offsets the rest....stuff like that
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
Correlation =/= Causation
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=-playmaker-]our middle class is f*cking enormous...just cause the top 1% are billionares doesn't mean we don't have a middle class...
F*CK we are the only country on the planet where the poor people are fat asses and the rich people are skinny...everywhere else it is the opposite
our country is loaded...and our citzens are spoiled
don't let the charts fool you into thinking you are getting ripped off...[/QUOTE]
The numbers don't lie dude. I see what you're getting at, but truth be told, people are suffering and having to 'cut back' more than ever just to keep afloat. You're stuck in the Dallas never been anywhere else mind-set so of course you have no clue. 'Just sayin...
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=STATUTORY]what this thread is about is entitlement. Americans feel this deep embedded sense of entitlement and privilege to wealth and options that's just alien to most people living else where. People want to be ill educated and be rewarded for it. :facepalm[/QUOTE]
It isn't about entitlement. You are talking about getting things for free. I'm talking about people being paid a livable income for jobs that were once able to support the middle class and now -- with CEOs taking 10 times the money that they used to out of the pot (literally, 10-20 times) -- those jobs cannot support a single person, let alone an entire family.
Why do CEOs need to earn 500x what an average worker in a company makes? Weren't they satisfied with *only* taking 30x the income?
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=Legend of Josh]The numbers don't lie dude. I see what you're getting at, but truth be told, people are suffering and having to 'cut back' more than ever just to keep afloat. You're stuck in the Dallas never been anywhere else mind-set so of course you have no clue. 'Just sayin...[/QUOTE]
I've been to almost every major city in this country...
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=RedBlackAttack]It isn't about entitlement. You are talking about getting things for free. I'm talking about people being paid a livable income for jobs that were once able to support the middle class and now -- with CEOs taking 10 times the money that they used to out of the pot (literally, 10-20 times) -- those jobs cannot support a single person, let alone an entire family.
Why do CEOs need to earn 500x what an average worker in a company makes? Weren't they satisfied with *only* taking 30x the income?[/QUOTE]
More CEOs need to be on that show called, "Undercover Boss." Most of those guys can't even do the grunt work that those workers get paid to do...like fixing cable boxes and what not.
If the big cigars had to go to a process where they had to be a "worker" for 6 months, maybe they'd appreciate those workers a little more and raise their salary. I think that's what it comes down to. Having a business degree doesn't mean s[COLOR="Black"]h[/COLOR]it.
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=-playmaker-]hmm...well I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, not sure why it would really, but this country is spoiled...no question about it...
everyone is at the mall with an iphone shoved up thier ass facebooking each other while in line at Starbucks...yet I am supposed to beleive we have no middle class?....naw, we are fine.....for now anyway[/QUOTE]
You're mistaking shit that a lot of people buy on credit with actual assets. You can pick out a person at random who has a decent house, nice car and valuables and chances are barely any of it is paid for.
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=-playmaker-]sigh, I am not saying that is a good thing...I am saying that it isn't proof that we are "unhealthy"...
you are acting like we are all doomed or something...
I am betting those numbers are misleading due to the internet boom anyway...people like Gates make 1,000,000,000X more than the average Microsoft worker, so that offsets the rest....stuff like that[/QUOTE]
Not sure if you've noticed, but the country isn't in the best shape. Our deficits are through the roof, the unemployment rate is through the roof, the under-employed rate is through the roof....
And, all the while, CEOs are bringing in record profits. Do you not see something *happening* to the nation's wealth?
Come to Ohio if you think that everything is fine and people spend $1,000 at strip malls every weekend. People are struggling in this country... Really struggling. I'm not just talking about the poor. I'm talking about people with college degrees, that worked their @sses off for an education and are thousands upon thousands of dollars in debt with school loans and there are literally no good paying jobs available.
If you don't see it, it isn't me that is living in a fantasy world... it's you.
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=RedBlackAttack]It isn't about entitlement. You are talking about getting things for free. I'm talking about people being paid a livable income for jobs that were once able to support the middle class and now -- with CEOs taking 10 times the money that they used to out of the pot (literally, 10-20 times) -- those jobs cannot support a single person, let alone an entire family.
Why do CEOs need to earn 500x what an average worker in a company makes? Weren't they satisfied with *only* taking 30x the income?[/QUOTE]
Because corporations are considered social beings; who pay taxes and account for more then 70% of the countries wealth. The same budget that is used to pay people their social assistance and disability checks.
I'm not disagreeing with you that low/middle-class families are in trouble; I'm just we the people didn't speak early enough. Now it's too late, and the opportunities we all were seeking are diminishing. How do we break the bubble? Unfortunately, the possibility of WW3.
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=RedBlackAttack]Not sure if you've noticed, but the country isn't in the best shape. Our deficits are through the roof, the unemployment rate is through the roof, the under-employed rate is through the roof....
And, all the while, CEOs are bringing in record profits. Do you not see something *happening* to the nation's wealth?
Come to Ohio if you think that everything is fine and people spend $1,000 at strip malls every weekend. People are struggling in this country... Really struggling. I'm not just talking about the poor. [B]I'm talking about people with college degrees, that worked their @sses off for an education and are thousands upon thousands of dollars in debt with school loans and there are literally no good paying jobs available. [/B]
If you don't see it, it isn't me that is living in a fantasy world... it's you.[/QUOTE]
Is it the fault of the economy or is it the fault of those people for not really doing much research into their degree and looking at how much they'll make vs. how much they'll have to pay for school.
I remember reading on yahoo! about some girl who pulled $200k in loans for a sociology degree at a private school. That's on her. Just a stupid decision.
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=Hawker]More CEOs need to be on that show called, "Undercover Boss." Most of those guys can't even do the grunt work that those workers get paid to do...like fixing cable boxes and what not.
If the big cigars had to go to a process where they had to be a "worker" for 6 months, maybe they'd appreciate those workers a little more and raise their salary. I think that's what it comes down to. Having a business degree doesn't mean s[COLOR="Black"]h[/COLOR]it.[/QUOTE]
Exactly. This really isn't a left-right issue... Or, it shouldn't be. This impacts everyone. I'm living paycheck to paycheck and barely scraping by... And it takes a hell of an effort to do that.
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=RedBlackAttack]Not sure if you've noticed, but the country isn't in the best shape. Our deficits are through the roof, the unemployment rate is through the roof, the under-employed rate is through the roof....
And, all the while, CEOs are bringing in record profits. Do you not see something *happening* to the nation's wealth?
Come to Ohio if you think that everything is fine and people spend $1,000 at strip malls every weekend. People are struggling in this country... Really struggling. I'm not just talking about the poor. I'm talking about people with college degrees, that worked their @sses off for an education and are thousands upon thousands of dollars in debt with school loans and there are literally no good paying jobs available.
If you don't see it, it isn't me that is living in a fantasy world... it's you.[/QUOTE]
I know Detriot and Cleveland and others are suffering a bit, but we are on the rebound from this recession...the stock market is healthy...
Florida and Cali are having housing issues...I am aware...
we are probably both on polar opposites of the spectrum...you being hit harder than the average, and me being hit less than the average...
Re: Very disturbing charts on the wealth imbalance in USA
[QUOTE=Hawker]Is it the fault of the economy or is it the fault of those people for not really doing much research into their degree and looking at how much they'll make vs. how much they'll have to pay for school.
I remember reading on yahoo! about some girl who pulled $200k in loans for a sociology degree at a private school. That's on her. Just a stupid decision.[/QUOTE]
If it were isolated incidents, it would be one thing... This is happening to people in all fields with all manner of degrees from state and private schools.