Wealth Inequality in America
#1

SadZippedNinja
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#2
[Image: conley_champagne_distribution.png]
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#3
Jesus fucking christ. You get out of life what you put into it. Nobody should get a free fucking lunch. Nut up, cowboys, and take responsibility for your own station in life.

Every one of us is where we are due to the decisions we have made in our lives. Take some goddamn responsibility for that.
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#4
(03-07-2013, 09:10 PM)Larry Wrote: Jesus fucking christ. You get out of life what you put into it. Nobody should get a free fucking lunch. Nut up, cowboys, and take responsibility for your own station in life.

Every one of us is where we are due to the decisions we have made in our lives. Take some goddamn responsibility for that.

This is a "duplicate" post: Clone posted it recently. Having pointed that out (for whatever reason) I will respond against my better judgement.

"You get out of life what you put into it"?

I've got a short story (condensed) for our consideration.

A man who worked for General Motors as a service tech lost his job in 2010 due to slow sales. He was 46 years old. He lost health insurance when he lost the job. He actively looked for work in his field for 10 months. He couldn't find work so started doing some tree trimming "on the side" for some income. He fell, broke a couple of bones and had to sell one of two cars to pay for the care. His wife is subject to seizures and can't work out of the home. His 16 year old daughter, a diabetic, had some unusual reaction to insulin and that led to some kind of pancreatic problem. She was in the hospital several weeks. He took a second mortgage on his house to pay the hospital bill. He still could not find work here in the valley or even in other locations.
They lost the house, and were living in a van where ever they could find a safe place to park. He was thankful for "food stamps". (Oregon card).
He now lives with his brother and his family, working out of a temp outfit, and is hoping that the better auto sales will make it possible for him to get a job.
But...
He is nearing 50 years old, has been out of work for over a year, and ....
Well, you know.

Be careful where you give that little speech above. If he is around, he will kill you with his bare hands. This guy has been working since high school, a great work ethic, no dependence problems, or other factors that should keep him from working.

Oh yea. One more change in his life. He no longer goes to church with his wife.

"Take some god damn responsibility for his life?

Really.
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#5
Wonky, sometimes my heart fills to overflowing with love because of your words.
Truly.
Not always...but, then, you already knew that. Smiling
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#6
(03-07-2013, 11:09 PM)Clone Wrote: Wonky, sometimes my heart fills to overflowing with love because of your words.
Truly.
Not always...but, then, you already knew that. Smiling

That we (any of us) sometimes disagree is not unusual or wrong. I'd guess the most important thing in how we express our differences. Tone can be so important.

My little rant above at Larry contains some harsh words. I feel they are allowed because of his vitriolic tone and what I feel is a completely ignorant take on how wealth is "earned".

"Fairness", I'll acknowledge, a tough thing to pin down. But as hard as it is to define, I'll continue to believe that in a social group we must make every effort to try and find fair and compassionate ways of helping one another when necessary.

And I feel just as strongly that there are those who I will turn my back on and not help. We only get so many chances at making bad decisions, not being willing to work, and deliberately deciding to scam the system.

So few things are simple or clear. I understand Larry's feelings. I just don't agree with his conclusions.
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#7
(03-08-2013, 09:21 AM)Wonky Wrote: So few things are simple or clear. I understand Larry's feelings. I just don't agree with his conclusions.

Yes and the example you provided shows one side of the coin, I think the other side that Larry is talking about are the people who whine more than they work.
And there is indeed a lot of people who complain when they are very much responsible for their own problems.
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#8
(03-07-2013, 10:50 PM)Wonky Wrote:
(03-07-2013, 09:10 PM)Larry Wrote: Jesus fucking christ. You get out of life what you put into it. Nobody should get a free fucking lunch. Nut up, cowboys, and take responsibility for your own station in life.

Every one of us is where we are due to the decisions we have made in our lives. Take some goddamn responsibility for that.

This is a "duplicate" post: Clone posted it recently. Having pointed that out (for whatever reason) I will respond against my better judgement.

"You get out of life what you put into it"?

I've got a short story (condensed) for our consideration.

A man who worked for General Motors as a service tech lost his job in 2010 due to slow sales. He was 46 years old. He lost health insurance when he lost the job. He actively looked for work in his field for 10 months. He couldn't find work so started doing some tree trimming "on the side" for some income. He fell, broke a couple of bones and had to sell one of two cars to pay for the care. His wife is subject to seizures and can't work out of the home. His 16 year old daughter, a diabetic, had some unusual reaction to insulin and that led to some kind of pancreatic problem. She was in the hospital several weeks. He took a second mortgage on his house to pay the hospital bill. He still could not find work here in the valley or even in other locations.
They lost the house, and were living in a van where ever they could find a safe place to park. He was thankful for "food stamps". (Oregon card).
He now lives with his brother and his family, working out of a temp outfit, and is hoping that the better auto sales will make it possible for him to get a job.
But...
He is nearing 50 years old, has been out of work for over a year, and ....
Well, you know.

Be careful where you give that little speech above. If he is around, he will kill you with his bare hands. This guy has been working since high school, a great work ethic, no dependence problems, or other factors that should keep him from working.

Oh yea. One more change in his life. He no longer goes to church with his wife.

"Take some god damn responsibility for his life?

Really.

Good story. And very true. Hard work has NEVER been a guarantee of success. Wasn't true in Horatio Alger's time either. If that's what you think the American Dream is, you should follow George Carlin's advice and wake up -- because you can only believe it when you're asleep.

Plenty of people work themselves to the bone. And they end up with less than nothing.
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#9
(03-07-2013, 08:21 PM)chuck white Wrote: [Image: conley_champagne_distribution.png]


I LOVE THIS!

DancingThumbs UpDancing
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#10
(03-08-2013, 12:46 PM)tvguy Wrote:
(03-08-2013, 09:21 AM)Wonky Wrote: So few things are simple or clear. I understand Larry's feelings. I just don't agree with his conclusions.

Yes and the example you provided shows one side of the coin, I think the other side that Larry is talking about are the people who whine more than they work.
And there is indeed a lot of people who complain when they are very much responsible for their own problems.

But, this thread isn't about incentive nor ambition.
There is a conscious, manipulative sucking from the top, eliminating the middle class and centering all wealth to a few.
The video explains how it's incorrectly perceived by most Americans, they're not aware of the true state of affairs.
A thought-provoking and discussion worthy subject on it's own.
I'm not sure Larry is capable of thinking on these terms, so he reduces it
down to Fox newspeak.
Blame it on the lazy poor...the deadbeats and the scum.
It's an old, worn, stance.
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#11
(03-08-2013, 01:01 PM)Clone Wrote:
(03-08-2013, 12:46 PM)tvguy Wrote:
(03-08-2013, 09:21 AM)Wonky Wrote: So few things are simple or clear. I understand Larry's feelings. I just don't agree with his conclusions.

Yes and the example you provided shows one side of the coin, I think the other side that Larry is talking about are the people who whine more than they work.
And there is indeed a lot of people who complain when they are very much responsible for their own problems.

But, this thread isn't about incentive nor ambition.
There is a conscious, manipulative sucking from the top, eliminating the middle class and centering all wealth to a few.
The video explains how it's incorrectly perceived by most Americans, they're not aware of the true state of affairs.
A thought-provoking and discussion worthy subject on it's own.
I'm not sure Larry is capable of thinking on these terms, so he reduces it
down to Fox newspeak.
Blame it on the lazy poor...the deadbeats and the scum.
It's an old, worn, stance.

There are old worn, stances on both sides of the coin, that was my point. I know of quite a few people who live pretty damn good and NEVER go hungry who barely ever work and often have cigarettes beer and pot. Yet I hear some on this forum talk about how people in America are starving.

I was only trying to say there is some truth to Larry's view and yes I know it's also a common Blame it on the lazy poor...the deadbeats and the scum.
tactic
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#12
I watched my competition, watch his pickup being towed, while he was waiting for his ride with the authorities. If he loses his license, that'll help my cause a good deal. I imagine he works under the table. They all laugh at me, because I don't. Most of them are on a disability check, or service connected pension. And, not satisfied with their determined award.
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#13
(03-08-2013, 01:41 PM)tvguy Wrote:
(03-08-2013, 01:01 PM)Clone Wrote:
(03-08-2013, 12:46 PM)tvguy Wrote:
(03-08-2013, 09:21 AM)Wonky Wrote: So few things are simple or clear. I understand Larry's feelings. I just don't agree with his conclusions.

Yes and the example you provided shows one side of the coin, I think the other side that Larry is talking about are the people who whine more than they work.
And there is indeed a lot of people who complain when they are very much responsible for their own problems.

But, this thread isn't about incentive nor ambition.
There is a conscious, manipulative sucking from the top, eliminating the middle class and centering all wealth to a few.
The video explains how it's incorrectly perceived by most Americans, they're not aware of the true state of affairs.
A thought-provoking and discussion worthy subject on it's own.
I'm not sure Larry is capable of thinking on these terms, so he reduces it
down to Fox newspeak.
Blame it on the lazy poor...the deadbeats and the scum.
It's an old, worn, stance.

There are old worn, stances on both sides of the coin, that was my point. I know of quite a few people who live pretty damn good and NEVER go hungry who barely ever work and often have cigarettes beer and pot. Yet I hear some on this forum talk about how people in America are starving.

I was only trying to say there is some truth to Larry's view and yes I know it's also a common Blame it on the lazy poor...the deadbeats and the scum.
tactic

I understand your point TVg, and I'm sure Ms. Cloney does too. But as she pointed out, this Topic is not really about who works hard and who doesn't. I agree that we got side tracked. We might all agree that wealth is not evil. Our economic system depends on it. But, when it's concentrated as it is, something is out of whack somewhere. We have a history of a social contract, that the privilege of great wealth should come with the responsibility to return to the society some of the rewards that mad it possible.
So, now that I've said it I don't have a clue as to how the "redistribution" should work. I don't see anything wrong with taxes, but maybe there is a better way to do it.
I wait for answers. God knows I don't have them.
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#14
Some of us will make this voyage receiving full shares. Others, maybe a 64th. That sounded bad to Melville, a long time ago. It'd sound good to us. But bad to Ken Lay. I suppose the isolation must be killing him, by now.
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#15
Wealth distribution....i just can't grasp wanting another man's wealth. I can however grasp the feeling of disdain toward those who do.[/u]
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#16
Being as I've been blessed with good health, intelligence, and good fortune in life, I feel disdain for those that think only of themselves. A great many others haven't had it so good, and need a hand up.
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#17
(03-08-2013, 12:54 PM)MarkM Wrote:
(03-07-2013, 08:21 PM)chuck white Wrote: [Image: conley_champagne_distribution.png]


I LOVE THIS!

DancingThumbs UpDancing

And some people don't see anything wrong with this vast disparity and won't be happy until this champaign glass looks like a saucer.
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#18
(03-09-2013, 08:31 AM)PonderThis Wrote: Being as I've been blessed with good health, intelligence, and good fortune in life, I feel disdain for those that think only of themselves. A great many others haven't had it so good, and need a hand up.

I really like the simple truth of that, Ponder. I feel the same, and really it's that simple when we get right down to it.
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#19
[Image: 598684_545432018824072_1203262807_n.jpg]
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#20
[Image: stepping-on-others.jpg]
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