The US has the income equality of a third world country, why?

According to the gini index (http://mapscroll.blogspot.com/2009/04/is-us-becoming-third-world-country.html). The only explanation I can come up with for this is that the lazy people at the bottom 50% of the income bracket are not working hard enough to keep up with the mega-rich.

The only alternative would be that the rich have used the government to pass policies favoring them over the last 30 years causing more and more wealth to be concentrated with the highest income brackets. We know that can't be the case, right? Now the president is declaring C lass warfare on the rich and pushing his communist agenda by punishing people for being successful. What do you think about this?

Now we just need a dictator!

What does income equality matter when our country still has higher living standards of said third-world countries?

The US is going down the route of the third world nations. It's the wonder of capitalism and the american dream coming true.

The US is going down the route of the third world nations. It's the wonder of capitalism and the american dream coming true.

kuraimen

:lol:

it must be all of those rich people not having as much of their earnings(by volume not %) taken up by fixed(taxes) and living costs(food and shelter) preventing others from accumulating wealth and thus taking part in the capital system. those bastards! they must be causing the over spending in the government and devaluation in the currency

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]

The US is going down the route of the third world nations. It's the wonder of capitalism and the american dream coming true.

airshocker

:lol:

Capitalism is destroying itself and I'm eagerly anticipating it's complete downfall. Maybe then we can get back to working for the greater good of all citizens, not only the rich ones.BrianB0422

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]

The US is going down the route of the third world nations. It's the wonder of capitalism and the american dream coming true.

airshocker

:lol:

What, you mean you don't like working 40+ hours a week to make investors in wall street rich? You are just being selfish.EntropyWins

What's funny is you actually believe all businesses have investors on Wallstreet.

I guess most of capitalism would go down laughing too thinking they were always right and having no clue as to what the hell happened ;)kuraimen

Well, we are right. ;) It's not our fault people choose not to take part in the system that's there. Capitalism has given us a great standard of living, why would I want to see that replaced with a completely socialized system? Where my hard-work won't be rewarded? I don't want that.

Yet the US has one of the highest real median annual household incomes in the world.

[QUOTE="EntropyWins"]What, you mean you don't like working 40+ hours a week to make investors in wall street rich? You are just being selfish.airshocker

What's funny is you actually believe all businesses have investors on Wallstreet.

That's not nearly as funny as the TC's opening post.Engrish_Major

You're right, I was just trying to be nice.

Success begets success. Unless you make government policies that redistribute wealth, the wealthy will always get wealthier over time. It's not that government policies specifically favor the wealthy, it's just that in a merit based system, the most capable people will always distance themselves from the pack. It's like running a race. The longer the race goes on, the further ahead the faster runners get. Other countries have more progressive taxation systems that help redistribute the wealth. But the US also has some socioeconomic problems that are unique to it. There is a large population of disenfranchised people caused by the former european slave trade. Whereas european countries profitted from the sale and trade of slaves they did not deal with the problems caused when this system was finally and thankfully stopped.

Yet the US has one of the highest real median annual household incomes in the world.

cybrcatter

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]I guess most of capitalism would go down laughing too thinking they were always right and having no clue as to what the hell happened ;)airshocker

Well, we are right. ;) It's not our fault people choose not to take part in the system that's there. Capitalism has given us a great standard of living, why would I want to see that replaced with a completely socialized system? Where my hard-work won't be rewarded? I don't want that.

Capitalism is destroying itself and I'm eagerly anticipating it's complete downfall. Maybe then we can get back to working for the greater good of all citizens, not only the rich ones.BrianB0422

Crony capitalism and corporatism are runing capitalism.

And in the richest and most glorious nation in the world there's hunger http://news.yahoo.com/usa-becomes-food-stamp-nation-sustainable-160645036.html I'd rather be in a country where incomes are lower but where people can actually afford food.kuraimen

What you don't know is almost everyone is allowed to apply for food stamps in this country. When I was in the military I was allowed to apply for food stamps, right now, even though I make a good bit, I'm allowed to apply for food stamps.

That statistic isn't indicative of anything except the government making it easier for people to enroll, even when they don't need it.

[QUOTE="BrianB0422"]Capitalism is destroying itself and I'm eagerly anticipating it's complete downfall. Maybe then we can get back to working for the greater good of all citizens, not only the rich ones.QuistisTrepe_

Crony capitalism and corporatism are runing capitalism.

[QUOTE="cybrcatter"]

Yet the US has one of the highest real median annual household incomes in the world.

kuraimen

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]And in the richest and most glorious nation in the world there's hunger http://news.yahoo.com/usa-becomes-food-stamp-nation-sustainable-160645036.html I'd rather be in a country where incomes are lower but where people can actually afford food.airshocker

What you don't know is almost everyone is allowed to apply for food stamps in this country. When I was in the military I was allowed to apply for food stamps, right now, even though I make a good bit, I'm allowed to apply for food stamps.

That statistic isn't indicative of anything except the government making it easier for people to enroll, even when they don't need it.

If by greatest standard of living you mean what you have now then I don't blame people for not wanting to follow that.kuraimen

Our "poor" have Xbox 360s, flat-screen TVs, computers, cell phones, a place to live. If that's a bad standard of living then I don't know what to tell you other than you're wrong.

Any system can be abused, doesn't mean there are people who actually need it.kuraimen

Where did I say people didn't need it? I gave you an explanation of why food stamp usage has risen dramatically over the years. And it's not being abused, per se. It's being used by people who fall under the government's criteria of requiring food stamps. The system needs to be changed.

[QUOTE="kuraimen"][QUOTE="cybrcatter"]

Yet the US has one of the highest real median annual household incomes in the world.

surrealnumber5

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]If by greatest standard of living you mean what you have now then I don't blame people for not wanting to follow that.airshocker

Our "poor" have Xbox 360s, flat-screen TVs, computers, cell phones, a place to live. If that's a bad standard of living then I don't know what to tell you other than you're wrong.

Capitalism is destroying itself and I'm eagerly anticipating it's complete downfall. Maybe then we can get back to working for the greater good of all citizens, not only the rich ones.BrianB0422

Crony capitalism and corporatism are runing capitalism.

Well they have flat screen TVs and nothing to eat. Another of the wonders of capitalism. How it distorts the actual value of things. Again the american dream coming true.kuraimen

Who said they don't have anything to eat? Where are you getting that information?

[QUOTE="kuraimen"][QUOTE="QuistisTrepe_"]

Crony capitalism and corporatism are runing capitalism.

sonicare

Not arguing the contrary. Thankfully the world is not black and white and there are more than just two options or good vs evil scenarios.

Success begets success. Unless you make government policies that redistribute wealth, the wealthy will always get wealthier over time. It's not that government policies specifically favor the wealthy, it's just that in a merit based system, the most capable people will always distance themselves from the pack. It's like running a race. The longer the race goes on, the further ahead the faster runners get. Other countries have more progressive taxation systems that help redistribute the wealth. But the US also has some socioeconomic problems that are unique to it. There is a large population of disenfranchised people caused by the former european slave trade. Whereas european countries profitted from the sale and trade of slaves they did not deal with the problems caused when this system was finally and thankfully stopped.

sonicare

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

[QUOTE="kuraimen"] And in the richest and most glorious nation in the world there's hunger http://news.yahoo.com/usa-becomes-food-stamp-nation-sustainable-160645036.html I'd rather be in a country where incomes are lower but where people can actually afford food.kuraimen

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]Well they have flat screen TVs and nothing to eat. Another of the wonders of capitalism. How it distorts the actual value of things. Again the american dream coming true.airshocker

Who said they don't have anything to eat? Where are you getting that information?

Certainly capitalism is an imperfect system, but almost every country in the world utilizes some elements of it. Despite what the young idealists of OT think, the US did not invent capitalism and does not have a patent on it.

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]If by greatest standard of living you mean what you have now then I don't blame people for not wanting to follow that.airshocker

Our "poor" have Xbox 360s, flat-screen TVs, computers, cell phones, a place to live. If that's a bad standard of living then I don't know what to tell you other than you're wrong.

I just posted an article about people needing food stamps to survive. If those are the true poor people on the US and they rather have flat screens TVs rather than eating then that's the ultimate consequence of the absurdity of american dream coming true.kuraimen

So they aren't starving because they have food stamps. It's the absurdity of people, not the American dream. People will always have different priorities, and what they spend "their" money on will always be judged by others. That has nothing to do with the American dream.

[QUOTE="sonicare"]

Success begets success. Unless you make government policies that redistribute wealth, the wealthy will always get wealthier over time. It's not that government policies specifically favor the wealthy, it's just that in a merit based system, the most capable people will always distance themselves from the pack. It's like running a race. The longer the race goes on, the further ahead the faster runners get. Other countries have more progressive taxation systems that help redistribute the wealth. But the US also has some socioeconomic problems that are unique to it. There is a large population of disenfranchised people caused by the former european slave trade. Whereas european countries profitted from the sale and trade of slaves they did not deal with the problems caused when this system was finally and thankfully stopped.

In fact 29.3% of poor households have a video game system according to the heritage foundation, which of course has a wonderful conservative slant. Obviously if our poor aren't starving and have a lil entertainment in their lives then they are spoiled. EntropyWins

They aren't starving, though. I don't see how anybody could say that when we just got a very nice article saying how well the food stamp program is doing.

Certainly capitalism is an imperfect system, but almost every country in the world utilizes some elements of it. Despite what the young idealists of OT think, the US did not invent capitalism and does not have a patent on it.

sonicare

[QUOTE="cybrcatter"]

Yet the US has one of the highest real median annual household incomes in the world.

kuraimen

If by greatest standard of living you mean what you have now then I don't blame people for not wanting to follow that.kuraimen

Our "poor" have Xbox 360s, flat-screen TVs, computers, cell phones, a place to live. If that's a bad standard of living then I don't know what to tell you other than you're wrong.

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]I just posted an article about people needing food stamps to survive. If those are the true poor people on the US and they rather have flat screens TVs rather than eating then that's the ultimate consequence of the absurdity of american dream coming true.airshocker

So they aren't starving because they have food stamps. It's the absurdity of people, not the American dream. People will always have different priorities, and what they spend "their" money on will always be judged by others. That has nothing to do with the American dream.

[QUOTE="airshocker"]

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]I just posted an article about people needing food stamps to survive. If those are the true poor people on the US and they rather have flat screens TVs rather than eating then that's the ultimate consequence of the absurdity of american dream coming true.kuraimen

So they aren't starving because they have food stamps. It's the absurdity of people, not the American dream. People will always have different priorities, and what they spend "their" money on will always be judged by others. That has nothing to do with the American dream.

[QUOTE="kuraimen"][QUOTE="airshocker"]

So they aren't starving because they have food stamps. It's the absurdity of people, not the American dream. People will always have different priorities, and what they spend "their" money on will always be judged by others. That has nothing to do with the American dream.

surrealnumber5

Public schooling or not public schooling is not the solution. The solution is coming up with a system that is based on common sense and that leaves absurdity at the door.kuraimen

Such as?

[QUOTE="kuraimen"] Public schooling or not public schooling is not the solution. The solution is coming up with a system that is based on common sense and that leaves absurdity at the door.XaosII

Such as?

[QUOTE="sonicare"]

Certainly capitalism is an imperfect system, but almost every country in the world utilizes some elements of it. Despite what the young idealists of OT think, the US did not invent capitalism and does not have a patent on it.

kuraimen