Economy is better than ever (expenses, mortgage, company, money)

[Malloric]

Originally Posted by ZachF

Total Public and private Debt to GDP, 2014(source: mcKinsey) for developed economies:

400% Japan
390% Ireland
382% Singapore
358% Portugal
327% Belgium
325% Netherlands
317% Greece
313% Spain
302% Denmark
290% Sweden
280% France
259% Italy
252% UK
244% Norway
238% Finland
233% USA
231% South Korea
225% Austria
221% Canada
215% Australia
188% Germany

Public debt to GDP (McKinsey):
234% Japan
183% Greece
148% Portugal
139% Italy
135% Belgium
132% Spain
115% Ireland
105% Singapore
104% France
92% UK
89% USA
87% Austria
83% Netherlands
80% Germany
70% Canada
60% Denmark
44% South Korea
42% Sweden
34% Norway
31% Australia

USA is better off than most western economies.

Which doesn't really say all that much when you get down to it. I mean, we're better than the PIIGS, Japan (stagnant for decades with crippling debt) and similar to France/UK but with a smaller welfare system which is a bit of a double-edged sword. I mean, we ran up a similar level of debt and got not much for it but we're in a better position to run up less debt and pay down the debt we have because less of our economy pays for welfare than theirs. Private debt is a different story but it's not always problematic. Some countries like Japan it has been others like Singapore it hasn't been. It just depends how the debt is being used. Japan hasn't used debt very productively. Big stagnant companies get huge loans over and over again backed by the government to keep them afloat (akin to our GM bailout but institutionalized and been going on for decades).

[J.Thomas]

About California it's about mechanics.

California has many many rich people and many many poor people.

Crazy income inequality, it's so crazy that it's the norm.

There is almost no middle class.

Also California loves rich people cause they can pay higher taxes.

It's like they are trying to build a social darwinist system.

I guess that's what "make and break things" means.

It always boils down to culture.

I always thought LA as "the beacon of unsustainability".

And people are right about real estate.

It can certainly go up.

[rruff]

Originally Posted by J.Thomas

California has many many rich people and many many poor people. Crazy income inequality, it's so crazy that it's the norm. There is almost no middle class.

Fact check. You are just making stuff up.

[FrankMiller]

To be fair, that just means California's crazy level of income inequality isn't unusual for the United States.

[J.Thomas]

Originally Posted by rruff

Fact check. You are just making stuff up.

rruff you are a smart guy.

Recent gini coefficient shows California is worse than Texas.

Your data is old probably.

And BTW i didn't think other states were so bad too

[rruff]

Originally Posted by J.Thomas

Recent gini coefficient shows California is worse than Texas.

Come on, show your source!

That graph is 5 years old. But it might be based on the 2000 census.

[J.Thomas]

Originally Posted by rruff

Come on, show your source!

That graph is 5 years old. But it might be based on the 2000 census.

Here you go.

The Increasingly Unequal States of America: Income Inequality by State, 1917 to 2012 | Economic Policy Institute

And TBH you don't even need figures to see how crazy inequality is in California.

I recently read news that there is a "poo" problem cause homeless numbers are climbing and guess what

[FrankMiller]

Is that because California policies cause homelessness, or because nice weather draws homeless immigration?

[J.Thomas]

Originally Posted by FrankMiller

Is that because California policies cause homelessness, or because nice weather draws homeless immigration?

I would say both but then again immigration has always been an issue, hasn't it??

People are being driven from their homes.

Makes sense.

Also explains why home ownership has been going down for some time.

[rruff]

Originally Posted by FrankMiller

Is that because California policies cause homelessness, or because nice weather draws homeless immigration?

Nice weather and liberal policies regarding them in many areas.

CA is also a prime spot for illegal aliens to end up.