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I don't see how you can say that we have tremendous income inequality, and say "well obviously the wealthy have way more money than they deserve, but we could never take money from them and give it to the poor!" I mean, why rule out the only obvious solution to the problem?
Inequality is inevitable.
Where did I say the rich 'don't deserve'?
OK. The top 10 has manged better. The top 1% might not feel it.
This graph you linked distorts the picture, except for the top .01%. The reason is because the lower curves all *include* the top .01%. If you want to see how it really breaks down you need to decompose it like the graph I posted above.
Do you understand that?
The bulk of those in need don't "believe" in printing money? What is draconian about it? How in the hell can we spend all this money on infrastructure and education if we don't print money? Plus those are an inefficient political mess like all government projects, and will still not fix the underlying issue.
It's much better to make a simple alteration to the playing field and let nature take its course.
This graph you linked distorts the picture, except for the top .01%. The reason is because the lower curves all *include* the top .01%. If you want to see how it really breaks down you need to decompose it like the graph I posted above.
Do you understand that?
The bulk of those in need don't "believe" in printing money? What is draconian about it? How in the hell can we spend all this money on infrastructure and education if we don't print money? Plus those are an inefficient political mess like all government projects, and will still not fix the underlying issue.
It's much better to make a simple alteration to the playing field and let nature take its course.
Well the Bernie followers might believe, but the Trumpsters?
We do print money to do infrastructure. Helo drops are less politically possible.
The 'nature taking its course' will be when the cost of doing business rises overseas. i.e. China evolves their economy toward their people, catches up to us, and their society becomes more like ours. Much more consumption, services and less manufacturing as portions of GDP.
I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs. -- Thomas Jefferson
Quote:
"In 2012, 36% of the nation’s young adults ages 18 to 31—the so-called Millennial generation—were living in their parents’ home, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data."
...and by incredible coincidence, young people living with parents increased at the same time property became unaffordable, due to more lending and property investment.
And now us young people can't buy a starter home because they're all owned by investors who'll only sell to other investors (all-cash sales; if you need a mortgage, nobody will sell to you). So how do we get on the 'property ladder' and work to own our own little piece of the country, now, when the bottom rung of the ladder has been removed by the investor classes so we have the 'privilege' of renting starter homes from them, instead?
If that's a real quote, it's amazingly prescient.
Last edited by FloridAussie; 03-24-2016 at 01:47 PM..
Reason: Typo
Our direction should be central relief for the displaced workers. Not tariffs and not minimum wages that the employer has to pay. Central policies and moneys.
I think people sometimes miss how much policies like these (basic income and such) would actually INCREASE individual liberty, but also make sure our VALUES as a society aren't abandoned for financial reasons.
For example, the free hand of the market says parents are most valuable in the workforce. But as a society, is out-sourcing all child-rearing to overburdened low-wage workers something that reflects our values?? I would hope it isn't.
If a basic income were in place, parents would be free to choose to be at home with their children and live very modestly, or accept part- or full-time employment for more money. Perhaps people who elect to stay home with their children and live on basic income would be asked, in return, to be willing to have the child(ren) of a neighbour, relative or friend who's gone back to work in their care during work hours, so other children get more one-on-one community care, too.
I love that the 'who'll pay for it???!??' arguments somehow always miss the huge profits the biggest corporations make, and how little tax they pay. Forcing corporations to pay a direct tax on their domestic revenue, if it can be shown they've created a complex international company structure to hide their profits from the US govt, would bring in a few thousand $$ per human citizen of the US per year. Basic income funded! And without taking a cent from the pocket of human taxpayers.
It will never be a matter of 10% of humans working to give the other 90% of humans basic income, when big companies make most of the money in the economy... so long as they also pay reasonable taxes. Fair taxes on companies would mean plenty of money to pay basic income to citizens.
Even cutting off all the subsidies given to big profitable companies, directly and indirectly, would likely pay for it. No more handouts, tax breaks, etc, and all subsidies given to the company's employees (eg welfare, food stamps and Medicaid to McDonalds staff) are billed back to the company, with interest.
I don't think basic income for 'doing nothing' is the answer, but encouraging everyone to contribute to society in whatever way they are best able would likely benefit everyone. If you want to be a volunteer working to end homelessness your whole life, go right ahead. Pick an organisation to work with, or start your own if there's not one already, and work away; your 'pay' comes from the govt each month like clockwork. Same for the artist who wants to be in her studio 24/7 painting, or the guy who wants to make documentaries about workers in their town. Or the cat lady who wants to rescue strays and teach them to be happy house cats in a new forever home (aka moi).
It would also make it possible for basically anyone who wanted to farm to do so; low commodity prices wouldn't force all the small farmers to sell up to larger industrial operations if the farmer got a basic income no matter what commodity prices did that year. Plenty of well-heeled people have hobby farms they run for fun; why not open it up to anyone who wants to? Even if some of the 'farmers' wind up giving away boxes of produce to the neighbours because it's a pain waking up at 3am to go to a farmers market to sell it, well, makes the community better to have a neighbour leave a case of peaches on your porch one day.
I honestly don't know whether the current technological revolution will be the one that renders most human labour surplus to our needs; people have been saying that for a long, long time. But it's interesting to think about what could come next, if we really have been freed up from having to work to feed, clothe and shelter ourselves, and what our species might do with our time instead.
Guess who will win that battle? They aren't stupid.
They also own a ton of US paper. By further deflating its value they'd only commit economic suicide.
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Yet another person who understands nothing about economics or history, come to give a religious rant.
