Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Many people whine about the income gap or the wealth gap. Many complain that others have more material goods than they do and complain about people who were born into wealth. They also complain that this gap is larger than it used to be and must be closed. But these hypocrites never complain about other gaps such as gaps in mental or physical ability.
Is it fair that I can’t play golf like Tiger Woods? Or play football like Tony Romo? Maybe not. The physical ability gap is bigger today than it ever has been. Is it fair that Jessica Simpson is born with a beautiful face and a perfect body? The gap between her and the fat and ugly people is astronomical and maybe it’s unfair. Is it fair that some people are born with a low IQ and others a high IQ? Maybe we should find a way to make the smart people dumb so we can close that gap.
So maybe we should cut off one of Tiger’s arms, and Romo should have two fingers cut off, and Jessica should have acme pock marks added to her face and breast reduction surgery. That would close the gap between those who are born without these benefits and those that are born without them. After all, Tiger, Tony and Jessica did not work to get where they are……. they were born that way. This would be kinda like taxing those who are born into wealth.
So let’s make everyone equal. Let’s take money from the rich, athletic ability from the pro athletes, pock mark the faces of the beautiful, etc, etc.
This would make all of the lefties happy. This could even become a key part of the Democratic Party Platform. They could call it “Closing the income and ability gaps”…… and all the losers would say “amen”.
That has got to be one of the stupidest analogies of any issue I have ever read here on C-D. THere is nothing wrong with some income inequality. That's a part of our capitalist system. But massive income inequality and low social mobility has historically been known to be a source of social instability.
Many people whine about the income gap or the wealth gap. Many complain that others have more material goods than they do and complain about people who were born into wealth. They also complain that this gap is larger than it used to be and must be closed. But these hypocrites never complain about other gaps such as gaps in mental or physical ability.
Is it fair that I can’t play golf like Tiger Woods? Or play football like Tony Romo? Maybe not. The physical ability gap is bigger today than it ever has been. Is it fair that Jessica Simpson is born with a beautiful face and a perfect body? The gap between her and the fat and ugly people is astronomical and maybe it’s unfair. Is it fair that some people are born with a low IQ and others a high IQ? Maybe we should find a way to make the smart people dumb so we can close that gap.
So maybe we should cut off one of Tiger’s arms, and Romo should have two fingers cut off, and Jessica should have acme pock marks added to her face and breast reduction surgery. That would close the gap between those who are born without these benefits and those that are born without them. After all, Tiger, Tony and Jessica did not work to get where they are……. they were born that way. This would be kinda like taxing those who are born into wealth.
So let’s make everyone equal. Let’s take money from the rich, athletic ability from the pro athletes, pock mark the faces of the beautiful, etc, etc.
This would make all of the lefties happy. This could even become a key part of the Democratic Party Platform. They could call it “Closing the income and ability gaps”…… and all the losers would say “amen”.
You don't get it. You look at things way too simplistically, and it's a common problem.
Inequality per se is no problem at all. Always been around, always will be and should be. The problem is that inequality is increasing at a rapidly growing rate. In other words, the top few percent of the nation always used to have a disproportionate amount of wealth, and that's fine...but now the concentration of national wealth in their hands is even greater and going through the roof - even since the days when Ronald Reagan was president.
Now why is that? What is structurally changing in today's society that is causing this increasing economic polarization? And even though inequality per se is fine, are there costs to society when it becomes too economically polarized? What will be the consequences when vast segments of society that in the past could rely on a jobs infrastructure and "trickle-down" economics are now left out of the economic success story?
Those are the questions you should be pondering instead of cocooning yourself in a black-and-white world view where all degrees of inequality are equal and anyone who raises concerns about it getting out of balance is automatically accused of wanting to redistribute wealth equally (which is true only for a small handful of extremists). That may be a convenient straw man, but that's now the issue in reality.
Many people whine about the income gap or the wealth gap. Many complain that others have more material goods than they do and complain about people who were born into wealth. They also complain that this gap is larger than it used to be and must be closed. But these hypocrites never complain about other gaps such as gaps in mental or physical ability.
Why would they complain about either. Your thread really makes no sense. I don't see how people being concerned that they don't have access to things like higher education and healthcare are going out of their grasp. It's an issue for the rich as well. It's hard to educate your children even if you're middle class. I know college isn't a big deal to you, but an uneducated population means that the United States has difficulty competing with the likes of China, India, Germany, Korea, etc.
Also, those of us who are educated have often traveled to many countries where the income disparity between the rich and poor is a lot more pronounced than in the United States. Trust me, that doesn't make a recipe for a great country.
I also own stock in a lock of US companies. The American economy will not be strong without a strong, educated and prosperous middle class. I doubt you have the brains to become an engineer, researcher, chemist, physician, etc, but I do want to have that opportunity reasonably available to people here. Without it, companies will move and my ability to make money in this country will diminish.
Why would they complain about either. Your thread really makes no sense. I don't see how people being concerned that they don't have access to things like higher education and healthcare are going out of their grasp. It's an issue for the rich as well. It's hard to educate your children even if you're middle class. I know college isn't a big deal to you, but an uneducated population means that the United States has difficulty competing with the likes of China, India, Germany, Korea, etc.
Also, those of us who are educated have often traveled to many countries where the income disparity between the rich and poor is a lot more pronounced than in the United States. Trust me, that doesn't make a recipe for a great country.
I also own stock in a lock of US companies. The American economy will not be strong without a strong, educated and prosperous middle class. I doubt you have the brains to become an engineer, researcher, chemist, physician, etc, but I do want to have that opportunity reasonably available to people here. Without it, companies will move and my ability to make money in this country will diminish.
As intelligent as you are - I don't suppose that lowering the cost of higher education is an option.
You don't get it. You look at things way too simplistically, and it's a common problem.
Inequality per se is no problem at all. Always been around, always will be and should be. The problem is that inequality is increasing at a rapidly growing rate. In other words, the top few percent of the nation always used to have a disproportionate amount of wealth, and that's fine...but now the concentration of national wealth in their hands is even greater and going through the roof - even since the days when Ronald Reagan was president.
Now why is that? What is structurally changing in today's society that is causing this increasing economic polarization? And even though inequality per se is fine, are there costs to society when it becomes too economically polarized?
Those are the questions you should be pondering instead of cocooning yourself in a black-and-white world view where all degrees of inequality are equal and anyone who raises concerns about it getting out of balance is automatically accused of wanting to redistribute wealth equally (which is true only for a small handful of extremists). That may be a convenient straw man, but that's now the issue in reality.
Great post, but sadly you're casting pearls before swine.
Those are the questions you should be pondering instead of cocooning yourself in a black-and-white world view where all degrees of inequality are equal and anyone who raises concerns about it getting out of balance is automatically accused of wanting to redistribute wealth equally (which is true only for a small handful of extremists). That may be a convenient straw man, but that's now the issue in reality.
Not true.
President Obama has made it clear - that wealth redistribution is his goal.
He is a divider .. not a uniter. His plan is class warfare ... to pit one set of people against another.
Now why is that? What is structurally changing in today's society that is causing this increasing economic polarization?.
One consideration.
What would be the effect on the job market if any woman (rather,to make it almost PC), any one parent, in a two earner family with school age children,lfet the worforce and stayed home to do the job they undertook by having them.... to raise them?
And before you jump right up and say it takes two incomes, factor in that this family would live within its means.
(You know, sorta like the structure that used to exist)
The leftist critique is that the wealth is ill-gotten, not that absolute equality in itself is a good thing. The money of many folks at the top 1 percent is ill-gotten, the result of government support and bailouts that mainstreet and ordinary Americans didn't get. No, this is more like taking money from a thief to compensate people hurt by the thief's actions.
Theft is a criminal offense. Have you written Obama about this theft? It's his job to prosecute criminals.
Oh, are you talking about the money Obama gave his cronies? Sorry. Yes, that's a problem. Writing to Obama about his theft will not solve the problem.
Well, I don't favor taking all of a wealthy person's money. I do favor progressive taxation, there is a difference.
So would you favor progressive reduction in Tiger Woods golf skills too? Maybe make him just a little closer to the average golfer so we can close that gap?
I guess this guy is completely oblivious to the MASSIVE and PERVASIVE amounts of financial fraud that is in broad day light that is plaguing our entire system. White collar criminals continue to reap huge amounts of profits while the millions of the rest of us see our 401ks continue to get flushed down the toilet. White collar criminals make money when you lose and make money when you make money.
"This guy"... are you referring to Obama? Yes, it's his job top prosecute these white collar criminals. Fraud is a criminal offense. Why aren't you angry with Obama? Maybe it's because Obama is part of the fraud and he gives billions to his cronies.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
