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.
That doesn't mean the game isn't rigged. It doesn't excuse the fact that the vast majority of the wealth being produced in this country has absolutely nothing to do with people being productive.
Sure it does. The $24 trillion invested in the pension/retirement sector for American workers' retirement is the result of worker productivity:
And, yes, I do realize the pension/retirement system is rigged, but it benefits many millions of American workers and retirees, not just the rich and certainly not just Wall Street.
First, I agree, if someone was to work hard all their lives and save basically every dime, they could accrue a significant amount of wealth. I also recognize the very wasteful culture of the lower classes.
That doesn't mean the game isn't rigged. It doesn't excuse the fact that the vast majority of the wealth being produced in this country has absolutely nothing to do with people being productive.
Nearly half of all corporate income every year comes from the financial services industry. Basically, Wall Street produces nearly half of all corporate profits. Yet, Wall Street produces absolutely nothing of any tangible value. All they produce is money.
It also ignores the old adage that "wealth creates wealth". Which should be obvious to the poor, who regularly dream of winning the lottery, investing their winnings, and "living off the interest".
It also ignores the fact that the vast majority of the wealth produced in this country is a product of the involvement of government. Wall Street and the bankers wouldn't have much money to speculate with if it wasn't for the Federal Reserve. Big-business would also have to pay higher interest rates if it wasn't for the Federal Reserve. And if it wasn't for government licensing, even the high-paying jobs such as lawyers and doctors, would be making a pittance.
So yes, the game is rigged, about as much as a game can be rigged. But if you play their game as its setup, someday you might be able to exploit the poor as much as the rich already are.
Exactly-people choose to ignore the hierarchy of our financial system-The Federal Reserve and their "too big to fail banks", which have had a stranglehold on our country since 1913. We protect and bail out institutions to preserve the power structure in our financial system while real people-Americans-get poorer and poorer.
The interests of the US Dollar do not allign with the interests of the American people since it is owned and controlled by a foreign and private entity-until that changes and the American people gain control of OUR MONEY there will be systematic corruption.
We must audit and begin to END the Federal Reserve while breaking up their "too big to fail" banks.
I can only laugh when people go into rants about how rich people are "healthier, better looking, smarter, kinder" LOL.
And, yes, I do realize the pension/retirement system is rigged, but it benefits many millions of American workers and retirees, not just the rich and certainly not just Wall Street.
I agree that it benefits a lot of people. But at who's expense?
The way people want to look at the system, is that the money Wall Street produces through its speculators is a sort of "free-lunch". In essence, that the artificial creation of wealth through speculation comes at the expense of no one. And that it is a benefit to all.
What I'm trying to point out is similar to what Marx called "fictitious capital".
Basically what I'm saying is, Wall Street through the process of finance capitalism, speculation, and the manipulation of currency produces a lot of "wealth on paper". This creates wealth at the top through processes which have absolutely nothing to do with productivity. And that all of the real productivity in the United States(IE the creation of real goods and services) comes mostly from the middle and lower "working classes".
The problem people have is that all everyone actually sees is dollars. They believe that Wall-Street is who is producing the wealth of this nation. When in reality, it is only those people who are producing real goods and services which can produce wealth. Those whose wealth derives from speculation and fictitious capital are nothing but parasites on the rest of society.
Yet, in our society, these rogues and thieves are treated as gods among men.
I agree that it benefits a lot of people. But at who's expense?
The way people want to look at the system, is that the money Wall Street produces through its speculators is a sort of "free-lunch". In essence, that the artificial creation of wealth through speculation comes at the expense of no one. And that it is a benefit to all.
What I'm trying to point out is similar to what Marx called "fictitious capital".
Basically what I'm saying is, Wall Street through the process of finance capitalism, speculation, and the manipulation of currency produces a lot of "wealth on paper". This creates wealth at the top through processes which have absolutely nothing to do with productivity. And that all of the real productivity in the United States(IE the creation of real good and services) comes mostly from the middle and lower "working classes".
The problem people have is that all everyone actually sees is dollars. They believe that Wall-Street is who is producing the wealth of this nation. When in reality, it is only those people who are producing real goods and services which can produce wealth. Those whose wealth derives from speculation and fictitious capital are nothing but parasites on the rest of society.
Yet, in our society, these rogues and thieves are treated as gods among men.
I got cancer at 23 (and really, had been sick since I was 18 or 19) and I still probably work harder and smarter than you, despite still recovering from 6 months of chemo. However, the financial devastation of getting cancer so young means that I will likely never be wealthy, and struggle to be comfortable.
But I'd never trade my financial situation for the self-aggrandizing and mental illness that would be required to gloat in such an OP.
Why would you not become wealthy? My friend had breast cancer at 26, stomach cancer at 45 and she retired this year wealthy. She just made it work.
I agree that it benefits a lot of people. But at who's expense?
The way people want to look at the system, is that the money Wall Street produces through its speculators is a sort of "free-lunch". In essence, that the artificial creation of wealth through speculation comes at the expense of no one. And that it is a benefit to all.
What I'm trying to point out is similar to what Marx called "fictitious capital".
Basically what I'm saying is, Wall Street through the process of finance capitalism, speculation, and the manipulation of currency produces a lot of "wealth on paper". This creates wealth at the top through processes which have absolutely nothing to do with productivity. And that all of the real productivity in the United States(IE the creation of real goods and services) comes mostly from the middle and lower "working classes".
The problem people have is that all everyone actually sees is dollars. They believe that Wall-Street is who is producing the wealth of this nation. When in reality, it is only those people who are producing real goods and services which can produce wealth. Those whose wealth derives from speculation and fictitious capital are nothing but parasites on the rest of society.
Yet, in our society, these rogues and thieves are treated as gods among men.
Wow, I guess you are Red indeed. You can quote Marx all you want but the whole world except for complete idiots knows that Marxism has repeatedly failed at everything so when you use that philosophy to criticize a capitalist United States you're just showing that you are owned by a failed philosophy. Only physical labor has value, yeesh.
I am not sure of all that. But I do notice that people on foodstamps rarely use any coupons, people with money do use coupons.
I guess when you work for it, you try to be smarter with your money.
I agree that it benefits a lot of people. But at who's expense?
The way people want to look at the system, is that the money Wall Street produces through its speculators is a sort of "free-lunch". In essence, that the artificial creation of wealth through speculation comes at the expense of no one. And that it is a benefit to all.
What I'm trying to point out is similar to what Marx called "fictitious capital".
Basically what I'm saying is, Wall Street through the process of finance capitalism, speculation, and the manipulation of currency produces a lot of "wealth on paper". This creates wealth at the top through processes which have absolutely nothing to do with productivity. And that all of the real productivity in the United States(IE the creation of real goods and services) comes mostly from the middle and lower "working classes".
The problem people have is that all everyone actually sees is dollars. They believe that Wall-Street is who is producing the wealth of this nation. When in reality, it is only those people who are producing real goods and services which can produce wealth. Those whose wealth derives from speculation and fictitious capital are nothing but parasites on the rest of society.
Yet, in our society, these rogues and thieves are treated as gods among men.
Absolutely agreed!
Anyway, the real problem are not the thieves or deceivers, but the solidity of the entire structure. It is amazingly shaky, unstable and prone to collapse. Every random wind (as we saw) can bring the whole thing down.
My dad used to say that the first million is the hardest. After that it gets easy.
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.
I can't rep you again.
