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3. record low in work force participation since 1972
4. highest wealth gap since 1900
5. record number of citizens on foodstamps
6. rising crime rates
7. debt at $20 trillion
8. record lows in home ownership
............................ and now the liberals, after delivering 8 years of misery to America, wants to finish off the nation with 8 more years.
If the goal of government is to provide an environment which fosters individuals becoming prosperous, safe, and free, libs have failed dismally. If we want the nation to be impoverished serfs, the dems have done a great job.
1. Trump said Americans made too much before he warmed up to increasing Minimum Wage and jumped on the wage stagnation bandwagon. ( Not likely Congress is going to play ball) Does he pay his house and grounds keepers and contractors more than the prevailing wage? Why has he / family outsourced to China, Mexico, Turkey, Viet Nam and Bangladesh where the average wage is .33/ hr and the concept of childhood does not exist?
Employment in coal mines peaked in the 1920's. Mechanical and technology substitution eliminated more of the low wage jobs than anything else.
Employment in the steel mills peaked in the 60's before the US had to compete on a global basis. Why would a country pay a premium to sustain the US middle class when they could produce it cheaper themselves or buy from cheaper sources? Today, 2 workers can produce the same amount of steel that at peak required 12 workers because of technology substitution.
2. At the end of the 50's, 20% of the population lived in dire poverty, the likes of which is unknown today. Most were elderly and/ o rural and/or urban black. The definition of poverty has substantially evolved over the decades. With 75% of the adult population overweight/ obese, it's obvious no one is starving to death.
3. Work force participation rate was lower between the 40-70's and substantially increased when the baby boom entered the workforce en masse. The Labor Participation Rate peaked in 1999 and has been on a downward trend ever since. CBO has and continues to attribute it to the aging population, more young adults in college and fewer women in the workforce. The downward trend is expected to persist for another 20+ years no matter who sits the oval or holds the majority.
4. Wealth gap is a factor of a chronic absence of personal savings, more so than anything else. In other words a heck of a lot of folk prefer a Starbucks or 4th TV or the latest smart phone or premium cable than socking away a percentage of their income for a rainy day.
Since you are concerned, may we assume you favor taxing high income earners more so that the middle class/ low income earners pay less?
5. There's a record number of citizens and therefore a tendency for there to be a record number of everything.
6. Crime rates were substantially higher in the 80's- 90's. Did you blame Reagan and Bush 1? Crime and policing are municipal issues.
7. US has been debt free one year, 1835. Ever president inherits debt and with the approval of Congress adds to it and passes it on to the next admin. Half of the current debt was inherited from prior admins.
Congress controls the purse strings.
8. Record low home ownership? How so? Did millions of homes get swallowed into a massive sink hole that made the land worthless?
I suppose you are referring to the owner-occupied home ownership rate. That rate peaked during the 4th Q, 2005 at the peak of the housing bubble when the masses bought into the mania and bought homes they could not afford and/ or sucked the paper equity out of their homes , oftentimes to live well beyond their means. This drove the economy for a blip in time. When one owes more than their home is worth, they are hardly owners.
I am an independent and dislike both Trump and Hillary. I do not expect either one of these stooges to impact my life, for better or worse.
Instead of blaming or attributing government, politicians, a political party or corporations I prefer to take responsibility for my own outcomes.
Last edited by middle-aged mom; 07-29-2016 at 08:37 PM..
Instead of blaming or attributing government, politicians, a political party or corporations I prefer to take responsibility for my own outcomes.
This is the politics section and politicians can, and do, effect your life. I plan to go back to self employment after I hit 59.5. I bet you know where that 59.5 number comes from.
I do agree that no matter who is elected in November my life will be little changed.
Except the middle class aren't the targets of her tax proposals… but hey!
Yea, Trump is going to take care of people making 50K a year, all the while making corporations and billionaires like himself pay their fair share.
What alternative universe do conservative, middle class white voters live in these days? It's amazing how easy it is to convince these people that up is down, white is black, and war means peace.
Yea, Trump is going to take care of people making 50K a year, all the while making corporations and billionaires like himself pay their fair share.
What alternative universe do conservative, middle class white voters live in these days? It's amazing how easy it is to convince these people that up is down, white is black, and war means peace.
You are the ones who think Hillary's tax increases will not harm the middle class. When did a democrat last do one damn thing to help the middle class?
Yea, Trump is going to take care of people making 50K a year, all the while making corporations and billionaires pay their fair share.
There is a little passage in the U S Constitution Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments) regarding "denying life, liberty or property without due process of law"; what it amounts to, in ordinary people's terms, is that you can't use the law to steal someone else's property just because a gang of looters want a piece of it. Income can be taxed, but a rise in the value of property -- usually due to foresight and hard work -- can't be taxed util it's recognized and the proceeds devoted to personal use. There's also a little problem with ex post facto legislation.
But at any rate, most of the wealth of the "corporations and billionaires (many of whom are not U S citizens, and of which there aren't that many to begin with) is represented by the high equity value of common stock; if the usual "point, grunt and slobber" crowd all start pointing in the same direction, and grunting in the same key, the value of the equities will collapse -- and there will be nothing to steal and redistribute.
But these concepts are beyond the grasp of most Democrats -- and those who do recognize them have nothing to gain by facing the truth.
There is a little passage in the U S Constitution Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments) regarding "denying life, liberty or property without due process of law"; what it amounts to, in ordinary people's terms, is that you can't use the law to steal someone else's property just because a gang of looters want a piece of it. Income can be taxed, but a rise in the value of property -- usually due to foresight and hard work -- can't be taxed util it's recognized and the proceeds devoted to personal use. There's also a little problem with ex post facto legislation.
But at any rate, most of the wealth of the "corporations and billionaires (many of whom are not U S citizens, and of which there aren't that many to begin with) is represented by the high equity value of common stock; if the usual "point, grunt and slobber" crowd all start pointing in the same direction, and grunting in the same key, the value of the equities will collapse -- and there will be nothing to steal and redistribute.
But these concepts are beyond the grasp of most Democrats -- and those who do recognize them have nothing to gain by facing the truth.
So government cannot take your property without due process and just compensation, but government can put up barriers to keep people from getting property in the first place. That seems fair.
Note that the people without property didn't get to vote on that in the Constitution.
I take when Hilary Clinton means to have the wealthy pay their fare share she means investment income? Will it demarcate from the uber wealthy investor or us middle class folks who have IRA and 401K investments? So if I have a healthy portfolio by middle class standards will I be taxed more? I will be taxed more for being smart with my money rather than purchase an oversized house, high end sports cars, be in useless debt, etc?
I take when Hilary Clinton means to have the wealthy pay their fare share she means investment income? Will it demarcate from the uber wealthy investor or us middle class folks who have IRA and 401K investments? So if I have a healthy portfolio by middle class standards will I be taxed more? I will be taxed more for being smart with my money rather than purchase an oversized house, high end sports cars, be in useless debt, etc?
No, you wont pay more. But the real question you have to ask yourself is why you are so against progressive taxation. The alternative to taxation is huge user fees on everything. If you gripe about public roads or public schools and how it is funded, with $50 000 from the rich person and $4000 from the middle class person, you better be prepared for a massive decline in living standards when you advocate privatization instead of tax payer funded services. Same with health care. If you rejeect the notion of a national health care system. Ordinary working stiffs get ripped off by the current privatized system compared to people living in countries with a national health care system.
No, you wont pay more. But the real question you have to ask yourself is why you are so against progressive taxation. The alternative to taxation is huge user fees on everything. If you gripe about public roads or public schools and how it is funded, with $50 000 from the rich person and $4000 from the middle class person, you better be prepared for a massive decline in living standards when you advocate privatization instead of tax payer funded services. Same with health care. If you rejeect the notion of a national health care system. Ordinary working stiffs get ripped off by the current privatized system compared to people living in countries with a national health care system.
Never said such a thing.
I dislike VAT
The USA is now more a of a service and logistics and finance and investment powerhouse. Our ability to create wealth is due to the availability of capital from those same people and organizations who invest in business and create new business. Redistributing to the failed elements of society is not the answer. This is a much more complex problem than what Hiliary mentioned the other evening. Too bad she does not actually reveal her plan.
Health care is a different topic. I would be interested in hearing what actual health professionals, health institutions have to say about health care. Not only insurance companies or pharma. Much as we listen to the military regarding military expenditures. So the former should be included in the dialogue. There currently is medical care for the very old and the very poor. The remainder who earn well have insurance through employers. The system has been known to be quite abused for decades. The concept as it stands works well on paper. Perhaps this hybrid system actually is best.
I am a biased observer in the healthcare debate having both prepared for contingencies in the form of emergency funds and having an excellent health/physique which I maintain to be proactive in warding off those same ailments which bankrupt others. I would prefer folks would be more intelligent in how they manage their own health prior to visiting a Dr. or ER for conditions which could be avoided. Yields considerable rewards later in life.
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