To share wealth, rework the system [Barf Alert]

Atlanta Journal Constitution ^ | 6/21/06 | Edward L. Rubin

[Oshkalaboomboom]

Income disparities are an increasingly serious problem in this country. At present, the top fifth of the population receives more than 50 percent of the nation's annual income, while the bottom fifth receives around 3.5 percent. In addition, the percent of total national income has declined over the past quarter-century for the bottom 80 percent — while the share of the top 20 percent has steadily increased. As a result, we are approaching the income disparity levels of a Third World country.

Those who comment on America's income disparity often speak in terms of social stress. If these disparities continue, they suggest, we are likely to suffer from widespread demoralization or increasing class conflict. This seems to be an unpromising strategy, not only because there is no empirical evidence that it's occurring, but also because of its implicit, if strongly suppressed, suggestion that the poor and middle class ought to become more rebellious — something that would probably do no one very much good.

unfair. Most of the adults in those lower four-fifths, even the ones in the lowest, work for a living, and most work as hard as the people in the top fifth. Our system is tilted against them.

The reason for our income disparity is not that the people in the top fifth deserve so much more money, but that we have a regressive tax system, excessive tax loopholes for the wealthy, unmonitored corporate compensation and a defective public educational system that limits social mobility and the ability of people who can't afford private school to develop their talents. The image of the lazy, unmotivated poor is largely a myth, and certainly doesn't apply to four-fifths of our population.

[Red Boots]

Tell me you work soo hard; and I know you've never given the actual reason that the company (and your job) exists.

Jeez ! I meant to say, "Tell me you work soo hard; and I know that you've never given a thought to the actual reason that the company (and your job) exists."

P.S. To the good professor, who obviously never thought about it either, your job is to make money for the company !!

[driftless]

"1,000,000"

In the book "The Millionaire Next Door" the authors conclusively prove that it is much better to know how to make money than to be given it. They do so by relating stories of heirs who were given large sums of money by their benevolent parents without learning good work values and money management ended up squandering their inherited fortunes. But the heirs who were taught good money management and work skills tended to hang onto their inheritance. In short, people who do not know the value of money will lose it...as Mike Tyson has demonstrated.

[rlmorel]

"Dyslexia Cure for Found!"

[rlmorel]

"...So why is it that when I hear George Bush and other politicians of his ilk extol the virtue of Private Philanthropy, I want to stomp on his face?..."

I read his literary work of art, and pathetic it was. I wrote that well even before I went into the military. Didn't his fancy private education get him anything? And his years "teaching"...that sure didn't help him either.

Boy, this stereotypical Ivory Tower Liberal Socialist sure doesn't care to cover his tracks well, does he?

Well, in the first place, mister prissy limp-wristed pantywaist wearing a tweed jacket and suffering from BSD (Bush Derangement Syndrome), I don't think you would be very successful trying to stomp on President Bush's face. He may have a privileged upbringing, but he has values, loyalty and gumption (as illustrated in the video of him on my home page sticking up for one of his Secret Service guys in a scuffle down in Chile - Bush Rescues Secret Service. So, you better lay off the manly talk. That is reserved for...ahem...men.