Posted on 04/18/2013 2:42:05 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
About six in 10 Americans believe that money and wealth should be more evenly distributed among a larger percentage of the people in the U.S., while one-third think the current distribution is fair. Although Americans' attitudes on this topic have fluctuated somewhat over time, the current sentiment is virtually the same as when Gallup first asked this question in 1984. Slightly fewer have favored a more even distribution since October 2008.
The range in the percentage saying wealth should be "more evenly distributed" has been relatively narrow over time, from a low of 56% in 2000 to a high of 68% in April 2008.
Gallup has asked the question at least once during the administration of three Republican presidents -- Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush -- and two Democrats, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. But there is no generally consistent pattern across these administrations. For example, the slightly lower percentage favoring a more even distribution during the Obama administration started in the final year of George W. Bush's administration -- after the onset of the financial crisis.
Wealth distribution is a key polarizing issue in contemporary U.S. politics. Partisan reactions to this question reflect that polarization, with more than eight in 10 Democrats saying money and wealth need to be more evenly distributed, compared with 28% of Republicans. There is a similar, although less extreme, divide between the views of liberals -- 79% of whom say money and wealth should be more evenly distributed -- and those of conservatives (41%).
(Excerpt) Read more at gallup.com ...
I also wish wealth was more evenly distributed.
I wish parents would raise their kids with a work ethic so that those who might otherwise grow up to be like today’s poorest 52% would put in the effort and contribute more to our country - and end up with more wealth because they produced more value. But if the least productive 52% wants to redistribute the productivity of the wealthiest 48%, that is not what democracy is about in a country with the rule of law and enumerated government powers.
It’s all temporary.
Whether these exact numbers are true or not (I think it is off), the fact is a great number of people think somehow wealth is magically distributed from some benevolent ruling force. America is woefully ignorant today, and we may have to hit rock bottom before enough people open their eyes enough to realize they are being lied to by the leftists in entertainment, media, education and government.
The problem is that sooner or later you’re going to have a sore Peter.
This quote has always been attributed to Alexis De Tocqueville. Whether he said it or not is irrelevant though... it is true:
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship, then a monarchy.”
I just wanna axe these a$$holes one question..
Define distribution....
Note to Gallup: People in Hell want ice water, too.
Sounds like Gallup is oversampling the low information, stupid voter crowd or they were bought off.
Of course, raising taxes on the rich does nothing to redistribute the wealth.
First, because money collected by the government just goes to the government. Your paycheck doesn’t get bigger just because his, supposedly, gets smaller.
Second, if he’s rich, he’s in business. Raising his taxes just raises his cost of doing business which just raises the cost of his product. You pay the tax when you buy the gallon of milk at the supermarket, and you pay the tax when you buy gas at the pump.
When you raise taxes on the rich, they just become the government’s tax collector. Their customers pay the tax.
What, exactly, are “heavy” taxes on the rich? This part of the poll is useless. Do people think the rich should pay 50% of their income in tax? 75%? 100% over a certain level? What percentage of total tax revenues do people think the rich are paying now? If people were told that the top 10% pay 70%+ of all income taxes, would they think that is heavy enough? If people were told that if we confiscated the wealth of the top 1%, that it would not run the government for a year, would they realize the futility of “heavy” taxes on the rich? This really is a BS part of the poll.
Best post on this thread. IMHO.
shut up get a job and earn it
The government has it all and stop taking it away from us
It shows once more that many of our citizens are being told (of what to think)that the government should be the ultimate source of picking the winners/the producers of the wealth and as well as who will be punished. Gallop is pushing more polls into making the majority of us to think our government is all good for us. Of course, we need government, though it should not be as we see it is today. Like the immigration bill coming up in the Senate; just another added layer of bureaucracy run by politicians who will never face the challenges that we all will in our lives in an attempt to change this country’s foundation forever.
RE: shut up get a job and earn it
Jobs? where are they in the Obama economy?
Oops! I thought I was in America. Never mind ...
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To Freerepublic that is.
The redistribution shouldn’t come from the gov’t but from the free market.
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