The wealth gap & other ills.... Warning: long and could make you sick

[Wifezilla]

when every door is closed and some are locked or there are people holding them shut, you are well aware of every door

And when you see your tax dollars being used to not only nail doors shut, but brick them up, you get a tad cranky when you send in your next check.

 

[Big Daddy]

when every door is closed and some are locked or there are people holding them shut, you are well aware of every door

And when you see your tax dollars being used to not only nail doors shut, but brick them up, you get a tad cranky when you send in your next check.

If you are talking about the bail outs to corporations I realy really agree.

The government has already started that plan where they let you repay your Perkins student loans through social jobs. Jobs like firefighter, social workers, teachers, soldiers in combat areas all are able to pay a percentage of their Perkins student loans by working in those fields. Return rates vary depending on the job.

That is your tax dollars opening doors to opportunity. Quite a change from the ordinary.

 

[Wifezilla]

I am speaking about cities that pay for economic developers that go out and recruit chain stores. The chain stores get all kinds of assistance and tax exemptions to move to town. Do local businesses get these perks? Of course not. Businesses are paying the city to move in competitors who get special treatment.

I am also talking about established businesses that work with the gvmt to pass "safety" regulations. Often those regulations are used to put up barriers to entry. Of course the helpful established business didn't have to deal with the expense, paperwork, legal restrictions, etc... when THEY were a start up.

 

[Big Daddy]

I don't agree with that either. However the city is just doing what they feel will bring in the most revenue. During good times it seems greedy. During our current economic crisis the cities are doing anything they can to keep from shutting down. They just built a Wall Mart in Elizabeth and I don't expect the local businesses that sell the same stuff to be around for long.

 

[Wifezilla]

However the city is just doing what they feel will bring in the most revenue

They THINK they are doing what will bring in the most revenue, but they are so wrong. Chain stores are actually convenient money siphons. They drain money from the local economy. The jobs they create are mostly poverty level. Usually the only one making any money is the manager and the assistant manager (if they are lucky). So instead of family owned businesses with livable wages, they get a bunch of jobs with wages that qualify you for food stamps.

Strangely enough, this does not effect me personally....and hubby and I are the types that welcome competition. We don't even live in the city limits. We have just seen the results over the years.

 

[hikerchick]

yea it is funny how we all do differ so much.
yet so in tune on other areas of our lives like being SS....lol


my family we are allowed to speak our feelings and it is understood that what is being said is important to the individual...and they are heard. We don't get jealous of others problems--even if those issues don't happen to "sound" like a problem to the others.

I mean, having a giant bonus money problem being cut, is terrible for the indiviudal and still could invoke jealousy and other feelings when it is heard. But in our famiy, everyone lives their own lives and have their own personal problems, all are allowed out in the open without judgement.

I say whatever your personal income---it is your right to have it and spend as you like.

Not everyone wants to be frugal in this world. And the world is not fair, and it never will be. And for those making a million analogies of "fairness"--well make as many as you wish, but again, the world will never be fair. Because mankind can never be fair and equal. It will not and can never happen that I can see. Reality does bite sometimes.

dynamics within a family is so important I guess when discussing what is appropriate and not.

I like the way you think.

 

[me&thegals]

It's very simple. If you want what he has, do what he does. If you can't or won't, you are not entitled to it. Sometimes you have to do more than simply "work hard." You have to work smart, educate yourself, make sacrifices, etc. to get those jobs that pay 100K bonuses. These people didn't just luck into these jobs. They worked for them. How can anyone begrudge that? if wealth is that important to you, go get it. It it is not, then I don't see what the problem is. We make our choices and life and accept the consequences. Isn't that part of being self-sufficient? Making your own choices and accepting the consequences?

I believe I clearly stated that I don't WANT massive wealth. I want food, shelter, health insurance, clothing and a little extra for security.

Anyone who works hard should have the basics.

Anyone who wants much, much, much more than the basics should expect to get massive schooling, have massive luck, be a whiz in business or break the law.

I don't want to be rude, but I feel you are deliberately missing the point or so determined to see jealousy where none exists that you're not hearing what I'm saying.

I don't expect to make a 6-figure income being an organic farmer. Wealth doesn't motivate me. I do expect to be able to feed my family when working as hard as I do.

It's a bit disingenous to believe that ALL high-income jobs were proportionately worked for. Are you telling me that someone who earns $5 million yearly works 333 times HARDER, SMARTER and LONGER than I do? I doubt it. Farming takes a lot of brains, especially the kind I do. Not trying to be obnoxious here, but it really does. I have a college education, too. But I'm making peanuts compared to this guy. That's okay, because I still have a great life and enough.

It's not okay, though, for so many people to have so insanely much while others lose their jobs. The jobs they were educated for, trained for and worked hard at. And they lose health insurance. Are you really okay paying more tax $ to support these unlucky people while the lucky guys pull down the big bucks?

Life is not fair. But that doesn't make it okay.

 

[hikerchick]

It's very simple. If you want what he has, do what he does. If you can't or won't, you are not entitled to it. Sometimes you have to do more than simply "work hard." You have to work smart, educate yourself, make sacrifices, etc. to get those jobs that pay 100K bonuses. These people didn't just luck into these jobs. They worked for them. How can anyone begrudge that? if wealth is that important to you, go get it. It it is not, then I don't see what the problem is. We make our choices and life and accept the consequences. Isn't that part of being self-sufficient? Making your own choices and accepting the consequences?

I believe I clearly stated that I don't WANT massive wealth. I want food, shelter, health insurance, clothing and a little extra for security.

Anyone who works hard should have the basics.

Anyone who wants much, much, much more than the basics should expect to get massive schooling, have massive luck, be a whiz in business or break the law.

And who is responsible for ensuring that every hardworking person gets their entitlement? There are no guarantees in life. Sometimes hardworking people fail and suffer. Sometimes lazy people succeed. Life is capricious and you can't mandate that all equal actions should have equal outcomes.

 

[Big Daddy]

However the city is just doing what they feel will bring in the most revenue

They THINK they are doing what will bring in the most revenue, but they are so wrong. Chain stores are actually convenient money siphons. They drain money from the local economy. The jobs they create are mostly poverty level. Usually the only one making any money is the manager and the assistant manager (if they are lucky). So instead of family owned businesses with livable wages, they get a bunch of jobs with wages that qualify you for food stamps.

Strangely enough, this does not effect me personally....and hubby and I are the types that welcome competition. We don't even live in the city limits. We have just seen the results over the years.

They don't care about jobs. Jobs are what politicians use to get elected. They care about tax income from sales. A Walmart pulls people in from miles around. It attracts new residents. They don't care about the tax base they get from a 200k per year mom and pop store. They get a lot more from a Wall Mart that pulls in 250 million a year.

 

[Big Daddy]

It's very simple. If you want what he has, do what he does. If you can't or won't, you are not entitled to it. Sometimes you have to do more than simply "work hard." You have to work smart, educate yourself, make sacrifices, etc. to get those jobs that pay 100K bonuses. These people didn't just luck into these jobs. They worked for them. How can anyone begrudge that? if wealth is that important to you, go get it. It it is not, then I don't see what the problem is. We make our choices and life and accept the consequences. Isn't that part of being self-sufficient? Making your own choices and accepting the consequences?

I believe I clearly stated that I don't WANT massive wealth. I want food, shelter, health insurance, clothing and a little extra for security.

Anyone who works hard should have the basics.

Anyone who wants much, much, much more than the basics should expect to get massive schooling, have massive luck, be a whiz in business or break the law.

I don't want to be rude, but I feel you are deliberately missing the point or so determined to see jealousy where none exists that you're not hearing what I'm saying.

I don't expect to make a 6-figure income being an organic farmer. Wealth doesn't motivate me. I do expect to be able to feed my family when working as hard as I do.

It's a bit disingenous to believe that ALL high-income jobs were proportionately worked for. Are you telling me that someone who earns $5 million yearly works 333 times HARDER, SMARTER and LONGER than I do? I doubt it. Farming takes a lot of brains, especially the kind I do. Not trying to be obnoxious here, but it really does. I have a college education, too. But I'm making peanuts compared to this guy. That's okay, because I still have a great life and enough.

It's not okay, though, for so many people to have so insanely much while others lose their jobs. The jobs they were educated for, trained for and worked hard at. And they lose health insurance. Are you really okay paying more tax $ to support these unlucky people while the lucky guys pull down the big bucks?

Life is not fair. But that doesn't make it okay.

The level of income disparity in this country is beyond ridiculous. I don't see the dems being in for much longer. They are taking the blame for a situation that was created years ago and it will show in the elections next year. When the pubs get back in you will see a huge jump in the disparity as taxes for the rich are cut further and more social programs are slashed. Eventually America will be communist or at least socialist. People will only take so much before they wake up.