Why would anyone want to destroy them? As Casual Browser noted, the long-term health of the 1% is ultimately dependent upon the long-term health of us all. History shows that when all the citizens are reasonably healthy and prosperous, you have a solid society. When only a few are, you have a volatile situation. Back when Ike was president, the richest had plenty despite their much higher tax burden. And the rest of society had enough, too.
Some pretty “rich” stuff here (if you’ll pardon the pun)..Working class people also work long hours and suffer family vs. boss issues but don’t get rewarded for it. They get God, TV and cheap crap from China. Nice. As one of the posters above noted, we are so much “luckier” than the average Congolese or Bangladeshi..Rich people, on the other hand, can walk away from their jobs and retire and shower their deadbeat children and spouses and ex-spouses with fountains of passive income for generations to come. (Yeah, I know they’re not all like that. But unless you’re like some of the automatonic reactionaries here you probably have enough wits to scratch your chin and see this.).A close friend of mine who is a 1%er was explaining to me why his job as a commodities trader/hedge fund manager wasn’t simply skimming wealth off the top for himself. He says he buys risk and sells stability. I find his winning streak to be a little suspect.
Whoa Tiggs – I don’t want that at all. I think you meant to be responding to someone else. I’m the one extoling the virtues of a free society where people like Mr. Obama are NOT allowed to pick the winners and losers.
I want the people who earned their money to choose where it should be spent or gifted.
I started my working career at 14 and have been working ever since. I finished college with no debt because I worked long hours and still found time to study. I, personally, pulled myself up by my boostraps and recommend it as a way of life for everyone.
Wrong..I am a registered independent voter. My opinions are just that —MINE. I am only going for Disability because I have no other way of maintaining a living! As I said, Employers don’t want me, they don’t want anyone who is disabled right now. (Those Businesses that want such folk are few and far between these days.) If I tried to get a job right now, my resume/application would definitely end up in the shredding machine. I saw this coming years ago, and only recently decided to hire a lawyer to help me through the Appeals process..And if you don’t believe me – that’s your problem, not mine.
This is a dumb conversation. The cutoff for the 1% is about $200,000 per year. Are there “education professionals” who make that much? Yes, there are. But a 3rd Grade teacher at P.S. 86 is not among them, by a long shot. There are also cops and bus drivers who make that much, thanks to overtime (and I’m in no position to say whether or not it’s deserved). Is $200,000 per year “rich”? Is it “Upper Middle Class”? It depends on your perspective.
What’s really the issue is the 0.1%, or the 0.01%. That’s where the money is funneling up to, that’s the GOP “base” (as W. put it, “The ‘Haves’ and the ‘Have-Mores’”).
The (real) Upper Class has done a remarkable job of hoodwinking the Middle Class into believing that it’s the Lower Class that is keeping them (the Middle Class) struggling…
CasualBrowser almost 12 years ago
The thing is, the 1% do better when the rest of us share in the bounty. Unbridled greed is self-defeating.
cdward almost 12 years ago
Why would anyone want to destroy them? As Casual Browser noted, the long-term health of the 1% is ultimately dependent upon the long-term health of us all. History shows that when all the citizens are reasonably healthy and prosperous, you have a solid society. When only a few are, you have a volatile situation. Back when Ike was president, the richest had plenty despite their much higher tax burden. And the rest of society had enough, too.
Chillbilly almost 12 years ago
Some pretty “rich” stuff here (if you’ll pardon the pun)..Working class people also work long hours and suffer family vs. boss issues but don’t get rewarded for it. They get God, TV and cheap crap from China. Nice. As one of the posters above noted, we are so much “luckier” than the average Congolese or Bangladeshi..Rich people, on the other hand, can walk away from their jobs and retire and shower their deadbeat children and spouses and ex-spouses with fountains of passive income for generations to come. (Yeah, I know they’re not all like that. But unless you’re like some of the automatonic reactionaries here you probably have enough wits to scratch your chin and see this.).A close friend of mine who is a 1%er was explaining to me why his job as a commodities trader/hedge fund manager wasn’t simply skimming wealth off the top for himself. He says he buys risk and sells stability. I find his winning streak to be a little suspect.
Mephistopheles almost 12 years ago
Whoa Tiggs – I don’t want that at all. I think you meant to be responding to someone else. I’m the one extoling the virtues of a free society where people like Mr. Obama are NOT allowed to pick the winners and losers.
I want the people who earned their money to choose where it should be spent or gifted.
I started my working career at 14 and have been working ever since. I finished college with no debt because I worked long hours and still found time to study. I, personally, pulled myself up by my boostraps and recommend it as a way of life for everyone.
Ketira almost 12 years ago
Wrong..I am a registered independent voter. My opinions are just that —MINE. I am only going for Disability because I have no other way of maintaining a living! As I said, Employers don’t want me, they don’t want anyone who is disabled right now. (Those Businesses that want such folk are few and far between these days.) If I tried to get a job right now, my resume/application would definitely end up in the shredding machine. I saw this coming years ago, and only recently decided to hire a lawyer to help me through the Appeals process..And if you don’t believe me – that’s your problem, not mine.
fritzoid Premium Member almost 12 years ago
This is a dumb conversation. The cutoff for the 1% is about $200,000 per year. Are there “education professionals” who make that much? Yes, there are. But a 3rd Grade teacher at P.S. 86 is not among them, by a long shot. There are also cops and bus drivers who make that much, thanks to overtime (and I’m in no position to say whether or not it’s deserved). Is $200,000 per year “rich”? Is it “Upper Middle Class”? It depends on your perspective.
What’s really the issue is the 0.1%, or the 0.01%. That’s where the money is funneling up to, that’s the GOP “base” (as W. put it, “The ‘Haves’ and the ‘Have-Mores’”).
The (real) Upper Class has done a remarkable job of hoodwinking the Middle Class into believing that it’s the Lower Class that is keeping them (the Middle Class) struggling…