How Should the Wealth be Redistributed?

[Storm]

I think that your care for the poor is rare today.

Sad but true.

Furbals to your caring nature.

Thanks, but in the interest of full honesty, I speak from experience. I live in low-income housing myself. I've been on welfare, and now I live off of SSI.

The way I would go about redistribution of the wealth since the American Public is not ready for socialism. Raise the minimum wage to a level that someone could eat and at least live in a studio apartment. Anyone who works 40 hours a week should not have to live on handouts from the state or charity.

ITA, I'm just not sure I would consider that "redistribution," which is why I didn't include it.

 

[Storm]

Many of us in the "middle class" are one paycheck away from total deconstruction.
Not so sure if hanging on by the skin of your teeth is "doing ok".

One paycheck from total destruction? How are we defining middle class, here?

When I say "middle class," I'm thinking of people who own their own homes, have savings and retirement funds, can afford to send their kids to college, etc.

I do know that the vast majority of the middle class is one medical crisis away from destitution, but I addressed that with universal helathcare.

 

[blackout]

One paycheck from total destruction? How are we defining middle class, here?

When I say "middle class," I'm thinking of people who own their own homes, have savings and retirement funds, can afford to send their kids to college, etc.

I do know that the vast majority of the middle class is one medical crisis away from destitution, but I addressed that with universal helathcare.

Ahhhh. Well I guess I have over class(ified) myself.

But I will never be out-classed.:flirt:

(I don't really know what are considered the dividing lines)

 

[Worshipper]

Many of us in the "middle class" are one paycheck away from total deconstruction.
Not so sure if hanging on by the skin of your teeth is "doing ok".

Sounds like you're not middle class. That'd be lower class.

The problem is that we like to pretend that the middle class is bigger and more inclusive than it really is. Everyone's middle class in America! :no:

This confusion of what it means to be middle class makes for some really bad politicking. If you make $20,000/year, you're middle class (you are, after all, above the poverty line). If you make $200,000/year, you're middle class. Well, the economic concerns of those two households are about as far apart as you can imagine. It's pointless to call them all middle class, and it leads to major dishonesty from politicians.

That's why I asked Sunstone earlier what he meant by the terms "middle class" and "upper class" and that sort of thing. Without a clear definition of the terms, they're worthless fluff.

EDIT: Hmm. Looks like I'm a bit slow on the uptake.

 

[Storm]

Ahhhh. Well I guess I have over class(ified) myself.

But I will never be out-classed.:flirt:

:hug:

(I don't really know what are considered the dividing lines)

Neither do I, actually. That's just what I think of when I hear "middle class."

 

[Dirty Penguin]

How should the wealth be redistributed? Should the wealth of the middle classes be redistributed to the upper classes like conservatives prefer? Or should the wealth of the upper classes be redistributed to the middle classes like liberals prefer? You decide!

Is it that cut and dry? I took Obama's statement to mean that he would stop taxing the middle class they way they've been taxed thus allowing them to keep more of what they earn and not supplying the tax breaks to the wealthy the way they have been.

In addition to this they will figure out which programs are under funded, over funded....funded but not producing results....etc and make changes there. It would be nice to see some of these programs reworked at very little cost to the tax payer but distributing some money to programs that actually need it or just need it more.

 

[Mathematician]

Heh, I had a friend who thought $60,000 was classified as "poor." You could obviously tell what color her spoon was.

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Heh, I had a friend who thought $60,000 was classified as "poor." You could obviously tell what color her spoon was.

Depends on the cost of living in your area. Here in VA 60k won't get you very far. Here's why.....The cost of a townhouse is about 175k, which means your mortgage might be around $1200 per month.....you will definitely need a car....bus service is extremely limited in certain parts of VA (especially Northern VA).

Out of your check you will need to pay for...
groceries
car insurance
standrd bills (electric, gas, water)
*gasoline*

Notice I didn't add entertainment, emergencies or saving any of your money. You basically might need a two income situation to afford the things above.

And be advised that because You're supposed to make 60k...that's not what you're going to bring home. Take home might be 45k to 50k (after state, federal taxes, FICA,) and a few other deductions.

You start to get the picture that the supposed 60K, depending on where you live, won't get you very much.


In this area...60k will get you a used car and a (1 bedroom) apartment. You'd be lucky to get a 2 bedroom.

So depending on where you live....60k is not very much money.

 

[Reverend Rick]

So depending on where you live....60k is not very much money.

Actually neither is 250,000. A quarter million before taxes just sounds like a bunch of money.

 

[blackout]

But when you make 250,000 you have the choice
to still live more simply,
so you don't max yourself out
living paycheck to paycheck.

Just because you upsize your income
does not mean you have to upsize your whole life style.
(ie spending).

It is then possible to keep a "reserve"
and still do some things that are most important to you.

These are luxuries most of us cannot afford.

 

[Jeremy Mason]

Actually neither is 250,000. A quarter million before taxes just sounds like a bunch of money.

Especially to someone who make 25,000 a year, before taxes.

 

[Alceste]

But when you make 250,000 you have the choice
to still live more simply,
so you don't max yourself out
living paycheck to paycheck.

Just because you upsize your income
does not mean you have to upsize your whole life style.
(ie spending).

It is then possible to keep a "reserve"
and still do some things that are most important to you.

These are luxuries most of us cannot afford.

Exactly. I had a really miserly boss who had the gall to lord it over us all as if he'd done us a great favour to employ us for CAD $20,000 - demanding free overtime to boot. He seemed to feel as if he were a great philanthropist for employing us. But none of us made enough to save, and we all lived humbly, to say the least, mostly with room-mates in flats.

Meanwhile he lived in a million dollar home in the poshest neighbourhood in town and bought a new car every couple of years.

And he moaned about his income. He offered to compare bank accounts with my coworker once to prove he was in worse shape than us. By which I assume he meant debt for the cars and the house.

Just goes to show you, some filthy rich people have absolutely no sense of perspective. You can feel poor no matter how much money you make.

Also, my boyfriend's mom - a psychoanalyst - had a client who haggled a reduced rate because he was "struggling" with money and wasn't earning enough to get by. Later during a session he revealed he was making 75,000 pounds a year! (About $140,000). But he feels poor! Maybe that's why he needs a psychoanalyst. Come to think of it, my old boss had a mental breakdown as well.

 

[Jeremy Mason]

Exactly. I had a really miserly boss who had the gall to lord it over us all as if he'd done us a great favour to employ us for CAD $20,000 - demanding free overtime to boot. He seemed to feel as if he were a great philanthropist for employing us. But none of us made enough to save, and we all lived humbly, to say the least, mostly with room-mates in flats.

Meanwhile he lived in a million dollar home in the poshest neighbourhood in town and bought a new car every couple of years.

And he moaned about his income. He offered to compare bank accounts with my coworker once to prove he was in worse shape than us. By which I assume he meant debt for the cars and the house.

Just goes to show you, some filthy rich people have absolutely no sense of perspective. You can feel poor no matter how much money you make.

Also, my boyfriend's mom - a psychoanalyst - had a client who haggled a reduced rate because he was "struggling" with money and wasn't earning enough to get by. Later during a session he revealed he was making 75,000 pounds a year! (About $140,000). But he feels poor! Maybe that's why he needs a psychoanalyst. Come to think of it, my old boss had a mental breakdown as well.

Interesting post. Money, as much as it influences our lives, should be handled with respect. If, with wealth, one can't help the ones around them grow with sincerity, the social and emotional repercussions leave the wealthy with an unbearable spiritual void. Instead of healing themselves by the power to heal others, they spend a larger amount of money in continuing mental consultations and medications.

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Actually neither is 250,000. A quarter million before taxes just sounds like a bunch of money.

Yea...I'd have to agree with Ultraviolet on this one though...

 

[Wandered Off]

Wealth should be redistributed to those who actually generated it -in proportion to their effort. Of course, that's pretty much impossible to work out in a way everybody could agree.

 

[Alceste]

Interesting post. Money, as much as it influences our lives, should be handled with respect. If, with wealth, one can't help the ones around them grow with sincerity, the social and emotional repercussions leave the wealthy with an unbearable spiritual void. Instead of healing themselves by the power to heal others, they spend a larger amount of money in continuing mental consultations and medications.

Well said. In Deep Economy, Bill McKibbin argues (based on research) that beyond the fulfillment of basic needs (food, shelter, education, clean water) money does not appear to bring any greater sense of satisfaction or well-being. (Harpers)

Haven't read that yet, but I think I will.

 

[idea]

Seriously, wealth redistribution to me means that social services are available to those who need it. All people should have at least the following:

(a) Roofs over their heads.

You do know what caused the recent crash?
YouTube - DAMN THEM!! A video the Dumbocrats dont want you to see

CRA.

You think the gov should give everyone a house? how about a car? Should the gov give you a car? and what kind of house? how big should it be? Where does it stop people...

To what extent should we enable lazy dependants who refuse to do anything for themselves? To what extent should we enable them to their lazy lifestyle?

 

[Dirty Penguin]

You do know what caused the recent crash?
YouTube - DAMN THEM!! A video the Dumbocrats dont want you to see

CRA.

You think the gov should give everyone a house? how about a car? Should the gov give you a car? and what kind of house? how big should it be? Where does it stop people...

To what extent should we enable lazy dependants who refuse to do anything for themselves? To what extent should we enable them to their lazy lifestyle?

Great video......But what was missing was all of the republican support for alot that has happened....hmmmm...I wonder why....

There were dems giving stern warnings as well as the repubs......Remember....for a long time the repubs controlled the house....so they are at fault as well for letting things get out of control....Didn't one one of the guys on the McCain Campaign used to be a lobbyist for Fannie/Freddie and actually received money from them?......I think I need to look that one up....:run:

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Didn't one one of the guys on the McCain Campaign used to be a lobbyist ...

Actually, the vast majority of the people on McCain's campaign staff are former lobbyists. One, in particular, was being paid by Fannie/Freddie until only a couple of months ago.

Not that there could possibly be any conflict of interest ...

 

[Sunstone]

You do know what caused the recent crash?
YouTube - DAMN THEM!! A video the Dumbocrats dont want you to see

CRA.

You think the gov should give everyone a house? how about a car? Should the gov give you a car? and what kind of house? how big should it be? Where does it stop people...

To what extent should we enable lazy dependants who refuse to do anything for themselves? To what extent should we enable them to their lazy lifestyle?

Good thing making straw men arguments is beneath your dignity... oh wait...