• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

American Greed on Full Display

R

RealityNow

Banned
DP Veteran
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
17,149
Reaction score
6,827
Gender
Undisclosed
Political Leaning
Undisclosed
quote

More older Americans become homeless​

Hilton, who was recovering from a broken leg, watched from his recliner as friends and family sorted through old hunting gear, jewelry, furniture, and clothes. "The only thing that's not for sale is the house — everything else has to go," Hilton, 68, said as he checked his blood sugar.


Hilton has Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health issues that have left him disabled and unable to work for years. He's covered by Medicare but his only income is federal disability benefits. Because of a shoulder injury and fibromyalgia, 64-year-old Beaty — Hilton's partner of seven years — also relies on disability benefits. Combined, their income is roughly $1,500 a month.

That's no longer enough, though. Investors bought their house this year and raised the rent from $1,000 (including utilities), to $1,800 (not including utilities). That unaffordable increase has left them with no choice but to leave, they say.
end quote

People are not paying attention to the real truths of reasons... It's not the Government that is causing this problem.. it is the "greed of investors" that is causing this problem. It is aided by over zealous Real Estate Appraisers, Lack of Regulation in the Rental Housing Market and the "Greed by Any Means" mentality that has swept through society. A direct result of a society that has been indoctrinated within University Circles of "Greed Based Training" and Promises of "Instant Wealthy" at any cost by any means.
We saw this type of greed from 2004-2007 and we saw the Crash that took off like a rocket in 2005-2007 and crashed the Economy and Devastated American and the Ripple Spread Around The World.
 
When republicans talk about 'the makers' and 'the takers', this is what comes to my mind, the makers taking advantage of those they should be helping. It's the poor people causing all the problems in america, not the wealthy.
 
The hard truths that people "MUST" come to awareness to face:

quote

The hidden link between corporate greed and inflation​

Don’t fall for the fear mongering about inflation. The real culprit here is corporate power.


Meanwhile, Republicans haven’t wasted any time hammering Biden and Democratic lawmakers about inflation.

Don’t fall for their fear mongering.

Everybody’s ignoring the deeper structural reason for price increases: the concentration of the American economy into the hands of a few corporate giants with the power to raise prices.

If the market were actually competitive, corporations would keep their prices as low as possible as they competed for customers.

Even if some of their costs increased, they would do everything they could to avoid passing them on to consumers in the form of higher prices, for fear of losing business to competitors.

But that’s the opposite of what we’re seeing. Corporations are raising prices even as they rake in record profits. Corporate profit margins hit record highs last year. You see, these corporations have so much market power they can raise prices with impunity.

So the underlying problem isn’t inflation per se. It’s a lack of competition. Corporations are using the excuse of inflation to raise prices and make fatter profits.

​


The underlying problem is not inflation. It’s corporate power. Since the 1980s, (Reagan's Deregulation) when the U.S. government all but abandoned antitrust enforcement, two-thirds of all American industries have become more concentrated.

Most are now dominated by a handful of corporations that coordinate prices and production. This is true of: banks, broadband, pharmaceutical companies, airlines, meatpackers, and yes, soda.

Corporations in all these industries could easily absorb higher costs — including long overdue wage increases — without passing them on to consumers in the form of higher prices. But they aren’t.

Instead, they’re using their massive profits to line the pockets of major investors and executives — while both consumers and workers get shafted.

end quote

People don't get it... These Corporate Wealthy... Sit on Board of Directors and They All Know Each Other and They Work In Concert.


WHEN People realize that these Corporate Board of Directors must be address and there has to be some Regulation that stop these people from "Dominating the Corporate Board Rooms".

The best people to be in the Corporate Board Rooms, is "The Consumer", the Board of Directors should be chosen from The Consumer Population..
NOT from the CORPORATE Elites..
  • Board Members should get no perks other than A Pay Check... and if these members were selected and not paid more than $100K and they can only serve on a 1-2 yr term, they get no stock options and they are not allowed to hold any stock in the Company they sit on the Board, They should have an Ethic Principle, that None of their Immediate Family can have investment in the Company they sit on the Board, AND, they are not allowed to hold or have stock in "any industry" associated and or connected to the Company whose Board they Sit upon.


We need a society that thinks beyond "Political Spin Drama", and "a society that thinks beyond "Greed Chasing" and we need a society who learns to stop "worshiping the wealthy" and Respect Themselves and their Family.

We don't have a Monarchy, and we need to stop trying to create one and stop trying to turn our Democracy into some Class and Caste Monarchy based on "who has money and who does not".
  • It's time to awaken and learn what is American Representative Democracy, and we will begin to Respect Ourselves as PERSON, who is an Individual, as an EQUAL Citizen in The United States of America.
 
Last edited:
Gateman_Wen said:
Wer need a better safetynet for elderly folks.
Click to expand...
Start with a better education. People assume they will be taken care of. Too many people think social security will take care of them but they never bother to find out what it pays until they try to retire and collect it. Some of these folks never even pay into SSI and others pay very little and their return is not enough to live on. The best plan is a multifaceted source of retirement income. If you don't work in a field that provides a retirement plan then you better setup your own. Many people do not do that. 401 K's , investment portfolio's, SSI, an employer retirement plan can all contribute to a comfortable retirement income. IF you are a two income family then you need that retirement income for both partners.
Yet if you question people they will tell you they don't have a retirement plan, or they haven't started it yet, can't afford it. You can't afford not to do it and you can't afford to wait until you are near retirement.
 
I already respect myself. That's why I work hard and don't rely on others for my financial stability.
 
The couple clearly didn't plan well or at all for their future and they clearly didn't work all that much in their lifetime. Because of that their options are limited. The best thing for them to do is to find low income senior housing even if it means they have to moving to another city. The previous landlord charged $1000 and paid all the utilities. I'd be surprised if the landlord made anything what so ever off these old folks. Low rent is a mixed blessing. It's good that you don't have to pay much but it's also bad because your landlord isn't motivated to keep you.
 
I live in a very small village and yet we have affordable housing for the elderly with rent based on income. This problem is only going to get a lot worse if the GOP decides to do as stated and reduce or eliminate Social Security.
 
*person creates a bad situation for themselves*

Liberals: "I can't believe our society allows this to happen!"
 
I certainly believe we need a renewed focus on how to RE-STRUCTURE our Educational Programming and Curriculum... It's dragging and sagging and kids are not like people decades upon decades ago, Today, they are expose to more information at an earlier age and they are growing up in an age where they must ingest and absorb a lot of information in a relative short time, just to function in day to day society. Today, one has to have the ability to read, to even use the auto check out units that are becoming more common in commercial establishments.
As to work.. People need to pay attention during "Orientation" and learn what programs they have for investing for the future, and be serious about calculating that deduction into an acceptable mindset.
Job jumping may work for some, but Job stability is important. People who do "handi man work" have to think about health care and retirement, rather than thinking they can make it just on "day to day spot jobs", that offer little to no security or retirement planning.
Some work for small business, and overlook the independent responsibility to create some type of plan. those who work for under-the table cash as a man means of working may find great challenge in their elder years.
The people who think "everything is about fun, recreation, games, and being popular in the social party scene and those who think street hustling is profitable, may need to look at the once upon a time "street hustle" who is caught in dire destitution when they reach their elder years.

Some people think its Cliche' popular to buy a 6 pack a day.... of the bottle of Liquor daily and then buy even more for the weekend hang out... but never think to save anything for their later years, and over time... reality sets in and the despair become overwhelming.
 

We have a society that under-educated people for decades and decades.... with some getting no concept of financial education during their basic schooling, is which many only had basic schooling and some did not do well in that. Those are reality factors.
We have people who knew not much more than get a job, and for some it was bounce from job to job, and other in a cycle of low pay jobs, and over time, those habits solidify, and they become trapped in the cycle.
There are many many factors to why people fail to plan and fail to manage. Then there is the element in society which is "Advertised Promotions Inviting People, TO Get in Debt".
We have people who live in a perpetual cycle of "high debt load", some due to low income, some due to status and image maintenance, and some due to the inability to prioritize their life habits and functions.
We have so many Liquor Dispensing Businesses, that people can access to try and drown their stresses, and they end up drowning their life.

And some simply made bad choices, for many reasons, including lack of research and lack of information gathering.
 
Moralistic explanations of economic phenomena is a waste of indignation.

The current inflation is mostly supply-side driven. Goods are in shortage for a variety of reasons, the pandemic being the biggest one. Since goods are in shortage, prices are going up. For the time being, profits are high, but they will inevitably fall as the increased cost of goods and labor hits the business supply chains.

It's very likely we're past the worst of inflation. Energy and commodity prices are falling. When corporate profits fall in the future (as they will), I look forward to people pointing to how generous the corporations are to accept low profits.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…