What?
That's why you cut costs and become more efficient.
There are a lot of inequities in our system. However, I don't think that we should gut the whole thing.
The life of the average American has been getting better for a while. I fail to a revolution in the future.
Denial is such a powerful thing. http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html
Your wage estimates for skilled labor don't address the right demographic.
Are you being wasteful now? I would think a business owner would have already cut costs as much as possible and become as efficient as can be expected. That also doesn't put money in the pockets of consumers.
Neither do I, but there do need to be some systemic changes that address the heart of the problem instead of putting band-aids on them.
You seem to want to compare everyone to your own personal experience in life. If you are comfortable enough not to see any of these problems, then you are not an "average" American.
I saw a lot of statistics about the disparity of wealth. That doesn't mean that income is a fixed pie. The median income of the average American is still well above minimum wage.
If no one can afford their product, they'll go out of business.
I agree, but I think we go in two different directions on this.
No, the average Joe American, not just me, has better transportation, medicine, entertainment, income, and time-saving devices than ever before (the current crisis non-withstanding).
The median includes those who pull down millions per year. That is bound to skew things in an upward direction. Take everyone who makes more than $250,000 per year out and then average it.
Exactly! Now we're on the same page.
I would love to hear some of your ideas.
I understand that you believe that, and I can even see why you might not see evidence to the contrary. For people who you identify as being a part of your "in group" that is probably true.
Do you see people who are poor as being deserving of their lot? Are you of the opinion that every American is on a level playing field with the same opportunities and potential? I have a feeling that I already know the answer.
People deal with each other for mutual benefit, not because they're looking out for each other's well being, but for what each gain from the exchange, one for the good or service, and the other one by the money pay to him. It's free exchange for mutual benefit, not a love affair or an exercise in dependency. People are naturally selfish and self-interested. It's human nature.ALIHAYMEG said:Profit motive is not the only incentive to do good work. If it were, I would have officially lost all faith in humanity as a whole. No, actually there are better incentives which have been demonstrated through the scientific
You're thinking of mean. Median shows what the middle earning guy makes, and it's a lot more than $7.25 an hour.
Firstly, look at cpwill's link. Secondly, the life expectancy has jumped 8 years despite an obesity explosion, we've got better TV, you're on a computer that fits in your room, cars don't suck, real income has gone up across the board. Thirdly, go tell your parents and or grandparents and tell them how life today is no better than when they were your age, and watch them laugh in your face.
Reduce government spending; end corporate personhood; end bailouts; have a simple, low, and slightly progressive tax code; and reduce military spending.
A very loaded question. Firstly, I don't think the poor are generally stupid or lazy, and only ones I call welfare queens are corporations. For some people, life really does take a crap on them, but most people can get out of poverty if they make the right choices. Also, our welfare and entitlement system encourages its recipients to not get off of it. Many people don't stay on welfare who and are able to get off don't do it because of laziness. It's in their best interest to do so.
People deal with each other for mutual benefit, not because they're looking out for each other's well being, but for what each gain from the exchange, one for the good or service, and the other one by the money pay to him. It's free exchange for mutual benefit, not a love affair or an exercise in dependency. People are naturally selfish and self-interested. It's human nature.
People deal with each other for mutual benefit, not because they're looking out for each other's well being, but for what each gain from the exchange, one for the good or service, and the other one by the money pay to him. It's free exchange for mutual benefit, not a love affair or an exercise in dependency. People are naturally selfish and self-interested. It's human nature.
Yes indeed, but I think transforming this conversation form one of incentive to one of the merits of altruism is a derailment. The question is "what is the best incentive to get the best work out of people." The research shows that the "carrot and stick" only works to a point.
The same thing could be said about slavery.
always worth a repost:
Yes, the middle amount is more than $7.25 per hour. That doesn't address the fact that the top 1% of our population controls 37% of the country's wealth which is much more than the bottom 90% control. This brief video shows it plain enough.
Real income has not gone up across the board. There has been a continuing trend of wealth being funneled upward to the top 1%. The top 20% are doing just fine while the bottom 80% is struggling. I'm really surprised that you are not willing to admit this even in the middle of the worst economic crisis in 100 years. You must fall into that top 20%.
All of that sounds very good. Try convincing that top 1% to let it happen though. They like things just as they are.
I'm not sure what you mean by "welfare queens are corporations". Care to elaborate on that?
One big problem with the poor is that they are quite ignorant. (In the "lacking knowledge" sense of the word) I also agree that most people could better themselves and break free of poverty if they knew what the right choices were. It is a common misconception that welfare recipients don't get off of the system due to laziness. There are a select few that cannot be reached, but the majority of them will respond to the right incentives. I'm not just guessing here. I work in the TANF program and I am very familiar with how it functions. There have been some very good improvements to the system in recent years that have given workers the ability to effect real change in people’s lives. It's not perfect by any means, but it could get a lot closer with the right backing and support. I lived most of my life in poverty and could never see any way out until somebody reached out to me and was able to show me that I actually did have options. It can't be done without support though. I would have never made it from a high school drop out to a degree holding honors graduate without constant support and encouragement. Those are the things most lacking when it comes to the poor. The cycle of dependence can be broken forever in a family with the right approach and support. We still have a long way to go. We certainly can't abandon innocent children to die of starvation because of their parent’s poor work ethic.
Slavery is a good comparison. The slave masters were just forced to call it something different. Now we are enslaved to indebtedness. All you have to do is take the profits that the workers produce and lend it back to them with interest. It's a win-win for the "ruling class" and a bottomless pit of debt for the "working class”. Good analogy.
No one forces you into debt. By definition, you are forced into slavery.
The meaning of words changes over time. For example I have a 20 year old mirriam webster dictionary and many words are defined differently in the new edition..
They have car loan companies that the poor frequent that charge 300% interest per year. It used to be a crime called loansharking. Thanks to our fearless leaders former crime is not sanctified by law.
and...? Some people having a lot doesn't mean that others have little. Economics isn't a zero-sum game. Most people make far more than $7.25 an hour. Real income has been going up across the board, just more quickly for some.
Even with all their lobbying influence, they're just that 1%. The key is to educate the populace about the dangers of government-business collusion.
They lobby and bend the rules to get handouts that they don't need.
I never said that one's an island, and I specifically stated that I don't think the poor are generally lazy. Relatively simple things such as marriage, can pull many if not most poor kids out of poverty. Allowing parents to have greater school choice and improving their kid's chances in schools helps. However, many government programs do encourage poverty. Many of the recipients aren't lazy, but it's in their best interest to stay in the system.
No one forces you into debt. By definition, you are forced into slavery.
How else are they gonna get credit?
From a loanshark or their mother in law.
Different dictionnaires have different meanings. I would trust a hard copy dictionary before an internet one.
There are even legal dictionnaires that trump public ones in a court of law.
Saying that a word has the same meaning as it did at it's origin defies the law of evolution and is a fallacy.
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