The New Yorker SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

On Tuesday morning, the United States Census Bureau released its annual report on income and poverty in the United States. Ostensibly, it didn’t contain many news-grabbing headlines. In 2013, the number of people living in poverty edged down a bit—from 46.5 million, in 2012, to 45.3 million—and the median household income edged up a bit—from $51,800 to $51,900. (The income figures are adjusted for inflation.)

These developments were positive. The poverty rate fell from fifteen per cent to 14.5 per cent, and the Gini coefficient for equivalence-adjusted income, a measure of over-all household-income inequality that takes into account the number of people in each household, also fell a bit. But all of the changes were minor. In fact, the changes in the median household-income figures and in the number of people in poverty weren’t statistically significant...

Median household income was eight per cent lower in 2013 than it was in 2007, when the recession began. And the poverty rate in 2013 was two percentage points higher than it was in 2007.

These figures may help to explain why so many Americans refuse to believe that the economy is recovering, and why President Obama’s approval ratings are stuck at near-record lows despite falling unemployment and accelerating G.D.P. growth...

With fewer gains to go around, distributional squabbles intensify—not just among various income groups but also among different social classes and ethnic groups. (As the Census Bureau data show, income disparities are still highly correlated with race.) Meanwhile, those lucky folks at the top of the income distribution, where almost all of the incremental income has accumulated over the past couple of decades, have a big incentive to get more involved politically: to prevent the adoption of redistributive policies.
http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/chart-explains-american-politics

 

The redistribution of wealth is not a sound economic idea nor is it a sound social idea. Reward without effort will always be hollow.

What that chart does not show is that as a rule, people in the US are far better off today than they were before the cycles after the great depression.

 

Although the economy continues to grow, the growth goes to those at the top: it goes to capital, and to those with the biggest incomes.

Any serious effort to allay this will require restrictions on immigration. Democrats will oppose these. It will also require a more progressive tax system. Republicans will oppose this.

 

Quite a few employees in the United States are putting in more effort for less reward.

 

The redistribution of wealth and income got us out of the Great Depression. It remains a popular idea. Polls indicate little support for cutting middle class entitlements, and much support for higher taxes on the rich.

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=poll+++taxes+++rich+++"Social+Security"+++Medicare

 

That is 100% wrong, redistribution had nothing what so ever to do with ending the great depression, the creation of new wealth did it.

 

In the US, the difference between being defined as "in poverty" as opposed to "above poverty" is:


Only being able to afford the Gold package for cable TV as opposed to the Diamond package.

Having toi settle for the cheapo $150 Jordan dub zero sneakers when shoppoing for school clothes instead of the $225 AJ XX9's.

Having to "settle" for an iPhone 5s upgrade package instead of the iphone 6plus.

 

It prolonged the Depression. World War II got us out of the Depression. It maybe a popular idea for you libs. Wait till you tax the rich out of their money, then were are you?

 

Eventually, socialized equality...on a continuing downward spiral.

 

socialism has never work and never will!

 

How about the "redistribution of income" through CREATING JOBS instead of sending them overseas and PAYING PEOPLE A DECENT WAGE rather than the goal of "I am worth 897 million dollars and pay myself $50 million a year. I deserve a raise"

 

How about when the "you didn't build that" types in DC realize that THEY certainly didn't build it, however their feeling of entitlement to tax the hell out of whoever did build it and all those who continue to invest in it and makes it tougher to compete, learn they THEY did help send it overseas.

 

Right now capitalism does not seem to be working for most Americans.

 

"Most"? uh huh.

 

With fewer gains to go around, distributional squabbles intensify.
http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/chart-explains-american-politics

Like this kind of nonsense:

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a potential contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, told theWashington Post on Saturday: “I don’t know” if President Barack Obama is a Christian...

Walker’s remarks are sure to raise eyebrows since they come just days after incendiary statements made by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani at a private dinner held for the Wisconsin governor. Giuliani told the audience that he doesn’t think Obama “loves America,” at the event and later in a New York Times interview said “something’s wrong” with him.

Giuliani...also alleged that the president had been indoctrinated with communist ideology since he was 9 years old.
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/scott-walker-i-dont-know-if-obama-christian?cid=sm_fb_msnbc

The Republican Party has nothing to offer its white working class constituency, so the Republican Hate Machine tries to keep low income whites from thinking about the fact that the same employers who told the the low income whites that they, the employers, could not afford to give them raises, are making bigger profits than ever before.

 

wow what fools americans be...
you like what has become of our society since the advent of over-industrialization because it means cheaper shit faster yet you ignore the simple facts of it all

we import more than we produce because it is cheaper
therefore we are more reliant on others to do for us what we refuse to do for ourselves
only 100 years ago people lived within what they could do for themselves and provide for themselves and imported goods were a luxury that was reserved for excess only
hell back then most people built homes for themselves with their own hands and farmed the land to feed themselves and if crops went bad they went without
they hunted for meats and cured what little meats that they did obtain because they had reason to survive that is absent from modern society

and for you who believe that either side of the political spectrum anywhere gives one slimy shit about you or your kids or what you need you are the biggest fucking fool there ever will be
they have money and comfort and everything that they need and want and it was all paid for by you

one day society will fail and the corruption will crumble and the ignorant will fight amongst themselves for food and shelter while those that know better will watch and laugh as you claw at your own
as you kill yourselves for scraps while we sit atop the mountains as the new gods and see the mice scurry for the crumbs
you like easy and cheap keep it and it will be your downfall

 

Well DL, do you know if Obama is a Christian or not?

And is Guiliani wrong about Obama's youth, he was brought up in an environment that leaned towards communism, from what he and his family say.

But the most important question, how is this relevant to your imaginary "Republican Hate Machine"?

Since you are the one who keeps bringing up such slander, who is the real hater? To me, those who regularly spew hateful remarks regarding others beliefs, including race and political ideology, are people like you, rr, stumbler, AdP and the like.

 

You should be transplanted to a third world country for 10 years. I believe your opinion of the economy of the US would change.

 

He would never admit it.

 

The Republican Party has nothing to offer Americans who are not rich, so they encourage bizarre apprehensions about President Obama, implying that somehow he is not a real American.