This 6 minute video sums up the shocking facts of American wealth and inequality

[Brain357]

Its really not the amount of time a person works. Its about the value that a person puts in the time they work.

So CEOs are just 10x better now are they? You sure it's not just greed and crony capitalism?

I have no idea. My point is that obviously these CEO's are bring tremendous value to the companies they run and are compensated in a manner reflective of that. Question. Is it possible that 2 people can have 2 different skill sets and 1 is more valuable to a company than the other?

Nobody is arguing that the CEO should not be paid more. But CEOs in the 70s made about 30x that of the average worker. Now they make 300x more to do the same job. It doesn't take a genius to figure out something is wrong with that stat. Sorry but they aren't 10x more valuable to a company now.

 

[Asclepias]

So CEOs are just 10x better now are they? You sure it's not just greed and crony capitalism?

I have no idea. My point is that obviously these CEO's are bring tremendous value to the companies they run and are compensated in a manner reflective of that. Question. Is it possible that 2 people can have 2 different skill sets and 1 is more valuable to a company than the other?

Nobody is arguing that the CEO should not be paid more. But CEOs in the 70s made about 30x that of the average worker. Now they make 300x more to do the same job. It doesn't take a genius to figure out something is wrong with that stat. Sorry but they aren't 10x more valuable to a company now.

I think you are getting hung on on the raw power of the numbers. I would agree that something is wrong with that stat. However, penalizing someone for pursuing the American dream is not the answer. If that stat is to be changed its incumbent on the person that seeks that same level of wealth to do what is necessary to gain the skill sets to accomplish that goal. Wealth by its very nature is not limited. Most people just don't know how to obtain it.

 

[kaz]

As important as the wealthy are, they still need limitations. The reach of their power has negatively affected the country as a whole.

Winston Churchill: "The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries."

First, you propose as solution, "limits" where you shift power from people (capitalists) who don't have guns to force people to do anything to liberal lawyers who do have the power to force people to do anything. Looking at what politicians are doing today with an objective mind would scare you far more than what capitalists, and you want to give them MORE power?

And why? You can do whatever you want. Why do you care so much that other people have more than you do?

Everything you have said so far is just fluff, you know that right?

It is in your world where you don't question your own premises. I understand perfectly fine what you are saying. You don't have a clue what I am saying because you want "someone" to do something about your life, and I'm telling you what you don't want to hear, that YOU should do something about your life. And you should start by appreciating what you have, not envying what you don't. Yeah, fluff.

 

[Brain357]

I have no idea. My point is that obviously these CEO's are bring tremendous value to the companies they run and are compensated in a manner reflective of that. Question. Is it possible that 2 people can have 2 different skill sets and 1 is more valuable to a company than the other?

Nobody is arguing that the CEO should not be paid more. But CEOs in the 70s made about 30x that of the average worker. Now they make 300x more to do the same job. It doesn't take a genius to figure out something is wrong with that stat. Sorry but they aren't 10x more valuable to a company now.

I think you are getting hung on on the raw power of the numbers. I would agree that something is wrong with that stat. However, penalizing someone for pursuing the American dream is not the answer. If that stat is to be changed its incumbent on the person that seeks that same level of wealth to do what is necessary to gain the skill sets to accomplish that goal. Wealth by its very nature is not limited. Most people just don't know how to obtain it.

Well we first need to recognize there is a problem, then figure out how to fix it. Now that you agree something is wrong with the stat it's time to think about how to fix it.

 

[Asclepias]

Nobody is arguing that the CEO should not be paid more. But CEOs in the 70s made about 30x that of the average worker. Now they make 300x more to do the same job. It doesn't take a genius to figure out something is wrong with that stat. Sorry but they aren't 10x more valuable to a company now.

I think you are getting hung on on the raw power of the numbers. I would agree that something is wrong with that stat. However, penalizing someone for pursuing the American dream is not the answer. If that stat is to be changed its incumbent on the person that seeks that same level of wealth to do what is necessary to gain the skill sets to accomplish that goal. Wealth by its very nature is not limited. Most people just don't know how to obtain it.

Well we first need to recognize there is a problem, then figure out how to fix it. Now that you agree something is wrong with the stat it's time to think about how to fix it.

The fix is simple but not easy. People would be much better off if they concentrate on educating themselves and learn how to create wealth just like the 1%. I'm not necessarily talking about traditional learning though that is a bonus. I'm talking about learning inter-personal skills, leadership, and concepts of wealth. That stuff is not taught in our schools but is readily available for people that want it. How many people are actually willing to put in the time necessary to learn? Most people (me included!) think they have it all figured out already. Some even think their fate is predetermined and never even try. If you can figure out a way to inspire people to improve themselves then this would not be a problem at all

 

[Vox]

I'm amazed that so many people can see the stats and be ok with them. Lots of wealth inequality is not going to lead to a healthy society. What people don't seem to realize is that the rich are getting richer off crony capitalism and corporate welfare. I'm very fiscally conservative and I can see the issue. We've gone from CEO's making 30X the average worker in the 70's to almost 300X the average worker now. Am I to believe CEO's are working 10X harder than they were in the 70's? I don't think so. Meanwhile they are sending jobs overseas and making sure the jobs here pay the least they can get away with and have few benefits. I think everyone should see the problem. The argument should be about how to fix it.

So far the only proposal for fixing were to increase the income taxes( which will simply ruin the middle class) and redistribute the expropriated wealth which is a one-time measure ( you don't suppose the wealthy will accumulate any more wealth for further expropriation, do you?) and ruin the economy altogether.

What you, guys, seem to NOT to understand is that poor can be taken care of ONLY ifthe rich will have their ability to accumulate what they want . If the stupid expropriators and redistributors want to take what they consider "fair" from the rich and not what the rich are considering fair the result for the poor is going to be abysmal - sure enough the rich may become not rich, but today's poor will starve for real.

 

[Vox]

Please dont take this the wrong way. Do you understand the concept that you are not entitled to make X amount of dollars? If you do then you understand that you are paid exactly what you are worth to a company. If I pay an employee more than what he is bringing to the table then I only have myself to blame when I have to later turn around and fire that employee because I am now losing my business. This is all because I broke the rules of running a business. If a person doesn't like or cant get by on what they are being paid they can do only 2 things. Complain about it or get a better job. Ultimately what happens to you in life is solely dictated by your philosophy. It may not seem fair that the wealth is concentrated in the top 1% but you only have the masses to blame for that. The masses make and keep the 1% on top.

Explain how it is the "masses" fault for the inequality and why it should be accepted simply because it is true.

Because the masses buy what the 1% are selling. Accepting that truth is the first step in correcting that issue. You dont need an Iphone. You dont need a brand new car. You dont need the latest fashions. You dont need to eat at McDonalds. Does that make sense to you?

Yes, it does.

You sure do not have to buy and do all of that if YOU CAN NOT AFFORD it - it is not the responsibilty of those who work and pay taxes to provide the luxury to those who are parasites on those taxes.

You want a luxury car? EARN it.

 

[Vox]

No, none of the 'Conservatives' are going to comment on it, because it shows how great the perception of both liberals and conservatives of the distribution of wealth strays from the reality. It is a sad comment on the state of this nation that so much of it's wealth is owned by so few.

Your greed and wealth envy are pathetic.

If you're a median American, you're an evil one percenter of the world's population. Why don't you enjoy that you live in the richest country in the history of man and how much you have and how much more you can earn if you so chose instead of spending your time in pathetic jealousy of what someone else did with the opportunity you decided not to work hard enough to pursue.

Anyone can be anything they want in this country. Including rich beyond their belief. But you gotta work for it. Or don't, but then don't whine that someone else did.

You are kidding yourself if you think the American dream is anything like it used to be.

It is not only the same, it got better. Ask the immigrants - they progress from the very bottom to very comfortable in less than a decade
Not the last 4.5 years, obviously with Expropriator in chief making everythig worse.

 

[Brain357]

I'm amazed that so many people can see the stats and be ok with them. Lots of wealth inequality is not going to lead to a healthy society. What people don't seem to realize is that the rich are getting richer off crony capitalism and corporate welfare. I'm very fiscally conservative and I can see the issue. We've gone from CEO's making 30X the average worker in the 70's to almost 300X the average worker now. Am I to believe CEO's are working 10X harder than they were in the 70's? I don't think so. Meanwhile they are sending jobs overseas and making sure the jobs here pay the least they can get away with and have few benefits. I think everyone should see the problem. The argument should be about how to fix it.

So far the only proposal for fixing were to increase the income taxes( which will simply ruin the middle class) and redistribute the expropriated wealth which is a one-time measure ( you don't suppose the wealthy will accumulate any more wealth for further expropriation, do you?) and ruin the economy altogether.

What you, guys, seem to NOT to understand is that poor can be taken care of ONLY ifthe rich will have their ability to accumulate what they want . If the stupid expropriators and redistributors want to take what they consider "fair" from the rich and not what the rich are considering fair the result for the poor is going to be abysmal - sure enough the rich may become not rich, but today's poor will starve for real.

I haven't actually proposed anything. Too many people in denial to bother so far. There are probably things that can be done with taxes, but taxing more and redistributing isn't going to work. That said I think the rich need incentives to do the right thing which could be tax based.

One thing both sides should agree on is closing up the border. Lots of cheap labor brings down wages. With our unemployment rate more workers aren't needed.

 

[MikeK]

I have no idea. My point is that obviously these CEO's are bring tremendous value to the companies they run and are compensated in a manner reflective of that. Question. Is it possible that 2 people can have 2 different skill sets and 1 is more valuable to a company than the other?

Nobody is arguing that the CEO should not be paid more. But CEOs in the 70s made about 30x that of the average worker. Now they make 300x more to do the same job. It doesn't take a genius to figure out something is wrong with that stat. Sorry but they aren't 10x more valuable to a company now.

I think you are getting hung on on the raw power of the numbers. I would agree that something is wrong with that stat. However, penalizing someone for pursuing the American dream is not the answer. If that stat is to be changed its incumbent on the person that seeks that same level of wealth to do what is necessary to gain the skill sets to accomplish that goal. Wealth by its very nature is not limited. Most people just don't know how to obtain it.

If you are referring to the CEO who "earns" three-hundred times more than the average employee in his corporation as being one in pursuit of the American Dream, please tell us in specific terms what you consider to be the long venerated "American Dream."

 

[Vox]

Nobody is arguing that the CEO should not be paid more. But CEOs in the 70s made about 30x that of the average worker. Now they make 300x more to do the same job. It doesn't take a genius to figure out something is wrong with that stat. Sorry but they aren't 10x more valuable to a company now.

I think you are getting hung on on the raw power of the numbers. I would agree that something is wrong with that stat. However, penalizing someone for pursuing the American dream is not the answer. If that stat is to be changed its incumbent on the person that seeks that same level of wealth to do what is necessary to gain the skill sets to accomplish that goal. Wealth by its very nature is not limited. Most people just don't know how to obtain it.

If you are referring to the CEO who "earns" three-hundred times more than the average employee in his corporation as being one in pursuiit of the American Dream, please tell us in specific terms what you consider to be the long venerated "American Dream."

why do you have so much butt-hurt over CEO's money?

 

[LogikAndReazon]

There clearly needs to be bureaucratically enforced fairness for the victimized classes.......lol

 

[MikeK]

I think you are getting hung on on the raw power of the numbers. I would agree that something is wrong with that stat. However, penalizing someone for pursuing the American dream is not the answer. If that stat is to be changed its incumbent on the person that seeks that same level of wealth to do what is necessary to gain the skill sets to accomplish that goal. Wealth by its very nature is not limited. Most people just don't know how to obtain it.

If you are referring to the CEO who "earns" three-hundred times more than the average employee in his corporation as being one in pursuiit of the American Dream, please tell us in specific terms what you consider to be the long venerated "American Dream."

why do you have so much butt-hurt over CEO's money?

I didn't realize I was asking such a hard question to answer.

 

[Vox]

If you are referring to the CEO who "earns" three-hundred times more than the average employee in his corporation as being one in pursuiit of the American Dream, please tell us in specific terms what you consider to be the long venerated "American Dream."

why do you have so much butt-hurt over CEO's money?

I didn't realize I was asking such a hard question to answer.

oh, so you are simply jealous.
why am I not surprised

 

[Political Junky]

Income discrepancy is what you find in a banana republic. Look at Mexico with the richest man in the world, Carlos Slim.

 

[MikeK]

Because the masses buy what the 1% are selling. Accepting that truth is the first step in correcting that issue. You dont need an Iphone. You dont need a brand new car. You dont need the latest fashions. You dont need to eat at McDonalds. Does that make sense to you?

Boycotting would not fix the problem. Tell me why is it justified that 1% of the population controls 40% of the nation's wealth.

What is the proper amount for the 1% to control?

Roughly the same amount the wealthiest Americans controlled during the decades between the 40s and 80s. You'll find specifics here:
It's the Inequality, Stupid | Mother Jones

 

[Vox]

Boycotting would not fix the problem. Tell me why is it justified that 1% of the population controls 40% of the nation's wealth.

What is the proper amount for the 1% to control?

Roughly the same amount the wealthiest Americans controlled during the decades between the 40s and 80s. You'll find specifics here:
It's the Inequality, Stupid | Mother Jones

oh, mother jones

you seriously think that the libtard source is going to be considered credible?

oh, the naivete of the young

 

[MikeK]

Winston Churchill: "The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries."

First, you propose as solution, "limits" where you shift power from people (capitalists) who don't have guns to force people to do anything to liberal lawyers who do have the power to force people to do anything. Looking at what politicians are doing today with an objective mind would scare you far more than what capitalists, and you want to give them MORE power?

And why? You can do whatever you want. Why do you care so much that other people have more than you do?

Everything you have said so far is just fluff, you know that right?

It is in your world where you don't question your own premises. I understand perfectly fine what you are saying. You don't have a clue what I am saying because you want "someone" to do something about your life, and I'm telling you what you don't want to hear, that YOU should do something about your life. And you should start by appreciating what you have, not envying what you don't. Yeah, fluff.

This "envy" and "jealousy" routine is straight out of Sean Hannity's propaganda playbook and essentially amounts to an empty adolescent argument.

During our most prosperous and productive years, 40s to 80s, there was a super-rich class of Americans along with lots of ordinary millionaires, so why were there no protests back then? The simple and obvious answer is because the national economy was adequately regulated, resulting in sensible and equitable distribution of the Nation's wealth resources.

In the simplest terms there was no cause for resentment back then.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Boycotting would not fix the problem. Tell me why is it justified that 1% of the population controls 40% of the nation's wealth.

What is the proper amount for the 1% to control?

Roughly the same amount the wealthiest Americans controlled during the decades between the 40s and 80s. You'll find specifics here:
It's the Inequality, Stupid | Mother Jones

I didn't find those specifics in the pile of garbage at that link.
Why not just tell me?

 

[beagle9]

I have no idea. My point is that obviously these CEO's are bring tremendous value to the companies they run and are compensated in a manner reflective of that. Question. Is it possible that 2 people can have 2 different skill sets and 1 is more valuable to a company than the other?

Nobody is arguing that the CEO should not be paid more. But CEOs in the 70s made about 30x that of the average worker. Now they make 300x more to do the same job. It doesn't take a genius to figure out something is wrong with that stat. Sorry but they aren't 10x more valuable to a company now.

I think you are getting hung on on the raw power of the numbers. I would agree that something is wrong with that stat. However, penalizing someone for pursuing the American dream is not the answer. If that stat is to be changed its incumbent on the person that seeks that same level of wealth to do what is necessary to gain the skill sets to accomplish that goal. Wealth by its very nature is not limited. Most people just don't know how to obtain it.

Hmmm, but what if blockades are set, and stumbling blocks are placed in front of people on purpose, virtually making it impossible for them to obtain the same results as the other had, even though they are just as talented and aggressive as the other person is, but yet the draw bridge had been lifted quickly on them by the one who had blazed the trail before or the path had been erased so that no one can venture down it, or even get a peak at how it was done, can be done, or is even allowed of them to do it ? Lets face it, people need people to envy and drewl over what they have in life, and as long as this is the case, we will see many different strategies take place upon how one keeps the other out of the circle in which they want to keep control of and to occupy.

I would love to see an honest society, one where if a man or woman creates something in life, then it is not stolen from him or her for whom are the true creators, and if a man and woman works hard and applies themselves honestly in life, it is not stolen from him or her afterwards. There is so much bad going on and/or has gone on these days, that it breaks the individual hope filled spirit into splinters.

There are so many that do not deserve what they have these days or rather have gotten it in such bad ways sadly by ill gotten gains or either they had it past down to them unfortunately for all of us whom may be affected negatively by this process that its ashamed really, where as it is the handing of someone something that they don't or did not ever deserve, and that just isn't even funny anymore by what goes on now or that is being found more and more in it all as we regress and not progress instead, and all because of this problem that has become prevalent it seems more and more in our society.

There is a generation now that has come to pass, for whom had not worked for what they were receiving, and yet it was handed down to them out of pity in hopes that it will take care of their sorry behinds in life, and it was also given them shockingly all due to their lack of hard works and ethics in which they portrayed openly to their parents and friends or even right in front of their co-workers, along with their shady character in life as well in which they did not hide, but give to them it was, because if they don't get it, their parents felt that they won't be saved in life by any other way or method than this one, so the torch was passed, even if it would affect thousands in a negative way into their futures, it was still passed down to them.