4 ms·

I'm not sure we can just blame this on the tiny minority of mega-rich at the top. The whole inversion of the curve is cause for alarm. The chart is great but it

I'm not sure we can just blame this on the tiny minority of mega-rich at the top. The whole inversion of the curve is cause for alarm. The chart is great but it seems like everyone's eye is catching on that crazy portion on the far right. Not only do we have to bring that down, we need to grab the line at 5% and start yanking it up. That's probably going to require policies and taxes that not just the 1% but the 20% as well don't like. EDIT: I'd also like to plug this really great article on regional inequality which is a huge problem but usually goes unmentioned in these sorts of discussions: http://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/novdec-2015/bloom-and-bust/ http://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/novdec-2015/bloom-and-...

cristianpascu 9y ago
If the inequality is artificial, it might be that an artificial intervention will reverse it. If it's not, than so God help us. A democratically "elected" Robin Hood will probably just take a lot from the rich and give a little to the poor to keep being "elected" democratically. On another side of life, the moment people have enough to pay the bill, anything more will not make them any happier. Leveling the income or the wealth is not doing anything effective to increasing happiness. What's and where's the problem of inequity? The fact that I can't afford a luxurious yacht trip?
- frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago
  What is "artificial" in your mind?
- AstralStorm 9y ago
  The actual problem is working long hours when you could be working short hours for the same pay, freeing time for both enjoyment, well being and creativity. Rich can also afford to hire servants and employees to do things for them. They can also afford expensive extra things or medical procedures without getting bankrupted. Capital such as factories, research facilities. Teams to manipulate both common people (marketing) and politicians (lobbyists).
gcb0 9y ago
The 20% can be completely left alone while you bring the bottom line up. but the <1% always manage to convince up to the 80% that they will be affected too. this results in what I call the right wing poor people. People that can only benefit from more taxes to the rich and land redistribution, but because they see their palpable earnings as being part of some intangible upper middle class (e.g. poor people that own one home, or programmers making $170k a year in sf) they are against any of that. it's the most effective propaganda war.

cristianpascu 9y ago

If the inequality is artificial, it might be that an artificial intervention will reverse it. If it's not, than so God help us. A democratically "elected" Robin Hood will probably just take a lot from the rich and give a little to the poor to keep being "elected" democratically. On another side of life, the moment people have enough to pay the bill, anything more will not make them any happier. Leveling the income or the wealth is not doing anything effective to increasing happiness. What's and where's the problem of inequity? The fact that I can't afford a luxurious yacht trip?

frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago
What is "artificial" in your mind?
AstralStorm 9y ago
The actual problem is working long hours when you could be working short hours for the same pay, freeing time for both enjoyment, well being and creativity. Rich can also afford to hire servants and employees to do things for them. They can also afford expensive extra things or medical procedures without getting bankrupted. Capital such as factories, research facilities. Teams to manipulate both common people (marketing) and politicians (lobbyists).

gcb0 9y ago

The 20% can be completely left alone while you bring the bottom line up. but the <1% always manage to convince up to the 80% that they will be affected too. this results in what I call the right wing poor people. People that can only benefit from more taxes to the rich and land redistribution, but because they see their palpable earnings as being part of some intangible upper middle class (e.g. poor people that own one home, or programmers making $170k a year in sf) they are against any of that. it's the most effective propaganda war.