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> more people are middle class+ than ever Are you citing absolute numbers? The study people usually talk about most here is the Pew one: https://www.pewresear

> more people are middle class+ than ever Are you citing absolute numbers? The study people usually talk about most here is the Pew one: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/01/09/trends-in-income-and-wealth-inequality/ https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/01/09/trends-... Over the past half century, the middle third of the income distribution has dropped from 62% of aggregate income to 43%, mostly at the expense of the upper third (the bottom third is mostly flat, but certainly not "rising"). > "it's time to try something else" What else is there? The New Deal seems to have done pretty well. Minimum wage laws used to be vastly more effective due to inflation, and we grew just fine in the 60's. Some of it is just fairness: Upper incomes and short term capital gains used to bear a much larger share of the tax burden, and those cuts seem to have done nothing but make rich people richer. This canard is so tiresome. Someone does the peasant "I think we should improve society somewhat" thing and inevitably they get accused of being a (pause for breah) COMMUNIST. Every time.

wernercd 6y ago
> Are you citing absolute numbers? https://medium.com/the-radical-center/the-triumph-of-the-middle-class-f5bc95110fd7 https://medium.com/the-radical-center/the-triumph-of-the-mid... Plenty of info out there that wealth is getting distributed globally. The absolute poor are decreasing and the middle class globally is increasing - absolute numbers and by the %'ages. > inevitably get accused If you use the ideas and thoughts of it... then of course you're going to get accused of it. And your "why you gotta call me a communist" doesn't answer the question... what other options are there?
- newacct583 6y ago
  Those numbers are global. I don't see how they're relevant to the subject at hand. "America" is literally in the title of the linked article, and the discussion is primarily about US tax and entitlement policy. > what other options are there? How about a "democrat"?
  - wernercd 6y ago
    Not sure how "democrat" is an option... it's an American political party. Unless you mean DS: "democratic socialism" - which is still socialism. Look at the Green New Deal where DS wants to go - control of industry "for the people" by massive expansion of government into various industries. While you may have a point about the article being American focused, the fact remains that the middle class is expanding and the lower/peasant class is shrinking globally - all boats are rising due to "evil capitalism" and that horrible capitalism, despite being the worst idea ever... is still better than the alternatives that have presented. It's global success compared to the global failure of other "better" ideas is self evident at this point. Socialism is the perfect theory... until it meets reality... and other setups are in the same boat: Better than capitalism until you look at real world results. Need to fight cronyism? corporatism? Monopolies with reasonable government controls? Sure... I'm not a PURE capitalism person - My thoughts are based on reality where restrictions keep things reasonable (like restrictions on free speech and owning guns).

wernercd 6y ago

> Are you citing absolute numbers? https://medium.com/the-radical-center/the-triumph-of-the-middle-class-f5bc95110fd7 https://medium.com/the-radical-center/the-triumph-of-the-mid... Plenty of info out there that wealth is getting distributed globally. The absolute poor are decreasing and the middle class globally is increasing - absolute numbers and by the %'ages. > inevitably get accused If you use the ideas and thoughts of it... then of course you're going to get accused of it. And your "why you gotta call me a communist" doesn't answer the question... what other options are there?

newacct583 6y ago
Those numbers are global. I don't see how they're relevant to the subject at hand. "America" is literally in the title of the linked article, and the discussion is primarily about US tax and entitlement policy. > what other options are there? How about a "democrat"?
- wernercd 6y ago
  Not sure how "democrat" is an option... it's an American political party. Unless you mean DS: "democratic socialism" - which is still socialism. Look at the Green New Deal where DS wants to go - control of industry "for the people" by massive expansion of government into various industries. While you may have a point about the article being American focused, the fact remains that the middle class is expanding and the lower/peasant class is shrinking globally - all boats are rising due to "evil capitalism" and that horrible capitalism, despite being the worst idea ever... is still better than the alternatives that have presented. It's global success compared to the global failure of other "better" ideas is self evident at this point. Socialism is the perfect theory... until it meets reality... and other setups are in the same boat: Better than capitalism until you look at real world results. Need to fight cronyism? corporatism? Monopolies with reasonable government controls? Sure... I'm not a PURE capitalism person - My thoughts are based on reality where restrictions keep things reasonable (like restrictions on free speech and owning guns).