5 ms·

In the Bay Area? Barely middle class for a family of three. What I don't understand in the venom these people receive. Makers vs. Takers? Ridiculous. Perhaps

In the Bay Area? Barely middle class for a family of three. What I don't understand in the venom these people receive. Makers vs. Takers? Ridiculous. Perhaps people should stop buying into Ayn Rand's objectivism nonsense and take a more humanist stance? Society is made up of people from various strata, some skilled, some unskilled. That doesn't mean it we should devolve into class warfare. These people are working and providing a service. Shouldn't they try to maximize their earning potential while doing it? Why begrudge them for wanting to make a decent wage in an area that is already hyper-inflated? Certainly there were some ridiculous parameters for the negotiations, coming from BOTH sides. If there should be anger it should be at the lawmakers for allowing critical infrastructure in a city the size of SF controllable by any one entity, be it union or not. To me, this issue is about more than a wage number. It's about leveling everyone in society.

michaelochurch 13y ago
I've used makers vs. takers rhetoric, but as far as I see it, the takers are the aristocrats at the top of society. As far as I'm concerned, the bus drivers are clearly in the maker class. They provide a service that the city requires. They make things that need to happen (people getting from one point to another) happen. The takers are the assholes who provide no service to society but get rich on their connections-- the VCs lining their pockets with the yield of multiple liquidation preferences.
bradleyjg 13y ago
Barely middle class, that's 150% of the metropolitan statistical area's median household income for one worker. Plus a health care plan worth $1700/month for only $95/month and a generous pension with no employee contribution. If you want to deal with wealth inequality how about starting with people that are actually poor, instead of the near-rich? You know, like the people that have to take the bus to get to work, because they can't afford a car. Barely middle class, what planet do you live on?

michaelochurch 13y ago

I've used makers vs. takers rhetoric, but as far as I see it, the takers are the aristocrats at the top of society. As far as I'm concerned, the bus drivers are clearly in the maker class. They provide a service that the city requires. They make things that need to happen (people getting from one point to another) happen. The takers are the assholes who provide no service to society but get rich on their connections-- the VCs lining their pockets with the yield of multiple liquidation preferences.

bradleyjg 13y ago

Barely middle class, that's 150% of the metropolitan statistical area's median household income for one worker. Plus a health care plan worth $1700/month for only $95/month and a generous pension with no employee contribution. If you want to deal with wealth inequality how about starting with people that are actually poor, instead of the near-rich? You know, like the people that have to take the bus to get to work, because they can't afford a car. Barely middle class, what planet do you live on?