What is your opinion on Income Inequality?

[New England and The Maritimes]

I do not believe in income equality, when it come's to the economy I believe in the free market.



“We who live in free market societies believe that growth, prosperity and ultimately human fulfillment, are created from the bottom up, not the government down. Only when the human spirit is allowed to invent and create, only when individuals are given a personal stake in deciding economic policies and benefiting from their success -- only then can societies remain economically alive, dynamic, progressive, and free. Trust the people. This is the one irrefutable lesson of the entire postwar period contradicting the notion that rigid government controls are essential to economic development.”
- Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was a hypocritical moron.

Isn't he also the guy who pushed and signed off on gun control with the full support of Republicans after the second amendment was being "abused" by them evil niggers?

[Rereumrari]

Get a job. /opinion.

[Vedastia]

Using artificial means to correct income inequality only leads to more of it. Income inequality has always existed and it always will. It's not income inequality that matters; it's the standard of living.

[Bafuria]

It's not income inequality that matters; it's the standard of living.

Wrong.

[Kleomentia]

Get a job. /opinion.

Que?

[Freiheit Reich]

I believe that the rich is getting richer and the poor is getting poorer, because the top 1% are getting business income, while the 99% isn't it's not really fair. I think that the government should take the 1%'s business income and put it into the economy for stimulation.

Nice, let's share the wealth since the rich don't need it right. Why stop there? Why should some people get to own a house and have land while others rent apartments? Let's share all houses with poor people. Why do some people on cars and others don't? We need to make all cars public and shared goods. We also need ration cards so everybody gets an equal amount of good like chocolate, cheese, shampoo, and radios.

If everybody was equal than everybody would be happy right? In places where all property was state owned and the govt. provided everybody with jobs everybody was happy. I am sure we would all love to live in China or the USSR in 1960. Those places were paradise right!?

[Sidhae]

Income inequality isn't a bad thing when the more able and industrious earn accordingly, but it does become a problem when a group of people not particularly useful to society control the overwhelming majority of resources while the rest live on or below the brink of poverty.

[SaintB]

I don't have an issue with some degree of inequality in income, some people will just earn more than others for whatever reasons there are. I do however have a problem with how unequal it has become today; there is no reason for for people to have enough money to purchase their own city when there are people that can't survive off the wages they get. Or when there are people that don't even get wages.

[Oppe Ruiver]

High-paying jobs usually require more responsibility and talent. Income inequality is therefore as natural as the difference in human capabilities

[SaintB]

High-paying jobs usually require more responsibility and talent. Income inequality is therefore as natural as the difference in human capabilities

I have to ask, what exactly do people such as Stock Brokers, Vice Presidents of Kiss-Assing, Day Traders, etc do that entitles them to a higher standard of living than an engineer or a nurse?

[Uelvan]

Income inequality is a sign of a nation not only prospering but one with a meritocracy. By this I mean, you can get more power and influence if you work hard at becoming rich. To me, income inequality isn't a bad thing, so long as we the people are given a proper living wage, I couldn't care less how much you make. I am not jealous of the rich.

[SaintB]

Income inequality is a sign of a nation not only prospering but one with a meritocracy. By this I mean, you can get more power and influence if you work hard at becoming rich. To me, income inequality isn't a bad thing, so long as we the people are given a proper living wage, I couldn't care less how much you make. I am not jealous of the rich.

People aren't given a living wage, not even in most developed countries. There is a difference between prosperity and the thing we have today.

[Freiheit Reich]

Income inequality is a sign of a nation not only prospering but one with a meritocracy. By this I mean, you can get more power and influence if you work hard at becoming rich. To me, income inequality isn't a bad thing, so long as we the people are given a proper living wage, I couldn't care less how much you make. I am not jealous of the rich.

People aren't given a living wage, not even in most developed countries. There is a difference between prosperity and the thing we have today.

I can easily live on minimum wage. My apartment in Indiana cost $395 with all utilities included, you can use a bike to get around or a motor scooter (a cheap car works but why not save more money), a basic diet of oatmeal, carrots, rice, onions, bananas, tomatoes, milk, eggs, pancakes, ground turkey, and beans is very affordable (less than $100 a month). You can buy cheap clothes at thrift stores. The library provides free internet, books, and movies. Visiting the park is free.

40*6 (after taxes)*4=960 and I can live on $600 a month. I can live on even less if I share my apartment with somebody.

Minimum wage is a living wage and I gave personal proof.

[SaintB]

People aren't given a living wage, not even in most developed countries. There is a difference between prosperity and the thing we have today.

I can easily live on minimum wage. My apartment in Indiana cost $395 with all utilities included, you can use a bike to get around or a motor scooter (a cheap car works but why not save more money), a basic diet of oatmeal, carrots, rice, onions, bananas, tomatoes, milk, eggs, pancakes, ground turkey, and beans is very affordable (less than $100 a month). You can buy cheap clothes at thrift stores. The library provides free internet, books, and movies. Visiting the park is free.

40*6 (after taxes)*4=960 and I can live on $600 a month. I can live on even less if I share my apartment with somebody.

Minimum wage is a living wage and I gave personal proof.

Add in a dependent or adjust the cost of living for more urban or more rural areas and it is not a living wage.

[Yorkopolis]

Income inequality is a sign of a nation not only prospering but one with a meritocracy. By this I mean, you can get more power and influence if you work hard at becoming rich. To me, income inequality isn't a bad thing, so long as we the people are given a proper living wage, I couldn't care less how much you make. I am not jealous of the rich.

No. There are thousands of people who are working hard every day and who don't make it to the richest 1% of society. See the workers. Workers are working their arses off, every single day, and they aren't on the top of society are they? Now don't come to me with the argument "They're not smart enough", "They don't work hard enough", 'cause you probably never worked in any of the jobs the labourers have to go through. Those street cleaners, they work damn hard, and then the construction workers, they work their arses off everyday trying to help building something. But in the end, both groups aren't in the top 1% of society. Is that fair? You think it's fair that those people, who work hard everyday to get even a minimal salary paid, aren't equal to that top 1% of society who does nothing but sit back in a chair, sign their names on a contract, eat donuts and drink coffee? I find it horrible. The masses are working hard, but the top 1% really, really doesn't work hard at all. The best they'd have to do was inspect a building and sign a contract or two or fire masses of workers, while below them there's thousands, if not millions, of workers who work their asses off, every single day, who aren't in that top 1% of society of men wearing black suits, black boots, sunglasses and have some fancy dancy posh accent or another who sit in a nice, large and luxurious office all day, sign some contracts, eat some donuts and drink some coffee.

[Freiheit Reich]

I can easily live on minimum wage. My apartment in Indiana cost $395 with all utilities included, you can use a bike to get around or a motor scooter (a cheap car works but why not save more money), a basic diet of oatmeal, carrots, rice, onions, bananas, tomatoes, milk, eggs, pancakes, ground turkey, and beans is very affordable (less than $100 a month). You can buy cheap clothes at thrift stores. The library provides free internet, books, and movies. Visiting the park is free.

40*6 (after taxes)*4=960 and I can live on $600 a month. I can live on even less if I share my apartment with somebody.

Minimum wage is a living wage and I gave personal proof.

Add in a dependent or adjust the cost of living for more urban or more rural areas and it is not a living wage.

OK: Indianapolis. Rent prices are a little higher. Add about $50 to rent+utilities to what I quoted (rent is still cheap in this urban center).

If the dependent is able to work than she can make the living situation even better since we share the same apartment. If it is a child you only need to add the cost of food and cheap clothes. Many city clinics provide children with free or cheap vaccines. Children are only expensive because parents choose to spoil them. The child (if over 3) can have the same diet as me and be fine. Add $100 for the child expenses (if above 3).

[Franklin Delano Bluth]

Income inequality has always existed and it always will.

Except, you know, where it hasn't.

Let's face it: an unequal distribution of social wealth is morally indefensible, full stop, and is patently incompatible with individual liberty.

[Franklin Delano Bluth]

Income inequality is a sign of a nation not only prospering but one with a meritocracy. By this I mean, you can get more power and influence if you work hard at becoming rich. To me, income inequality isn't a bad thing, so long as we the people are given a proper living wage, I couldn't care less how much you make. I am not jealous of the rich.

The Wobblies have it right: "The next time someone tells you they got rich through hard work, as them, 'Whose?'"

The only way to obtain a share of social wealth greater than the social mean is through lying to, manipulating, assaulting, and stealing from everyone else.

[Uelvan]

Income inequality is a sign of a nation not only prospering but one with a meritocracy. By this I mean, you can get more power and influence if you work hard at becoming rich. To me, income inequality isn't a bad thing, so long as we the people are given a proper living wage, I couldn't care less how much you make. I am not jealous of the rich.

The Wobblies have it right: "The next time someone tells you they got rich through hard work, as them, 'Whose?'"

The only way to obtain a share of social wealth greater than the social mean is through lying to, manipulating, assaulting, and stealing from everyone else.

Because everyone, who ever got money, ever, is a lying and thieving asshole. Way over generalizing there.

Stuff

People who on top got there on work. They didn't just find a magic lamp and wish to be wealthy, then sat in a chair barking orders ever since. There are some who are sired in, but I generally don't care about them because generally they spend like morons and bankrupt their own company.

Work hard your whole life, and you'll see success. My father was once the worker busting his ass off every day, and even though he's not in the top 1% of the ultrawealthy, he makes way more money than your average person. Which is incredible, since he started off working minimum wage with no degree and is now an executive of a major power supplier in GA.

[North Stradia]

Income inequality is a very good thing.

[North Stradia]

Income inequality is a sign of a nation not only prospering but one with a meritocracy. By this I mean, you can get more power and influence if you work hard at becoming rich. To me, income inequality isn't a bad thing, so long as we the people are given a proper living wage, I couldn't care less how much you make. I am not jealous of the rich.

The Wobblies have it right: "The next time someone tells you they got rich through hard work, as them, 'Whose?'"

The only way to obtain a share of social wealth greater than the social mean is through lying to, manipulating, assaulting, and stealing from everyone else.

That is a delusional belief.

[Franklin Delano Bluth]

Income inequality is a very good thing.

Only if you hate freedom and love slavery.

[Divair]

Get a job. /opinion.

Most useless post in this thread.

[North Stradia]

Income inequality is a very good thing.

Only if you hate freedom and love slavery.

You're the one who supports slavery i.e. slavery to the "common good". I don't give half a fuck about the rest of society. I do what is good for my own interests.

[Franklin Delano Bluth]

The Wobblies have it right: "The next time someone tells you they got rich through hard work, as them, 'Whose?'"

The only way to obtain a share of social wealth greater than the social mean is through lying to, manipulating, assaulting, and stealing from everyone else.

Because everyone, who ever got money, ever, is a lying and thieving asshole. Way over generalizing there.

Anyone who possesses in excess of the social mean is, yes.

People who on top got there on work.

Absolutely; it takes a lot of work to set up schemes to lie, cheat, and steal. I don't deny that at all.

The question is, is it the sort of work that is socially beneficial or not? Is it the sort of work that is compatible with a free society or not?

Work hard your whole life, and you'll see success.

Again, depends on what kind of work. Dishonest work, absolutely. Honest work, not at all.