Since Reagan in 1980’s Tax Rates for the wealth were cut in half and capital gains tax (where most make their money) was cut in half again. http://j.mp/ZFFQHB
Wages and GDP rose together until wages were suppressed in the 70’s, otherwise median income today would be greater than $100K instead of $51K http://j.mp/14MoT67
The combination of wage suppression and the collapse of the upper income tax brackets is the cause of our wealth and income inequality today. http://j.mp/102YbAk and http://j.mp/10DVrLn
A majority of American’s don’t make enough money to support a robust economy because a handful of us have more money than they can spend. http://j.mp/16E3zOT
Current US policy is creating permanent income inequality. Income mobility is shrinking as income caste system forms. http://t.co/nK5uFGyCaG
We know what victory looks like in Class Warfare. It’s the formation of an income caste system where birth determines your level of success. http://j.mp/Y1HwQP
Obama’s proposed raise in min. wage from $7.20 to $9/hr would mean a person working 40hr/week at min. wage would still be below poverty line. http://j.mp/10DwY7V
If the minimum wage was raised to $18/hour the Federal Government could eliminate almost all aid to the working poor, saving tons of money. http://j.mp/10DVrLn
Every tax dollar paid to assist the working poor is a tax subsidy providing their employer a federally funded labor discount. http://j.mp/16Bml7r
God! When are we going to wake up?
Data Driven Viewpoints 
Spot On! It will change and faster than you think – because as more people become aware, change is inevitable –
I say this from experience – in 2006, I learned, then spoke and wrote about the need for sprouted grains, pasture-fed beef, dangers of trans-fats etc. from scientists and authors who’s careers had nearly been ruined in the 70’s when they first published their findings.
Those who knew me thought I’d gone nuts – but slowly made changes and found the truth for themselves –
Now, in 2013 – you can’t watch the Yahoo! news feed without finding articles about this stuff – –
It happens, just not as fast as we need, sometimes –
And all of it happens because of those who do just what you are doing!
🙂
Thank you for your encouragement. Truth persists until it triumphs. It can lay dormant even when a whole generation fails to see, but then take root in the hearts and minds of succeeding generations. Sometimes we toil our whole lives in the greenhouse of truth waiting for Spring.
So true – I recently re-watched Ken Burn’s documentary on Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton – Their ups and downs over 50 years of crusading for women’s rights together gives me some perspective when I’m disheartened over my past 5 years of work in various arenas – 🙂
Lord knows, I’m not criss-crossing the country via train speaking in any town library or hall that will have me – braving riots, being hit by rotten fruit or being spit upon or shot at…
It’s easy to forget how long and hard previous activists struggled to get the word out and meaningful discussions started and ultimately *gasp* changes to our legislation and culture –
I still maintain that changes in cultural and personal beliefs must be made first, before any attempt at legislative processes occurs in order for any improvement to have lasting effects.
So I think talking and writing about these subjects in our own spheres of influence to be of great contribution, though it may not feel like it at the time.
🙂
Neither Susan nor Elizabeth lived long enough to legally vote – though Susan did cast a vote once, in an attempt to get her case before the Supreme Court
You’re right. And a lot of other issues required generational changes to accomplish, such as civil rights, public schools, integrated schools, etc. In the case of climate change, however, we can’t wait for generational change before we start fixing the problem. The Boomers have to start fixing this one now on their way out the door.
🙂 – Saw a couple interesting articles this week – one, that the hole in the ozone, while not completely repaired, is decreasing significantly and two, the global warming is contributing to conditions that allow Antartica to grow (cooling by the freshwater blocking natural currents)
I agree there is massive work to be done on many fronts, but hard to get people engaged in how they can help save the world, when they’re wondering how they’ll pay their rent or feed their kids – 🙂
Also spot on!
If minimum wage was increased to $18 the economy would collapse. Minimum wage is a price control set by the government designed to help young and unskilled laborers. Utilized as a program to redistribute wealth, it would place a debilitating burden on commerce.
However, like other price controls, business have ‘baked’ in the effects of minimum wage to some degree. So you could attempt to increase it incrementally while monitoring it’s effect on employment. But like everything, there is a balance.
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Let me say that “minimum wages” is only a “price control” if you accept the most narrow and cynical view of humanity. Please don’t be offended by that statement. I am sure your words don’t reflect your moral or religious values. But please do consider what that statement suggests. It implies that a human life has no intrinsic value at all. It supposes that the monetary value of a person is whatever price the financial markets places on him or her. Should we allow commercial markets to determine whose life has values and whose life has no value? Isn’t it less onerous for society to say that any human being who gives 40 hours a week to financially benefit another should have some minimum level of compensation? Isn’t one half of a persons waking hours worth some minimum compensation? If so, shouldn’t that minimum level of compensation have some bearing on the market cost of being financially self-sufficient? Minimum wage is a moral question first and foremost. It’s impact on business and the markets is a secondary matter, a question of how best to adjust and adapt so that the markets can continue to serve societies interests. That’s right… commercial markets exist to serve our social economy, not the other way around as some would have us believe.
Spot On!
I realize this is a simplistic approach – but if the increase of wages meant erasing the need for public aide (paid for by taxes), then wouldn’t the reduction in taxes paid help to fund the increase in wages paid?
Oh – right – there’s a deficit – so the wages will increases, taxes will remain the same or increase and the money ‘saved’ will just be spent somewhere else…
I once asked the local grocer in a very remote small community, who was griping that people weren’t shopping locally, if we all agreed to shop at his store, exclusively for 90 days, if he would agree to lower his prices by 15% -still much higher than the store we traveled to, but when averaged out with fuel costs, was at least closer to doable –
His response? “Why should I lower my prices? If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. That’s what’s wrong with our country – too much debt and too much whining from the poor…blah-blah-blah”
I will disclose this conversation took place in the local bar, so he may not have been at his best when this conversation took place….
My great-grandfather ran a grocery/mercantile store in northern Arkansas before, during and after the Great Depression.
His funeral was attended by many – some who had walked one or two days just to attend.
Unbeknownst to his family, there were many he had ‘carried’ through the depression – the sheer numbers of those who attended spoke of his generosity –
I think this news story best represents reasonable and thoughtful capitalism put to work – this man is investing in his community to save his business – and he is helping others along the way, not through charity, but through thoughtful local investing with an eye towards returns that outweigh the simple figures on a quarterly report:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/one-mans-fight-against-foreclosure-102500841.html
Your question is a Bull’s Eye! “God! When are we going to wake up?” If we don’t wake up real soon, the United States may die in its sleep. Washington has been sleepwalking since 1957. Per the GeldPress (www.geldpress.com), it’s been 56 years (1957) since the United States has had a balanced budget with a surplus. The surplus in 1957 was $2,223,641,753 and Eisenhower was president. And, just to keep the record straight, Bill Clinton never had a balanced budget, with a surplus, either (www.geldpress.com). Let’s stop and think for a minute, if Congress and the president can’t balance the budget after 55 years, does any really believe they’ll do any better in the near or distant future? FIFTY-FIVE YEARS IS LONG ENOUGH! Our government needs to stop running a Ponzi scheme to keep Social Security and Medicare solvent and the American economy from imploding. This is beyond scary! Our time is running out; it appears Washington does not have, or even own, an alarm clock.
[…] and that more and more Americans are slipping into poverty. Real, inflation adjusted wages have been stagnant for over 30 years. Current wages are in decline and the number of people below the poverty line is […]