income inequality

Last post 04-13-2012 4:27 PM by Robert Biegler. 86 replies.
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  • 02-21-2012 1:55 AM

    income inequality

    Income disparity is not caused by differences in education, work ethic, or how good you are as a person. Income disparity is caused by those at the top, who are fewer and fewer, receiving grossly inflated incomes, and those at the bottom, who work for a living, receiving less and less. When those few become more and more powerful, with more and more control of the government and the media, they are able to have greater control of pay scales, prices, markets, etc. It isn't about taking away the money and power that is rightfully theirs, it is about stopping them from robbing the rest of us of what is rightfully ours: democracy of people, not corporations, fair compensation for a fair day's work, control of public resources, i.e. water, forests, clean air, minerals, etc. All Americans own the oceans and waterways, public lands, etc. Who says the few have a right to drill in our Gulf, foul our lakes, cut down our forests, etc.? Yes, it makes sense for Americans to access these resources to serve the needs of all of us, but it should be done in a SUSTAINABLE WAY, not in a grab for excess profits that robs us of all future use of these exploited resources. How many Americans know that the corporations were originally GIVEN rights to the forests, so they could then sell us the wood, or were GIVEN the land for the railroads, so they could charge us for shipping? There is no supreme authority that says the one billionaire's "work" is worth multiple millions in annual income, and the work the rest of us do is only worth a pittance. HE is the one who says he is worth that, and the rest of us accept it. We need to start thinking and acting in a manner that values the labor of ALL of us. And by the way, I am not talking about millionaires--they can keep their millions. I am talking about the billionaires who control this world economy!
  • 02-21-2012 10:11 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    Exactly correct! It is time for the BIG Plan....Basic Income Guaranty.
  • 03-06-2012 9:51 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    This ranks right up with any of the stupidest things ever posted here!! After reading the first sentence and then cleaning the coffee off the monitor from bursting out laughing mid sip the fairytale goes off on the usual Marxist Utopian rant!! I'm still laughing at the picture of an uneducated lazy slob running a fortune 500 company!! Barb likes to windbag about pay equality and workers rights and benefits yet has yet to have her husband become a Union signatory contractor!! Talk the talk, now walk the walk.
  • 03-07-2012 12:50 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    There are not any unions in our area Iceman as we live in a right to poverty and no benefits state so your request is MUTE. But as I have said before we profit share and treat everyone we work for and those that works for us fairly and honestly so we definitely walk the walk. 
  • 03-07-2012 10:03 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    If you try to impress using words you don't understand it really makes you look dumber than you normally do, it is moot not mute! and IUOE 953 has jurisdiction over your area...but nice try with that fairy tale!
  • 03-07-2012 10:15 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    Had you bothered to even pick up a phone you would have also found that Labourers local 154 covers West Texas, but to pay a Union wage you might cut into your bottom line and not be able to relate to the great disparity in wages to profits...But you, like all true Marxists always want to share the fruits of someone else's work.
  • 03-07-2012 8:00 PM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    good job   mute man
  • 03-07-2012 8:25 PM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    We do pay union wage  and we are the only contractors that do even though there are NO unions of any kind in my area except for UPS so you can both go fly a kite.
  • 03-08-2012 6:26 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    Sure you do, must be an imaginary Union as you posted above there were none in the area yet you miraculously know what the prevailing rate package is....one more tale from the leftie queen!! stick with the class envy stories!
  • 03-09-2012 12:03 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    I would be happy to continue the class envy story...I think many may not quite understand why some are upset with the bankers and say we are just envious of the bankers and don't believe in capitalism, you are just a bunch of socialist..............well that is just simply not accurate....for most of us....you see most of do not have a problem with people making an honest profit on their assets or labor. So we have no problem with a banking making profit on money that belongs to them...making money with the banks own money...that is fine........but that is not what we have the banks are getting the money from the Fed for nothing...The bankers are literally getting something for nothing...and then they lend it out using fractional banking to greatly increase the returns...These are the same people who sold out the World selling everyone securites rated AAA went they in fact knew they were not of that quality...And brought the world to its knees...It is not about class envy it is about Patriotism...these people are traitors...not only to our country but Humanity in General...The backroom Casino that is the Derivative Market needs to come out of the closet...If it can't exist in the open it should not exist at all...
  • 03-09-2012 3:00 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    RB, I agree.  but I also think that in this country more value should be given to people who actually do hard physical labor that we all depend on,  I think the payscale is ridiculously skewed when someone like Judge Judy is paid 45 million a year for a one hour a day five day job to settle disputes for many  people who work full-time jobs 40 hours a week or more doing actual labor , making building, etc etc and are ony paid 15 to 30 k a year.************************************.People think nothing of their ins. ceo or bank ceo making multi millions a year  to come up with new ways to get more money by selling the public on less quality products, and/or services, and get congress to work in thier favor and against the majority of people, just seems to many people are fine with that, but if a contractor they hired to make their home safe to live in, electric, trees, etc etc etc.,or for that matter even a doctor that saved thier life charged them enough to earn as much a year as big ins, bank, pharma, or oil ceo's make they would not pay it.  Or for that matter a crane operator they hired and depended on not to kill someone lifting something for them charged enough to earn that that much they would not pay it. I think not enough value is put on people who do work where lives are at stack and too much value is put on people whose jobs are to see to it that a mega corp makes more money for offering LESS and whose jobs are to find ways to  pay less to their employees that actually provide the services or build the products they sell or sell the products for them, and/or whose jobs are to speculate or shuffle money around and buy congress members. I think more value should be put on small private individual biz that actually care about thier customers,workers,and this country, and less value should be put on mega monopoly corp ceo's that are paid to find ways to get more for less.
  • 03-09-2012 3:51 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    Top pay according to what I could find for an Exxon mobile engineer bonuses and all who is highly intelligent, highly skilled in a very complicated field, very well educated and whose job is to see to it that jobs are done safely without killing people is only 160k a year while someone like Judge Judy or some people who make their living in sports, actors actresses, singers,etc.  are paid several million a year. Now I would agree that talent deserves to be well paid, but I think the talent of a highly skilled engineer where lives are at stake is worth as much or more than an entertainer or someone whose talent is shuffling money and/or speculating with other peoples money...
  • 03-10-2012 11:49 PM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    Seriously???, If you want to earn what a sports figure or actor earns then do what they do, harping about how overpaid they are only shows jealousy / class (or for some of them classless) envy. BTW, your Exxon money is off by over $150000, drillers do 175k a year and up
  • 03-11-2012 10:45 PM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    Basic Income Guaranty...What you make after that is up to the market...this creates a truly "FREE MARKET" for labor where people are no longer making employment decisions under duress...This puts value in the employee...paid for by a system like that used in Alaska.... But the Bankers must be put in there place...They are OUR servants not our Masters...They must not have control of our Government... We must change the way we pay our Politicians...They should all receive the Average Salary for the district they represent. If they want to make more money they need to improve the conditions of their district...Absolutely no contributions, donations, or gifts...nothing of value....Stiff mandatory sentencing...A person should not go to Washington from the Middle class and leaving as a millionaire...Public Service should be done out of altruism...not Greed...
  • 03-12-2012 2:23 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    Somehow I knew you would not get the point Iceman. LOL think a little less singular and insular and you might get the point ************HInt: It is not about what I earn or even what you earn it is about our value system in general.
  • 03-12-2012 3:53 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    the value system, so it is all about what "they" earn, I see now.
  • 03-12-2012 5:18 PM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    Yes, as radical as it may seem to YOU I think that in general essential jobs which we all depend on  that require a lot of higher education and responsibility that can save or cost lives should be valued more and that optional entertainment jobs and/or pushing money around jobs should be valued less..
  • 03-12-2012 11:14 PM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    That being said, it is moot, as long as some millionaire will pay millions for a player or actor it will continue and all the great ideas of how to part them from that money are just that, ideas...not going to happen, golden rule you know!! one with gold makes rules.
  • 03-13-2012 12:50 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    Yes I agree Iceman...Capitalism has won...until something better comes along...but this Basic Income Idea that is being implemented in various places around the world, mostly based on the payment system used in Alaska, would / could end wage slavery....Good...It could also provide a solution to the reduction in manpower causes by technology.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Freedom....
  • 03-13-2012 1:15 AM In reply to

    Re: income inequality

    Tax breaks and incentives could go a long ways to increasing the value of jobs that require skill, higher education, and the responsibility of saving and/or costing lives.  I support reducing tax breaks for entertainers, money pushers etc, and increasing tax breaks for those in fields that require extensive and continued education as well as huge responsibilties regarding the public and lives. 
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