Tuesday, September 05, 2006
The Republican Party Owes You $20,000
"If middle-class income had merely kept pace with economic growth, your $32,000 job would instead be paying you $52,000. But it's not. And the reason is that virtually all of the economic growth of the past three decades has been funneled into the pockets of the well-off, the rich, and the super-rich."
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// posted by Joel Polkinghorne @ 11:20 AM 
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I see alot of in the air calculation here in the story about $20,000. I happen to agree that things are not as improved as people thought they would be (and I go back to what the people in the 50's and what thier concept of what the future would look like.)
Since the beginning of the last century (if not the last millinium) we were always told that the near future is bright, we will work less, have more and be able to have time to do what we want in life, usually by more family time or doing 'productive' things that also improve the state of the world. But it seems like it improved to the 60's and then came to a screeching halt. Less family Time, working harder to stay even and definatly not doing enjoyable things while also providing for family or improving the world.
Like the article here are two good points as well.
1) That Starting in 1994 the repuplicans essentially started to achieve control of the legislative branch and have kept it since. That means that all that went before was in a large part was under Democratic rule. (including the Reagan years which hearlded the downward spiral of the democratic party, read socialism) - I personally think we need something in between.
2) that no political party or single polititian or group has had the guts to stand up to money, on either side.
As an example (and this is only one): 80% of the insurance industry (which is a true worldwide corporation - besides the the world bank) is owned or run under one Group Name and since the birth of the insurance industry they have been the richest segment of the US's and then the world's economy. Name any Rich Person, Company or even an intire Industry and they are ants next to the Insurance Companies - which MAKE money by investing premiums - they don't make it by paying claims (duh). Investing or threatning not to invest is the true method of control in this world. And no one - from politicians, or parties, lookng for money to campaign on, to tire makers, to doctors, to the man on the street - is unaffected by the insurance industry. Either directly or indirectly you and EVRYONE and EVERY government, Industry, Ma & Pa Store, Gas Company, Utility, etc. has an insurance policy hat says what you can or cannot do, how to do or not do something or you will be cancelled or rates change. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE.
If an insurance policy tells a doctor he will lose HIS coverage if he provides evidence against another who harmed a patient (and they do have those clauses) - is that not control? Since that means fewer law suits that are always paid out of insurance policy to the victems by those same insurance companies?
Investment companies (using insurance invested money, which in one way or another is a majority of all investment money, larger than the stock market? is a majority of the stock market?) are gently prodded only to invest in low risk/high return products or companies. So if you can -through Insurance policy requirments- then control that product or company to make it a low risk and profitable company (regadless of how they do it). you have the best of both worlds.
It is like a investment fund to them and they have insider information that virtuallyy quantees a good return.
Now that is illegal for fund Managers to do. But it is not for insurance companies. Now re-read starting at number 2 above again. The problem is that few people realize what may be going on.
They almost came out into the spotlight in 2002-2003 when 'Concerned Citizens Groups' for a whole range of issues suddenly sprang out of the woodwork and disseapeared just as fast. A little research lead straight back to the insurance industry and specifically the largest insurance 'group' in the world. And their industry news articles openly patted themselves on the back for their successful campaign in Legislative reforms that were favorable to their industry - From Workers' Comp Reform to Medical Malpractice Reform. I thought it was the commonn grassroot people that did it?
No - virtually 99% of the the web sites and TV commercials were made by and for the Insurance industry. Do your own research on who runs or paid for these Citizen web sites that were up during these crisis periods (most dissappeared immediatly like smoke)and who was really behing them.
And last and back to the point here with this story. I would like to see a year by year graph of both quoted numbers - Wages & Costs - and then look who was running the country at that time. Add them up and see who was really responsible. I don't care which one gets the credit - or the blame (depending on which party you are in) I'm not happy with either party, I just hate stories that are 3-4 levels of interpretation from the truth and end up mistating the facts. Even if true base it on facts and the truth not spun numbers just for political power or ratings.
Since the beginning of the last century (if not the last millinium) we were always told that the near future is bright, we will work less, have more and be able to have time to do what we want in life, usually by more family time or doing 'productive' things that also improve the state of the world. But it seems like it improved to the 60's and then came to a screeching halt. Less family Time, working harder to stay even and definatly not doing enjoyable things while also providing for family or improving the world.
Like the article here are two good points as well.
1) That Starting in 1994 the repuplicans essentially started to achieve control of the legislative branch and have kept it since. That means that all that went before was in a large part was under Democratic rule. (including the Reagan years which hearlded the downward spiral of the democratic party, read socialism) - I personally think we need something in between.
2) that no political party or single polititian or group has had the guts to stand up to money, on either side.
As an example (and this is only one): 80% of the insurance industry (which is a true worldwide corporation - besides the the world bank) is owned or run under one Group Name and since the birth of the insurance industry they have been the richest segment of the US's and then the world's economy. Name any Rich Person, Company or even an intire Industry and they are ants next to the Insurance Companies - which MAKE money by investing premiums - they don't make it by paying claims (duh). Investing or threatning not to invest is the true method of control in this world. And no one - from politicians, or parties, lookng for money to campaign on, to tire makers, to doctors, to the man on the street - is unaffected by the insurance industry. Either directly or indirectly you and EVRYONE and EVERY government, Industry, Ma & Pa Store, Gas Company, Utility, etc. has an insurance policy hat says what you can or cannot do, how to do or not do something or you will be cancelled or rates change. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE.
If an insurance policy tells a doctor he will lose HIS coverage if he provides evidence against another who harmed a patient (and they do have those clauses) - is that not control? Since that means fewer law suits that are always paid out of insurance policy to the victems by those same insurance companies?
Investment companies (using insurance invested money, which in one way or another is a majority of all investment money, larger than the stock market? is a majority of the stock market?) are gently prodded only to invest in low risk/high return products or companies. So if you can -through Insurance policy requirments- then control that product or company to make it a low risk and profitable company (regadless of how they do it). you have the best of both worlds.
It is like a investment fund to them and they have insider information that virtuallyy quantees a good return.
Now that is illegal for fund Managers to do. But it is not for insurance companies. Now re-read starting at number 2 above again. The problem is that few people realize what may be going on.
They almost came out into the spotlight in 2002-2003 when 'Concerned Citizens Groups' for a whole range of issues suddenly sprang out of the woodwork and disseapeared just as fast. A little research lead straight back to the insurance industry and specifically the largest insurance 'group' in the world. And their industry news articles openly patted themselves on the back for their successful campaign in Legislative reforms that were favorable to their industry - From Workers' Comp Reform to Medical Malpractice Reform. I thought it was the commonn grassroot people that did it?
No - virtually 99% of the the web sites and TV commercials were made by and for the Insurance industry. Do your own research on who runs or paid for these Citizen web sites that were up during these crisis periods (most dissappeared immediatly like smoke)and who was really behing them.
And last and back to the point here with this story. I would like to see a year by year graph of both quoted numbers - Wages & Costs - and then look who was running the country at that time. Add them up and see who was really responsible. I don't care which one gets the credit - or the blame (depending on which party you are in) I'm not happy with either party, I just hate stories that are 3-4 levels of interpretation from the truth and end up mistating the facts. Even if true base it on facts and the truth not spun numbers just for political power or ratings.
# posted by 
: 10:27 PM
: 10:27 PM
OK,
First off - The VAST majority of the wealthy (I will define them as the millionaires) are first generation people who earned their wealth. Typically as business owners. Only about 10% of millionaires inhereted some or all of their wealth. (See brief summary below from "Millionaire Mind", the best-researched book on profiling the rich)
So how do you create an incentive for the guy that owns your company to risk the money and hire your marxist lazy @$$? You give him (or her) the opportunity to become rich. Otherwise they might as well take the life savings they poured into starting the company and put it into treasury bonds. Who do you think writes the check for that middle-class person making $68K? Well, since the majority of Americans employed by smaller businesses is ...then it is an entrepreneur.
Well...lets assume that you work for a large company? Who risked the money to create the business that pays you to sit in your cubicle and rant about "the man"? ummm...shareholders. Your Mom and Dad in their 401K...your teacher in their state teacher pension fund...It is through investors that these businesses are funded. If these investors do not see significant upside potential for their investment...then guess what...they don't invest in your business. They put their money someplace else, and you get fired.
That is why the rich are necessary. Who pays more then 2/3 of the total US gross tax revenue? The rich. Who employs people? the rich. Who invests in new technologies so we can sit here and listen to libs bitch? the rich. Why does a tax cut create more long-term revenue for the government? Because investors take that additional surplus and invest it, creating jobs, creating net income from businesses, creating more tax income.
Info on Millionaire Profiling book:
Thomas J. Stanley, researcher and author of The Millionaire Next Door and The Millionaire Mind, compiled information on the characteristics of today's millionaires. (The Millionaire Mind, by Thomas J. Stanley, Andrew McMeel Publishing, 2000)
How they became affluent...
They are first-generation affluent. Forget that myth about inherited money. The vast majority of today's affluent earned it themselves. (10% inhereted it)
Post a Comment
First off - The VAST majority of the wealthy (I will define them as the millionaires) are first generation people who earned their wealth. Typically as business owners. Only about 10% of millionaires inhereted some or all of their wealth. (See brief summary below from "Millionaire Mind", the best-researched book on profiling the rich)
So how do you create an incentive for the guy that owns your company to risk the money and hire your marxist lazy @$$? You give him (or her) the opportunity to become rich. Otherwise they might as well take the life savings they poured into starting the company and put it into treasury bonds. Who do you think writes the check for that middle-class person making $68K? Well, since the majority of Americans employed by smaller businesses is ...then it is an entrepreneur.
Well...lets assume that you work for a large company? Who risked the money to create the business that pays you to sit in your cubicle and rant about "the man"? ummm...shareholders. Your Mom and Dad in their 401K...your teacher in their state teacher pension fund...It is through investors that these businesses are funded. If these investors do not see significant upside potential for their investment...then guess what...they don't invest in your business. They put their money someplace else, and you get fired.
That is why the rich are necessary. Who pays more then 2/3 of the total US gross tax revenue? The rich. Who employs people? the rich. Who invests in new technologies so we can sit here and listen to libs bitch? the rich. Why does a tax cut create more long-term revenue for the government? Because investors take that additional surplus and invest it, creating jobs, creating net income from businesses, creating more tax income.
Info on Millionaire Profiling book:
Thomas J. Stanley, researcher and author of The Millionaire Next Door and The Millionaire Mind, compiled information on the characteristics of today's millionaires. (The Millionaire Mind, by Thomas J. Stanley, Andrew McMeel Publishing, 2000)
How they became affluent...
They are first-generation affluent. Forget that myth about inherited money. The vast majority of today's affluent earned it themselves. (10% inhereted it)
# posted by : 12:42 AM
: 12:42 AM << Home