Income Inequality in the US

So the news outlets and blogs online have been abuzz about this new study about income equality, how we perceive it, and how we think income should be distributed ideally. See the pretty chart above for the summarized results.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/09/more-on-the-wealthy-poor-and-a-fair-society/63582/


What strikes me most about the chart is how the bottom two classes do not even register on the graph at all. It really gives you a sense of how little we have, and how the middle class isn't just shrinking--it's pretty much gone. In the study, most respondents also chose income inequality levels that are more similar to Sweden's (which is close to the ideal bar graph) than the ones we currently have in the US. Pretty much every class, from the bottom to the top, chose similar levels of income distribution.

So my question is this. If, according to the survey, we can all agree that the current levels of income distribution is unfair, and we can also relatively agree on what the ideal levels are, then why aren't we doing anything about it? Both parties are avoiding discussing the fact that we are becoming an increasingly unequal society, and more and more people are struggling to even subsist, and that we need solutions. Republicans won't raise taxes on the rich because that's just not what they do, and Democrats won't do it either, for fear of getting voted out of office. So here we are, with our income inequality levels soaring, and nobody doing anything about it.

It seems proper that the democrats are acting like little pussies, but it seems to me from I read that the democrats are pushing to not let bush tax cuts just expire, but to keep them for anyone earning below 200k. That's some action from the democrats, but of course, the republicans, being the cunts that they are, just can't accept having such an enormous blow to the salaries of the rich; we all know that before the bush tax cuts, the economy was in the shithole and unemployment was through the roof.

So far I heard about capping CEO salary. Not sure how helpful that would be, or how fair, but then again they're way ahead of the rest of us poor people.

Both of the parties are retarded anyways.

Just win the lottery and move to canada, that what im doing.

Unless we get another FDR in office, both parties are going to remain the same money-sucking, corrupt wimps that don't give a flying furnal about the miseries of the citizenry but instead worry about their relection chances.

Having said that, if the article is true, this is a serious issue because I also am one of those who believed the figures came out to the second line, which clearly isn't the case anymore as indicated by the first line. We all know that once the economy picks up, inflation will be rising right there with it as well as raising the current standards of living to even higher levels. I don't see a solution to this, but the rich need to be taxed harder for this issue of income inequality to be addressed. That might not be the end-all answer, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

Agreed, G-Money. However, a simple tax increase for the super rich won't solve the issue.

The government is in a rather stagnant position with this issue, and it seems to be apparent that neither side will move. I doubt that the change which will rectify this injustice will come about by government intervention. Too many politicians seem to be afraid of the outcry from the conservatives and rich.

Overwhelming public outcry seems to be the most plausible way to change this flawed system. Unfortunately for us, the populous of the United States seems to be far too passive at the moment to even hope for such a response in the coming years.

Yeeeeeeah.

Let's see about equal pay for both genders doing the same jobs, first, thanks.

How about pay based on quality of work as a goal?

This is absolutely important too, but if the pay for both genders is equal but abysmally low, that doesn't really help either.

Sometimes it's just so frustrating, isn't it? Fuck the kyriarchy. =.=

Uh...that is the same thing? If women and men are doing the same job with the same hours and the same quality, then they should absolutely be paid the same.

But this thread isn't really about gender equality (though I might make one of those later), it's about income inequality, so let's try to keep things on topic, please.

Frankly, the hammers already been hit on the head. Politicians on either end of the Spectrum, in so far as Democrats, Republicans and Obama's current slightly more liberalistic position towards Socialism. Still a far cry from it though.

Anyhow, back on topic. Taxing the upper eschalon is merely a bandaid to a wide gash of a wound. The economy is deep in the Sh*tter. What were seeing today is a direct result of two things, firstly, the 90's administrations horrible failure that was the North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA. Secondly, is the all around retartedness of both government decisions in the last 20 years as well as plain out idiocy on the part of corporations and their complete lack of foresight.

Throughout history, economies have constantly shifted from doing well to doing Sh*tty. However, this time I feel its different. With the huge outsorucing of jobs and manufacturing, America plain has no hope right now of rebuidling itself unless the governemnt decides to grow a pair.

Unfortunatly, those bastards are so corrupt and worried that the only time we ever see movement is near Election Season, and even then all they spew is BS we all want to hear. Only to do nothing.

LAst but not least is the Incrementalist way of America to change. Rarely have we ever done anything in a rapid fashion. The normal rule of thumb is that we wont see the affects of the current administration until about two administrations later.

Thus, it falls to the citizen to be pissed and selfish enough to actually stand up for himself and do something about it. Unfortunatly last I checked, america is overweight, lazy, and sucking the big D*ck of of "Experts" like Nancy Grace, Bill O' Reilly, or even better, Sarah Palin.

I give America, if where lucky, one or two more centuries before we either A. All die in an apocolyptic fashion, B. Fall into a second civil war, or C. get congquered by say, China, or a future European Union, or good 'ol Mother Russia.

First off, we can swear on FAKKU. C'mon, you can say it with me...dick, pussy, cock, shit, fuck. No need for asterisks!

Anyway, I, for one, welcome our new Chinese overlords.

Actually, young women without children make more money than men by a fair margin. The reason is because there are more female college graduates in the US - 3 to 2 ratio in favor of women in fact.

The thing is, the trend is still recent so women over 40 or even 30 are not making as much as men are. But the younger generation - ours I guess - is.

Just google "women make more than men" or something along those lines and you'll find plenty of articles.

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For some reason, it seems that being rich is evil and Un-American. I don't know why poor people deserve tax breaks, but the evil rich guy who owns the cleaners on the street corner has to have his taxes raised.

You assume that 200k is a lot - it isn't. People with less live pay check to pay check and have to do without things, however 200k don't make a high roller. What there needs to be is a change in tax brackets so those evil billionairs that get the blame for not paying your rent (they can afford it, so why not? I'm entitled to other people's money right?) can have a tax raise without hurting small business owners who almost always put there earnings back into their business - including paying workers.

WOW!!!!! Income inequality in the United States ever since the Pilgrims landed. What's new?

There is income inequality in China, Mexico, Venezuela, Great Britain, Japan, North and South Korea, South Africa, Somalia etc... etc... Even When The Soviet Union was around. The Communist leadership made millions of dollars while a factory worker in the Soviet Union barely made a hundred dollars a month.

You do not have to beleive me but learn how to research from all the libraries and the internet.

So the United States is unfair. How is most of the world different in income inequality?

The pirates, in Somalia, are making millions and buying prominent real estate in Kenya. The article was on the internet two-three months ago from several different news agencies..

Right. And because things are fucked up elsewhere in the world, we shouldn't focus on bettering ourselves. *rolls eyes*

There are many countries worse than us yes, but there are also many that are better. It patriotic to want to change our country for the better.

Yeah, the income inequality in America has has gotten ridiculous. I personally blame it on too much corporate money in politics myself

This isn't just a U.S phenomena, European Nations have this problem as well.

Those following the news might have heard of recent Europe-wide strikes as result of E.U government issuing directives about sever funding cuts for welfare...which are somewhat necessary in some countries. Only that the wealthy financiers, and all the CEO's had not experienced any cuts in a very long while, and the government, instead of focusing money where it's important keep funneling it to banks on the verge of collapse. The public outrage is enormous (Barcelona in Spain was pretty much trashed by riots, for one thing).


The problem is that people managing the economy, and private sector in particular where never accounted for their actions - if worlds governments had any balls, most of the bank CEO's should've been arrested and their personal assets seized. And yet they're still very free, and sucking out even more loans from governments, so that their pensions could remain at the same size even when their business is crumbling to dust.

So they richer are getting richer, while the poor have to suffer for it. Sounds familiar?

But the system is way too corrupted, or simply has too many loopholes to exploit in order for this to ever be remedied fully.

I'd say what we need is a revolution. Not anything political. I mean good old fashioned swarming of the barricades and guillotine working overtime.

Yeah...that is so not happening in the US. People are too complacent, and many think that the rich got there because of their own talents (which some rich people did, but many also don't) and that if they only apply themselves hard enough, they'll be rich too! *snorts*

Indeed. The indifference of the public (or it's unwillingness to recognize errors in the way the things are run) act only as permission for those things to continue.

And even if some do raise their voices about it, it doesn't take immediate effect. People in EU may be protesting, but it's not universal - in many places people act indifferent just as in U.S. Which gives the government the ability to marginalize the problem. Now, if you had almost entire EU up in arms about this, then the politicians would at least think twice...

@Pony
That's a pretty valid idea. Not to mention the problem of corporate execs entering the politics themselves. I'm pretty sure that a number of influential figures in some world's governments were CEO (or otherwise high-ranking officials) of private companies. It should made pretty clear that it's supposed to be a public servant, not an interest one. If buisnessmen think that their business needs governmental aid/attention/whatever, they should write a petition about it like everyone else, not run for office.