Lefty thoughts on Paul Ryan?

[The Pearl]

Thriller,

Have you ever considered that progressive policies are equally the cause of the income gap you so greatly are concerned with? Have you also considered that the income gap is irrelevant? Have you also considered that the middle class lives much better today than 30 years ago? Have you also considered that it is impossible to close the income gap with government programs and even those in the middle class that would benefit under your redistribution system don't support such a system?

Finally, and most importantly has it dawned on you that the smaller income gap you yearn for which has occurred in the past was not a result of higher tax rates?

 

[The Pearl]

Also Thriller, you have not proposed how to get the increased tax revenues generated by increasing the taxes on the rich from the US Treasury to the middle class. Until you do , you are just simply spouting silly rhetoric.

 

[The Pearl]

One more comment.


We are currently experiencing the greatest time in American and World history.

 

[VINYLONE]

One more comment.


We are currently experiencing the greatest time in American and World history.

In what respect?

Also, Pearl, what's your position on the economy right now? That everything is fine? And what do you think unemployment is at...just curious.

 

[Deleted member 365]

I'll respond once I have a little more time right now I'm running to school. Pearl, please respond to the questions I made in my post. I'll respond to yours later...

 

[franklin]

Sigh. I knew someone like you would jump to conclussions and just go with the typical Glenn Beck vomit reaction by calling Americans spoiled or excessive spenders and saying that the middle class is a buzz word. I'll define it better in just a few sentences.I don't meant to ignore the morals of living within your means. But I don't believe in wasting America in teach everyone that lesson.

Resorting to talking points.

When the middle class lacks purchasing power (wealth) they react by working more

Not all work is equal. I'm not paying a high wage for someone to flip my burger. Working harder and smarter can and does earn higher wages. We have too many burger flippers with no dedication, and wealth distribution protects this. Add value = add income.

Do you really think it a coincidence that the richest 1 percent of Americans peaked in both 1928 and 2007 at 23 percent? The top 10 percent owned 50 percent of the nations wealth at *gasp* the same years, 1928 and 2007. Is it really just a coincidence that just prior to market collapses that wealth became top heavy?

Oversimplification at it's best. Forget the credit bubbles all together, should we? World trade imbalances too? Europe following WWI had nothing to do with 1929 either? Outside political science, the wealth gap had little to do with the great depression. In fact, the 20's was a very prosperous time for most. Why do you think they called it the roaring 20's?

The redistribution of income from the top heavy rich back the spread across all other classes were brought on by new legislation and WWII. In the 30's, the top 1 percent went from owning 23 percent of the wealth to 16 percent. Then to 11-15 percent in the 40's. To 9-11 percent in the 50's. Then to 8 percent in the 60's.

Is it really just a coincidence that the golden economic age of our country was when wealth was most equally distributed? Is it really any coincidence that the darkest economic years of our country have been when wealth has been concentrated in so few hands?

People were extremely poor during the "golden economic age" compared to today's standards. More equality, but having less doesn't sound like utopia to me. Besides, there was a Lewis Turning Point back then. Agrarian labor supply finally dried up which gave labor power to demand higher wages. Giving credit to tax law is silly. Look at Chinese wages rising today. It's a similar situation.

As far as Americans "spending too much" this is hogwash. From 1947 until 1975 personal consumption stayed near 62 percent of the GNP. Prior to 2007, it had increased slightly to 70 percent. Hardly much to jump at.

Says you. Home ownership saw a smaller rise and caused huge imbalances. Your numbers have no context and no value.

the old argument of "higher taxes on the rich hurts the economy while lower taxes helps" is bull. In the 1940's to the late 60's income tax rates for the top 1 percent of Americans ranged from 94-71 percent.
Using Foxnews's logic, the 40's-60's must have been decades of economic slump and hell.
Today, they're at all time lows. Are we experiencing good times economically?

Your argument against lower tax benefits kills your argument for higher tax benefits for the same reasons. Productivity gains have been pretty consistent in spite of tax structure, not because of it. A testament to the American ideal of liberty, maybe?

 

[TheMulletMutilator]

lol. When did I admit that?

Even Keynes admitted that the majority of wealth couldn't fall into the hands of the very few.

In your mind, were FDR and Dwight Eisenhower socialists?

I loved your rebuttal. No facts, stats, just let the eyes gloss over and....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IorvWp-FMVQ

FDR is the great liberal President who ended up prolonging the Great Depression by making Government the answer to everything. WWII finally pulled us out of it. Keynesian economics have really done wonders in the last 2+ years for us haven't they? Again, keep your hand out of my wallet and I will keep mine out of your wallet.

 

[TheMulletMutilator]

These are all factors but not the ultimate reason why I believe we need to adopt more "progressive" policies and redistribute wealth than continue with conservative policies and grow the inequality gap.

Oh and this gave you away. My guess is that one of your progressive professors is pounding this garbage into your head. Think for yourself.

 

[VINYLONE]

FDR is the great liberal President who ended up prolonging the Great Depression by making Government the answer to everything. WWII finally pulled us out of it. Keynesian economics have really done wonders in the last 2+ years for us haven't they? Again, keep your hand out of my wallet and I will keep mine out of your wallet.

Keynesian economics works. It works when the debt is serviced during times of prosperity. Unfortunately that is never done.