Black Waltz
Prince
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2002
- Messages
- 569
Growing Poverty in the Worlds Last Superpower
- Thread starter Black Waltz
- Start date
wilbill
That Old Time Religion
Don't worry, when their unemployment benefits run out, they'll be walking. Will it bother you that they'll wear out a $30 pair of shoes for a few dollars worth of food?
The Bush Administration is headed toward a historic net loss in jobs during its existence. Time for another tax break for the wealthy, I guess.
The Bush Administration is headed toward a historic net loss in jobs during its existence. Time for another tax break for the wealthy, I guess.
Hoover's administration was the last presidency to show a net loss of jobs.
Riesstiu IV
Deity
I tried to get a job after my high school graduation to help pay for college. Nothing! I couldn't even get hired at a fast food restaurant let alone use my certification in IT technology to find work. This is getting ridiculous... if I don't get a job in this upcoming summer, I might have to make some college loans. 
Black Waltz
Prince
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2002
- Messages
- 569
This is Capatalism for you. Pretty much all the jobs are going overseas. Manufacturing to China. IT to India. Local call center near me just moved over to Bangledesh where the workers get paid so much less - and in much worse conditions.
Riesstiu IV
Deity
In India, getting paid $2000 - $5000 is good money, but as the standard of living in our country improves they will probably move elsewhere.
Riesstiu IV
Deity
I agree, capitalism may not be the best system out there but it seems to be the only one that works.
Dr. Dr. Doktor
Emperor
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2002
- Messages
- 1,354
Hunger and Famine. The third rider of the Apocalypse. He rides a black horse and holds a scale in his hand.
The two preceding him were Conquest holding a bow riding the white horse, and War holding a sword on the red horse.
Now we wait for Death riding the pale horse.
The two preceding him were Conquest holding a bow riding the white horse, and War holding a sword on the red horse.
Now we wait for Death riding the pale horse.
Simon Darkshade
Mysterious City of Gold
He can't make it; horse is lame. Sent me instead.
Stapel
FIAT 850 coupé
There are ways in between rmsharpe!
Not that I agree with it, but I will explain the idea:
Though it is my opinion that capitalism can solve many problems and bring more prosperity than anything else in the world, it is not the solution to any problem in the world.
Most European countries choose to trade a part of their wealth for fair redistribution of money.
The downside is high taxes that function as a handbrake on economy growth. The advantage is that nobody here (in NL) lives in poverty unless he chooses to!
Dr. Dr. Doktor
Emperor
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2002
- Messages
- 1,354
Well you could make soap out of 10 of them, and let the two remaining count them.
Simon Darkshade
Mysterious City of Gold
Inefficient if confined solely to soap. Use the hair as cold weather clothing for U-Boatmen, and generally make use of all parts of them that were no use in life.
Hayek
Old Whig
Why should American workers produce what can be more effectively produced elsewhere? This generates more money which will come to good use later on. In fact, some economists argue that all progress in the USA have come from (temporary) unemployment.
Hayek
Old Whig
According to most methods of measuring poverty, you are poor if you earn less than half of your country's medium wage. This means a whole lot of poor Americans still own a car, an apartment or a house and a computer.
Stapel
FIAT 850 coupé
The UN has some fair ways measuring poverty. I don't know what they used here. Also, what is the medium? More than one way to set it!
I know that the Dutch 'poverty rules' say you must be able to buy a TV.......
A used, but working TV, costs nothing.........
Hayek
Old Whig
The UN's UNDP measures poverty the way I described earlier. I'd say the medium wage is GDP per capita, but I may be wrong here. Considering the article is from the Guardian, I wouldn't be surprised if they have used the worst stats possible from USA's point of view.
The problem is that no matter what system you choose, you have to depend on someone else for something. For example, if the grocery stores closed forever, where would you get your food? If car factories closed, how would you get to work? If you can't find a job to support yourself, what will you do? You depend on the general honesty and goodwill of others to make sure you can live. Unfortunately we have seen, too many times, that the world is full of people who cannot be trusted and that will abuse the system, ANY system if they can. Now that being said, not everyone gets screwed. Depending on the system and how it is abused, certain people get screwed and jacked for the benefit of others. This is what they don't really tell you about modern Economics. It is all about finding someone or a group of people to trick or outright steal money from. Example: Oil. Without a doubt oil is an absolute neccessity for most Americans. No matter what they charge (approaching ridiculousness) you WILL pay for it, and there is plenty of evidence that they are just price gouging. Any small tremor, any hiccup, any excuse they think you'll buy, they will raise oil prices. Think about it, a buisness' whole purpose of existance is to make profit. So therefor, when you buy something, you are paying more than you should for it. As obvious as this is, most think little of it. So the only way you can surely protect yourself from this kind of thing is to be almost totally independent of the system. Produce your own food, tools, etc and you will get out of it exactly what you put in. Unfortunately most people or too lazy or too addicted to "modern living" to go this route. And unfortunately it is criminal to do so. So, in the end, the Matrix has you.
