Warren Buffett: Stop blaming the rich for income inequality

[Svnla]

“No conspiracy lies behind this depressing fact: The poor are most definitely not poor because the rich are rich,”

“Nor are the rich undeserving. Most of them have contributed brilliant innovations or managerial expertise to America’s well-being. We all live far better because of Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Sam Walton and the like. Instead, this widening gap is an inevitable consequence of an advanced market-based economy.”

“I may wish to have all jobs pay at least $15 an hour,” writes Buffett. “But that minimum would almost certainly reduce employment in a major way, crushing many workers possessing only basic skills. Smaller increases, though obviously welcome, will still leave many hardworking Americans mired in poverty.”

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mark...ing-the-rich-for-income-inequality/ar-BBk7Alo

The Oracle of Omaha has spoken, stop blaming the riches for the wrong(s) with the poors.

 

[Jaskalas]

Don't blame the rich... don't raise wages... just tax the money and spend it on welfare for the poor?

 

[LegendKiller]

Buffett is nothing more than a brand. He has sold everybody on this folksy "awe shucks" thing, but in reality, he's just another wheeler and dealer who has avoided paying taxes his whole life. Every single deal he does is structured to avoid paying taxes.

This is actually the root of income inequality. If he had actually paid the taxes he should have he'd never have tried to accumulate the wealth he did.

 

[bradley]

And stop blaming the rich for justice inequality. And stop blaming the rich for creating the rules and rigging the game. Never thought I would miss FDR as much as I lately do.

Rigging of Foreign Exchange Market Makes Felons of Top Banks
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/21/b...ilty-in-currency-and-interest-rate-cases.html

 

[trenchfoot]

I don't blame the rich for being rich at all. However, I do blame some of them for wanting to and greatly succeeding in corrupting our politicians into having these very rich folks run the government without getting elected to do it.

For so many reasons the middle class and the poor are continuously lagging behind the cost of living curve.

Whoever has the gall to fully blame these working class folks for their predicament, these very folks who don't have a smidgen of the power and influence the few very rich have, is either delusional or in denial.

I see no reason whatsoever to give these few very rich a free pass to keep on corrupting the gov't in their favor just because Warren Buffet makes some comments that have hardly anything to do with the direction our economy is headed in, a direction that in all probability makes our middle class a dying segment of our society.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

You know what else Buffet says?

“I checked the actuarial tables, and the lowest death rate is among six-year-olds,” Buffett told the magazine. “So I decided to eat like a six-year-old.”

Here’s what that looks like: Coca-Cola and Utz Potato Stix for breakfast, with ice cream for breakfast on a special day. Cherry Coke at home, and regular Coke at the office. “If I eat 2,700 calories a day, a quarter of that is Coca-Cola,” Buffett said. “I drink at least five 12-ounce servings. I do it every day.”

“I’m one quarter Coca-Cola,” the 84-year-old explained.

Such wisdom and brilliance! I'm not aware of an english word that properly captures the magnitude of it, so let me propose one: buffence. Such buffence!

 

[mrjminer]

I don't blame the rich for being rich at all. However, I do blame some of them for wanting to and greatly succeeding in corrupting our politicians into having these very rich folks run the government without getting elected to do it.

For so many reasons the middle class and the poor are continuously lagging behind the cost of living curve.

Whoever has the gall to fully blame these working class folks for their predicament, these very folks who don't have a smidgen of the power and influence the few very rich have, is either delusional or in denial.

I see no reason whatsoever to give these few very rich a free pass to keep on corrupting the gov't in their favor just because Warren Buffet makes some comments that have hardly anything to do with the direction our economy is headed in, a direction that in all probability makes our middle class a dying segment of our society.

I think the opposite group of people are delusional and in denial. There is no great big rich boogey man shaking down people for their measly $10 an hour. Most people make what they are worth because --- and get this concept --- most people are worth shit! Really. Cashier at McDonald's worth $15 an hour? That is a joke. Nothing like lowering the bar to not even requiring addition and subtraction.

The reason people don't make money is because they don't work to better themselves. The reason they don't want to better themselves is because it has become too easy for them not to, and people are inherently lazy. You can live off practically nothing in this country and still easily have a job and save money, but most people will not do that. Most people will take their $8 an hour, buy an iPhone, pay $100 a month to ATT, then just sit on their ass and watch TV thinking to themselves how the rich are stopping them from succeeding in life. All while not even bothering to vote.

Sure, there are some policies in place that screw people, but it goes both ways, rich and non-rich. People don't want to accept responsibility for their actions. Why do you think 3 year olds break shit then when you ask them about it their response is something along the lines of "I don't know?" Human nature leans towards avoiding blaming yourself, and some people never grow out of it.

There was the story here the other day about the dumbass that has to have some sort of eye surgery because he was too fucking stupid to get insurance. Yet, he started some fundraiser page for the $30k he needed -- but lives in like a $300k house and smokes. He blames Obama for his situation, and it's insane. That is the level of intelligence and responsibility you have to consider when thinking of the general population.

People will bitch, cry, and moan that they can't ever get ahead or whatever, but it is largely bullshit. This is America and, believe it or not, people can usually go out and be what they want to be if they put in the time and effort. The issue is that most people don't, because they would rather do shit like read about how Chris Brown is fighting with Beyoncé or something. Especially with the advent of the internet, and the large amount of knowledge on practically any field or trade in the world, you have to actively avoid bettering yourself in order to hold yourself down, and most people do.

The way you get people to better themselves is by removing some social welfare / safety net programs. Hard reality, and I'm sure a bunch of nimrods will respond to me and be like "omgz statistsic show all of these billions of dollars don't just let worthless lazy fucks sit around and do little to contribute," but it's the obvious truth. People work when they are incentivized with immediately gratifying things. Pretty easy to get incentivized to better yourself into a person that can make more money if you don't have your own food or shelter, pretty hard when you just give everything people need to meet their basic needs, and counting on them to magically climb of Maslow's hierarchy after not even making them succeed at the first step themselves.

 

[LegendKiller]

I think the opposite group of people are delusional and in denial. There is no great big rich boogey man shaking down people for their measly $10 an hour. Most people make what they are worth because --- and get this concept --- most people are worth shit! Really. Cashier at McDonald's worth $15 an hour? That is a joke. Nothing like lowering the bar to not even requiring addition and subtraction.

The reason people don't make money is because they don't work to better themselves. The reason they don't want to better themselves is because it has become too easy for them not to, and people are inherently lazy. You can live off practically nothing in this country and still easily have a job and save money, but most people will not do that. Most people will take their $8 an hour, buy an iPhone, pay $100 a month to ATT, then just sit on their ass and watch TV thinking to themselves how the rich are stopping them from succeeding in life. All while not even bothering to vote.

Sure, there are some policies in place that screw people, but it goes both ways, rich and non-rich. People don't want to accept responsibility for their actions. Why do you think 3 year olds break shit then when you ask them about it their response is something along the lines of "I don't know?" Human nature leans towards avoiding blaming yourself, and some people never grow out of it.

There was the story here the other day about the dumbass that has to have some sort of eye surgery because he was too fucking stupid to get insurance. Yet, he started some fundraiser page for the $30k he needed -- but lives in like a $300k house and smokes. He blames Obama for his situation, and it's insane. That is the level of intelligence and responsibility you have to consider when thinking of the general population.

People will bitch, cry, and moan that they can't ever get ahead or whatever, but it is largely bullshit. This is America and, believe it or not, people can usually go out and be what they want to be if they put in the time and effort. The issue is that most people don't, because they would rather do shit like read about how Chris Brown is fighting with Beyoncé or something. Especially with the advent of the internet, and the large amount of knowledge on practically any field or trade in the world, you have to actively avoid bettering yourself in order to hold yourself down, and most people do.

The way you get people to better themselves is by removing some social welfare / safety net programs. Hard reality, and I'm sure a bunch of nimrods will respond to me and be like "omgz statistsic show all of these billions of dollars don't just let worthless lazy fucks sit around and do little to contribute," but it's the obvious truth. People work when they are incentivized with immediately gratifying things. Pretty easy to get incentivized to better yourself into a person that can make more money if you don't have your own food or shelter, pretty hard when you just give everything people need to meet their basic needs, and counting on them to magically climb of Maslow's hierarchy after not even making them succeed at the first step themselves.

No, but there is a big rich man shaking down the politicians to make sure they get an ever bigger piece of the pie.

 

[Brainonska511]

I think the opposite group of people are delusional and in denial. There is no great big rich boogey man shaking down people for their measly $10 an hour. Most people make what they are worth because --- and get this concept --- most people are worth shit! Really. Cashier at McDonald's worth $15 an hour? That is a joke. Nothing like lowering the bar to not even requiring addition and subtraction.

The reason people don't make money is because they don't work to better themselves. The reason they don't want to better themselves is because it has become too easy for them not to, and people are inherently lazy. You can live off practically nothing in this country and still easily have a job and save money, but most people will not do that. Most people will take their $8 an hour, buy an iPhone, pay $100 a month to ATT, then just sit on their ass and watch TV thinking to themselves how the rich are stopping them from succeeding in life. All while not even bothering to vote.

Sure, there are some policies in place that screw people, but it goes both ways, rich and non-rich. People don't want to accept responsibility for their actions. Why do you think 3 year olds break shit then when you ask them about it their response is something along the lines of "I don't know?" Human nature leans towards avoiding blaming yourself, and some people never grow out of it.

There was the story here the other day about the dumbass that has to have some sort of eye surgery because he was too fucking stupid to get insurance. Yet, he started some fundraiser page for the $30k he needed -- but lives in like a $300k house and smokes. He blames Obama for his situation, and it's insane. That is the level of intelligence and responsibility you have to consider when thinking of the general population.

People will bitch, cry, and moan that they can't ever get ahead or whatever, but it is largely bullshit. This is America and, believe it or not, people can usually go out and be what they want to be if they put in the time and effort. The issue is that most people don't, because they would rather do shit like read about how Chris Brown is fighting with Beyoncé or something. Especially with the advent of the internet, and the large amount of knowledge on practically any field or trade in the world, you have to actively avoid bettering yourself in order to hold yourself down, and most people do.

The way you get people to better themselves is by removing some social welfare / safety net programs. Hard reality, and I'm sure a bunch of nimrods will respond to me and be like "omgz statistsic show all of these billions of dollars don't just let worthless lazy fucks sit around and do little to contribute," but it's the obvious truth. People work when they are incentivized with immediately gratifying things. Pretty easy to get incentivized to better yourself into a person that can make more money if you don't have your own food or shelter, pretty hard when you just give everything people need to meet their basic needs, and counting on them to magically climb of Maslow's hierarchy after not even making them succeed at the first step themselves.

Translation: Poor people are lazy. Kick the chair out from under them so they'll pull themselves up by their bootstraps. The 1900s were a fantastic time in American history for most of the working poor.

 

[Murloc]

no one should blame the rich, it's the people who own the least who make up the majority of the population, and in a democratic country that measn that if they really wanted to they could increase taxation on the rich and increase redistribution.

 

[Brainonska511]

no one should blame the rich, it's the people who own the least who make up the majority of the population, and in a democratic country that measn that if they really wanted to they could increase taxation on the rich and increase redistribution.

They might be greater in numbers than the truly wealthy, but they aren't the ones funding campaigns, running for office, writing laws, or writing regulations. And that doesn't even speak to the amount of information classes of voters may or may not possess.

 

[theeedude]

Don't blame the rich, they just fooled you into voting for a system that gives them the fruits of your productivity, but you are the fools who did the voting.

 

[michal1980]

I think the opposite group of people are delusional and in denial. There is no great big rich boogey man shaking down people for their measly $10 an hour. Most people make what they are worth because --- and get this concept --- most people are worth shit! Really. Cashier at McDonald's worth $15 an hour? That is a joke. Nothing like lowering the bar to not even requiring addition and subtraction.

The reason people don't make money is because they don't work to better themselves. The reason they don't want to better themselves is because it has become too easy for them not to, and people are inherently lazy. You can live off practically nothing in this country and still easily have a job and save money, but most people will not do that. Most people will take their $8 an hour, buy an iPhone, pay $100 a month to ATT, then just sit on their ass and watch TV thinking to themselves how the rich are stopping them from succeeding in life. All while not even bothering to vote.

Sure, there are some policies in place that screw people, but it goes both ways, rich and non-rich. People don't want to accept responsibility for their actions. Why do you think 3 year olds break shit then when you ask them about it their response is something along the lines of "I don't know?" Human nature leans towards avoiding blaming yourself, and some people never grow out of it.

There was the story here the other day about the dumbass that has to have some sort of eye surgery because he was too fucking stupid to get insurance. Yet, he started some fundraiser page for the $30k he needed -- but lives in like a $300k house and smokes. He blames Obama for his situation, and it's insane. That is the level of intelligence and responsibility you have to consider when thinking of the general population.

People will bitch, cry, and moan that they can't ever get ahead or whatever, but it is largely bullshit. This is America and, believe it or not, people can usually go out and be what they want to be if they put in the time and effort. The issue is that most people don't, because they would rather do shit like read about how Chris Brown is fighting with Beyoncé or something. Especially with the advent of the internet, and the large amount of knowledge on practically any field or trade in the world, you have to actively avoid bettering yourself in order to hold yourself down, and most people do.

The way you get people to better themselves is by removing some social welfare / safety net programs. Hard reality, and I'm sure a bunch of nimrods will respond to me and be like "omgz statistsic show all of these billions of dollars don't just let worthless lazy fucks sit around and do little to contribute," but it's the obvious truth. People work when they are incentivized with immediately gratifying things. Pretty easy to get incentivized to better yourself into a person that can make more money if you don't have your own food or shelter, pretty hard when you just give everything people need to meet their basic needs, and counting on them to magically climb of Maslow's hierarchy after not even making them succeed at the first step themselves.

I disagree with you that people get paid what they are worth.

People get paid for how much a job is worth doing. Some jobs just aren't worth that much.

 

[CitizenKain]

I think the opposite group of people are delusional and in denial. There is no great big rich boogey man shaking down people for their measly $10 an hour. Most people make what they are worth because --- and get this concept --- most people are worth shit! Really. Cashier at McDonald's worth $15 an hour? That is a joke. Nothing like lowering the bar to not even requiring addition and subtraction.

The reason people don't make money is because they don't work to better themselves. The reason they don't want to better themselves is because it has become too easy for them not to, and people are inherently lazy. You can live off practically nothing in this country and still easily have a job and save money, but most people will not do that. Most people will take their $8 an hour, buy an iPhone, pay $100 a month to ATT, then just sit on their ass and watch TV thinking to themselves how the rich are stopping them from succeeding in life. All while not even bothering to vote.

Sure, there are some policies in place that screw people, but it goes both ways, rich and non-rich. People don't want to accept responsibility for their actions. Why do you think 3 year olds break shit then when you ask them about it their response is something along the lines of "I don't know?" Human nature leans towards avoiding blaming yourself, and some people never grow out of it.

There was the story here the other day about the dumbass that has to have some sort of eye surgery because he was too fucking stupid to get insurance. Yet, he started some fundraiser page for the $30k he needed -- but lives in like a $300k house and smokes. He blames Obama for his situation, and it's insane. That is the level of intelligence and responsibility you have to consider when thinking of the general population.

People will bitch, cry, and moan that they can't ever get ahead or whatever, but it is largely bullshit. This is America and, believe it or not, people can usually go out and be what they want to be if they put in the time and effort. The issue is that most people don't, because they would rather do shit like read about how Chris Brown is fighting with Beyoncé or something. Especially with the advent of the internet, and the large amount of knowledge on practically any field or trade in the world, you have to actively avoid bettering yourself in order to hold yourself down, and most people do.

The way you get people to better themselves is by removing some social welfare / safety net programs. Hard reality, and I'm sure a bunch of nimrods will respond to me and be like "omgz statistsic show all of these billions of dollars don't just let worthless lazy fucks sit around and do little to contribute," but it's the obvious truth. People work when they are incentivized with immediately gratifying things. Pretty easy to get incentivized to better yourself into a person that can make more money if you don't have your own food or shelter, pretty hard when you just give everything people need to meet their basic needs, and counting on them to magically climb of Maslow's hierarchy after not even making them succeed at the first step themselves.

Spoiled child spotted. Good thing mommy and daddy did all the work and you can just coast.

 

[glenn1]

Translation: Poor people are lazy. Kick the chair out from under them so they'll pull themselves up by their bootstraps. The 1900s were a fantastic time in American history for most of the working poor.

*Some* poor people are lazy and could be motivated if we were to apply some tough love and reduce/cut off their benefits. For others there's not really anything you can do and can only seek to minimize the amount of assistance they need which might be 10x what the "lazy" poor person needs. The problem is that applying nuanced, individualized solutions doesn't really scale to a country of 300MM. Even if you tried the government overhead costs to make it all work would negate any savings you might have achieved.

That being said, if progressives are still going to bitch about the wealthy and "unfair distributions" even after we've taken care of the basic needs of the poor then everyone else is going to completely ignore them. Society is not going to be won over by sob stories about how xx% have yy% of the wealth when people aren't starving in the streets like a scene from Dickens.

 

[Jhhnn]

They might be greater in numbers than the truly wealthy, but they aren't the ones funding campaigns, running for office, writing laws, or writing regulations. And that doesn't even speak to the amount of information classes of voters may or may not possess.

Information? Like that furnished by the so-called liberal media?

 

[MongGrel]

I think the opposite group of people are delusional and in denial. There is no great big rich boogey man shaking down people for their measly $10 an hour. Most people make what they are worth because --- and get this concept --- most people are worth shit! Really. Cashier at McDonald's worth $15 an hour? That is a joke. Nothing like lowering the bar to not even requiring addition and subtraction.

The reason people don't make money is because they don't work to better themselves. The reason they don't want to better themselves is because it has become too easy for them not to, and people are inherently lazy. You can live off practically nothing in this country and still easily have a job and save money, but most people will not do that. Most people will take their $8 an hour, buy an iPhone, pay $100 a month to ATT, then just sit on their ass and watch TV thinking to themselves how the rich are stopping them from succeeding in life. All while not even bothering to vote.

Sure, there are some policies in place that screw people, but it goes both ways, rich and non-rich. People don't want to accept responsibility for their actions. Why do you think 3 year olds break shit then when you ask them about it their response is something along the lines of "I don't know?" Human nature leans towards avoiding blaming yourself, and some people never grow out of it.

There was the story here the other day about the dumbass that has to have some sort of eye surgery because he was too fucking stupid to get insurance. Yet, he started some fundraiser page for the $30k he needed -- but lives in like a $300k house and smokes. He blames Obama for his situation, and it's insane. That is the level of intelligence and responsibility you have to consider when thinking of the general population.

People will bitch, cry, and moan that they can't ever get ahead or whatever, but it is largely bullshit. This is America and, believe it or not, people can usually go out and be what they want to be if they put in the time and effort. The issue is that most people don't, because they would rather do shit like read about how Chris Brown is fighting with Beyoncé or something. Especially with the advent of the internet, and the large amount of knowledge on practically any field or trade in the world, you have to actively avoid bettering yourself in order to hold yourself down, and most people do.

The way you get people to better themselves is by removing some social welfare / safety net programs. Hard reality, and I'm sure a bunch of nimrods will respond to me and be like "omgz statistsic show all of these billions of dollars don't just let worthless lazy fucks sit around and do little to contribute," but it's the obvious truth. People work when they are incentivized with immediately gratifying things. Pretty easy to get incentivized to better yourself into a person that can make more money if you don't have your own food or shelter, pretty hard when you just give everything people need to meet their basic needs, and counting on them to magically climb of Maslow's hierarchy after not even making them succeed at the first step themselves.

They might be greater in numbers than the truly wealthy, but they aren't the ones funding campaigns, running for office, writing laws, or writing regulations. And that doesn't even speak to the amount of information classes of voters may or may not possess.

Don't blame the rich, they just fooled you into voting for a system that gives them the fruits of your productivity, but you are the fools who did the voting.

 

[mrjminer]

Translation: Poor people are lazy. Kick the chair out from under them so they'll pull themselves up by their bootstraps. The 1900s were a fantastic time in American history for most of the working poor.

So, when America and it's people were prospering, people pulled themselves up by their bootstraps. Now, though, when people are simply given things, they aren't. Yea, you really hit the nail on the head.

I disagree with you that people get paid what they are worth.

People get paid for how much a job is worth doing. Some jobs just aren't worth that much.

Touché. But I will say that just because people get paid only for how much a job is worth doesn't mean that they have skills warranting a job that has a higher worth

Spoiled child spotted. Good thing mommy and daddy did all the work and you can just coast.

Yea, I worked 30+ hours a week in high school starting at 16. Full-time through most of going to college full time and a few part-time fillers when I couldn't handle the work and class-load, and full-time now with the occasional contract on the side. How about you?

---

Anyways, you guys seem to think that people can't work their way up, which is laughable. This is still the land of opportunity, regardless. Anyone can do pretty much anything they put their mind -- they just don't. Sure, you are limited by your genetics in some manner (ie: not everyone is going to be Albert Einstein), but you can't discount that many people could accomplish more than they do if they put their mind to it. You can think it's because of the looming shadow of Warren Buffett if you want, but the simple fact of the matter is that:

1. Most people will be lazy if they can
2. Most people will skate on the minimum if they can
3. Most people will take things without giving an equivalent back if they can
4. Most people will do things they consider fun even if it does little to nothing to improve themselves if they can

These things are human nature. Do you think cavemen went around clubbing wolves on the head just because they wanted to improve their hunting skills, or because they needed food to survive? After they had enough to survive, did they go out and club a bunch of other animals just so they could get better at hunting, or did they just kind of fuck around for the rest of the day? There are few motivators for people that overcome laziness, and the one they all lead to is survival.

I don't think you guys take into account that the majority of people in reality are not the majority of people on this forum. The majority of people care more about the Kardashians than achieving something.

 

[MongGrel]

So, when America and it's people were prospering, people pulled themselves up by their bootstraps. Now, though, when people are simply given things, they aren't. Yea, you really hit the nail on the head.



Touché. But I will say that just because people get paid only for how much a job is worth doesn't mean that they have skills warranting a job that has a higher worth



Yea, I worked 30+ hours a week in high school starting at 16. Full-time through most of going to college full time, and full-time now with the occasional contract on the side. How about you?

---

Anyways, you guys seem to think that people can't work their way up, which is laughable. This is still the land of opportunity, regardless. Anyone can do pretty much anything they put their mind -- they just don't. Sure, you are limited by your genetics in some manner (ie: not everyone is going to be Albert Einstein), but you can't discount that many people could accomplish more than they do if they put their mind to it. You can think it's because of the looming shadow of Warren Buffett if you want, but the simple fact of the matter is that:

1. Most people will be lazy if they can
2. Most people will skate on the minimum if they can
3. Most people will take things without giving an equivalent back if they can

These things are human nature. Do you think cavemen went around clubbing wolves on the head just because they wanted to improve their hunting skills, or because they needed food to survive? After they had enough to survive, did they go out and club a bunch of other animals just so they could get better at hunting, or did they just kind of fuck around for the rest of the day? There are few motivators for people that overcome laziness, and the one they all lead to is survival.

I don't think you guys take into account that the majority of people in reality are not the majority of people on this forum. The majority of people care more about the Kardashians than achieving something.

I worked way more than you when I was young actually.

And have done similar things all my life, and my pay has dropped for decades due to off shoring manufacturing.

You seem to be somewhere off in la la land.

I finally after 5 years have gotten to something reasonable again, considering what is involved.

 

[Genx87]

This will upset the left very very much.

 

[Exophase]

You know what else Buffet says?

Such wisdom and brilliance! I'm not aware of an english word that properly captures the magnitude of it, so let me propose one: buffence. Such buffence!

I can't say for sure, but I get the feeling that that was tongue in cheek, where he said that to jokingly justify his existing bad eating habits.

 

[mrjminer]

I worked way more than you when I was young actually.

And have done similar things all my life, and my pay has dropped for decades due to off shoring manufacturing.

You seem to be somewhere off in la la land.

I finally after 5 years have gotten to something reasonable again, considering what is involved.

Good for you, but I'd hardly call "la la land" 70-80 hours of mandatory weekly work for 15 years.

 

[blastingcap]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mark...ing-the-rich-for-income-inequality/ar-BBk7Alo

The Oracle of Omaha has spoken, stop blaming the riches for the wrong(s) with the poors.

Shut up troll. People blame the system not the players and you know it.

 

[LegendKiller]

So, when America and it's people were prospering, people pulled themselves up by their bootstraps. Now, though, when people are simply given things, they aren't. Yea, you really hit the nail on the head.

Let me ask you, what was the wealth distribution like when America was prospering? What was the ratio of executive to worker pay? What was the top marginal tax rate? What was the capital gains tax rate? What was the estate tax rate? Was there something called Carried Interest? How many offshore tax havens were there? How many other ultra-high income earning tax loopholes were there? Did executives get paid in stock, or options, and try to drive tax advantageous financial engineering to prop up equity values at the expense of R&D?

This is what is laughable about ignorant people like you. You sit around and pontificate on shit you have no clue about. You've never considered anything beyond your nose.

All of that in the first paragraph is why Warren Buffet, and his friends, are as wealthy as they are. The amount of handouts they get dwarfs what "poor" people get by such a magnitude that it is staggering to even partially consider.

The entire reason why "poor" people need those handouts is because the rich people get far more.

And I am far from a socialist. I'm just a realist.

 

[Jaskalas]

Should people who work a job expect a standard quality of life in America?
Americans have answered yes by instituting food stamp, welfare, medicare, etc. We provide for our poor in many ways. The most effective means of providing for them is to cut out the middle man and simply pay Americans enough of a base income to skip the welfare. Don't we want people off the government dole? Pay them more.

We've already determined we want to ensure a certain standard of living. Now we just have to figure out the best way of achieving it.