President Donald Trump

[Fresno Bob]

Any other questions?

I'd prefer that my country not be compared to Venezuela.....unfortunately the Trump presidency makes that comparison available

[TranaGreg]

good responses bg. I have to point something out tho ...

Your income inequality.
--- Income inequality in my mind is a misnomer/talking point. If you dont put in the time to gain applicable job skills then you are limiting your marketability and earning potential. Some jobs pay more than others. Managers get paid more than entry level. Senior managers get paid more than managers. This is most frequently due to experience and training. Keep in mind in the US there are plenty of jobs that pay good wages that go unfilled - if someone took the time to get a trade skill - they would be in demand for plenty of job opportunities.

Income inequality is a real issue. Everything you state in your response applies to every country in the world. And yet the income earned by the US's top 1% has gone from 8% in the 70's to almost 20% in 2015 (to be clear, wealth consolidation is an issue for all countries - the lines for everyone have been rising, just not to the same degree ...)

[cardboardbox]

nobility doesn't keep the lights on, paying up does. You be Spartacus, I'll be Rome

Well in that case you should be able to pay the entire bill.

[cardboardbox]

I'd prefer that my country not be compared to Venezuela.....unfortunately the Trump presidency makes that comparison available

Venezuela is the socialist dream.

[baldgriff]

good responses bg. I have to point something out tho ...



Income inequality is a real issue. Everything you state in your response applies to every country in the world. And yet the income earned by the US's top 1% has gone from 8% in the 70's to almost 20% in 2015 (to be clear, wealth consolidation is an issue for all countries - the lines for everyone have been rising, just not to the same degree ...)

Trana - Personally, the "income inequality" thing is sour grapes argument. Its a look what they have that I dont. Im not personally worried about equality of outcome. If someone made more money because they made better product, better decisions etc.. then their reward is a better outcome. They performed better than I did and were rewarded accordingly. Only I can do what is needed to raise my income - by getting more experience and education.

Income equality seems to imply that people should automatically get a share of what the top 1% have earned. Why? Why should I get something from them that I have no right to?

I am more worried about equality of opportunity. I believe that even now in this country it is possible for someone to start with very little and turn it into a great deal. You have to do the work though.

[Teenwolf]

Trana - Personally, the "income inequality" thing is sour grapes argument. Its a look what they have that I dont. Im not personally worried about equality of outcome. If someone made more money because they made better product, better decisions etc.. then their reward is a better outcome. They performed better than I did and were rewarded accordingly. Only I can do what is needed to raise my income - by getting more experience and education.

Income equality seems to imply that people should automatically get a share of what the top 1% have earned. Why? Why should I get something from them that I have no right to?

I am more worried about equality of opportunity. I believe that even now in this country it is possible for someone to start with very little and turn it into a great deal. You have to do the work though.

There was a recent study that showed that a white person with a felony has a greater chance of getting a job than a black person with the exact same experience WITHOUT a felony conviction. The fact that you talk about all money being available to all people, regardless of family wealth or ethnicity, shows how incredibly blind you are to this issue.

I appreciate all of your other answers though, and I was surprised at how closely I agree with most of your points.

Of course... you still think that having 100x more innocent people being shot and killed than any other country is just "the price of freedom", right? I forgot to add senseless bloodshed due to mass saturation of guns to my list of reasons the US is a dumpster fire. Would you please respond to that one? I might be surprised again.

[Moonlight J]

Standing up Venezuela as a good example of socialism is like telling me a quality start is an effective measure of pitching.

Chavez perversed it and turned it into a system to benefit he & his friends.

Income inequality may be a poor way to phrase the problem of too much money in the hands of too few people and those people get to set the rules due to their influence. Perhaps opportunity inequality is a better phrase.

[Redbirds Fan]

Dude -
I havent read this yet but font seems to indicate you're upset or something... HOLY CRAP

Sorry, formatting error. Fixed.

[baldgriff]

Sorry, formatting error. Fixed.

Thanks man... LOL (Seriously I am laughing as I type this....) We may disagree at times, but your still good shit Lucky.

[TranaGreg]

Income equality seems to imply that people should automatically get a share of what the top 1% have earned. Why? Why should I get something from them that I have no right to?

I guess a lot of people feel that society works better when the poor and the sick are taken care of. You're worried about rights and entitlements; I'm not. I'm worried about people freezing to death (it's -22 here today!), or not being able to take their sick kids to the hospital. That's why someone should get something that they technically have no right to.

[The Feral Slasher]

Your prison system.

Your health care system.

Your income inequality.

Your education system.

.

These were all horrible before Trump, I think they explain a lot about how he could get elected. Unfortunately he will just make them worse. Then we will all rejoice when he is out of office and we return to the government that created all the problems to begin with.

[baldgriff]

I believe that there are many that should be taken care of. We have how many veterans that are homeless, starving families. My wife and I have donated to multiple organizations that help take care of these people. Yes, I believe in personal property rights. I also believe that it makes sense to donate from what you have earned to help those around you. That doesnt meant that the person benefitting is "entitled to it" - it means that I want them to be safe, warm and not hungry.

[Bernie Brewer]

I'm tired. I'm just gonna sit this round out and...

learn!

[baldgriff]

These were all horrible before Trump, I think they explain a lot about how he could get elected. Unfortunately he will just make them worse. Then we will all rejoice when he is out of office and we return to the government that created all the problems to begin with.

This is actually more of my fear.

[Fresno Bob]

I'm tired. I'm just gonna sit this round out and...

learn!

and not send any money?