It's the Inequality, StupidFollow

The rich become richer, the middle class slightly loses ground, and the poor become poorer. Never mind inequity, how does anyone think that is a good economic model?

Not sure, long term divergence is bad sure. How to correct it is probably complicated. I don't understand the causes enough to give an answer. Things are 10% harder for me than for my parents? Okay, I'll have to work a little harder, but really life's not all that bad.

*shrugs*

I don't even like Gala apples. I prefer Rome.

Regarding the corn ethanol biofuel etc etc, there was some research into turning kudzu into ethanol being done at our university through the US Dept of Agriculture, jointly with the University of Toronto. Last I heard anything about it was 2008. Kudzu's roots are about 70% carbohydrates and starches by dry weight, which can be converted to ethanol using the same techniques they use for corn.

Make a hell of a lot more sense to use the world's fastest growing weed than it does corn.

Let's not forget the fact that it makes soda taste fucking disgusting.

I guess one positive of living in Texas is that finding Mexican Coke is ludicrously easy.

The point is that the rich guy can buy the poor guy 250 times over.

And? I've yet to hear anyone explain to me why this is a problem.

It becomes a problem when the rich guy says:

1. The poor guy is just lazy and should work harder
2. The poor guy doesn't deserve an education since he can't afford it
3. The poor guy doesn't deserve any health care because he can't afford it
4. It's the poor guy's fault for making bad decisions
5. The poor guy should just move to a place where he can find a job

These arguments all ignore the reality of the situation - when you're poor and you don't get a lucky break someplace along the way, it's difficult to become rich. The working poor are often already shuffling multiple part time jobs, can't get any full time jobs since they never had the opportunity for higher education, can't afford to get preventative care and so end up sucking up emergency room time and money for things that could have been stopped with a simple pill six months prior, got hit by a streak of bad luck and made decisions that he had no idea would be bad because no one can predict the future, and cannot afford to move because he is either so poor he has no money to even afford a plane ticket to another city, or can't sell a house because he owes more than it's worth.

The rich guy is using those reasons for keeping his $500 taxed as low as possible.

#5 - So he's supposed to default on his mortgage so he can move to another city?

That would be foolish. Why wouldn't he sell it? Are poor people monumentally stupid? Rhetorical question by the way. See #4.


Edited, Sep 23rd 2011 7:28pm by Uglysasquatch

You missed the bit where he owes more on his mortgage than the house is currently worth, meaning he is unable to sell it.. He put $40K down on it when he bought it for $200K five years ago, then the housing bubble popped and it devalued to $100K. Now he still owes $140K on it, but if he sells it he'll be $40,000 further in debt.

Hence, the options are 1. stay where you are and try to find a better job or 2. default on the mortgage and move elsewhere, and probably never be allowed to take out a mortgage again.

And homeless to boot.