Government regulations not necessarily, more productivity yes (which gets rid of child labor, creates higher wages, etc), humans desires yes, which caused many problems to go away. And dont just pick and choose information, you should talk about how those times were also the greatest expansion of wealth in America, because people were productive and created wealth, and were insanely competitive. Productivity increased, profit increased, standard of living increased. The whole top-hat-monocle-wearing-robber-baron-government-saved-the-day narrative gets old. Also, just look at places like India and China, where more of a free market philosophy has been enacted over the decades, and tens of millions of people have been uplifted out of poverty, and into higher socieo-economic classes. So it's false to say that in a government free (in this case, less) world, the gap would expand, when in fact it shrinks. And ironically, taking into modern day America, you have a government using the peoples money (taxation) to bail out Wall Street and the bankers, and corporate welfare; so who is in fact widening the gap? And once again no. If company X decided to start paying bad wages, who would want to work for them? Who would be able to buy their products and services? Who would work in unsafe conditions? The answer is nobody. Also, you use "corporations" as if it applies to all business's, which is false.
So you don't believe all that bullshit, you just haven't quite put it all together yet? That's cool. I work for a family accounting practice. My wife has done it for over 20 years, her father 40. Her whole family for 100+ years, the ones that aren't tax law professionals with their own practices, that is. My actual career title was asset protection specialist until PTSD and Cluster Migraines pushed me out of a FLEO pursuit. Yeah, not every one on here is a dope smoking college student. Some of us have had careers and smoke dope now. What is your actual title? Student? It's OK, I'm not attacking you. If I thought you were stupid I wouldn't engage you. I would ridicule and troll you. I think that you know this shit is wrong, and just don't understand why it is wrong. And that is what they designed it to do. It is so spread out and across the board that it would take team of accountants and tax law professionals to figure it all out... And it's still confusing. I'd rather just get back to the good OK days of people trying to kill me, drinking hard and not worrying about raising a kid and trying to live forever!
Yes, rich people pay taxes. But that chart does not represent what the wealthy actually pays in taxes. As in, the the total percentage of their income. It also does not represent what the lower 99% actually pay in taxes. The chart you posted is really meaningless. Without knowing what your total income is, what you have for dependents, whether you are married, or filing jointly, what deductions you have for your mortgage or loans or donations, whether your income has been actually earned or if it's capital gains, what your property taxes or state taxes are... it is literally a bunch of meaningless numbers. You know this.
All I did was say that your post was vague (as are some of mine). I didn't even say I disagreed with it. My gosh. That wasn't meant to be insulting until you insulted my intelligence. By the way, I don't smoke anything. Ever. Been clean and sober for over two years.
Like I said, it served the purpose of responding to that one person. Obviously it is not a break down of what people pay on the whole all things considered. I genuinely wasn't trying to be misleading. I was trying to talk to that one person. Maybe I should have done that in PM so as not be unclear in my purpose? If that is the case, my apologies.
Yeah? Are you sure about that? Because I'm getting the impression that you are only pretending to drink the koolaid just to keep your position. Half that evidence is just because you are here! So there is no way that you have bought in hook line and sinker. Fight it Luke, don't join the Darkside!!!
I knew it!!! You aren't one of them. You don't believe the bullshit! You are one of us.... Thank God if there be one! lol.
What are you talking about? LOL I don't drink, smoke weed, do other drugs. I have to hide nothing, nor change my positions to do my job. I have to stick to a curriculum. I don't ever have to lie about my opinion.
Yeah I really wasn't trying to pick a fight dude. I truly just didn't feel I had enough information to comment on your remark without possibly misrepresenting you. What number assumption are we on?
I'm quite surprised you're using China and India as any kind of example to support free market ideology. Do you have any idea what working conditions are like for many employees there? Many work at factories and don't even see their families but for a couple weeks a year. There's a reason we outsource labor to places like that--because it's cheaper. I would never use those countries as any kind of example to support business practices. I'd use them as an example to support my arguments, of anything. And, unless I'm mistaken, china has a way more oppressive government than we have. The gap for them may be smaller, but at what cost? You ask if a company payed bad wages, who would want to work for them? Well, no one, and no one did a hundred years ago, but many had no choice, because everyone paid bad wages. I believe we would go right back to the way things were if corporations didn't have laws to keep them in check. And I know not all business are corporations. What I'm talking about doesn't apply so much to small businesses. I thought that was implied.
7. So far You don't have to smoke pot or drink to be here. Hell some people are cops doing investigations, some are just anti mmj, some just here because the don't belong anywhere else. But...most of us smoke, vapes , eat cannabis....so if you don't fit any of those assumptions we are up to 10 or 11. But at least we have gotten to that point where the assumptions are at least getting friendly and fun! lol.
FYI... I am drinking, but I'm not drunk. I'm on a Google nexus 7, and it's keyboard and auto correct suck balls!
Once again, picking and choosing information (card stacking, its a fallacy) to fit your argument, doesnt change the more free-market leaning philosophies which lifted tens of millions of people out of poverty into higher socieo-economic classes. There are always going to be bad conditions which people must work it, but to generalize and try to use that as an argument is always going to be fallacious, and not representing the truth at all. Difference between 150 years ago and today, is the greater availability to work at different companies, and the greater ability to start a business. Also, with all the things I listed, less corporate welfare, less bailout, etc, all would increase the ability of a new business to start up, and pay better, more benefits etc, all more just dismissing the idea that everyone would pay poorly. So its in essence, a complete apples to oranges comparison, and fallacious.
I'm going to leave it at this. I never explicitly disagreed with you, and you started a shit show because I thought something was vague. We should stop derailing the thread.
Alright, man. I think we've taken our back and forth as far as it is going to go, at least in my eyes. Thanks for the exchange. I'm still up for anyone to pick at my OP.
I'm not sure if it flew over your head but it shows the absurdity in government. Those that wrote the constitution declared themselves a government.... and people took them seriously...
You can apply it anywhere, its all the same. They declared themselves a government and I'm forced to pay for "their services."
I didn't start a shit show, I was just debating your stance, which turned out to be that you were just playing the devils advocate to another post. And I never meant to insult your intelligence, I questioned your position. And you clarified that so I apologize. We have NOT detailed this thread, and in fact we have given validation that the original intent of this thread is a moot point. Redistribution of wealth under the intent it was offered is outright theft, and un-American, and that we already have a system of wealth distribution, but that it is flawed, and in need of repair. We did a good thing, and you should be proud, not angry! What was going on with that other post has been quashed, and I think they realize that now. So I'm content to leave it at that. It's actually a pretty good finish, and a hell of a read for anyone following the ridiculous premise of the the ideals of this entire thread. Maybe it will motivate some people to actually get involved instead of entertaining thoughts of robbery and theft as a way to get ahead.