Hugh_Hoy Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 the special interests will always be first at the table and hold the power behind the scenes. True...is there a time in history or a country on the face of the planet where this isn't still true? HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 the special interests will always be first at the table and hold the power behind the scenes. True...is there a time in history or a country on the face of the planet where this isn't still true? HH It was less true in the 50s and 60s in the USA. Since then the rich got much richer (the income of the super rich _exploded_ in 2009!), while the middle and working class was and is losing steadily. And it doesn't matter that much which party rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 I think it has always been that way. Difference being, in the 50, 60, 70's etc, people were kept more in the dark, and or just plain didn't care, the "post war celebration years." I also think people had a lot more respect for the office of the president and government in general. The government being whores abuse/misused that trust and screwed us. We being fools keep reelecting them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Something tells me Huge Hoy is going to be very happy tonight. Hope he doesn't gloat too much. http://www.electionprojection.com/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun_Kong Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 I believe in Raygunz time the top 1% held 10%. Now they hold 25% of the wealth. They heard "trickle-down economy", but misinterpreted it as "piss on others". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted November 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 << In the United States at the end of 2001, 10% of the population owned 71% of the wealth and the top 1% owned 38%. On the other hand, the bottom 40% owned less than 1% of the nation's wealth. According to this 2006 study by the Federal Reserve System, from 1989 to 2004, the distribution in the United States had been changing with indications there was a greater concentration of wealth held by the top 10% and top 1% of the population. >> Wikipedia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waerth Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Waerth for President! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 the special interests will always be first at the table and hold the power behind the scenes. True...is there a time in history or a country on the face of the planet where this isn't still true? HH Very true, but the main difference between then and now was that at least the country was still growing by leaps and bounds, countless stories of penniless immigrants making it. You could raise a family on one income earner. The future held promise and hope. You knew your kids would live in a better world to some extent. Even as a minority there were always 'the first...' this and that always happening. I wasn't around back then obviously but I think the government still feared the people to some extent. Maybe not the richest of the richest but people weren't afriad to mix it up if they thought the government or corporations got out of hand (unions being the best example, the conscription riots in NYC during the civil war). What has scared me the most and has thoroughly convinced me that there is the smallest of hopes left in this country is that we just barely made it from an economic meltdown and we go back to business as usual. As a people we are 4th century AD Rome. Living off past glory and believing it still exists when it doesn't, corrupt in every meaning of the word, fighting unwinnable foreign wars and can't even win the 'easy' ones any longer. I am no big fan of the Democrats. Putting so much poltical capital into health care was untimely and unnecessary. However, I have absolutely no faith in the Republicans either. I've heard nothing that suggests anything has changed since they were in control. No new ideas, no sweeping of out of the old guard with new blood who will stand up and do what's right. I'm not fooled or impressed by a few of the tea party candidates. Too many social conservatives in the lot. I used to care about gays marrying and such but there are so much more pressing problems I could give a flyinng you know what if a couple guys want the same misery that the rest of us have experienced. Damn, I'm sounding ornery again. Sorry folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Hoy Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Very true, but the main difference between then and now was that at least the country was still growing by leaps and bounds, countless stories of penniless immigrants making it. You could raise a family on one income earner. That is difference. But why those differences? Country still grows...but because of immigration. Still have success stories. Opportunity still exists. I see the big problem is too much Government. At least two generations have come to rely on Government rather than their families for guidance and help. When the Government "fails" them, they get their panties in a twist. Also, when the "government" keeps taking money out of your pockets, it reduces incentive to go out and work and go to school. Steve...socialism is EVIL ! Hillary's "It Takes A Village" was aptly titled...but the sub-title should have been "run by the village idiots". Hopefully, when I wake up in 24 hours, that Village of Idiots (currently headed by the "Idiots-in-Chiefs Pelosi and Reid) will have some better ideas. HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Very true' date=' but the main difference between then and now was that at least the country was still growing by leaps and bounds, countless stories of penniless immigrants making it. You could raise a family on one income earner. [/quote'] That is difference. But why those differences? Country still grows...but because of immigration. Still have success stories. Opportunity still exists. I see the big problem is too much Government. At least two generations have come to rely on Government rather than their families for guidance and help. When the Government "fails" them, they get their panties in a twist. Also, when the "government" keeps taking money out of your pockets, it reduces incentive to go out and work and go to school. Steve...socialism is EVIL ! Hillary's "It Takes A Village" was aptly titled...but the sub-title should have been "run by the village idiots". Hopefully, when I wake up in 24 hours, that Village of Idiots (currently headed by the "Idiots-in-Chiefs Pelosi and Reid) will have some better ideas. HH The funny thing is in regard to too much government, that the public education system is falling way behind other industrialized countries. You will see the negative results in the upcoming years, when Chinese and Indian specialists and entrepreneurs will take over high paying US jobs. For example high-tech industries like aviation industries are already experiencing a shortage of highly educated specialists. China is educating thousands of high skilled engineers more every year than the USA. The US infrastructure in the US in shambles: No bullet trains; terrible, outdated airports; outdated subway systems (see NY); collapsing bridges; outdated waterworks, eg.. They can't even agree to build a new tunnel below the Hudson river anymore. The times when anything was possible are long gone. Europeans (except the Greek, Irish and Spanish) and Asians from Tiger countries (Korea e.g.) would be stupid to immigrate to the US at moment, because in the US you have to work much more for much less benefits. But of course the military/industrial complex is expanding since decades. There billions are vanishing, but no politician or bureaucrat will touch this. Those who did lost their jobs/positions within months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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