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The 1% will own more than the 99% by 2016, report says

It's a matter of power being concentrated into a few hands, really no different from government power being concentrated in just a few individuals.

Wealth enough to live comfortably is great. Anyone who works hard and saves should be able to have a nice home, cars, vacations, etc.

But, what we're talking about is wealth in the billions being concentrated in a small percentage of people. Those people then use this wealth (or at least can use that wealth) to gain power,more wealth, therefore more power, and so on. They can ruin ordinary individuals, have much more influence than their numbers would suggest on government action.

It's not about having money. It's about power, and power corrupts regardless of its source.

There is no individual with enough power and money to compete against the Federal Govt and you ought to know that. Tell me exactly how any billionaire affects you and your family? This is a great country and no individual has so much influence that you cannot get away from it. Try getting away from the massive central govt?

I don't worry about corrupt individuals only corrupt politicians and govt. Corrupt individuals have no influence over me and my family, corrupt politicians do and when you have a 3.9 trillion dollar govt, take money from any group of people you are promoting bigger govt. and more dependence. that is the problem.

I learned a long time ago that a govt. that gives you everything you want is big enough to control you and take it all away. How many liberals really want that to happen.
 
When You Legislate Buying and Selling, The First Things Bought And Sold are Legislators.




You have the problem precisely backwards.

Not really backwards. The money flows both ways, and so does the power. Money begets power, power begets money and power corrupts.
 
There is no individual with enough power and money to compete against the Federal Govt and you ought to know that. Tell me exactly how any billionaire affects you and your family? This is a great country and no individual has so much influence that you cannot get away from it. Try getting away from the massive central govt?

I don't worry about corrupt individuals only corrupt politicians and govt. Corrupt individuals have no influence over me and my family, corrupt politicians do and when you have a 3.9 trillion dollar govt, take money from any group of people you are promoting bigger govt. and more dependence. that is the problem.

I learned a long time ago that a govt. that gives you everything you want is big enough to control you and take it all away. How many liberals really want that to happen.

No, no one can "compete against" the federal government. What they can do is buy legislative influence that helps make even more money. Power buys money. Money buys power. That's how it works. Until we find a way to take money out of politics, people with real wealth will continue to run it.
 
Not really backwards. The money flows both ways, and so does the power. Money begets power, power begets money and power corrupts.

Yeah.. but I would argue that this cycle starts with the perception by business that government can be profitable. There is a reason why industries usually lobby for regulation.


Until we find a way to take money out of politics, people with real wealth will continue to run it.

Sure - make it unprofitable by sharply reducing the governments' ability to steer resources and provide competitive regulatory advantage.
 
No, no one can "compete against" the federal government. What they can do is buy legislative influence that helps make even more money. Power buys money. Money buys power. That's how it works. Until we find a way to take money out of politics, people with real wealth will continue to run it.

Name for me one rich person that prevented you from joining them or actually hurt you and your family? We take money out of politics by implementing term limits but politicians aren't going to support that. Right now it isn't the rich causing the problem it is the politicians buying the votes of the poor and middle class with their promises and growth in entitlement spending.

How can African Americans support Obama when their unemployment rate is over 10%. Free handouts!!

How about the social liberals whose number one issue is either pot or SSM? Obama supports those causes with his rhetoric. these people are too damn stupid to vote because without a strong growing economy the social issues will never be solved but their votes will be bought.

How about all those ads about Free Healthcare supplements? Do you know anything in this country that is free? Someone is paying for it and it is the taxpayers who actually pay taxes.

We have a bunch of idiots who have been brainwashed not even knowing what their taxes are and what those taxes fund nor do they appear to give a damn. We are in a sad state here in this country today and I blame it all on liberalism and their ignorance of reality.
 
The Top 1% controlling 99% of the wealth is a lie
Good grief......can't you get anything correct when it comes to numbers?

but more importantly who really cares. How does that impact you and your family? The answer is it DOESN'T
Actually, the wealthy capturing a greater share ....NEGATIVELY impacts everyone who is not part of the top 1%. But then again, we are talking about simple math.....and you have been having trouble with that all day.
 
Good grief......can't you get anything correct when it comes to numbers?

Actually, the wealthy capturing a greater share ....NEGATIVELY impacts everyone who is not part of the top 1%. But then again, we are talking about simple math.....and you have been having trouble with that all day.

Seems like you have a problem answering what appears to be simple questions. How has any rich person prevented you from joining them or hurt you in any way??
 
Seems like you have a problem answering what appears to be simple questions. How has any rich person prevented you from joining them or hurt you in any way??
Again, this is a very simple concept.....if wages have been stagnate for DECADES while the top have captured a greater share, EVERYONE outside of the top 1% has been negatively effected.
 
When You Legislate Buying and Selling, The First Things Bought And Sold are Legislators.

You have the problem precisely backwards.

It's a catchy slogan, but I've never seen a decent proposal to deal with the fact that legislators make laws and so can regulate buying and selling. But we can limit how money influences elections. I don't think most legislators go into public service to serve as a puppet for special interests, so it seems more likely to limit buying and selling of legislators than to prohibit legislators from legislating.

At any rate, anyone who approves of the current situation with campaign finance is nuts, IMO. It's an invitation for a plutocracy.
 
Yeah.. but I would argue that this cycle starts with the perception by business that government can be profitable. There is a reason why industries usually lobby for regulation.

Sure - make it unprofitable by sharply reducing the governments' ability to steer resources and provide competitive regulatory advantage.

Ok, but now you've got e.g. Five Wall Street banks controlling roughly $8 Trillion in assets. They've got $billions, easy, they will never miss that they can and will dump into races to prevent that, perhaps much of it in secret under current rules. And of course more $billions to hire wives, husbands, former heads of banking committees, etc.

I'm not really criticizing - the problem seems almost unsolvable. We've allowed companies to form that simply wield too much power and there's no good way I can see to curb that power. I just can't think of any Step One that is more likely to be doable than limiting the money that can flow into elections.
 
Good grief......can't you get anything correct when it comes to numbers?

Actually, the wealthy capturing a greater share ....NEGATIVELY impacts everyone who is not part of the top 1%. But then again, we are talking about simple math.....and you have been having trouble with that all day.

more of the crap that if I make more money it keeps you from making more money
 
Again, this is a very simple concept.....if wages have been stagnate for DECADES while the top have captured a greater share, EVERYONE outside of the top 1% has been negatively effected.

Again still waiting for how some rich person prevented you from becoming rich or hurt you in any way? You think a rich person's compensation affected what you made? What company do you work for? You really have no idea how private business works, do you? You also don't understand that much of a rich person's compensation comes from investment, stock options, etc and that has zero affect on you. If the company does well your department budget will reflect that performance. If you aren't being rewarded what you think you deserve, take the experience you gained and move on even starting you own business then you would have no one else to blame but yourself for your compensation
 
Again still waiting for how some rich person prevented you from becoming rich or hurt you in any way? You think a rich person's compensation affected what you made? What company do you work for? You really have no idea how private business works, do you? You also don't understand that much of a rich person's compensation comes from investment, stock options, etc and that has zero affect on you. If the company does well your department budget will reflect that performance. If you aren't being rewarded what you think you deserve, take the experience you gained and move on even starting you own business then you would have no one else to blame but yourself for your compensation
I did not expect you to understand the concept of finite wealth the first, second or any other time....any more than I expect you to understand any other simple math problem.
 
I did not expect you to understand the concept of finite wealth the first, second or any other time....any more than I expect you to understand any other simple math problem.

I didn't expect anything less than a condescending comment from someone who makes Gruber look smart either. You don't seem to understand that the economy grows and if you choose not to capitalize in the opportunity to capture more of it then stop blaming the rich people for your own actions or in your case lack of action
 
Straw, he didn't create a absolutist argument.
that is what a zero sum game is and absolutist argument

Really? at any point in time there is not a finite amount of wealth?

the fact that the fed can add money to the system at any time.

Again with the straw.

nope no straw at all. the fact is between how liquid the economy is and that the fed can expand the money supply as needed
means that the 1% can never hold everything.
 
There is an infinite number of confidence fairies too....but that is not what I said.

I am sorry, you apparently just aren't that marketable and it has nothing to do with any rich person. Just class envy on your part and jealousy over what someone else has.
 
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The rich do what they can to make more. For that we are supposed to be eternally grateful?
They can't keep taking more of the pie forever, it is the trend that is most distressing. It doesn't matter if the pie is growing if they keep taking bigger pieces of it.

good thing we can always add more pie. something you still don't seem to get.
 
Does it not depend on a robust economy? How can the 99% spend when most of the money is collecting dust in some foreign account?

prove it is in a foreign account some where first. this is just a meme of the left with no traction.
The fact is the federal reserve can increase the money supply as the economy grows or shrinks.

that is there job. to ensure that all those evil 1% people can't have the whole pie for themselves.
they make sure that there is plenty of money in the system.
 
that is what a zero sum game is and absolutist argument



the fact that the fed can add money to the system at any time.
Um, an infinite amount has not existed.



nope no straw at all. the fact is between how liquid the economy is and that the fed can expand the money supply as needed
means that the 1% can never hold everything.
I never said they could.
 
Sure, there is an infinite amount of wealth...in turtle world.

there is more wealth available than stealing stuff from those who are more talented or intelligent than you are

the zero sum nonsense of the income redistributionist left is hilarious

you probably blame the valedictorian of you HS class from preventing you from getting A grade



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I am sorry, you apparently just aren't that marketable and it has nothing to do with any rich person. Just class envy on your part and jealousy over what someone else has.
You are still avoiding the argument, a finite amount of wealth exists, and if a group has captured an ever growing share, there is no escaping the fact that less remains for the other 99%.
 
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