j_b

Americans Vastly Underestimate Wealth Inequality, Support 'More Equal Distribution Of Wealth': Study Americans vastly underestimate the degree of wealth inequality in America, and we believe that the distribution should be far more equitable than it actually is, according to a new study. Or, as the study's authors put it: "All demographic groups -- even those not usually associated with wealth redistribution such as Republicans and the wealthy -- desired a more equal distribution of wealth than the status quo." The report (pdf) "Building a Better America -- One Wealth Quintile At A Time" by Dan Ariely of Duke University and Michael I. Norton of Harvard Business School (hat tip to Paul Kedrosky), shows that across ideological, economic and gender groups, Americans thought the richest 20 percent of our society controlled about 59 percent of the wealth, while the real number is closer to 84 percent. More interesting than that, the report says, is that the respondents (a randomly selected 5,522-person sample, reflecting the country's ideological, economic and gender demographics, surveyed in December 2005) believed the top 20 percent should own only 32 percent of the wealth. Respondents with incomes over $100,000 per year had similar answers to those making less than $50,000. (The report has helpful, multi-colored charts.) The respondents were presented with unlabeled pie charts representing the wealth distributions of the U.S., where the richest 20 percent controlled about 84 percent of wealth, and Sweden, where the top 20 percent only controlled 36 percent of wealth. Without knowing which country they were picking, 92 percent of respondents said they'd rather live in a country with Sweden's wealth distribution. As the new Forbes billionaires list, released Wednesday, testifies, the richest Americans are getting richer, even as the country as a whole gets poorer. After 2005 income inequality continued to balloon. more (including link to study): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/23/americans-support-wealth-redistribution_n_736132.html

Pink also thinks that putting a white face on a black man is funny

I don't give a shit what they actually are. I am only dealing with their internet persona, which are often fascistic.

what sucks is when "libruls" legitimize the grotesque interpretation of racism spewed by reactionaries.

Pointing out that the thugs use fascist tactics to try demonizing me isn't "whining" moron. Try to learn a little history, please stop making an ignorant ass out of yourself.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to it kevbone. Most of the dimwits are the bigots on this board.

Do latinos have significantly fewer cars than the US average, Yes! Does it translate in their inability to shop around? yes! Do latino laborers take jobs that other people wouldn't take? yes! do they have good work ethics on avergae? yes! Does it translate in their being good workers, on average? yes! Do latino neighborhoods have plummeting crime rates? yes. None of these are assumptions. Do you know what an assumption is?

damn, you're dense. Just laugh it up and move on, it's funny that you still try to defend this. It's OK to misspeak. I doubt you're really a racist (neither is Nitrox, I'm sure), but this is a pretty patently racist statement. Ooops, just laugh about it, dude. GOD DAMN you're high-strung. what assumptions? just reprinting my statement pretending it is full of assumptions won't do, pal.

I'd need a defense if you actually had an argument.

so, what about these assumptions?

You are dreaming if you think that your lame quips are going to prevent me from blasting racist fucks like Nitrox.

what assumptions?

so now you are going to play semantic games and edge your bet on whether someone being forced to shop in one place is "loyal" or not. Laughable, but not because you are being funny.

so? do you contest that on average few latinos have cars which makes them loyal customers? of course not, you are a troll.

In your own mind, racist fuck.

whatever dude. Your silly quips and failures to address my points don't make for very convincing arguments.

what problem? (except deciding on what's for dinner tonight I was merely noting your propensity to refer to famous climbing figures.

It is not a stereotype to note that latino workers take jobs that nobody else want to do, and display good work ethics on average, etc .. which tends to make them good workers. On average, few latinos have cars, whichc makes them loyal customers because they can't travel far to check out the competition. Latinos are on average good citizens as shown in the plummeting crime rate in heavy latino areas. You have no clue about racial discrimination, and exhibit all that is wrong about political correctness.

is that all you can come up with? weak. Fairweather is a racist because he falsely blames the california state crisis on latinos, because he think the chechen got what they deserves because they are muslim, and a host of other reasons he told us about over the last 7 years.

Absolutely not. My statement is like saying that Latinos are good citizen, that latinos are loyal customers, etc ... all statements also based on objective socio-economic reasons.

Sobo's not the adulterer, having his ex move in next door would be a more likely problem I meant that he is so down on marriage that he would talk your wife into a divorce, not that that he would sleep with her. Not very funny, I agree.

You really gonna stick by this patronizing, blatantly stereotyped, and racist statement? Tell you what, tool; you've got a lot of nerve calling me or anyone else here a racist when you're vomiting this kind of shit up like no big deal. Un fucking real. There is nothing racist about my statement. I stated what my limited experience was and I speculate that there are objective socio-economic reasons that make latino laborers "good workers" on average. You are a cretin.

Latino laborers are usually very good workers, in my limited experience, and immigrants as a whole contribute much to the economy.

huh? have you been smoking the rug?

so what ur looking for essentially is utopia? let's say we even everything out, start from scratch. everyone is magically going to put in the same effort? what? giving everyone equal opportunity to succeed is utopia? quite some American dream ...