The Rich Get Richer, What Happens to the Rest of Us?

The Economic Elite have escalated their attack on U.S. workers over the past few years; however, this attack began to build intensity in the 1970s. In 1970, CEOs made $25 for every $1 the average worker made. Due to technological advancements, production and profit levels exploded from 1970 - 2000. With the lion's share of increased profits going to the CEO's, this pay ratio dramatically rose to $90 for CEOs to $1 for the average worker. As ridiculous as that seems, an in-depth study in 2004 on the explosion of CEO pay revealed that, including stock options and other benefits, CEO pay is more accurately $500 to $1.

Paul Buchheit, from DePaul University, revealed, "From 1980 to 2006 the richest 1% of America tripled their after-tax percentage of our nation's total income, while the bottom 90% have seen their share drop over 20%." Robert Freeman added, "Between 2002 and 2006, it was even worse: an astounding three-quarters of all the economy's growth was captured by the top 1%."

Due to this, the United States already had the highest inequality of wealth in the industrialized world prior to the financial crisis. Since the crisis, which has hit the average worker much harder than CEOs, the gap between the top one percent and the remaining 99% of the US population has grown to a record high. The economic top one percent of the population now owns over 70% of all financial assets, an all time record.

The top 1% have captured America's wealth

We've all seen the news, the latest research...the Elite have tripled their wealth while the rest of us have remained pretty stagnant....my question is this, without getting into the typical Capitalist/Socialist namecalling debate, what happens next?

The direction we are obviously headed is toward greater wealth consolidation, which means the consolidation of political power and influence, in the hands of fewer people...does anyone really think that 60% of the worlds wealth consolidated into 1% of the world's population is sustainable?

70%?
80%?
90%?
99%?

When do we say "that is enough"? Or are we already past the point of no return?

Because there will reach a point where the consolidation becomes exponential.

reply to post by madhatr137


The only thing that can happen, a revolution. I'm pretty sure dead or starving people can do no work, and I'm pretty sure they're not about to act like human beings. So, we've got mindless violence as the only long term options. Anything else is just a concession to keep us at the grind stones making them more money.

The problem being if the majority were wealthy,the amount of goods being used and abused would increase the waste.The only thing saving this planet from being used up to quickly is keeping the wealth isolated to a select few,which i am not nor want to be a part of.

The rich are only getting richer because of the rest of us, If the rest of us decided to not work to make the richer rich the rich would become poor just like the rest of us. but then the poor has no funding to buy the things in life like food, so its a cycle no matter how anyone what's to put it. Me I choose to work to feed my family and buy all the stuff we need to live in today's modern world. So I choose to make my boss money so I can make money so my kids can eat healthy and have warm cloths a roof over their heads and Ipods and big screen tvs and laptops and the rest of the stuff kids want.

Originally posted by Evolutionsend
reply to post by madhatr137

 

The only thing that can happen, a revolution. I'm pretty sure dead or starving people can do no work, and I'm pretty sure they're not about to act like human beings. So, we've got mindless violence as the only long term options. Anything else is just a concession to keep us at the grind stones making them more money.

edit on 28-10-2011 by Evolutionsend because: (no reason given)

Sadly it would seem that you are right. The elite are only propped up by the consumerist culture that they have brainwashed the little people with. We buy their crap because we believe the crap that buying more crap will empower us and make our lives better. All we end up with is more crap than we can use probably debts from buying the crap and a sense of perpetual unfulfillment..
Sadly mindless violence is usually a way to install another set of power hungry money whores who think they can run things without succumbing to greed and corruptioin, which seems to be hardwired into most people.

As long as MSM and fashion trends are the gurus of the masses to keep mankind desiring more and better stuff we don't really need and keeps us overworked and distracted /tired enough not to complain then nothing will change. People are waking up though...... whatever the ultimate outcome I can't predict but things are gonna change, and change is always painfrul,

the rich get richer,
the poor get the picture!

1. Feudalism
2. 1984
3. Post-apocalyptic

I don't really see too many options beyond that. Eventually, we'll have problems like in Spain, where they've currently got a 21% unemployment rate that's rising rapidly.

...

What Happens to the Rest of Us ?

we huddled masses live on subsistance rations, because it is our patriotic duty to live in austerity, if you do elsewise you are labeled a terrorist/anarchist....
remember the Elites are doing gods work, just ask Loyd (aka Lord) Blankfein

Why do you care about the rich, it has no effect on you.

Those of you who do this complaining are just jealous because you realize that you are too stupid and lazy to educate yourself and target good paying jobs.

I took all the hard classes, got an engineering school, busting my butt and working a second job to save up. I hope to buy a small farm in the next few months to have an income after I retire in 10 years. You have to work hard, have a plan, and save.

If you are out of the USA, your socialist government is the problem sucking up most of you disposable income so you cannot save enough to start a business and get ahead. We are getting in the same problem here in the USA but we will be kicking out the Obama government in another 15 months and correcting the problems. We do need to get rid of the current tax code that lets the government get donations for legislation so this will get rid of business control of the government laws.

Remember, in a hundred years when the average worker earns $1,000,000 per year, the lazy non-workers will still earn nothing....so the spread between rich and poor will always continue to grow....so what? Want money, go to work like the rest of us. My wages are my money to take care of my family first - It's not the poor's money or the governments money to use and redistribute so they can gain favor with the poor.

We are not a poor-centric country and our focus should be on making people work and take care of themselves.

This is the Rothschild's planet. Get out if you don't want to work.