Lifestyles of the rich and famous: Obscene wealth inequality at it's worst

Laissez-Faire capitalism helps big business in that is dissolves protectionist measures like tariffs which used to protect the national gross domestic product. Now its a matter of who has more opportunity to offshore and automate everything.

Big business uses lobbies to write the laws, hands congress some money under the table, then congress rubber stamps the legislation. Its no suprise to hear "we have to pass it before we can read it" nonsense.

Small business and the workers have been getting royally screwed now for decades because they have to compete in a croney capitalist enviroment with the big boys, get few tax breaks if any, and have no access to tax payer bailouts. Its a win-win situation for big business as they can take all the risks given they have unlimited access to funds and never be held directly responsible for failures. Big business never goes insolvent anymore like small and medium size business does.

Neoliberalism simply means let business do whatever the hell it pleases, while the workers have to work part time jobs, go on unemployment and eventually on welfare. Keep expanding the money supply to cover-up the negative effects of unrestrained globalism, and who cares about the debt problem and inflation? Hand the bill to tomorrows generation with no questions asked.

It is grotesque and illogical!

reply to post by crazyewok


Individuals have the right to amass wealth as they see fit.

Unless they are doing something illegal and are found guilty under the courts, there is no issue here.

As for the whole power thing?? Just like money, possessions and so on, people will have more power then others and less then some.

I don't go through life trying to control others in the manner you and Progressives push for.

You all come across like a 13yr old stomping their feet saying "It's not fair what everyone else gets".

And the examples you provided did not reflect killing someone or dumping waste somewhere.


So, you are fine with their money, so long as it doesn't affect you how??? I guess double standards are the new norm.

macman

Unless they are doing something illegal and are found guilty under the courts, there is no issue here.

The issue is if some people have billions to spare they will use some of that money to avoid getting arrested, going to court, being found guilty, and paying the penalty.

They will also use their billions to lobby government in unethical and immoral ways.

Money has a way of perverting everything.

reply to post by macman


There is no reasoning with you.

You may as well go back to serfdom as once the few get to much power that what happens. The very powerfull few will always opress the less powerfull many.

I want a world were I can work hard and see the rewards.

What I DONT want is what we have now a world were I work hard and some lazy asshole on a golfcourse who was born with a silver spoon gets 90% of MY labour and hard work and my ability to start my own buiness is limited by the big billion doller buinnesses buying up all the buiness opportunity and if I want to own my own property forget it cause I have to pay inflated prices as a few powerfull land lords have brought up most the land to drive prices up to a point I cant afford squat even if I work 12 hours a day 6 days a week for a pitance wage for most likey the same people.

I dont want a system were the rich and powerfull can break the law and get away with it cause they are buddys with the politicans and judges or can afford better lawyers.

Sorry your world sucks and will just lead to a system no better than serfdom and tyranny. You may as well get rid of voteing as what the point? Eiether way one of the rich and powerfull will get in and screw you over still.

You want tyranny of a few over the masses!

reply to post by EarthCitizen07


Then that is illegal and should be punished accordingly.

crazyewok
There is no reasoning with you.

Yeah, pitching collectivism and Progressive crap will not be met with an open mind or ear. It is crap.

crazyewok
You may as well go back to serfdom as once the few get to much power that what happens. The very powerfull few will always opress the less powerfull many.

Oh, as opposed to a select few in a Govt having total power?
Those rich people have not directly taken money out of my pocket. The Govt has and does daily.

crazyewok
I want a world were I can work hard and see the rewards.

Geez, so do I. Yet, the Govt you and many others want intervening, directly steals from my pocket and yours.
You want a crocodile to watch over a tiger, who are both looking at us as a meal. Doesn't work.
At least with only one, I and everyone else have a better chance, as opposed to dealing with both at the same time.

crazyewok
What I DONT want is what we have now a world were I work hard and some lazy asshole on a golfcourse who was born with a silver spoon gets 90% of MY labour and hard work and my ability to start my own buiness is limited by the big billion doller buinnesses buying up all the buiness opportunity and if I want to own my own property forget it cause I have to pay inflated prices as a few powerfull land lords have brought up most the land to drive prices up to a point I cant afford squat even if I work 12 hours a day 6 days a week for a pitance wage for most likey the same people.

So, you hate the business owner because not only does he/she have more then you, they aren't doing what you would do, if in their place.
Talk about elitist.

crazyewok
I dont want a system were the rich and powerfull can break the law and get away with it cause they are buddys with the politicans and judges or can afford better lawyers.

So, just the Politicians should do this then.
So, instead of looking and saying "The Govt has too much power and is allowing it to be influenced by money", you say "Damn those with money influencing those God sent politicians that are here to protect us".
No wonder our country is going down the toilet.

crazyewok
Sorry your world sucks and will just lead to a system no better than serfdom and tyranny. You may as well get rid of voteing as what the point? Eiether way one of the rich and powerfull will get in and screw you over still.

I would rather go up against a business then the Govt any day. Especially with the Govt having very clear and lawful direction on what they can and can't do, yet completely ignoring that.

crazyewok

You want tyranny of a few over the masses!

Tyranny you say???
Yeah, okay then, Sure sure.


Last I checked, the Govt directly writes, places and enforces the laws for the most part.
I have yet to be arrested by Apple, had Microsoft rule on a law about my gun rights or Exxon steal money out of my paycheck before I even get the money I earned.

TAKES HARD HARD WORK and sacrfice. LOL

macman
reply to post by EarthCitizen07

 

Then that is illegal and should be punished accordingly.

Who do you think is involved in narco-trafficking, illegal organ trafficking, illegal weapons trafficking, etc? It aint the poor. Some people have always been above the law, and pay the least amount of taxes as well.

Its well known by now 9-11 was inside job that killed 3000 people in one day and was responsible for at least two wars based on bull# and the formation of DHS with all its illegal spying activity. Fast and Furious saw some daylight and was quickly forgotten about, etc.

reply to post by macman


Wow, you are completely delusional. These billionaires amassing all this money IS hurting other people! How is it not?! Not only do they use their wealth to buy laws and government policies to help them and hurt the little guys, all the money they are sitting on could be used to help others and be put towards things that matter! The only reason they're that rich to begin with is because of them writing their own tax policies and such. They're crooked, to the core, I don't understand how you don't see that. Not only are you ok with it, you DEFEND them for doing it. Disgusting really.

Tell me a guy can't live the rest of his life comfortably with a billion dollars to his name. Tell me the world and local community wouldn't benefit from them spending their "hard earned" (pffff) money on things that matter like improving schools or hospitals. Tell me how they aren't crooked, I won't hold my breath. If you really think they earned that kind money "fair and square", you are completely delusional and ignoring reality.

macman
Yeah, pitching collectivism and Progressive crap will not be met with an open mind or ear. It is crap.

Haha and this why your posts on this thread are utter tripe!

At no point have a I preached socilism and progresiveness or higher taxes or big goverment

Infact Im writing something that I am planning to post on ATS that sort of says the opposite

At the moment big buisnesses and super rich does = Goverment!

As I pointed out how many in goverment are not in $10 million + group?

You have the foxes guarding the hens!

That why they play the system!

Im all for free market so long as the super rich and big buinesses are forced to play by the same rules as everyone else! And corruption and explotation are low! A system that has strict sepration of big buiness intrests and goverment.

solongandgoodnight
it's sad that mankind's base instinct is greed, and it's been that way for ages.

"This is my kingdom come."

and what you're seeing in this thread is greed, jealousy and sloth-like laziness.

they have money, I want it, I don't want to work for it, nor do I possess the skills to obtain it so it should be redistributed so that I can have more.


Bandit was dead on. if the people want redistribution of wealth, all the money in the world should be taken, pooled together and redistributed.


You know what happens after that?


The smart folks use their money to make more of it and the dumb ones piss it away on things they can't afford to keep.


Here's a nice story about welfare recipients and their spending habits.
www.wsbtv.com...

if you give these people a million dollars, they'll waste it and wind up needing more handouts.

Here's what happened with Katrina money doled out to those that had loses from the storm
'
www.snopes.com...



On the flip side, let's look at what some of the world's richest people, Carlos Slim included, are up to with their vast, unnecessary wealth

www.forbes.com...

That's right, they're giving large amounts to charitable programs, trying to make the world a better place.


So, you want to take money away from people doing good with their money and give it to people who want flat screen tvs, Xboxes and lap dances.


this, people, is why the world is twirling down the toilet.

reply to post by DeadSeraph


My friend's daughter and her husband crewed this Mexican millionaire's yacht. She was the chef and he was the ship's captain. They spent many years on his yacht, caring for it, cleaning it, and seeing to repairs.

I remember after one busy summer of yachting, Carlos tipped them each $100,000.

But it's interesting you should pick this millionaire as an example for your post. He is actually known not to own a fleet of houses and cars and live ultra-lavishly. He's actually pretty down to earth. He does own a mansion in NYC on 5th avenue, but in Mexico, he still lives in a modest 6 bedroom house--considering his wealth. He really is known to be fairly unpretentious.

I understand your post and I totally agree. However, I must add that my friend's daughter and her husband were able to save almost a million dollars working for this guy. Since they lived on the boat, they had few expenses. They were paid well and they saved. They now live in the South of France and bought a marina. So, money does trickle down and often improves the lives of those who work for these wealthy folks.

reply to post by DeadSeraph


We do not live in a "free market society."

The United States is not an "unchecked capitalism."

Try starting a business without the proper permits (like, you need "permission" to sell goods or services).

There is so much red-tape and bureaucracy muddying the market that I cannot see how anyone can come to the conclusion that we have anything close to a "free market."

Like, maybe we should stop taxing our citizens and businesses altogether. Instead, we should be raising taxes on all foreign imports (because doing business in the United States should be a privilege for the rest of the world). I think that would be a step in the right direction.

Get rid of the Federal Reserve. Congress has the authority to print our currency debt free, and then we wouldn't have the Fed tampering with national interest rates (that only benefit them).

No one needs a permit to provide goods or services (it is the right of the individual to buy/sell whatever they want). Also, it is the responsibility of the consumer to make sure the products they purchase are safe (oh no, your safety is our personal responsibility...tragic).

Stop legislating morality by criminalizing ANYTHING that there is a demand for, as it only boosts the black market.

Legalize price gouging.

Stop lying about what a monopoly is. Most people do not know what a monopoly is. Bill Gates did not have a "monopoly" on operating systems. He had, and Microsoft still has, competition (MAC OSX, Linux, Unix, etc). If Bill Gates had bribed the government to pass a law to make it illegal for any individual to create/sell new operating systems (effectively stomping out any competition), THEN he would have had a monopoly.

Rich people are not the cause of all of our problems.

Crakeur

and what you're seeing in this thread is greed, jealousy and sloth-like laziness.

And the most ignorant post award goes to you!

Yeah its sloth-like laziness when someone works 12 hours a day 6 days a week just tos crape by cause some big faceless mega corp came in ran everyone out of buiness then hired them back for minimum wage!

Yeah its jealousy and sloth-like laziness when its near impossible to start a buisness up.

Yeah ok!


What most people on this thread or at least me is not wealth redistabution or "freebies" but a restriction on power of a single indiviaul, corruption and explotation!

It not the money most care about! It the lack of responsiblity and careless life they lead to the detrament of others!

Surely its not right that someone lives in a skyscaper surronded by slums because billion air who owns the skyscaper and his buddies most likley ran everyone else out of buiness and made the poverty! Mostly likley buy breaking laws and paying of politicans?

Surely a world were restriction on power of a single indiviaul, corruption and explotation are a good thing?

reply to post by LewsTherinThelamon


Capitalism for the poor and socialism for the rich. This is what america has become. If you are too big then you cannot fail, and if you are small it is next to impossible to succeed. I agree we dont have free market capitalism in america thanks to the federal reserve and all its croneys that are above the law.

There are more than enough laws in the usa but they are not enforced equally.

If you are big business and make bad decisions, then dammit fail! I enormously resent bailing out AIG, the auto industry, banks, etc with my hard earned money.

reply to post by Crakeur

and what you're seeing in this thread is greed, jealousy and sloth-like laziness.

they have money, I want it, I don't want to work for it, nor do I possess the skills to obtain it so it should be redistributed so that I can have more.

THIS!

I wish I could give you a million more stars.

This is exactly what the problem is. People accuse rich people of being greedy without realizing that forcing the "redistribution of wealth" is motivated by their own greed.

Working hard and making lots of money because of it is not greedy. Seeing that someone has more than you, becoming envious and taking it from them by force is greedy.

reply to post by EarthCitizen07

If you are big business and make bad decisions, then dammit fail! I enormously resent bailing out AIG, the auto industry, banks, etc with my hard earned money.

Oh yes, don't get me wrong. If a business makes mistakes they should suffer the consequences. I agree completely.

"If you protect a man from his folly, you will fill the world with fools."

reply to post by crazyewok


starting a business is not a hard thing to do.

the hard thing is finding something that you are good at, can profit from and will enjoy doing.

once you find that which is, admittedly, a very difficult thing to do, starting a company is rather simple.

of course, if you decide you want to make and sell sneakers, you're going to have to come up with something rather impressive to compete with nike but, still, it's doable.

more so thanks to things like kickstarter which allows someone with an idea to raise enough money to make their dream come true.

your immediate knock on my post, which is dead on accurate, is another example of how our society behaves. I point out two portions of our society spend their money and you called me a name.

LewsTherinThelamon


Working hard and making lots of money because of it

I dont think that the what people have the problem with. At least not me.

It when they use that money to stop others Working hard and making lots of money the problems kicks in.

And also the legacy familiy and old boy networks were people dont work a day of there life, they get droped in to high paying job in politics or banking cause they screwd the right people in private school or daddy paid someone off ect

reply to post by crazyewok

likley buy breaking laws and paying of politicans

I think you summed up the problem.

Everyone resents the "mega corporations" because they bribe politicians.

So we go to politicians to try and stop it.

I think the common denominator here is politicians.