Are the rich getting richer? Does it matter?

Question

To what degree should our government protect the economically weak?

Politics is mostly about who gets what, where, when, and sometimes why.

While most Americans seem to be against communism, we have many institutionalized forms of communism in our own government (medicaid, social security, minimum wages, public education, etc). I'm curious where people draw the line, if indeed they do draw a line.

Answer 1

Well, we could chose not to protect them at all, but then they might decide to go over to the rich man's house and do their own redistribution of wealth.

Answer 2

Absolutely and absolutely, first the system is rigged for the rich, I don't begrudge them for being rich that's what this country is about but when they aren't satisfied with just being rich and have to siphon money from others ( the middle class in this case ) to amass absurd amounts of wealth out of all proportion with what anyone could possibly actually use, just for the ego trip and now I heard a report that 50 million Americans are having trouble putting food on the table, than I feel something needs to be done, something is out of whack and needs to change. People don't realize it but the money these people are soaking up at an ever increasing rate isn't just coming out of thin air it's coming out of people's pockets and the effects are starting to be felt.

Answer 3

The rich are indeed getting richer. The reason it matters is because they are seemingly getting richer at the expense of the middle classes, which -- in the USA at least -- are losing ground. Indeed, for the first time in the history of the United States, children are not living as well as their parents.

Also: with house prices increased the way the have, the current generation is buying houses from their grandparents, or the estates of their grandparents' generation, and it is their parents who are being enriched by it. Think about it,.

Answer 4

The rich do seem to be getting richer. The danger I see is that the middle class is disappearing. There are rich people and poor people with those in between dwindling. This country-the Us- has depended on the middle class as its economic mainstay. Out-sourcing has had a huge part in this.
The government needs to re-evaluate its trade agreements and income tax structure to narrow the rich/poor gap.

Answer 5

It doesn't matter if they get richer or not. Why should they be punished for having money. They are also free to lose all their money too. The government should be there only to give those a hand up when in need. not a lifetime support system.

Answer 6

They invest in other countries and sell out this country at every chance they get. If you don't have enough money to invest or work for one of the large government financed companies, you can work hard all your life and save, but the government will get it all. Everyone has a judgment day and no one can take it with them.

Answer 7

The rich get richer by working and investing, which all have the capability and opportunity to do so. I knwo I do better every year, I dont see why others feel they are entitled to the monies that other people earn from working hard and being smart with their finances.

Answer 8

they shouldnt. people should have personal responsibility to succeed. the moment you start throwing dollars at people for not succeeding, you start rewarding people for not working, and putting them on a downward spiral of a horrible existence, dependent on the government for the rest of their lives, instead of relying on their hard work, education and elbow grease to succeed and thrive.

Alot of dissident hippy libs in this country are all complaining about their rights being infringed (whatever) and this and that, they should get what they want, and be a dissident in a communist nation, working in a slave labor camp, missing a kidney. Capitalism, with all its abuses, is compassionate and fair, compared to communism, where everyone suffers equally, and some are more equal than others.


seriously, why do so many libs in here hate people who succeed in life? is it envy? mental illness? do they hate seeing people who dont need the government (it takes a village!)

Answer 9

Any government that does not protect the weak and less fortunate cannot call itself civilized.
As for the rich, watch them when they try to squeeze their way into heaven, and laugh.

Answer 10

It's called capitalism.

Either the rich don't spend any money except for items they want, which would completely kill the economy, or they invest money to try to make more money. And since there is a limited amount of money in the world, it has to come from somewhere.