How can reduce levels of inequality in America? Should we keep affirmative action programs active in the U.S.?

Question

If you do not know the anwer please refrain from answering! but if you do could you please give me a link or a name of a book where you think I might know where to search for the answer myself

Answer 1

The simple answer is to treat people equally. Affirmative action programs have been helpful, and can treat the symptoms, but are themselves not a cure, as they are treating people differently.

An affirmative action program can be deemed a success when it's decided that it's no longer helpful, because everyone is now treated the same.

Answer 2

Second part first: No, "affirmative action" doesn't really much address inequality. It creates a legally-mandated form of discrimination - inequality under the law - in order to reverse pre-existing inequality, even after the source of that inequality has been addressed. Classic 'two wrongs make a right.' And, it's unconstitutional.

First and more interesting question, second:

Inequality in America is largely a matter of ecconomic position. The wealthy (large amounts of capital) are better off than the affluent (large income) who are better off than the poor. Race, religion, sex, orientation, and other factors that are typically blamed for inequality via some form of discrimination really aren't as important as wether you have a good income, or have acquired a big stash of capital that allows you a nice income without having to work for it. There are rich people of every race, color, sex, creed and orientation, and poor people, likewise.

One way to eliminate inequality is redistribution. You take capital away from the wealthy and give it to the poor and afluent, and take income away from the afluent and give it to the poor, until everybody has the same stuff and the same income stream. The problem with that is it tends to be a negtive-sum game. Capital flees your country, your production possibilities curve contracts as what resources are left are used less efficiently, and corruption typically creeps into the mix as well. It's also a bit unethical - it is theft afterall.

A more sensible solution that would be implemented as a matter of free choice by all the people involved might go like this:

If you're wealthy, have lots of children, and allow them to inherit equally. Keep this up through generations, until each of your decendents has just enough wealth to gaurantee a reasonable income for life - and leave that wealth unadulterated for his children, then shift to a 'replacement' number of children (that's 2.1, which is hard to do on a small scale, but still).

If you're afluent, divert some of your income into accumulating capital, such that you will be able to retire, yourself, with the above amount of capital (enough to generate a pleasant income in perpetuity), and leave that to your 2.1 children.

If you're not quite that affluent, have only 1 child, and devote your resources to putting that single offspring in the best possible position to become sustainably wealthy.

If you're outright poor, have only 1 child, and do your best to provide better oportunities for that child. Continue that through generations until your descendent is able to accumulate that self-sustaining level of wealth.

If everyone did this, the result would be interesting. Each generation, there'd be more wealthy people demanding goods and services, more capital invested in creating those goods and services, and /fewer/ people available as workers to provide the needed labor imputs. This would drive up wages, which would make it easier for erstwhile poor and affluent families to establish thier sole offsprings as wealthy.

Taken to it's ultimate conclusion (which is probably impossible), you'd have a pure-capital economy that, through technological advancement, no longer requires human labor as an input, and all human beings would be 'independently wealthy.'

The primary risk of this idea would be economic contraction. Unfortunately, in a consumer-driven economy that would be a very real risk with catestrophic results.

Answer 3

A good start would to educate people out of the victim mentality that is so prevalent. That way they can realise what a trap it is to expect the government to take care of them. Then they can begin to except responsibility for their life condition and start doing something about it. We live in a country that offers it's citizens more economic opportunities than any other nation. Hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens have it better here than in their own country. Else why would they be here. If there are citizens here that don't have the drive and or ambition to do what is necessary to succeed I don't want to have to support them and with taxes from my hard earned pay.

Answer 4

We now have second generation professionals benefiting from affirmative action. The sons and daughters of the wealthy and highly educated can and do use affirmative action to gain advantage. It's time to let the content of one's character and not the color of one's skin determine everyone's place in this supposed Meritocracy.

That's my opinion. For what it's worth.

Answer 5

1. Every American should receive a QUALITY education, too many inner city kids are deprived of quality teachers, books, class sizes are huge, we need to invest in our best resource ourselves
2. Equal treatment within the criminal justice system, too many times black offenders have received disproportionate sentences compared to their white counterparts, this sets the perception that all government systems are rigged reducing minority participation and trust
3. Get involved, the old cliche if you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem holds true, volunteer, mentor, show another side to the impoverished other than the typical greedy white middle class they are accostumed to
4. Call out racism when you see it, stop being afraid to speak your mind when you see injustice, if we don't change the underlying racism that still exists in our country minority's will never fully benefit from all this system has to offer

Answer 6

Affirmative action has been proven to be reverse discrimination. It is racism, just the other side of the coin. Inequality is not connected to skin-color. It IS connected to laziness and just refusal to do what it takes to make a living.

Answer 7

Affirmative action isn't even a ripple in the pond. Take control of our government and start sweeping reforms.

Answer 8

To reduce levels of inequality, everyone has to be treated the same. That means no affimative action programs.
If everyone was treated the same, regardless of color being a factor, it would resolve many of the racial issues in our current society.

Answer 9

I think it's more important to stop pretending that the inequality is principally among different permanent groups of people.


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1229294/posts

Answer 10

Open more McDonald's and Burger Kings, the pay is great and the organizational skills you learn are top notch. You can also eat as much unfinished food out of the garbage can that you want to, (as long as no one is looking).