what do u think about this "the wealthies 20% of U.S. households received almost 50% of all income 2000?

Answer 1

I think that they also paid 80% of the taxes. hth

Answer 2

How one feels about the distribution of wealth varies from person to person and, as you know, there is no agreement. There are a couple of interesting points though:

1) It is natural to have some variation in everything. Plants vary in size, so do stars. Income variation is natural. So the real question is if the amount of variation is reasonable (or if it is reasonable to limit the variation).

2) The concentration of wealth (or any resource) sometimes means shortages for others and sometimes leads to the creation of things that require super-human investment. Think of giving one dollar to each American. Nobody (accept the youngest kids) would notice. Now give the same total amount (roughly $300 million) to just 100 Americans, that's about $3 million dollars each. Some of those 100 people would hoard it and spend it on themselves but others would create things that can only be created with a lot of money: businesses, recreational facilities, health services, etc.

That means there are things that we value that can be created only through the concentration of wealth and terribly selfish waste that occurs through the concentration of wealth.

Like everything else in the world, the concentration of wealth has it's good points and it's bad points and each person's view of it will focus on one side more than the other.

Answer 3

I am not sure you asked the question correctly. The wealthier people did not receive 50% of any ones income except their own. And they have every right to receive 100% of their own income. I say more power to them. Aren't you glad you live in a country where you are free to earn all the law allows? People like Bill Gates of Microsoft established his company and earned the status of the richest man in the world. In the process, he created thousands of jobs around the world. The lower income people would not have an income at all unless the wealthy hired them. There will always be poor, middle class, and wealthy people. It has been that way since time began, and it will always be so.
As a person who worked for others all of my life, I say Thank God for those who had, and have, the ability to creat jobs for the rest of us.

Answer 4

This is a blatent disregard for the 80-20 rule.

It may surprise you, but the wealthiest households have the least amount of active income...most of their income is passive, meaning they can shift the burden of income tax over to the middle class, and hardly pay any social security tax. The wealthiest still pay a lot of other taxes however.

Answer 5

It's called effort. E F F O R T......something that Waaaaaay too many persons today are unwilling to give. Of course, intelligence also plays a factor, but it's mainly effort.

If you're not happy with which side of the street YOU live on, try putting in more effort. It'll pay off.....you'll see.

There are MANY wealthy people today who started out with NOTHING! They EARNED every cent of their wealth. They did it through good planning, sacrifice, hard work, and perserverence. Ask Lee Iacocca how all that works.

Answer 6

They also paid most of the taxes - the process by which their money is redistributed to others! Look it up!

p.s. you are free to get wealthy and give all of your money to the poor - the truly poor - the one's earning less than $5 a day! Better yet, create a hugely successful business and higher tens of thousands of them to work for you with nice salaries and benefits. Quit 'bitching' an go to work! Do something.

Answer 7

I like that better than the fact that the wealthiest 10% pay 80 percent of the taxes.

Answer 8

Despite wealth disparities the standard of level of poverty and standard of living for the poor in the US is still much better than other devloped countries, including the welfare states of Europe.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005242

Answer 9

I guess that is what makes them wealthy..And they paid 97% of the taxes...why are they punished for the ineffiecient...I think the work you want to use is not 'recieved' but 'worked for'

Answer 10

unfair! they should use their(the wealthy people) money to help the poor in and outside the US. especially those who are struggling to keep flesh and soul together.