The Rich Get Richer and the Poor..............Who Cares?

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:51 am

It has been my belief that the bank failures of 2008 was actually a move to consolidate wealth in the hands of the wealthy.

"The extent to which so much global wealth has become corralled by a virtual handful of the so-called 'global elite' is exposed in a new report from Oxfam on Monday. It warned that those richest 85 people across the globe share a combined wealth of Â£1tn, as much as the poorest 3.5 billion of the world's population."

Oxfam: 85 richest people as wealthy as poorest half of the world | Business | theguardian.com

Since my disability, I have been dependent upon Social Security, Medicare, government programs that have kicked in to help me even though I was not of senior age. I'm grateful for that, but.............what has driven me practically into poverty is the fact that Certificates of Deposit (CDs) have barely any interest on them. The Banks using our money have been empowered to charge us for holding it instead of paying a decent interest to us, their clients, while they use our money to enrich themselves further. This practice is impoverishing people who no longer have the ability to work, mainly seniors.

But enough about me. It's been a power grab, pure & simple, as Oxfam says. Hip hip hooray for Feudalism, let our new Lords own everything.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:21 am

Well, as our Eton educated, wealthy and privileged Prime Minister tells us, "we are all in it together".

Austerity for us clinging on to the bottom rung and tax breaks to those few looking down at us. My small private pensions aren't worth the paper they are written on and my pay has stagnated, while the bankers continue to receive their share in bonuses, of the billions we help them generate.

We seem to imagine we are all better off now than we were but relatively speaking, nothing has changed. In fact the gap has become a chasm.

Let them eat cake.......let them use iphones. Just another device to pacify the lower classes to divert them from whats really happening

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:09 am

I couldn't agree more, Snowfire. There are so many wonderful new electronic toys to pacify us, to divert our attention, but with the credit crunch on the 'average person' in the West I can't help but wonder if even these will eventually become harder & harder for people to obtain, and what the real price will be, the debt incurred, I mean. Will we owe our souls to the company store? It seems more & more like Feudalism to me, perhaps I am being naive & it was always that, but with communication, it's so "in your face." How much longer will we stand for being robbed, and what actually can be done about it?

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:32 pm

Actually quite a lot can be done about it once we get away from this idea that there is nothing that can be done.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:34 pm

Tell me.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 1:50 pm

social democracy/liberal democracy Governments can redistribute wealth and control the activities of big corporations. They've just been convinced that they shouldn't do so. One of the myths is that capitalism means companies and individuals should not be restrained in any way in a free market economy. That's nonsense.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:48 pm

I don't believe that. Never seen any government, no matter how liberal or 'progressive' survive without being controlled by corporations. I consider, here in the U.S., to be a one party 'democracy'. The democrats being the liberal wing of the same party. No party here ever goes against corporate interests. As silent Cal Coolidge said â€œthe chief business of the American people is business.â€ and today that means the major corporations & might have back then too.

The Democrats are here to keep the lid on insurgency. They don't dare go further.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:24 am

AnneBoleyn;1445201 wrote: I don't believe that. Never seen any government, no matter how liberal or 'progressive' survive without being controlled by corporations. I consider, here in the U.S., to be a one party 'democracy'. The democrats being the liberal wing of the same party. No party here ever goes against corporate interests. As silent Cal Coolidge said â€œthe chief business of the American people is business.â€ and today that means the major corporations & might have back then too.

The Democrats are here to keep the lid on insurgency. They don't dare go further.

That's because the people let them away with it in a democracy you can't blame anybody else. sadly if you dumb down education and prevent both sides of an argument being put by allowing a few to dominate the and then allow corporations to fund political parties you have a bit of an uphill struggle. What is different now though is social media how big a difference that will make is still open to question. The bigger the gulf between rich and poor in a country the more likely there is that there will eventually be a backlash if there is no give in the system.

Maybe the democrats don't dare not go further? I don't know i can't claim to be an expert of understand american politics.

We have similar problems here and the libdems blew the chance to change things but historically we have always moved on from right wing governments one way or another. This next year is going to be interesting if scotland votes for independence everything is up in the air.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 7:07 am

It appears, here in the U.S. anyway, that the more that is known about government through the blessings of the Internet, the more cynical one becomes & the less likely one is to actually get out & vote, especially as the conditions for voting are becoming so stringent & difficult in "red" (rethuglican) states that in the last presidential election some voters waited at long as 12!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hours to cast their vote. This surely is the greatest scandal the United States is facing & barely gets the attention or total outrage it deserves. The very moment the Supreme Court voted down many provisions in the Civil Rights voting acts was the moment it began in earnest.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:52 am

Thinking it might not matter if the uber super rich own the world as long as we all had enough for life to be safe & enjoyable, if there were a 'basement' no human being would be allowed to fall through. They're too greedy, however, to permit that. Things always end up having to be taken by force & I'd like to see a newer, peaceful way.

Post by **jones jones** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:36 am

I too read this report Annie and was totally amazed at Oxfam's findings. What irked me even more was that much of this wealth is hidden offshore and not taxed.

Isn't it a larf that they said all this wealth is owned by a group of earthlings who could fit into a railway carriage or a double decker bus! Wonder when any one of them used either of these modes of transport 'cept maybe on The Orient Express!

I was keen to find out what a trillion dollars looked like so I Googled and found that if this amount in $100 notes was piled one on top of the other, it would be just over

678.66 miles tall!

This is beyond obscene...

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:34 pm

Obscene----maybe it seems that way because so many struggle while so many have nothing at all.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:09 pm

And do you think that this is a major worldwide conspiracy?

That all the worlds corporations, all the multi nationals are in it together, so they all meet up every so often to talk strategy ?

I don't do conspiracies, I can see how the worlds finances can get to a critical point then it all dominoes out of control.

I have never understood the way it works other than it's dangerous, what with "Futures" and Confidence in Share values etc. etc.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:12 pm

No I don't think it's a conspiracy. I did in 1968. I predicted what would happen. I'm pissed off I didn't protect my interests better since I knew.

A conspiracy is done in secret. What is happening is Out in the Open, Right in Your Face. Nope, no conspiracy necessary.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:15 pm

But you reckon they are all working together ?

I don't.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:20 pm

What do you mean by 'working together'? Their interests collide, they are as governments, they own & control. Are they in a plot to deliberately impoverish people? I can't see that. They are just involved with themselves, for themselves. I doubt if they even think of us at all. They are multi-national, their finances are more important to them then mere nationalism, although most like to see themselves as patriotic & doing good for their individual countries, but in fact, they are their own country & have international influence.

Wandrin · Post by **Wandrin** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:14 pm

You have to feel sorry for the rich guys. It would take a whole lot of work to spend that kind of money. How many private islands, mansions, private jets, and yachts can one person use? It must be terrible to be in such a situation.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:35 pm

Wandrin;1445399 wrote: You have to feel sorry for the rich guys. It would take a whole lot of work to spend that kind of money. How many private islands, mansions, private jets, and yachts can one person use? It must be terrible to be in such a situation.

Sarcasm becomes you! Clever.

Wandrin · Post by **Wandrin** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 7:11 pm

AnneBoleyn;1445401 wrote: Sarcasm becomes you! Clever.

Okay, I was being sarcastic. But when I think about it, it really would be difficult to spend such huge amounts of money, assuming that it was only being spent selfishly and not benefiting others. Even private islands are not that expensive... Just spending the return on investments would be challenging. I don't really feel sorry for the Scrooge McDucks out there but I'm glad I'm not one of them.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 9:03 am

If I were one of them I wouldn't be one of them as after taking decent care of myself, I would use that money to directly help people. When I was daydreaming about winning the lottery, I imagined picking a struggling, but good, family (or two) & giving them a million dollars.

The main difference between rich & poor is money.

Wandrin · Post by **Wandrin** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 10:11 am

I like your daydream. Mine was to use the money in some little town where everyone had lost their jobs and start a company to provide jobs. The employees would own stock in the company. The jobs could make a huge difference in some of these hard-hit towns and help restore confidence.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 10:47 am

Its interesting that for those who don't have a pot to p!ss in, we would like to spread the joy, so that we all have at least a pot each. For those who have more pots than they can possibly ever p!ss in, they want to keep them all and gold plate them, while striving to buy even more pots and more gold plate.

Nobody deserves 2 pots until we all have at least one each

theia · Post by **theia** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:09 am

Snowfire;1445482 wrote: Its interesting that for those who don't have a pot to p!ss in, we would like to spread the joy, so that we all have at least a pot each. For those who have more pots than they can possibly ever p!ss in, they want to keep them all and gold plate them, while striving to buy even more pots and more gold plate.

Nobody deserves 2 pots until we all have at least one each

Well said

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Thu Jan 23, 2014 8:13 am

Snowfire;1445482 wrote: Its interesting that for those who don't have a pot to p!ss in, we would like to spread the joy, so that we all have at least a pot each. For those who have more pots than they can possibly ever p!ss in, they want to keep them all and gold plate them, while striving to buy even more pots and more gold plate.

Nobody deserves 2 pots until we all have at least one each

As theia said, well said & that is one of the things I meant when I said there should be a "basement" through which none of us are allowed to fall through, that a helping hand should grab the "fallen" & pull them out of the pit. A basic standard of living, medical care, food, education, etc.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:25 am

Snowfire;1445482 wrote: Its interesting that for those who don't have a pot to p!ss in, we would like to spread the joy, so that we all have at least a pot each. For those who have more pots than they can possibly ever p!ss in, they want to keep them all and gold plate them, while striving to buy even more pots and more gold plate.

Nobody deserves 2 pots until we all have at least one each

:yh_rotflSo you say the rich are taking the piss? I like the analogy not sure its a good one.

Now if you lot down sarf would stop voting tory and now ukip. Right now if a let wing party was around wanting to force corporation to pay their fair share of tax and renationalise all the utilities I suspect they might get a few votes.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:32 am

It appears we are all in agreement that our only choice is to lobby the ubers more for pennies (trickle down) & fervently hope they piss some good will on us?

Post by **jones jones** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 10:12 am

The rich have been on earth since day one ... Personally I have never begrudged them their riches. But at the end of the day it depends how they use this power because with wealth comes power.

The earthlings who irk me most are those who get rich by means that bring either misery and death to their fellows or who grow rich by preying upon the fears of their fellows.

I am of course referring to the armaments & pharmaceutical industries.

I could elaborate but I believe that short threads are read more than the looooong boring ones.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 10:20 am

I don't begrudge them either, JJ, but the inequality has always been too much & in today's world, where everyone has the chance of awareness it's a real slap in the face.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 11:45 am

I'm not against people getting rich either. Profit shouldn't be a dirty word but profiteering is dirty and its greed. Extending the minimum wage apparently doesn't suit some very rich right wingers. It seems it may hinder them somehow in becoming even richer (more p!ss pots)

Why do we think its acceptable to allow people to struggle on a minimum wage but unacceptable to curb people from from owning more money than they could possibly ever spend, unless of course they have a gold plated garage full of gold plated p!ss pots.

We aren't. "all in it together" We never have been.

Income tax affects the working class immensely, along with all the subtle stealth taxes but has very little impact on the super rich.

Politically I have no idea what to do, given the mess the Labour party got us into. The Tories are now just getting US to pay for it all. What are the choices ? We have none

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 12:04 pm

jones jones;1445658 wrote: The rich have been on earth since day one ... Personally I have never begrudged them their riches. But at the end of the day it depends how they use this power because with wealth comes power.

The earthlings who irk me most are those who get rich by means that bring either misery and death to their fellows or who grow rich by preying upon the fears of their fellows.

I am of course referring to the armaments & pharmaceutical industries.

I could elaborate but I believe that short threads are read more than the looooong boring ones.

As in the now disused third verse from all things bright and beautiful?

The rich man in his castle,

The poor man at his gate,

God made them high and lowly,

And ordered their estate.

The rich haven't always been with us the sense of being entitled to more than your fellows is not god given and they only get away with so long as we let them. We used to believe kings had a divine right to rule but we have progressed.

Why are we discussing with the likes of amazon and starbucks whether they should pay tax or not? The notion that they would walk away from such a profitable business is ludicrous. It's nothing to with the eu or anything else except the incompetence of hmrc who let them do it. Try being a small business that doesn't pay tax or is even a few weeks late and they come down on you like a ton of bricks. Reduce the tax for the rich and they will spend and invest and help the economy, trickle down the wealth is nonsense.

Look at the utilities, bt, the electrical distribution network the water supply were all built with public funds, thatcher gave it away to her friends in the city and we all fall for the notion that we do not have the right to retake possession.

I'm sorry but this some are richer than others and deserve to be is an idea that really pisses me off.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 2:21 pm

I think we might have reached a tipping point.

We have all seen the towns that have lost the major employer, perhaps a Mine or Steelworks, it affects everybody, not just those thrown out of a job.

All the local shops and services suffer, eventually the town dies.

Scale this up worldwide, all the manufacturing has gone to China or somewhere else in Asia, so UK PC makes next to nothing. Europe and the USA are now going for cheaper suppliers because their own manufacturers wages priced themselves out of the market, or the lower wages in Asia made their prices so enticing we couldn't resist.

The corporations are reaping huge incomes off the back of both populations.

When the once rich countries reach the tipping point I don't know, but it is only a scaled up version of any of the once industrial northern towns that made Britain Great........once upon a time.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 3:01 pm

Bruv, I think it goes even further than that. We continually leave behind in this world, whole swathes of people. I can't believe there are millions of people who still have little or no access to clean safe water. Who still go to bed hungry. Die of diseases that are quite likely curable but for greedy pharmaceutical companies, who would rather see children die of malaria and make billions of Â£s on only partly successful drugs.

Its a hideous world we live in. I sometimes think we should start all over again.