If you make more than $30.000 a year, you're doing better than most...

[ibx 2]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/income-inequality-crisis_n_4221012.html

If you want more money, you need to take personal responsibility.

[kelpdiver 2]

ibx

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/income-inequality-crisis_n_4221012.html

If you want more money, you need to take personal responsibility.

have a hard time believing only 894 people earned $20M. Coming from Social Security, it may exclude all investment income, but I still expect the athletes and Fortune 500 guys to blow by this.

[JerryBaumchen 1,064]

Hi ibx,

Interesting; I'm in the top 30%.

Ya gotta luv retirement,

JerryBaumchen

[kallend 1,648]

kelpdiver

***http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/income-inequality-crisis_n_4221012.html

If you want more money, you need to take personal responsibility.

have a hard time believing only 894 people earned $20M. Coming from Social Security, it may exclude all investment income, but I still expect the athletes and Fortune 500 guys to blow by this.

Don't forget those hedge fund managers with the special low tax rate reserved exclusively for the super rich.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kelpdiver 2]

kallend

Don't forget those hedge fund managers with the special low tax rate reserved exclusively for the super rich.

That rate isn't reserved for the super rich. It applies to my investments too.

(But I agree that their annual compensation shouldn't be treated as investments)

[ibx 2]

Hey Jerry,

I'm glad you're doing well :-)

[davjohns 1]

I don't buy those numbers. I am NOT in the top 7% of Americans.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[freethefly 6]

I earn more than 73.4% of Americans? Dang!!!!!
I do know that I earn more the the vast majority of those in the county I live in. An extremely high percentage of those in Lawrence County, MO do collect welfare and food stamps. That is their fault. They all vote republican and every office in the county is ran by republicans. The workers in the county continue to vote anti union and continue to earn minimum wage. The reason I don't work locally as I would never make more than $20k a year. I earn over $60k. Seems that I am paying the way for conservative freeloaders working low wage part time jobs while enjoying steak on my dime.
What is funny is these idiots blame the unions and the democrats for their low wage while their employer pulls in big profits. They don't have any problems taking free hand outs on my dime but, complain about about anyone else who takes food stamps

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[ibx 2]

Quote

n extremely high percentage of those in Lawrence County, MO do collect welfare and food stamps. That is their fault. They all vote republican and every office in the county is ran by republicans. The workers in the county continue to vote anti union and continue to earn minimum wage.

Only in America do people consistently vote against their own interests. Obamacare is another great example at which the civilized world only shakes it's head.

[devildog 0]

freethefly

I earn more than 73.4% of Americans? Dang!!!!!
I do know that I earn more the the vast majority of those in the county I live in. An extremely high percentage of those in Lawrence County, MO do collect welfare and food stamps. That is their fault. They all vote republican and every office in the county is ran by republicans. The workers in the county continue to vote anti union and continue to earn minimum wage. The reason I don't work locally as I would never make more than $20k a year. I earn over $60k. Seems that I am paying the way for conservative freeloaders working low wage part time jobs while enjoying steak on my dime.
What is funny is these idiots blame the unions and the democrats for their low wage while their employer pulls in big profits. They don't have any problems taking free hand outs on my dime but, complain about about anyone else who takes food stamps

And yet, poor people and minorities across the board have become far worse off with the current POTUS and democratic leadership. Go figure.

You stop breathing for a few minutes and everyone jumps to conclusions.

[freethefly 6]

devildog

***I earn more than 73.4% of Americans? Dang!!!!!
I do know that I earn more the the vast majority of those in the county I live in. An extremely high percentage of those in Lawrence County, MO do collect welfare and food stamps. That is their fault. They all vote republican and every office in the county is ran by republicans. The workers in the county continue to vote anti union and continue to earn minimum wage. The reason I don't work locally as I would never make more than $20k a year. I earn over $60k. Seems that I am paying the way for conservative freeloaders working low wage part time jobs while enjoying steak on my dime.
What is funny is these idiots blame the unions and the democrats for their low wage while their employer pulls in big profits. They don't have any problems taking free hand outs on my dime but, complain about about anyone else who takes food stamps

And yet, poor people and minorities across the board have become far worse off with the current POTUS and democratic leadership. Go figure.

Republicans refuse to vote for better wages. The people who continue to vote republican only hurt their communities while the corporations enjoy few taxes and huge profit. Yet, you blame those who fight for higher wages?????????
I am a liberal democrat. I make more than just about every republican in my county. It is my taxes that feed the children of idiotic people who will not stand up for themselves, get an education or, join a union. I really do not mind. I'm not one who would allow the poor to starve. Although, it does make me shake my head and wonder why a person would vote against a better life.
Oh, and I do love my gun

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[normiss 622]

For the sake of everyone here, I sincerely hope we ALL make more than $30 bucks a year.

[wmw999 2,148]

How very American -- in Germany I believe the commas and periods are swapped in numbers

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[normiss 622]

I think so too IIRC.

[ibx 2]

Quote

How very American Tongue -- in Germany I believe the commas and periods are swapped in numbers Wink

Wendy P.

Thats true ! And very confusing, I once wanted to wire 100 Eur it ended up being interpreted as 10000. The bank called, asked if I was serious...

[CanuckInUSA 0]

It's not "how much you make" that counts. It's how much you still have in your pockets after all your expenses are paid. It's no secret that many lottery winners and pro sports athletes become bankrupt within a few years of when their money stops coming in because these people never learned how to manage their money, never learned how to manage their lives. Contrary to what you may think, it is about personal responsibility. Those who have the discipline to live within their means will be better off than those who can not control their spending.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[kelpdiver 2]

wmw999

How very American -- in Germany I believe the commas and periods are swapped in numbers

Not just Germany, I believe. Not sure how that divergence occurred - using periods there just baffles me. So does day/month, but I see more reasons for that one.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

davjohns

I don't buy those numbers. I am NOT in the top 7% of Americans.

It's hard to tell as a working person.

Most of the 93% make it confusing by spending less on things you can't see like saving for their retirement and children's educations, and more on things you can like bigger houses and newer cars.

Most also borrow money so they can spend tomorrow's earnings today.

The difference will become more apparent when you're old, retired, and traveling around the world with no drop in your standard of living while they're scraping by on Social Security and food stamps.

The numbers also don't differentiate based on the local cost of living. $100K/year goes a lot farther where $500 pays the mortgage on a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom ranch than where it's $2500 for a one-bedroom apartment. Where jobs go hand in hand with high housing costs moving is not an option and relative earnings skewed much higher.

[champu 1]

ibx

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/income-inequality-crisis_n_4221012.html

If you want more money, you need to take personal responsibility.

According to that info-graphic, I'm a black person.

[chedlin 0]

There is a very clear point that many will miss. Wage earners. That excludes most business owners, investment income, etc.

So what puts you in the top 15-20% overall puts you in the top 7%.

[davjohns 1]

chedlin

There is a very clear point that many will miss. Wage earners. That excludes most business owners, investment income, etc.

So what puts you in the top 15-20% overall puts you in the top 7%.

I'm not sure I'm in the top 15-20, either. But that was my point. There's something in the way they interpreted the data that doesn't make the report appear accurate to me. I hate reports that pretend to report facts and actually interpret facts the way the author wants things to be. That would be most of what I see in the media, by the way.

I get annoyed when I see the talking heads on TV that cite a study where XX% of people who were asked, "Do you think the YY Political Party is doing a good job?" responded in the affirmative. Then, the talking head says, "What this means is...Americans love my way of thinking and want me to do whatever I think is right". What it actually means is, if you ask that particular set of people that question on the day you asked it, you will get that answer that percentage of the time. Expanding on the meaning is so very ridiculous. But they do it every day to try to pretend they are right.

In the instant case, there is data underlying the article that is not revealed to the reader. The reader might walk away with a completely different idea of what the data means...and that isn't allowed. Thinking for yourself is so very dangerous. :/

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[champu 1]

That was actually my point too, although explained much more thoroughly. A recent SMBC that comes to mind:
http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=3167#comic

My favorite line from the whole article is this one:

Quote

That's not far above the $27,010 that marked the federal poverty line for a family of five in 2012.

You can say "not far above" or "11%" or "more than one in 10!" depending on your point. And the "federal poverty line for a family of five" is just a drive-by benchmark begging that everyone is the single worker supporting a family of five.

"Don't you feel guilty that in California with no kids you make over four times the federal poverty guideline for families of four in Alaska?"

"I... uh... probably not?"

[billvon 2,434]

> I am NOT in the top 7% of Americans.

And I'm not in the top 1%. Something is screwy with that methodology.

[kallend 1,648]

billvon

> I am NOT in the top 7% of Americans.

And I'm not in the top 1%. Something is screwy with that methodology.

Depends on how it is defined.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.