23% sales tax; no fed. income tax

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

Another argument that ignores my point...why would people work hard if not to acquire wealth? That's the genius of capitalism, it flowers from the darker aspects of the human mind where self-serving greed abounds and blocks out the light of community and brotherhood (how's that for overstated and flowery prose?)...in all seriousness though, it is accurate albeit a bit self-indulgent. Again, back to basics...we are taught from birth on that the purpose of life is to succeed by accumulating the most possessions...wealth and power. I believe that a successful life is otherwise measured therefore I view wealth and power as tools to be shared. Communism is a word...a term coined by a bunch of old men, it's meaningless. A society where everyone has an equal share may someday actually evolve...I'm not holding my breath. But anyway, to answer the question...people may someday work hard to build a better, safer , kinder world for everyone...realizing that "everyone" includes them!

I don't think that the quality of life would improve for people in a society that was set up for everyone to have an equal share. I think the quality of life would decrease for practically everyone. The productivity for such a society would decrease so much that I think the quality of life would probably decrease for everyone.

I strongly disagree with your contention that "we are taught from birth that the purpose of life is to succeed by accumulating the most possessions....wealth and power". Were you taught that? I certainly wasn't. I don't know anyone who was taught that. Maybe a few people were taught that. Donald Trump seems like he may have been taught that. LOL.

Anyway, I think that if you did a poll in this country, I think you would find the opposite. I think that most people would say that money is important, but I think very few would say that it is the most important thing to them.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I don't think that the quality of life would improve for people in a society that was set up for everyone to have an equal share. I think the quality of life would decrease for practically everyone. The productivity for such a society would decrease so much that I think the quality of life would probably decrease for everyone.

I strongly disagree with your contention that "we are taught from birth that the purpose of life is to succeed by accumulating the most possessions....wealth and power". Were you taught that? I certainly wasn't. I don't know anyone who was taught that. Maybe a few people were taught that. Donald Trump seems like he may have been taught that. LOL.

Anyway, I think that if you did a poll in this country, I think you would find the opposite. I think that most people would say that money is important, but I think very few would say that it is the most important thing to them.

Again, you are linking productivity to personal gain while denying that is what we are taught...yes, I was and so is everyone...perhaps more subtle than I make it sound but totally pervasive!

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

Again, you are linking productivity to personal gain while denying that is what we are taught...yes, I was and so is everyone...perhaps more subtle than I make it sound but totally pervasive!

One of the great things about this country is that even people who don't make a lot of money here, still have a pretty good quality of life. Most people I know that are even in the lowest paying jobs have some if not all of the following things: an apartment, a car, a television, a VCR, a telephone, a cell phone, a computer, etc.

If you are at the bottom of the econmic level in most countries, you are not going to have those things. If you are poor in Afghanistan, you probably live in a mud hut with no electricity.

The bottom line is that our system may not be perfect. There are plenty of inequities. But I think our system is better than any other system and I think the quality of life would decrease for everyone if you tried to have a society where everyone had an equal share. In a soceity like that, people would not have computers, cars, and cell phones and stuff like that.

why would people work hard if not to acquire wealth?

Why would people want to lay around doing nothing? I dont work hard to make money. I work hard because I like working hard. I dont like sitting around doing nothing. I will work hard at anything, just as long as I dont have to sit around and be lazy. I have to be doing something more than what others might consider total hedonism (sipping a margarita on the beach watching pretty girls). I got to get up and get in the surf and start splashing around, build a sand castle something... how can people just sit still and do nothing.

So I personally dont get the lazy thing. That people work to make money. Lots of retired people work very hard and dont make a dime.

[timmgirvan]

Originally Posted by pgardn

why would people work hard if not to acquire wealth?

Why would people want to lay around doing nothing? I dont work hard to make money. I work hard because I like working hard. I dont like sitting around doing nothing. I will work hard at anything, just as long as I dont have to sit around and be lazy. I have to be doing something more than what others might consider total hedonism (sipping a margarita on the beach watching pretty girls). I got to get up and get in the surf and start splashing around, build a sand castle something... how can people just sit still and do nothing.

So I personally dont get the lazy thing. That people work to make money. Lots of retired people work very hard and dont make a dime.

Pgardn: It's quite simple really....this is the Age of Entitlement! Everything is owed to someone and and its their right to have thus and such. The fact of the matter is that it's incumbent on the society,not the govt, to take care of those less fortunate. Some of this burden has been borne by the Red Cross,Salvation Army,Goodwill,and various charitable organizations and food banks. If we as a society dont "burn out" our teachers and leaders, we could make a sizeable dent in the conditions of many folks....and then there's family!

[skippy3481]

P,
You have a strong work ethic, as a great deal of people here do, but, many people do not. If you want witness go into a mcdonalds in the inner city, they are being paid and don't care. Apathy in the workplace is going to happen. If you take out the monetary element from working, most of them would slow to a stop. Some people would rather do as little as possible and just enough to get paid. my parents always taught me, it doesn't matter what you do, but whatever it is, give everything.

[Cannon Shell]

Interestingly enough Sommer makes his argument that money does not equal personal value but wants to redistribute the money anyway. This is kind of a silly argument isn't it?
The sad truth is that equality does not, has not, nor will ever exist anywhere. We are only familiar with our own society but racism, discrimination, ethnic cleansing, poverty, starvation, etc are a worldwide issue and always have been and always will. Human nature dictates. Humans are weak and humans are strong. Humans are smart and humans are dumb. Humans are not made equally. The problems is not that the rich are prospering, it is that the poor are failing. Lashing out at one group wont help another. It is a simplistic argument that is so foolish I cant believe that someone with a 150 IQ would attempt to make it. Taxing individuals to extreme means demeans accomplishment and achievement. And for those who are born rich, why discriminate against them without reason? Because of where they were born? How is that any different than discriminating against a persons skin color? To discriminate against any person for an event totally out of their control is crazy.
Also I would think that a person with a 150 IQ would realize the folly of giving our government billions of dollars and expecting any REAL help for the poor.