Comments on: Rich/Poor Income Gap Widening To Chasm

Evidence Shows Impact On Those At Lower End Of Wage Scale Continues To Grow

[gaprddesc]

Onlythereal
My issue is that I keep hearing the same talking points that are supposed to separate you from me. We need to stop letting the same talking points from both sides separate us year after year after year. Example: while you were caring whether someone was sleeping in separate beds, and believed that TV reflect what was really going on, you did not have the same indignation when the same people who believed what you believed were swinging from trees, their children being blown up in a church, thier thriving neighborhood was being burned down, and that town%u2019s people where considered less than human and was considered property. You look back to 1940 thru 1966 and say back then they all were moral people because 1st you did not see on TV, 2nd you also could not see what was being swept under the rug. You look back to that time as if it was a Utopia. Now let%u2019s fast forward to now. We may believe most of what you believe; however, I can turn the TV off and continue to teach my child what is wrong and right however, when all my money is being spent in fees and unnecessary taxes just because one can do it does not help my child eat healthy, learn in school and have heat when it is cold. There is nothing wrong with your beliefs and some of what you believe is believed by the have and the have nots. You choose what you want people to think about today while there is no shelter for some, no heat, no gas to get to work, no money for food due to usury fees.

[ahrats]

When the very few rich people with their greed destroy the middle class we will have another american revolution. The rich can not take away our guns and the great numbers of poor will revolt, never underestimate the power of large groups of uneducated people who will let emotions run their life not their brains. the rich better start sharing the wealth again and not hording all for themselves, there will trouble, and all the military help is already streatched out too thin to come to their rescue.

[Gary Kempf]

The saddest fact is no matter which side of the political line you choose, we the working class are the ones that are loosing the American dream. Until they stop political posturing, and self serving Senators and Congressman & Congresswoman, Until they start serving all Americans, not just the wealthy. Until they stop out sourcing, and take away tax credits to those that do. Stop wild speculation in the market, stop uncontrolled medical cost, and illegal immigration. This gap is only going to widen, I wish I could believe that this election is really going to change anything.

[nonayabiness]

We, as a nation, are in serious trouble all because of the greed of the elitists.

[rudolph1952]

Element 51

Thanks for your kind response. We''re both are more on the same page than I thought. It should have been President Al Gore. I live in Tampa and voted for Hillary but I''m afraid my vote won''t count. Obama says the votes in Michigan and Florida are "meaningless." Is that what he really thinks about the voters in Michigan and Florida? And John McCain wants to keep us in Iraq for a 100 years. Through process of elimination, I feel Hillary is our best choice. I''m afraid of my next paycheck and whether I will have to choose to pay for medicine, gasoline, groceries or a place to live. I need them all!

[element51]

Rudolph1952...It would be nice if there was a way to get the oil companies attention. But regardless of who wins the White House I don''t see that in the future. You are right that a gas tax holiday would provide a little relief but if you look at the overall picture it is apparent that in the long run we will still get screwed. We should have had an energy czar years ago when Carter tried to warn the American people what was going to come but Reagan got elected and the impending oil crises was swept under the rug. And the fact that McCain was the first candidate to talk about a "tax holiday" gives me pause for thought. Anytime a republican starts talking about doing something for the American people I have to wonder what''s in it for big business. Oh, I like Gore too. To bad the White House was stolen from him in 2000. Had that not been the case about 4000 great Americans would still be alive.

[standlee5]

We let them sell the bloody country right out from under us. Bill Clinton was a pawn and probably didn''t even know it. As far as I''m concerned Hillary can NATIONALIZE everything. At least the country would still be ours.

[standlee5]

payasyougo, you''re absolutely right. It''s all soooo frustrating. This and the last impotent lazy corrupt congress is sickening. Where is the leadership.

[payasyougo]

Windfall Profits tax.
Corporate tax rates.
Tax the rich.

The government would have you believe that the they are the solution to all of our problems. That a tax on someone else will benefit you.

For the last two years high gas prices have meant high oil company revenues and a resultant high amount of tax revenues since corporate profits are taxed today. These last two years our government has been collecting much much more in oil company tax revenue than normal.

Where is all that extra billions in tax revenue going? Has government fostererd more fuel efficient research? Fostered more refineries? Started employing more to fix the roads so we don''t get another bridge collapse?

That money is going into the pockets of friends of congress, Democrat and Republican.

That is where the windfall profits tax will go. Quit buying their tax the rich lies. It does nothing for you but send your job overseas.

[benjones1366]

1st it was good paying blue collar jobs such as auto and machine shop jobs for those that could not afford college or because of circumstances needed a job right out of high school. Then these jobs moved to China. The American media and the public hardly noticed!

Next corporations moved good call centers and help desks jobs to India. This affected many women and people with some college. Some pople complained only because now the help on the other end of the phone had a strange accent. The American media again yawned!

Then corporations moved design centers, hospital xray technicians, legal research, insurance processing, computer research to Inidia, China,Phillipines and Brazil. Jobs that required college degrees. The America media starts to take notice.

Now Newspapers, Hollywood,magazines are gutting newsrooms and moving some operations to India. All of a sudden, the sky is falling because now the people who are charged with informing the public are losing their jobs.

Result, America is in decline with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Read your history. This is what happened to Rome.

[rudolph1952]

To Element51

Hillary Clinton is on the right track about making the oil companies think about our pocketbooks. Maybe gas tax holiday won''t help much, but her main point is that she is willing to take on the oil lobby which is enjoying enormous profits.

I have a 2007 Toyota Matrix. One month ago it cost me $32.00 to fill up the tank with regular gasoline.
Now it costs me $37.50 to fill it up and that hurts and I pay cash!

We need an energy czar to keep these oil companies in check and to develop and enforce a new energy policy for this country away from fossil fuels.

Can''t think of a better man to do the job as Energy Czar than Al Gore.

[element51]

By way of clarification....The FEDERAL gas tax is 18.4 cents per gallon. It is the same in all 50 states. STATE gas taxes vary from state to state. ONLY the federal tax would be suspended if this stupid piece of legislation passes. If you have a 20 gallon tank and fill up once a week you will save about 14.40 per month. If this goes for 3 months you will save about 50 bucks. In all probability this will cause an increase in gas usage. The oil companies will raise prices as a result and the net result will be almost nothing. In addition, since the money this tax takes in goes for road improvements, many repair projects will have to be cancelled resulting in the loss of God knows how many jobs. The claim that this will be offset by a "windfall profits tax" on the oil companies is nonsense. That would have to be done as an act of Congress and do you really believe that Congress will impose a tax on the oil companies? One candidate has the common sense to see through this. Come on America, don''t let them pull this ***** on us again.

[element51]

My old Granny had a saying that really applies today. She used to say, "Life is like a ***** sandwich. The more bread you got, the less ***** you gotta eat."

[standlee5]

I think our state has like a .50 gallon gas tax then you add the federal .18 that could make a difference. Otherwise forget it.

[gaprddesc]

I''m not surprised they bailed out the saving and loan industry, yet made sure the worker does not file bankruptcy, they bailed out the mortgage company who participated in predatory lending and it is the home owner''s fault as if they could have chose a better deal. They bail-out everyone with our tax money and then tell us it is a good thing to save 30 cent a day on gas as if we would really see that savings. Anyway it is 30 cent to pay the high interest fee that has been imposed on the average worker.

[standlee5]

Remember when governor Jerry Brown of Ca. declined moving into the mansion and instead lived in a studio apt. and also I think didn''t take a salary. What happened to that kind of character. Everyone is a greedy Bazterd in this corrupt govt.

[standlee5]

It''s outrageous that they vote themselves a raise with OUR tax dollars when we''re all struggling to even PAY our taxes. F them. Our governor voted herself a whopping $24K raise this year.

[gaprddesc]

Both congress and senate wait until late one night just before they go on vacation and pass their raise every year. They think we are not watching. I guess it serves us right, they do it every year, yet we absolutely keep putting them in office.

[mcv57]

Injury to insult, the U.S. Bushwacker has a Rich Investor Welfare program, it is called the Federal Reserve.

[standlee5]

I can''t believe income has increased 6% since 1979 it feels likeit''s decreased 25% or more. When you consider the cost of housing, healthcare and gas it''s probably declined more than that.