Government of the rich, by the rich, for the rich

[bluefrog]

LINK

At left, we see that as people at the bottom of the income spectrum care more about an issue, the probability of action on that issue scarcely budges. At right we see that policy responds a little more to median preferences. But what's clear in both is that the rich are much more successful at getting their issues on the docket.

Money, by creating this asymmetry, gets what it wants much more often. As Mr Gilens notes, this is a feature of very nearly every political system in very nearly every historical era. What I would suggest is that it is therefore not a tremendous threat to democracy, except in cases when mobility levels across incomes fall dramatically. In that case, you create a permanent class of politically disenfranchised people. And that can be a very destabilising thing.

 

[Ed O]

I'm less concerned about how rich the rich are than how rich the poor are, to be honest.

In a country where poor people get free education for their kids and access to refrigerators and the internet, I'm not as concerned as some.

Ed O.

 

[bluefrog]

I'm less concerned about how rich the rich are than how rich the poor are, to be honest.

In a country where poor people get free education for their kids and access to refrigerators and the internet, I'm not as concerned as some.

Ed O.

True, when you consider the hardships that people in many countries suffer. That's little consolation to those who feel left out of the political system and have little social mobility in this society.

"Sorry that your congressman doesn't care about your community. At least you have clean running water, a refrigerator and free education. "

 

[MARIS61]

Poor people having access to education, refrigerator and internet troubles you, Ed O?

It gladdens me.

Now if they only had healthcare, housing, and a voice in their country's actions we could call this a civilization.

 

[Ed O]

Poor people having access to education, refrigerator and internet troubles you, Ed O?

It gladdens me.

Now if they only had healthcare, housing, and a voice in their country's actions we could call this a civilization.

I think that you're living in a fantasy world and making a world like "civilization" nonsensical.

I'd rather have a real country where the poor are rich than make everyone poor.

Ed O.

 

[Ed O]

True, when you consider the hardships that people in many countries suffer. That's little consolation to those who feel left out of the political system and have little social mobility in this society.

"Sorry that your congressman doesn't care about your community. At least you have clean running water, a refrigerator and free education. "

As long as there is stability, I don't really care about giving those who "feel left out" consolation.

Ed O.

 

[bluefrog]

As long as there is stability, I don't really care about giving those who "feel left out" consolation.

Ed O.

And that's the conclusion of the article:

... you create a permanent class of politically disenfranchised people. And that can be a very destabilising thing.

 

[Denny Crane]

It's certainly more destabilizing to have a govt. writing checks the economy can't cash.

 

[Rhal]

I'm less concerned about how rich the rich are than how rich the poor are, to be honest.

In a country where poor people get free education for their kids and access to refrigerators and the internet, I'm not as concerned as some.

Ed O.

Unfortunately our Education system is going out the window and has been for a long time. We may have free Education but it is becoming less and less, soon our kids will be stuck in a class room with 50 others learning basic subjects that do little to spike there interests. The Kids of this country our the future and the majority of them are in bad schools that simply want to throw a little bit of information at them and get them the hell out. All the public schools care about is them showing up so they can get paid, other then that they don't care.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

I think that you're living in a fantasy world and making a world like "civilization" nonsensical.

I'd rather have a real country where the poor are rich than make everyone poor.

Ed O.

What are you talking about?

 

[Denny Crane]

What are you talking about?

The poor in Brazil live in cardboard boxes on the side of a hill. I'm not talking about their homeless, just their lower class.

The poor in the US live at least in govt. subsidized housing with air conditioning, TV, video games, and maybe even a dishwasher. I'm not talking about our homeless.

So our poor are really rich compared to theirs.

 

[Colonel Ronan]

Fan of digg.com, bluefrog?

 

[chris_in_pdx]

As long as there is stability, I don't really care about giving those who "feel left out" consolation.

Way to go, Ed O. You nailed it perfectly.

 

[bluefrog]

Fan of digg.com, bluefrog?

Yeah, I saw this on digg. I like the economist too

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

The poor in Brazil live in cardboard boxes on the side of a hill. I'm not talking about their homeless, just their lower class.

The poor in the US live at least in govt. subsidized housing with air conditioning, TV, video games, and maybe even a dishwasher. I'm not talking about our homeless.

So our poor are really rich compared to theirs.

Waiting lists for public housing are years long, and the lists are almost always closed to even to apply. But don't worry the nouveau pauvre will be fine sleeping in their Cadilacs until they get their deluxe apartment in the sky.

 

[bluefrog]

Originally Posted by Hosni Mubarak
As long as there is stability, I don't really care about giving those who "feel left out" consolation.

Way to go, Ed O. You nailed it perfectly.

Hosni Mubarak. LOL!

 

[blazerboy30]

Waiting lists for public housing are years long, and the lists are almost always closed to even to apply. But don't worry the nouveau pauvre will be fine sleeping in their Cadilacs until they get their deluxe apartment in the sky.

Are you honestly trying to argue with Ed about the "poor" in this country being very well off compared to the "poor" in most other countries? Good luck with that one, fella.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Are you honestly trying to argue with Ed about the "poor" in this country being very well off compared to the "poor" in most other countries? Good luck with that one, fella.

Where did I say that?

 

[blazerboy30]

Where did I say that?

I asked you the question. Are you agreeing with Ed then?

 

[Ed O]

What are you talking about?

Has your question been answered yet?

Ed O.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

I asked you the question. Are you agreeing with Ed then?

You put words in my mouth, I think we should start there.

 

[maxiep]

I'm wondering how this government of the rich, by the rich, for the rich could have such a disproportionate share of tax receipts come from the rich.

If anything, this is a government of, by and for the freeriders.

 

[Ed O]

Has your question been answered yet?

Ed O.

You put words in my mouth, I think we should start there.

Or you can start with whether your question is answered. If not, I'll be happy to do so.

Ed O.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Has your question been answered yet?

Ed O.

What did you mean by this: I'd rather have a real country where the poor are rich than make everyone poor.

And where does one get a free fridge?

 

[Ed O]

No, where does one get a free fridge?

That is your question? I didn't say there was any free refrigerators.

I don't think you're being intellectually honest here, for some reason.

Ed O.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

That is your question? I didn't say there was any free refrigerators.

I don't think you're being intellectually honest here, for some reason.

Ed O.

Sorry, I was editing my post, what did you mean by: "I'd rather have a real country where the poor are rich than make everyone poor."

 

[Ed O]

Here's a fridge for $80, which is about two days' worth of minimum wage work:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Frigidaire-MINI-FRIDGE-Refrigerator-freezer-Compact-/250770376777

Looks like as little as $50 if you are willing to live with scratch and dent.

Ed O.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Here's a fridge for $80, which is about two days' worth of minimum wage work:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Frigidaire-MINI-FRIDGE-Refrigerator-freezer-Compact-/250770376777

Looks like as little as $50 if you are willing to live with scratch and dent.

Ed O.

That was more a joke, but I thought you meant some free fridge give away form the goverment.

I was more wondering about his one: "I'd rather have a real country where the poor are rich than make everyone poor."

 

[Ed O]

Sorry, I was editing my post, what did you mean by: "I'd rather have a real country where the poor are rich than make everyone poor."

I'd rather have a real country = I prefer a functioning, existing country. As opposed to utopian or theoretical applications of alternatives.

where the poor are rich = our poor are wealthier than almost everyone in human history.

than make everyone poor. = I believe efforts to level the economy are a drag on overall wealth production, and I'd rather have peaks and valleys than just a plain at valley level.

Ed O.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Thank you.