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xchrom

(108,903 posts)
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 07:57 AM Mar 2015

4 Numbers That Prove America Is a Deeply Messed Up Place

http://www.alternet.org/economy/4-numbers-prove-america-deeply-messed-place


1.138,000 Kids Were Homeless while 115,000 Households Were Each Making $10 Million Per Year

Recent data has shown that the richest .1% (115,000 households) have each increased their wealth by an astonishing $10 million per year. As they counted their money on a frigid night in January, 138,000 children, according to the U.S. Department of Housing, were without a place to call home.

2. The Average U.S. Household Pays $400 to Feed and Clothe Walmart, McDonalds, and Other Low-Wage Workers

The Economic Policy Institute reports that $45 billion per year in federal, state, and other safety net support is paid to workers earning less than $10.10 an hour. Thus the average U.S. household is paying about $400 to employees in low-wage industries such as food service, retail, and personal care.

3. As $30 Trillion in New Wealth was being Created, the Number of Kids on Food Stamps Increased 70%

Before the recession, 12 out of every 100 American children got food stamps. After the recession, 20 out of every 100 American children got food stamps.
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4 Numbers That Prove America Is a Deeply Messed Up Place (Original Post) xchrom Mar 2015 OP
Contrast these numbers against bonus for banks employees... midnight Mar 2015 #1
noted here,the bonuses are going up up up n2doc Mar 2015 #8
Bonus is three times the median salary… Now that is a lot of money via a bonus. midnight Mar 2015 #33
3. As $30 Trillion in New Wealth was being Created, the Number of Kids on Food Stamps Increased 70%" Scuba Mar 2015 #2
Same here marym625 Mar 2015 #29
The solution, obviously, is to kick them off food assistance. enki23 Mar 2015 #47
I was having a slow start this morning..... daleanime Mar 2015 #3
And the rich just don't get it, about being humane. Dont call me Shirley Mar 2015 #4
Some do and advocate to be taxed more. Most don't and vote for Republicans to blm Mar 2015 #6
Some are so greedy they make it their life work to oppose paying taxes NoJusticeNoPeace Mar 2015 #27
K/R marmar Mar 2015 #5
K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations! Enthusiast Mar 2015 #7
K & R !!! WillyT Mar 2015 #9
Here's some more stuff to piss us off. (I know you're tired of me pointing this stuff out) BlueJazz Mar 2015 #10
What is the exchange rate? How many Australian dollars do you get for one US dollar? JDPriestly Mar 2015 #18
The current exchange rate is 1.00 US to 1.306 AU Keep in mind though that it varies... BlueJazz Mar 2015 #23
Thanks. They do take better care of their citizens. Maybe I read the exchange rate incorrectly. JDPriestly Mar 2015 #28
A lot of that has to do with falling resource prices Art_from_Ark Mar 2015 #39
Ah...That makes sense. Thanks. BlueJazz Mar 2015 #40
Redistribution of wealth has already happened. Just like Joe the Plumber accused Obama of planning, Fred Sanders Mar 2015 #11
On the bright side seabeckind Mar 2015 #13
kick. midnight Mar 2015 #34
And it'll never change until we finally get rid of mountain grammy Mar 2015 #12
One other metric that should be included: the top 1% control (aka "own") KingCharlemagne Mar 2015 #14
this country has truly gone nuts. niyad Mar 2015 #15
history father founding Mar 2015 #16
K&R. JDPriestly Mar 2015 #17
Economic Freedom at all costs! AZ Progressive Mar 2015 #19
The ruling class in America see the people as much more of a nuisance than a benefit. AZ Progressive Mar 2015 #20
The minimum wage in Australia, but that's not all . . FairWinds Mar 2015 #21
and the GOP only wants to slash more, if not all, of the benefit programs. Takket Mar 2015 #22
I kept waiting to see "world's highest prison population' in there somewhere 99th_Monkey Mar 2015 #24
And don't forget the issue of the broad based epidemic of willful, even proudly-embraced ignorance. calimary Mar 2015 #25
KNR for the facts and the numbers. We're #1 in economic denial. leveymg Mar 2015 #26
This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Mar 2015 #30
This isn't a Republicon problem it's a conservative problem. We have Democrats rhett o rick Mar 2015 #31
I for one welcome our current (and our next hand picked candidate's choice) of overlords Dragonfli Mar 2015 #38
Third Way Manny would love that. nm rhett o rick Mar 2015 #41
You would be incorrect, Third Way Manny would prefer Goldman (the Corporation) Dragonfli Mar 2015 #42
I got another number for you Man from Pickens Mar 2015 #32
nearby middle school is always calling upon my church Sister to TxTowelie Mar 2015 #35
Still glad that I live here though....just sayin. nt clarice Mar 2015 #36
Somewhere Lee Greenwood is proud Blue Owl Mar 2015 #37
The GOP is proposing to eliminate all those programs and those on it. Follow the logic. freshwest Mar 2015 #43
Those numbers seem off. Reconcile #1 with this data. proverbialwisdom Mar 2015 #44
If you are wealthy, you are unaware of these numbers. You live in entirely different world. YOHABLO Mar 2015 #45
Everything seems to be going according to (the 1%'s) plan... blkmusclmachine Mar 2015 #46
No wonder Thespian2 Mar 2015 #48
K&R woo me with science Mar 2015 #49
 

Scuba

(53,475 posts)
2. 3. As $30 Trillion in New Wealth was being Created, the Number of Kids on Food Stamps Increased 70%"
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 08:32 AM
Mar 2015
4. Despite the Decline in Food Security, the Food Stamp Program was Cut by $8.6 Billion and the Money Paid to Corporate Agriculture

As more and more children go hungry, the largest agricultural firms continue to take taxpayer money to supplement their billions in profits. The 2014 farm bill cut $8.6 billion (over the next ten years) from the food stamp program, of which nearly half of all participants are children. Meanwhile, $14 billion is annually paid out to the largest 10 percent of farm operators.



Sometimes I'm very ashamed of my country.

blm

(112,920 posts)
6. Some do and advocate to be taxed more. Most don't and vote for Republicans to
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 09:26 AM
Mar 2015

rig the system and shift the tax burden even further away from them and onto working families.

NoJusticeNoPeace

(5,018 posts)
27. Some are so greedy they make it their life work to oppose paying taxes
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 02:18 PM
Mar 2015

and to rig the inheritance tax law.

If you oppose paying higher taxes when you have $50 or $100 million or one billion, then you dont deserve to have that money that you TOOK from us in the first place.

 

BlueJazz

(25,348 posts)
10. Here's some more stuff to piss us off. (I know you're tired of me pointing this stuff out)
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 10:10 AM
Mar 2015

This is from Woolworth's in Australia My cousin is a manager in one of them.

Every time I think about the pay difference, I get in one of my moods...the unfairness of it all.

And this is a fucking Woolworth store which isn't that big a deal.




http://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Employer=Woolworths/Hourly_Rate

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)
18. What is the exchange rate? How many Australian dollars do you get for one US dollar?
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 12:06 PM
Mar 2015

This website says you get $11.49 US dollars for $15 Australian dollars.

http://coinmill.com/AUD_USD.html?AUD=15

That is today anyway.

I don't know how this compares to wages in the US once you convert the money according to the exchange rate.

 

BlueJazz

(25,348 posts)
23. The current exchange rate is 1.00 US to 1.306 AU Keep in mind though that it varies...
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 12:37 PM
Mar 2015

..all over the place. Even in the past 2 years it's been fairly close to even at times.
Right now is the widest I've seen in a while.

Also, the grocery stores are close to ours. Eating out is higher.
Throw in health care and they still take much better care of their citizens.
I could go back and live there (of course) but I value my friends highly here and love a good fight for equality anyway.

Art_from_Ark

(27,247 posts)
39. A lot of that has to do with falling resource prices
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 05:22 PM
Mar 2015

The same thing has happened with the Canadian dollar as well.

Fred Sanders

(23,946 posts)
11. Redistribution of wealth has already happened. Just like Joe the Plumber accused Obama of planning,
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 10:17 AM
Mar 2015

except it happened the opposite way.

And now that money is free speech and corporations have fully merged with media and with one of two partys in a two party state...America is one black man in charge of the Executive Branch away from true fascism.

seabeckind

(1,957 posts)
13. On the bright side
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 10:33 AM
Mar 2015

there's another thread that talks about Rubio joining the rest of us and losing money when selling his home.

Poor guy. Maybe if he asks real nice the realtor will give him a break on the fee.

 

KingCharlemagne

(7,908 posts)
14. One other metric that should be included: the top 1% control (aka "own")
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 10:58 AM
Mar 2015

40% of America's wealth and the top 10% control 80% of her wealth. That leaves 20% of America's wealth to be divvied up among the bottom 90% of Americans. Are you part of the top 10% or part of the bottom 90%?

AZ Progressive

(3,411 posts)
19. Economic Freedom at all costs!
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 12:14 PM
Mar 2015

Including the freedom for the rich to screw the poor, like it has always been throughout history.

AZ Progressive

(3,411 posts)
20. The ruling class in America see the people as much more of a nuisance than a benefit.
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 12:19 PM
Mar 2015

Attitudes of people changed with the rise of the Right Wing in the 70's, who started to attack the labor unions, and especially in the 80's when the perceived value of employees within corporations plummeted with the influence of Reagan and Jack Welch.

 

FairWinds

(1,717 posts)
21. The minimum wage in Australia, but that's not all . .
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 12:28 PM
Mar 2015

Australian minimum wage workers also get paid vacations & sick days, health care, and retirement.
And it's not just Australia - McDonald's workers in Denmark earn $ 20 per hour.
What's the difference? Unions.

Takket

(21,424 posts)
22. and the GOP only wants to slash more, if not all, of the benefit programs.
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 12:32 PM
Mar 2015

Reverse Robin Hood in effect

 

99th_Monkey

(19,326 posts)
24. I kept waiting to see "world's highest prison population' in there somewhere
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 01:06 PM
Mar 2015

maybe it should be #5?

calimary

(80,693 posts)
25. And don't forget the issue of the broad based epidemic of willful, even proudly-embraced ignorance.
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 02:01 PM
Mar 2015

That's more damaging than anything else, seems to me, because THAT infuses and informs all these other problems - the income inequality, the neglect of children living in poverty, the hideously-selfish and thoroughly un-Christian IGMFU/"Sucks to be YOU" mentality that this helps foster. How many deliberate and defiant DUMB-ASSES are there voting their equally DUMB-ASS favorites into political power positions? And how many of those successful DUMB-ASS candidates are then able to fuck the rest of us up one side of the street and down the other - on every issue from poverty and malnourishment to the very survival of our species on this planet??

Response to xchrom (Original post)

 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
31. This isn't a Republicon problem it's a conservative problem. We have Democrats
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 03:49 PM
Mar 2015

that are ok with this condition and want to continue the status quo of Wall Street domination of our economy.

Ask yourself if your candidate supports ending poverty or supports Wall Street.

Dragonfli

(10,622 posts)
42. You would be incorrect, Third Way Manny would prefer Goldman (the Corporation)
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 06:09 PM
Mar 2015

Be appointed actual president rather than simply as the one that manages the President's decisions. He would go into detail about how whomever holds the CEO position at any given moment would sit in the chair and sign the bills, he did make a good point as to how a Corp could hold unlimited terms providing they changed CEO's every 8 years, a very pragmatic way of granting president for life status to a person that just happened to be born a corporation.

Interesting conversation actually. Very adult. Very passionate as the spittle flew from his lips

35. nearby middle school is always calling upon my church
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 04:16 PM
Mar 2015

to increase their weekend backpacks of love program. More kids need help with food and hygiene products on the weekends. We've been fortunate that people have stepped up to provide more assistance to the kids.

The level of child poverty in the US is shameful.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
43. The GOP is proposing to eliminate all those programs and those on it. Follow the logic.
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 06:15 PM
Mar 2015

Last edited Tue Mar 17, 2015, 01:12 AM - Edit history (1)

The GOP is the consistent voice of the ultra wealthy. Their goal is the elimination of all but the 1% and their trusted servants. None of this should be a surprise.

They and others see the year 2030 as when they will accomplish this, and they will, without well organized opposition. It is indeed organizing right now, as for many involved trying to save public interests and programs are seeing a backlash against the GOP.

We're at a tipping point. Time is still not on our side. But we have nearly two years to vote those in office nationally who will support our goals. At least this is what people I met with this weekend are gleaning from the many reports with real life Democrats who are resisting on every level.

It just never makes the news. We've had some very heartening victories lately and are not going to give in. The work is from meeting to meeting, district to district, county to state, through the federal level. We follow the bills through legislatures and know exactly what is going on, who is for us and who is against. We nurse along the ones that support our vision, which is New Deal, and we adapt to make it even more inclusive than before.

We resist, following each to see that the bad ones are lost. If we lose, we start again and keep track of our friends and enemies and are on the look out for allies, but we know who they are. In all things, we know that majority and seniority rule in legislatures and we work to keep those with our vision supported.

Too many lives are at stake for us to stay home, and I bow to those able to do more than I can now.

proverbialwisdom

(4,959 posts)
44. Those numbers seem off. Reconcile #1 with this data.
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 06:19 PM
Mar 2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/17/child-homelessless-us_n_6169994.html

Number Of Homeless Children In America Surges To All-Time High: Report
By DAVID CRARY and LISA LEFF
Posted: 11/17/2014 5:49 am EST Updated: 11/18/2014 3:59 pm EST


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The number of homeless children in the U.S. has surged in recent years to an all-time high, amounting to one child in every 30, according to a comprehensive state-by-state report that blames the nation's high poverty rate, the lack of affordable housing and the impacts of pervasive domestic violence.

Titled "America's Youngest Outcasts," the report being issued Monday by the National Center on Family Homelessness calculates that nearly 2.5 million American children were homeless at some point in 2013. The number is based on the Department of Education's latest count of 1.3 million homeless children in public schools, supplemented by estimates of homeless pre-school children not counted by the DOE.

The problem is particularly severe in California, which has one-eighth of the U.S. population but accounts for more than one-fifth of the homeless children with a tally of nearly 527,000.

Carmela DeCandia, director of the national center and a co-author of the report, noted that the federal government has made progress in reducing homelessness among veterans and chronically homeless adults.

"The same level of attention and resources has not been targeted to help families and children," she said. "As a society, we're going to pay a high price, in human and economic terms."

<>
 

YOHABLO

(7,358 posts)
45. If you are wealthy, you are unaware of these numbers. You live in entirely different world.
Mon Mar 16, 2015, 06:38 PM
Mar 2015

And most who do know of these numbers do not CARE ! I got mine, you go and get yours. Too bad.

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