Comparisons between Americans and global income inequality are invalid and misleading.

[Yavin4]

It's an inaccurate and misleading argument to say that the majority of Americans are the 1%. The American people can only control income distribution policies only in the U.S. (at least in theory). As a democracy, we vote for public spending programs on transportation, education, social security, etc. in order to re-distribute the wealth (somewhat).

We cannot control how other nations chose to distribute their wealth. For example, in Norway, revenues from their energy production are owned by the government which distributes the wealth evenly making their entire population middle class. In Nigeria and Mexico, oil revenues are kept by the companies that extract the oil.

Shaming Americans about their income relative to a global standard is ridiculous as we have no control over their internal policies which impoverish their citizens.

[99th_Monkey]

1. I hadn't heard this one before. Who's saying this? gotta link?

Just curious who's spouting this nonsense, and why.

[Yavin4]

2. See link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7126390

[99th_Monkey]

3. Thank you. That allowed me to reply to this nonsense. I appreciate the link

here's my reply:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7127245

[pampango]

4. Income inequality within countries or income levels between countries?

I think it is fair to compare income inequality if for no other reason than to learn from the successes and mistakes in other countries. If Sweden and Germany do things that result in a strong middle class and income equality, while the US do other things that have the opposite effect, it is worthwhile to look at those policies.

You are right. We cannot do anything about how Nigeria or Mexico or any other country distribute their incomes.

We should not be ashamed, nor should Germans nor Swedes, of our higher incomes than much of the world. Of course, we should do what we can to enable the rest of the prosper - we're all in this together - rather than adopting beggar thy neighbor policies that Trump and other republicans push. Liberals have generally cared about a broader segment of humanity than republicans care about.

[R.A. Ganoush]

5. So when we claim solidarity with the global Occupy movement

Are the protests against the global 1%, the EU 1%, their individual nations' 1% or the US's 1%?

I may need to update my scorecard.

[Rex]

7. It is against the few thats main output to society it more poor and unemployed.

Pretty black and white to those that pay attention.

[Rex]

6. Oh well that Foxnews-ish thread was self-deleted, I guess the OP does have some shame in their body.

I was wrong on that. Good to see.