What's your opinion on United States Of America?

[mkwblue]

When I visited Canada I wore my USA t-shirt...not 'cause I was arrogant I just wanted to let everyone know I was "Poor white trash" PLEASE don't take advantage of me, lol and I was amazed at how kind and generous I found people to be. I may still be very naive about many things but as I have stated before, I know what I like...shhhh don't tell anyone...I want to defect, I have been persecuted in my country all my life, if you don't have money and power in the US you don't have any rights! In time I will die here 'cause I can't afford decent health care...greatest country in the world? Depends on who you talk to and how much money they have, am I right?

 

[darkbeaver]

Why some people care just a little less about the USA:






Politics
→ Economy, Money in Politics, Top Stories

It's the Inequality, Stupid

Illustrations by Jason Schneider
Eleven charts that explain everything that's wrong with America.
— By Dave Gilson and Carolyn Perot


March/April 2011 Issue
How Rich Are the Superrich?

A huge share of the nation's economic growth over the past 30 years has gone to the top one-hundredth of one percent, who now make an average of $27 million per household. The average income for the bottom 90 percent of us? $31,244.

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Note: The 2007 data (the most current) doesn't reflect the impact of the housing market crash. In 2007, the bottom 60% of Americans had 65% of their net worth tied up in their homes. The top 1%, in contrast, had just 10%. The housing crisis has no doubt further swelled the share of total net worth held by the superrich.

Winners Take All

The superrich have grabbed the bulk of the past three decades' gains.

Out of Balance

A Harvard business prof and a behavioral economist recently asked more than 5,000 Americans how they thought wealth is distributed in the United States. Most thought that it’s more balanced than it actually is. Asked to choose their ideal distribution of wealth, 92% picked one that was even more equitable.

Capitol Gain

Why Washington is closer to Wall Street than Main Street.

member max. est. net worth Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) $451.1 million Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) $435.4 million Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) $366.2 million Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) $294.9 million Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) $285.1 million Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) $283.1 million Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) $231.2 million Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) $201.5 million Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) $136.2 million Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) $108.1 million combined net worth: $2.8 billion

Congressional data from 2009. Family net worth data from 2007. Sources: Center for Responsive Politics; US Census; Edward Wolff, Bard College.
​

Who's Winning?

For a healthy few, it's getting better all the time.

​

YOUR LOSS,THEIR GAIN

How much income have you given up for the top 1 percent?

Sources
Income distribution: Emmanuel Saez (Excel)


Net worth: Edward Wolff (PDF)
Household income/income share: Congressional Budget Office
Real vs. desired distribution of wealth: Michael I. Norton and Dan Ariely (PDF)
Net worth of Americans vs. Congress: Federal Reserve (average); Center for Responsive Politics (Congress)
Your chances of being a millionaire: Calculation based on data from Wolff (PDF); US Census (household and population data)
Member of Congress' chances: Center for Responsive Politics
Wealthiest members of Congress: Center for Responsive Politics
Tax cut votes: New York Times (Senate; House)
Wall street profits, 2007-2009: New York State Comptroller (PDF)
Unemployment rate, 2007-2009: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Home equity, 2007-2009: Federal Reserve, Flow of Funds data, 1995-2004 and 2005-2009 (PDFs)
CEO vs. worker pay: Economic Policy Institute
Historic tax rates: Calculations based on data from The Tax Foundation
Federal tax revenue: Joint Committee on Taxation (PDF)


Read also: Kevin Drum on the decline of Big Labor, the rise of Big Business, and why the Obama era fizzled so soon.
More Mother Jones charty goodness: How the rich get richer; how the poor get poorer; who owns Congress?
Dave Gilson is a senior editor at Mother Jones












It's the Inequality, Stupid | Mother Jones

Isn't it an odd little lesson in economics Gopher that dosn't use the words bank or debt? Isn't it a bit like a recipe for beef stew that dosn't use the word beef or stew?

 

[JLM]

When I visited Canada I wore my USA t-shirt...not 'cause I was arrogant I just wanted to let everyone know I was "Poor white trash" PLEASE don't take advantage of me, lol and I was amazed at how kind and generous I found people to be. I may still be very naive about many things but as I have stated before, I know what I like...shhhh don't tell anyone...I want to defect, I have been persecuted in my country all my life, if you don't have money and power in the US you don't have any rights! In time I will die here 'cause I can't afford decent health care...greatest country in the world? Depends on who you talk to and how much money they have, am I right?

Don't despair mkwblue- put on an "optimistic face" and start out by finding one positive thing to dwell on. I've visited the western U.S. states many many times and have always been overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity extended to me. If you are in dire need of help, I'll bet there are many agencies as close as your phone book. You try your best and if to no avail - no shame in saying you need help................99% of people do during their lives. If you make up your mind you are going to succeed, usually you do. Good luck.

 

[mkwblue]

Don't despair mkwblue- put on an "optimistic face" and start out by finding one positive thing to dwell on. I've visited the western U.S. states many many times and have always been overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity extended to me. If you are in dire need of help, I'll bet there are many agencies as close as your phone book. You try your best and if to no avail - no shame in saying you need help................99% of people do during their lives. If you make up your mind you are going to succeed, usually you do. Good luck.

No need to answer my question...you already have.

 

[gopher]

'' Foreigners don't like any American unless that American is perceived as serving their interests.''

That explains why the Chinese and Indians love Bush today - he imported so many of our jobs to those countries.'

''If you knew anything about beautiful Chinese women you would realize what a pleasure it is to simply be in their presence.''

I dated a Chinese girl a long time ago so that makes you wrong.

 

[Praxius]

"What's your opinion on United States Of America?"

Whut duh I think a'bowt A'merika?

Wuh'y I's thank eet's grat, cuz wez gut dat der um, A'meri'kan eji'mucation an'sh*t..... wez gut h'ourz gunz..... an' wez gut allz duh freedum teh wez canz wuntz, y'hear?

Itz in dat deer Kuntz'tit'tu'jan wez gutz..... Jezus say'd n'dar dat wez cun 'ave all dar gunz wez needz tuh mac sure ain't no'buddy, no'how gunna take ourz VCR's and ourz left'ovar big macs in dat der re'fridge'er'mer'gator over yun'der.

Y'all dunt know whut yer miss'n.....

I'z know whut I'z miss'n...... Thir'teen Tooth's in mar head, Eh'He'uck!!!

YEEEEEEEE'HAAAWWWWWWWRRRRRR!!!!! *shoots gunz up in da'air*

Datz right..... Dat's whut make A'merika deh bestest dang Kunt'ry in duh hole Eart!!!

 

[ironsides]

When I visited Canada I wore my USA t-shirt...not 'cause I was arrogant I just wanted to let everyone know I was "Poor white trash" PLEASE don't take advantage of me, lol and I was amazed at how kind and generous I found people to be. I may still be very naive about many things but as I have stated before, I know what I like...shhhh don't tell anyone...I want to defect, I have been persecuted in my country all my life, if you don't have money and power in the US you don't have any rights! In time I will die here 'cause I can't afford decent health care...greatest country in the world? Depends on who you talk to and how much money they have, am I right?

So, just move to Canada. Canada makes it very easy for a poor downtrodden American to take up citizenship. Maybe you can get a better job there, or maybe you could just stop complaining and get a job here in the States.

 

[BaalsTears]

''If you knew anything about beautiful Chinese women you would realize what a pleasure it is to simply be in their presence.''

I dated a Chinese girl a long time ago so that makes you wrong.

It only counts if she was beautiful.

 

[Colpy]

"What's your opinion on United States Of America?"

Whut duh I think a'bowt A'merika?

Wuh'y I's thank eet's grat, cuz wez gut dat der um, A'meri'kan eji'mucation an'sh*t..... wez gut h'ourz gunz..... an' wez gut allz duh freedum teh wez canz wuntz, y'hear?

Itz in dat deer Kuntz'tit'tu'jan wez gutz..... Jezus say'd n'dar dat wez cun 'ave all dar gunz wez needz tuh mac sure ain't no'buddy, no'how gunna take ourz VCR's and ourz left'ovar big macs in dat der re'fridge'er'mer'gator over yun'der.

Y'all dunt know whut yer miss'n.....

I'z know whut I'z miss'n...... Thir'teen Tooth's in mar head, Eh'He'uck!!!

YEEEEEEEE'HAAAWWWWWWWRRRRRR!!!!! *shoots gunz up in da'air*

Datz right..... Dat's whut make A'merika deh bestest dang Kunt'ry in duh hole Eart!!!

Uh huh.....

Best universities in the world:

1 University of Cambridge United Kingdom
2 Harvard University United States
3 Yale University United States
4 UCL (University College London) United Kingdom
5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) United States

Top Universities

Can you say ignorant, arrogant, and ill-informed??? While you look in the mirror???

 

[petros]

Remove the military funding and those wouldn't be the top schools.

 

[Colpy]

Remove the military funding and those wouldn't be the top schools.

Oh Bull****.....

Here are the top ranked universities (same site) in the Arts and Humanities.....

1 University of Oxford United Kingdom
2 University of Cambridge United Kingdom
3 Harvard University United States
4 University of California, Berkeley (UCB) United States
5 Yale University United States
6 Princeton University United States
7 University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) United States
8 Stanford University United States
9 University of Chicago United States
10 Columbia University United States


And in Medicine

1 Harvard University United States
2 University of Cambridge United Kingdom
3 University of Oxford United Kingdom
4 Stanford University United States
5 University of California, Berkeley (UCB) United States
6 The University of Tokyo Japan
7 Johns Hopkins University United States
8 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) United States
9 Yale University United States
10 University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) United States

Can you look in the mirror and say "I have NO idea what I'm talking about!"

LOL

 

[petros]

Spin offs.

 

[Colpy]

Spin offs.

1. What, your ears?

2. Who cares?

3.

 

[petros]

Looks like you're jaundiced.

 

[darkbeaver]

If those universities were as great as the rankings say would the world be such a ****ed up place as it is today? Like many other aspects of our culture it's all marketing drivel. You can't at the same time have the best universities in the world and be going down the tubes faster than frogs through a duck. So they've plainly been educating for failure.

 

[BaalsTears]

If those universities were as great as the rankings say would the world be such a ****ed up place as it is today? Like many other aspects of our culture it's all marketing drivel. You can't at the same time have the best universities in the world and be going down the tubes faster than frogs through a duck. So they've plainly been educating for failure.

What do you think is the best university in the world?

 

[petros]

What do you think is the best university in the world?

The Universe.

 

[BaalsTears]

The Universe.

Thanks for the chat.

 

[Praxius]

Uh huh.....

Best universities in the world:

1 University of Cambridge United Kingdom
2 Harvard University United States
3 Yale University United States
4 UCL (University College London) United Kingdom
5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) United States

Top Universities

Can you say ignorant, arrogant, and ill-informed??? While you look in the mirror???

Yeee Hawwwrrr, Luke's like som'body n'hear ain't got no sens o'humare..... sure, days gotz some fancy rich'like Uner'varsi'tays.... darn bad dat days 'ave most'ly dem for'in'ers atten'ding dem skools an many o' dem teach'n folk comez frum udder kun'trays.... like dat dere Kan'nar'duh and English'land.

*slaps dem knees*

Whhooooo'eeeee..... wut a hum'dinger o' a funny.

S'wais it dat dem stu'dent folk in dem dar skoolz cumz from dem udder kunt'rays an wais it dat der teach'n folk cumz from udder kunt'rays tuh?

Iz tink eets be'cuz dem 'meri'kan yung'sters haz dat der a'meri'kan ed'ji'mi'kat'un anz just dunt haz da know'howz to uh'tend.

eh'heyuck

What do you think is the best university in the world?

That's subjective to the individual based on what college/university suits their needs and desires. Just because some online poll or chart says a particular university is the best out of all the others, doesn't actually mean that you yourself would enjoy or find any interest in that university/college, or would teach what you need or want for your field of work you wish to enter.

 

[BaalsTears]

...

That's subjective to the individual based on what college/university suits their needs and desires. Just because some online poll or chart says a particular university is the best out of all the others, doesn't actually mean that you yourself would enjoy or find any interest in that university/college, or would teach what you need or want for your field of work you wish to enter.

Fair enough.