Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: frustrated

Falling into the Income Gap

This article explains some more reasons why politicians are indifferent to America's economic problems.  (Link courtesy of my_partner_doug.) Being college-educated insulates them from the worst unemployment, as does living in or near Washington, D.C.  Their personal comfort robs them of a sense of urgency, such as is felt by the many citizens struggling to keep their lights on.  Also, when the wealthy 10% and the non-wealthy 90% differ on policy decisions, the wealthy opinion almost always prevails, based on observations of past results.

This is a problem, because when the gap between rich and poor gets too wide, a society tears itself apart.  History is quite clear on that point.  Even before it gets that bad, social aspects break down, causing an increase in crime and other problems.  So then, things that increase, or fail to alleviate, the widening income gap are actually un-American in that they reduce the chance of America surviving as a nation.  It would be bitterly ironic if one of the world's greatest social experiments collapsed because people couldn't be bothered to give a rat's ass about each other.  What war couldn't accomplish, greed and indifference very well might.
Tags: economics, news, politics
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  • 15 comments
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cissa

cissa

March 6 2011, 22:54:17 UTC 10 years ago

One of our local state eps spent a month eating on food stamp-level amounts. and he was all "OMG! SO HARD!!!!" even thoughhe had the advantages of going to things like fund-raising dinners etc. during that month. And they printed some of the food choices he made and they were stupidly extravagant.

Still, he (sort-of) tried. Plus for going even that far...
ysabetwordsmith

Well...

ysabetwordsmith

March 6 2011, 23:01:51 UTC 10 years ago

Ironically, we eat much better on food stamps than anything other than the most flush times of personal history. Food stamps can only be spent on food, which means that portion of the budget doesn't have to compete with other urgencies such as medical bills or car repairs. There's always money for food. It just takes a little care to budget meals out of that.
cissa

Re: Well...

cissa

March 6 2011, 23:44:03 UTC 10 years ago

Oh, I can completely believe that! When J and I were first married, we had a serious cash-flow problem- we'd bought a "condo" (which had previously been subsidized housing, so we're not talking luxurious here) which we could barely afford, and I remember having to choose between eating and gas to get J to work. Now, we did it to ourselves, so it was our own fault- but it was a difficult couple of years (at the height of inflation).

I just- the rep tried, he and his wife really did- but they were so spoiled! They bought all kinds of processed stuff- without coupons; they didn't read and plan around stuff on sale- etc., etc. Now, they were trying, at least! but while I don't coupon any more- we're trying to avoid processed foods- I saved a HELL of a lot of money doing that when we were broke, and I still peruse the sales fliers with a passion that I seldom bring to novels. :) At this point a lot of that's just second-nature.

I think if he'd had to do that for a YEAR, he'd have had a better grasp of what regular people actually face.

But- thanks for bringing up the point that food stamps can only be used for FOOD. That's really important.