the top 5% don't care about the bottom 95%

The discussion of the "fiscal cliff", and it being "averted", has broken down along party lines as usual. But, what (we) the general public are hearing, has centered on two areas. One, is taxes on the top two percent, two, is on entitlement spending.
The problem as i see it however, is how the top 5% are the ONLY people being brought into the discussion, or even considered to have a voice. Here is a breakdown of income in America, along with their representative percentages.
en.wikipedia.org...

Every legislature in the federal goverment that can actually vote on laws affecting the 95%, are in, or of, the top 5%.
usgovinfo.about.com...

Every mainstream media person with any type of broad audience are in the top 5%. And, they discuss what is to happen to the other 95% with various people that are also in that top 5%.
www.thedailybeast.com...
www.thedailybeast.com...

The rest of us (the 95%), only hear how bad it's going to be for "the nation" if taxes go up on the wealthiest (the top 5%), and how deep cuts in entitlements (most of those going to the bottom 95%) are the only way to save America from financial collapse.
To me and to many others, realize that THIS is the disconnect, not conservative verses liberal, but the interests of the 5%, verses, the interests of the 95%. The hard reality of just getting by week after week, month after month, year after year, for tens of millions of people living in poverty, and tens of millions of others living paycheck to paycheck, should be the focus. the deliberate absence of these people's voices being heard on a national stage about living on the edge or close to it, is what's missing. And when 95% of the nations population are NOT included in the discussion, they will not be included in the solution.

I guess I took a different approach in life.

I was definitely a 95%'er when I first got married in the early 90's. I didn't like that so I took steps to improve my position in life by learning, doing and achieving. Now I am no longer "struggling" and I'm in a comfortable position where I don't have to worry about what the X% is doing.

I guess complaining about it is much easier than doing some thing about it, huh

(Not directed at you Jimmy - just making a broad statement about the commonality of the masses in regards to this)

reply to post by jimmyx


Did you just figure this out? The people who have it good don't want things to change, and they don't give a damn about the rest of us. It has always been this way, and it will never change.

The solution is to get a job or start a business, work your butt off and then you will be concerned how much of YOUR hard earned money is being taken to support those who WILL not work. I believe all americans particularly those of us who have been successful, will always help those who are less fortunate because of circumstance. This is far different than supporting those who do not want to work and are comfortable living in the government induced poverty.

reply to post by jimmyx


I'm surprised it's taken people so long to figure that out. The top don't care about the bottom except when they can take from them as the old adage goes, you can sheer a sheep many times, but only kill it once.

And the politicians continue their assault while broadening the class-war rhetoric. Last year it was the "1%"; today it is the "5%"; tomorrow it will be the "55%".....

reply to post by DOLCOTT


Yes if we all started our own buisness then everyone would be rich.

The niches in the markets that you occupy are limited... You stand on the backs of others.

Capitalism is a disease. We see this with the pop of every bubble and record profit mark.

Something people do not consider is the fact that high earners generally give a portion of their income to charity/homeless/etc. They are apparently closing the charity loophole and effectively hurting the poor by doing so. Unintended consequences are generally bad and always to the poor. When you try to hurt the wealthy the poor always suffer first and it never ever forces the wealthy to go without a meal.

reply to post by TXRabbit

There's always somebody with a blanket statement, and a pat answer to the "95%'s" financial woes. Obviously, you've never taken a tumble out of the window of that ivory tower you're now living in. And honestly, I hope you never do. I wouldn't wish that nightmare on anyone.

If you ever do though, you'll figure out why your statement is insulting to millions of people, and you'll remember what you've no doubt said to many.

And the bottom 95% dont care about the top 5%, even though they pay most of the countries bills......

reply to post by TXRabbit


Kudos to you sir. Not directed at the OP, but it is my opinion that the people who complain about the wealthy, %5, whatever you want to call them, are the people who hate their lives. And since they would have to actually work at improving their lives, instead of having everything handed to them, they choose to complain instead.
Nobody is entitled to anything. If you want something, work for it. After all, this is the land of opportunity.

Originally posted by Klassified
reply to post by TXRabbit

 

There's always somebody with a blanket statement, and a pat answer to the "95%'s" financial woes. Obviously, you've never taken a tumble out of the window of that ivory tower you're now living in. And honestly, I hope you never do. I wouldn't wish that nightmare on anyone.

If you ever do though, you'll figure out why your statement is insulting to millions of people, and you'll remember what you've no doubt said to many.

Thanks for the response. Like I said - I don't worry about what any of the other % is doing. I offered no explanation nor an excuse. I merely mentioned how I overcame the hardships I'd faced when I decided I'd had enough.

Tell ya what. How about I take a few grand out of my savings account and give it to someone who's living day-to-day, working at Wal Mart part time and barely able to buy clothes. Yeah..that'll teach them how to survive.
That's the point of complaining about it though, isn't it? "Wahhhh..Someone has more than me!" "Wahhh - why can't I have the stuff that they have?". "Wahhhh - who's going to give me something that I don't have??"

Insulting? Possibly. Who said the truth is cherry-coated and comes with a trophy.

Originally posted by JarheadFidelis
reply to post by TXRabbit

 

Kudos to you sir. Not directed at the OP, but it is my opinion that the people who complain about the wealthy, %5, whatever you want to call them, are the people who hate their lives.

The OP isn't complaining about the 5% but pointing out that those in government belong to the 5% which raises the question of whether they can be trusted to act in the best interest of the 95%.

I think the answer to that is clear given the number of times that it is claimed that the government does not follow the will of the american people.

Originally posted by TXRabbit
I guess I took a different approach in life.

I was definitely a 95%'er when I first got married in the early 90's. I didn't like that so I took steps to improve my position in life by learning, doing and achieving. Now I am no longer "struggling" and I'm in a comfortable position where I don't have to worry about what the X% is doing.

I guess complaining about it is much easier than doing some thing about it, huh

(Not directed at you Jimmy - just making a broad statement about the commonality of the masses in regards to this)

edit on 2-1-2013 by TXRabbit because: (no reason given)

and you should be proud of your achievement, i enjoy a very comfortable retirement myself. but, i did have 2 middle-income and caring parents, i had a stable childhood, in a stable neighborhood. the schools i went to, even though public, were of upper and middle class dominated children, and it was in a medium size town, not a city by any means. as i look back, i was very fortunate TO NOT be born into a broken or abusive home enviorment. i was taught to excel, which i did, because i had the role models available to me inside the home as well as outside. a lot of factors go into achievement, and it very rarely depends solely on the individual.

Originally posted by daskakik

Originally posted by JarheadFidelis
reply to post by TXRabbit

 

Kudos to you sir. Not directed at the OP, but it is my opinion that the people who complain about the wealthy, %5, whatever you want to call them, are the people who hate their lives.

The OP isn't complaining about the 5% but pointing out that those in government belong to the 5% which raises the question of whether they can be trusted to act in the best interest of the 95%.

I think the answer to that is clear given the number of times that it is claimed that the government does not follow the will of the american people.

edit on 2-1-2013 by daskakik because: (no reason given)

exactly...the media needs articulate, and thoughtful people from these groups, brought into the on-air discussions, the ones that live it and breathe it everyday, they simple are absent.

reply to post by TXRabbit

It's ok bro. I understand better than you think. Been there, fell from my ivory tower, and making my way back up again. I'm not talking about folks who have no desire to better themselves. I'm talking about hard working Americans who aren't looking for handouts from the likes of me and you. They don't mind struggling a little to get there on their own, and they're not whining about it. But the system is still stacked against them by those who don't give a damn about them, and yet make the country's laws, and manage the country's financial system. The OP is right in his assessment...

To me and to many others, realize that THIS is the disconnect, not conservative verses liberal, but the interests of the 5%, verses, the interests of the 95%. The hard reality of just getting by week after week, month after month, year after year, for tens of millions of people living in poverty, and tens of millions of others living paycheck to paycheck, should be the focus. the deliberate absence of these people's voices being heard on a national stage about living on the edge or close to it, is what's missing. And when 95% of the nations population are NOT included in the discussion, they will not be included in the solution.

Until you and I see this as less of, "I've got mine, fend for yourself", and more of, "How can I encourage others to do what I've done when they have the opportunity to do so", we're going to keep going downhill as a society. Which is exactly what the "5%ers" want. More for them, less for me and you.

reply to post by daskakik


You would be correct. The government and its politicians only care about lining their pockets.

reply to post by Klassified


Agree 100%.

Originally posted by TXRabbit

Originally posted by Klassified
reply to post by TXRabbit

 

There's always somebody with a blanket statement, and a pat answer to the "95%'s" financial woes. Obviously, you've never taken a tumble out of the window of that ivory tower you're now living in. And honestly, I hope you never do. I wouldn't wish that nightmare on anyone.

If you ever do though, you'll figure out why your statement is insulting to millions of people, and you'll remember what you've no doubt said to many.

Thanks for the response. Like I said - I don't worry about what any of the other % is doing. I offered no explanation nor an excuse. I merely mentioned how I overcame the hardships I'd faced when I decided I'd had enough.

Tell ya what. How about I take a few grand out of my savings account and give it to someone who's living day-to-day, working at Wal Mart part time and barely able to buy clothes. Yeah..that'll teach them how to survive.
That's the point of complaining about it though, isn't it? "Wahhhh..Someone has more than me!" "Wahhh - why can't I have the stuff that they have?". "Wahhhh - who's going to give me something that I don't have??"

Insulting? Possibly. Who said the truth is cherry-coated and comes with a trophy.

what has really stunned me in recent years is that people that work hard in a 40-hour a week job, still qualify to collect food stamps because of their dismal incomes. productivity over the last few decades has went up, the wealthiest among us have seen enormous increases, but, "the worker" has seen their wages near stagnation. put that on top of the middle-incomes losses in their 401K's, which all of us were told would amply replace a company retirement, and the collapse of the housing market, and we have a hollowed out middle-class, with millions now relagated to just-above-poverty living standards.

Does the bottom 95% care about the top 5%?