Oxfam says world's rich could end poverty

reply to post by FyreByrd

I wanted to post this here and see what people think about this. To me, it seems the right thing to do. I'd gladly pay more in taxes and give more if suffering here and aboard could be lessened and without strings attached.

I'm all for social equality but the system as is laid doe not permit a transparent and certain way to distribute wealth. Some is lost in the bureaucratic machine that handles it all and a large part is siphoned into private interest and projects that return no social benefit or are even against the interests of those making the "donations".

240 Billion is nothing. That's Bernanke's annual salary.

Try 50 Trillion or higher. Then we'll talk. That's Lynn Forester De Rothschild money.

reply to post by geldib


If people made the money they should be making then their family could help them like it used to be years ago before welfare. It really seems like a scheme just get the majority finacially dependant on the government.

reply to post by geldib


Except my "family" is selfish and owns three cars, and refuses to drive me to the grocery store.

And I live in the same city. 20 minutes away.

reply to post by streetfightingman

I know what you mean.

Another problem with the rich having all that money, is its consolidated in such a small amount of people that they can't possibly spend it, so it's just sitting in an offshore account sheltered from taxes and isn't being recirculated back into the economy to help stimulate growth.

reply to post by geldib


Not really.

reply to post by streetfightingman


Because you lie to them.

reply to post by Dispo


Ok? Explain please.

reply to post by geldib

Originally posted by geldib
I don't believe in giving anyone anything for free.

Anyone implies well, anyone which includes people who can't work.

reply to post by Dispo


So you want to argue over a minor detail instead of discussing the topic? Lets here your thoughts on the subject.

Capitalism, as a working model, does not allow for 'common wealth'...it is a 'survival of the most cunning' that dresses itself as, the freedom to succeed or fail, by your own actions...which is obviously (in the majority of instances) - a convenient lie...

The accumulation of more and more money (for any purposes, other than to be, content...or to provide for immediate family) is the subject of statistics such as these...

Wealthy folk...allay thier guilt through tax deductable 'donations' (this is a subject in itself)...that are ultimately paid, for the majority, by regular joe sixpack and his nuclear family...thus offsetting two uncomfortable situations at once...

The more money you have, the more you can spend on 'creatively' shifting the amount you pay to 'common wealth'...and achieve the goal of keeping as much as possible...as if being able to line your coffin with gold were a worthwhile contribution to society...

Teaching a man to fish is a worthwhile step...but, I doubt that rich folk take much pleasure in fishing with crappy equipment...having a roof over your head, or being able to provide a roof for your family is a huge psychological boost...having a decent job that pays what the work is worth is also a huge psychological boost...but, time and time again, rich folk who 'graciously' say they provide the opportunities to work, regularly underpay thier workers, and can somehow think that this is a good reason why they can treat them like bullock stock...'units'...this is telling...

In many instances, we are not speaking of intellectual superiority...it seems, many rich folk are completely stupid and lacking in any form of empathy (a generalisation!)...often, a family fortune can produce miraculous 'opportunities'...funny that!

The nexus between whether fortune is earned or inherited (directly or indirectly) produces a mentality that assumes entitlement...the same 'concept' used to denigrate those who ask for 'handouts'...funny that?

The equation is a simple one...but that would mean parting with the yacht, the lamborghini, the million dollar houses all round the world etc etc...get real!

A99

Originally posted by ANOK
We our selves could end poverty. Stop supporting capitalism and get behind worker ownership. Poverty is a result of the means of production being monopolised by a minority class for personal gain.

It may not be the revolution’s dawn, but it’s certainly a glint in the darkness. On Monday, this country’s largest industrial labor union teamed up with the world’s largest worker-cooperative to present a plan that would put people to work in labor-driven enterprises that build worker power and communities, too....

Worker Ownership For the 21st Century?

Why repeat in the 21 century that which was a proven abject failure in the 20th?

Originally posted by ANOK

Originally posted by beezzer
The point is, then what?

Say all the worlds wealthy level the playing field with their "wealth".

Then what?

It won't stay static. What will happen when there are poor again, do we go after those who have just a little more?

The means of production would have to be owned in common, that is how you stop one group of people causing another to become poor. People become poor because someone else is taking more than they need. If everyone has access to the means to produce (land mostly) then there is no reason they would become poor other than by their own incompetence.

Wasn't this the glorious collective experiment that Russia tried throughout the 20th century? How did that work for them?

I think they are a bunch of cowards.....the"rich",You want to know the funny thing if their wealth was stripped from them,and they were forced to go out and get a job like everyone else they wouldn't even know how to survive...except maybe Tony Stark....but let's be real..... Tony Stark is a comic book character, it's funny how only intelligent rich people exist only in the movies and comics.But any how the fact remains they're a bunch of weak minded, cold of heart, greedy, self serving butt pirates!And they are in truth responsible for the problems society faces as a whole.So bow down to the self-serving greed mongrels they hold the keys to our future.....lol sad development isn't people?:::::::::::::Shaking head in absolute disgust:::::::::::If there is a place of ultimate judgement and pain for being a greedy evil p.o.s. I hope 80% of the non-compassionate,heartless,mindless hate-breeding greed driver's choke on their own poo-poo.

Originally posted by Onewhoknowsjesus
I think they are a bunch of cowards.....the"rich",You want to know the funny thing if their wealth was stripped from them,and they were forced to go out and get a job like everyone else they wouldn't even know how to survive...except maybe Tony Stark....but let's be real..... Tony Stark is a comic book character, it's funny how only intelligent rich people exist only in the movies and comics.But any how the fact remains they're a bunch of weak minded, cold of heart, greedy, self serving butt pirates!And they are in truth responsible for the problems society faces as a whole.So bow down to the self-serving greed mongrels they hold the keys to our future.....lol sad development isn't people?:::::::::::::Shaking head in absolute disgust:::::::::::If there is a place of ultimate judgement and pain for being a greedy evil p.o.s. I hope 80% of the non-compassionate,heartless,mindless hate-breeding greed driver's choke on their own poo-poo.

C'mon now "onewhoknowsjesus" is that what Jesus woud say?

reply to post by 11235813213455


What is poor?

Seems to me that wasting energy, having more things than you need, and piling up money to the extreme that you could never spend it all should be against the law. The reason that these people need all this money is precisely to keep the rest of us in an uncomfortable state. A good many aspects to these peoples lives are crimes against future humanity and should be seen this way.

The answer is not in taking away their money. The hungry children of the world do not want their money, they want to learn how to grow, manage and store their own food. they want to be able to travel to a safe place where they can build a home and raise children. They want to do this in a manner that leaves no waste and does not dirty up the countryside. This will never happen if half of the earths produce ends up in the landfill every day.

It is the one percent that employ these harmful, wasteful, and dangerous practices. If we just come down on them hard and hold them responsible for the rest of us, they may have no choice but adapt to more energy efficient, productive practices. My Grandparents generation did not waste the energy from a single plant or animal that came off the farm. the practices that they used to manage and store food were far superior than the ones used today. They lived during the peak of civilization in this way.

The problem here is that while their lifestyles had reached a state of self sustaining independence, our has come to the place where we have almost completely lost these skills and we like piglets, suck from the tits of the one percent. They take our hard work and skills and sell it back to us at jacked up prices with interest.

WE have to separate ourselves from this cannibalism. The mother 1% will lay down and feed us until we have destroyed the planet, because she has only to live for one lifetime, hers, she does not care for the future of her children or the earth.

We have to bring back the farming practices of the 20th century. We have to relearn how to store food. We can use technology to our advantage, managing our practices so that we use every drop of energy that our crops provide. We have to make laws that punish those who would throw away a whole crop of tomatoes simply because the color is not right for the supermarket!

Our future, and that of our children depends on us to stop wasting valuable energy and resources.

It could become profitable for the 1% if they took their industry and flipped a few cogs and sprockets to design a more balanced system for the rest of us. They would never have to give away any money. The poor people of the world do not need it, they need to become self sufficient.

Originally posted by Quauhtli
reply to post by 11235813213455

 

What is poor?

Seems to me that wasting energy, having more things than you need, and piling up money to the extreme that you could never spend it all should be against the law. The reason that these people need all this money is precisely to keep the rest of us in an uncomfortable state. A good many aspects to these peoples lives are crimes against future humanity and should be seen this way.

The answer is not in taking away their money. The hungry children of the world do not want their money, they want to learn how to grow, manage and store their own food. they want to be able to travel to a safe place where they can build a home and raise children. They want to do this in a manner that leaves no waste and does not dirty up the countryside. This will never happen if half of the earths produce ends up in the landfill every day.

It is the one percent that employ these harmful, wasteful, and dangerous practices. If we just come down on them hard and hold them responsible for the rest of us, they may have no choice but adapt to more energy efficient, productive practices. My Grandparents generation did not waste the energy from a single plant or animal that came off the farm. the practices that they used to manage and store food were far superior than the ones used today. They lived during the peak of civilization in this way.

The problem here is that while their lifestyles had reached a state of self sustaining independence, our has come to the place where we have almost completely lost these skills and we like piglets, suck from the tits of the one percent. They take our hard work and skills and sell it back to us at jacked up prices with interest.

WE have to separate ourselves from this cannibalism. The mother 1% will lay down and feed us until we have destroyed the planet, because she has only to live for one lifetime, hers, she does not care for the future of her children or the earth.

We have to bring back the farming practices of the 20th century. We have to relearn how to store food. We can use technology to our advantage, managing our practices so that we use every drop of energy that our crops provide. We have to make laws that punish those who would throw away a whole crop of tomatoes simply because the color is not right for the supermarket!

Our future, and that of our children depends on us to stop wasting valuable energy and resources.

It could become profitable for the 1% if they took their industry and flipped a few cogs and sprockets to design a more balanced system for the rest of us. They would never have to give away any money. The poor people of the world do not need it, they need to become self sufficient.

So from your perspective then who's fault is it? Theirs or yours? Who is responsible for this fatal reliance on the "haves" for their existence?

If you took all the money on the planet and distributed it to the world leaders for their citizenry, it would result in wealthy leaders and starving people.

Originally posted by jimmiec
If you took all the money on the planet and distributed it to the world leaders for their citizenry, it would result in wealthy leaders and starving people.

I have also heard it said that if you took all the money and equally divided it, eventually it would end up back in the hands of a very small percentage of people and families. Not everyone knows how to be responsible with money.

As I read this thread, I have to admit I have serious doubts that poverty can ever come to an end. Not only does it suit some to have desperate people that will do anything, it is a very powerful control mechanism.

And what is poverty? In the USA, we have a kind of poverty...in China, in Africa....their poverty has a different face. For some, just having clean water, food and a shelter from the elements is all they need...for others, they need/want/expect a lot more than that.

I don't think it behooves the powers that be to extinguish poverty...it is a tool of controlling masses of people.

But here's a pic that kinda sums it up...