deadbutwhy: In a communist country, people do not worry about health costs, even if health care is not top-notch. In the US, nearly 2/3 of bankruptcies are because of medical bills. Many of these folks are hard working, so according to your logic, they should be making lots of money. However, they end up with nothing. BTW, I have some statistics you may like:
83 percent of all U.S. stocks are in the hands of 1 percent of the people. • 61 percent of Americans "always or usually" live paycheck to paycheck, which was up from 49 percent in 2008 and 43 percent in 2007. • 66 percent of the income growth between 2001 and 2007 went to the top 1% of all Americans. • 36 percent of Americans say that they don't contribute anything to retirement savings. • A staggering 43 percent of Americans have less than $10,000 saved up for retirement. • 24 percent of American workers say that they have postponed their planned retirement age in the past year. • Over 1.4 million Americans filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009, which represented a 32 percent increase over 2008. • Only the top 5 percent of U.S. households have earned enough additional income to match the rise in housing costs since 1975. • For the first time in U.S. history, banks own a greater share of residential housing net worth in the United States than all individual Americans put together. • In 1950, the ratio of the average executive's paycheck to the average worker's paycheck was about 30 to 1. Since the year 2000, that ratio has exploded to between 300 to 500 to one. • As of 2007, the bottom 80 percent of American households held about 7% of the liquid financial assets. • The bottom 50 percent of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1 percent of the nation’s wealth. • In the United States, the average federal worker now earns 60% MORE than the average worker in the private sector. • The top 1 percent of U.S. households own nearly twice as much of America's corporate wealth as they did just 15 years ago. • In America today, the average time needed to find a job has risen to a record 35.2 weeks. • More than 40 percent of Americans who actually are employed are now working in service jobs, which are often very low paying. • or the first time in U.S. history, more than 40 million Americans are on food stamps, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that number will go up to 43 million Americans in 2011. • Approximately 21 percent of all children in the United States are living below the poverty line in 2010 - the highest rate in 20 years. • Despite the financial crisis, the number of millionaires in the United States rose a whopping 16 percent to 7.8 million in 2009. • The top 10 percent of Americans now earn around 50 percent of our national income. Quote: November 13, 2002. For the 11th straight year, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approves a resolution asking the US to end the 40-plus-years embargo against Cuba. The vote is 173 in favor of the resolution and 3 against (US, Israel, Marshall Islands), with no abstentions. European nations expressed objection to the embargo, citing US penalties on countries and companies doing business with Cuba as "extraterritorial," and saying that the embargo is a bilateral issue between the US and Cuba and should not be imposed on others.
Russia is an authoritarian capitalistic country, and so is China in the most part.
you mean both of them are a different Flavor of Fascism/Statism?
deadbutwhyeast, Eastern Province Saudi Arabia1,295 posts
gardenhackle: Thank you for supporting my argument that the only Embargo on Cuba is with the United States. At this point, you'll either have to argue that any country that doesn't trade with the United States languishes in poverty because of it (proving the success and strength of our capitalist economy) - or you have to accept that it's not the US sanctions that are responsible for the poverty level of Cuban citizens under the communist regime of Fidel Castro.
Maybe you didn't read carefully... US penalties on countries and companies doing business with Cuba
deadbutwhyeast, Eastern Province Saudi Arabia1,295 posts
WhatUwish4: So you don't like our government either? All the more reason not to entrust them with any more power than necessary, doncha think?
They usually frame the question like this: Big government, or big business? I'm not comfortable with either, and even more so when they collude to defraud the people.
deadbutwhy: They usually frame the question like this: Big government, or big business? I'm not comfortable with either, and even more so when they collude to defraud the people.
deadbutwhy: They usually frame the question like this: Big government, or big business? I'm not comfortable with either, and even more so when they collude to defraud the people.
How about a Divorce of the two,as Free Enterprise demands?
Separation of State and Economy,just like the Separation of State and Religion!
deadbutwhyeast, Eastern Province Saudi Arabia1,295 posts
WhatUwish4: So what is your idea of the perfect solution?
I have no perfect solution.
Realistically, I'd like a more direct democracy in the US, i.e. more power to people through local councils and governments. I am against business corrupting the democratic process with bribes to politicians and parties. I like anti-trust laws. I'd like outsourcing being heavily taxed or penalized. A humane yet not so wide-open immigration policy. Building up manufacturing, and winding down the financial/war economy. A Canadian-style healthcare system, so that companies don't need to provide it themselves and better country-wide education. An improved version of the 60's -- a modern "Great Society".
Realistically, I'd like a more direct democracy in the US, i.e. more power to people through local councils and governments. I am against business corrupting the democratic process with bribes to politicians and parties. I like anti-trust laws. I'd like outsourcing being heavily taxed or penalized. A humane yet not so wide-open immigration policy. Building up manufacturing, and winding down the financial/war economy. A Canadian-style healthcare system, so that companies don't need to provide it themselves and better country-wide education. An improved version of the 60's -- a modern "Great Society".
More of the Poison that made the Patient sick in the first place! A bigger Government with more stifling Regulations!
deadbutwhyeast, Eastern Province Saudi Arabia1,295 posts
Conrad73: More of the Poison that made the Patient sick in the first place! A bigger Government with more stifling Regulations!
And even less Freedom!
And you call that Progress?
Some things are sacred. Access to education and to healthcare is two of those sacred rights, that everyone should have access to. Same as having police and firefighters available to protect every citizen.
deadbutwhy: Some things are sacred. Access to education and to healthcare is two of those sacred rights, that everyone should have access to. Same as having police and firefighters available to protect every citizen.
deadbutwhy: Some things are sacred. Access to education and to healthcare is two of those sacred rights, that everyone should have access to. Same as having police and firefighters available to protect every citizen.
What's so sacred about government indoctrination; education.
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83 percent of all U.S. stocks are in the hands of 1 percent of the people.
• 61 percent of Americans "always or usually" live paycheck to paycheck, which was up from 49 percent in 2008 and 43 percent in 2007.
• 66 percent of the income growth between 2001 and 2007 went to the top 1% of all Americans.
• 36 percent of Americans say that they don't contribute anything to retirement savings.
• A staggering 43 percent of Americans have less than $10,000 saved up for retirement.
• 24 percent of American workers say that they have postponed their planned retirement age in the past year.
• Over 1.4 million Americans filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009, which represented a 32 percent increase over 2008.
• Only the top 5 percent of U.S. households have earned enough additional income to match the rise in housing costs since 1975.
• For the first time in U.S. history, banks own a greater share of residential housing net worth in the United States than all individual Americans put together.
• In 1950, the ratio of the average executive's paycheck to the average worker's paycheck was about 30 to 1. Since the year 2000, that ratio has exploded to between 300 to 500 to one.
• As of 2007, the bottom 80 percent of American households held about 7% of the liquid financial assets.
• The bottom 50 percent of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1 percent of the nation’s wealth.
• In the United States, the average federal worker now earns 60% MORE than the average worker in the private sector.
• The top 1 percent of U.S. households own nearly twice as much of America's corporate wealth as they did just 15 years ago.
• In America today, the average time needed to find a job has risen to a record 35.2 weeks.
• More than 40 percent of Americans who actually are employed are now working in service jobs, which are often very low paying.
• or the first time in U.S. history, more than 40 million Americans are on food stamps, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that number will go up to 43 million Americans in 2011.
• Approximately 21 percent of all children in the United States are living below the poverty line in 2010 - the highest rate in 20 years.
• Despite the financial crisis, the number of millionaires in the United States rose a whopping 16 percent to 7.8 million in 2009.
• The top 10 percent of Americans now earn around 50 percent of our national income.
Quote: November 13, 2002. For the 11th straight year, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approves a resolution asking the US to end the 40-plus-years embargo against Cuba. The vote is 173 in favor of the resolution and 3 against (US, Israel, Marshall Islands), with no abstentions. European nations expressed objection to the embargo, citing US penalties on countries and companies doing business with Cuba as "extraterritorial," and saying that the embargo is a bilateral issue between the US and Cuba and should not be imposed on others.
Russia is an authoritarian capitalistic country, and so is China in the most part.