Did you know that the top 1% wealthiest people in the US hold nearly 35% of the entire nation's money? This study (if you click on the link) was done in 1983 but was updated in 2007. Other research shows that this percentage is increasing.
Here we are in Wisconsin--public workers fighting against private workers. The TRUTH is that those of us fighting are ALL MIDDLE CLASS OR WORKING PEOPLE just wanting a better life. We're all just trying to survive. We're on the same side, in the same boat! Do you see that?
How is it that the vast majority of citizens are working so hard to survive, trying to get a couple hundred dollars here and a few thousand there to pay bills. We're working multiple jobs and putting in overtime hours.
And the whole time we're doing that, ONE PERCENT of our population is holding 35% of the money in this nation. There's something fishy here, something not quite right.
To the hard working people of Wisconsin and those of you all over America:
Please don't fight amongst each other. Open your eyes to the TRUTH behind the problem. WE are NOT the problem. In Wisconsin, right now we're fighting over pay, benefits, and retirement among other things. For many public employees affected by this bill, it'd be anywhere from $5000 to $10,000 difference per person yearly. That amount of money makes a HUGE difference to us in whether we pay our bills, put food on our table, keep our home.
But that money is like pennies to the top 1% wealthiest people and their politicians. It's probably a one hour shopping spree for them. They must be sitting comfortably at home, watching us on TV in Madison, WI fighting over "pennies"... and laughing.
Somehow we've been orchestrated to be pitted one against another--worker vs. worker. Is there something wrong with this picture?
4 comments:
I really don't understand how this ties into the current debate in Wisconsin. Do you believe taxes should be raised on the middle class to pay for public sector benefits? Would you prefer that some of the teachers demonstrating at the capital get laid off? What about the students that are sitting at home right now? Why aren't they being taught? What is the graduation rate in Wisconsin, and where does the Wisconsin education system sit compared to the rest of the nation?
The state only has so much money. If Teachers and other public sector employees continue to get the benefits they want, then there has to be a cut somewhere else. I have yet to find a magic money tree.
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your thoughts on this. The WI educational system is actually doing well compared to other states. In 8th grade math, for example, only 8 states scored higher than WI. In reading, 10 states scored higher, and in science, only 5 states scored higher. These are according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Of course, nobody wants to see lay-offs happening. The main issue in WI is not about pay, benefits, or retirement, but the rights to collectively bargain for class sizes, planning time, etc. (in the case of teachers). The biggest public worker unions in WI have already agreed to have employees pay more for benefits and retirement (that WILL happen and most public workers I've talked to are okay with this as are myself and my husband). We understand that it's necessary in this poor economy. The collective bargaining is what people are still arguing about.
As far as how this post relates to the protests, I just wanted to point out that the root cause of deficit problems all over the nation does not lie in unions and collective bargaining, or pay, benefits, and retirement differences among public and private workers. A huge part of it lies in the unequal distribution of wealth in this country, a problem that's getting worse. It greatly affects the working and middle class more than any other group, and yet it seems that most people are not aware of it. They're too busy fighting against each other to notice.
Mostly, I'm just tired of seeing the continuous fighting.
You know, I've always wondered why is it that those who have tons of money actually keep it all.
In all honesty, what can you possibly do with such an enormous amount of money?
You do not need gold watches, five cars and ten homes to be happy. You don't need to cut your hair every two weeks and pay 750$ (I've read one celebrity does that). You don't need to eat delicacies cooked in gold ovens and served on silver plates.
The way I see it, I don't think anyone should be allowed to have more than, say, 10 million dollars. And still, you will not need that much money EVER.
My two cents.
Skeiron, I know what you mean. It seems unfathomable to have that much money.
The thing is that if a person actually earned his wealth through honest hard work, then that would be fine. Nobody can really criticize him, can they? After all, that's the American Dream that everyone wants. However, the top 1% that I'm referring to in my post are probably billionaires. They have to be, if they hold 35% of the country's money. And I'm not fully convinced they earned all that wealth through honest hard work--more like at the expense of the working and middle class people.
Normally, I don't get very political, but this whole mess in WI here has just made me think more about these things.
What are people in other states seeing in the news about WI right now? Are people talking about it? Just curious. Being in WI, it's hard to take an objective look. Everyone takes it so personal here and tensions are high.
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