Also, I find it interesting how in this thread it's really all about trying to create equality amongst the level of wealth that men have. Why don't we also try and create equality in looks, athleticism, intelligence etc?

I guess Harrison Bergeron did have it right,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Bergeron, we should get the stronger men to carry aroudn weights all day, the intelligent to have bells in their ears, taller men to have to walk on their knees, and the good looking to wear masks. Then all will be well

Yes, every liberal tax increase does get justified as a punishment on the greedy, right? Edit: Some of them are about Harrison Bergeron enforced equality, I forgot about those.

The reflexive class warfare stuff is great, right down to CRUDEFINDER's racist uncle-style chain email about "welfare cell phones with 200 free minutes".

At the very least, we'll get the rich people to shut up with their woe-is-me whining. If they want to continue saying "**** y'all, don't take my money," fine, but the "I can't afford to be rich" line is bull****.

This actually does happen, and quite often. Typically, your average NYC lawyer or banker is recruited from school and starts as an entry level associate. They go to NYC because if they are going to make it, they'll be rich I think by everyone's definition: fly's; mj's; whoever's. But not too many people make it, typically less than 2% of the associates at the top law firms actually make partner. The numbers are worse for the investment bankers. A lot of the other 98% move on and head to cities like Cleveland, etc. where the quality of life is better because they have less hours, less stress, and lower cost of living.

According Rounders they're playing 20-40 stud at the Chesterfield or playing the 10-20 at that goulash joint on 51st street.

You must not be reading the same thread, because to me what it looks like this thread is about is that some people object to the word "rich" being used to describe people who make 5 times or more of the median income IN THIS COUNTRY (let alone the world), despite the plain meaning of the word.

I've asked this before, but I'll ask again: Where do I sign up for all this free money that the government is just giving out to people? My George Soros check is late this month, so I could use it.

Some of us turn down partnership offers in NYC

morph,

Yep. I certainly agree it can happen. But that then implies that living in NYC is a choice made over other opportunities in other cities and thus is not an expenditure of necessity worthy of our sympathy.

There are people in the world without perspective and use sensationalist language in the press. [/thread]

Lies. There are no lawyering jobs that anyone would take in any region over those in the most expensive parts of the country.

Agreed, I think that would by a bizarre position to hold. I think the position, "why are you stealing from me?", does hold a lot of validity though.

Also, I think in this thread people act like once you're rich you're always rich... I know that's a nice way to view the world to create lots of delusional conclusions, but the reality is that in America there is a tremendous amount of shifting going on between the classes all the time... here's an EXCELLENT short video on this very concept (3:43 long only folks): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrtoS...eature=channel

EDIT: Darn, I actually now realize that isn't the exact video I was searcing for... can't find it atm, but there is a video of Thomas Sowell somewhere on YouTube that talks all about the real statistics of tracking individuals and how they move throughout the various social classes (poor, middle, wealthy, rich)... the point of it was to show how it's very fallacious to view things as if people aren't constantly moving all around and in and out of different classes

So now their comments don't annoy you. Fair enough. Pretty uninteresting outcome you've gotten to though.

I mean, I'm sure if we just cut the Obama welfare phone program down that'd save a few hundred trillion and we wouldn't need to raise taxes.

Some people sure fought tooth and nail to argue that live in baby sitters are something that equalizes the lifestyles of the rich and the 50k-ers, though. Not sure why. I was fighting with the inanity of the statements rather than to reach a golden conclusion.

The reason nobody wants to be rich is America glorifies the working class and always has. Everybody wants to be middle class. Even people I would consider poor consider themselves middle class.

That and if you're rich it's ok for people to take your stuff.

Hey, it's just hard for middle class slobs to make ends meet after they send their kids to rich kid schools, buy a pretty big house in a rich neighborhood, hire domestic help like rich people, and then add in some cars, clothes, accessories, and appliances worthy of their affluent status. But that doesn't make them rich.

(Anecdote time: One of my good friends is a dual income earner, each making comparable to me, pushing them over $250k. He currently rents two blocks off Carmel Beach but is looking to buy, but is frustrated at how hard it is to buy in Carmel for less than a million, despite having just sold one of his other two investment houses, and he drives a leased convertible BMW. As a staunch conservative, he indicated how hard it is on middle class recently when we had lunch. I just nodded.)

I agree people don't want to label themselves as rich, but man, I'm really unconvinced that we glorify the working class.

Let's define "middle class."

GO!

We glorify the working class ethics and values("blue collar" meaning "hard worker"), but we worship the rich.

An idiot became a national icon because he was (allegedly) just a real plumber who had something to say.

We definitely glorify the middle class. It's easy to look noses down at the poor or the rich, in fact, so easy that the two parties have basically fueled their respective base by exploiting such condescension... but both under the guise of just being the middle class champion. (A bit simplistic, but adequate for addressing the issue.)

We worship the rich? Explain what you mean.

When I was growing up I was told that the reason America was so great was because it consisted of the industrious working class people that emigrated here and left the lazy aristocracy behind.

Where I live hard work is admired and showiness looked down on. The old joke is we're not even comfortable with the term Great Lakes; we'd like to call them the Pretty Good Lakes.

Although I realize this could be a regional thing.

"Middle class" and "working class" have pretty different connotations to me. A plumber is indeed a good representative of "working class," but I'm unconvinced that Joe the Plumber's prominence represents overall American veneration. I don't doubt there's a substantial segment of the population that would respond to him - I imagine the Republicans helped to play him up precisely because they thought it would thrill their base. But I think there are also large segments of the population that would have more respect for a college graduate working a generic office job than a plumber, regardless of what he made. A statement like "America glorifies the working class" sounds to me like it's already assuming the existence of "Real America"

Which sounds more interesting to you?

Lifestyles of the rich and famous!

Lifestyles of the middle income and hard working!

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Oh yeah, and also, MTV Cribs, My Super Sweet 16, et al.