Life expectancy is lower.
Infant mortality higher.
Illegal drug use higher.
Mental illness the higher.
Prison population higher.
Student grades lower.
Union membership lower.
Most hours away from family and neighborhood (work/commuting)
Medical care lower.
Support for capital punishment higher.
Conflict is higher.
Political polarization higher.
Murder rate higher.
Consumerism higher.
Obesity higher.
Distrust of neighbors and strangers higher.
Empathy for those financially and socially below you is lower.
The belief you can win a violent fist fight against an unknown combatant is higher.
Belief in science when it finds danger in a favored lifestyle or business choice, lower.
In each case, at least 20 nations were compared, ranked on distribution of wealth and rights. The USA ranked either 1, 2 or 3 worst positions in almost every example, Portugal and Singapore normally filled the other two slots, New Zealand got in a couple of times. Japan, Denmark, Sweden, Norway generally filled the slots on the opposite end (the good end) of the scale.
Much of this same data has been gathered for states in the US. With a few exceptions, the red states, those dominated today by Republican voters, have the greater inequality and fit strongly with much of the list above.
Isn't it time the rich pay taxes again, and unions helped reintroduce a middle class in America? Equality breeds harmony, look at Japan where most incomes are within a factor of 4, even executives make no more than about 50 times the lowest worker in their company, in the US it has jumped to 500 times difference. Correct this and everything in the list begins to correct it's self. What do you think?
Do you love the logic used by the rich and corporate spokesmen? Only 50% of the population pay taxes, that's not fair, so ours need to be lowered even more. By grabbing up every legal, financial and tax advantage for themselves, cutting wages, cutting company and social benefit, exporting jobs and scraping up the remains of bankrupt neighborhoods and small competitors has so bloated the unemployed and poverty rolls and those who do not pay taxes to 50%. Now, it's not fare to ask the tiny minority rich to support this, instead install a sales tax (exempting houses, yachts, private aircraft) to force the bottom to part with any remaining assets.
ReplyDeleteI left out the most important, crap.
ReplyDeleteUpward mobility, the chance to better your position in life, the American dream, to climb to the top, is the lowest in nations with highest disparity in wages and wealth distribution.
The United States is now the least likely place in the developed world to get rich, in fact some 2nd world nations offer a better chance. I heard this from some Italians a few years ago and I wondered a lot, could it be right, how could it be right. They were correct.
Advertise this, maybe it will slow the immigration rate.
Fringe,
ReplyDeleteGood words. I have lived (well, been stationed ) in Germany, as you know, Thailand, and South Korea. Yet I remember this one thing that my friend Mike's Korean wife said to me at Blytheville AFB in Arkansas after Mike brought her to the states, " What I love the most is the grocery - everything you want is there every day! Bananas, strawberries, everything"...
I live in an apartment larger than most homes in Asia and I own a vehicle other than a scooter. The car thing is changing - even in Korea, China, and India.
My point is - We have got things pretty damned well here in America and need to be grateful.
Okay, are things fucked up? Absolutely. Today gas prices in Indianapolis spiked thirty-five cents but oil is still trading a about $100 a barrel.
Ron
I don't understand the USA right now. 5 years ago, the French high school students rioted when the government would cut classes teachers and education. The government relented. Here the students are glad I think, and the locals too so long as they leave the football and sports programs alone they could give a shit if the kids learn anything.
ReplyDeleteThe income inequality graph also foretold the current recession.
ReplyDelete