Poverty Measures

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by djv8ga

I wonder why? http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...elowLEFTSecond

Sorry but I do not subscribe to the Wall Street Urinal

[piece-itpete]

Originally Posted by bobabode

Bingo! Here in Orange co. the well to do drive porche and mercedes SUVs the not so well to do are driving those cast off escalades and suburbans.Cable wasn't even available in middle class areas much less the poorer areas in the
'80s. We got cable in the later half of the decade in the mid-class areas and it's still a monopoly. Specious arguments on the part of the OP, bullshit is bullshit!

Cars, including used cars, are much more expensive than they used to be even 10 years ago. Much more.

Not only did C for C take used parts off the market they also cleared out a lot of older used cars. Why sell your servicable used car for $2000 when the feds would give you 4?

Then you've got government making everything more expensive in other ways too generally in the name of goodness and light. Our water department is raising rates, gas is going up, clean and healthy means more expensive for sure...

As a percentage of income these wonderful things always, always effect the poor the most.

Pete

[djv8ga]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Sorry but I do not subscribe to the Wall Street Urinal

Never HAD to make money on your own?

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by djv8ga

Never HAD to make money on your own?

I have only ever made money on my own, with hard work and sweat, nothing associated with that casino in lower Manhatten has ever done me any favours.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by bhunter

The boilerplate assertion of Obama and progressives that income inequality has increased in America doesn't account for the migratory nature between quintiles nor does it account for the increased consumption by the lowest quintile over the same time span. Hence, the "us versus them" meme of Obama's campaign is wrong.

The absolute absurdity of Buffet's secretary assertion and the concomitant conflating of investment income tax rates with salaried worker tax rates either demonstrates an utter lack of economic knowledge or, worse, an underlying political goal of instigating crass class warfare. I'm thinking the latter precisely because Obama has nothing else to use as an effective campaign strategy. What exactly was the "hope and change" that he so eloquently put forth back in 2008? Has he fulfilled the "hope and change" rhetoric of 2008? Has the country ever been more polarized than it is today under his divisive strategy? How effective has "lead from behind" been in reigning in ascendant states like North Korea, Iran, Russia, China, Turkey?

From WaPo:


http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...Q_story_2.html

If you believe all that horse hockey you will be interested to know that we are running a special in the Chesapeake Bay Bridge this weekend.

[bhunter]

Originally Posted by merrylander

If you believe all that horse hockey you will be interested to know that we are running a special in the Chesapeake Bay Bridge this weekend.

Do you think the the lowest quintile is materially better off today or, say, half a century ago? The left (and Gingrich) is always referencing outliers in their wealthy versus poor assertions. Given the unpopularity of his policies, I'll bet Obama has no place to go, but to wage a class warfare campaign. Personally, I like wealthy people and would like more of them rather than government bureaucrats.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by bhunter

Do you think the the lowest quintile is materially better off today or, say, half a century ago? The left (and Gingrich) is always referencing outliers in their wealthy versus poor assertions. Given the unpopularity of his policies, I'll bet Obama has no place to go, but to wage a class warfare campaign. Personally, I like wealthy people and would like more of them rather than government bureaucrats.

Hell I have met a few wealthy people that were likeable, but that still does not mean that they should be given a nearly free ride. And no I don't believe people are better off. The only reason we are better off is that Wall Street's shenanigans have screwed the dollar so that now the $CDN is higher than the $US, so we got a raise. Considering where we live I know quite a number of civil servants and we have been better served by them than most of the private enterprise folks we deal with.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by bhunter

Do you think the the lowest quintile is materially better off today or, say, half a century ago? The left (and Gingrich) is always referencing outliers in their wealthy versus poor assertions. Given the unpopularity of his policies, I'll bet Obama has no place to go, but to wage a class warfare campaign. Personally, I like wealthy people and would like more of them rather than government bureaucrats.

50 years ago? Sure, they are. We all are. And, I'd like to keep it that way. But, I've been fighting a losing battle since we started focusing our efforts on improving the condition of those whose condition needs no improving. That really got rolling about, oh, I'd say 1981 or so.

Dave

[piece-itpete]

Bh, my completely unscientific and unverifiable method - my own eyes - agrees completely with your original post.

All the old timers here are groaning

Back when I lived in the hood, mid 80s, there were very very few that had a/c, were lucky to have one car, NO cable...

Now when it's hot the streets are darn near empty (of people anyway), most have a car, most have cable and a few tvs ....

Not to say there isn't any poor but the bar has definately moved.

Pete

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Bh, my completely unscientific and unverifiable method - my own eyes - agrees completely with your original post.

All the old timers here are groaning

Back when I lived in the hood, mid 80s, there were very very few that had a/c, were lucky to have one car, NO cable...

Now when it's hot the streets are darn near empty (of people anyway), most have a car, most have cable and a few tvs ....

Not to say there isn't any poor but the bar has definately moved.

Pete

Did they actually have cable run down the street? Don't forget that because AT&T and Verizon lobbied the government all the lower channels were stolen for their cellphone use so folks really don't have much choice but to get cable. Even with those mahvellous converter boxes I can reliably get less than half the channels previously available.

What did a window A/C cost in 1980 compared to 2010, what has happened to the price of TV sets?

You both are using flawed data in not taking into account changes in the environment.