PatriotsReign

So, so many things are screwed up, I wouldn't know where to begin.

Using myself as an example...I make around 2 times the median household income for my state (MA). you'd think I'd be doing ok right?

I bought my first house 2+ years ago and I can tell you that it's very difficult for me to save anything beyond the $20k I put into my 401k each year. I am not extravagant in any way....my car is a 2006, I might go out to eat once a week and/or play a round of golf. But no fancy vacations other than some time in the Mtn's of NH.

10 years ago when I made half what I make today, I would have thought I'd feel kinda wealthy at this income....but I feel about the same as I did back then.

I'm almost 54 years old and do not want to have to work until I'm 70....but I don't see me being able to comfortably retire before then.

Unless I can find a gov't job with a pension where I can buy additional years of service!

Seriously, we have too much focus upon the plight of our poor and not enough on our middle class.

The Middle Class Is Worse Off Than You Think: Michael Greenstone

The Middle Class Is Worse Off Than You Think: Michael Greenstone | Daily Ticker - Yahoo! Finance

Drewski

Having lived in a country where there was no middle class; it was literally the have absolutely nothings and the mega rich - It starts and ends with us (the middle class).

I do feel bad for the older (relative to me) folks. Not the already retired ones, but the ones like my parents (my mom just turned 62 and my dad turns 58 on Thursday), my in laws (same age as my parents) - basically those who are 50+, who have been paying into a system for their entire working careers, but will have to work another 15+ years to really start pulling on it.

I have no dreams of fancy - I assume retirement will come at a very old age for me.

DocHoliday

If you can handle it, learning spanish and moving to Central or South America isn't a terrible idea.

There's a lot of American retirees finding that their money goes a long, long way over there.

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Drewski

Agreed - A really good friend of mine from my Indo days' parents have retired (at a very young age relatively speaking) in Costa Rica.

E1Downey

Tunescribe

Sure. I'm not seriously invested in the democratic socialism idea.

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E1Downey

The closer we get to Capitalism, real Capitalism, the better off everyone else is. Real Capitalism allows everyone the opportunity to become wealthy. America's version protects the guys on top, and prevents the little fish from climbing (swimming) the metaphorical latter. When you bury small fish with absurd rules and regulations that the big fish can easily dodge, you prevent any competition to the big fish. (Don't be fooled the really big fish love regulation.)

Those big fish then raise prices while lowering quality and quanity. ****, why not? There is no one around to challenge them and offer a better product. We all lose. We all get poorer.

Most people are naturally greedy. So why not offer a system that plays off that. Cuz you know what happens when you let those "Evil, Greedy, monster capitalists" compete with each other? WE ALL BENEFIT!!!!

It is honestly so simple. The "greedy monsters" will be driven by their "evil greed" to give us the best quality of life at the lowest price. Wait, you say that doesn't sound so evil? Well you're absolutely correct! Growth is infinite in Capitalism. Not so much in the system where ambition and innovation is stifled. "Wait socialism screwed the masses AGAIN?!?!? How can this be?.Hmm well let's try again. I'm sure it can work if we just get rid of the crooks and elect the "good" guys. You see the issue with that plan I hope. Socialism will work when you find the "perfect" man to plan/run the operation. Until then...no thanks.

And I hate those stupid "pie" comments.I don't give a damn how big and delicious somebody's "piece O' pie" is, so long as everyone's pie is getting bigger and tastier AND, if we are still hungry, we have the political/economic freedom to compete to work hard and TRY to earn a bigger piece. America used to have that political and economic freedom, and the rest of the world witnessed a bunch of people from different corners of the planet enjoy one DAMN good pie!

IllegalContact

quality of life is better at the bottom in sweden, but not the top.

to me, it would be preferable that the people in this country aspired to be more than they are rather than count on the government to require the one who have achived at a higher level to share their success with those who have not.

the simple fact is that the demographics of this country will never allow the swedish system to work here. they don't have millions of mexicans hanging around

I would consider socialism more if we closed the borders and kicked out every single illegal

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E1Downey

Wrong and Racist. I see people of every color that have no desire to stop suckling at the teat. This country flourished because millions of immigrants came here for the right reasons. To work hard for the SHOT at a better life.

There might be some bad eggs whom come today for the bizzaro version of that desire. But they only join plenty of White americans already abusing the system.

PatriotsReign

So you don't believe wealth should be equal?