US poverty level highest since the mid 1960s

[spacemonkey]

It was just the normal evolution of business and industry starting with the industrial revolution and continuing to present. Different presidents just happend to sit in office through up and down times that were going to happen no matter who was in at the time. Today, humans have overpopulated and overautomated themselves out of work, enter the massive welfare structure.And nothing in the works to let most humans work, let alone work for a wage that leads to a prosperous life. Imo, our golden era was about 1945 to about 1975. Plenty for all forever in a finite world = living in a state of la de da.

[Indy]

Let me throw one out there: what about a massive, nation-wide project to update our infrastructure and add things like universal broadband?

Things like update the power grid, build renewable energy sources, educate people to work in high-tech jobs?

[spacemonkey]

[Indy]

Ahh... a sore point of mine for years. We pumped endless billions into places like Iraq to build their infrastructure (which we allowed to be destroyed) but we can't do that here because that's not very austerity of us.

And you're right--it all did go into somebody's pocket.

Same with Afghanistan.

[eynon81]

[Indy]

Oh I'm totally fine with that idea Eynon--I think that would absolutely solve the problem.

Rally together the Steve Jobses of the world and tell them--solve this problem and you can have the patent, something like that.

Isn't that kind of what's happening with aerospace right now?

[The Dude]

[eynon81]

[The Dude]

Well, we did already raise taxes on 450k and cap gains taxes. He can't get more tax rake hikes. He's hoping to close certain loopholes like mortgage deductions on 2 homes (or over a certain amount) and carried interest, etc.

But yes, it's disturbing how much the economic debate is dominated by the right of this country. We can't seem to break out of this cycle. The Great Recession didn't do it and I don't get how that wasn't enough to make people realize we f**k up.

We should be pushing for increased cap gains/dividends, those loopholes closed, and a carbon tax TBH.

[Indy]

Carbon tax definitely.

You're right: the right does drive the econ debate but that's because a) they've always had a more effective media strategy, b) our MSM sucks and c) Obama is a terrible politician/negotiator.