Quick Question

[cmyX6go]

And now the original poll question is back

[Wagner]

Originally Posted by JCL

That voting may have been due to the fact that 'wealth redistribution' was not defined in the poll. You have wealth redistribution today, it is just going upwards to corporations. While not pretending to be able to speak for him, I think what Obama said (the comment that prompted the poll) was that the wealth should be shared around. I interpret that as maintaining the middle class, the consumers of all those products made by the rich, so that there is a market for their goods. Henry Ford had that part right, when he raised wages so that his workers could affford his products. Today there is more disparity, polarization, between the haves and the have nots. Too much income concentrated in the hands of the top few % means that the economic system that made the US strong in the first place will be threatened. It doesn't have to mean that heroin addicts get free housing, or whatever other extreme example is chosen. It could mean that young people have access to education, that is another example of sharing the wealth (in this case, the wealth represented by knowledge and opportunity).

So people voted for something they didn't understand??

[FSETH]

I am guessing that Obama should be the one to elaborate on what he meant. Right now we can only assume that he is in favor of wealth redistribution on all levels. Unless he explains what he meant, how do we know otherwise?

When I hear him say spread the wealth around I think he is going to take the money and pump it into welfare, unemployment, acorn and so on.

He really needs to clearly define what he is talking about and unless I missed it, I don't think he has.

[Eric5273]

You have to explain yourself better Wagner. I think many people assumed that the poll meant to say "Are you in favor of the governrment being involved in wealth redistribution?"

Because I'm pretty sure many of the people who voted "no" are just fine with the wealth redistribution that has been a result of our capitalist economy over the past 30 years.

Also, were you just referring to social programs that redistribute wealth from the upper class to the lower & middle class, or were you also referring to corporate welfare like this latest bailout package, or government policies like the "free" trade agreements that have redistributed wealth from the middle class to the upper class? I would argue that the government has done more of the later than the former.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Wagner

So people voted for something they didn't understand??

No, you asked a leading question in your poll, and people took it to mean exactly what you figured they would take it to mean: Should we give away all our money to the poor. It was to challenge that simplest interpretation that a few of us voted yes, and that leads to a better debate (at least now that we have the original question back).

If you really wanted to talk about wealth distribution in the broad sense, you could have asked in your poll whether income taxes should be moved to a flat tax, or abolished.

[motordavid]

BigR,
I voted "no" in your poll, but ... ...with JCL, Eric, et al that made
some good points in the thread. That was my point in my first post back
to you to define "wealth" and "wealth distribution".

And, I wasn't voting as a hidden vote for/against Lil'Mc or Obama...

As a near elder ol'fool, I've been thinking about the posts here, and the
"question". QwkAg had some very good points in his post; the older I get
the more I realize, and see, that I've been lucky, many of our friends have
been fortunate, but there is a pretty good slice of the US and an enormous
hunk of the world that ranges from barely getting by to no fookin hope.

Not sure I have a good post, let alone a freakin good idea...I gotta think
on it awhile.
BR,mD

[Wagner]

I am enjoying the I need to define myself ahhhh stuff. Try not voting for something you havent understood. Obyonecanbe was the one that said spread it around.

The question is very, very simple. Do you believe in wealth redistribution, i.e. someone/thing giving away your money in an attempt to equalize the masses. And by seeing only 3-4 people questioning the definition (6.5% of the peeps that voted) and the amount of "voter turnout" I think it was pretty self-explanatory

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Wagner

I am enjoying the I need to define myself ahhhh stuff. Try not voting for something you havent understood. Obyonecanbe was the one that said spread it around.

The question is very, very simple. Do you believe in wealth redistribution, i.e. someone/thing giving away your money in an attempt to equalize the masses. And by seeing only 3-4 people questioning the definition (6.5% of the peeps that voted) and the amount of "voter turnout" I think it was pretty self-explanatory

Looks like Obama is spreading it around today

100,000 attendees at his rally. Meanwhile, 5,000 attendees at McCain's rally. Maybe everyone understands McCain's policies, and so they don't need to hear him speak.

[motordavid]

Originally Posted by Wagner

...
The question is very, very simple. Do you believe in wealth redistribution, i.e. someone/thing giving away your money in an attempt to equalize the masses. And by seeing only 3-4 people questioning the definition (6.5% of the peeps that voted) and the amount of "voter turnout" I think it was pretty self-explanatory

Hasn't that what "gov't" has been doing since the beginning of "gov't"?

Either propping the "king/ruler", feeding the stone rollers, supporting
certain "interests", lining pockets, patting the great unwashed on the
head, and flag waving by the annointed as they toss crumbs over the
wall into the moat. Does not matter one lick if I/you/all on this board
support it or, don't...it is not changing, imo.

[Wagner]

Originally Posted by motordavid

Hasn't that what "gov't" has been doing since the beginning of "gov't"?

Either propping the "king/ruler", feeding the stone rollers, supporting
certain "interests", lining pockets, patting the great unwashed on the
head, and flag waving by the annointed as they toss crumbs over the
wall into the moat. Does not matter one lick if I/you/all on this board
support it or, don't...it is not changing, imo.

That may very well be true, but the question wasn't if it was happening, but if you agreed with it.