chrisn-585491 (6/15/2012)
"What I want is the people who buy into the claim that "wealth redistribution" will fix all the world's social problems to understand there is a difference between "needs" and "wants". And, that happiness can exist despite the fact that only ones wants are fulfilled."Income disparity isn't "wealth distribution". It's an acknowledgement of a 40 year period in US history. Review the stats and data, it's scary when you consider the economic and historical consequences. Just because our profession gives us a comfortable living, it doesn't make us immune to the possibility of massive social change.
What exactly is scary? Income disparity has been around since the dawn of time. Unless you do away with the concept of personal property and income per se, it will always be there. The ratios highlighted with the recent studies completely obviate the huge improvements that have happend for several hundred years leading up to now. Short-term trend are not always indicative of the long-term.
The question isn't whether disparity exists, it's whether the ability to move along the income spectrum exists.
As the OECD study on the topic pointed out - redistribution mechanisms only serve as short-term band-aids. The only long-term solution is to try to make opportunities available to as many folks as possible.
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Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?