This is the problem with America.

[Go Native 70]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM

 

Of course we wouldn't want the rich to contribute anything more in taxes now would we? How could they possibly afford it??

[Alexander L 80]

I don't see that as a problem at all.

 

Communism. That is a problem.

[Go Native 70]

40% of the entire wealth of a country concentrated with only 1% of the populace? That's not a problem? You don't know much about history do you?

Anyway as the guy points out you don't have to go all the way to communism. You'd only have to go to what over 90% of Americans think would be a reasonably fair distribution of wealth within their society.

[RobBright 35]

What proportion of those people earnt their wealth?

[Go Native 70]

Does it matter MIJ? The fact is that the US has the greatest disparity between rich and poor of any of the advanced economies. And as pointed out in the video, the rich have only been getting a hell of a lot richer in the last few decades. At a much higher rate than other groups in society. No wonder so many Americans still believe in god! If you're not in the top 20% there's not much hope!

[RobBright 35]

Because the ones who have made it big because of their own intelligence and creativity doesn't bother me. The ones who have earnt their money from dodgy schemes and trades, then yes, that bothers me. Is it fair? No. But that's life. If you don't like it, revolt or do something about it.

 

The rich pay more taxes? How much do they pay now as percentage of their wealth?

 

While it may seem I am sticking up for the wealth inequality, I'm not. But it seems fashionable to bash the people who have made something of their life, and been successful. It's good to see people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet giving their money away.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Personally I find that this is a worse thing than the tax paying level of the uber rich. The richest country in the world, the country of BIG and excess and there are still starving children....

 

Child poverty in the US has reached record levels, with almost 17 million children now affected. A growing number are also going hungry on a daily basis.

Food is never far from the thoughts of 10-year-old Kaylie Haywood and her older brother Tyler, 12.

 

At a food bank in Stockton, Iowa, they are arguing with their mother over the 15 items they are allowed to take with them. There is little money to go shopping for extras.

 

Apple sauce is in, canned vegetables, tinned spaghetti, meatballs and ravioli might be.

 

 

It's not the first time that the family has struggled to get hold of the food they would like - or enough of it.But when Kaylie asks for ground beef, she is overruled as their motel room does not have a fridge to keep things fresh - just a sink filled with crushed ice. There's nowhere to cook, either.

 

"We don't get three meals a day like breakfast, lunch and then dinner," says Kaylie. "When I feel hungry I feel sad and droopy."

 

Kaylie and Tyler live with their mother Barbara, who used to work in a factory. After losing her job, she was entitled to unemployment benefit and food stamps - this comes to $1,480 (£974) a month.

 

But they were no longer able afford to live in their house, which along with bills cost $1326 (£873) a month, leaving little for food or petrol.

 

Continue reading the main st

 

Kaylie supplemented their income by collecting cans along the railway track near their old home - earning between two and five cents per can.

 

Tyler also helped out: "For mowing other people's lawns, I got $10 and I put in six of it for the gas, and gave the rest to my mum for some food."

 

Instead of shopping at the mall, Kaylie's clothes come from the Salvation Army shop where, to her embarrassment, 60-cent shirts are allowed, but those costing $2 are "too much".

 

One of their two dogs, Nala, has had to be taken to the pound to cut the bills further.

 

Rent on the motel room is around $700 (£460) a month, but trying to balance the budget has meant sacrifices.

 

Tyler says there are good days and bad days: "Sometimes when we have cereal we don't have milk - we have to eat it dry."

 

 

The family are among the 47 million Americans now thought to depend on food banks. One in five children receives food aid."Sometimes we don't have cereal and we have milk. Sometimes when there's a cooking show on I get a little more hungry - I want to vanish into the screen and start eating the food."

 

In the area where Kaylie and Tyler live, one provider - River Bend Foodbank - has seen the numbers needing help rise sharply.

 

"It's changed dramatically since the recession. We're up about 30% to 40% in terms of the number of people coming forward," says Caren Laughlin, who has worked with food banks for 30 years.

 

"That's not only because so many people have lost their jobs, it's also because the jobs that are replacing them are low paying. You cannot feed a family."

 

Although Kaylie, Tyler and Barbara's motel room is away from the children's friends and very cramped for three people, the move has made their lives easier in some ways.

 

Continue reading the main story

 

The children's father is not around and, although her grandmother lives nearby and helps out when she can, her mother has found it difficult to cope.

 

"I've never seen it this bad. To get jobs it's very hard," says Barbara.

 

She is training to become a hairdresser, but does not hold much hope for the future.

 

"I seen a doctor... for depression. She put me on some anti depressants and Xanax for my panic attacks. I don't even know if I can find a job when I get out of school. Or if it will ever get any better."

 

In February, President Barack Obama used his State of the Union address to promise a rise in the minimum wage, to $9 (£5.90) an hour.

 

"This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families. It could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank; rent or eviction; scraping by or finally getting ahead," he said.

 

But families like Barbara's, where parents have suddenly lost their jobs and children are going hungry, continue to concern food banks.

 

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quo

 

 

Many do not know where to find help and may feel ashamed about asking for it, says Mrs Laughlin.

 

"There are a lot of people coming who would never envision themselves being in this position."

 

The problems are reflected across America, says the nationwide charity Feeding America, which operates 200 food banks and feeds 37 million people each year, including 14 million children.

 

It says that, in total, nearly 17 million US children live in homes where getting enough healthy food is not something they can count on.

 

For some families, cheap and easy to prepare food can mean unhealthy choices like pizza - increasing the likelihood of obesity and health problems later in life.

 

In many areas schools take part in a "backpack" programme, set up to deliver food parcels to the most vulnerable on a Friday - so that they have enough to eat over the weekend.

 

In eastern Iowa and western Illinois, the River Bend Foodbank now helps 1,500 children in 30 schools through one such scheme.

 

"Kids can focus better and pay attention better," says Mrs Laughlin. "If you're worried about what you're going to eat when you get home that's what you're going to be thinking about - not what's on the blackboard."

 

Studying is also playing on the mind of Kaylie who, after another series of moves, is not attending school amid uncertainty about where the family will end up.

 

After leaving the motel, the family spent a brief spell in a house. But they could barely afford it and had to move again when their grandmother was no longer able to help with the rent.

 

Since then, they have stayed in three more motels, making it impossible for Kaylie to be enrolled in school.

 

Barbara hopes that will change when if she manages to secure a trailer, which comes with a two-year lease and the chance to settle down.

 

For Kaylie, the chance to return to class is something she sees as vital.

 

"I really want to be in school. If you don't get a good education then you don't get much money, you don't get a good job, you end up sleeping at your mum's.

 

"You end up being behind a lot of rent and you get kicked out. You end up being homeless and then with no food."

 

 

[JA2340 16]

In Aus, as GN will agree (I hope), there is a view that we are overtaxed.

 

Simply put, the richest pay zero tax, because they have the money to pay people to minimise their exposure to income tax, and the money to pay people to adjust their purchases so that they do not pay any of the GST (GST = Goods & Services Tax = VAT) - all of their purchases of taxed items are bought by their "companies" which can write off the GST payable against the GST paid to them.

 

This creates a bucket full of people who do not contribute at all to the costs of running the nation, yet get all the benefits (age pension, health insurance etc).

 

There are those of us who pay GST on everything we consume (other than most food, which is GST free), as well as the full whack of income tax with minimal deductions. That will be paying the pensions for the super-rich.

 

That, SUX big time!

[Chriselle 158]

I'm on board GN and JA ......as long as you are only talking about that 1 percent. I do agree they are evil and actually do more harm to the country and society than good. But leave the rest who have done reasonably well for themselves by hard work alone.

[pie-eater 207]

Hey Chriselle where you been? Out trucking? Been missing you laughing at some of my rubbish jokes!

 

I don't know much about America apart from the fact they like tipping, which kind of puts me off.

[NoFakie 45]

I'm on board GN and JA ......as long as you are only talking about that 1 percent. I do agree they are evil and actually do more harm to the country and society than good. But leave the rest who have done reasonably well for themselves by hard work alone.

 

Its all about the 1% now though, isn't it? That's the extent to which things are skewed.

 

Here's another video on the same topic.

http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_wilkinson.html

[Chriselle 158]

Hey Chriselle where you been? Out trucking? Been missing you laughing at some of my rubbish jokes!

 

I don't know much about America apart from the fact they like tipping, which kind of puts me off.

 

Man...I've had the Flu something terrible for the past week or so. Just getting back on my feet but still a little queasy and "shakey"... . Pies and Chriselle....AKA....Queasy and Shakey. We could take that act on the road..

[Chriselle 158]

I'm on board GN and JA ......as long as you are only talking about that 1 percent. I do agree they are evil and actually do more harm to the country and society than good. But leave the rest who have done reasonably well for themselves by hard work alone.

 

Its all about the 1% now though, isn't it? That's the extent to which things are skewed.

 

Here's another video on the same topic.

http://www.ted.com/t..._wilkinson.html

 

Ya, I guess. I watched the video link Wiggles....If I were at that lecture I would have yelled out to get an "ironed shirt" in his rider contract. Disheveled presenters piss me off...

[pie-eater 207]

Hey Chriselle where you been? Out trucking? Been missing you laughing at some of my rubbish jokes!

 

I don't know much about America apart from the fact they like tipping, which kind of puts me off.

 

Man...I've had the Flu something terrible for the past week or so. Just getting back on my feet but still a little queasy and "shakey"... . Pies and Chriselle....AKA....Queasy and Shakey. We could take that act on the road..

 

 

Have some real Shakey!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNreKErf7Ew