Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

"A woman in 1970 who had a sixteen-year-old child was less likely to be in the work force than a woman in 2003 who had a six-month-old child at home. It was a profound shift in America."

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/1/27/830762/-Elizabeth-Warren,-the-core-issue,-and-a-policy-litmus-test

She gives a very cogent analysis of the attack on the middle class. Scroll down a couple of inches for the video of her hour-long lecture.

[mises]

I like Warren. Lots.

It was August 18th 1971 when Nixon set this all in motion. Life is far too expensive for a family to live on one (lower/middle-middle) income. And the breakdown of the family is very damaging for women and their kids as well.

We're on a very scary path.

[Jeonmunka]

The whole financial system is one big rip-off perpetrated by buddies.
If you are not one of the buddies, forget it.
If you have empathy, forget it.

Learn how to live well as a poor person is probably the best advice.

PS: How does Korea stay afloat with public amenities and some small welfare etc at tax rates of up to 15%, whereas our western countries need 50% of our earnings as tax for the same small welfare and public amenities?

[Ya-ta Boy]

[mises]

Ya-ta, the USA has 700 military bases in 130 nations. It spends 78billion on "intelligence". It spends about a trillion on "defense". It has 2 endless wars costing tens of billions each. It has more people in jail than the rest of the world. It wages a war on drugs in Columbia, Mexico and Miami/LA/DC/etc. It gives billions upon billions to "friends" (Israel, Egypt, Columbia et al).

Yeah. What a total mystery.

[Kimbop]

[Fox]

[Ya-ta Boy]

That's too glib by half. There has to be more to it.

[bucheon bum]

No, they're right. Defense is our biggest expense. Oh, and Korea doesn't have the monstrosity that is Medicare either. Nor tons of Vets we have to provide benefits for. And yes, Korea has pretty bare bones social services.

[bucheon bum]

And btw, my take home pay here in the US is 70% of my salary. That is after fed and state taxes, health insurance deduction, and 401K contribution. IOW, not near the 50% that jeonmunka mentioned.

[Fox]

[Jeonmunka]

Note originally I said, 'western countries.' I don't know why everyone suddenly jumps down my throat because I'm not making claims about the US. The US is a small part of our western countries. Cripes, Yata comes from Canada don't you?
Ask any NZer, Australian, European their tax and they'll tell you close to 50%. Not just income tax but VAT, GST ... it adds up.
As for NZ, it doesn't have offshore military bases, no navy, air force.

[pkang0202]

My ethics professor told me to put it into perspective. Who are you comparing your standard of living to.

He said when he was a PHD student, he lived in a tiny 1 bedroom studio, drove a 15 year old clunker, and had a few hundred bucks a month of money to spend. Meanwhile his friends/peers all had careers, houses, new cars, family, and etc... He said someone might look at him and his friends and say he's living poor compared to them. He looked it like this: I have a roof over my head. Hot water, electricity. I actually have a car I can drive. I can eat hot food whenever I want. I live like a King!"

[Gatsby]

"Coming collapse"?

The middle class in the United States collapsed a long time ago. Now it's being kicked in the teeth.

But if you complain, the Republicans will sneer that your a "socialist."

America is a democracy. I hate to say it, but ultimately Americans have no one to blame but themselves. Look who they elect and re-elect. They are like a battered wife who keeps coming home from a 40-hour a week job and cooking dinner for her abusive husband.

It doesn't have to be this way. Things aren't nearly as bad in Canada. Why? They don't elect crooked morons like George Bush to make their laws and run their country.

[RufusW]