S
Seraphim73
Guest
Define Greed? In my experience it’s usually only the “other guy” who’s greedy. Never ourselves. Most of us work for a profit every day. Does that make us greedy?
Are the Super Rich and there companies to blame for our Economic crisis and plunder?
- Status
T
TheWarriorMonk
Guest
I haven’t read through the entire thread. If you want to blame something, blame the Fed. The printing of money (artificially decreasing interest rates, etc.) directly benefit the very wealthy who can put that money to use. It also has the effect of damaging those that don’t have don’t have money, such as be decreasing the income stream of retirees who income depends on “safe” investment from various bonds.
N
nmgauss
Guest
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black? The Catholic Church is the richest organization in the world. One has to be greedy to become that rich.
S
stinkcat_14
Guest
From the Catholic encyclopedia.
I would argue that both greed and envy are both used as accusations to shut down debate rather than stimulate debate. Both tend to be used a little too loosely.
S
stinkcat_14
Guest
Source?
D
Dave_B
Guest
I dont think anyone is suggesting communism. I think the issue is whether it would be better for society if there was less of a gap between the very rich and the very poor, through progressive taxation. There is less economic inequality in much of europe, japan and canada, than in the USA.
S
stinkcat_14
Guest
I think that the real question that is important is the cause of inequality. There is nothing apriori wrong with someone running a business and being successful at it. The problem is when you have things like occupational licensing that keeps out entry into certain fields. For example, in many states, physicians groups can lobby the government to reduce the ability of Nurse Practioners to practice. This unjustly benefits physicians at the expense of NPs.
L
Lost_Wanderer
Guest
LOOOOOOOL!!!
You know there’s a Morgan Freeman meme out there with your face on it. The only reason why I’m not posting it here is because of the rules banning profanity.
Frankly, it’s you who needs to take your sensitivity and shove it. In no way did I even intend to offend anybody. (Frankly it’s because I don’t care for what they think. Isn’t that what Christianity about anyways? Pot calling the kettle black now.) I just speak my mind on how ridiculous it is for people to not like the attitudes that strive for wealth (and create it) but hunger for its benefits.
I’m not uncharitable. I’m outspoken. If what I said hit a sore nerve, I don’t care because it’s not my responsibility. You’re right that I don’t know you, so why take offense?
Where did I cite issue with taxation? The question is why can’t the Church maintain focus on idiot governments as much as idiot corporations? At least when corporations are greedy, the money isn’t exactly taken by force of law. Governments on the other hand…
Translated: Ad hom. NEXT!Lost Wanderer, after reading some of your threads and reading your answers I’m beginning to think your in the wrong forum site. Stick to talking about fiction and fantasy. in your other sites: The Water Cooler and the Clubhouse sites. You can continue to talk all about sorcery there if you need to. Also, you may be able to quote scriptures off the bat but living it is another thing. Who else can quote scriptures? Let’s see??? Hummm. I also say your more so a fantasy Catholic and an agitator when you show up to these religious sections. What is that profile pic? It looks evil. It’s not my decision to see you get out of this area. It would be that of the moderators. How are you able to last so long on a Catholic site so long???
L
Lost_Wanderer
Guest
NO! NO! DUN SAY THAT!!!
(As a young’n, I for one could use less competition when I start sticking my investor’s hands into all popular media empires. Disney and Warner Brothers? I’m coming for ya!! MWAHAHAHAHA!!)
W
WilT
Guest
Yes, I agree. As graphs indicate on earlier comments show there is extreme differences in Income. It does seem unhealthy to me.
M
Michael_Mayo
Guest
Yes, the gap can be far less extreme without everyone being poor. And the very wealthy do not need anyone here to defend them. They have well paid lawyers, PR and PACS for that.
M
manualman
Guest
I’m a little bit unclear on the claims of stagnant wealth for the middle class. I’ve been middle class all my life (more than 4 decades now). Lower middle in my childhood, upper middle these days.
When I was young, my family of 5 lived in a 1,200SF ranch with a detached 1 car garage, 1 black and white TV and a window air conditioner. We had to limit our phone calls to Grandma because long distance phone calls were expensive. We mixed our powdered milk up the night before because it made the nasty stuff taste better the next day. Our Chevette had vinyl seats, manual transmission, an AM radio and non-power everything (including brakes!). We had these wire spring seat covers that we used to get an air gap between our butts and the hot vinyl. Our TV got 6 channels (Chicago metro). By the time I turned 14 I had flown on an airplane exactly once (one way to St. Paul). Pretty much all my vacations involved the rear seat of the car and campgrounds. We considered ourselves solidly middle class.
Today, all but the homeless in America live better than the above, but we constantly are told that the middle class is being eroded. I don’t get it and I don’t see it. It seems to me like just about ALL Americans enjoy luxuries never dreamed of by King Soloman in his wildest fantasies. We’re just spoiled whiners because some people have even more than we do.
When I was young, my family of 5 lived in a 1,200SF ranch with a detached 1 car garage, 1 black and white TV and a window air conditioner. We had to limit our phone calls to Grandma because long distance phone calls were expensive. We mixed our powdered milk up the night before because it made the nasty stuff taste better the next day. Our Chevette had vinyl seats, manual transmission, an AM radio and non-power everything (including brakes!). We had these wire spring seat covers that we used to get an air gap between our butts and the hot vinyl. Our TV got 6 channels (Chicago metro). By the time I turned 14 I had flown on an airplane exactly once (one way to St. Paul). Pretty much all my vacations involved the rear seat of the car and campgrounds. We considered ourselves solidly middle class.
Today, all but the homeless in America live better than the above, but we constantly are told that the middle class is being eroded. I don’t get it and I don’t see it. It seems to me like just about ALL Americans enjoy luxuries never dreamed of by King Soloman in his wildest fantasies. We’re just spoiled whiners because some people have even more than we do.
M
Michael_Mayo
Guest
Part of the reason:
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
N
nmgauss
Guest
humansarefree.com/2012/03/christian-church-is-biggest-financial.html
Have you ever wondered how wealthy the church really is? In his book, ‘The Vatican Billions’, writer and philosopher Avro Manhattan gives us a glimpse of the true financial worth of the catholic church:
“Jesus was the poorest of the poor. Roman Catholicism, which claims to be His church, is the richest of the rich, the wealthiest institution on earth. (…) How come, that such an institution, ruling in the name of this same itinerant preacher, whose want was such that he had not even a pillow upon which to rest his head, is now so top-heavy with riches that she can rival - indeed, that she can put to shame - the combined might of the most redoubtable financial trusts, of the most potent industrial super-giants, and of the most prosperous global corporation of the world?”
N
nmgauss
Guest
Have you ever read about Keynesian Economic Theory? According to that, economies do better when there is slight inflation. How does the Fed increase inflation? By printing money.
T
Thorns
Guest
The billionaires and millionaires are the people supplying everyone else with jobs, so no.
S
stinkcat_14
Guest
I notice that there are no actual numbers in your link. So you claim that the Vatican is wealthy but you present no numbers. How is that credible?
M
manualman
Guest
They can concoct the numbers, but they are never really honest about it. The astronomical numbers come from adding up hypothetical values of thousands of priceless art treasures that the Vatican holds in trust for all mankind. If you actually put them all up for sale at Sotheby’s tomorrow you’d be lucky to get a penny on the dollar. But such scurrilous books never discuss that minor little detail.
The actual annual revenues and expenditures of the Vatican / Holy See is about equal to a midsize private university. They run a deficit as often as not. Havard alone make the Vatican look like a pauper cousin in terms of actual cash in / cash out.
E
estesbob
Guest
The main source of the billions is the property the church owns-Churches all over the world in just about every town you come across.
- Status