52% of Americans in favor of soaking the rich.

[Ideologue]

I think it shows some signs.

[Admiral Yi]

No, that wasn't it, I just neglected to mention it.  I think that racial relations are the reason why social democracy hasn't made inroads in US anywhere near as effectively as it has in Europe.  Even conservatives are agreeing with it, by using code phrase like "social democracy can work in Europe because their populations are homogeneous".

This sounds like a jab at me.

[grumbler]

So you're saying that we can have democracy in this country or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few; but we can't have both?

he is saying you can have great wealth concentration + intolerance, or wealth distribution and tolerance, but not both.

[DGuller]

No, that wasn't it, I just neglected to mention it.  I think that racial relations are the reason why social democracy hasn't made inroads in US anywhere near as effectively as it has in Europe.  Even conservatives are agreeing with it, by using code phrase like "social democracy can work in Europe because their populations are homogeneous".

This sounds like a jab at me.

It isn't.  I don't recall if you ever said something like that, I've heard that phrase so often in so many different places that I can't keep a mental inventory of who said it.

[LaCroix]

i don't think many people criticize welfare because it helps blacks. most people i see criticizing welfare do so because it helps poor people.

[Valmy]

I think it shows some signs.

I agree. The plebs better start getting their piece of the pie or things might get messy.

[viper37]

If 6/10 Americans have thought that wealth distribution is unfair for the last 30 years, why has it had so little political impact on the government? 

I was about the say something, but then I remembered: Grumbler knows everything.  So rather than engaging in a pointless debate with him, I'll let him give the explanations needed

[DGuller]

i don't think many people criticize welfare because it helps blacks. most people i see criticizing welfare do so because it helps poor people.

There are things that people say, things that people think, and things that people feel subconsciously.  There is a reason why the image of a welfare queen works so well to convince people to roll back social welfare.

[Valmy]

Huh. I guess I always pictured the welfare queen as an overweight rural trailer trash person with 8 kids. Anyway I thought we already rolled that back. I don't see much political pressure to roll it back further.

[Ed Anger]

This is slightly relevant to my interests.

[Valmy]

This is slightly relevant to my interests.

Fortunately you can flee to Capitalist Europe when Red America comes for your loot. Or vice versa.

[LaCroix]

There are things that people say, things that people think, and things that people feel subconsciously.  There is a reason why the image of a welfare queen works so well to convince people to roll back social welfare.

i don't think many people think of black people in north dakota, consciously or subconsciously.

maybe this is another instance where reality is one thing, and peoples' perception is another. i think people generally dislike giving money to those they feel are undeserving, whether race is white or black.

[DGuller]

Huh. I guess I always pictured the welfare queen as an overweight rural trailer trash person with 8 kids. Anyway I thought we already rolled that back. I don't see much political pressure to roll it back further.

Funny you should say that:  http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/missouri-lawmakers-override-veto-enact-welfare-limits-30819958.

[Ed Anger]

This is slightly relevant to my interests.

Fortunately you can flee to Capitalist Europe when Red America comes for your loot. Or vice versa.

France beckons this June.

[Valmy]

Funny you should say that:  http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/missouri-lawmakers-override-veto-enact-welfare-limits-30819958.

Well I'll be.

"They want their independence; they don't want to be in this poverty trap all their lives and they don't want their kids to be in this poverty trap. They want and they say that we can be successful if we have the tools," said Rep. Diane Franklin, R-Camdenton, who handled the bill in the House.

Poverty is created by welfare. Once we get rid of it the fundamental economic issues will change. The world economy hangs on the policies of the state of Missouri.