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zeos3

(1,078 posts)
Tue Apr 23, 2013, 01:55 PM Apr 2013

How Capitalism Is Dismembering America

http://thecontributor.com/opinion/how-capitalism-dismembering-america


Hacking Off the Poor Half of Society

Some wealthy and uninformed individuals have referred to the lowest-income 47 percent of Americans as the "takers," who enjoy government benefits at the expense of the high-earning one percent. But their claim is meaningless. The total amount paid out in 'welfare' is less than the investment income of just three men in a single year.

-snip-


Slashing the Security of the Elderly

Recipients of 'entitlements' are accused by the uninformed of getting something for nothing. The opposite is true. According to the Urban Institute, the typical two-earner couple making average wages throughout their lifetimes will receive less in Social Security benefits than they paid in. Same for single males. Almost the same for single females.


-snip-


Castrating the Taxman

Corporations have doubled their profits and cut their taxes in half in 10 years. The burden of taxes, which Oliver Wendell Holmes called the price of a "civilized society," has been shifted to workers. For every dollar of employee payroll tax paid in the 1950s corporations paid three dollars. Now it's 22 cents.

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How Capitalism Is Dismembering America (Original Post) zeos3 Apr 2013 OP
"Dismembering, slashing, castrating" frazzled Apr 2013 #1
"I might consider reading it." PDittie Apr 2013 #2
I see some prestidigitation going on, but not from the OP. Rex Apr 2013 #3
Consider it like reading poetry for policy wonks... zeos3 Apr 2013 #5
kick.. good article , , , n/t annabanana Apr 2013 #4

frazzled

(18,402 posts)
1. "Dismembering, slashing, castrating"
Tue Apr 23, 2013, 02:24 PM
Apr 2013

When I see such wild histrionics, I immediately shut down from reading. Whatever complaints we may have about the capitalist system in this country, the use of screaming metaphors evoking bodily dismemberment and castration just make any argument look like the rantings of a lunatic.

Share a reasoned analysis, and I might consider reading it.

zeos3

(1,078 posts)
5. Consider it like reading poetry for policy wonks...
Tue Apr 23, 2013, 08:26 PM
Apr 2013

I think you're doing yourself a disservice by not reading the article. The author makes some very good points and decided to paint a picture with words to convey the urgency he places on the material presented.

The style in which the message is presented shouldn't detract from the message itself.

I left out the parts about "slicing" and "severing" so as not to offend...

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