Is the United States of America heading into Bankruptcy?
Bill and Betty are having some financial difficulties. Here are the numbers: They have a house with a $1.1 million dollar mortgage. They have $329,545 in credit-card debt. Bill is disabled and they are living on Betty's income (net pay after all taxes is $50,636). They borrowed $36,409 from friends this year to help make ends meet. They are paying the friends 1.35% interest. Will this couple have to file for Bankruptcy? How long can they delay the inevitable? Sooner or later, the numbers will catch up to them, and they will be in some serious trouble. Bill and Betty's debt ratios reflect the same financial mess our government is in. Income: This is how much the Government takes in via taxes, etc. 2011 income is projected at 2.228 trillion dollars. Budget: This is how much the Government proposes to spend and has no relation to actual income. Since the Government always lives beyond its means and spends way more than it takes in, it has to borrow the difference, which is called the deficit. 2011 budget is 3.83 trillion dollars. Most people, including Obama, mix these two up: Deficit: How much they will overspend just in THIS year's budget? 3.83 trillion budget minus 2.228 trillion income = 1.6 trillions dollars, or 42% of what we are spending is beyond our means. Put another way, we are spending 72% more money than we are taking in. National Debt: The accumulated debt from all the years of deficit spending. This is currently 14.3 trillion dollars. Is the United States of America heading into bankruptcy? What is the truth here? If this post is deleted, it just reflects how powerful individuals just want to mask the truth, and continue to live in a sense of false hope for the future.
Government - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
hope not
2 :
I believe we're pretty much already there, except for the judge requiring the assets to be sold off.
3 :
Its seems like they are ben I was thinkin the same im guessin soon they will hope not because what will the world end up being! This is an intellegant question actually
4 :
Yes, we are already bankrupt. In fact, as you pointed out we have a deficit and continue to spend money that we don't have. We're digging further and further into this whole that is this country's future and if we don't do something, future generations will need all that "hope" they can get.
5 :
Yes we need to cut about $1.7 to $2 trillion from the budget.
6 :
Bill and Betty must be smooth talkers to get into THAT much credit card debt:) The U.S. will NEVER go into bankruptcy as such - well not in the next 20 years at least. This is not a U.S. but a world economy question - right now the U.S. fuels the world economy in many ways. Once China unlinks the Yuan from the $ and starts to grow in a stable (as opposed to the erratic spikes in GDP growth that we see) and mature way it WILL take over as the world financial super power - this is not IF but when. Once this happens and the U.S. starts to take a less predominant role in the world economy it IS then possible that they could go into bankruptcy - it's very likely that China would then bail the US out - similar to the EU bailing out places such as Portugal and Ireland. But - in the short term - the US will NEVER be allowed to go into bankruptcy as this would create a MASSIVE depression around the world, the likes of which we have not seen before.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Would you believe me if i told you, that the United States Government is making you dumber to make you a slave?
Would you believe me if i told you, that the United States Government is making you dumber to make you a slave?
Did you know that there is no law, that has ever been written or signed that says you have to pay your federal income tax... Did you also know, that precious $20 bill in your wallet really isn't worth anything? back before the 1930's all United States Notes were backed by its weight in gold. But in 1933 President Franklin Roosevelt had a national seizure of all gold privately owned by the public. Telling the citizens that we needed more gold to help stimulate the economy. as soon as the gold was siezed the government signed a bill saying that the United State's currency would no longer need to be backed by gold, rather we would distribute all the nations money from a central bank, and not need the notes to be backed by anything. making all United States' money... be nothing but worthless pieces of paper... the only thing that makes the money worth anything is how much we have distributed into nation... but need i remind you, the United States is in a constant debt. how do we pay for that debt?... with our Federal Income tax. but what creates this debt? you might ask. since the united states has a central bank constantly distributing more money into the economy every year the bank its self is printing enough money to help cover the debt... until America spends it... every time we spend our money it keeps further putting us into debt... the deffintion of the word debt is owing somthing to someone else... and if we always owe the government money... we are enslaved to keep paying a government that couldn't get it right to begin with. http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/ It will set you free from mind control.
Politics - 9 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
you have figured us republicans out
2 :
No, I wouldn't believe you or your wall of text without evidence.
3 :
Not that I Disagree with you but the 16th amendment negates your "no federal income tax" statement. "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration." http://www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/html/amdt16.html
4 :
Yeah, pretty messed up if you ask me...
5 :
Gotta love uber liberal conspiracy theorists!
6 :
Actually the Fed Income Tax Law was amended so that is a myth and all you need for proof is not to pay them and then go to jail. We do not have a gold backed currency because there is a limit to wealth that can be generated with that system. I am not fan of the current fiat system and yes our currency is only worth 5% of what it was but carrying around all that change sucks. Public Schools teach what the Govt wants taught and has not been remodeled since the 50s and is outdated much like liberal commie views.
7 :
$20 is worth stuff, why would it be useless? Its just an easy form of barter or trade, you can still exchange it for gold at the head bank, we only use paper because it is easier the gold to carry around and everyone accepts it.
8 :
I don't think they care enough to even do that, honestly.
9 :
So don't pay taxes, be my guest.
10 :
Maybe I am wrong, but I thought the reason they collected Taxes, was to pay for things like supporting the Military, repairing roads, bridges etc, not to put money into the pockets of the Tax collectors! It was supposed to be used for the good of the People and the country! Why doesn't the Governement just stay out of private companies business? What I would like to know, is how much tax did these guys OWE the Government before thay supposedly went boom? Why is this Government using OUR Tax dollars to put them back on their feet, so they can screw up all over again? We shouldn't HAVE to pay somebody elses debt! WE didn't screw up, so why is th Government punishing us? That is definately NOT the way to bring our economy back to life. The DC guys couldn't even run this cash for clunkers right, let alone run a country! They wasted money going around giving pep talks to people in Town Halls, about how great this healthcare plan is, when they didn't have a clue what was in it! Then they snuck all kinds of goodies into it, paying the Unions to back it, and using force to "persuade" people to agree to sign up, and God only knows what else they have slipped into that 1000 page piece of garbage!!! Why are these Democrats in DC acting like puppets, with NO minds of their own? What is it that King Obama has over them? Their jobs?? Or were they just paid to agree with anything he says, whether they believed it or not, and to hell with the Public!! The day si coming when these guys will have to step down from their pedestals, and come back to earth. How do they expect to be treated when they do? LOL!!! Yeah! Go back to their law offices or whatever job they had before becoming an elected official!!! Thy names are mud fellas!!! I hope you can squirrel away as much money as you can now, because only a fool would hire you! I really wouldn't mind "owing" the Government money, if they were actually working for us! They are OUR servants, not theirs! If they have something legitimate that needs fixing, sure! I would be willing to toss my two cents into the Pot! But when they start misusing the money and not giving anything back to the Public, THAT's when I start screaming "FOWL"! Let these companies, banks or whatever, crawl out of their own holes! Let's see just how much they really ARE in trouble! They wouldn't even BE in business if it wasn't for us and OUR money! AH!! the investors!!! Are they getting paid their dividends? Seems to me, if these CEO's can grant themselves a bonus, doesn't that mean, their companies are actually doing well for their investors? Do you think those guys are going to sit still and allow these CEO's to take the money if THEY weren't getting paid!??? How can they justify these bonuses if they are NOT making money!? If all the little people, like you and I - were to pull all OUR investments out of these guys hands, would they really and truly go bust?? You might have better luck with your money if you went to Vegas! At least, it would be YOUR decision which machine to drop your money into!!
11 :
I agree with you 99%. The 16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows Congress to levy income tax. However, the IRS is NOT a government agency....... I loved both Zeitgeist movies. The second one was better than the first.
12 :
you are just now realizing this?
Did you know that there is no law, that has ever been written or signed that says you have to pay your federal income tax... Did you also know, that precious $20 bill in your wallet really isn't worth anything? back before the 1930's all United States Notes were backed by its weight in gold. But in 1933 President Franklin Roosevelt had a national seizure of all gold privately owned by the public. Telling the citizens that we needed more gold to help stimulate the economy. as soon as the gold was siezed the government signed a bill saying that the United State's currency would no longer need to be backed by gold, rather we would distribute all the nations money from a central bank, and not need the notes to be backed by anything. making all United States' money... be nothing but worthless pieces of paper... the only thing that makes the money worth anything is how much we have distributed into nation... but need i remind you, the United States is in a constant debt. how do we pay for that debt?... with our Federal Income tax. but what creates this debt? you might ask. since the united states has a central bank constantly distributing more money into the economy every year the bank its self is printing enough money to help cover the debt... until America spends it... every time we spend our money it keeps further putting us into debt... the deffintion of the word debt is owing somthing to someone else... and if we always owe the government money... we are enslaved to keep paying a government that couldn't get it right to begin with. http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/ It will set you free from mind control.
Politics - 9 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
you have figured us republicans out
2 :
No, I wouldn't believe you or your wall of text without evidence.
3 :
Not that I Disagree with you but the 16th amendment negates your "no federal income tax" statement. "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration." http://www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/html/amdt16.html
4 :
Yeah, pretty messed up if you ask me...
5 :
Gotta love uber liberal conspiracy theorists!
6 :
Actually the Fed Income Tax Law was amended so that is a myth and all you need for proof is not to pay them and then go to jail. We do not have a gold backed currency because there is a limit to wealth that can be generated with that system. I am not fan of the current fiat system and yes our currency is only worth 5% of what it was but carrying around all that change sucks. Public Schools teach what the Govt wants taught and has not been remodeled since the 50s and is outdated much like liberal commie views.
7 :
$20 is worth stuff, why would it be useless? Its just an easy form of barter or trade, you can still exchange it for gold at the head bank, we only use paper because it is easier the gold to carry around and everyone accepts it.
8 :
I don't think they care enough to even do that, honestly.
9 :
So don't pay taxes, be my guest.
10 :
Maybe I am wrong, but I thought the reason they collected Taxes, was to pay for things like supporting the Military, repairing roads, bridges etc, not to put money into the pockets of the Tax collectors! It was supposed to be used for the good of the People and the country! Why doesn't the Governement just stay out of private companies business? What I would like to know, is how much tax did these guys OWE the Government before thay supposedly went boom? Why is this Government using OUR Tax dollars to put them back on their feet, so they can screw up all over again? We shouldn't HAVE to pay somebody elses debt! WE didn't screw up, so why is th Government punishing us? That is definately NOT the way to bring our economy back to life. The DC guys couldn't even run this cash for clunkers right, let alone run a country! They wasted money going around giving pep talks to people in Town Halls, about how great this healthcare plan is, when they didn't have a clue what was in it! Then they snuck all kinds of goodies into it, paying the Unions to back it, and using force to "persuade" people to agree to sign up, and God only knows what else they have slipped into that 1000 page piece of garbage!!! Why are these Democrats in DC acting like puppets, with NO minds of their own? What is it that King Obama has over them? Their jobs?? Or were they just paid to agree with anything he says, whether they believed it or not, and to hell with the Public!! The day si coming when these guys will have to step down from their pedestals, and come back to earth. How do they expect to be treated when they do? LOL!!! Yeah! Go back to their law offices or whatever job they had before becoming an elected official!!! Thy names are mud fellas!!! I hope you can squirrel away as much money as you can now, because only a fool would hire you! I really wouldn't mind "owing" the Government money, if they were actually working for us! They are OUR servants, not theirs! If they have something legitimate that needs fixing, sure! I would be willing to toss my two cents into the Pot! But when they start misusing the money and not giving anything back to the Public, THAT's when I start screaming "FOWL"! Let these companies, banks or whatever, crawl out of their own holes! Let's see just how much they really ARE in trouble! They wouldn't even BE in business if it wasn't for us and OUR money! AH!! the investors!!! Are they getting paid their dividends? Seems to me, if these CEO's can grant themselves a bonus, doesn't that mean, their companies are actually doing well for their investors? Do you think those guys are going to sit still and allow these CEO's to take the money if THEY weren't getting paid!??? How can they justify these bonuses if they are NOT making money!? If all the little people, like you and I - were to pull all OUR investments out of these guys hands, would they really and truly go bust?? You might have better luck with your money if you went to Vegas! At least, it would be YOUR decision which machine to drop your money into!!
11 :
I agree with you 99%. The 16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows Congress to levy income tax. However, the IRS is NOT a government agency....... I loved both Zeitgeist movies. The second one was better than the first.
12 :
you are just now realizing this?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tipping in the United States of America?
Tipping in the United States of America?
Why is it that in the USA, restaurant owners think it is OK to pay their staff less than the minimum wage and make the customers make up the rest of the money? Even worse, why do American customers feel that it is their duty to tip, when it is a commonly known fact that if servers do not make up at least the minimum wage, the restaurant legally has to pay for it themselves? Why can't customers in the USA make a change once and for all and stop this silly tipping culture, forcing employers to pay their servers properly, and bring the USA up to the same level as the rest of the world?
Other - United States - 7 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
You don't have to tip, its a kind gesture because they get shitty wages. Besides if we didn't have to tip and waitresses got paid higher wages the cost of the bill would be higher anyways
2 :
Why does it bother you so much? I don't know where you are from, but I can guarantee there are stupid and silly cultural norms there.
3 :
First off, minimum wage in this country does not include restaurants as far as servers go. So you are wrong there. Tipping is something a server earns through good service and it is not a guaranty. My question is, why do people from other countries come here knowing that tipping is the way we do things for servers here and stiff them anyhow? When I waited tables, I came to a table that had people from certain countries there, I cringed because I knew I was going to get stiffed. By the way, servers also pay income tax on tips now.
4 :
Quit being so cheap. Tipping is left to the customers because some servers are worth a lot more than minimum wage. And a lot of states now do pay their servers minimum wage or more plus tips. A good server will make $200 per day in tips. A bad server usually makes what they are worth as well. It is called incentive. People who want to make good money will work to get it, people who do not want to work will not make money. I personally think ALL industries should be that way. Doctors, lawyers, mechanics would then actually have to earn their money and not be able to tell you all kinds of crap. Mechanics would actually FIX the car. Doctors would actually HEAL people. police officers would actually PROTECT people. Oh my God, then people would actually be able to live better. The rich then would not be so dam lazy and the poor working stiff would not be so dam poor.
5 :
"Why is it that in the USA, restaurant owners think it is OK to pay their staff less than the minimum wage and make the customers make up the rest of the money?" - Depends on the state and their minimum wage laws. "Even worse, why do American customers feel that it is their duty to tip" - It's the polite thing to do for good service. "Why can't customers in the USA make a change once and for all and stop this silly tipping culture, forcing employers to pay their servers properly, and bring the USA up to the same level as the rest of the world?" - This is a capitalist country. You don't have to come to our country. You don't have to visit America. Don't like it? Don't come. Simple as that. I'm an American that lives near the Canadian border and our hard working American wait staff at restaurants get screwed by the Canadians that come shopping here and NEVER tip.
6 :
Yes, we should get rid of tipping.
7 :
I'm an American and I complete agree with you! Why do I have to pay your employees wages?! Especially when they're not EARNING it!! I hate getting bad service and knowing that if I don't leave a tip I'm considered cheap. People I actually leave good tips for are housekeepers at the hotels who clean up after my "mess".
Why is it that in the USA, restaurant owners think it is OK to pay their staff less than the minimum wage and make the customers make up the rest of the money? Even worse, why do American customers feel that it is their duty to tip, when it is a commonly known fact that if servers do not make up at least the minimum wage, the restaurant legally has to pay for it themselves? Why can't customers in the USA make a change once and for all and stop this silly tipping culture, forcing employers to pay their servers properly, and bring the USA up to the same level as the rest of the world?
Other - United States - 7 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
You don't have to tip, its a kind gesture because they get shitty wages. Besides if we didn't have to tip and waitresses got paid higher wages the cost of the bill would be higher anyways
2 :
Why does it bother you so much? I don't know where you are from, but I can guarantee there are stupid and silly cultural norms there.
3 :
First off, minimum wage in this country does not include restaurants as far as servers go. So you are wrong there. Tipping is something a server earns through good service and it is not a guaranty. My question is, why do people from other countries come here knowing that tipping is the way we do things for servers here and stiff them anyhow? When I waited tables, I came to a table that had people from certain countries there, I cringed because I knew I was going to get stiffed. By the way, servers also pay income tax on tips now.
4 :
Quit being so cheap. Tipping is left to the customers because some servers are worth a lot more than minimum wage. And a lot of states now do pay their servers minimum wage or more plus tips. A good server will make $200 per day in tips. A bad server usually makes what they are worth as well. It is called incentive. People who want to make good money will work to get it, people who do not want to work will not make money. I personally think ALL industries should be that way. Doctors, lawyers, mechanics would then actually have to earn their money and not be able to tell you all kinds of crap. Mechanics would actually FIX the car. Doctors would actually HEAL people. police officers would actually PROTECT people. Oh my God, then people would actually be able to live better. The rich then would not be so dam lazy and the poor working stiff would not be so dam poor.
5 :
"Why is it that in the USA, restaurant owners think it is OK to pay their staff less than the minimum wage and make the customers make up the rest of the money?" - Depends on the state and their minimum wage laws. "Even worse, why do American customers feel that it is their duty to tip" - It's the polite thing to do for good service. "Why can't customers in the USA make a change once and for all and stop this silly tipping culture, forcing employers to pay their servers properly, and bring the USA up to the same level as the rest of the world?" - This is a capitalist country. You don't have to come to our country. You don't have to visit America. Don't like it? Don't come. Simple as that. I'm an American that lives near the Canadian border and our hard working American wait staff at restaurants get screwed by the Canadians that come shopping here and NEVER tip.
6 :
Yes, we should get rid of tipping.
7 :
I'm an American and I complete agree with you! Why do I have to pay your employees wages?! Especially when they're not EARNING it!! I hate getting bad service and knowing that if I don't leave a tip I'm considered cheap. People I actually leave good tips for are housekeepers at the hotels who clean up after my "mess".
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
why don't the united states of America gets its oil from Alaska instead of the middle east?
why don't the united states of America gets its oil from Alaska instead of the middle east?
it just makes more sense since Alaska is a state in the usa and the do have the Alaska oil pipe line pumping oil into the states why not just use it's own oil instead of giving it to the middle east some body told me America has enough of it's own oil for the next 500 years. Why not use our oil until we can think of a better way to fuel our homes? not giving money to the middle will stop the war would it not?
Politics - 9 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Because it is far too expensive.
2 :
we are getting oil from Alaska but it's expensive to get it to the US mainland
3 :
We get a lot of our oil from Alaska. That's what the pipeline is for. We also get a lot from Texas, but they charge just as much as the Arabs. I guess Texaco is trying to destroy our economy too. Also, there are other ways to stop the war. For instance, we could put the troops on planes and fly them home, or send them to Afghanistan to get bin Laden.
4 :
Because it would cost the United States Way too much, with the upkeep of the pipelines and security. Also, America is trying to expand to all parts of the world for natural resources and oil, which is very abundant in the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Asia. So after they seize all the oil in the middle East(which is said to be sitting on about $5 trillion worth) then their next targets are going to be certain African nations, then eventually Asia.
5 :
Same with all the oil in LA that they now want to tap into. Because we would rather pollute other countries than our own. And we are too lazy to go without luxuries and deal with the altertative options that may ask us to give a little. We have become a lazy, spoiled country that has forgotten what it means to go without. In short, we have forgotten what all those who sacrificed and gaves their lives for so we could raise a generation of lazy, spoiled, overweight brats.
6 :
This question is best directed at all of the tree huggers in the Congress.
7 :
We get a lot of oil from Alaska. Alaska is the third largest oil producing state in the US but because of the conditions and the depth of the fields in Alaska it is extremely expensive to drill there. Currently the US has about a 10 year oil reserve in place. The US imports 60% of all oil consumption (Canada, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia being the 3 largest sources).
8 :
Alaska is for a reserve use ONLY. When everything gone bad in the Middle East, and the oil access there is short, than Alaska will be used. Why use your reserves when you have others fields to use?
9 :
Because it is not environmentally safe and against the law to drill in national reservoirs. This is exactly what the oil companies want... they are going to keep making record profits and not lower the price of gas until the public outcry demands we drill in Alaska... for them to get richer then when that oil runs out, we are in the same exact place.
it just makes more sense since Alaska is a state in the usa and the do have the Alaska oil pipe line pumping oil into the states why not just use it's own oil instead of giving it to the middle east some body told me America has enough of it's own oil for the next 500 years. Why not use our oil until we can think of a better way to fuel our homes? not giving money to the middle will stop the war would it not?
Politics - 9 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Because it is far too expensive.
2 :
we are getting oil from Alaska but it's expensive to get it to the US mainland
3 :
We get a lot of our oil from Alaska. That's what the pipeline is for. We also get a lot from Texas, but they charge just as much as the Arabs. I guess Texaco is trying to destroy our economy too. Also, there are other ways to stop the war. For instance, we could put the troops on planes and fly them home, or send them to Afghanistan to get bin Laden.
4 :
Because it would cost the United States Way too much, with the upkeep of the pipelines and security. Also, America is trying to expand to all parts of the world for natural resources and oil, which is very abundant in the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Asia. So after they seize all the oil in the middle East(which is said to be sitting on about $5 trillion worth) then their next targets are going to be certain African nations, then eventually Asia.
5 :
Same with all the oil in LA that they now want to tap into. Because we would rather pollute other countries than our own. And we are too lazy to go without luxuries and deal with the altertative options that may ask us to give a little. We have become a lazy, spoiled country that has forgotten what it means to go without. In short, we have forgotten what all those who sacrificed and gaves their lives for so we could raise a generation of lazy, spoiled, overweight brats.
6 :
This question is best directed at all of the tree huggers in the Congress.
7 :
We get a lot of oil from Alaska. Alaska is the third largest oil producing state in the US but because of the conditions and the depth of the fields in Alaska it is extremely expensive to drill there. Currently the US has about a 10 year oil reserve in place. The US imports 60% of all oil consumption (Canada, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia being the 3 largest sources).
8 :
Alaska is for a reserve use ONLY. When everything gone bad in the Middle East, and the oil access there is short, than Alaska will be used. Why use your reserves when you have others fields to use?
9 :
Because it is not environmentally safe and against the law to drill in national reservoirs. This is exactly what the oil companies want... they are going to keep making record profits and not lower the price of gas until the public outcry demands we drill in Alaska... for them to get richer then when that oil runs out, we are in the same exact place.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
what do you know about jobs In united states of America ?
what do you know about jobs In united states of America ?
by the way I live In America seven years I have four years trying to find ajob of my dream I aplied many jobs aplications but I do not receive call untill today I don't know what's the problem today I don't have any money to spent for my daily life even I live a homeless that make me sick so what's the alternative for me ? suliman utah u.s.a
Other - Society & Culture - 1 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
If Libetards stay in power, you'll have no chance......
by the way I live In America seven years I have four years trying to find ajob of my dream I aplied many jobs aplications but I do not receive call untill today I don't know what's the problem today I don't have any money to spent for my daily life even I live a homeless that make me sick so what's the alternative for me ? suliman utah u.s.a
Other - Society & Culture - 1 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
If Libetards stay in power, you'll have no chance......
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
As if we didnt know this?Even blacks in America;make money depending on skin color.DAMN?
As if we didnt know this?Even blacks in America;make money depending on skin color.DAMN?
Study says skin tone affects earnings By TRAVIS LOLLER, Associated Press Writer Fri Jan 26, 11:01 PM ET NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Light-skinned immigrants in the United States make more money on average than those with darker complexions, and the chief reason appears to be discrimination, a researcher says. ADVERTISEMENT Joni Hersch, a law and economics professor at Vanderbilt University, looked at a government survey of 2,084 legal immigrants to the United States from around the world and found that those with the lightest skin earned an average of 8 percent to 15 percent more than similar immigrants with much darker skin. "On average, being one shade lighter has about the same effect as having an additional year of education," Hersch said. The study also found that taller immigrants earn more than shorter ones, with an extra inch of height associated with a 1 percent increase in income. Other researchers said the findings are consistent with other studies on color and point to a skin-tone prejudice that goes beyond race. Hersch took into consideration other factors that could affect wages, such as English-language proficiency, education, occupation, race or country of origin, and found that skin tone still seemed to make a difference in earnings. That means that if two similar immigrants from Bangladesh, for example, came to the United States at the same time, with the same occupation and ability to speak English, the lighter-skinned immigrant would make more money on average. "I thought that once we controlled for race and nationality, I expected the difference to go away, but even with people from the same country, the same race รข€” skin color really matters," she said, "and height." Although many cultures show a bias toward lighter skin, Hersch said her analysis shows that the skin-color advantage was not due to preferential treatment for light-skinned people in their country of origin. The bias, she said, occurs in the U.S. Economics professor Shelley White-Means of the University of Tennessee at Memphis said the study adds to the growing body of evidence that there is a "preference for whiteness" in America that goes beyond race. Hersch drew her data from a 2003 federal survey of nearly 8,600 new immigrants. The survey used an 11-point scale for measuring skin tone, in which 0 represents an absence of color and 10 the darkest possible skin tone. From those nearly 8,600 participants, she focused on the more than 2,000 who were working and whose skin tone had been recorded during face-to-face interviews. William Darity Jr., an economics professor at the University of North Carolina, said Hersch's findings are similar to a study he co-authored last year on skin tone and wages among blacks. "We estimate that dark- or medium-skinned blacks suffered a discriminatory penalty of anywhere from 10 percent to 15 percent relative to whites," he said. "This suggests people cue into appearance and draw inferences about capabilities and skills based on how they look." Darity said it is not clear whether the bias is conscious or subconscious. Hersch said her findings, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science next month in San Francisco, could support discrimination lawsuits based not on race, but on color. "There are very few color discrimination suits, but they are on the rise," she said. "But these suits can be hard to prove."
Other - Cultures & Groups - 8 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Yeah, black people could have told them that.
2 :
that's not true
3 :
Shut the F**k Up!
4 :
its a cold world we living in lol
5 :
A research is done by a group of people and they JUST TELL US what their opinion is. RESEARCHES ARE NOT FACTS. I am dark skinned man, and I make more money than many White people.
6 :
I love your post. Im a 33 year old white woman and before I read your post, I would have told you affirmative action is no longer needed. I was very surprised by the numbers. Though according to the study affirmative action may be no help at all to dark skinned blacks, since lighter skinned people seem to fair better even of the same race.
7 :
It doesn't take a stupid marketing survey to confirm what is clearly a remnant of the color bias which governs the world. Most receptionists, TV presenters, customer care executives are White or if colored, they have a light skin tone. When you call any company's toll-free number, if it is a customer from the Developed world, they put on line a White cheerleading girl - and a ghetto accent fat-lipped ho for other customers. Clearly, prejudice can never be ended - it can only be minimized and contained.
8 :
You have answered your question. Yes, you are right that in some field of work and also sometimes "skin tone affects earnings", though this is not the norm. If you were born in any of the countries in South Asia then you need not refer to so many studies to confirm your hypothesis. For example, in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh if a newborn is a (without prejudice): a) Boy: "Excellent", if he is as white as Caucasian: "Very Good", if he is Light-skinned: "Good", if he is Dark-skinned: "Fair". No problem, that guy could somehow manage to survive in the society. b) Girl: "Okay", if she is as white as Caucasian: "Very Good", if she is Light-skinned: "Fair", if she is Dark-skinned: "Oh my God". She may have some problem at the time of her getting married as the dowry would be required. Now you are complaining about employment and earning capabilities for blacks in America. See what good or pity life one would live in our part of the world, just because of his or her skin colour. To add with this, imagine the height that plays its role too. You can have a lot of combination and permutation for arriving at a person's fate or treatment he/she receives in this world. This is the reality on the ground and people are suffering mental agony for something for which they were not responsible (skin colour and height). Look at the leading TV Serials (drama and soap-operas) from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh, which are watched all over the world where South Asians are residing, you will hardly find any light or dark-skinned Indian boy or girl in leading or sub-leading roles. Except for villains and jokers these less-fortunate mortal souls are doomed to lower rung roles and society accepts these prejudices by way of keeping mum over such issues. Therefore, thank the leader and people in developed countries for accepting light and dark-skinned citizens on almost equal par, which are at greater discrimination in developing countries.
Study says skin tone affects earnings By TRAVIS LOLLER, Associated Press Writer Fri Jan 26, 11:01 PM ET NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Light-skinned immigrants in the United States make more money on average than those with darker complexions, and the chief reason appears to be discrimination, a researcher says. ADVERTISEMENT Joni Hersch, a law and economics professor at Vanderbilt University, looked at a government survey of 2,084 legal immigrants to the United States from around the world and found that those with the lightest skin earned an average of 8 percent to 15 percent more than similar immigrants with much darker skin. "On average, being one shade lighter has about the same effect as having an additional year of education," Hersch said. The study also found that taller immigrants earn more than shorter ones, with an extra inch of height associated with a 1 percent increase in income. Other researchers said the findings are consistent with other studies on color and point to a skin-tone prejudice that goes beyond race. Hersch took into consideration other factors that could affect wages, such as English-language proficiency, education, occupation, race or country of origin, and found that skin tone still seemed to make a difference in earnings. That means that if two similar immigrants from Bangladesh, for example, came to the United States at the same time, with the same occupation and ability to speak English, the lighter-skinned immigrant would make more money on average. "I thought that once we controlled for race and nationality, I expected the difference to go away, but even with people from the same country, the same race รข€” skin color really matters," she said, "and height." Although many cultures show a bias toward lighter skin, Hersch said her analysis shows that the skin-color advantage was not due to preferential treatment for light-skinned people in their country of origin. The bias, she said, occurs in the U.S. Economics professor Shelley White-Means of the University of Tennessee at Memphis said the study adds to the growing body of evidence that there is a "preference for whiteness" in America that goes beyond race. Hersch drew her data from a 2003 federal survey of nearly 8,600 new immigrants. The survey used an 11-point scale for measuring skin tone, in which 0 represents an absence of color and 10 the darkest possible skin tone. From those nearly 8,600 participants, she focused on the more than 2,000 who were working and whose skin tone had been recorded during face-to-face interviews. William Darity Jr., an economics professor at the University of North Carolina, said Hersch's findings are similar to a study he co-authored last year on skin tone and wages among blacks. "We estimate that dark- or medium-skinned blacks suffered a discriminatory penalty of anywhere from 10 percent to 15 percent relative to whites," he said. "This suggests people cue into appearance and draw inferences about capabilities and skills based on how they look." Darity said it is not clear whether the bias is conscious or subconscious. Hersch said her findings, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science next month in San Francisco, could support discrimination lawsuits based not on race, but on color. "There are very few color discrimination suits, but they are on the rise," she said. "But these suits can be hard to prove."
Other - Cultures & Groups - 8 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Yeah, black people could have told them that.
2 :
that's not true
3 :
Shut the F**k Up!
4 :
its a cold world we living in lol
5 :
A research is done by a group of people and they JUST TELL US what their opinion is. RESEARCHES ARE NOT FACTS. I am dark skinned man, and I make more money than many White people.
6 :
I love your post. Im a 33 year old white woman and before I read your post, I would have told you affirmative action is no longer needed. I was very surprised by the numbers. Though according to the study affirmative action may be no help at all to dark skinned blacks, since lighter skinned people seem to fair better even of the same race.
7 :
It doesn't take a stupid marketing survey to confirm what is clearly a remnant of the color bias which governs the world. Most receptionists, TV presenters, customer care executives are White or if colored, they have a light skin tone. When you call any company's toll-free number, if it is a customer from the Developed world, they put on line a White cheerleading girl - and a ghetto accent fat-lipped ho for other customers. Clearly, prejudice can never be ended - it can only be minimized and contained.
8 :
You have answered your question. Yes, you are right that in some field of work and also sometimes "skin tone affects earnings", though this is not the norm. If you were born in any of the countries in South Asia then you need not refer to so many studies to confirm your hypothesis. For example, in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh if a newborn is a (without prejudice): a) Boy: "Excellent", if he is as white as Caucasian: "Very Good", if he is Light-skinned: "Good", if he is Dark-skinned: "Fair". No problem, that guy could somehow manage to survive in the society. b) Girl: "Okay", if she is as white as Caucasian: "Very Good", if she is Light-skinned: "Fair", if she is Dark-skinned: "Oh my God". She may have some problem at the time of her getting married as the dowry would be required. Now you are complaining about employment and earning capabilities for blacks in America. See what good or pity life one would live in our part of the world, just because of his or her skin colour. To add with this, imagine the height that plays its role too. You can have a lot of combination and permutation for arriving at a person's fate or treatment he/she receives in this world. This is the reality on the ground and people are suffering mental agony for something for which they were not responsible (skin colour and height). Look at the leading TV Serials (drama and soap-operas) from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh, which are watched all over the world where South Asians are residing, you will hardly find any light or dark-skinned Indian boy or girl in leading or sub-leading roles. Except for villains and jokers these less-fortunate mortal souls are doomed to lower rung roles and society accepts these prejudices by way of keeping mum over such issues. Therefore, thank the leader and people in developed countries for accepting light and dark-skinned citizens on almost equal par, which are at greater discrimination in developing countries.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Why can't our Government, the United States of America help its homeless and jobless?
Why can't our Government, the United States of America help its homeless and jobless?
Where ever there's a state of emergency in the world, you can be sure that America will be there to feed, clothe, and house those displaced citizens in foreign lands. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not against helping foreign countries in their time of need. I'm just trying to understand how our Government prioritizes. Millions of dollars have been spent on foreign aid but American children, men and women continue to go hungry? Also jobless and homeless? I know there would be some that say, "Government money is not all the same. It's allocated here and there for specific purposes." Ok, fine. So what percent of that money goes to feeding Americans in need? One percent? I don't get it. Why can't our Government take care of its own first before taking care of someone else's country? I understand that politically speaking, it's in America's best interest to have allies. That goes without saying. I'm just trying to make sense of it all?
Other - Politics & Government - 13 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Amen!!! Thank You!!!!!!
2 :
Why do people want to see victims where none exist? The people in the U.S. are far better off than people in most other countries. Poor and homeless people in the U.S. are that way because they choose to be.
3 :
When American Idol did it's "Idol Gives Back" show, Simon Cowell said he never realized that 9 million children in America go hungry. I believe the sad story with this administration, is that, they prefer to remain clueless. When people like Dick Cheney admit that they watch only Fox news, you know they're being shown, exactly what they want to see & nothing else. Disturbing. I don't believe some of the answsers here. Like the people in New Orleans who watched their homes & jobs swept away from Katrina. Or how about our seniors who are crippled with arthritis, who can't work? Or the older people who worked for GM or Ford & suddenly lost their jobs to out sourcing? Do they really think these people wanted this?! Unbelievable.
4 :
help the homeless people but dont tax the crap out of people who have jobs. dont become socialistic like the liberals want. btw. if you care so much take 10% of what you make every year and give it to the homeless families. thats what i do.
5 :
because the people here learned to abuse the system, poor people CHOOSE to be poor.
6 :
The homeless are usually crazy, and there's not much you can do to help them. The chronically jobless are just lazy and you can't help a man who lacks the pride to help himself.
7 :
compared to countries that the us is giving money we are very well off will a small homeless, unemployed, and poverty rates
8 :
we help our homeless everyday. unfortunately, some people are unable to use the given assistance to their advantage and improve their lives. they just want to stay on it indefinitely. We are not a socialist state so don't ever expect wide open financial help for those not willing to give some form of value for the money.
9 :
You know I think it is also a matter of the administration underscoring that we have this problem all over the United States. And don't think it is just in the urban areas...I'm near a rather affluent town on the east coast and the religious organizations in that town have their own soup kitchens. They just don't advertise. They tend to 'take care of their own' without any fanfare. But you are right... However, and I don't know why people can't see it...but we are headed in another direction...because the United States wants two classes of people. The rich and The poor. The middle class are too busy working and trying to pay hefty mortgages to see it yet. In less than a decade, however, we will have just what I have said. the rich and the poor. There will be no middle class.
10 :
They could easily solve the problem. But if they did, the candidates would not have the issue to run on in the next election. Like Clinton in 92 and 96. Promise a middle class tax cut to get elected. But did not happen either time! They want the issue to talk about during elections. Fixing it would take away their ammunition.
11 :
Most homeless people come from broken families, are drug addicts, are mental disabled or are disabled or crippled veterans that our govt. doesn't care about. The govt. only cares when they think people are watching.
12 :
we can't give free money to people otherwise we'd be in more in debt. but you're right when we should be focused on ourselves. But one reason why we're in Iraq is because Hussian was "trying" to take over the middle east ( not 100%sure but that's what my AP Euro book says) US was trying to stop another diatorship. to help the homeless, we need to help the jobless. Most homeless are jobless. One way to help the jobless is by having large government projects to employ many people
13 :
I do not even try to figure out how the government rations out OUR money to foreign countries. Personally I cared less about Sri Lanka and care even more less about Iran and Iraq. My causes are closer to home. The hurricane Katrina/Rita thing has not been resolved to date... Explain that. As far as all this money building up the military in a foreign country... what good will that do when our troops are dying at alarming rates everyday. To make matters worst... after we use the equipment... we leave it behind for all the terrorists to have their way with. It happened in Desert Shield/ Desert Storm... and it will again. What about abuse? What about homelessness? What about hunger? What about poverty? Disease control? Minimum wage? Hate crimes? Terminal illness? Social Security? Believe me... I have other concerns and issues that are more important to me. Our money and taxes are being squandered needlessly and there is pretty much not a damn thing we can do about it... Furthermore... What about the horrors in Africa? Bush wants to intervene so much... take on one of the real atrocities of the 21st century...
Where ever there's a state of emergency in the world, you can be sure that America will be there to feed, clothe, and house those displaced citizens in foreign lands. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not against helping foreign countries in their time of need. I'm just trying to understand how our Government prioritizes. Millions of dollars have been spent on foreign aid but American children, men and women continue to go hungry? Also jobless and homeless? I know there would be some that say, "Government money is not all the same. It's allocated here and there for specific purposes." Ok, fine. So what percent of that money goes to feeding Americans in need? One percent? I don't get it. Why can't our Government take care of its own first before taking care of someone else's country? I understand that politically speaking, it's in America's best interest to have allies. That goes without saying. I'm just trying to make sense of it all?
Other - Politics & Government - 13 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Amen!!! Thank You!!!!!!
2 :
Why do people want to see victims where none exist? The people in the U.S. are far better off than people in most other countries. Poor and homeless people in the U.S. are that way because they choose to be.
3 :
When American Idol did it's "Idol Gives Back" show, Simon Cowell said he never realized that 9 million children in America go hungry. I believe the sad story with this administration, is that, they prefer to remain clueless. When people like Dick Cheney admit that they watch only Fox news, you know they're being shown, exactly what they want to see & nothing else. Disturbing. I don't believe some of the answsers here. Like the people in New Orleans who watched their homes & jobs swept away from Katrina. Or how about our seniors who are crippled with arthritis, who can't work? Or the older people who worked for GM or Ford & suddenly lost their jobs to out sourcing? Do they really think these people wanted this?! Unbelievable.
4 :
help the homeless people but dont tax the crap out of people who have jobs. dont become socialistic like the liberals want. btw. if you care so much take 10% of what you make every year and give it to the homeless families. thats what i do.
5 :
because the people here learned to abuse the system, poor people CHOOSE to be poor.
6 :
The homeless are usually crazy, and there's not much you can do to help them. The chronically jobless are just lazy and you can't help a man who lacks the pride to help himself.
7 :
compared to countries that the us is giving money we are very well off will a small homeless, unemployed, and poverty rates
8 :
we help our homeless everyday. unfortunately, some people are unable to use the given assistance to their advantage and improve their lives. they just want to stay on it indefinitely. We are not a socialist state so don't ever expect wide open financial help for those not willing to give some form of value for the money.
9 :
You know I think it is also a matter of the administration underscoring that we have this problem all over the United States. And don't think it is just in the urban areas...I'm near a rather affluent town on the east coast and the religious organizations in that town have their own soup kitchens. They just don't advertise. They tend to 'take care of their own' without any fanfare. But you are right... However, and I don't know why people can't see it...but we are headed in another direction...because the United States wants two classes of people. The rich and The poor. The middle class are too busy working and trying to pay hefty mortgages to see it yet. In less than a decade, however, we will have just what I have said. the rich and the poor. There will be no middle class.
10 :
They could easily solve the problem. But if they did, the candidates would not have the issue to run on in the next election. Like Clinton in 92 and 96. Promise a middle class tax cut to get elected. But did not happen either time! They want the issue to talk about during elections. Fixing it would take away their ammunition.
11 :
Most homeless people come from broken families, are drug addicts, are mental disabled or are disabled or crippled veterans that our govt. doesn't care about. The govt. only cares when they think people are watching.
12 :
we can't give free money to people otherwise we'd be in more in debt. but you're right when we should be focused on ourselves. But one reason why we're in Iraq is because Hussian was "trying" to take over the middle east ( not 100%sure but that's what my AP Euro book says) US was trying to stop another diatorship. to help the homeless, we need to help the jobless. Most homeless are jobless. One way to help the jobless is by having large government projects to employ many people
13 :
I do not even try to figure out how the government rations out OUR money to foreign countries. Personally I cared less about Sri Lanka and care even more less about Iran and Iraq. My causes are closer to home. The hurricane Katrina/Rita thing has not been resolved to date... Explain that. As far as all this money building up the military in a foreign country... what good will that do when our troops are dying at alarming rates everyday. To make matters worst... after we use the equipment... we leave it behind for all the terrorists to have their way with. It happened in Desert Shield/ Desert Storm... and it will again. What about abuse? What about homelessness? What about hunger? What about poverty? Disease control? Minimum wage? Hate crimes? Terminal illness? Social Security? Believe me... I have other concerns and issues that are more important to me. Our money and taxes are being squandered needlessly and there is pretty much not a damn thing we can do about it... Furthermore... What about the horrors in Africa? Bush wants to intervene so much... take on one of the real atrocities of the 21st century...
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