Bill Maher is spot on imo on all fronts here

[DANC]

DANC, appreciated your post. However, have my on own take on being dependent and how our capitalist economic system has evolved since the industrial revolution.

In a nutshell, we all have a special role in our economy while at the same being dependent on others to make the system perform effectively in providing the goods and services we all depend upon.

Government in my view over the years has managed to support our economy and balance the interests of those who own and manage the income producing assets, and the interests of those workers who depend on owners for income along with the intetests of consumers.

We often look at the private and public sectors as being st odds with each other while forgetting they each work together to make our capitalist system work together for the vast majority.

You are talking at a macro level. Individuals are at the micro level.

 

[hoot1]

I agree with Twenty. I don't think it's as prevalent as it seems.

I would like to add-anecdotally- as the middle class got squeezed, many people grew less tolerant of the dependent class. And obviously that would have shifted a percentage of D's to R's. I think that happened before Trump, but is part of what he tapped into.

D, without a doubt many in the middle class feel a good many of those receiving government subsidies are taking advantage of government programs and causing their taxes to be higher than they should be.

In other words, those "feeling squeezed' are hard working citizens who think they are being ripped off.

A large number in the "dependent" class receiving money from government programs include disabled folks unable to work and seniors on Social Security who paid into the program. Others include those low-income workers on Medicaid whose health costs are subsidized.

For a more detailed on this subject, here is an interesting article.

 

[DANC]

D, without a doubt many in the middle class feel a good many of those receiving government subsidies are taking advantage of government programs and causing their taxes to be higher than they should be.

In other words, those "feeling squeezed' are hard working citizens who think they are being ripped off.

A large number in the "dependent" class receiving money from government programs include disabled folks unable to work and seniors on Social Security who paid into the program. Others include those low-income workers on Medicaid whose health costs are subsidized.

For a more detailed on this subject, here is an interesting article.

No, seniors on SS cannot be included, since they paid for that program.

 

[Digressions]

D, without a doubt many in the middle class feel a good many of those receiving government subsidies are taking advantage of government programs and causing their taxes to be higher than they should be.

In other words, those "feeling squeezed' are hard working citizens who think they are being ripped off.

A large number in the "dependent" class receiving money from government programs include disabled folks unable to work and seniors on Social Security who paid into the program. Others include those low-income workers on Medicaid whose health costs are subsidized.

For a more detailed on this subject, here is an interesting article.

Your article is from 2011. More evidence that it preceeded Trump, and therefore will be around once he's gone.

 

[IUINSB]

Joe, good for you. Friendship is way more important than politics.

My parents expressed similar sentiments when hearing about the death of FDR. Needless to say, they took their politics seriously. I did wear a Dewey button to grade school. However, no yard signs or campaign buttons these days.

Jesus, you're even older than me.