I’m shocked that the 1 percent control all the money in the United States and the poor don’t get a fair shot no matter how hard they work. It’s hard to believe that the billionaires have more power than the President of the United States. The richest 20 percent of families control 85 percent of the wealth in the United States. I can’t believe that business lobbyists use politics to step over people to help themselves. I don’t believe that the tea party promotes freedom, because they only want freedom for the billionaires not for the rest of America. They think it’s their America, but America is for everybody not for one group of people. I really shocked that tea party wants no government. You need government for schools and roads to be fixed. I think the American dream should be for everybody not just for the 1 percent of Americans. It is terrible that the Republicans think that people in poverty don’t need handouts and they should get a job, but in today’s economy it is hard to get a job. It is harder to get a job with just an high-school diploma. You need a college degree now and only 29 percent of men and 30 percent of women have a college degree. It is really sad that the bailout only work on banks not for home owners who got their homes foreclosed on. I feel really bad for the people who had their homes foreclosed on. I think it is really sad that more and more teachers and workers are getting laid off. Kevin246
I don't find it hard to believe that the "ultra rich" have more power then a leader of a nation for that the nation is owned more by those with money then power unless laws are broken or life is threatened. Unless the people together form one large cooperative group they stand no chances against the giant with 100 times the power that one individual from the cooperative group has. We do need a government for that it provides for society and is ultimately the voice of the people and will stand up against those born into power/wealth. Nick246
I could not agree more that we need government. There are a lot of government officials that do good. Unfortunately, sometimes all we hear about is the politicians and all the bad things they do. I’ve lost track of how many political sex scandals I’ve heard about in the past couple years. Is this really the type of people that we have running our country? Bullardml13-246
I am going to have to disagree with you on the difficulty of getting a job without a college degree. I worked several jobs and held a job with without a college degree. Prior to graduating high school and attaining a diploma I worked three separate jobs over the course of 3 year, prior to completing my associate’s degree I worked four different jobs for 5 year. I do not believe that the poverty class has it easy by any means, but I do have a hard time believing that it is hard to find a job. I have found more often than not that jobs are available but not necessarily the one that you want, either for the money or the tasks required. Glide246
I agree when you say that Republicans think that people in poverty don’t need handouts and they should get a job. Yes they do, it is part of the society. If we ignore what is going on around us things will get out of control. Its important to focus on education as well. Most people living in poverty do have a job, but the money they are making can barely pay for their food. Doglover246
It is very surprising to see the statistics on social class diversity in our own country that most like I probably never knew or may never hear/see. For things to change so drastically in the past few decades has to prove that we have changed or are doing something wrong as a society. It is obvious to me that there have been plenty of "lower class" people to present logical information let alone statistics showing/proving that there is something wrong and was to help change that. But also to me it is obvious who is and has the ability to be herd and thought to have the more logical answer to fixing things and that's the "higher class". For example, someone going to court over something that is not financially stable may not be able to afford to pay for a lawyer unlike the "higher class" person who can go as long as needed and pays everything cash on the spot. Most of the people in our society deciding on the laws are of this higher class so to me it is obvious why our society is the way it is and what we need to change. Nick246
I was also surprised to see the statistics on social class diversity in our own country. We need to change our political views on the lower-class. What bothers me is when politicians like Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney say that the lower-class are free-loaders. I don’t see the lower-class as free-loaders because they want to work and not just sit at home. They can’t work because the unemployment rate is at 7 percent and everybody wants the same job. It is hard to get a job in today’s economy and I wish people like Paul Ryan would see that before commenting on the lower-class. Kevin246
I agree with you that I knew the rich controlled a lot of things, but to see the numbers on paper is a little alarming. The rich robbing the poor essentially. You bring up a good point about the court issue. How many celebrities have we seen get by with things that the average middle class person, or even the person in poverty would never get away with. Not even celebrities, but how many things go on in the country that we don’t hear about. I’m sure Paris Hilton isn’t the only daughter of a tycoon or billionaire getting caught for DUI’s! Bullardml13-246
It's great to see where money can take you. It's not so great to see what money can turn you into. The rich are able to buy themselves out of prison, to pay off whatever needs to be paid to get them out of the lime light and back to business. Heck, when I play monopoly and get sent to jail I usually just try to roll doubles instead of pay up to get out. My friends usually just make fun of me the whole time, but I saved that much more money so I could pay the rent at one of their many hotels. This may sound like I'm really bad at monopoly, which I am, but it also reflects real life. The poor can't afford to get out of jail through money like the rich. They have to keep as much saved up as possible just to get by when they DO get out of jail. It's sad to see that the caste system is starting to rear its ugly head again and nobodies paying it any mind. alterend246
I liked how they used the game Monopoly to show how the rich get greater opportunities and can get away with a lot more compared to those who don't have a lot of money. Its sad that poor people are a lot less fortunate and don't get treated the same as those that make more. Its just like how famous people get busted for something and get off way easier and only have to serve half or less of what their sentenced to or get off with just a slap of the wrist, but if someone poor did the same exact thing they would get the full punishment. Its just not fair, but that's just how society is these days. kmoney246
Yes the game example was an excellent comparison, almost like what Dr. White said in class about the shopping bags, having more or paying more for something makes you feel a sense of entitlement and pride I suppose. The monopoly game does symbolize what it's like to live in real life, if you have nothing it's incredibly hard to make it in life, but I think it can be done. -heartsiized246
I wish that I could say this video was surprising, it’s not really. I’ve had an idea for a while that the rich pay off politics for their views. However, the extent that this goes surprises me. The fact that the governor of Wisconsin was paid by a wealthy business man in New York to pass down his views on politics is scary. What makes them think that this is ok? That the rich control the poor! I think that poverty is a never ending circle. Unfortunately, some do take advantage of the system. However, what we don’t know is how many of those individuals are mentally ill. Or how many of them are just downright uneducated. Maybe their parents took advantage of the system and that’s the only lifestyle that they know. I was also very surprised at how much of a drastic change we have had in the past couple decades. Things are only getting worse for the country and who if not politicians will fix the issues we have. If the rich continue to control the poor, how will the poor ever overcome poverty. It makes me sad to think that my future children will could potentially never do better than middle class. Only because that’s what their parents did, and grandparents. Bullardml13-246
What bothers me is that Politicians don’t see poverty as a real problem. Politicians like Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney say that care about the American Dream, but they want to get rid of the government and send jobs overseas. If they really care about the American Dream they would offer to help the lower-class and get them out of poverty. I think the general public does care about the lower-class in poverty, but they are just not aware. More videos like this on the internet are needed to make people aware that poverty is a problem in the United States. Politicians need to stop saying that the lower-class are free-loaders because most of them are not. The lower-class wants to work, but can’t get any work because these businesses send jobs overseas instead of keeping jobs here. Kevin246
I can not believe that those politicians follow the book If Atlas Shrugs. From what it sounded like the book was full very one sided and considered a large portion of america as parasites. It portrayed the poor in a very negative way, like they wanted to "mooch" off of other people. It shocked me that Paul Ryan made everyone in his office read that book. All I can think about is how selfish these people are. -Tyler246
We all know that the rich pay off politicians but why do we let them get away with it. It has become so bad that the rich are starting to destroy the economy. As you all saw in the video George Bush cut taxes on the rich and the economy when down hill fast. The rich have become so powerful that they are controlling what the government does. The rich are using this control for their own personal gains and do not think about how it will effect others. -Tyler246
This video didn't surprise me and I totally agree with you. Its just like that guy said the rich aren't always the smartest and they think their so much better then everyone else. It would be nice to see them help out the less fortunate. Then the lady they showed that said that people are always telling them to stop taking handouts and to find a job, but there aren't any jobs to get and they do need help. Its sad that the people that aren't as fortunate get a bad rep. kmoney246
This video didn't surprise me at all either. I knew that the rich controlled the politics of our country. However, I didn't know how much money was spent on it. It showed most of the rich people who controlled the government lived at Park Ave. I don't think it is fair; however, I learned at a young age life isn't fair. Does it make our society a truly democracy then? starburst246
It is going to be very hard for the poor to over come the rich but the charts did show the amount of people in "poverty" versus the population of "wealthy" and our numbers in people are way higher then theirs. Whats the saying that says there is power in numbers. They have power with money but we have power in numbers. Look at Russia they tried to make everyone equal so they had the right idea but given things went a little different it could have worked out better. Nick246
The part of the video that affected me the most was the increased gap between the regular people and the extremely wealthy. The greed of the top one percent directly effects everyone in the United States. That was shown in the video by George W. Bush going to the one wealthy person to raise money and by putting politicians in office that support the views of a small group instead of the majority of Americans. This also ties in with the minimum hourly wage and cost of living. It is a fact that the cost of living has increased dramatically compared to the minimum wage. I think that this is because the rich and powerful have used the government to weaken workers unions and take advantage of the working middle class and the poor. I know that the social trend is that the poor and working american tip better but it is ridiculous that someone with over one billion dollar cannot tip better than 50 dollars. The top one percent is so greedy that they expect everyone else to pay for the services they use but they do not want to contribute. They keep lowering the tax rate on the wealthy and they still use the same high ways that we do. From what I have learned in my state and local government class this year is that the national government is a good and the programs they fund help the nation grow but cannot do this without money. Money that the rich feel that they should not contribute to. -Tyler246
So who is at fault then the rich person for asking for something in return for his contribution or the politician for accepting? Personally I see the politician as the greater offenses. Like the video stated just because a person is rich does not make them a better person, often times the opposite. There will always be people that try to tempt others into doing the wrong things. But our government officials are supposed to be the leaders of our country and we expect more of them than that. Glide246
It seemed that this video was trying to paint the picture of a castle system society in modern the United States. Although I found this video to be very enlightening, I also found myself wanting to hear the other side of the story. Anytime I hear an overly one sided agreement it makes me question its authenticity. This is not to say that I do not believe that the elite class is getting richer and the poverty class is getting poorer. But I do know that it takes money to make money, so naturally the elite class has the ability to invest money to earn more when the poor do not. If I had the ability, I would do the same. Where I do disagree is the multimillion dollar salaries that the top executives make. I believe that they should make more money than me but that is pure insanity. I also disagree with government officials receiving money from lobbies in exchange for support of a particular bill. Glide246
Truth be told, the other side of the story was given a chance to present what they felt about all these accusations and such and refused to speak on it. Maybe it's just me, but when someone is accused of something, that either means they would rather the notion be dropped and ignore it, or there may be a ring of truth as to what was said. And yes, government officials can be corrupt, but if anyone in this classroom was presented with a check for say 10 million dollars, and all you had to do was go to a school council meeting and say that the sociology class should be done away with because your benefactor felt that it was becoming a danger to his money, would you turn that down? I'm sure most people would say yes, but nobody has ever laid eyes on THAT much money, so I'm not so sure that the answer would stay the same under the circumstances. -alterend246
Sickening. The fact that absolute money dictates absolute power is sickening. In a world centered around growth and prosperity, only a fraction of the populace truly reaps their rewards. Yet, many at the top of the chain still try to get more. If you think about it, 1 billion dollars is a lot of green and a lot of zeros. You could buy a new car, the newest model on the market to date, a new house, a summer home, pay off college expenses, buy a plane, and whatever else you want, and lets say thats about 20 million dollars in all. You still have 980 million left to spend. The numbers astound me, and the fact that the rich still want another billion, or even 10 billion more, is a touch sickening. True, everyone wants to strive for more money so that they can get the things that they want, but when is it too much? Why is it that in the saying "Go big or go home", a large portion of just those in America are forced to "go home", simply because they didnt have the greens to back it up? I have never really had a love for money, since in one way or another it can always cause problems. This is a different kind of problem that I never realized until now. We have watched videos on the poor, and now weve seen one on the rich, and it is now quite clear on how the government can get so corrupt. -alterend246
I think the rich will be what destroys opportunity and growth in this world, and greed like that will only breed more greed. The sense of entitlement to that much money and wealth is amazing to me considering 1 billion dollars would feed a lot of hungry people. Yet these people think they help enough and deserve tax cuts. Its a disgusting look at just how greedy America can be. Mfroggyus246
Everyone is too envious of having money. All anyone ever thinks about is money. I myself am guilty of that. Money talks to people in ways that humans cannot. Our government will always have some corruption because everyone wants money. That's envy and greed are two of the seven deadly sins; people would do ANYTHING just to have money. josko246
This video was very interesting to me because I'm not really into the whole politics thing, but it showed me how much the upper class spends on stuff that's not needed. For example, how the CEO of Meril Lynch spent 1.2 million dollars on just remodeling his office. If you think about it that money could of gone towards something a lot more important then making his office look nice. Another thing that blew my mind was how the door man that worked at the 740 building around Christmas time received only a fifty dollar check from David Coke which to him was probably pocket change. I'm sure a lot of guys like David are like that and are stingy with their money even though they have millions of dollars and go on trips to the Hamptons every weekend. Another thing that bugged me was the one guy who was talking about how 45% of people don't pay for income taxes and saying that it wasn't fair. He seemed to leave out the part where that 45 percent consists of the disabled and elderly who pay other taxes and don't just skip out and are scotch free on not paying any taxes at all. kmoney246
I agree the rich spend money on things that are not that important. The money could help a mission or a organization who is helping people in need. The upper class treat $500 like it is nothing. I think $500 is a huge amount. It could be a down payment on a car, it could be the cost of your property taxes, or it could pay off some credit. I believe the poor or the middle class have to make their credit suffer in order just to strive in this economy. starburst246
The Upper Class folks are stingy with their money. They want to say they give millions and millions away to different organizations, but most of those organizations they are giving them to, are more political organizations. Why not give millions to the lower class folks? Lets brain storm, if every "Rich" person gave one million of there dollars each year, to a poverty organization, there might be a bigger chance that poverty wouldn't be so high in this country. More Americans might be able to live this so called "American Dream." CooCoo246
I think the reality is, the rich just don't want to hand over their money, they feel they worked hard for it and no one deserves to take it, probably a lot like I feel about paying taxes sometimes, but, difference is, they get huge annual income jumps and they pay the prices the lower class does, but lower and even middle class don't make enough to pay the prices because ceo's like them control our income as well, its a vicious cycle where they hold either all or the majority of the cards. Mfroggyus246
They didn't get all that money by giving it away. Yes, they could spend their money on things that are more important, but we are all guilty of the same thing just on different levels. If you look at it in percentages 1.2 million dollar remodel to him is like you or I upgrading from a Mc Double to a Big Mac. We like to have the nicer of the two lunches and we really don't worry about the upgrade if we can afford it. Same thing goes for the wealthy. If you can afford it you do it. As far as the $50 Christmas gift.... He didn't have to give anything. Did the door man get him anything? Nope. So if we go off of the saying it’s the thought that counts. Let’s all do more and give more. "The change you want to see in the world has to start with you." Gandhi
This video didn't open my eyes really about politics. I knew that it was controlled by money. If you had money then you could control who the president and vice president was. Do I think they should take in to consideration the amount of people. Yes, they should because 13 percent is huge. I do believe that you do need a college education in order to succeed. In this 21st century, a degree from college is something that will be your only way succeeding. Do I think people can still be street smarts, yes. Will it get them far, I don't know. There are some corporate owners that don't have a college education; however, they could make more money by having it. I don't think it is fair that huge corporations don't have to pay taxes. Their income is bigger than a family's and they have to pay taxes like: property, sales, and tax for everything. I don't think it is fair that 1 CEO's salary is how much 231 workers make combined. That number is too off of balance for me. I think the government should tax the rich more and the less rich less. starburst246
I agree with you. The rich should be taxed higher than the less fortunate. Is should go off of your income for that year and not who you are or who you know. This video didn't open my eyes either. I knew exactly what was going on. If you took the Upper class out of the picture do you think that Obama would have got the presidency? Do you think the poverty line would be where it currently is? College is very important and its just sad that most kids don't get that opportunity. I agree with you when you say that a college education is a must to succeed. CooCoo246
The difference between The American Dream and Equal Opportunity. And the difference between The Upper Class, The Middle Class, and The Lower Class. Let me start by saying what we call " The American Dream" varies from person to person. What I consider the American Dream is different from what Bill Gates considers the America Dream. Do you want to be wealthy and healthy or do you want to be successful and happy? Equal Opportunity does not exist in today's society. Someone who comes from money has a higher chance of becoming more successful than a person who lives in poverty. The upper class keep getting higher and the lower class keep getting lower. The middle class is becoming extinct. The video states that the American Dream is focused on being in the middle class. So how can there be an American Dream when there is no more Middle Class? Our country is in relative poverty and its becoming absolute poverty. The resources for those that aren't in the Upper Class are getting slimmer and slimmer. So why wouldn't we want to put a stop to this? Why are we allowing politics to run our country? We the people of America need to get together and become one. CooCoo246
I agree with you CooCoo. It will take something big to change the way our society and government is running today. I would like to think that just joining together and taking a stand would make a difference, but I have my doubts. Money is and always will be a major motivator, and its really sad. YellowSubmarine246
It is hard for the politics in this country to try to change how and what they have gotten our society in to. It is up to the American people and working people to make a stand and start standing up what they believe in. CooCoo is right how our country is slowly becoming more and more in poverty, it is sick to look aruond and see just what and how people are trying to live daily with, when the rich are just going up & up in the world. Feb246
It is sad to see that the rich class is breaking the rules in their favor and paying only 15% for taxes. The video shows that the " american dream" is not for anyone. If you are born in poverty the chances you will succeed are very small, and the reason is; without a college diploma you can not find a really good job. Colleges tuition are getting higher and some people can not afford it. Having a job is not enough to keep someone out of poverty. For some people life can be very hard trying to survive everyday by making minimum wage, paying for transportation, rent, food and other expenses. It is sick to see the power that some of the richest guys in America have in politics. They way the control everything, and how they are trying to take away more from the poor class. Billionaires are getting richer and there is nothing to stop it. Doglover246
You worded this perfectly. I agree with you in every way. It is so sad that because you have that amount of money that you get to stay at such a low percent for taxes. Yet the "normal" people their taxes just keeps going up which is shown in the graph they put in the clip. The rich keep getting richer and the poor poorer. Labrador246
I agree, very well said. It is sad to realize that the American Dream only applies to very few. These greedy inhumane people who are in the elite 1% have more power, control and money than we could imagine. With this they have also become uncarring, ruthless, cold-hearted individuals who are not out for a better America but for a bigger bank account. The truely sad thing about this is they are spending more money trying to keep laws protecting their money, than they would pay if there was a fair tax. GMD246
Its pretty sickening how the rich who already have the wealth of money and extravegance also get the power to run our government which obviously we are pretty powerless to fight it seems. How do you fix an economy by taking less away from the rich and more from the poor while the rich are already making money off the poor somehow. I'm sure the donations to the inner cities they are making is purely for the publicity. Its astonishing how much of an gap in way of life of the rich and poor but the completely different mind set. Billionaires don't really seem to care about much of anything but what is best for them. Mfroggyus246
I so agree with this comment. The obscene wealth that these men have I can not fathom how one gets that amount. It IS the billionaires scratching the governments back and they get what they want in return. Like it says in the clip, there is no reason we should have hungry and people in poverty here since we are known as the richest country. And after seeing the money these men are making I say the gentlemen was right. Labrador246
This comment makes so much sense. Personally, I feel as if these ultra-rich/billionaires don't pay attention to anything around them, but their money. There are a few that I will leave out of that, but nonetheless, the money they hold onto and cradle as if it were the kid they always wanted is so sick. There shouldn't be a gap like there is, I hope the world my Grand kids live in isn't as stretched out as it is now. blub246
This video proves what I have always known. The rich have always had a sense of entitlement. The monopoly game in the video proves my point. Giving one person a bigger advantage changed their attitude. It was like a rush of power came over that person. There have always been separate classes in society. Stretching back to biblical times. The main problem with our nation is morals. Our society seems to be spiraling out of control. None of those rich men got to where they are by being a christian. Sure they give millions of dollars to different organizations, but it's all for their benefit. You don't get to that level without being a deceitful, immoral person. I hope that they will realize it someday before they face their creator.
As much as I would like to root for the underdog political leader that gets to the top from their GOOD morals alone I'm sure we both know that will never happen. I believe that we all learn from the past and make decisions based on what we know in our hearts is right, but that’s just not how it works anymore. Because of little things changing here and there throughout time we have gotten off the narrow path as a nation and we will all be responsible for those circumstances. Its hard to make the right decision when you have to choose the less of two evils instead of choosing right over wrong.
Its sad to think that this will never change. It seems to be at a point where it would take something incredibly drastic to stop what is happening in government now. Everyone just keeps taking the money from the rich and doing what they want. Even the poor are thoughtlessly following along and protesting for them. YellowSubmarine246
I agree with YellowSubmarine! Our class systems are so messed up. To be honest I would not even be surprised if their were to be some type of up rise in the future. It seems inevitable at the rate our government is run. josko246
Well..to be honest, everything we do, we do to benefit us even if we don't believe it. But, I do agree with the few people above me. It's sad how far our class system has fallen, it went to being reasonably balanced, to so far unbalanced that the poor can never get out of the rut their own country put them. Quite sad. blub246
It is very simple to see that the richest one percent own and operate the United States of America. Not only can you tell this by the size of the money gap from them to the rest of the country, but you can see it in how they control lobbyists, senate, ext and can have laws, bills, reforms ext. catered to exactly what they need to keep the wealth, power, and control they have as well as gain more. This is nothing new and it will never stop or slow down with out a revolution. What revolution will bring is civil war and no one ever wins with civil war. When the documentary went into the explanation of the book and movie Atlas Shrug it just goes to show you great minds have all thought about what would happen if the wealthy made a big move and what I'm talking about is the other ninety nine percent making a big move. Nothing is ever impossible, but at this point the other ninety nine percent is will not do anything to change. It is human nature to do as little as possible to get by. The people that do more will be the ones reaping more rewards using there adversities to build themselves stronger. I can only hope that I can be one that goes the extra mile to get to the next level.
The Bush tax cuts that started in 2001 put everything in motion for the 1 percent to control all the wealth. Business lobbyists play politics with all the politicians in congress and the house so their businesses get all the money. I couldn’t believe last year that Mitt Romney said that 47 percent of America are free-loaders. Most people want to work and not want an handout. Mitt Romney was the one that send jobs overseas. Just last year he sent his company in Freeport, Illinois over to China. Those workers either got laid off or had to move overseas. Families were affected big time because of jobs being sent to China. Kevin246
As much and I hate to admit you are right, you are. I do not see in any furture that this will change. If anything, the people who are living in poverty have no voice in this country, in fact they are looked down upon and stero typed. The Middle class has big hopes and dreams this will change, but they won't rock they boat too much because they are doing alright and do not want to hurt themselvs financally. It is sad to see how greedy the rich have become just to get power and control. GMD246
How sad is this country we are living in. One percent of the American popluation is controlling the goverment, laws, and middle and lower classes in America. I sure there is a nice hot place in hell waiting for them. Seriously when you have that much money that you can buy ANYTHING, why be so worried in getting a fair tax. I am sure my husband and I pay more in taxes than they do on 20 billion dollars. One this that really stuck out to me is that taxes are a form of paying for civilation. Why is it acceptable that the rich not pay for civilation but live in this society. I feel that taxes should be equal, if taxes are set to lets say 10% and this is required for everyone except the 1%. It is not fair that a family who is barely making it on their $30,000 per year income be taxed 3,000, which is more than enough to feed a family of 4 for 1 year. while some one making 2 billions dollars not be taxed the same percent because 2,000,000,000 is more than $3,000. No kidding but I bet if you asked that family I they wanted to work hard to receive a 2 billion dollar salary but you will have to give 2 million in taxes to the goverment at the end of they year they would not hesitate at all. I know I would not. GMD246
Preach it!! Could not agree with you any more in how you worded your opinion. I do not know what it will take to make everything some what fair in this country, because no matter what you do nobody is going to be happy. To me it seems as if the rich are taxed more and from there they can pay and be done. They can still wake up everyday way more ahead of everyone else below them. Money is an evil thing and we definately saw how controlling and powerful it can be used in this society. Feb246
This video was pretty eye opening for me. It made me angry to learn how much of Congress’s decisions are being made by billionaire lobbyist. Its sad to see all of those people following the Tea Party point of view and not every thinking to see where the ideas are coming from. They are almost like puppets for the Koch brothers. It makes me lose a lot of faith in our government. Its interesting to hear Paul Ryan’s point of view about the government getting too big and having too much control over us, when people like him are in part actually controlling the government. Its unfortunate to see that the legislation to end tax cuts for wealthy just keeps being overlooked and never getting passed. I do agree somewhat that there are opportunities for everyone to better themselves and move upward in society, but for some people the opportunities are just much much more difficult to get to and require way more hard work than for those who have more money. YellowSubmarine246
Most of things played in this video I had prior knowledge too. It is not a shock that money controls our government and that the middle class/poor suffer from it. Education is very important in this time because it sets a some what stable future for yourself. I agree with Paul Ryan when he said that the government has too much control over us. Then I think about who all is in control and it just makes his statement seem hypocritical. The government makes it seem like it's a walk in the park to get jobs in today's economy, but if they were to actually live in it like the rest of America does, then I bet they would do everything they could to change it. The rich has too much power, and that's how it's going to stay until something drastic happens. josko246
That's one thing the lady from the Bronx mentioned. She said if there would be jobs for them to get they would be getting them. I think it partly depends where you live and what your school back ground, but finding a job isn't that easy. I know someone that is very smart and has had work experience working with fork lifts, he has been out of a job for about a year and he has applied at so many places, Hardee's even told him he was over qualified to work there. It can be rough for people to find work sometimes! Kristen 246
I found the statistics in this video quite disturbing. One percent owns the world's money, how unfair. This is just plain sad, why should I, an 18 year old manager of McDonald's, be paying higher taxes than government officials? I work hard for the money that I earn, and I should be able to see more than half of it. What does half of the government do? They make decisions for us, spread inequality, and injustice. I know I sound like a child when I say this is "unfair" but it is. I am also quite sadden to see that most of the richest of the rich are the government. Personally, I think that the people who contribute to "the greater good" should be the richest and have tax exemptions, like doctors and the police. People who actually contribute to the world should be able to decide how our government runs, not he incompetent, wealthy politicians in office today. BodyCall246
I am in the same boat as you. I work at Walmart in the tire and lube shop. The pay that I get for working every hour that I am not in school hardly pays enough to fill my gas tank for all the driving I have to do to get to work, to home, and to school. And you are correct about the taxes, I get the crap taxed out of me so my little paycheck becomes a minute paycheck that is pitiful. You are not a child but fair in saying that this is unfair, because thats what it truly is. Gross246
It bothers me what the government will do to keep their power. Their needs to be more groups to help the poor. How does the government expect to help their country out when everything is controlled by them. Oh yeah they don't expect it. The poor doesn't even have a say in the matter of what is really dealt with them. If the country takes away jobs and raises taxes this will affect the poor more than any other group. How can the poor get from the bottom of the totem pole if their are no jobs for the citizens. The monopoly example in the video was a great example. It opened my eyes on how life really is for the poor and the rich. The future of the US is whoever makes more in fundraisers because they'll always have more say in the matter of our future than actual government because of money. Which is not right. Falcons246
It is just like the ancient Roman empire, or any other empire for that matter. Once one person becomes rich, they lead their land and they pass it down from generation to generation keeping it in their family or that of another "rich" family. Same thing goes for today in this country, once someone has money, they have power over everything and will do whatever they need to do to keep it in their families. Gross246
I feel as if the creator of the video is a democrat and definately called out the republican party many times, but thats not the point of this video. Life in the United States is just a rigged monopoly game in favor of the rich. This is the greatest analogy that I have heard that describes classes in the U.S. One thing that I thought was morally wrong was when the guy was explaining how senators and congressmen call anyone they can and beg for money, and they get it! This is just erroneous and should be stopped. While they beg for more money from anyone they can, their party leaders are cutting much needed education for unemployed U.S. citizens who need it in order to work. It's just ridiculous. I believe at one point in time the U.S. was a country in which you could be born into poverty and grow to be successful and rich, but as of today, with the rich controlling the country and paying lower taxes than the rest of the citizens, it is near impossible. I could not believe that in the recent years the top 400 richest are paying 50% less taxes than in previous years. I believe that the U.S. will never be run with justice, and power will go to the highest bidder. Gross246
To be completely honest, this video does not surprise me one bit. Money rules, and it dictates what you get to do, and what you get to control. If you have it, you have everything. You have political power, you have business power, you have the power to control everything around you. It's very sad..very, very sad to see how far money has come and how much it controls your life. Like i mentioned above, when you have it..you have the control, when you don't, it controls you. It dictates what you get to do, where you get to go, if you even can eat! It's shocking, people who are in such poverty that they cannot even get food, yet work harder than ANY of them? Why? Why do we let this continue, and let the spread of wealth go from what it should be. These "Ultra-rich" even if they may be nice people, are gross to me. The extravagant parties, the spending of the money that they don't deserve, would help MILLIONS of Americans. It's sad we don't help more people. Bill Gates, one of the richest people in the world, gives his billions to Charity, we need more people like him. When shall we get such a soul? We may never know. blub246
The wealthy-class will always be in control as long as we continue to accept it and do nothing to help each other. We need to help each other by starting our own business and giving jobs to the lower-class people who are qualified. The reason I say giving jobs to the lower-class people that are qualified because not everybody is qualified for the job. We need to stand up against corporations because that is the only way this will change. The American Dream should be for everybody not just for the 1 percent of America. It’s sad to see 14.1 percent of people in poverty and it is getting worse every year. Everybody likes to blame the President rather it is George W.Bush or Barack Obama, but it is congress that allows the wealthy-class to do what they want. Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney say all the time last year that the American Dream is dying. They should look in the mirror because they are the ones sending jobs overseas and laying good workers off. Until corporations stop laying off good workers and stop send jobs overseas, the unemployment rate will continue to be a 7 percent and people in poverty will continue to be 14.1 percent. Kevin246
This video didn't surprise me very much. I didn't know all the statistics that were mentioned or any of the names of the wealthy people, but I realized how corrupt the government is and how self-centered the human race is. I think no matter how much we talk about the government budget and unfair taxing, there is always going to be someone getting out better than someone else and there is always going to be an argument about who's it should really be. No matter what happens with taxes or the budget, not everyone is going to be happy or think it's fair. No I don't agree that that's fair either but I know I have little to no power over the matter. Those men living in 740 Park can take care government budgets and electing politicians.this isn't a perfect world and never will be. I just wish people would realize life is't all about money. Yes money gets you place in the world, yet some of the happiest people I've met have been some of the poorest people I've met. I just try not to worry about the things I can't change and try to help those around me that don't have the means to help themselves. Kristen 246
I completely agree, people like us who are working and just trying to be successful in life will never really have a real voice in what happens with out government, the video made it very clear thag money will and always rule everything sadly, and plus why in the world would the government want to raise taxes for the rich, this would require them to pay more, and heaven forbid we take money out of their pockets. It's just sad. -heartsiized246
This video really made me realize what the people in our country our really facing. Clearly money rules everything, if you dont have money you pretty much have nothing. It was shocking to me that people living on Park Ave who I guess are the big wigs in our country could have an affect on the laws just because they loaned a possible future president money, that to me seems completely unfair and absolutely ridiculous, people like that are obviously only looking out for their own benefit. The fact that people who are considered rich pay less in taxes than the rest of the people in America who are working hard to survive is just completely shocking. I did however agree with the part that talked about taxes and how taxes should be paid, although I know everyone hates paying taxes without them our country truly wouldnt function, we wouldnt have the nearly half of the things that we do now. After watching this video I can honestly say I am happy Mitt Romney did not become president because learning the plan that Ryan wanted to have passed was complete nonsense. This video was a real eye opener and very interesting, its sad that the people who are working hard just to survive, living in poverty and doing all they can just to make it day to day dont even have a fighting chance. -heartsiized246
There was a lot in this video that I knew already knew. I find it crazy that money rules the world and the people with the money the other thing they care about is making more money and not doing anything to help anybody else but themselves. I feel like after watching this video I work for low wage and a lot of hours sometimes even overtime and more taxes are taken out of my check for that but my tax dollars go to things that don't get fixed like education in the school, roads in my city, etc. It's like the people who work at fast food jobs or minimum wage jobs are over worked and over paid and they don't get enough credit for all of the hard work they put in.It needs to change but I know and we all know that will never change in this life time. MDD246
This was just another video that pointed out what is in front of us but are too blind to see it! Even in smaller cities and not just New York City, rich people make alot of the decisions, hang their noses up in the air, and buy what will make them happy. Only thing that can change poverty and change how the poor people live and the problems on the street is the people up top. But it seems as if they are too worried about themselves to stop and help other people. It will take middle class people to step up to the plate and start making changes and coming together. It is easier for them to see how they are living then the rich. There was a lady in the video saying something of the extent to how, once you are poor and in poverty it is hard to pick yourself up and get a job. For me this is hard to understand, there are a lot of under paid jobs out there that are always hiring. It bothers me that a lot of people in the lower class make excuses for themselves and others rather than trying to pick themselves up and moving on. There are plenty of people out there and resources excuses just can't and don't cover it anymore. feb246
I’m shocked that the 1 percent control all the money in the United States and the poor don’t get a fair shot no matter how hard they work. It’s hard to believe that the billionaires have more power than the President of the United States. The richest 20 percent of families control 85 percent of the wealth in the United States. I can’t believe that business lobbyists use politics to step over people to help themselves. I don’t believe that the tea party promotes freedom, because they only want freedom for the billionaires not for the rest of America. They think it’s their America, but America is for everybody not for one group of people. I really shocked that tea party wants no government. You need government for schools and roads to be fixed. I think the American dream should be for everybody not just for the 1 percent of Americans. It is terrible that the Republicans think that people in poverty don’t need handouts and they should get a job, but in today’s economy it is hard to get a job. It is harder to get a job with just an high-school diploma. You need a college degree now and only 29 percent of men and 30 percent of women have a college degree. It is really sad that the bailout only work on banks not for home owners who got their homes foreclosed on. I feel really bad for the people who had their homes foreclosed on. I think it is really sad that more and more teachers and workers are getting laid off.
ReplyDeleteKevin246
I don't find it hard to believe that the "ultra rich" have more power then a leader of a nation for that the nation is owned more by those with money then power unless laws are broken or life is threatened. Unless the people together form one large cooperative group they stand no chances against the giant with 100 times the power that one individual from the cooperative group has. We do need a government for that it provides for society and is ultimately the voice of the people and will stand up against those born into power/wealth.
DeleteNick246
I could not agree more that we need government. There are a lot of government officials that do good. Unfortunately, sometimes all we hear about is the politicians and all the bad things they do. I’ve lost track of how many political sex scandals I’ve heard about in the past couple years. Is this really the type of people that we have running our country? Bullardml13-246
DeleteI am going to have to disagree with you on the difficulty of getting a job without a college degree. I worked several jobs and held a job with without a college degree. Prior to graduating high school and attaining a diploma I worked three separate jobs over the course of 3 year, prior to completing my associate’s degree I worked four different jobs for 5 year. I do not believe that the poverty class has it easy by any means, but I do have a hard time believing that it is hard to find a job. I have found more often than not that jobs are available but not necessarily the one that you want, either for the money or the tasks required.
DeleteGlide246
I agree when you say that Republicans think that people in poverty don’t need handouts and they should get a job. Yes they do, it is part of the society. If we ignore what is going on around us things will get out of control. Its important to focus on education as well. Most people living in poverty do have a job, but the money they are making can barely pay for their food. Doglover246
DeleteIt is very surprising to see the statistics on social class diversity in our own country that most like I probably never knew or may never hear/see. For things to change so drastically in the past few decades has to prove that we have changed or are doing something wrong as a society. It is obvious to me that there have been plenty of "lower class" people to present logical information let alone statistics showing/proving that there is something wrong and was to help change that. But also to me it is obvious who is and has the ability to be herd and thought to have the more logical answer to fixing things and that's the "higher class". For example, someone going to court over something that is not financially stable may not be able to afford to pay for a lawyer unlike the "higher class" person who can go as long as needed and pays everything cash on the spot. Most of the people in our society deciding on the laws are of this higher class so to me it is obvious why our society is the way it is and what we need to change.
ReplyDeleteNick246
I was also surprised to see the statistics on social class diversity in our own country. We need to change our political views on the lower-class. What bothers me is when politicians like Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney say that the lower-class are free-loaders. I don’t see the lower-class as free-loaders because they want to work and not just sit at home. They can’t work because the unemployment rate is at 7 percent and everybody wants the same job. It is hard to get a job in today’s economy and I wish people like Paul Ryan would see that before commenting on the lower-class.
DeleteKevin246
I agree with you that I knew the rich controlled a lot of things, but to see the numbers on paper is a little alarming. The rich robbing the poor essentially. You bring up a good point about the court issue. How many celebrities have we seen get by with things that the average middle class person, or even the person in poverty would never get away with. Not even celebrities, but how many things go on in the country that we don’t hear about. I’m sure Paris Hilton isn’t the only daughter of a tycoon or billionaire getting caught for DUI’s! Bullardml13-246
DeleteIt's great to see where money can take you. It's not so great to see what money can turn you into. The rich are able to buy themselves out of prison, to pay off whatever needs to be paid to get them out of the lime light and back to business. Heck, when I play monopoly and get sent to jail I usually just try to roll doubles instead of pay up to get out. My friends usually just make fun of me the whole time, but I saved that much more money so I could pay the rent at one of their many hotels. This may sound like I'm really bad at monopoly, which I am, but it also reflects real life. The poor can't afford to get out of jail through money like the rich. They have to keep as much saved up as possible just to get by when they DO get out of jail. It's sad to see that the caste system is starting to rear its ugly head again and nobodies paying it any mind.
Deletealterend246
I liked how they used the game Monopoly to show how the rich get greater opportunities and can get away with a lot more compared to those who don't have a lot of money. Its sad that poor people are a lot less fortunate and don't get treated the same as those that make more. Its just like how famous people get busted for something and get off way easier and only have to serve half or less of what their sentenced to or get off with just a slap of the wrist, but if someone poor did the same exact thing they would get the full punishment. Its just not fair, but that's just how society is these days. kmoney246
DeleteYes the game example was an excellent comparison, almost like what Dr. White said in class about the shopping bags, having more or paying more for something makes you feel a sense of entitlement and pride I suppose. The monopoly game does symbolize what it's like to live in real life, if you have nothing it's incredibly hard to make it in life, but I think it can be done.
Delete-heartsiized246
I wish that I could say this video was surprising, it’s not really. I’ve had an idea for a while that the rich pay off politics for their views. However, the extent that this goes surprises me. The fact that the governor of Wisconsin was paid by a wealthy business man in New York to pass down his views on politics is scary. What makes them think that this is ok? That the rich control the poor! I think that poverty is a never ending circle. Unfortunately, some do take advantage of the system. However, what we don’t know is how many of those individuals are mentally ill. Or how many of them are just downright uneducated. Maybe their parents took advantage of the system and that’s the only lifestyle that they know. I was also very surprised at how much of a drastic change we have had in the past couple decades. Things are only getting worse for the country and who if not politicians will fix the issues we have. If the rich continue to control the poor, how will the poor ever overcome poverty. It makes me sad to think that my future children will could potentially never do better than middle class. Only because that’s what their parents did, and grandparents. Bullardml13-246
ReplyDeleteWhat bothers me is that Politicians don’t see poverty as a real problem. Politicians like Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney say that care about the American Dream, but they want to get rid of the government and send jobs overseas. If they really care about the American Dream they would offer to help the lower-class and get them out of poverty. I think the general public does care about the lower-class in poverty, but they are just not aware. More videos like this on the internet are needed to make people aware that poverty is a problem in the United States. Politicians need to stop saying that the lower-class are free-loaders because most of them are not. The lower-class wants to work, but can’t get any work because these businesses send jobs overseas instead of keeping jobs here.
DeleteKevin246
I can not believe that those politicians follow the book If Atlas Shrugs. From what it sounded like the book was full very one sided and considered a large portion of america as parasites. It portrayed the poor in a very negative way, like they wanted to "mooch" off of other people. It shocked me that Paul Ryan made everyone in his office read that book. All I can think about is how selfish these people are. -Tyler246
DeleteWe all know that the rich pay off politicians but why do we let them get away with it. It has become so bad that the rich are starting to destroy the economy. As you all saw in the video George Bush cut taxes on the rich and the economy when down hill fast. The rich have become so powerful that they are controlling what the government does. The rich are using this control for their own personal gains and do not think about how it will effect others. -Tyler246
DeleteThis video didn't surprise me and I totally agree with you. Its just like that guy said the rich aren't always the smartest and they think their so much better then everyone else. It would be nice to see them help out the less fortunate. Then the lady they showed that said that people are always telling them to stop taking handouts and to find a job, but there aren't any jobs to get and they do need help. Its sad that the people that aren't as fortunate get a bad rep. kmoney246
DeleteThis video didn't surprise me at all either. I knew that the rich controlled the politics of our country. However, I didn't know how much money was spent on it. It showed most of the rich people who controlled the government lived at Park Ave. I don't think it is fair; however, I learned at a young age life isn't fair. Does it make our society a truly democracy then? starburst246
DeleteIt is going to be very hard for the poor to over come the rich but the charts did show the amount of people in "poverty" versus the population of "wealthy" and our numbers in people are way higher then theirs. Whats the saying that says there is power in numbers. They have power with money but we have power in numbers. Look at Russia they tried to make everyone equal so they had the right idea but given things went a little different it could have worked out better.
DeleteNick246
The part of the video that affected me the most was the increased gap between the regular people and the extremely wealthy. The greed of the top one percent directly effects everyone in the United States. That was shown in the video by George W. Bush going to the one wealthy person to raise money and by putting politicians in office that support the views of a small group instead of the majority of Americans. This also ties in with the minimum hourly wage and cost of living. It is a fact that the cost of living has increased dramatically compared to the minimum wage. I think that this is because the rich and powerful have used the government to weaken workers unions and take advantage of the working middle class and the poor. I know that the social trend is that the poor and working american tip better but it is ridiculous that someone with over one billion dollar cannot tip better than 50 dollars. The top one percent is so greedy that they expect everyone else to pay for the services they use but they do not want to contribute. They keep lowering the tax rate on the wealthy and they still use the same high ways that we do. From what I have learned in my state and local government class this year is that the national government is a good and the programs they fund help the nation grow but cannot do this without money. Money that the rich feel that they should not contribute to. -Tyler246
ReplyDeleteSo who is at fault then the rich person for asking for something in return for his contribution or the politician for accepting? Personally I see the politician as the greater offenses. Like the video stated just because a person is rich does not make them a better person, often times the opposite. There will always be people that try to tempt others into doing the wrong things. But our government officials are supposed to be the leaders of our country and we expect more of them than that.
DeleteGlide246
It seemed that this video was trying to paint the picture of a castle system society in modern the United States. Although I found this video to be very enlightening, I also found myself wanting to hear the other side of the story. Anytime I hear an overly one sided agreement it makes me question its authenticity. This is not to say that I do not believe that the elite class is getting richer and the poverty class is getting poorer. But I do know that it takes money to make money, so naturally the elite class has the ability to invest money to earn more when the poor do not. If I had the ability, I would do the same. Where I do disagree is the multimillion dollar salaries that the top executives make. I believe that they should make more money than me but that is pure insanity. I also disagree with government officials receiving money from lobbies in exchange for support of a particular bill.
ReplyDeleteGlide246
Truth be told, the other side of the story was given a chance to present what they felt about all these accusations and such and refused to speak on it. Maybe it's just me, but when someone is accused of something, that either means they would rather the notion be dropped and ignore it, or there may be a ring of truth as to what was said. And yes, government officials can be corrupt, but if anyone in this classroom was presented with a check for say 10 million dollars, and all you had to do was go to a school council meeting and say that the sociology class should be done away with because your benefactor felt that it was becoming a danger to his money, would you turn that down? I'm sure most people would say yes, but nobody has ever laid eyes on THAT much money, so I'm not so sure that the answer would stay the same under the circumstances.
Delete-alterend246
Sickening. The fact that absolute money dictates absolute power is sickening. In a world centered around growth and prosperity, only a fraction of the populace truly reaps their rewards. Yet, many at the top of the chain still try to get more. If you think about it, 1 billion dollars is a lot of green and a lot of zeros. You could buy a new car, the newest model on the market to date, a new house, a summer home, pay off college expenses, buy a plane, and whatever else you want, and lets say thats about 20 million dollars in all. You still have 980 million left to spend. The numbers astound me, and the fact that the rich still want another billion, or even 10 billion more, is a touch sickening. True, everyone wants to strive for more money so that they can get the things that they want, but when is it too much? Why is it that in the saying "Go big or go home", a large portion of just those in America are forced to "go home", simply because they didnt have the greens to back it up? I have never really had a love for money, since in one way or another it can always cause problems. This is a different kind of problem that I never realized until now. We have watched videos on the poor, and now weve seen one on the rich, and it is now quite clear on how the government can get so corrupt.
ReplyDelete-alterend246
I think the rich will be what destroys opportunity and growth in this world, and greed like that will only breed more greed. The sense of entitlement to that much money and wealth is amazing to me considering 1 billion dollars would feed a lot of hungry people. Yet these people think they help enough and deserve tax cuts. Its a disgusting look at just how greedy America can be. Mfroggyus246
DeleteEveryone is too envious of having money. All anyone ever thinks about is money. I myself am guilty of that. Money talks to people in ways that humans cannot. Our government will always have some corruption because everyone wants money. That's envy and greed are two of the seven deadly sins; people would do ANYTHING just to have money.
Deletejosko246
This video was very interesting to me because I'm not really into the whole politics thing, but it showed me how much the upper class spends on stuff that's not needed. For example, how the CEO of Meril Lynch spent 1.2 million dollars on just remodeling his office. If you think about it that money could of gone towards something a lot more important then making his office look nice. Another thing that blew my mind was how the door man that worked at the 740 building around Christmas time received only a fifty dollar check from David Coke which to him was probably pocket change. I'm sure a lot of guys like David are like that and are stingy with their money even though they have millions of dollars and go on trips to the Hamptons every weekend. Another thing that bugged me was the one guy who was talking about how 45% of people don't pay for income taxes and saying that it wasn't fair. He seemed to leave out the part where that 45 percent consists of the disabled and elderly who pay other taxes and don't just skip out and are scotch free on not paying any taxes at all. kmoney246
ReplyDeleteI agree the rich spend money on things that are not that important. The money could help a mission or a organization who is helping people in need. The upper class treat $500 like it is nothing. I think $500 is a huge amount. It could be a down payment on a car, it could be the cost of your property taxes, or it could pay off some credit. I believe the poor or the middle class have to make their credit suffer in order just to strive in this economy. starburst246
DeleteThe Upper Class folks are stingy with their money. They want to say they give millions and millions away to different organizations, but most of those organizations they are giving them to, are more political organizations. Why not give millions to the lower class folks? Lets brain storm, if every "Rich" person gave one million of there dollars each year, to a poverty organization, there might be a bigger chance that poverty wouldn't be so high in this country. More Americans might be able to live this so called "American Dream." CooCoo246
DeleteI think the reality is, the rich just don't want to hand over their money, they feel they worked hard for it and no one deserves to take it, probably a lot like I feel about paying taxes sometimes, but, difference is, they get huge annual income jumps and they pay the prices the lower class does, but lower and even middle class don't make enough to pay the prices because ceo's like them control our income as well, its a vicious cycle where they hold either all or the majority of the cards. Mfroggyus246
DeleteThey didn't get all that money by giving it away. Yes, they could spend their money on things that are more important, but we are all guilty of the same thing just on different levels. If you look at it in percentages 1.2 million dollar remodel to him is like you or I upgrading from a Mc Double to a Big Mac. We like to have the nicer of the two lunches and we really don't worry about the upgrade if we can afford it. Same thing goes for the wealthy. If you can afford it you do it. As far as the $50 Christmas gift.... He didn't have to give anything. Did the door man get him anything? Nope. So if we go off of the saying it’s the thought that counts. Let’s all do more and give more. "The change you want to see in the world has to start with you." Gandhi
DeleteEthos246
This video didn't open my eyes really about politics. I knew that it was controlled by money. If you had money then you could control who the president and vice president was. Do I think they should take in to consideration the amount of people. Yes, they should because 13 percent is huge. I do believe that you do need a college education in order to succeed. In this 21st century, a degree from college is something that will be your only way succeeding. Do I think people can still be street smarts, yes. Will it get them far, I don't know. There are some corporate owners that don't have a college education; however, they could make more money by having it. I don't think it is fair that huge corporations don't have to pay taxes. Their income is bigger than a family's and they have to pay taxes like: property, sales, and tax for everything. I don't think it is fair that 1 CEO's salary is how much 231 workers make combined. That number is too off of balance for me. I think the government should tax the rich more and the less rich less.
ReplyDeletestarburst246
I agree with you. The rich should be taxed higher than the less fortunate. Is should go off of your income for that year and not who you are or who you know. This video didn't open my eyes either. I knew exactly what was going on. If you took the Upper class out of the picture do you think that Obama would have got the presidency? Do you think the poverty line would be where it currently is? College is very important and its just sad that most kids don't get that opportunity. I agree with you when you say that a college education is a must to succeed. CooCoo246
DeleteThe difference between The American Dream and Equal Opportunity. And the difference between The Upper Class, The Middle Class, and The Lower Class. Let me start by saying what we call " The American Dream" varies from person to person. What I consider the American Dream is different from what Bill Gates considers the America Dream. Do you want to be wealthy and healthy or do you want to be successful and happy? Equal Opportunity does not exist in today's society. Someone who comes from money has a higher chance of becoming more successful than a person who lives in poverty. The upper class keep getting higher and the lower class keep getting lower. The middle class is becoming extinct. The video states that the American Dream is focused on being in the middle class. So how can there be an American Dream when there is no more Middle Class? Our country is in relative poverty and its becoming absolute poverty. The resources for those that aren't in the Upper Class are getting slimmer and slimmer. So why wouldn't we want to put a stop to this? Why are we allowing politics to run our country? We the people of America need to get together and become one. CooCoo246
ReplyDeleteI agree with you CooCoo. It will take something big to change the way our society and government is running today. I would like to think that just joining together and taking a stand would make a difference, but I have my doubts. Money is and always will be a major motivator, and its really sad. YellowSubmarine246
DeleteIt is hard for the politics in this country to try to change how and what they have gotten our society in to. It is up to the American people and working people to make a stand and start standing up what they believe in. CooCoo is right how our country is slowly becoming more and more in poverty, it is sick to look aruond and see just what and how people are trying to live daily with, when the rich are just going up & up in the world. Feb246
DeleteIt is sad to see that the rich class is breaking the rules in their favor and paying only 15% for taxes. The video shows that the " american dream" is not for anyone. If you are born in poverty the chances you will succeed are very small, and the reason is; without a college diploma you can not find a really good job. Colleges tuition are getting higher and some people can not afford it. Having a job is not enough to keep someone out of poverty. For some people life can be very hard trying to survive everyday by making minimum wage, paying for transportation, rent, food and other expenses. It is sick to see the power that some of the richest guys in America have in politics. They way the control everything, and how they are trying to take away more from the poor class. Billionaires are getting richer and there is nothing to stop it. Doglover246
ReplyDeleteYou worded this perfectly. I agree with you in every way. It is so sad that because you have that amount of money that you get to stay at such a low percent for taxes. Yet the "normal" people their taxes just keeps going up which is shown in the graph they put in the clip. The rich keep getting richer and the poor poorer. Labrador246
DeleteI agree, very well said. It is sad to realize that the American Dream only applies to very few. These greedy inhumane people who are in the elite 1% have more power, control and money than we could imagine. With this they have also become uncarring, ruthless, cold-hearted individuals who are not out for a better America but for a bigger bank account. The truely sad thing about this is they are spending more money trying to keep laws protecting their money, than they would pay if there was a fair tax. GMD246
DeleteIts pretty sickening how the rich who already have the wealth of money and extravegance also get the power to run our government which obviously we are pretty powerless to fight it seems. How do you fix an economy by taking less away from the rich and more from the poor while the rich are already making money off the poor somehow. I'm sure the donations to the inner cities they are making is purely for the publicity. Its astonishing how much of an gap in way of life of the rich and poor but the completely different mind set. Billionaires don't really seem to care about much of anything but what is best for them.
ReplyDeleteMfroggyus246
I so agree with this comment. The obscene wealth that these men have I can not fathom how one gets that amount. It IS the billionaires scratching the governments back and they get what they want in return. Like it says in the clip, there is no reason we should have hungry and people in poverty here since we are known as the richest country. And after seeing the money these men are making I say the gentlemen was right.
DeleteLabrador246
This comment makes so much sense. Personally, I feel as if these ultra-rich/billionaires don't pay attention to anything around them, but their money. There are a few that I will leave out of that, but nonetheless, the money they hold onto and cradle as if it were the kid they always wanted is so sick. There shouldn't be a gap like there is, I hope the world my Grand kids live in isn't as stretched out as it is now.
Deleteblub246
This video proves what I have always known. The rich have always had a sense of entitlement. The monopoly game in the video proves my point. Giving one person a bigger advantage changed their attitude. It was like a rush of power came over that person. There have always been separate classes in society. Stretching back to biblical times. The main problem with our nation is morals. Our society seems to be spiraling out of control. None of those rich men got to where they are by being a christian. Sure they give millions of dollars to different organizations, but it's all for their benefit. You don't get to that level without being a deceitful, immoral person. I hope that they will realize it someday before they face their creator.
ReplyDeleteLabrador246
As much as I would like to root for the underdog political leader that gets to the top from their GOOD morals alone I'm sure we both know that will never happen. I believe that we all learn from the past and make decisions based on what we know in our hearts is right, but that’s just not how it works anymore. Because of little things changing here and there throughout time we have gotten off the narrow path as a nation and we will all be responsible for those circumstances. Its hard to make the right decision when you have to choose the less of two evils instead of choosing right over wrong.
DeleteEthos246
Its sad to think that this will never change. It seems to be at a point where it would take something incredibly drastic to stop what is happening in government now. Everyone just keeps taking the money from the rich and doing what they want. Even the poor are thoughtlessly following along and protesting for them. YellowSubmarine246
DeleteI agree with YellowSubmarine! Our class systems are so messed up. To be honest I would not even be surprised if their were to be some type of up rise in the future. It seems inevitable at the rate our government is run.
Deletejosko246
Well..to be honest, everything we do, we do to benefit us even if we don't believe it. But, I do agree with the few people above me. It's sad how far our class system has fallen, it went to being reasonably balanced, to so far unbalanced that the poor can never get out of the rut their own country put them. Quite sad.
Deleteblub246
It is very simple to see that the richest one percent own and operate the United States of America. Not only can you tell this by the size of the money gap from them to the rest of the country, but you can see it in how they control lobbyists, senate, ext and can have laws, bills, reforms ext. catered to exactly what they need to keep the wealth, power, and control they have as well as gain more. This is nothing new and it will never stop or slow down with out a revolution. What revolution will bring is civil war and no one ever wins with civil war. When the documentary went into the explanation of the book and movie Atlas Shrug it just goes to show you great minds have all thought about what would happen if the wealthy made a big move and what I'm talking about is the other ninety nine percent making a big move. Nothing is ever impossible, but at this point the other ninety nine percent is will not do anything to change. It is human nature to do as little as possible to get by. The people that do more will be the ones reaping more rewards using there adversities to build themselves stronger. I can only hope that I can be one that goes the extra mile to get to the next level.
ReplyDeleteEthos246
The Bush tax cuts that started in 2001 put everything in motion for the 1 percent to control all the wealth. Business lobbyists play politics with all the politicians in congress and the house so their businesses get all the money. I couldn’t believe last year that Mitt Romney said that 47 percent of America are free-loaders. Most people want to work and not want an handout. Mitt Romney was the one that send jobs overseas. Just last year he sent his company in Freeport, Illinois over to China. Those workers either got laid off or had to move overseas. Families were affected big time because of jobs being sent to China.
DeleteKevin246
As much and I hate to admit you are right, you are. I do not see in any furture that this will change. If anything, the people who are living in poverty have no voice in this country, in fact they are looked down upon and stero typed. The Middle class has big hopes and dreams this will change, but they won't rock they boat too much because they are doing alright and do not want to hurt themselvs financally. It is sad to see how greedy the rich have become just to get power and control. GMD246
DeleteHow sad is this country we are living in. One percent of the American popluation is controlling the goverment, laws, and middle and lower classes in America. I sure there is a nice hot place in hell waiting for them. Seriously when you have that much money that you can buy ANYTHING, why be so worried in getting a fair tax. I am sure my husband and I pay more in taxes than they do on 20 billion dollars. One this that really stuck out to me is that taxes are a form of paying for civilation. Why is it acceptable that the rich not pay for civilation but live in this society. I feel that taxes should be equal, if taxes are set to lets say 10% and this is required for everyone except the 1%. It is not fair that a family who is barely making it on their $30,000 per year income be taxed 3,000, which is more than enough to feed a family of 4 for 1 year. while some one making 2 billions dollars not be taxed the same percent because 2,000,000,000 is more than $3,000. No kidding but I bet if you asked that family I they wanted to work hard to receive a 2 billion dollar salary but you will have to give 2 million in taxes to the goverment at the end of they year they would not hesitate at all. I know I would not. GMD246
ReplyDeletePreach it!! Could not agree with you any more in how you worded your opinion. I do not know what it will take to make everything some what fair in this country, because no matter what you do nobody is going to be happy. To me it seems as if the rich are taxed more and from there they can pay and be done. They can still wake up everyday way more ahead of everyone else below them. Money is an evil thing and we definately saw how controlling and powerful it can be used in this society. Feb246
DeleteThis video was pretty eye opening for me. It made me angry to learn how much of Congress’s decisions are being made by billionaire lobbyist. Its sad to see all of those people following the Tea Party point of view and not every thinking to see where the ideas are coming from. They are almost like puppets for the Koch brothers. It makes me lose a lot of faith in our government. Its interesting to hear Paul Ryan’s point of view about the government getting too big and having too much control over us, when people like him are in part actually controlling the government. Its unfortunate to see that the legislation to end tax cuts for wealthy just keeps being overlooked and never getting passed. I do agree somewhat that there are opportunities for everyone to better themselves and move upward in society, but for some people the opportunities are just much much more difficult to get to and require way more hard work than for those who have more money. YellowSubmarine246
ReplyDeleteMost of things played in this video I had prior knowledge too. It is not a shock that money controls our government and that the middle class/poor suffer from it. Education is very important in this time because it sets a some what stable future for yourself. I agree with Paul Ryan when he said that the government has too much control over us. Then I think about who all is in control and it just makes his statement seem hypocritical. The government makes it seem like it's a walk in the park to get jobs in today's economy, but if they were to actually live in it like the rest of America does, then I bet they would do everything they could to change it. The rich has too much power, and that's how it's going to stay until something drastic happens.
ReplyDeletejosko246
That's one thing the lady from the Bronx mentioned. She said if there would be jobs for them to get they would be getting them. I think it partly depends where you live and what your school back ground, but finding a job isn't that easy. I know someone that is very smart and has had work experience working with fork lifts, he has been out of a job for about a year and he has applied at so many places, Hardee's even told him he was over qualified to work there. It can be rough for people to find work sometimes!
DeleteKristen 246
I found the statistics in this video quite disturbing. One percent owns the world's money, how unfair. This is just plain sad, why should I, an 18 year old manager of McDonald's, be paying higher taxes than government officials? I work hard for the money that I earn, and I should be able to see more than half of it. What does half of the government do? They make decisions for us, spread inequality, and injustice. I know I sound like a child when I say this is "unfair" but it is. I am also quite sadden to see that most of the richest of the rich are the government. Personally, I think that the people who contribute to "the greater good" should be the richest and have tax exemptions, like doctors and the police. People who actually contribute to the world should be able to decide how our government runs, not he incompetent, wealthy politicians in office today.
ReplyDeleteBodyCall246
I am in the same boat as you. I work at Walmart in the tire and lube shop. The pay that I get for working every hour that I am not in school hardly pays enough to fill my gas tank for all the driving I have to do to get to work, to home, and to school. And you are correct about the taxes, I get the crap taxed out of me so my little paycheck becomes a minute paycheck that is pitiful. You are not a child but fair in saying that this is unfair, because thats what it truly is.
DeleteGross246
It bothers me what the government will do to keep their power. Their needs to be more groups to help the poor. How does the government expect to help their country out when everything is controlled by them. Oh yeah they don't expect it. The poor doesn't even have a say in the matter of what is really dealt with them. If the country takes away jobs and raises taxes this will affect the poor more than any other group. How can the poor get from the bottom of the totem pole if their are no jobs for the citizens. The monopoly example in the video was a great example. It opened my eyes on how life really is for the poor and the rich. The future of the US is whoever makes more in fundraisers because they'll always have more say in the matter of our future than actual government because of money. Which is not right.
ReplyDeleteFalcons246
It is just like the ancient Roman empire, or any other empire for that matter. Once one person becomes rich, they lead their land and they pass it down from generation to generation keeping it in their family or that of another "rich" family. Same thing goes for today in this country, once someone has money, they have power over everything and will do whatever they need to do to keep it in their families.
DeleteGross246
I feel as if the creator of the video is a democrat and definately called out the republican party many times, but thats not the point of this video. Life in the United States is just a rigged monopoly game in favor of the rich. This is the greatest analogy that I have heard that describes classes in the U.S. One thing that I thought was morally wrong was when the guy was explaining how senators and congressmen call anyone they can and beg for money, and they get it! This is just erroneous and should be stopped. While they beg for more money from anyone they can, their party leaders are cutting much needed education for unemployed U.S. citizens who need it in order to work. It's just ridiculous. I believe at one point in time the U.S. was a country in which you could be born into poverty and grow to be successful and rich, but as of today, with the rich controlling the country and paying lower taxes than the rest of the citizens, it is near impossible. I could not believe that in the recent years the top 400 richest are paying 50% less taxes than in previous years. I believe that the U.S. will never be run with justice, and power will go to the highest bidder.
ReplyDeleteGross246
To be completely honest, this video does not surprise me one bit. Money rules, and it dictates what you get to do, and what you get to control. If you have it, you have everything. You have political power, you have business power, you have the power to control everything around you. It's very sad..very, very sad to see how far money has come and how much it controls your life. Like i mentioned above, when you have it..you have the control, when you don't, it controls you. It dictates what you get to do, where you get to go, if you even can eat! It's shocking, people who are in such poverty that they cannot even get food, yet work harder than ANY of them? Why? Why do we let this continue, and let the spread of wealth go from what it should be. These "Ultra-rich" even if they may be nice people, are gross to me. The extravagant parties, the spending of the money that they don't deserve, would help MILLIONS of Americans. It's sad we don't help more people. Bill Gates, one of the richest people in the world, gives his billions to Charity, we need more people like him. When shall we get such a soul? We may never know.
ReplyDeleteblub246
The wealthy-class will always be in control as long as we continue to accept it and do nothing to help each other. We need to help each other by starting our own business and giving jobs to the lower-class people who are qualified. The reason I say giving jobs to the lower-class people that are qualified because not everybody is qualified for the job. We need to stand up against corporations because that is the only way this will change. The American Dream should be for everybody not just for the 1 percent of America. It’s sad to see 14.1 percent of people in poverty and it is getting worse every year. Everybody likes to blame the President rather it is George W.Bush or Barack Obama, but it is congress that allows the wealthy-class to do what they want. Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney say all the time last year that the American Dream is dying. They should look in the mirror because they are the ones sending jobs overseas and laying good workers off. Until corporations stop laying off good workers and stop send jobs overseas, the unemployment rate will continue to be a 7 percent and people in poverty will continue to be 14.1 percent.
ReplyDeleteKevin246
This video didn't surprise me very much. I didn't know all the statistics that were mentioned or any of the names of the wealthy people, but I realized how corrupt the government is and how self-centered the human race is. I think no matter how much we talk about the government budget and unfair taxing, there is always going to be someone getting out better than someone else and there is always going to be an argument about who's it should really be. No matter what happens with taxes or the budget, not everyone is going to be happy or think it's fair. No I don't agree that that's fair either but I know I have little to no power over the matter. Those men living in 740 Park can take care government budgets and electing politicians.this isn't a perfect world and never will be. I just wish people would realize life is't all about money. Yes money gets you place in the world, yet some of the happiest people I've met have been some of the poorest people I've met. I just try not to worry about the things I can't change and try to help those around me that don't have the means to help themselves.
ReplyDeleteKristen 246
I completely agree, people like us who are working and just trying to be successful in life will never really have a real voice in what happens with out government, the video made it very clear thag money will and always rule everything sadly, and plus why in the world would the government want to raise taxes for the rich, this would require them to pay more, and heaven forbid we take money out of their pockets. It's just sad.
Delete-heartsiized246
This video really made me realize what the people in our country our really facing. Clearly money rules everything, if you dont have money you pretty much have nothing. It was shocking to me that people living on Park Ave who I guess are the big wigs in our country could have an affect on the laws just because they loaned a possible future president money, that to me seems completely unfair and absolutely ridiculous, people like that are obviously only looking out for their own benefit. The fact that people who are considered rich pay less in taxes than the rest of the people in America who are working hard to survive is just completely shocking. I did however agree with the part that talked about taxes and how taxes should be paid, although I know everyone hates paying taxes without them our country truly wouldnt function, we wouldnt have the nearly half of the things that we do now. After watching this video I can honestly say I am happy Mitt Romney did not become president because learning the plan that Ryan wanted to have passed was complete nonsense. This video was a real eye opener and very interesting, its sad that the people who are working hard just to survive, living in poverty and doing all they can just to make it day to day dont even have a fighting chance.
ReplyDelete-heartsiized246
There was a lot in this video that I knew already knew. I find it crazy that money rules the world and the people with the money the other thing they care about is making more money and not doing anything to help anybody else but themselves. I feel like after watching this video I work for low wage and a lot of hours sometimes even overtime and more taxes are taken out of my check for that but my tax dollars go to things that don't get fixed like education in the school, roads in my city, etc. It's like the people who work at fast food jobs or minimum wage jobs are over worked and over paid and they don't get enough credit for all of the hard work they put in.It needs to change but I know and we all know that will never change in this life time.
ReplyDeleteMDD246
This was just another video that pointed out what is in front of us but are too blind to see it! Even in smaller cities and not just New York City, rich people make alot of the decisions, hang their noses up in the air, and buy what will make them happy. Only thing that can change poverty and change how the poor people live and the problems on the street is the people up top. But it seems as if they are too worried about themselves to stop and help other people. It will take middle class people to step up to the plate and start making changes and coming together. It is easier for them to see how they are living then the rich.
ReplyDeleteThere was a lady in the video saying something of the extent to how, once you are poor and in poverty it is hard to pick yourself up and get a job. For me this is hard to understand, there are a lot of under paid jobs out there that are always hiring. It bothers me that a lot of people in the lower class make excuses for themselves and others rather than trying to pick themselves up and moving on. There are plenty of people out there and resources excuses just can't and don't cover it anymore. feb246