jacee

That will change nothing. One politician corrupted by the wealthy and powerful or another one. No difference.No, the system has to be changed to strengthen governments against the wealthy and powerful. The problem lies in finance, not politics.

The real issue is that politicians are controlled by the financiers and corporations and are powerless to make any real economic change. The only way is to expose this corruption and try to empower politicians to stand up against the money power. However, the targets have to be the corruptors, not the corruptees.

More wages yes, jobs above poverty lelel, yes.The data is pretty clear who's making the gains: The rich not those working for low incomes. They do have more humanity though.

Those are the facts. That didn't happen in Canada, Shady. Are you a US'n poseur too? 'People like me'? Meaning what?

Oh all of that is included in the miniscule gains of the lowest income group. You'll have to provide evidence for your spin. You're lying.

Thanks cap.I suspected so. The visual is primitive but makes the point.

I've been pondering this post of blueblood's, with its apparently naive assumption ... or rationalization of choice ... that if some people are getting wealthier, everybody is benefitting: They're not. Wealth is increasing only at the top, BECAUSE it's being taken away from the middle and lower income people. A US perspective on the problem: Over the last 30 years, while the rich have been getting richer, the poor have been getting steadily poorer. One reason for the growing disparity between the rich and the poor is the fact that most new jobs that are created pay low wages and often do not offer retirement plans or health coverage. Here is a graphic look at the widening gap between the nation's rich and poor. http://www.businesspundit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/wealth_distro.jpg (Anybody know how I can post this pic here? It's worth a thousand words.) An attempt to show you ... Average income of the highest 20% (*) and lowest 20% (#) ......2008..........1980 $200,000 -- .............* - - - -- -....................................* - -...........# ......................................# -- $0 The income disparity is slightly smaller in Canada, BUT it is currently increasing faster than in the US. The 'graph' is stretched because I had to stretch the bottom to show the miniscule increase in the lowest income group, in proportion to the huge gain by the highest income group. This isn't just an intellectual or political exercise: The working people are truly hurting, unable to feed, house and clothe their kids adequately. Malnourished children don't learn well because their brains aren't fuelled properly. Malnourished children's brains develop poorly and it's permanent: YOU CAN'T FIX THEM LATER 'WHEN THE ECONOMY IMPROVES' !! The rich can weather a 50% loss of income and not go hungry. The low income workers are already bouncing off the floor: Any decrease has serious effects on their health. That's the bottom line: What level of income can support the healthy growth and development of children, and the health (work energy, motivation) of adults? Welfare doesn't. Low wage jobs don't. Workers are increasingly unhealthy. Middle class students graduating university with huge debt and low wage or no jobs often eat a diet of rice and beans. Malaise, depression, despair, and a downward spiral in motivation and energy are their reality now too. Their parents may have jobs/pensions, but they can't support adult children too. 50% of university students have wealthy parents who pay their way, partying and 'spring break' holidays down south and all. For the other 50% it's an entirely different world of poor nutrition, low wage jobs to pay their way and spiralling debt. The ones who will survive are those who are angry enough to overcome the malaise that is poverty, inform themselves and put their energy toward change. They are the occupiers ... everywhere. They are right. They are getting screwed by the wealthy.

Sounds fun. 48 ANCOUVER(NEWS1130) They came, they built consensus for two hours, and then hit the streets to protest corporate greed and a host of other globa problems. Occupy Vancouver served up a buffet of issues ... With the rules set down, speaker after speaker used an electronic microphone to rail against corporate bailouts, climate change and the Harper government. "It's about getting corporations and banks to pay the same as everyone else does...a fair taxation system!" shouted one organizer. So they're camped ...

What about unfair competition in business? The other airlines might have an opinion on that.Air Canada has always sucked at labour relations and it shows in every employee. They are a national embarrassment. I always apologize to relatives who have to fly AC, and they always acknowledge the service/attitude sucks. You can always tell a bad employer because the management's attitude shows in every service they provide. They should have been allowed to go under, imo. We would have been better served if CP bought AC instead.

I posted the link to the CBC numbers a few days ago when some other lazy rich person whined about that. It's on their website ... annual report. So's the wheat board.Find them yourself. I charge big bucks for doing people's research.

Do you know what income disparity means? A few get richer, the vast majority get poorer. And that's what's happening. I just get a feeling that the rich will keep up thhat ignorance pretense until ... "OMG! Nobody's buying my junk! Where did all the consumers go? The government better bail us out!" And I'll bet you can guess what we'll say to you then, eh?

Corruption is a problem... CARSON ring a bell? Millions in taxpayer money spent on oil advertising.

All people? ... or a few. You do see the problem ...

EDMONTON http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/occupy-protests-under-way-across-canada/article2202234/?service=mobile. Chelsea Taylor, who is part of the Occupy Edmonton movement, Alberta’s oil industry is dictating government policy. “Oil might run your car, but it really shouldn’t run your government,” Ms. Taylor said. CALGARY http://www.calgaryherald.com/touch/story.html?id=5556758 Hundreds of people drummed, chanted and protested issues ranging from income disparity, capitalism and corporate politics to homelessness and fiat currency during“Occupy Calgary.” They began their protest at the foot of the ocked glass doors of downtown Bankers Hall on Saturday afternoon. After about two hours a crowd estimated to be between 300 and 500 people marched to Olympic Plaza, where several vowed to camp out over the weekend Police said there were no arrests. The demonstrators had remained peaceful. ... The event in Calgary — not normally a hotbed of left wing politics — drew students, workers and poverty advocates on Saturday afternoon.“There’s a high disparity between the rich and the poor in Calgary,” said SAIT journalism student Sarah Pynoo, 19. “We’re one of the richest cities in North America, but we have enormous homelessness problems. And there are thousands of people living below the poverty line and that’s worrying.” ... Some protesters tried to draw awareness to investment fraud issues in Alberta.

Income inequality rising quickly in Canada Canadian officials have also tried to diffuse passions in recent days, reminding protesters that Canada’s economy has weathered the global economic storm better than most Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, in a TV interview aired late Friday, called the planned demonstrations “entirely constructive”–comments in marked contrast to sometimes-dismissive remarks by some politicians and executives in the U.S. Mr. Carney called the growing movement a “physical and vocal manifestation of cold figures,” given the bleak economic indicators and growing wealth gaps, particularly in the U.S. Ya they're trying to "diffuse" (sic) because they screwed up so badly last year at the G20 and they know people are still furious and ANY police interference will be poorly tolerated and will draw much more public support for the protest. Best behaviour absolutely required by HarperCons AND Toronto cops. If TPS/Blair is smart, they'll tell any skulking RCMP and CSIS types to SCRAM. Troublemakers like them are seriously not helpful. It's rather disturbing that Carney and Flaherty, in their important roles in the finances of Canada, both had their number facts spinmeistered: Canada's gap between the richest and the rest of us is growing faster than the US gap. http://m.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/daily-mix/income-inequality-rising-quickly-in-canada/article2163938/?service=mobile The gap between the rich and the rest is growing ever wider -- with the chasm increasing at a faster pace in Canada than in the United States That’s the conclusion of a Conference Board of Canada study Tuesday, which says income inequality has been rising more rapidly in Canada than in the U.S. since the mid-1990s. Its global analysis found that Canada has had the fourth-largest increase in income inequality among its peers. Between the mid-nineties and late 2000s, income inequality rose in 10 of 17 peer countries -- including Canada. It remained unchanged in Japan and Norway, and declined in five countries. “Even though the U.S. currently has the largest rich-poor income gap among these countries, the gap in Canada has been rising at a faster rate,” noted Anne Golden, president and chief executive adding that high inequality raises both “a moral question about fairness and can contribute to social tensions.” Of total world income, 42 per cent goes to those who make up the richest 10 per cent of the world’s population, while 1 per cent goes to those who comprise the poorest 10 per cent, it says. Some related articles: http://m.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/the-economists/when-business-talks-about-inequality-its-time-to-worry/article2181391/?service=mobile Notably, it’s not the usual voices of the left sounding the alarms, but pro-market heavyweights like the Conference Board of Canada and the International Monetary Fund. That such groups are worried should be a signal to Canada’s private sector leaders: pay attention to the compensation gap between your lowest paid worker and that of the CEO, because those differences may tell us a lot about the mess we’re in. After all, businesses rely on the rising purchasing power of the many, not the few, to deliver growth and profits. Something people seem to want to forget ... The workers, low and middle income, are the masses of consumers. Disrespect and disregard the inequity concerns of the majority of people, you destroy the buying power of the consumer. How many businesses turn a profit without consumers? http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/how-paying-peoples-way-out-of-poverty-can-help-us-all/article2011940/?service=mobile http://m.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/the-economists/were-ignoring-inequality-at-our-peril/article1820187/?service=mobile

You have a nice day too, AMWO ... somewhere else.

:lol: Ya and they're really interested in what you think they "should" do. :lol:

Protests are going well in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, etc. Thousands and thousands of people.Watch your news. Two thousand protesters are in St James park behind the cathedral (btwn King and Adelaide, Church and King financial district. They are camping and staying. Police say they won't be issuing any "tickets" (fines) to them tonight. Maybe they'll just bust heads and arrest people instead. That's the lying style of the Toronto Police Services. If they do that, I expect all hell will break loose and all 'peaceful' promises will be discontinued. Organizers will lose control .... (Daydreams ... Thousands more will descend upon Toronto to do war with police. There are thousands who'd LOVE to take them on if they fck up again. And this time if they're not wearing their badge numbers maybe we'll have to take their bodies prisoner until they are properly identified. Maybe we'll sexually assault them, pile on, pour water on them to simulate rain, punch, kick, knee and elbow them, break a few bones, noses, wreck a few rotator cuffs ... no portapotties so they'll have to just pee their pants, put them in a wire pen for a couple of days, throw them a wet cheese sandwich every 18 hrs or so, spray them with water if they want some to suck out of their clothes..... Aaaaaahhhh ... I can dream! But I doubt any police officers will 'forget' to wear their badges this time. :angry: How do over 100 officers spontaneously 'forget' to wear their badge numbers? Answer: They don't. Their senior officers order them to remove their badge numbers. Eta ... US poll ... 50% of people sampled support the Wall Street protesters, more than support Congress or either political party. Just curious blueblood ... what is it about cops beating up 70 year old war vets that is "tinfoil hat" to you?

Seems to me Obama's efforts are defeated because the Repubs care more about politics than people. I'd be investigating them for investments/kickbacks/cosy relationships with insurance providers that might be their (corrupt) reasons for opposing something so obviously good for people. Reinforces my view that two party systems are useless because 50-50 divisions are stalemate. We accomplish more with a three party system - like health care - because sometimes parties have to collaborate, cooperate and compromise. When more perspectives are incorporated into legislation it is stronger and better law. With proportionate representation we'd have even more perspectives represented in parliament and much better quality legislation that isn't constrained by particular political ideology. We should never forget that our governance system was designed ... - to appear to 'represent' the many while preserving the power of a few, and - to divide the people into warring factions to keep the people weak, divided and firmly under the thumbs of wealth and power.

WAY TO GO COPS! BUST THOSE 70 YEAR OLD VIETNAM VETERANS HEADS!! BEAT THE OLD WAR VETS TO THE GROUND!! TRAMP ON THEIR US FLAG!! ARREST THEM AND TAKE THEM TO JAIL!! GOOD COPS! MAKE YOURSELVES LOOK LIKE GOONS OF THE STATE!! OCCUPIERS WIN MORE SUPPORT THAT WAY!!!! :lol: Note to Bay Street Protesters ... REMEMBER THE G20 ... NEVER negotiate agreements with the police. They want you in a designated space so they can beat you, trample you with horses, and haul you off to jail. Police NEVER honour agreements. To them it's just another devious strategy to confine you AND TAKE YOU DOWN!! REPEAT ... DO NOT NEGOTIATE ANYTHING WITH TORONTO POLICE SERVICES. THEY ONLY LIE TO YOU. Members of Veterans for Peace (Vietnam war veterans) carrying American flags were pushed to the ground and their flags trampled as the police hauled them away." The Square had become too crowded, and Occupy Boston members managed to arrange an informal agreement with the Greenway Conservancy that manages the Rose Kennedy Greenway."As long as we didn't damage the flowers or the shrubbery, we were fine to be where we were," the Huffington Post. On its website, the Greenway confirmed the claim."Occupy Boston organizers have been cooperative with the Conservancy and the Boston Police Department to date, and have agreed to avoid the planting beds and adhere to common sense rules," said the site. However, on Tuesday, at around 1:30 a.m. EDT after a group of protesters moved from their official campsite to the Rose Kennedy Greenway, police began the mass arrests. After several hours of silent confrontation, the Boston police gave a final warning and urged the protesters to leave."You will be locked up for trespassing and unlawful assembly," an officer shouted through a bullhorn, according to the Post."This is our last notice before we move in and clear the park. All right? Now is the time to move." In the next hour, some two hundred police descended on the protesters, allegedly beating those who were standing peacefully, pushing into vans and tearing down dozens of tents they had set up. Occupy Boston released a statement on their website, in which the protesters expressed their decries against the Boston police. "Following this massive outpouring of public support, dozens of police vans descended on the Greenway, with batons drawn, assaulting protesters and arresting more than one-hundred people," reads the statement. "Members of Veterans for Peace carrying American flags were pushed to the ground and their flags trampled as the police hauled them away."

Without some socialism you wouldn't have a health card in your pocket. A balance is good.

Perhaps. I had a shirt made for you: All my money went to the Caymans And all I got Was this Shirt

Oh I saw the connection already, it just disgusts me that you would wish that on other people's children, and think it's funny.It's not. Mammabear's mad at you now. I agree that garbage attracting rats is not cool. Garbage collection, water and portapotties would help. I'm sure surrounding businesses will appreciate it. Better wear your trendy rubber boots for the "filth". What's your sign going to say? Hey ... how 'bout you hold up a sign advertising consultation for offshoring wealth! Just curious ... since when did a Vancouver hockey pissup brawlriot have anything to do with "calling for a revolution"?

He was a minor. Someone said he left Canada after grade one? It's all moot now.

Such naivety. So refreshing ... stoopid, but refreshing. I needed a laugh.