I learned some interesting statistics the other day. I had never heard them before but they really weren't surprising to me. I don't think they should be surprising to anyone that believes in freedom.
I'm afraid I can't give the exact numbers, but I can pass along the idea, which is much more important.
First let's mention the statistics that the proponents of wealth redistribution like to use. Over the past 2 decades the number of Americans in the bottom 1/5th of income has increased, and so has the number in the top 1/5th. This suggests that the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer. A common complaint.
But there is more to the statistics than immediately meets the eye. When digging a little deeper we learn that the individuals that made up the bottom 1/5th in the past are now spread across all five groups, with a substantial number of them now in the TOP 1/5th. Only around 15% of past poor still are poor. Those that now make up the bottom 1/5th are 'new poor', consisting mostly of younger Americans getting started and immigrants. So the oppressed apparently really weren't. Most of them prospered, each according to his/her talents and efforts.
Of course most of us never needed a study to demonstrate this truth, we see it all around us.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for leaving your comments. Feel free to be forthright and blunt. I have no problem with disagreement. Please do refrain from using any profanity, bigotry or name calling. All comments are moderated, which means I have to approve them before they will be posted. ANONYMOUS comments will not be published. I put my name on my opinions for all to judge, I will only publish comments likewise submitted.
I'm adding 2 addenda to my comments policy.
1) The invitation to leave comments about my posts is not to be construed as an invitation to endless, pointless debate. I do have a life away from this computer, and don't wish to spend what time I do have lingering on one topic. There's too much going on. Sincere questions will be answered. Questions designed to simply be the starting point for argument may be considered rhetorical.
2) This is MY blog. I have recently discovered the inability of some to remain on topic. I reserve the right to deem comments too stupid to use up my space.