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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Katelew who wrote (59637)	4/16/2008 7:30:23 PM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 543314

My intent was not at all to mock you.... I didn't think you were mocking me. I did get the sense that you were mocking the "lower income Americans [who] vote Republican." Not objecting, just observing, perhaps mistakenly. I'm constantly struck, too at how dim people can be. Rising wages create the situation of a 'rising tide that lifts all boats' type economy. Yes, if your salary is raised you spend it at the mall or save it for retirement. If that raise comes your increased productivity or increased duties, that is, you earned your raise, a promotion, in effect, that's great all around. But you were talking about rising wages, across the board. Those aren't generally earned. Most often they are cost of living increases, which means you have to spend your raise to get the same stuff you bought last year for less. Usually there is a lag before you get your COLA; prices have already gone up so you're a little bit behind even though you got a raise. Nothing left for the mall or retirement. Of course, your raise increases the cost for your product which is a cost to someone else, which means he needs a raise and you need another raise to keep up. The costs go up for those what are on the dole, too, so your taxes have to go up to pay for their raises. Inflation is insidious. Now, after chasing your tail for decades you retire. Working people keep getting raises but you have to live off your savings. Your SS has COLAs so that helps, maybe enough. If the interest keeps up with the cost of living, maybe that works, maybe it doesn't. You can get behind the curve pretty easily. The point I'm trying to make is that different people can perceive benefit of rising wages to them and to the country differently. It's instinctive to feel lucky to get a pay raise or any time you get something extra. Most people would react that way. But, then again, you might be better off in stasis. Right now things are falling into place that leaving me feeling worried and pessimistic about the country going forward.... I think that's a natural reaction, too. It's going to be rough for a while. And then it will hit bottom and start up. Re Europe, it hasn't been long since we were feeling all superior over Europe. Felt that way for a long time. The tables have turned, for now. Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and again. Doesn't necessarily mean anything. "Inflation Hits Europe as Dollar Falls 16 Apr 2008 21:35 GMT ... The dollar fell to a record low against the euro as European inflation accelerated last month, reducing chances the European Central Bank will follow the Federal ..."