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[nop_90]

Tax records in Norway are public record
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20110201/in-norway-start-ups-say-ja-to-socialism.html

[perkiset]

It takes a reasonably intelligent, critical thinking and steeply less narcissistic population than the US seems to have to approach things that way. In a culture of Me First then Fuck You that kind of thinking would have a hard time blooming.

Nice article ITTO.

<edit: Minor Typo>

[isthisthingon]

  
Read every page.  I'd be interested to hear what RC has to say about it   

[nop_90]

It takes a reasonably intelligent, critical thinking and steeply less narcissistic population than the US seems to have to approach things that way. In a culture of Me First then Fuck You that kind of thinking would have a has time blooming.

I disagree that Americans are more narcissistic then anyone else. Arrogant, but no more then anyone else who is a member of a superpower.
I would say mainly misinformed.

Socialism and capitalism are not mutually exclusive. So some areas of an economy like health care, construction of roads, power companies should be state run.
No one argues (or very few people) that a road,airport, a dock should not be constructed and run by the gov't.
So the same thing could apply to health care. All of these support business.
On the other hand, the gov't should not regulate prices, either by taxes or subsidies. (a true capitalist economy).

The gov't requires taxes to support this infrastructure.
So it has to be raised by taxes.
The only problem with collecting of data on individuals is when it is kept private. If you could see how much tax every person paid, then it would be a lot harder to cheat on taxes. That is another important key in Norway.

In USA for the super rich, their taxes have dropped consistently for the last 40+ years. And they spend lots of money on propaganda to ensure the sheeple don't protest. From most economic reports I have read, it appears that the "crisis" in USA is only affecting the lower 90% of the population. The top 10% are better off then before.

[isthisthingon]

From most economic reports I have read, it appears that the "crisis" in USA is only affecting the lower 90% of the population.

Exactly

And what about these sheeple keeping the wheels of inequality spinning without pause?  Here's my take on it:

• Some are actually and literally too blind and/or incapable of grasping the macroeconomic picture.  They perpetuate it with their ignorance.
• Some see the shell game they help perpetuate but would like to pretend they are in that 10% since their egos need the status.
• The remaining few need no introduction and smugly reside somewhere within that 10%

There are of course others who have big dreams of financially ascending to the 10% club and also will deny the existence of this shell game to their death, in hopes of making it in and closing the door behind them afterward.

[nop_90]

I don't know ITTO the figure of 10% I just made up.

U.S. Economy Is Increasingly Tied to the Rich
http://blogs.wsj.com/wealth/2010/08/05/us-economy-is-increasingly-tied-to-the-rich/

Rich Americans Raise Consumer Spending With Little Help From Middle Class
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-18/rich-americans-raise-consumer-spending-with-little-help-from-middle-class.html

What becomes even more perplexing is the ones who oppose "socialist" policies are the poor themselves.
I think this is true all over, but more visible in USA, mainly because you can easily compare poor southern states vs eastern states.

Honestly I have no idea
Human nature has always perplexed me.

[isthisthingon]

Whatever the number, the disproportionate distribution of wealth is measurable at any percent.  The Wealth Report link you just posted says: 

According to economists Emmanuel Saez and Thomas Piketty, the top 10% of earners captured about half of all income as of 2007.

Whether the top 20%, 10%, 5% or 1%, the curve keeps trending disproportionately to the ultra rich