Is America Becoming A Class Society Like The UK?

[icenine]

A conservative pundit on MSNBC is saying Hillary is losing Ohio because this election is between elites and non-elites, which makes me a sort of American Tory, although that is a bad sort of metaphor to describe middle-class Americans securely grounded in our economy and safety net.


Trump has the rust belt and the fly-over states, but not the wealthier coastal states in my sort of simplistic view of things. I don't really know if the coastal states are wealthier, but it seems like it when I look around me in California. Trump cannot win in the intellectual and financial centers of our nation.

We need a massive public works infrastructure program that helps us be a player in the continual globalization of the world economy. If people had jobs building high-speed rail lines in Ohio and other mid-western and Southern states perhaps they would have more a stake in their society. I have noticed when you build a road businesses always pop-up along with traffic lights. Same thing would happen with bullet trains.

Perhaps if the GOP had cooperated more with Obama our economy would be even better and their party may have looked good enough to supporters so someone other than Trump would have been chosen.

It is kind of sad but people upset about trade agreements continually vote for Congressmen who refuse to rebuild America here at home because they either hate (hypocritically) big government or don't like a black president.

[MrPots]

I would like to think we could have a class system like the UK, but unfortunately our elites and their elites are two different animals. The elites of the UK understand that they have an obligation to society. So society has more of a say in government, the government attends to their needs, and the wealthy pay their fair share back into the pie.

The elites here in the US, our "plutocrats" do not feel this obligation to society. Our elites game the system so to wring every penny from society they can. Obscene medical care costs, usurious payday lending practices, laws mandating people buy their products, an out of control MIC....Our elites don't care about infrastructure, schools, education for the masses or medical care because they can afford it all easily so why should they contribute? And they rule the country accordingly. These are all decades old problems that the plutocrat politicians forever say they will address but never do.

I found Trumps observation of our sad infrastructure, airports and schools to be interesting, simply because rich folks like him who don't pay taxes, corporations that don't pay taxes, the the wealthy who could make a difference in these things by paying a fair share of taxes but don't are exactly why we have a failing infrastructure, poor schools and massive debt. Then those very same plutocrats run for office and pass more law reducing their tax obligations ever more so they can complain more.

[icenine]

I would like to think we could have a class system like the UK, but unfortunately our elites and their elites are two different animals. The elites of the UK understand that they have an obligation to society. So society has more of a say in government, the government attends to their needs, and the wealthy pay their fair share back into the pie.

The elites here in the US, our "plutocrats" do not feel this obligation to society. Our elites game the system so to wring every penny from society they can. Obscene medical care costs, usurious payday lending practices, laws mandating people buy their products, an out of control MIC....Our elites don't care about infrastructure, schools, education for the masses or medical care because they can afford it all easily so why should they contribute? And they rule the country accordingly. These are all decades old problems that the plutocrat politicians forever say they will address but never do.

I found Trumps observation of our sad infrastructure, airports and schools to be interesting, simply because rich folks like him who don't pay taxes, corporations that don't pay taxes, the the wealthy who could make a difference in these things by paying a fair share of taxes but don't are exactly why we have a failing infrastructure, poor schools and massive debt. Then those very same plutocrats run for office and pass more law reducing their tax obligations ever more so they can complain more.
I think you are correct on all points. The Tory Party and the upper crust of Britain's elite would probably never consider dumping The National Health Service. The downside to Britain's system is that it is probably much more harder to move up in society than it is here...or used to be here. That is the point I am making. We may be becoming more stratified like in the UK.

[Dondilion]

I would like to think we could have a class system like the UK, but unfortunately our elites and their elites are two different animals. The elites of the UK understand that they have an obligation to society. So society has more of a say in government, the government attends to their needs, and the wealthy pay their fair share back into the pie.

The elites here in the US, our "plutocrats" do not feel this obligation to society. Our elites game the system so to wring every penny from society they can. Obscene medical care costs, usurious payday lending practices, laws mandating people buy their products, an out of control MIC....Our elites don't care about infrastructure, schools, education for the masses or medical care because they can afford it all easily so why should they contribute? And they rule the country accordingly. These are all decades old problems that the plutocrat politicians forever say they will address but never do.

I found Trumps observation of our sad infrastructure, airports and schools to be interesting, simply because rich folks like him who don't pay taxes, corporations that don't pay taxes, the the wealthy who could make a difference in these things by paying a fair share of taxes but don't are exactly why we have a failing infrastructure, poor schools and massive debt. Then those very same plutocrats run for office and pass more law reducing their tax obligations ever more so they can complain more.

The essential difference--the US elites lack nationalist fervor. They have a world view. In essence they are internationalists.



Y

[Boreas]

I think you are correct on all points. The Tory Party and the upper crust of Britain's elite would probably never consider dumping The National Health Service. The downside to Britain's system is that it is probably much more harder to move up in society than it is here...or used to be here. That is the point I am making. We may be becoming more stratified like in the UK.

Actually, they're in the process of doing just that.http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nhs-sell-out-tories-sign-largest-5323402

[icenine]

Actually, they're in the process of doing just that.http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nhs-sell-out-tories-sign-largest-5323402

They are contracting out services to private contractors...not doing away with socialized medicine. The government is still paying for the health care being provided. Tricare does the same thing here all the time. I am not saying the protests are not valid if the patients are not satisfied with the care they are receiving.

[Oerets]

The ones disaffected, feeling left out are angry and turn out to vote in higher percentages .
With the changes within the modern work economy. Part time split shifts and or multi jobs automation revamping skills continuing education. Some get left behind and then feel helpless. Both here and in the UK are the reasons for the rise in the division.



Barney

[donquixote99]

I would like to think we could have a class system like the UK, but unfortunately our elites and their elites are two different animals. The elites of the UK understand that they have an obligation to society. So society has more of a say in government, the government attends to their needs, and the wealthy pay their fair share back into the pie.

The elites here in the US, our "plutocrats" do not feel this obligation to society. Our elites game the system so to wring every penny from society they can. Obscene medical care costs, usurious payday lending practices, laws mandating people buy their products, an out of control MIC....Our elites don't care about infrastructure, schools, education for the masses or medical care because they can afford it all easily so why should they contribute? And they rule the country accordingly. These are all decades old problems that the plutocrat politicians forever say they will address but never do.

I found Trumps observation of our sad infrastructure, airports and schools to be interesting, simply because rich folks like him who don't pay taxes, corporations that don't pay taxes, the the wealthy who could make a difference in these things by paying a fair share of taxes but don't are exactly why we have a failing infrastructure, poor schools and massive debt. Then those very same plutocrats run for office and pass more law reducing their tax obligations ever more so they can complain more.

You are too kind to the current English Tories.

[Dondilion]

The ones disaffected, feeling left out are angry and turn out to vote in higher percentages .
With the changes within the modern work economy. Part time split shifts and or multi jobs automation revamping skills continuing education. Some get left behind and then feel helpless. Both here and in the UK are the reasons for the rise in the division.



Barney

With the continuing drive to the Mexican floor, all that revamping skills, continuing education become less and less effective.