Arkansas Blog

And what is it that is stymying any sympathy I might otherwise have for these financially drowning individuals? Oh, yeah, the fact that so many of them were so stupid as to vote for these welfare-for-the-rich, cut-throat-free-market-with-no-safety-net-for-everyone-else Republicans. If you stick your own neck under that blade, don't complain to me about your blood loss, fool. Hint to working class folks: Whenever you hear someone bellowing about "homeland security" or "family values," that's the one who's really going to put the screws to you in the end.

Portfolio diversification of your income stream? Spoken like a true economist. All of the economists in the world laid end to end, would still not reach a conclusion. Asinine!

I think 11:35 needs to go back and take a peek at the red/blue maps over the past few elections. The cities are the strongest blue regions.

"Income Diversification" Hah! How about "Foot up your Ass Diversification" for economists.

Concentration of wealth will be the death of free market capitalism.

Yet the party that worships Adam Smith like God's invisible right hand man is the same party that puts policies in place to ensure the rich get richer at the expense of the poor.

Bill, I think you need to consider the fact that although New York City as a whole did go blue, that many of those struggling firefighters and police officers voted red. They got caught up in that Republican macho bulls**t bag of tricks, and got their pockets picked as a result.

ARKBLOG: Also, I think the whole point of the article is that police and firefighters cannot afford to live in the cities they defend, so they are not voting in the cities.

That may be true, 11:35. You apparently have your finger closer to the pulse of the big-city firefighter/policeman vote. All I have to go by are some maps.

ARKBLOG: Also, I think the whole point of the article is that police and firefighters cannot afford to live in the cities they defend, so they are not voting in the cities.

Let me rephrase my previous comment. The major metropolitan areas are the strongest blue regions. I would say that encompasses most voting districts for these folks.

I'd dive into this economic discussion, but the water's too shallow.

Exactly how is this the fault of Republicans?

Because Republicans have been in charge of all the big cities in America for the last century.

Republicans believe in the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.

The rise in real estate costs is a great example of where a rich developer or investor who owns an apartment complex is able to extract more and more money from an ordinary working man. And gets tax breaks to boot.

Then he sits back and complains about the poor he helped create.

Right, well, I'm a Republican and I'm pretty sure I don't know any Repubs who believe in the poor getting poorer.

It's remarkable that the poor in America are so much better off than the poor in every other country in the world and that their standard of living increases generation after generation.

The only thing that you libs ever get right is that the rich do get richer, but so do the poor.

"Then he sits back and complains about the poor he helped create."

I'm pretty sure that it's you libs that complain about the poor that you helped create. We have spent TRILLIONS of dollars on the poor since the Great Society and its result was more poor people. Remarkably, the free market was still able to provide more for less over this time and the welfare reform of the 90s, which Clinton finally signed, after vetoing it twice, just before the '96 election, has done more to lift people out of poverty than any government handout ever did.

New York City is expensive, no doubt about it.
But, and it's a biggie, the idiot who thinks folks who work two or three jobs are diversifying their income rather than simply trying to stay afloat is W. Michael Cox, chief economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
Just in case you missed it again, CHIEF ECONOMIST for the FEDERAL RESERVE BANK IN DALLAS. It's time to quit fighting amongst ourselves and find this guy.
Now I don't care if he got his job during a Republican or a Democratic administration. I do want to see him take a job flipping hamburgers or cleaning johns in the evening though. And I'd be happier if he lost his day job since it's obvious he doesn't know diddly about real work. (Where did they find this guy for his comment on a NYC article?The comment is so outlandish that I wonder if there isn't a joke or urban legend or some such going on here. I wasn't able to read the entire article because I refuse to pay for "premium" NYTimes columns and articles.)

Not that facts make any difference to those who are blinded by their self-centered ideology, but, for everyone else, please consider this. The tax code socks it to income earned by the sweat of the brow much harder than it does for any other type of income. In spite of this, many of those who are enjoying all the benefits of all the tax breaks given to investment income are still not satisfied. They cannot stand to see a small hike in the absurdly low minimum wage, nor can they rest until what's left of the social safety net has been effectively shredded. It is impossible to have an objective, intelligent conversation with them on this topic because they are blinded with greed and hatred. They just make shit up and call anyone who doesn't agree with them a lazy welfare cheat who doesn't pay taxes. Screw them. You cannot reason with them. Don't even try. The only thing you can do is vote in your own self interest, NOT THEIRS. Do you political homework and then vote intelligently. Do not, repeat, do not waste your time arguing with these greedy bastards.

"Because Republicans have been in charge of all the big cities in America for the last century."

Your dilusional. Please list the Republican mayors of all the big cities?

Boston
NYC
Atlanta
Chicago
Dallas
Denver
St Louis
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Detroit
Seattle
Portland
San Francisco
Houston
Austin
New Orleans
Baton Rouge
Miami

"Because Republicans have been in charge of all the big cities in America for the last century."

Your dilusional. Please list the Republican mayors of all the big cities?

Boston
NYC
Atlanta
Chicago
Dallas
Denver
St Louis
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Detroit
Seattle
Portland
San Francisco
Houston
Austin
New Orleans
Baton Rouge
Miami

I really hate it when the "man" keeps the poor down.

I mean come on, it really sucks to be poor in America. It sucks to have cable tv, air conditioning, a car, a roof over their heads, no real fear of dying from the mumps, measles, marliria, etc.

Hell the poor in the US live better than just about 99% of the rest of the world.

These folks need to move somewhere it doesn't cost so much to live. It is simple economics. And if cities have to pay more for public security then it is free markets.

Oh, and when you say that people shouldn't be forced to move due to economic reality and that they should be able to live where they want to, remember this is the same advice that familes are given when they live in rural areas and can't afford to drive their kids to closer schools and have to rely on two hour bus rides. "They should move to be closer to schools so that their children can enjoy the benefits of city life instead of the joy or rural living"

Let's see.... the owner of the building is likely to be wealthy. The firefighter may live from check to check. When the owner escalates the rent, wealth is transferred. The rich owner gets richer and the poor tenant has less.

Apply this to about a million examples. Money makes money. The more money, the more influence on those factors that help create money - buying politicians, influencing policy, getting large lines of credit, etc.

Is making the poor poorer a goal? No, it's but a symptom. The real driver is simple greed. Look at the MS surrounding the minimum wage increase, or the estate tax.

Perry County I think you have it right. One of the big differences between firefighters and school kids, though, is that firefighters aren't looking for my tax dollars to subsidize their rent.

"firefightters aren't looking for my tax dollars to subsidize their rent"

Uhh.....do you think their salaries are magically funded? Of course your tax dollars pay for their rent.

Now I will grant to you that if all of the public firefighters moved to new locations where they could afford to live then private fire departments could be funded by building owners. In that case it would be different.

OK, substitute "your average hourly worker" for "firefighter."

Now I will grant to you that if all of the public firefighters moved to new locations where they could afford to live then private fire departments could be funded by building owners. In that case it would be different.

Oh please, the Republicans want to scream about their awful tax burdens, but they sure as hell don't want to pay for their own firefighters, roads, traffic lights, municiple utilities and in many cases, their subsidized goverment rental checks - no, no, no - way!

From the article: "... want to live in high-priced cities can work two jobs, said W. Michael Cox, chief economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. "I think it's great," he said. "It gives you portfolio diversification in your income."

OK, so what if I live in Arkansas, I'm working two jobs, my wife is working full time outside of our home, we have two kids who can't work, and we can't get health insurance?

What's so great about that? Is "portfolio diversification" supposed to make my family feel comfortable?

Maybe I should ask the wife to take another job to diversify the portfolio a little more.

Maybe the kids can stay out of trouble while they're home alone.

When did Police Officers and Firefighters become accepted as 'The Poor'?

I'm always concerned about the "working poor" when the essentials include cable, dining out, new cars, boats and anything that we can put on credit.

Whatever happened to learning to live on a budget and being willing to sacrifice for future rewards.

Saving for the future is no longer expected by society. It is all about feeling good today and paying for it tommorrow. And you wonder why the country is in such bad shape.

So much for being your brother's keeper.

"Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed."
Herman Melville

If I am my brother's keeper then I get to decide what constitutes "keeping" and what is a need and what is a want.

Hmm, if all the firefighters and other workers that keep everything going move away, who are the wealthy going to find to fight their fires, clean their toilets and pick up their garbage?

Silly, isn't it, to not pay enough for them to stay where they are needed. I am always astonished at people looking down on the poor that do these things.