[Pesqueeb]

We're the New Bannana Republic! (and I'm not talking clothing).

All my life I've heard Latin America described as a failed society (or collection of failed societies) because of its grotesque maldistribution of wealth. Peasants in rags beg for food outside the high walls of opulent villas, and so on. But according to the Central Intelligence Agency (whose patriotism I hesitate to question), income distribution in the United States is more unequal than in Guyana, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, and roughly on par with Uruguay, Argentina, and Ecuador. Income inequality is actually declining in Latin America even as it continues to increase in the United States. Economically speaking, the richest nation on earth is starting to resemble a banana republic. The main difference is that the United States is big enough to maintain geographic distance between the villa-dweller and the beggar. As Ralston Thorpe tells his St. Paul's classmate, the investment banker Sherman McCoy, in Tom Wolfe's 1987 novel The Bonfire of the Vanities: "You've got to insulate, insulate, insulate."
http://www.slate.com/id/2266025/entry/2266026/

More @ the link, intersting read.

 

[Silver]

Americans seem to be born with a congenital defect that requires them all to think that they are going to be vastly rich some day.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Americans seem to be born with a congenital defect that requires them all to think that they are going to be vastly rich some day.

Duh, thats why we need to keep tax rates on the super rich so low. I'm gonna be rich biatch!

 

[FlyinPolack]

Duh, thats why we need to keep tax rates on the super rich so low. I'm gonna be rich biatch!

Now that's thinking ahead!

 

[X3pilot]

Americans seem to be born with a congenital defect that requires them all to think that they are going to be vastly rich some day.

Yeah, true. Some of those have that defect that makes them ruthless, relentless and driven.

Others get it from watching rap videos.

Which is worse? Beats me. Both seemed to have worked for the cast of Jersey Shore.

 

[KavuRider]

I think that's what keeps some people going.

America the material nation.

There is a road ride I do around here. When I start, near my house, its very "economically depressed". Lots of homeless, drugs, graffiti, etc. Then I cross to the other side of town - BMW's, Bentley's, $500K homes and no graffiti.
It still amazes me, every time, that there can be such a divide within such a small area.

 

[stoney]

I think that's what keeps some people going.

America the material nation.

There is a road ride I do around here. When I start, near my house, its very "economically depressed". Lots of homeless, drugs, graffiti, etc. Then I cross to the other side of town - BMW's, Bentley's, $500K homes and no graffiti.
It still amazes me, every time, that there can be such a divide within such a small area.

Bentley's @ $500k homes? Where the f* do you live? The poor people homes around here are $500k. Bentley's don't show up until $10mm+

 

[stevew]

Americans seem to be born with a congenital defect that requires them all to think that they are going to be vastly rich some day.

isn't that why you're here motherfvcker?

the american dreeeeeaaaaaaammmmm!

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

Bentley's @ $500k homes? Where the f* do you live? The poor people homes around here are $500k. Bentley's don't show up until $10mm+

lol, no ****.
500k is the lower boundary for houses in 5000sq ft LOTS in my PERUVIAN `hood, i aint seeing no bentleys....

heck, econoboxes, <30k japanese suvs and older toyotas driven into the ground (like the 19yo one parked in front of my house) for the most part...

 

[stevew]

Bentley's @ $500k homes? Where the f* do you live? The poor people homes around here are $500k. Bentley's don't show up until $10mm+

it's called hood rich.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

isn't that why you're here motherfvcker?

the american dreeeeeaaaaaaammmmm!

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to stevew again.

 

[stevew]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to stevew again.

like mmike....he came here for the women.

 

[KavuRider]

Bentley's @ $500k homes? Where the f* do you live? The poor people homes around here are $500k. Bentley's don't show up until $10mm+

I was just typing off the top of my head.

I start in West Phoenix, then swing through Scottsdale, then back to Phoenix on my ride.

I've seen a lot of Bentley's in Scottsdale. I'm sure those homes are worth more, but I think $500K for any home is retarded anyways, so whatever. You spend more, you've gone FULL retard...

My whole point was how vast the difference is in such a small area.

 

[manimal]

hahaha...i just did a realtor.com search for what ~$500k could buy in my county vs. just about any given city in CA.

i found this to be the average here:
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/5811-Bison-Drive_Oak-Ridge_NC_27310_1117347632
(4 bed/3.1 bath .92 acre)

i searched for homes between $500-550k in several CA cities and got this message:

We did not find any listings in
San Bernardino, CA that match your search

$500k in NC = Mini-mansion
$500k in CA = Mini-fridge

 

[DaveW]

hahaha...i just did a realtor.com search for what ~$500k could buy in my county vs. just about any given city in CA.

i found this to be the average here:
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/5811-Bison-Drive_Oak-Ridge_NC_27310_1117347632
(4 bed/3.1 bath .92 acre)

i searched for homes between $500-550k in several CA cities and got this message:




$500k in NC = Mini-mansion
$500k in CA = Mini-fridge

Sh*t US$ 500k would not get you even close to a house like that here in Wellington!!!!

 

[stoney]

Manimal, run that in san Francisco. San bernadino is the heart of the housing bust. Sf prices are actually going up!

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

Sh*t US$ 500k would not get you even close to a house like that here in Wellington!!!!

hell, not even in Lima... well, actually land is whats expensive in the city.
parking lots at appartments are $8000, 10sq ft of land run for $1000-$1200 in the city....

funny thing any garage is worth way more than the cars it houses...

 

[stevew]

J

hahaha...i just did a realtor.com search for what ~$500k could buy in my county vs. just about any given city in CA.

i found this to be the average here:
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/5811-Bison-Drive_Oak-Ridge_NC_27310_1117347632
(4 bed/3.1 bath .92 acre)

i searched for homes between $500-550k in several CA cities and got this message:




$500k in NC = Mini-mansion
$500k in CA = Mini-fridge

Who wants a N8 house?

 

[DaveW]

J
Who wants a N8 house?

You trying to make me weep?