Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1%

[웃 910]

+1

We have similar stories. I was living in my car at age 18...pulled my head out of my ####...took a night job at a factory, went to college in the day to pay all my tuition/living expenses without loans...graduated...relocate/promoted...relocated/promoted...again...relocated/promoted... fukkedup/started over...relocated/promoted...now for the past 5 years I've been in the top 10% as an individual earner and in the top 5% as a household. With the advantage of now being able to process all this in retrospect, it wasn't all that difficult for a person who is ambitious and is will to take risks/work hard and long. I also think that ANYONE can do this...you just have to get started and put in the effort.

I, quite frankly, could not care less how much the 'rich' are or are not taxed.

When I was going to community college back in 2003 tuition was around $800 for 3 or 4 classes not including books.

Now in 2011 I pay $1700 per class excluding books (although this is for a Master's Degree). I only take 2 classes a semester but not just because of $ reasons, I don't want to be studying all day.

Just a guess but I'd imagine it is pretty rare for a college student in today's day and age to be paying for their own schooling without student loans.

**Of course my tuition is nothing compared to my brother at Berkeley Law School paying about $50,000 a year for 3 years...

Edited April 14, 2011 by Lord Infamous

[JohnSmith2007 353]

When I was going to community college back in 2003 tuition was around $800 for 3 or 4 classes not including books.

Now in 2011 I pay $1700 per class excluding books (although this is for a Master's Degree). I only take 2 classes a semester but not just because of $ reasons, I don't want to be studying all day.

Just a guess but I'd imagine it is pretty rare for a college student in today's day and age to be paying for their own schooling without student loans.

I did it by joining the military and using the tuition programs and later the GI bill. It was what it took for me to make it. There are other paths that result in the same outcome. If it is important enough for a person then they will find a way.

I also used student loans. It took me 10 years to pay them off but the education was well worth the effort.

[BishopM 114]

When I was going to community college back in 2003 tuition was around $800 for 3 or 4 classes not including books.

Now in 2011 I pay $1700 per class excluding books (although this is for a Master's Degree). I only take 2 classes a semester but not just because of $ reasons, I don't want to be studying all day.

Just a guess but I'd imagine it is pretty rare for a college student in today's day and age to be paying for their own schooling without student loans.

**Of course my tuition is nothing compared to my brother at Berkeley Law School paying about $50,000 a year for 3 years...

I also went to community college for the first 2 years of my education...it was all that I could afford on my factory wages...but it was still a great education...when I graduated with my associates degree and move up to the university to get my bachelors the cost went up substantially but by saving money through the community college years I was able to push through to graduation. Without a doubt though, it is more difficult for a student today to pay cash for an education than it was when I graduated back in the 90s.

What has been said is correct: those who are willing to work to find a pathway to success will usually find it...as with most things in life there is a correlation between effort/results...

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Top 1%: $380,354

Top 5%: $159,619

Top 10%: $113,799

Top 25%: $67,280

Top 50%: >$33,048

[/font][/color]

Is that real? That's messed up. I thought Americans were richer than that. Where are all those folks making over a million a year that are supposed to bail us out of this mess? Time to cut up the credit cards and put Congress on a budget.

[웃 910]

Is that real? That's messed up. I thought Americans were richer than that. Where are all those folks making over a million a year that are supposed to bail us out of this mess? Time to cut up the credit cards and put Congress on a budget.

In some countries you make $3 a day you are in the top 15% of earners!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

In some countries you make $3 a day you are in the top 15% of earners!

But, this is America! I spend more than that on coffee and a donut.

[mawilson 2,133]

Is that real? That's messed up. I thought Americans were richer than that.

Exactly.

[natty bumppo 297]

I also went to community college for the first 2 years of my education...it was all that I could afford on my factory wages...but it was still a great education...when I graduated with my associates degree and move up to the university to get my bachelors the cost went up substantially but by saving money through the community college years I was able to push through to graduation. Without a doubt though, it is more difficult for a student today to pay cash for an education than it was when I graduated back in the 90s.

same with back in the 80's. the CC approach allowed me to get the great CT Univ system BS degree with minimal student loans. I paid off the loans in 2 years. It was tough. I looked at the interest payments and decided ... eff this. sacrificed and paid it off. the interest payments were best spent in my pocket and not at some bank.

[Zero Sum 305]

I see very good answers here pertaining to income and the road to that income. John, nobody is arguing against the notion that a desire to attain wealth by self sacrifice is present in the less- fortunate. Your assertion hat the poor are poor because they lack ambition is not mutually exclusive from that previous and frankly obvious 'truth'...

And believing that top incomes are as low as those listed above does go to show ignorance of the distribution of incomes within each group.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

I see very good answers here pertaining to income and the road to that income. John, nobody is arguing against the notion that a desire to attain wealth by self sacrifice is present in the less- fortunate. Your assertion hat the poor are poor because they lack ambition is not mutually exclusive from that previous and frankly obvious 'truth'...

And believing that top incomes are as low as those listed above does go to show ignorance of the distribution of incomes within each group.

Ah, now get it right. I never said a "lack of ambition". I said a "lack of ambition to be rich". There is a difference.

[Zero Sum 305]

Ah, now get it right. I never said a "lack of ambition". I said a "lack of ambition to be rich". There is a difference.

The more frequent conservative monicker for why the poor are poor has more to do with lazy attitudes than wih an actual drive to succeed. This is what happens whe we generalize things into deceiving ourselves into vague and false conclusions. This logic fail happens in many lines of thought.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

The more frequent conservative monicker for why the poor are poor has more to do with lazy attitudes than wih an actual drive to succeed. This is what happens whe we generalize things into deceiving ourselves into vague and false conclusions. This logic fail happens in many lines of thought.

But I never said that.

[Zero Sum 305]

No you merely implied it with absolutist language as you have been pointed out on before.

Can we get back to the identification of inequality now?

[JohnSmith2007 353]

No you merely implied it with absolutist language as you have been pointed out on before.

Can we get back to the identification of inequality now?

Where did I imply anything like that? I think I was rather specific each time I used the ambition phrase.

[Zero Sum 305]

You assume one thin which I would say disagrees with what you actually wrote. Being your statements and all I will give you the benefit of doubt in reading your own commentary on your own time. For now a massive migraine is starting so I gotta go