You described the people I know to a T. Thing is that that is more or less how it is for most people, most of the time, American or not. The problem of course is that while we're all living our lives, our pockets are being picked by the criminals in corporate America and the U.S. Congress.

I love you, will you marry me?

I don't hate the rich because they have money and I don't. I hate the rich because they have ALL the money. After 20 years in corporate America, a short 4 year stint in a service industry working for a multinational, billionaire company, being unable to make ends meet on the wages they paid, I struck out to return to NY and failed. The job fell through and I found myself thrown back on nothing, scrambling to survive for the first time in my life. I moved in with friends, took any job I could find, did substitute teaching and finally landed a job cleaning houses and offices. I clean houses and offices for some very wealthy clients, one an internationally famous performer. I also clean houses for a few working middle class families. I'm very good at what I do. Clients request me. Wanna know which gives me a tip, every time, and which never gives me a tip?

As a good friend likes to say, the richer they are the cheaper they come. Fuck the rich.

By the way. Millions of people live in NYC for a lot less than $100,000 per year. What's your problem?

I lived quite comfortably in NYC but just a few years ago on $55,000 before tax. There was no other income in the house, but I lived alone. Mortgage deduction was all. I was able to save some and lost 10 grand in the .com bust.

Given the types and range of responsibilities, teachers would be a great deal at twice the price.

I've worked as a teacher and the number of "hats" that a teacher is expected to wear is unbelievable, and often simultaneously. I have been in awe of the depth and level of skills displayed daily by certified teachers I've worked with in public schools. They're the most underpaid workers in America. Now I know I love you.

Wealth is created by labor.

I'm in awe of your sanity and perception. You're making me drool.

Gosh, I dunno. Are you female?

With your smarts and insights you must also be a creative person. It's irrelevant. :-) Someone else beat me to the "I'm waiting" line.

After 1973, that ended. Starting a bit before Reagan, the top 5% started to see their wealth rise again, while everyone else lost wages or flatlined. From Reagan on, the gap widened, wages skyrocketed for the rich while their tax burden plummeted.

The largest transference of wealth in the history of the United States, from the bottom up. So why do Americans go on defending the rich? They all dream they're going to be one of them one day. A powerful motivator, no doubt, but a total delusion for 95%.

The rich find socialism to be excellent, but only for themselves. It's much too good for the common herd.

It never ceases to amaze me how utterly deluded many Americans are about whose interest the government serves when even the most casual observation or slightest attention quickly reveals the truth. I suppose it's because the rich steal openly, adamantly, with the collusion of Congress, in plain daylight. We've just been through a big heist, one of the biggest in our history. It also never ceases to amaze me just how much of this thievery most Americans will tolerate.

Perhaps more know the score than it seems but feel powerless to do anything about it so they drop out of any participation in the political system of the country, or are tricked into believing that voting will make some kind of difference, when clearly it doesn't.

In any event, we come here to Salon or any one of the hundreds of other sites and we bemoan the status quo and rage against the injustice and kleptocracy and score easy points (as much as I might agree with and admire most of it) against the shallowness and mendacities of apologists for the system like Betze or sugarbear, rattling our cages, and then nothing. Nothing ever comes of it.

When was the last time you were hired by a poor person? When was the last time a poor person did anything of value for our country? Let's name them now ..... I don't have a list.

It's mind boggling the extent to which an ideology can so totally blind someone to the systemic exploitation, grinding toil and soul killing strife of the working poor. This guy gets up every morning and drinks a cup of nails for breakfast.

I have not had dental insurance for 10 years because I can't afford health insurance, let alone dental insurance. In the past, because I had dental insurance, I've had about $15,000 worth of work done on my teeth. About a year ago I went to a dental college where significantly reduced dental care costs are obtainable. The plan they drew up for me for what I needed came to $5,000. I laughed to keep from crying. I said, "Let's pull the two decayed ones and then we'll see about the rest." I'm still waiting as my teeth fall out.