[randyrand]

You joke, but the sentiment is correct. The poor have it incredibly good today relative to the rich - better than any time in history. In the past ( 2000BCE-1900CE) the disparities in lifestyle were much, much, larger. Stark disparities in access to water, much shorter life expediencies, no transportation beyond walking, limited food. The disparities in lifestyle between the rich and the poor have only continued to decrease over time, despite the dollar amount.

That said, I don't deny that disparities still exist. Disparities are natural and just, and I have no problem with that.

Along with that, if you still want to help the poor and donate your income, go do it! I think it's a great thing. And importantly, nothing is stopping you. You don't even need to government to help you. There are inumerous private charities more than willing to help you.

[gorbachev]

"The poor have it incredibly good today relative to the rich"

I think you have a pretty poor understanding of what it means to be poor in the United States.

Just consider the consequences of what it truly means if you don't have the ability to cover for an emergency that would cost $1000 to fix. That's the reality for millions and millions of Americans.

You don't have to even start thinking about the lack of access to quality education, healthcare and other essential services to see the absurdity of your claim.

To compare their living conditions to how it was in the middle ages is just moronic. The poor in middle ages still had it better than the poor saps who had to fight saber tooth tigers on occasion.

[randyrand]

I'm not comparing living conditions of poor people in the middle ages to poor people today.

I'm comparing the ratio between the living conditions of the poor to the rich in the past, and to the poor to the rich today.

The ratio has never been smaller, but the NYT would never admit that.

This has been true from the beginning of history ~4000BCE til now.

[frotak]

I am curious what you base your evaluation of "living conditions" on.

Or rather, whether or not you have experienced what the living conditions of the poor are.

I dropped everything and moved across the country when I was 20. I had nothing. I lived in a run down house that was originally a three story single family home but had been subdivided into five apartments. My bathroom had mushrooms growing through the floor boards at the base of the tub and toilet. One of my neighbors was a prostitute turning tricks out of her apartment. Which I suppose was tolerated because she was "dating" the landlord's alcoholic brother who also lived in the building.

I spent about three months living on plasma donations plus my girlfriend at the time's meager wages. I hauled laundry three blocks for the privilege of paying $50 to get a week's worth of clothes washed. The central heating was garbage so when the snow storm came that winter we were sleeping in our winter jackets and layering thermal underwear. Trying to go to a grocery store for food was an adventure...riding the bus with one transfer to a different line out to the store, then a ride back carrying all the bags.

I ate more rice and beans and potatoes than I want to remember.

And that wasn't even that bad to be honest. There are conditions that people live in which are much, much, much worse than that. In terms of dilapidated housing where, no, they don't get to keep out the elements, and no, they're not guaranteed to be free of lead or asbestos or other known contaminates. Food insecurity. Lack of clothing. And don't even start on access to health care. Forget about mental health care.

It's a totally different world being poor. Contrasted with the lifestyles of even the moderately well to do today I think the gap is quite enormous.