[megaman821]

Even in the current flawed system of capitalism, the top 20% are doing pretty great and the bottom 80% have a very slow rising tide. What does that look life for communism, 1% doing great and 99% barely surviving?

Can we do better? A lot better. Is communism the way? God no. Now if you tell me America needs to reevaluate is social spending and priorities, I am totally on board.

[WalterGR]

> the bottom 80% have a very slow rising tide.

Obviously "rising tide" has many meanings, but:

In the US, the poverty rate has remained fairly consistent since about 1970. Purchasing power has remained stagnant since about the same time.

[pwinnski]

> the bottom 80% have a very slow rising tide

This was true until the 1980s in the US. I remember a very popular national politician showing that it wasn't true that the poor were getting poorer, they were just getting richer at a much slower rate.

Then, in his eight years in office, he oversaw a shift so that now the poor are actually getting poorer, while the rich are getting richer at a far faster rate than they were.

Also, nobody mentioned communism but you. The subject under discussion was socialism.

[sharemywin]

That's my whole point this entire conversation about capitalism and socialism is a waste of time. It's a distraction designed to pit people against each other that probably agree on a lot more then disagree.