What do you think the goverment should do to close the gap between the rich and the poor?
92487
They shouldn't do anything. This is a capitalistic society, and everyone deserves every dollar they have.
156422
Yes, for people to be considered wealthy there must be people poorer than them or we would all be equal which would redefine wealthy.
268518
Give our people the food, shelter and medical care they need...honor our armed forces for their sacrafices...fly everywhere to see my family and friends...buy them some houses, etc....uh oh, started thinking I won the lottery or something. Seriously, I would make sure people had the basic needs in life and service people didn't have to struggle for their benefits. I'd work really hard at rebuilding our reputation with other countries. I'd push for certain rights afforded to married people be given to a person of one's choice and not to a person's gay or lesbian partner. Also, I would try to make people see that our freedom's do not make it okay to make others suffer...e.g. religion. Because we have freedom to religion in our country does not mean freedom to kill if that is what a religion teaches.
164738
I think we should use rich people, anyone who makes over 100k a year will have to be experimented on. put shampoo in their eyes. Save the puppies and monkeys, test on the rich.
753536
Sure, if that's what is needed.  Truthfully, we have a great deal of tax revenue.  But I'd like to see it going for roads, education, health care, programs to help impoverished people.  And that's what tax revenue is for, to keep society functioning smoothly.  I also would like to see an equitable tax system.  And I'd like to see bureaucracy cut, one of the biggest drains of tax revenues.  And I'd like to see...\n\nPeace.
1042443
The only way to solve this proplem we will give Education to poor people
986387
Sorry porky, the poor will be with us forever and their numbers will grow as more and more poor are born every.  Bummer.\n\nIf it were up to you,  you will kill them off for being poor.  It's not an original idea -  Charles Dickens chronicled the life of poor people in most of his work ex (A Christmas Carol).\n\nMe? I prefer extending a helping hand.
492349
I would make it so that only people under a certain income level could play and win lottery winnings.The only people I see win the lottery are people that don't need it like us unfortunate people.And the homeless.
225637
So far the government has been a failure in response to poverty. Social programs don't work as they allow for to many people to cheat. How ever the Clinton approach was closest to the best in my opinion, he helped to create an environment where everybody that wanted to work could get a job. His welfare to work program, raising taxes on the very rich and reinvesting it in the poor without giving it to them might be something that needs to be looked into closer. Education is an influence on poverty. Everybody needs to be something whether it is a taxi driver or a doctor everybody has potential for something.
394179
Absolutely NOT!  I believe the tax burden on the poor should be light and that those who are successful and benefited the most from society should carry the larger tax burden.  Our current system is set up to do just that.  A flat tax would be nothing but a huge tax increase on the working poor and middle class and a tax cut for the wealthy.
473431
pro - simplify the tax process\n\ncon - poor and middle class would pay higher taxes\n\nfor the people who think a flat tax would not hurt poor people, \nif aprox. 17% of income is collected as tax revenue and rich people pay over 30% of their income to irs where would the shortfall come from?
469194
Excellent question.\n\nGreed weakens the economy.\n\nPeople need to work together, appreciate one another for what they are worth.  That is the right way to get rich.
300697
I don't think it can. Poverty can be reduced, but in order to cure poverty, everyone would have to put in the effort and wealth and goods would have to be distributed more equally, which isn't going to happen. In our capitalistic society, money is power and people don't want to give that up. Also, our values and where we put money is so jaded ( police officers, fire fighters, and teachers make very little, while athletes make millions), that it would take a menal overhaul and societal change before we can ever come close to curing poverty
747403
This is a fiscal Titanic and something should be done.  First, raise taxes on the rich.  Second, cut spending, like on Abstinence Preaching and other right-wing social engineering schemes.  Third, sell the Bush and Cheney families into slavery.
566043
Vote..the same.  But SUPPORT it is the rich as the money that they donate can be used to buy the vote of the poor.
87543
From where I see it most of it has disappeared into one or the other of the two.  We have very little middle ground anymore.  While many people  may be making the trip upward an awlful lot of the middle class has disappeared into the poorer class and have never moved anywhere so they do not even realize that they have done it.  The gap between the Rich and Poor is getting larger and larger with each new day.  Too many people have felt like they are from a throw away economy the way different job's have just disappeared with nothing to replace them with.  We live in a two income economy and wihout two incomes most families are not making it unless they are from the upper half of the scale.  As for me I am retired and have not figured out where I fit in yet.
529203
Revolution? Hmmmmm, wishful thinking.\nI wish I knew the answer to this one. I think that our (UK) society has to take a giant evolutionary leap and realise that actually, the royals are not all that great and that their vast wealth could be redistributed to make better schools, hospitals, public transport.\nIs it going to happen? That's another question....