No wonder British voters chose Brexit

[_aussieguy55]

The Labor party in Australia is nothing like its counterpart in the UK. When Union leader Bob Hawke won they sold state owned enterprises.

[_Jersey Girl]

Many of us retire with at least two pensions

We have double and triple dippers here in the US as well.

ajax are you referring to folks who receive SS and another type of retirement along with it?

[_ajax18]

ajax are you referring to folks who receive SS and another type of retirement along with it?

I've seen some collecting military disability, civilian job disability, before reaching 40 and working another civilian job full time. That's my understanding of what a triple dipper is.

[_Jersey Girl]

ajax are you referring to folks who receive SS and another type of retirement along with it?

I've seen some collecting military disability, civilian job disability, before reaching 40 and working another civilian job full time. That's my understanding of what a triple dipper is.

Your above has literally nothing to do with the post of Chap's that you were replying to.

[_ajax18]

Your above has literally nothing to do with the post of Chap's that you were replying to.

There's plenty of different ways for older people to double and triple dip, especially among government workers. My point stands that the same maldistribution of wealth from the young working lower middle class people to older double and triple dippers that Chap sees in Britian exists here in the US as well.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

In fact it'd be nice if we could leave the social security program altogether as Republican states here in the US.

I always wonder what a Republican utopia would look like....

Whatever is the case is, I believe poor Republicans (a.k.a. - idiot socialists who think they’re libertarians) don’t understand that as you reduce the power of government, you increase the power of corporations. A land without government is a land ruled by whoever has the most access to capital. Sure, my poor Republican friend has tons of guns, but what are they worth when a billionaire backed militia comes to take his arable land?

The Koch brothers’ endgame of the anti-'big government' push is to allow fewer people to dictate more of American life. The cynicism towards government's efficacy is unfounded, as most of the inefficiencies are either a purposeful sabotage on the anti-government politicians' part or just a necessary function of trying to get things right. At a certain point, when billionaires like them or any others’ wealth competes with small nations, we the people need to ask ourselves if they have too much power or privilege.

Freedom in the American Democratic Republic means freedom from tyranny, not freedom to do as you please. And when one person or small group of people gain to much power or too many privileges, it diminishes the freedom of others. That is not a free and fair system.

Anyway. To give someone like Ajax a concrete example I’d suggest he look into our current quasi-feudalistic state where more and more people are renting from large property management companies owned by hedge funds or conglomerates. At some point real estate becomes Monopoly and the game is rigged. These guys then just own the crap out of politicians who serve them rather than their constituents... and it doesn’t take much to keep a politico in your pocket when you’re super wealthy.

[_Chap]

Many of us [in the UK] retire with at least two pensions

We have double and triple dippers here in the US as well.

Your use of the term 'dipper' is, if I understand you rightly, intended to suggest that the pensions British people receive are in some way extracted from other people's pockets by illegitimate means.

However the state pension is not some kind of charitable contribution made by a kind society, but something one becomes entitled to after a lifetime of paying what is called 'National Insurance', which is deducted from your pay automatically. Under current arrangements you have to pay in for 35 years in order to qualify for the full pension. Non-state work-related pensions are funded by the contributions you have made, and your employer has made to an investment fund during your working life.

So your unpleasant little expression is misdirected.

[_I have a question]

My point stands that the same maldistribution of wealth from the young working lower middle class people to older double and triple dippers that Chap sees in Britian exists here in the US as well.

Can you explain what you mean by wealth maldistribution, who you think young working lower middle class people are, why you think wealth is maldistributed between that group and older people on pensions, and how such a situation (if it actually exists) should be addressed by either the UK or the USA?