Congratulations! You're rich!

[j]

When you hear Democrats bemoaning tax cuts for the "richest one percent," look out. They just might be talking about you. If you make $42,200 a year or more, you are among the richest one percent - in the world, that is.

Want to see just how rich you are? A new website, the Global Rich List, allows you to plug in your annual income, and the site tells you where you rank among the world's richest people.

For example, if you are single and make $9,300, you may think you are poor. That's the U.S. Census Bureau's definition of poverty. But compared with the rest of the world, your income is in the top 12 percent.

According to the site, an annual household income of $42,200 -- the U.S. median in 2001 -- is enough to land someone in the world's richest 1 percent.

The site uses figures from the World Bank's Development Research Group, which estimates that for the world's 6 billion people, average annual income is $5,000.

Nicolas Roope, one of the site's creators, said "The idea is to really make people think about how rich they are compared to the rest of the world."

Roope is the creative director of Poke, a London interactive media company. He launched the site to coincide with this week's World Trade Organization summit in Cancun, Mexico, where poor countries are pitting themselves against rich. Key issues include cheap generic drugs for developing nations, and an end to richer nations' huge farm subsidies and high tariffs, which one Brussels think tank, the Center for the New Europe (CNE), says are responsible for 6,600 deaths per day in poor countries.

According to the CNE, because richer European countries impose tariffs ranging from 20 to 250 percent on chickens and orange juice from Bolivia, and the European Union spends $41 billion a year to subsidize their own farm products, Bolivia's people die of poverty.

Now, back to the website that declares you to be rich. Roope admitted the calculations don't take into account disparities in the cost of living, taxation and other factors that contribute to income. "It's simplified," he said. "The goal is to make people think."

It has made people think, and it had made some of them mad. The site has received lots of e-mail, including some hate mail. Roope says most of the hate mail is from U.S. citizens who perceive an anti-American slant.

Hmmm. Isn't that interesting? It seems most Americans like anti-rich rhetoric just fine until they too are defined as being among "the rich." Now more of us have a chance to know what it's like to be the subject of scorn because we are among the richest one percent.

[coriolis]

Well I know that Americans are probably the worlds biggest whiners. We are spoiled and have high expectations. It's true that the least fortunate of us live better than most people in the world. Of course our prosperity is directly linked to having peace and stability within our borders, and a form of government that works, warts and all.

[JCT777]

Well, I guess I should stop complaining about having a lack of money. Apparantly, I am filthy rich!

[GulfBreezer]

The thing is that when we are compared to the rest of the WORLD, that includes impoverished countries that have NO money. So, yes, compared to them we are indeed very wealthy!

[Stephanie]

With the cost of war adding up, increased need for better security measures for our infrastructure, the deficit ballooning, etc., we REALLY COULD USE that money back!

[j]

I'm confused Steph.."what" money are you referring to?

[Stephanie]

I'm confused Steph.."what" money are you referring to?

The tax cut money - the government could really use it back. So could I, (and I have ), but there's alot of things out there that needs to get done and it costs money.

[TexasStooge]

Hey, my mom is paid a good wad of cash so why am I complaining?

[j]

I thought you were going to say that. We have a differance of opinion on that subject (surprise surprise:).....I say the more tax cuts ..the better. If Washington is coming up short, its time to cut entitlements, money to special interest groups, funding for idiotic social programs, researchg grants for the study of the mating habits of the Sperm whale....

Not picking on the Democrats (although they live by the tax and spend philosophy). It doesn't matter who is controlling our Government, there is too much fat!

Stop sending money to every third world country out there, especially stop all aid to any country that didn't help in the global fight against terrorism.

Although I would never vote for Arnold S., I have to respect his honest approach to solving California's financial woes...He promised (on the Factor), to not raise taxes, and never to accept "NO" for an answer. His goal is to find out where the money is being "wasted". Californians are taxed to the hilt, and it's not solving their problems.

Anyway...I suppose this should be another topic...

[azsnowman]

Californias tax dollars, like Az's tax dollars are going down the commode to help support the ILLEGAL ALLIENS flooding our 2 states!! Az's health care, welfare and food stamp programs are MAXED out! In fact, just recently, our health care system in Az is some 245 MILLION $$ in the toilet thanks to the illegals!! I've always preached a 10% across the board flat tax on everything except food, this way, the illegals would contibute to the *cause* they so want to be a part of!

[j]

A flat tax would suit me just fine. Arnold is pledging to do something about the illegals....I hope he sticks to his campaign promises (assuming he wins )

[Stephanie]

I thought you were going to say that. We have a differance of opinion on that subject (surprise surprise:).....I say the more tax cuts ..the better. If Washington is coming up short, its time to cut entitlements, money to special interest groups, funding for idiotic social programs, researchg grants for the study of the mating habits of the Sperm whale....

Not picking on the Democrats (although they live by the tax and spend philosophy). It doesn't matter who is controlling our Government, there is too much fat!
Stop sending money to every third world country out there, especially stop all aid to any country that didn't help in the global fight against terrorism.

Although I would never vote for Arnold S., I have to respect his honest approach to solving California's financial woes...He promised (on the Factor), to not raise taxes, and never to accept "NO" for an answer. His goal is to find out where the money is being "wasted". Californians are taxed to the hilt, and it's not solving their problems.

Anyway...I suppose this should be another topic...

I knew we'd have a difference of opinion on this as well. However, it seems that the Republicans like to spend money on credit and worry about where the money will come later.

I agree that there is a ton of pork in our government to be cut, if someone had the guts to actually look for it.