Wealth Gap: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ค. 2014
  • John Oliver discusses America's growing wealth gap and why it may be a problem in the future.
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ความคิดเห็น • 9K

  • @mjuang84
    @mjuang84 7 ปีที่แล้ว +7386

    The guy who wrote The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck, said something similar:
    “Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.”

    • @annnee6818
      @annnee6818 7 ปีที่แล้ว +242

      mjuang84 Thanks for that... that is a brilliant brilliant quote! :)

    • @salt_factory7566
      @salt_factory7566 7 ปีที่แล้ว +310

      America is like a lottery as shown by John Oliver. We lose hard but never think twice about it because "we have a chance." Like that will ever happen. Run again Bernie!

    • @annnee6818
      @annnee6818 7 ปีที่แล้ว +52

      Carlos Saraiva Yeah... and nothing has changed sadly.

    • @hitlerstashonfleek1447
      @hitlerstashonfleek1447 7 ปีที่แล้ว +98

      That's actually a horribly over-simplified version of the actual quote which completely changes the initial meaning. ... "Except for the field organizers of strikes, who were pretty tough monkeys and devoted, most of the so-called Communists I met were middle-class, middle-aged people playing a game of dreams. I remember a woman in easy circumstances saying to another even more affluent: ‘After the revolution even we will have more, won’t we, dear?’ Then there was another lover of proletarians who used to raise hell with Sunday picknickers on her property.
      "I guess the trouble was that we didn’t have any self-admitted proletarians. Everyone was a temporarily embarrassed capitalist. Maybe the Communists so closely questioned by the investigation committees were a danger to America, but the ones I knew-at least they claimed to be Communists-couldn’t have disrupted a Sunday-school picnic. Besides they were too busy fighting among themselves."

    • @merrymachiavelli2041
      @merrymachiavelli2041 7 ปีที่แล้ว +110

      +Hitler Stash On Fleek Couldn't you argue that reinforces the point? If even American 'Communists' interpret themselves in that manner, it speaks to how deeply rooted the belief that everyone can be wealthy goes.
      That depends, I suppose, on whether the 'we' in the quote was all Americans or just the women and her friends. Although even then, the point with Marxism wasn't to make people wealthy, it was to get rid of a socio-economic inequality and class warfare altogether through egalitarianism.

  • @noshame2389
    @noshame2389 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2174

    "the greatest income gap since the 20's" oof that aged a little too well

    • @MrHistory269
      @MrHistory269 4 ปีที่แล้ว +70

      Ikr then John said *nothing ominous there
      *foreshadowing*

    • @evolutionarydeadend6812
      @evolutionarydeadend6812 3 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      Holy crap I didn't even think about 2020 when he said that. Shiiiiiiiit

    • @Dichtsau
      @Dichtsau 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      * too_smart_comment_detected.must_destroy.capitalism_will_get_you.get_you_on_your_knees. *

    • @MissesSaschaMSP
      @MissesSaschaMSP 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      it was much funnier i swear

    • @novicesorcerer6861
      @novicesorcerer6861 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Anthony weiner also aged well lmao

  • @yoshitheonly
    @yoshitheonly 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1569

    These roaring 20's also seem to be doing equally well.

    • @Julianna.Domina
      @Julianna.Domina 3 ปีที่แล้ว +38

      help us

    • @irishparade
      @irishparade 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Happy December 31st finally...

    • @MyChannel773
      @MyChannel773 3 ปีที่แล้ว +47

      the roaring 20s had a deadly global pandemic and unbelievable income inequality.... clearly no foreshadowing here !

    • @xanderfulton3186
      @xanderfulton3186 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Coming back to old Last Week Tonight is always great

    • @sebastiansaldias4522
      @sebastiansaldias4522 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Just wait for the new worst depression!

  • @Filip_emo_music
    @Filip_emo_music 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1299

    its says something about this show when his old videos consistently age well

    • @thisisaname3283
      @thisisaname3283 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      I agree with Mr. Watros

    • @bigwagon6727
      @bigwagon6727 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      So true. Wattching from March 2020

    • @OrigamiMarie
      @OrigamiMarie 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Aging better all the time. July 2020 and this is all starting to feel like we're near some kind of terrifying tipping point.

    • @fiveoclock7829
      @fiveoclock7829 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Still aging like a fine wine. August 2020.

    • @SlowDay1651
      @SlowDay1651 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yup

  • @Kitsudote
    @Kitsudote 2 ปีที่แล้ว +358

    John Oliver's videos all have two things in common:
    1. They are still funny after years have passed
    2. They are still relevant after all those years

    • @baysidelad1
      @baysidelad1 ปีที่แล้ว

      You forgot his blatant leftie focus

    • @DiabloGEN
      @DiabloGEN ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Up until trump gets elected. Then every episode is about Trump

    • @timothybell5698
      @timothybell5698 ปีที่แล้ว

      Oh man, wait until you find out about Smedley Butler

    • @nathanielmathews2617
      @nathanielmathews2617 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@DiabloGEN Except that isn't the case. Just because he makes jokes about him or comments on him doesn't mean the episode is about it.

    • @nathanielmathews2617
      @nathanielmathews2617 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@baysidelad1 That's a plus.

  • @WeDeserveBetterNow
    @WeDeserveBetterNow 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2629

    Dear 2014 John Oliver: I've got some terrible yet extremely predictable news... IT HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE, MUCH WORSE.

    • @YaowBucketHEAD
      @YaowBucketHEAD 4 ปีที่แล้ว +55

      😥
      #Bernie2020
      I can't wait for the freakout of the ultra rich acting like their lives are being destroyed.
      I'm just genuinely terrified of the "blowback". The rich (and their corrupt politician friends) will do everything they can to make the common folk pay.

    • @SethTraplifeGLO999
      @SethTraplifeGLO999 4 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      @@YaowBucketHEAD it's over buddy. Bernie couldn't pull it off. Were getting biden

    • @YaowBucketHEAD
      @YaowBucketHEAD 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @@SethTraplifeGLO999 and Trump destroys Biden.
      I've seen speculations? rumors? that Biden is going to tab HRC as his VP.
      They will be *obliterated* if that actually happens.

    • @SethTraplifeGLO999
      @SethTraplifeGLO999 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@YaowBucketHEAD that will NOT happen lol

    • @SethTraplifeGLO999
      @SethTraplifeGLO999 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      But yeah bidens gonna got smoked by trump and it sucks

  • @nikolai3620
    @nikolai3620 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1571

    Megyn Kelly is right. She doesn't have a 5 million dollar estate.
    She has a 45 million dollar estate.

    • @lukemcguire6363
      @lukemcguire6363 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      What a bitch!!!

    • @erikaflores2339
      @erikaflores2339 3 ปีที่แล้ว +83

      0:09
      chuckles in "watching this for free on TH-cam"

    • @somerandomduck5795
      @somerandomduck5795 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@erikaflores2339 lmao

    • @unreallilac5554
      @unreallilac5554 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@erikaflores2339 same

    • @mvvagner
      @mvvagner 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      ​@@erikaflores2339 I thought that was the only way anyone watched this show.

  • @Simnacher
    @Simnacher 4 ปีที่แล้ว +244

    I am always reminded of John Dickinson's line from the musical 1776: Don't forget that most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor. And that is why they will follow us!

    • @cloverplayssnakegame
      @cloverplayssnakegame 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I love that musical and I never see anybody referencing it so thank you so much

  • @HighlandLowlife
    @HighlandLowlife 8 ปีที่แล้ว +4459

    In the immortal words of George Carlin: It's called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.

    • @shenronded
      @shenronded 8 ปีที่แล้ว +88

      +Conar Kennedy I love George Carlin.

    • @PageNotFound-fm5xu
      @PageNotFound-fm5xu 6 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      No... It's the American dream, because even the "poor" people in America are wealthier than most of the world.

    • @TheEvolver311
      @TheEvolver311 6 ปีที่แล้ว +162

      wrong that is just the nonsense goal post switching shit the Rightwing does, for the longest time the "American Dream" was if I work hard and do a good job I will be compensated well and be able to afford a middle class life for me and my family. Then after giving over everything to the wealthy oligarchic elites it became "you never know you could just randomly get rich" and now apparently its "just be glade your not poor in another country, be happy to be poor in America".

    • @smileyheckster7231
      @smileyheckster7231 6 ปีที่แล้ว +84

      lol poor people actually end up working harder and longer than rich people, but can't get anywhere because of poor paying jobs, which they got from not being able to afford a good education(or dropped out to help family members by working, or the school was underfunded and understaffed because it was in a poor area). Then when they have kids the cycle repeats. The result? Generations of people stuck down below the povcerty line, and this is why there is a higher number of minority people who are poor, because of past racism and bigotry that got them stuck their in the first place. Basically what I'm trying to say is we need a better education and medicaid system, as the key to breaking out of that poverty area is through getting a good college education, allowing for a higher paying job and doing the same if not less amount of work you would have had to do if you were still stuck in that poverty cycle.

    • @scavenger4704
      @scavenger4704 6 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      MethylpheniDAVE that's basically a mantra you repeat to yourself to feel better about your life, but the US still has people going hungry just as in those countries full of peasants from your imagination.

  • @OleOlson
    @OleOlson 9 ปีที่แล้ว +366

    Wealth Inequality is poisoning the American Dream, killing economic opportunity for everyone, and hurting the overall economy. It is the #1 fiscal issue we must keep the spotlight on in order to fix it.

    • @KimberlyCrawley
      @KimberlyCrawley 9 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Ole Olson​ Have you joined my John Oliver G+ community?
      plus.google.com/app/basic/communities/101046899216328680869

    • @rfd177
      @rfd177 9 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      It is unfathomable that members of our own communities defend the people who try to claim this isn't an issue. What could they possibly hope to gain from that thinking?

    • @OleOlson
      @OleOlson 9 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Bad link, but I searched it out and found it Kim.
      plus.google.com/communities/101046899216328680869

    • @OleOlson
      @OleOlson 9 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      ***** I certainly agree with some of your points. Over the past 35 years the vast majority of the income gains have gone to the rich. Even under Obama 95% of the recovery has gone to the richest 1%. However Obama has repeatedly and passionately called for steps for Middle Class economy, one with good paying jobs with decent benefits. He has even taken executive action on the federal level to sidestep the unprecedented resistance to higher wages from cheap labor conservative obstructionists in the Republican Party. If Obama was truly the "king" that right wingers portray him to be, you be sure the federal minimum wage would have been $10.50 years ago, maybe even higher.
      As for immigration, sure, it has an impact on wages for lower paid workers, especially in the agricultural sector. How many people would break their backs in the hot sun for 12 hour shifts in the field for $2/hour? How many US Citizens are willing to work in the incredibly harsh conditions of a turkey plant for poverty wages? Etc. If we were to fully crack down on businesses to stop undocumented folks from doing this work, it would help, even if prices would rise a bit. I would prefer a path to citizenship however so that these folks have a chance to become legal members of society, and for everyones wages to rise.
      Undocumented migration is not even close to being the big part of the problem however, Trickle Down economics is, and yes, trade pacts that outsource good jobs to cheap overseas labor markets that have no environmental protections. Remember that up until Reagan, all incomes were rising equally, but after that only the rich had any significant income gains.

    • @OleOlson
      @OleOlson 9 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You've given me some reading to do *****, and I will give it an honest chance, as I respect evidence and let it guide my judgment. However, your last link is irrelevant. The Labor Participation Rate is low because Baby Boomers are retiring, not because undocumented migrants are taking all the jobs.

  • @kittykake44
    @kittykake44 4 ปีที่แล้ว +323

    0:09
    *chuckles in "watching this for free on TH-cam"*

    • @gavin_g_abroad
      @gavin_g_abroad 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      TH-cam is the only way I watch John Oliver and the only way I stay sane

    • @kurtsudheim825
      @kurtsudheim825 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Technically, you've paid for a device to watch this on, & an internet connection & data, so bit completely free!

    • @opmules2574
      @opmules2574 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Except your data is being sold by google, so maybe?

    • @muhammadkutty8754
      @muhammadkutty8754 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I don't understand what's the point of using HBO subscription to watch last week tonight when they upload their episodes on TH-cam

    • @southsiren
      @southsiren หลายเดือนก่อน

      HBO stopped that this year. John was the reason I liked Mondays. Their filthy business daddy doesn't want the peasants to be happy.

  • @or10nsharkfin
    @or10nsharkfin 2 ปีที่แล้ว +165

    Always remember that corporations absolutely have the capability to pay higher wages--they just don't want to, because that's less money given to the board, the shareholders, the CEO's, and the politicians pushing their agenda.

  • @ThatAngeloGuy
    @ThatAngeloGuy 9 ปีที่แล้ว +390

    Similar to how the south defended slavery; only 1-2% of them actually owned slaves but the prospect of owning slaves themselves was the main reason they defended it so vigorously.

    • @Anthony_in_Bloomington_Indiana
      @Anthony_in_Bloomington_Indiana 9 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      ***** You're very insightful, Adrienne. I can just picture those poor white guys in the South before The Civil War.
      I have a dream ... to own dozens of slaves who will work hard and make me wealthy! I will not judge them by the content of their character but by the color of their skin.
      That's in the spirit of humor. Don't send me hate mail. Black people make jokes about white people too.

    • @maxki
      @maxki 9 ปีที่แล้ว +38

      One main source of income equality is CEO pay. There is now proof that there is no correlation between CEO pay and performance.
      In fact, there is evidence that CEOs are dumb and that you're likely smarter than your CEO.
      Search for and read: "Leaders: Not the smartest in the room newworldparty"

    • @mulogoogwambiadroakingongo3030
      @mulogoogwambiadroakingongo3030 9 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Max Kissime u are very wrong. CEO very smart.

    • @ThatAngeloGuy
      @ThatAngeloGuy 9 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      *****
      Same logic could be applied to anything in history. "How could you speak for the entire Nazi Germany during World War II? Did you fight in that war? Were you even alive back then?" Does that mean that logical comparisons can't be done? No, so fuck off

    • @ThatAngeloGuy
      @ThatAngeloGuy 9 ปีที่แล้ว

      *****
      I did give a legitimate response and you're just choosing to ignore it. With your stupid comment you are pretty much discounting every opinion of every historian out there.

  • @420Effect
    @420Effect 5 ปีที่แล้ว +609

    Megan Kelly: "I dont have a 5 million dollar estate"
    What about your annual 18 million dollar salary? u spend it all on argon oil shampoo ?

    • @fullanalysis93
      @fullanalysis93 4 ปีที่แล้ว +38

      Actually, I would believe that. Career people like that piss away their salaries all the time

    • @leelewis8749
      @leelewis8749 4 ปีที่แล้ว +77

      Well she was telling the truth there. she doesn't have a 5million dollar estate, it's probably something more along the lines of a 30milliion dollar estate.

    • @3Rayfire
      @3Rayfire 4 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      "My momma always told me, a man only needs so much money to live...the rest is just for showin' off!" ~ Forest Gump

    • @Scorch428
      @Scorch428 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      The difference between bringing home 18 million a year and 30k a year is insane. There needs to be a better balance.How about like 100k and 9 mil a year? Is that too much balance to ask for??

    • @produdeyay
      @produdeyay 4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      @@Scorch428 sadly, the people making those decisions are the people getting high salaries, they will never increase someone's pay at the expense of their own. My past workplace have the same issue. From my discussion with management / fellow colleagues, the main reason nothing has changed seems to be because
      1) Other companies are also paying low (so it is expected industry wage) - but the wage has been the same for like 10+yrs...
      2) They provides job security, so we should expect a lower wage - which makes the least sense in this technology era
      3) People that climbed the ladder wouldnt fight for a higher wage, cos they received the same amount when they were starting out, so they see it as fair - but they didn't take into account inflation etc.
      etc. etc.
      Basically, unless there is a massive strike, or a massive group of people leaving the job which causes a tonne of problem, the boss sees as no problem and sticks to status quo.

  • @AliciaNyblade
    @AliciaNyblade 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1591

    "The paradise of the rich is made from the Hell of the poor."
    --Victor Hugo

    • @austinrichardson7433
      @austinrichardson7433 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Alicia Nyblade if I created a app that brings value to people and cost $5.00 and 3.00 of every sale goes to operation costs and employee salaries and let’s say I get 10 million purchases a year for 50 million/ 30 towards operation cost and salaries but I make 20 million how do I screw any poor person over?

    • @AliciaNyblade
      @AliciaNyblade 4 ปีที่แล้ว +48

      @@austinrichardson7433 So you hypothetically follow fair business practices and you expect to be considered a champion of the people? Well done.

    • @filrabat
      @filrabat 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      @@austinrichardson7433 In theory, yes. In practice, I'm skeptical. Which is more likely - a person gets mega-rich through his or her own efforts in fair ways, or that the owner or board use methods barely this side of legal and barely complaint with their profession board of ethics?

    • @melize7035
      @melize7035 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      Austin Richardson how many employees do you have? And how much in reality will their salaries be?

    • @morzh1978
      @morzh1978 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Oh no! Leaning towards CLASS WARFARE!!!

  • @lee-vk2tg
    @lee-vk2tg 5 ปีที่แล้ว +144

    "Your mashed potatoes are BLAND." top 10 insults

  • @poundlandvodka
    @poundlandvodka 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1842

    It's kind of unsurprising that the wealth gap is growing - class consciousness is so low in America that no-one really associates themselves with the "working class" so there's no solidarity among low-paid workers. No solidarity means no pressure on business and government for enfranchisement, and that means things inevitably get worse.

    • @ActuatedGear
      @ActuatedGear 7 ปีที่แล้ว +195

      Put someone in a nice enough cage and they think its a house. I like my cage. It has internet tv.

    • @potaterjim
      @potaterjim 7 ปีที่แล้ว +75

      +actuatedgear this is the perfect way to describe it. Didn't people give slaves beer so they wouldn't revolt or something?

    • @ActuatedGear
      @ActuatedGear 7 ปีที่แล้ว +43

      potaterjim
      It was my understanding that that was payment, not anti revolt bribery...but really whats the real difference?

    • @potaterjim
      @potaterjim 7 ปีที่แล้ว +28

      +actuatedgear the difference is you can live free on payment, not "just enough to not want to bother revolting, but far too little to ever escape their situation"

    • @ActuatedGear
      @ActuatedGear 7 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      potaterjim You'd be amazed how wide that margin can be. Absolutely fucking amazed.

  • @pdoylemi
    @pdoylemi 8 ปีที่แล้ว +923

    It's not just the "Class-Warfare" stuff that causes a problem, it is as much, or more about the fact that the people who have all the money are funding all these campaigns.

    • @leewelter2774
      @leewelter2774 8 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      Pat Doyle : and too many are gullible. Thomas Jefferson warned: a poorly educated society will not remain free. That's why politicians maintain a K-12 school monopoly with mandatory attendance. Paying twice affords "private" schooling.

    • @pdoylemi
      @pdoylemi 8 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Lee Welter
      I agree, but it isn't just the politicians who are the problem. More often, it is the parents who support and demand the degradation of their own children's education.

    • @leewelter2774
      @leewelter2774 8 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      In 1928, Edward Bernays, “The Father of Public Relations”, published his book,
      PROPAGANDA. His opening sentence reads: “The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.”
      Thirty-seven years later, Jacques Ellul authored PROPAGANDA: THE FORMATION
      OF MEN’S ATTITUDES, concluding fewer than 10% of us can resist propaganda’s
      powerful influence.

    • @pdoylemi
      @pdoylemi 8 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      Lee Welter
      I doubt that anyone is totally immune, but the big problem is that minimizing the effect takes serious, conscious effort that very few people are willing to make. It also requires people who have a decent education and reasonably strong critical thinking skills - something America seems to have in shorter supply each day.

    • @JimFinley11
      @JimFinley11 8 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Pat Doyle You're right about that last. I went to grad school for a master's in education, and we studied the history of public education in this and other countries. Through most of the 20th century, there was an ongoing policy battle about the purpose of public education, between the people who believe it is to provide informed citizens with critical thinking skills who know history and civics on the one hand and those who believe it is to provide compliant workers with enough basic skills to make them useful employees on the other. The latter faction won that tug of war decades ago. I could see the difference when I compared the schooling my kids were getting in the '80s and '90s with that I got in the '60s and '70s.
      And for people to resist the influence of propaganda, they also need access to accurate information regarding the situations about which they're making decisions, i.e. transparent government, truth in product labeling, knowing who is funding what political initiatives, and so on. Otherwise we're navigating in the dark.

  • @baoboustravel4033
    @baoboustravel4033 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1065

    Obama speaking a full, grammatically correct sentence makes me cry... 0:26 "The combined trends of increased inequality and decreasing mobility, pose a fundamental threat to the American dream, our way of life and what we stand for around the globe. I believe this is the the defining challenge of our time."
    To which Trump said: "Fake news! I have the best words!"

    • @shadowsoul121
      @shadowsoul121 4 ปีที่แล้ว +108

      😂😭😂😭 I didn't always agree with Obama but I would rather listen to him read the phone book than any trump speech

    • @katfavre5861
      @katfavre5861 4 ปีที่แล้ว +37

      Same honestly, I checked the date and realized this was before Trump and nearly cried

    • @55vermeer
      @55vermeer 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      You should be crying because Obama's policies were a continuation of Bush's. SMH

    • @merona1546
      @merona1546 4 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      Why is Obama one of the few politicians who bring up inequality when it is such a massive problem in our country? I don't understand why politicians can't bring it up. Just shows you who really runs the country.....the 1%.

    • @MajorMlgNoob
      @MajorMlgNoob 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@55vermeer not really

  • @atticusv668
    @atticusv668 4 ปีที่แล้ว +171

    "The reason a British person has to do that is because we're raised in a ridged class system where all hope is beaten out of us."
    Ouch. That was painfully real.

    • @ribbonsofnight
      @ribbonsofnight ปีที่แล้ว +5

      but the ability to spell rigid is probably instilled.

    • @benvoliothefirst
      @benvoliothefirst ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@ribbonsofnight Ridged class systems are the worst because they're SCRATCHY!

  • @mikeschultz5551
    @mikeschultz5551 8 ปีที่แล้ว +312

    "A nation of have's and soon to have's" so does that mean all my dead relatives that never had still have a chance? What is the law on that, do I have to leave theirs on their grave or does that go straight to me?

    • @SaintBrick
      @SaintBrick 8 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      +Mike Schultz Turns out that they never actually died; Wherever they are, they are ridiculously rich, like billions and trillions rich! True Story..

    • @mikeschultz5551
      @mikeschultz5551 8 ปีที่แล้ว +48

      Damn I guess I should have been suspicious when uncle Rory's death certificate said cause of death was "HA HA HA HA Sucker!!"

    • @KennyBky92
      @KennyBky92 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      +Mike Schultz I can't stop laughing

    • @hornylink
      @hornylink 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      +Mike Schultz you deserve a cookie for that, but I can't bake, care for this Crymia commemorative coin instead?

    • @eggdesaster5808
      @eggdesaster5808 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      +Mike Schultz
      "America´s unlogic moments" for i German only a Face paw, to belive "A nation of have's and soon to have's" are stupit.
      How scrud is the US raely??

  • @thedarknightnicht
    @thedarknightnicht 7 ปีที่แล้ว +2804

    What did Ghandi say?
    The world has enough to support any mans need but not any mans greed.

    • @Priyo866
      @Priyo866 7 ปีที่แล้ว +138

      And then he launched the nuke.

    • @thedarknightnicht
      @thedarknightnicht 7 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      Priyo866 exaclty :D

    • @Left4Coragem
      @Left4Coragem 7 ปีที่แล้ว +54

      But Ghandi...i kept sending you gold 15 turns in a roll...why?
      :(

    • @thedarknightnicht
      @thedarknightnicht 7 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      ***** Ghandi can not be stopped only delayed

    • @Priyo866
      @Priyo866 7 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      *****
      I gave him THREE of my richest cities when he demanded those, loads of technology, thousands of gold (2/3 of my treasury), 90 turns of free oil, as well as supported all his actions in UN. All to keep him from attacking me.
      ....and yet I still got nuked 4 turns later.

  • @mayawilloughby6795
    @mayawilloughby6795 3 ปีที่แล้ว +59

    I keep watching these old John Oliver videos and every single time he says "the president" and cuts to Obama I'm like "what? oh right. the better days." how long ago that was.

    • @ravenlit
      @ravenlit 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Ah yes, the Before Times.

  • @BSKX17
    @BSKX17 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    during this lockdown, i'm on a mission to find any last week tonight videos that i haven't watched before. this is the second one i found

  • @Aregulargameplayer
    @Aregulargameplayer 9 ปีที่แล้ว +165

    Ah optimism, how sweet it feels and makes us feel good, like chocolate. But in reality, optimism without a healthy dose of realism and cynicism brings us nothing but disappointment and misunderstanding. We all dream of never having to worry about money but a lot of us Americans need to realize that when it comes to money it simply pays more to be practical and establish low goals than constantly seek out the grand dream. Doesn't mean we have to give up our characteristic optimism, but it does mean making less of a fool of ourselves.
    It sucks that our government is ruled by the elite, and self-interests. Still, there are politicians out there that are representing the people and not the elite. Unfortunately, with politics most Americans simply do not want to touch it with a five foot pole. What a conundrum we live in!

    • @MynameisBrianZX
      @MynameisBrianZX 9 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Wipe the slate clean, BURN IT DOWN!

    • @Aregulargameplayer
      @Aregulargameplayer 9 ปีที่แล้ว

      Haha, perhaps my choice of profile picture clashes rather badly with my attempt at social commentary.

    • @TalkingJewCat
      @TalkingJewCat 9 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      Wikiramblings Well quite frankly Americans need a bit of British cynicism because we've been told about our income inequality for quite a while now and no one seems to care

    • @MattSlaughter
      @MattSlaughter 9 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      There is a statement being made about religion in this post somewhere, :-D

    • @JeedyJay
      @JeedyJay 9 ปีที่แล้ว

      Aregulargameplayer
      ... or does it *enhance* said commentary?

  • @Bounsingonbongos1
    @Bounsingonbongos1 8 ปีที่แล้ว +443

    The greatest lie in America is its own dream.

    • @TomsWhip
      @TomsWhip 8 ปีที่แล้ว +37

      +Bounsingonbongos1 It's called the american dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it

    • @chocoman45
      @chocoman45 8 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      +Bounsingonbongos1 Its a dream, you have to be asleep to believe it. -George Carlin

    • @alejandrogn4
      @alejandrogn4 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      +Bounsingonbongos1 Except I had a first row seat to watching someone do it themselves. From 3rd world immigrant to CEO of his own company, due to talent, diligence, and thrift. It's not dead. It's not imaginary.

    • @MelindaGreen
      @MelindaGreen 8 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      +Javier Giron No, not dead nor imaginary, just extremely rare.

    • @MelindaGreen
      @MelindaGreen 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      *****
      American is as America does, of course. I like how clearly you described the origin of the American dream. Truly it's made up, regardless if that was done by Americans. Note that America itself was made up. It's a contract created by a bunch of landholders for their mutual benefit. The original benefits were "life, liberty and property", but perhaps Jefferson didn't want to imply that *everybody* should be allowed to own property, so he changed it to "pursuit of happiness". Talk about a lame right.

  • @bigbengamer
    @bigbengamer 4 ปีที่แล้ว +963

    "I don't have a $5 million estate."
    Says the woman worth $30 million.

    • @benjaminkelly6443
      @benjaminkelly6443 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      John Oliver is making $5 million a year. Why count other people’s pockets? I don’t see the point

    • @DaDunge
      @DaDunge 4 ปีที่แล้ว +217

      @@benjaminkelly6443 John Oliver isn't saying you shouldn't tax him though. he's, like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, saying "tax me more".

    • @lcg3092
      @lcg3092 4 ปีที่แล้ว +134

      @@benjaminkelly6443 Because John didn't simply lied to our faces about his pockets?

    • @goldendovah7613
      @goldendovah7613 3 ปีที่แล้ว +64

      @@benjaminkelly6443 Ah the good old whataboutism fallacy.

    • @emperorpalpatine2531
      @emperorpalpatine2531 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      She’s technically right

  • @lloydhedges3011
    @lloydhedges3011 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    it is now the twenties and we are still enduring the largest wealth gap since the twenties.
    What a time to be alive.

  • @MikiForester
    @MikiForester 9 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    "Wealth is essentially dispersed as a lottery of birth." Couldn't agree more! Wish more people would acknowledge this.

  • @alexandernay5631
    @alexandernay5631 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1879

    "When you hear a Republican use the word class warfare, you can guarantee that they are waging it." - David Graeber

    • @mortenkjellreitan1649
      @mortenkjellreitan1649 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      This quote shows what an idiot Graeber is. But that's true for everyone who isn't republican.

    • @TheEvilCheesecake
      @TheEvilCheesecake 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      So are you a millionaire yet

    • @bobrolander4344
      @bobrolander4344 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      But ironically, Obama only bailed out the banks and GM CEOs. He did nothing to actually address the increasing wealth gap.

    • @3Rayfire
      @3Rayfire 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      @@bobrolander4344 TARP? The Troubled Asset Relief Program Umm...that occurred during the election, but was enacted by the Bush Administration. October 3, 2008.
      Obama did try a second "bail out" one that would've been directed towards the middle class, but congress wouldn't pass it.

    • @DaDunge
      @DaDunge 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      @@bobrolander4344 Cause he couldn't. He didn't have the votes in congress to get any of it through.

  • @wizardtim8573
    @wizardtim8573 5 ปีที่แล้ว +37

    Mercy is not a sign of a weakness but is in fact a sign of strength. For only those with power can choose to be merciful.
    If I won the lottery I'd try to figure out a way to help as many people as possible with what ever I won, and only keep a sufficient amount to pay off my house. I don't need much to be happy, never have, likely never will.

    • @onkelpappkov2666
      @onkelpappkov2666 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      From a capitalist perspective, that is weakness. Capitalism honours the accumulation of capital. If you don't use it to produce more capital, you have failed as a human in a capitalist system.
      From a social viewpoint, you helping people out of goodwill is admirable and very honourable, but that's a perspective only humans can share.
      You not capitalizing on your full monetary potential is weakness in the eyes of a capitalist mind. That's the substance of capitalism. That's what it means. The ism of capital. Just be aware that your being good would make as many people hate and despise you as it would make people love and revere you.

    • @wizardtim8573
      @wizardtim8573 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@onkelpappkov2666 All that is flat out bull shit. All of it.

    • @antenna_prolly
      @antenna_prolly 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@onkelpappkov2666 "from a Capitalist standpoint" is the bizarro version of humanity.

    • @HB-qu8dm
      @HB-qu8dm 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@onkelpappkov2666 That may be a weakness in the eyes of a true capitalist, but in a capitalist system you just have to be able to care for your own basic needs to not "fail as a human". If you win millions on the lottery and just live off that for the rest of your life not earning one single more penny, you havent failed at all, you've actually gotten extremely lucky and won.

  • @petuniapop7819
    @petuniapop7819 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    2014: idk maybe…. wealth gap bad? 🥺👉👈
    2022: ABOLISH MONEY EAT THE RICH 🔥😤

  • @stevie_ily
    @stevie_ily 8 ปีที่แล้ว +353

    2:10 no one with a moustache that looks like that should ever say the word hashtag

  • @indy_go_blue6048
    @indy_go_blue6048 8 ปีที่แล้ว +163

    Thornton Wilder said it best over 100 years ago: "America is a terrible country to be poor in." 100 years later and his words still hold true.

    • @laptv2144
      @laptv2144 6 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      This might be the most retarded thing I’ve ever read. It’s terrible to be poor anywhere, but I’d like to see a “poor” American try moving to a 3rd world country and be poor there. You can be poor here and still have a home, electricity, a car, an iPhone, and loads of shit.

    • @laptv2144
      @laptv2144 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      +Raj Singh The US gdp is still 9-10 times that of India and the highest in the world. The economy is far from destroyed.

    • @irllcd13
      @irllcd13 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      On the other hand, it's fucking amazing country to be rich in. I mean, that's true for most countries, but moreso here than any other.

    • @muhammadkutty8754
      @muhammadkutty8754 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I am pretty sure every country is a terrible country to be poor

  • @ba2.0T
    @ba2.0T 4 ปีที่แล้ว +53

    You don’t have to look at when the video was uploaded you just have to look at how gray John Oliver’s hair is 😂

    • @micaeladelgado76
      @micaeladelgado76 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I also noticed that. John has got more gray hair after Trump came to power.

    • @schattentaenzerin
      @schattentaenzerin 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      He's a US citizen now.
      Let's be glad the stress of that only made his hair gray.

    • @arkin4697
      @arkin4697 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      "When someone is poisoning me!? Please do it faster!!!"

  • @crit7514
    @crit7514 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Thank god this is 9 years old. Surely the wealth gap hasn't exponentially grown in the wrong way since 9 years ago. We all saw that there was a problem, and we fixed it, that's what's so great about humanity

  • @SharptonsRaceCard
    @SharptonsRaceCard 7 ปีที่แล้ว +186

    Ah, the "haves and soon-to-haves." The temporarily embarrassed millionaires Steinbeck referred to!

  • @rippedtanktop
    @rippedtanktop 8 ปีที่แล้ว +127

    Depressing factoid: Even in 'class-ridden, down-trodden Britain ' economic mobility is now slightly higher than it is in the US.

    • @sdb9971
      @sdb9971 8 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      the US is fucked.

    • @alsmith5147
      @alsmith5147 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      rippedtanktop False. According to research on generational mobility the US has higher mobility than the UK.

    • @user-xv6ig8tu9b
      @user-xv6ig8tu9b 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@alsmith5147 give source or stfu

    • @user-xv6ig8tu9b
      @user-xv6ig8tu9b 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Jay Ocq source or fuck off

    • @crazydinosaur8945
      @crazydinosaur8945 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@alsmith5147 today all top 5 countries in the mobility index is in scandinavia
      that's what social democracy can do
      and Britain is 4 points ahead of the US

  • @scottpeterson7500
    @scottpeterson7500 5 ปีที่แล้ว +40

    I don't have HBO, I've got TH-cam ❤️🍺🍕

    • @MrHistory269
      @MrHistory269 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      The TV version has a more Content longer episodes I think

  • @spongeintheshoe
    @spongeintheshoe 4 ปีที่แล้ว +36

    Most people think it's going to be so sweet when they finally win this game, but the reality is that if you weren't born a winner, you've already lost. And the price for losing is a life spent in service to the winners, with no consideration for you own wellbeing.

    • @incharak1927
      @incharak1927 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      People like saying if you work hard enough anything is possible but even then the chances are not in your favour whereas these ultra elite don't have to do a single thing which would have been alright if they weren't push to keep everyone else down

    • @spongeintheshoe
      @spongeintheshoe 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@incharak1927 After all, if you can do anything as long as you work hard enough, then that means that any failure is only because you didn't work hard enough. Therefore, any misfortune is your own fault, and you deserve neither aid nor sympathy.

    • @arkin4697
      @arkin4697 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Circle (2015)
      El Hoyo (2019)

    • @sentientnatalie
      @sentientnatalie 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That's right, and luck is a huge part of whether you do get it made or not. That and knowing all the right people, the movers and shakers, who can and will break you if they don't like you.

    • @EndoClaw
      @EndoClaw 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      While you can win the game the chances are literally 1 in 1000000

  • @ShakinJamacian
    @ShakinJamacian 6 ปีที่แล้ว +71

    Amazing how this video is four years old, and more true today than when it was made.

    • @irllcd13
      @irllcd13 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      This has been going on for four *decades*.

    • @williamkirkland2222
      @williamkirkland2222 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      two more years. like 10x truer now.

    • @jeremygeller9145
      @jeremygeller9145 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@irllcd13 this problem has existed since the dawn of civilization

    • @cosmosofinfinity
      @cosmosofinfinity ปีที่แล้ว

      That goes for all of John Oliver's videos. Too bad nobody in charge ever seems to watch him

  • @beastheart120
    @beastheart120 7 ปีที่แล้ว +819

    in Denmark we all pay an insane amount of taxes, and its fucking great, free education, payed vecation, PAID FOR STUDYING SO YOU DONT HAVE TO WORK AT THE SAME TIME! DAMN I LOVE DENMARK!

    • @ianwaynemcdonald
      @ianwaynemcdonald 7 ปีที่แล้ว +47

      "FREE education" "insane amount of taxes"
      See a connection there at all?

    • @beastheart120
      @beastheart120 7 ปีที่แล้ว +282

      Yeah but it also means the rich have to pay taxes, so the poor also can go to school, and since tax is not just a number ,but a %, it means the rich actually help the poor which is great.

    • @beastheart120
      @beastheart120 7 ปีที่แล้ว +157

      Haha, what you have in the USA is much like the a monarchy, except the new royals are billionaires, and since you dont have any taxes (or next to none) they dont have to help the poor and unlucky at all.

    • @andrewdiaz604
      @andrewdiaz604 7 ปีที่แล้ว +39

      they pay 40% in taxes, the problem with billionaires is making them pay that 40% they owe without them tax evading.

    • @Blittsplitt5
      @Blittsplitt5 7 ปีที่แล้ว +110

      +Bob Carter why not? we don't get anywhere as a people without fucking helping each other, you're not the only person living on this planet

  • @ursus2342
    @ursus2342 4 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    The fact that the amount of likes on this video has reached almost 100k (whilst the dislikes are close to 5k) accurately represents the class disparity among us

    • @coolioso808
      @coolioso808 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      On one hand it is great that videos like this are getting lots of views and likes. I means there are a lot of people knowing, learning and agreeing with the many problems in America and the world. But it is a little unfortunate that, while Oliver is funny and does great in depth analysis, he rarely if ever talks about solutions. That's where looking at The Zeitgeist Movement, Peter Joseph, or Redacted Tonight with Lee Camp, Jimmy Dore show or Chris Hedges is equally, if not more important. Because once people know what the problem is they naturally want to know what solutions there can be. We can only take so much awareness until we need concentrated action. That time should come sooner than we may think. Basically, we should emerge from the Coronavirus in maybe 1-2 years time ALSO emerging from the Capitalistvirus!

    • @whiterapperguy
      @whiterapperguy ปีที่แล้ว

      It is indeed! And in my opinion, many of not most of the dislikes are bots paid for my the same people trying to sow anger and frustration. Meaning that I believe (with admittedly little empirical evidence) that the like/dislike ratio is more like 100/3 to 100/1

  • @Khandrake
    @Khandrake 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    "Nation of haves and soon to haves" a fucking guillotine

  • @ackbarfan5556
    @ackbarfan5556 9 ปีที่แล้ว +192

    "Where your ether paying for HBO or stealing it." Too funny. I'm on the side of people who watch clips of it on TH-cam.

    • @professor0magic
      @professor0magic 9 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      because I barely afforded food this month...

    • @escalanteify1
      @escalanteify1 9 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      life is a bitch

    • @Patashu
      @Patashu 9 ปีที่แล้ว

      ***** soylent. I think soylent is currently expensive though, not sure you can recommend it yet ^^

    • @m1k3y48
      @m1k3y48 9 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      *****
      Don't forget to mix in a dangerous amount of cinnamon to give it flavor!

    • @MrNight48
      @MrNight48 9 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Funny huh, a show that is actually informative and thoughtful cannot be watched by the very people who need to see it, the poor.

  • @fasteddyuk
    @fasteddyuk 9 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    This video is brilliant. The comments below immediately made me feel weary. How can sooo many people miss the point by sooo far? HOW?

  • @loudgrape28
    @loudgrape28 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Watching this in 2022 prior to another recession…the world is great!

  • @Matt-ww9wv
    @Matt-ww9wv 4 ปีที่แล้ว +143

    Well, they're right. It is class warfare. But we already experience class warfare on a day to day basis when poor people can't afford to eat, have shelter, go to the hospital, or educate their children properly, etc. The difference is when you're talking about income inequality, it's obvious you're punching up rather than the implicit failures of America in solving those problems, which are constantly punching down as they ignore the issues.

    • @kushanshah8040
      @kushanshah8040 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I agree that people starving should be helped for survival but besides that the argument of wealth gap is nonsense. How do you ensure that the money you take from the rich as tax reaches every poor person and that too equally? And why should poor people get such freebies? The rich became rich because they or their ancestors worked hard for it, so why should they give it away?

    • @Robin-jk6wz
      @Robin-jk6wz 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@kushanshah8040 A n UBI like the one proposed by Yang, or alternatively the one currently functioning in Alaska, would help every poor person without question.
      What do you mean by "why should poor people get such freebies?", they are our fellow countrymen. If your mother was poor would you not want the government to help her keep the lights on and be fed?
      Why should anyone be rewarded for the hard work of their ancestors? Why is it okay for you to inherit the wealth of your ancestors without having to work for it?
      The entire purpose of capitalism is for those who are good at managing a particular kind of resource to acquire control over more of it, yet poor people are not given a chance to be able to this as college is too fucking expensive and the various industries of this country are dominated by people who lucked out and inherited daddy's wealth and connections, ironically putting unqualified people in a position of power and preventing competent people from being able to manage any resource. Not to mention that an UBI system would grow the economy as there would be more money flowing through it which would allow more people to become rich do to their competence and not their family name by having the capital to start their own business, making the economy grow further.

    • @byface9759
      @byface9759 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Robin-jk6wz I agree

    • @salvatoremaglione6398
      @salvatoremaglione6398 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Robin-jk6wz Yang is a nut in my opinion. Bernie talked about and studied inequality for over 40 years and dosen't have any extreme views on certain people meanwhile Yang is this typical hipster millenial who thinks that the rich cause all of life's problems so he will propose a 90 something % tax on the rich and give the money to drug addicts and criminals whk will achieve nothing in their miserable lives.

    • @Robin-jk6wz
      @Robin-jk6wz 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@salvatoremaglione6398 Outside of the fact that Yang is closer to being a Libertarian, my comment has relatively little to do with Yang. If I talked about how infrastructure should be better maintained that wouldn't be an endorsement of Trump, now would it?

  • @AndarilhoMarco
    @AndarilhoMarco 8 ปีที่แล้ว +46

    There's no way of discussing wealth inequality without talking about class warfare because that is the heart of the problem.

    • @jacksonayres6326
      @jacksonayres6326 8 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      +Marco Alencar
      Class is the heart of the problem, but the Right has to pretend that class is ephemeral and meaningless. They're terrified of class conflict, unless it's favorable for the bourgeois.

    • @DaDunge
      @DaDunge 8 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Most of the bourgeois aren't in the 1% either.

    • @whensomethingcriesagain
      @whensomethingcriesagain 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Here's the thing: this needs to be addressed now, or actual class warfare WILL happen at some point. It's happened before, and it'll happen again.

    • @irllcd13
      @irllcd13 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      The trickle down shit that was put into overdrive by Ronald Reagan and the Republicans that came after him was the real class warfare. They were armed with tactical nukes with the express goal of destroying the middle class. And for the most part, they won. They have to keep a token shred of it so as to not be too blatant. The GOP is waging the true class warfare. And they're doing it with the support and help of the very victims of it.
      The French and Russians knew how you deal with corrupt plutocrats. But that was a long time ago, and apparently the world needs a reminder.

  • @bumstaerk
    @bumstaerk 9 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    If there ever were anyone who deserved his own show, it's definitely John Oliver. He did an amazing job substituting for Jon Stewart. Seeing him today makes me so happy. He's the soul reason I pay for HBO, even though I have to wait 1-2 days extra to see the episodes (I live in Denmark).

  • @restinginn9906
    @restinginn9906 4 ปีที่แล้ว +78

    Socialism for the rich and rugged capitalism for the poor

    • @peteswafflemeyer5620
      @peteswafflemeyer5620 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Privatizing the profits and socializing the losses. That's the game we're playing.

  • @eatmorenachos
    @eatmorenachos 9 ปีที่แล้ว +554

    We can't grow our consumer-driven economy if the consumers don't have enough money to CONSUME anything. That's what the wealthy and their pawns don't realize. Reducing income inequality might give them a slightly smaller share of the economy---but we'd have a stronger economy overall that would benefit the rich as well.

    • @eatmorenachos
      @eatmorenachos 9 ปีที่แล้ว +63

      ***** the wealthy invest in stocks and bonds? Well golly is the sky blue? That kinda proves my point. When two-thirds of our economy is driven by consumer spending, we can't have a growing economy unless the poor and middle class have enough money to spend. Give a billionaire another tax cut and he'll stick it away somewhere. Put that money into the hands of the poor and middle class and they become the real "job creators" by spending what they have (living paycheck to paycheck, you know).
      "Rich people don’t create jobs, nor do businesses, large or small. What does lead to more employment is the feedback loop between customers and businesses. And only consumers can set in motion a virtuous cycle that allows companies to survive and thrive and business owners to hire. An ordinary middle-class consumer is far more of a job creator than I ever have been or ever will be."
      ---Nick Hanauer, venture capitalist.

    • @eatmorenachos
      @eatmorenachos 9 ปีที่แล้ว +43

      ***** In the 1950s we had a booming economy and much higher taxes on the rich and the corporations. We invested that in things like education, research and our infrastructure. There was much lower wage disparity, which meant the middle class had money to spend.
      I guess you'd prefer a feudal society where the wealthy have it all and the peasants have no rights or property and the poor and old people are just left on the streets to starve.

    • @Ryakki
      @Ryakki 9 ปีที่แล้ว +38

      *****
      The rich, for the most part, got their wealth by inheriting it. Minimum wage workers do hard labor 40-60 hours a week. Being rich isn't about contributing, it's about taking advantage of other people. It's about being a parasite. Don't get me wrong, there are people like Musk and Gates who actually put in some work, and really contribute to the world, but how many of those are there?
      No rich person alive could be rich without taking advantage of the society they're a part of. They get the most benefit from society, and so they should contribute the most towards its upkeep. Their only practical and moral entitlement is proportionate financial responsibility for the upkeep of a nation.

    • @U.S.SlaveOfficial
      @U.S.SlaveOfficial 9 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Did u not pass 1st grade? He said like 56 out off 400 of the richest people in u.s. had inherited their wealth and most of them only partially meaning that the main source of wealth for most of those 56 did something to earn it. Now I'm not a business expert but I figure neither one of us have a right to others $ or would make sense to complain about $$ since we have the leisure time to watch TH-cam & make meaningless comments to people we don't know for virtually no reason

    • @Playboysmurf1
      @Playboysmurf1 9 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      But we need to reduce consumption to save the planet, so if the rich take all the capital they have all the control. Poor can't consume anymore so the environmental issues are solved. Yayyyy

  • @jeepersmcgee3466
    @jeepersmcgee3466 9 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    This entire segment was incredible (as usual), but the lotto-ball bit was pure gold!

  • @mathias8627
    @mathias8627 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    There needs to be a current updated report on this

  • @superamazatron4784
    @superamazatron4784 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    It's nice to go back to a time when things were simple

  • @simoncarlile5190
    @simoncarlile5190 8 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    "That's why they call it the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it."
    Goddamnit I miss Carlin.

  • @tashkagc6585
    @tashkagc6585 8 ปีที่แล้ว +135

    American Dream: There's a reason it's called a dream.

    • @grimace145
      @grimace145 8 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      If you have a dream, your probably sleeping

    • @bluemystic7501
      @bluemystic7501 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      If you think it's a 'dream' then you're probably lazy.

  • @AdarshKumar-nj7rp
    @AdarshKumar-nj7rp ปีที่แล้ว +1

    "I love that you line around blocks... ...for talents you objectively don't have"
    ☠️☠️☠️

  • @bettygreenhansen
    @bettygreenhansen 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    “We are at cinnamon dangerous levels right now”
    -US Coronavirus Pandemic
    July 2020

  • @brian77771
    @brian77771 8 ปีที่แล้ว +440

    What do you expect from a party that praises "The trickle down effect"

    • @dukoth6552
      @dukoth6552 8 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      +Brian Moya even the name is insulting, but at least it could have been something if the upper class hadn't started plugging all the leaks

    • @PandaA1257
      @PandaA1257 8 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      +Dukoth Well, rich people are by definition economic sponges. They spend disproportionately less than anyone else, which hinders the economy.

    • @2ndmaus
      @2ndmaus 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      .....the trickle down effect is a real thing ask any economist. If u want to make an argument for the left (I am making an assumption here) at least make sense

    • @vortehcx106plays
      @vortehcx106plays 7 ปีที่แล้ว +50

      the trickle down effect only works in an economic system where human greed is non existance.

    • @yuktuk8422
      @yuktuk8422 7 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      haha....ask any two economists *anything* and you'll know you cant trust an economist

  • @CagedKittyFriends7
    @CagedKittyFriends7 8 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    Whenever I'm struggling financially I try to detect my heart beat and get pointless satisfaction that it is one thing the 1% doesn't have that I do.

  • @Relmyna
    @Relmyna 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    OH 2014. you sweet summer child.

  • @jeremygeller9145
    @jeremygeller9145 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    in case you are back here years later, the income aspect has gone from 20% to 32%

  • @sodthong
    @sodthong 9 ปีที่แล้ว +1524

    It's called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.

    • @25ased
      @25ased 9 ปีที่แล้ว +104

      Oh George Carlin...
      How I miss him.

    • @Atilla_the_Fun
      @Atilla_the_Fun 9 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      sodthong Oh my god yes..

    • @AntiCougar1988
      @AntiCougar1988 9 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Oooo no quotation marks. Must be your own quote

    • @sodthong
      @sodthong 9 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      KougR Gaimz Do you have any valid point to make ?

    • @AntiCougar1988
      @AntiCougar1988 9 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      sodthong Yes. Put quotation marks on quotes instead of trying to pass that knowledge off as your own.

  • @elizaheathen
    @elizaheathen 9 ปีที่แล้ว +235

    I love John Oliver more than I should love a British man telling Americans how fucked up their nation is.

    • @chesterdavis27
      @chesterdavis27 9 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ***** Well said m'lord.

    • @TheElvire96
      @TheElvire96 9 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      Sometimes, it's good to have the opinion of somebody that can see things from the outside and not be involved

    • @sivanujabalaji283
      @sivanujabalaji283 9 ปีที่แล้ว

      Chester Davis

    • @americawashington2700
      @americawashington2700 9 ปีที่แล้ว

      He's an American now

    • @gold3009
      @gold3009 9 ปีที่แล้ว

      ***** So is Obastard

  • @fg786
    @fg786 4 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    If fighting income gap is "class warfare" can we consider letting this inequality happen in the first place also "class warfare"?

    • @madtheorist1856
      @madtheorist1856 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Apparently not, history is written by the victors and all that

  • @snputri
    @snputri 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    John can literally redo all of the old topics and still be very relatable

  • @coventgardenmartin
    @coventgardenmartin 9 ปีที่แล้ว +23

    His segments really are so good!

  • @JeezusMurphy17
    @JeezusMurphy17 8 ปีที่แล้ว +87

    this is exactly what Karl Marx said. the exploitation of the workers, who believe hard work will benefit them, won't actually move them anywhere

    • @henrybaer287
      @henrybaer287 8 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      +Austin Pohl Yes, and all of Marx's theories worked perfectly without flaw.

    • @VYKNIGHT
      @VYKNIGHT 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      +Henry Baer yep, until the new clique took over

    • @henrybaer287
      @henrybaer287 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      VYKnight_ADark Are you being sarcastic?

    • @nandicarv
      @nandicarv 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      +Austin Pohl That is why the Marxist countries all broke and disappeared.

    • @nandicarv
      @nandicarv 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      +Austin Pohl That is why the Marxist countries all broke and disappeared.

  • @Slyphoria
    @Slyphoria 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    Obama being like 2:28 "help me discuss it without being accused of class warfare."
    We need a leader that will say "Yeah, this is class warfare. Screw you, rich people."

    • @Rowsy91
      @Rowsy91 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      and that is a great way to lose an election.

  • @GeneticDust
    @GeneticDust 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    It's been four years since this video was made and it's truer now than ever before.

    • @irllcd13
      @irllcd13 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      This has been going on for four *decades.*

  • @tommackevich1810
    @tommackevich1810 7 ปีที่แล้ว +476

    Work doesn't make money. Money makes money. That's why rich will always get richer very easily, and the poor will struggle to stay afloat. And if you think this doesn't concern you remember, that in relative terms the middle-class is becoming poorer and has been for decades. Wealth is siphoned out of 99% into 1%'s pockets. Capitalism is great!

    • @sharksnshanks3224
      @sharksnshanks3224 6 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Tom Mackevich That is factually incorrect. The us is one of the easiest countries to change your wealth status in the world. And since you said capitalism is great sarcastically, I am assuming you would prefer some sort of Marxism? So let's just make everyone poor, as long as they don't belong to the government, and see how fun life is then. It's really going great in Venezuela right?

    • @UncertaintyLaw
      @UncertaintyLaw 6 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      Are you under the impression There have only ever been to economic systems in the world?

    • @sharksnshanks3224
      @sharksnshanks3224 6 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Don Williams I am under the impression that there is yet to be one better than capitalism when it comes to wealth and class mobility.

    • @omunday1995
      @omunday1995 6 ปีที่แล้ว +30

      the wealth gap is increasing, that is a fact, no we shouldn't make everyone poor, that doesn't mean we should just allow our poor to live in poverty and perhaps spread the wealth out a little fairer.
      Btw to counter your Venezuela meme (because it is a right wing meme at this point) i give you Bolivia.

    • @patrickfouse7895
      @patrickfouse7895 6 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Owen Munday Yes, the rich are getting richer and the gap is increasing, but the poor are also getting richer, just at a slower pace, we should focus not on the difference between the rich and poor, but just on the poor, and try to help them out, instead of looking at the rich and deciding they owe the poor something.

  • @roadhouse6999
    @roadhouse6999 7 ปีที่แล้ว +365

    "Class Warfare" sounds like the result of TreyArch making a classic RPG.

    • @elbertcasey4025
      @elbertcasey4025 7 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      I'd play it. :P

    • @hedgehog3180
      @hedgehog3180 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      roadhouse699 I mean the term was coined over 150 years ago by Karl Marx.

    • @soulreaper161990
      @soulreaper161990 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      Pretty sure I would have to blind myself to avoid the nightmares.

    • @Travis_Inlanzer
      @Travis_Inlanzer 6 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Sounds like a Call Of Duty game where 1 side has assault rifles and the other side has rocks and sticks.

    • @onkelpappkov2666
      @onkelpappkov2666 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Travis_Inlanzer And the sticks people are fighting the rocks people on Easy difficulty.

  • @haydencraig7149
    @haydencraig7149 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    When you invest you're buying a day you don't have to work

    • @christopherhobb7702
      @christopherhobb7702 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Assets that can make you rich
      Bitcoin
      Stocks
      Real estate

    • @thomasdooley3702
      @thomasdooley3702 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@christopherhobb7702 you're right it's obvious a lot of people remain poor due to ignorance

    • @cassiejacobs4197
      @cassiejacobs4197 ปีที่แล้ว

      I'm looking for something to venture into on a short term basis, I have about $6k sitting in my savings

    • @christianajoe8563
      @christianajoe8563 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Starting early is the best way to getting ahead of build wealth, investing remains the priority

    • @doragary3717
      @doragary3717 ปีที่แล้ว

      I advice everyone to start investing and never rely on just salary. No billionaire made it through salary

  • @erincorcoran5936
    @erincorcoran5936 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    There's a documentary on youtube called Requiem for the American Dream by Noam Chomsky that discusses EXACTLY how the wealthy have managed to completely take over American politics in order to maintain their status and stop the disadvantaged from gaining. I had to watch it for my sociology class when we were talking about elections and its really eye opening to how deep this problem goes. I think its very fitting for our time.

  • @Paulosucks
    @Paulosucks 9 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    John Oliver, you are the most patriotic British i have ever seen- if i ever saw one.

  • @StubbeA
    @StubbeA 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2618

    It's only class warfare when the poor fight back.

  • @oxymoron02
    @oxymoron02 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    This 100% needs a new episode.

  • @angelawheeler7825
    @angelawheeler7825 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I truly appreciate and love John Oliver ❤ ♥ 💕 💙 I really do.

  • @retardosaurusrex360
    @retardosaurusrex360 8 ปีที่แล้ว +189

    Funnily enough (or depressingly enough) there is undoubtedly more class mobility in Britain than in the USA.

    • @vegardstensen4815
      @vegardstensen4815 8 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      It seems to me that you take your career/achievements, and those that you know of, to be a representative of how easy it is to realize the american dream in USA. If that is so, why? I dont know about England, but the statistics clearly shows that the class mobility and wealth gap in America, which indicates how far the american dream is possible, is not good.

    • @don8668
      @don8668 8 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I agree with you for the most part but our lawmakers and the Federal Reserve are making decisions that are giving me reason to pause. The American government has been selling out middle class America for decades and it will all come to a head soon if something is not done to right the ship.

    • @SrihariYamanoor
      @SrihariYamanoor 7 ปีที่แล้ว

      Well, now that Brexit is here...

    • @qv43v
      @qv43v 7 ปีที่แล้ว

      Except you just said it yourself "I don't know about England". No, you don't. You don't have any idea how expensive it is to live there, and overall the lower standard of life a LOT of British people have compared to the States.
      The US has a hell of a lot of problems, but even with the wealth gap, there is more mobility here than there.

    • @user-ot1ue5qc5e
      @user-ot1ue5qc5e 7 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      I'm pretty sure a greater proportion of the American population has a significantly low standard of living than the UK.

  • @godzeno
    @godzeno 7 ปีที่แล้ว +430

    It's good that The US has shows like these to remind how fragile their system is, that it isn't democracy but Oligarchy that "runs" Murica!

    • @dingdingdingding5544
      @dingdingdingding5544 7 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      If you don't vote you're a under an oligarchy.

    • @mattmorgan6591
      @mattmorgan6591 7 ปีที่แล้ว +70

      America doesn't vote they have electoral college and even if you assume your vote counts for something, all of the candidates and chosen to run with the ok of big business and special interests... most candidates that are halfway reasonable are attacked by their own party and affiliated media, who are paid to represent information in a way that protects your world view. it is an oligarchy that is so well embedded in our subconscious that to question it rallies the flag waving spirit that it means to be "American"

    • @Black11u1aby3
      @Black11u1aby3 7 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      We do vote, for representatives. It is a republic.

    • @robertjarman3703
      @robertjarman3703 6 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Slaanesh, Prince of Pleasure And who ever said that was a good thing? A republic is a society with no monarch, not one hovered so indirectly.

    • @MiserableOldFart
      @MiserableOldFart 6 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Until the reagan, bush, and orange turd tax cuts for the rich are repealed, it will only get worse. Right wing Fraudonomics has established a plutocracy.

  • @Danny-G92
    @Danny-G92 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    The current wealth distribution shows that as of November 2022 the top 1% now makes 31% of all the money and the bottom 50% only makes 3.2%
    ....... Shit is catastrophically fucked up.

  • @TheGrayMysterious
    @TheGrayMysterious 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    The best way to illustrate the problem of inherited wealth is to play Monopoly and let the winner keep their earnings for the next round. Pretty soon it will be laughably impossible for them to lose because of how badly the odds are stacked in their favor.

    • @Nebeorx
      @Nebeorx 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That was actually the purpose of that game.

    • @bruhboi4692
      @bruhboi4692 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Watch FEE's video on Monopoly

    • @TheGrayMysterious
      @TheGrayMysterious 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@bruhboi4692 Just because everybody is getting "richer" does not solve poverty or economic inequality, because inflation is always going to ensure that everyone's wages must grow substantially in order to keep pace.
      Let's say a meal cost 5 dollars 10 years ago, and a poor man made 6 dollars while a rich man made 20. Then, ten years later, that meal now costs 10 dollars, due to inflation. In order for both men to afford the meal, the poor man's wage must rise proportionally, to 12 dollars, to remain at his status quo ten years ago. The rich man's money doesn't need to change much, however, unless he really likes being able to afford two meals with money to spare.
      Our economic systems should be ensuring the poor man's wage grows proportionally with inflation, but it doesn't. Instead, the _rich_ man's wages grow, through poor economic decisions like tax cuts on wealthy people, designed to ensure that rich wages grow exponentially while poor wages stagnate. Yes, they grow, and a first-world country's poor man is rich to many third-world countries, but it's essentially like putting an experienced novice chess player up against a grandmaster, and saying that because the novice is better at chess than most plebeians who've never touched a chessboard in their lives, that he'd fare well against someone who can see every move the novice will make before he even makes it.

    • @bruhboi4692
      @bruhboi4692 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@TheGrayMysterious I agree with your reply, but your original comment was funny.
      The winner must have used his brains to win the game, why shouldn't the odds be stacked in his favour?

    • @TheGrayMysterious
      @TheGrayMysterious 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@bruhboi4692 Because it facilitates the lessened enjoyment of the other 3 players in the game if one player gets to slowly take away the other players' ability to even play the game, let alone win. It's not a matter of skill or "brains" anymore at that point, because the thing that is required to win, the money, is entirely controlled by one player. Said player only has to win once or twice in order to be impossible to ever beat again.
      In real life, rewarding selfishness based on merit leads to the same scenario, an exceptionally greedy and powerful individual (or individuals) allowed to hoard the vast sum of important resources, starving everyone around him/them of what they need to survive, simply because he/they "earned" it.

  • @MessrMichiko
    @MessrMichiko 9 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    i love this guy more then i love myself

  • @ThePoacherz
    @ThePoacherz 8 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    This is why I love Bernie! He does not care if folks know he is on the warpath!

  • @lpphillyfan
    @lpphillyfan 4 ปีที่แล้ว +188

    I respect that Obama was attempting to talk about these issues, but his ultimate cowardice in backing off of them when faced with resistance is one of the factors that led to the rise of Trump.
    It's also why I'm a huge Bernie supporter. He speaks for what he believes no matter what's thrown at him.

    • @jamesjohnson3910
      @jamesjohnson3910 4 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      Leo to be fair. Its not that obama backed off the subject. Its his attempt at trying NOT to leave out his detractors. He's president of both democrats AND republicans. He tried to not insult the right. It turned out to be a bad strategy. But He's one of those Americans who gave the far right the benefit of the doubt and thought that there was some decency left. He was wrong. We all were.

    • @lpphillyfan
      @lpphillyfan 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      @@jamesjohnson3910 Good point. He wasn't being nefarious in backing away.

    • @amolkhobaragade
      @amolkhobaragade 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      @@jamesjohnson3910 You did not learn from FDR. His principle was that we should fight for what's right and if the right oppose we should just crush them as the majority is with the fighter.

    • @lpphillyfan
      @lpphillyfan 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @jack Maher He rallied behind him because he's a better option than Trump.

    • @colesandick446
      @colesandick446 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yep. Exactly. Me too.

  • @azimkhan4805
    @azimkhan4805 4 ปีที่แล้ว +26

    That's why we need Bernie man

    • @MrHistory269
      @MrHistory269 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I’m afraid he’s getting to old to run :( he might need to pass his torch

    • @rohatb
      @rohatb 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@MrHistory269 I just hope that he can live enough to become the president and turn his plans to reality.

    • @shumeister1059
      @shumeister1059 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Which political party would support Bernie? The Democrats have shown their true color twice already.

    • @MrHistory269
      @MrHistory269 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@shumeister1059 unfortunately he has no choice but to stick with democrats
      He needs to get as much progressives in there as possible because the party leadership is full of center right corporate neoliberals

    • @shumeister1059
      @shumeister1059 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@MrHistory269 Bernie hasn't been able to do anything. So how can he get anyone in?

  • @appelpower1
    @appelpower1 8 ปีที่แล้ว +67

    This is all painfully true. Every year, the UN publishes its Human Development Report. In it is enclosed the Human Development Index (HDI), an index that determines how developed a country is through GDP per capita (corrected with Purchasing Power Parities), illiteracy, life expectancy and level of education. In this index, the US ranks eighth, roughly the same as Canada and Germany. However, the UN also calculates an inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI). On this list, the US drops to 27th place, roughly equal to Poland, Lithuania and the economically plagued Greece. This is the biggest drop of all developed countries.
    The 2010 report stated that the HDI is merely an indication of potential human development, and the IHDI is the actual level of human development.
    In other words, income inequality in the US is an issue. A big one.

    • @Luis-fh8cv
      @Luis-fh8cv 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      +appelpower1 Yeah, there is also the Gini coefficient which is a number dedicated solely to inequality, and the US doesnt do great on that either. Having said that, perfect equality is not a good thing, but the 1% having almost 20% of available income... is just alarming.

    • @appelpower1
      @appelpower1 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ***** Perfect equality is never a good thing, but with a Gini coefficient of 41.1 according to World Bank data, the US ranks 96th out of the 157 listed here (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality). That's alarming for a developing country. Practically all developed countries hover between a score of 25 and 35, which is much better.

    • @appelpower1
      @appelpower1 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      David n The UN itself says the IHDI is the *actual* level of human development rather than the potential level. Thus, the IHDI is actually more important.

    • @TheKyfe
      @TheKyfe 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      This is ignorant (literally). GDP is a worthless indicator. Empirical evidence shows that additional government spending reduces REAL wealth, and the GDP includes government spending. So if you print up trillions and trillions of dollars and put that into government spending, GDP will skyrocket, the value of the currency will deteriorate, and real wealth declines. So tell me again how GDP is an indicator of how developed a country is. The only thing that indicates how developed a country is is production, which is declining in the US.
      Also, screw the UN and what makes there experts infallible? This is a HUGE debate between the differing schools of economic thought. You can't just take a study done by the UN, which is ridiculously corrupt, and just spew out nonsense from it.

    • @appelpower1
      @appelpower1 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      TheKyfe Of course, HDI isn't the only indicator for development. However, in many other indexes and statistics, generally those regarding quality of life, press freedom, etc., the US tends to perform worse than other, more liberal Western countries.

  • @tavajava
    @tavajava 6 ปีที่แล้ว +545

    Hearing Obama's voice again was so calming.

    • @belkys120
      @belkys120 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      T VS , HIS OWN FAMILIES ADMIT HE WAS BORN IN KENYA 🇰🇪 AFRICA .!!!!!! SEE : THE VIDEOS .? .😳😎🇺🇸😎😂🤣.....

    • @seamoose9039
      @seamoose9039 5 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      @@belkys120
      Link the video then.

    • @arturofernandez4058
      @arturofernandez4058 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      A clean face and a lot of PR, look what it lead the US to.

    • @andrewrocha5816
      @andrewrocha5816 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Arturo fernández shut

    • @maddyh1231
      @maddyh1231 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      We miss him too

  • @ChristopherSadlowski
    @ChristopherSadlowski 5 ปีที่แล้ว +165

    Watching this four years later with Trump as "president" is making me ill...

    • @companerger9416
      @companerger9416 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Christopher Sadlowski Same boat.
      Drumpf is further evidence of this sham system.
      I am so sad because I also think of myself as one step away from wealth. But I'm not, except for that $4 lottery ticket I didn't buy.
      My wife spent that money.

    • @Tiger-Baby
      @Tiger-Baby 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Watching again, 2019. No one would listen back then.

    • @redpanda7967
      @redpanda7967 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I'm sure a democratically elected president would make you ill.

    • @TheBoxingCannabyte
      @TheBoxingCannabyte 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@redpanda7967 oh the irony of that statement right now....

    • @redpanda7967
      @redpanda7967 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@TheBoxingCannabyte ? Oh yeah I’m sure a lot of people are I’ll at the fact that now Biden is president now.

  • @michaelmoyo7250
    @michaelmoyo7250 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    John Oliver: "Whether you are paying for HBO, or whether you are stealing it."
    Me: “Dammit! They found us! Zork, I told you that wouldn’t work!”

  • @nohalfsteps8746
    @nohalfsteps8746 9 ปีที่แล้ว +54

    My solution to you is to stop buying crap. Period. If you need clothes, food, water etc. then buy them, but only buy what you need. Not what you want. If you want something don't buy it. You'll live without it. Only buy what you need, or things that will increase in value. Open a Roth IRA, invest $25 a week (or more preferably), buy stock in companies under $20 with no debt/high cash flow/leaders in the industry and be patient. Keep doing that week in and week out. You will be a millionaire in 20 years if you follow this strategy. This is the key to wealth. If you don't do this I have no sympathy for you, and you shouldn't blame anyone for your lot in life except yourself.

    • @MissModernMayhem
      @MissModernMayhem 9 ปีที่แล้ว +104

      I hope you realize that the "crap" you're saying people shouldn't buy won't help anyways. People already have to pay a ton of bills as it is. Once the bills are paid you don't have money to spend on "crap". Some people don't have the money to buy food for themselves. $25 may seem like change to you, but that is a few meals for someone else. So, it is highly unlikely for someone in poverty or the working class to do that (maybe middle and upper). Plus Americans aren't educated enough to know about stock. Just keep in mind that everyone is born into different situations and somethings cannot be helped.

    • @tootz1950
      @tootz1950 9 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      Nohalfsteps Then I expect you to go out and meet lots of people so you can show them how they can take $100.00 or more a month and invest. Of course, after paying rent, utilities, food, Dr, daycare, gas or bus pass, clothes from the thrift store it might be hard for them to have that monthly investment money you expect them to have. I'm sure you have a solution to that other than maybe raise the minimum wage. Not everybody has it as good as you and it's like an amateur climbing Mt. Everest without oxygen to attain what you propose. Some very good people just can't make it that far.

    • @nohalfsteps8746
      @nohalfsteps8746 9 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Working on it Tootz. No, I don't think raising the minimum wage is a good idea at all. It's your job to raise your own wage. Make yourself valuable to someone, and they will pay you more money. It's that simple. Find a job and be the person that does it. It's funny that you say that not everyone has it as good as me. You don't know me, and probably make more money than me. Most people do, as I make a poverty wage. I do however, save every dime I make. I'm like an old lady counting my pennies. If I can do it, so can everyone else. Your telling me people can't cough up some pennies and discipline themselves to save as many as they can? I read voraciously and invest my pennies in the old fashioned way. I have access to the internet, and I use it to learn. I'm not watching cat videos and taking selfies. I see a lot of that, and maybe that's why people are so selfish and complaining about how poor they are. Don't cry for them. Do your own thing and give advice when you can. I'm shocked by how little people listen to kind "Words to the wise" that are tailored specifically to help them! I give stock tips to people all day. They watch the stock go up quite a bit 3 months later, and complain that they should've invested. I give them another stock tip the next day and they procrastinate, while not learning the first lesson. Instead they go out and buy new sneakers. Time after time this happens. People don't want to do things for themselves anymore. They just want things done for them. The problem is amplified by the "good intentions" mentality you're fostering, and it isn't helping the situation at all. It's just making it worse.

    • @nohalfsteps8746
      @nohalfsteps8746 9 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      MissModernMayhem I missed this one. In the string I answer a very similar post by Tootz. The $25 I get to invest comes from my piggy bank every week. It consists of pocket change and the couple of bucks I spare. I have several kids and a wife, and barely make ends meet. I'm extremely confident that Tootz and yourself make more, and have more money than I do. Your both clearly educated and very eloquent in your writing. Forget about your good intentions thinking and the guilt you feel from being successful in life. Go out and teach people how to make better decisions/choices. Your both highly capable, and it will be a much better contribution to society than crying for people who aren't educated enough to make the right moves. Your tears won't make a difference. Your actions will. Beating up on me isn't going to change things at all.

    • @MissModernMayhem
      @MissModernMayhem 9 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      Nohalfsteps Calm yourself sir. I'm not trying to beat up on you. It's just the comment you made comes across as cold and ignorant. If anything it sounded like you have it at all. I am not living a rich successful life. All I've ever worked were part-time jobs. I'm just college student that comes from a family and neighborhood where people struggle with making ends meet, too. I'm passionate about this subject which is why I go to school to educate myself so I can speak for those people who don't have the education to say it. However, I'm still learning, but I can at least spread awareness through my own experiences. I promise you my words are not hateful so I'm sorry if you are offended. I will end my comments here so we can both move on. Best of wishes to you and your family.

  • @OcarinaLink24
    @OcarinaLink24 7 ปีที่แล้ว +429

    Gotta love how the class warfare channels were all some form of Fox News.

    • @brandonallison7782
      @brandonallison7782 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Leah Ocarina And now, in line with internet tradition, no one can like your comment again. The perfect 69.

    • @edo7ensei390
      @edo7ensei390 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      WHO LIKED A 70TH TIME?!

    • @brandonallison7782
      @brandonallison7782 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      edo 7ensei Who could be so evil?

    • @DM-Raven
      @DM-Raven 5 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      Fox news is basically the billionaires using their millionaires to spread propaganda.

    • @aniabell155
      @aniabell155 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@DM-Raven right on, bro!

  • @chalimulalami9936
    @chalimulalami9936 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Last Week Tonight is the best show of its kind ever!

  • @Anjalena
    @Anjalena 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    "Income inequality. A good way to figure out which side of it you're on is whether you're currently paying for HBO or stealing it." -- *Truth!*

  • @krombopulos_michael
    @krombopulos_michael 9 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    "There's class warfare, all right, but it's my class, the rich class, that's making war, and we're winning." - Warren Buffet, second richest man in USA. On the subject of inheritance tax, he said repealing it is like "choosing the 2020 Olympic team by picking the eldest sons of the gold-medal winners in the 2000 Olympics".
    It's just a shame the next 1000 richest or so don't share that view.

  • @zeonmx
    @zeonmx 9 ปีที่แล้ว +161

    America is oligarchy, like what Russia and China is. Of course the income inequality is gonna get worse. Oh, and America is no longer a democratic country, but Oligarchy. This is a proven fact. Don't dispute this.

    • @windingpath
      @windingpath 9 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Actually China probably has more class mobility because of the fierce fight for political power and brutal punishment for the losers.

    • @zeonmx
      @zeonmx 9 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      *****
      Of course you do. Right wingers rarely accepts facts.

    • @stillasstone6531
      @stillasstone6531 9 ปีที่แล้ว

      I agree with you. I think a more clever term would be an "oiligarchy". Tee-hee-hee. I make myself laugh.

    • @zeonmx
      @zeonmx 9 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Mokaiba™
      It's known as democratic country but the truth is it's both democratic and constitutional republic, therefore it makes the country both, but it wants to be known as democratic country to the rest of the world. I love it when clueless dumbfucks act like they are a smartass.

    • @mitchellcleveland8063
      @mitchellcleveland8063 9 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Mokaiba™ toast kitty go fuck your self

  • @jakeherter
    @jakeherter 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ya I delivered food for more than a year straight during a pandemic in a car I still live in. . . They tackled it so good

  • @arthurtrauer5684
    @arthurtrauer5684 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I worked my ass off for about forty years, went to college and served in the military. I have never been able to afford my own home and bought a new vehicle once which I lost after getting sick. Moral: don’t get sick, lose your job or get a divorce. Ten years ago I had $100,000 in investments and savings. All gone. It’s a house of cards. American Dream my ass. My only regret is not having moved to another country when I had the chance.

  • @jamesdale5615
    @jamesdale5615 8 ปีที่แล้ว +344

    New game
    call of duty: class warfare
    it's already getting worse every year may as well throw this in there

    • @DeadpoolX9
      @DeadpoolX9 8 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      +James Dale Ahhhh, a return to realism is what Call of Duty needs.......
      If the entire game was just some dude in a suit fucking around with stocks then it would still be more interesting than Advanced Warfare's plot ever was.

    • @jamesdale5615
      @jamesdale5615 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      DeadpoolX9 tbh I'm still annoyed about ghosts and if someone was shot by a magnum in the chest how could he drag of the main character who wasn't shot in the chest but yh you are right

    • @LuxAeterna22878
      @LuxAeterna22878 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That sounds amazing!

    • @junnecita3121
      @junnecita3121 6 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      That’s GTA.

    • @coenijn
      @coenijn 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      In which you play a Cheka/(O)GPU/NKVD officer (all predecessors to the KGB) and put kulaks in the gulags because you ain't free unless you jail the bourgeoisie. In Soviet Russia we have remedies for class enemies comrade! Stalin will go all in on class traitors and their collaborators!
      It rhymes because it's true.