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From: dlo@drutx.UUCP (OlsonDL)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Welfare
Message-ID: <450@drutx.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Mar-86 16:40:56 EST
Article-I.D.: drutx.450
Posted: Thu Mar 27 16:40:56 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Mar-86 09:43:08 EST
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver
Lines: 31

[]

>> > [Tom Keller]
>> > You
>> > conveniently fail to note that by far the *VAST* majority of the wealth in 
>> > this nation is owned and controlled by a very few people.
>--------------------
>> [Dave Olson]
>> Tom, this is just not true.  Indeed, there are only a few "rich" people.
>> However, although I can't give you a source right now, a couple of weeks
>> ago it was reported on the radio that something like 70% of the wealth
>> in the US is held by about 65% of the people, i.e. the middle class.
>--------------------
>Dave Olson's statistic is certainly true, but totally meaningless.
>In every country in the world, 70% of the wealth is held by 65% of the people.

> [elegant proof]

Agreed.  However, read Tom's contention again.

Even though there are people who have even millions of times more wealth
than, say, some arbitrary poor person, there just is not enough of them.
And, the *total* amount of wealth they hold does not even come close to the
*total* amount held by the *total* number of everyone else.

>Bill Tanenbaum - AT&T Bell Labs - Naperville IL  ihnp4!ihlpg!tan

My opinions are my own, and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.

David Olson
..!ihnp4!drutx!dlo