As a rule, Parade magazine is remarkably devoid of interesting content. But Xy found the following tidbit in today’s “Ask Marilyn” column:
Q: If our country decided to pool everyone’s weekly paycheck, then redistribute it equally, to what would our income amount? — Ed B., Virginia Beach, Va.
A: We’d make about $37,784 annually.
I’ve toyed with this question in the past myself, but I always got bogged down in the details. Marilyn avoids all details and provides a cold, hard number. I wonder how she got it. So many questions come to mind, I hesitate to list even one. Instead, I’ll just say this would be a pay boost for Xy and a pay cut for me. I suspect it would be a pay boost for most Americans.
And, you know, I’d gladly take the cut if it meant the elimination of poverty.
Hear hear.
I don’t think it would end poverty, though. Wealth is linked to many factors, but one o fthem is how you spend (or don’t) what you earn. Not everyone has teh same definition of “essential” in matters of finance.
But, technically speaking at least, it might end poverty, since it would raise everyone above the governmentally-defined poverty level.
Just noticed that “Ed B.” in Virginia might be perceived as a pseudonym for me. But it’s not — just a coincidence!