Interesting. In one breath its implied that people are not financially smart if they don't invest in 401(k) or IRAs or the stock market. In the next breath, its implied that corporations should stop "hoarding" money. Where do you think the value in those investment vehicles come from? As a company becomes more profitable, its value rises, which means your 401(k) and IRA values rise, too. If somebody is offended that some corporation is making an 8% profit for the year, I hope they are donating any increase in the value of their 401(k) over 8%, too.
The "living wage" argument is one that always facinates me. Its so completely subjective, yet everyone who supports it is positive that its essential. I think that is the crux of the "millenial" issue. Many of them feel like they should be getting paid a wage that will allow them to support the purchase of large screen TVs, expensive cell phones, video game systems, designer clothes and dinner out every night. All this while working at a no-skill-required entry-level job (like flipping burgers).
Of course, if you live in a ridiculously high-taxed state like New York or California where it costs an arm and a leg to live in a 400 sq ft hovel in a dangerous neighborhood vs in Wisconsin where that same money will get you a 2000 sq ft 3 bedroom luxury apartment with a fireplace and hot tub in the suburbs, a living wage is going to be different.
And again, what is a "decent wage?" Why should a high schooler flipping burgers at McDonald's or detailing cars at a Scrub-a-Dub be making $15/hr? In most cases, that high schooler's "living expenses" are $0, as they are (usually) paid for by his guardian. HIs only need for money would be for luxuries. So if he needs $0 but he's making $2,600 a month, doesn't that make him a money hoarder?
Many of those "elite 1%" started off as one of us poor folks. Are you saying that its wrong to aspire to financial indepenance? If you invent a new tool tomorrow that is a huge success and every mechanic in the county buys one for $15 and you become a millionaire, you are now one of those "elite 1%." Does that mean we should automatically be jealous of you and call you a money hoarder that doesn't deserve it? What about your Dad who invested in your prototype of the tool and also made a lot of money? Is he a dirty capitalist pig, too?
What I'm saying is that its not as simple as "money hoarders are keeping the people poor."
In reality, the best way to increase disposable income and grow an economy is NOT necessarily a wage increase, because a wage increase simply decreases the disposable income of the employer, meaning there's no net gain to the economy. A payroll tax decrease WOULD be a true net gain to the economy. The employer does not have to lay out more money, but the employee now has extra money to go out to dinner or a movie, or by that flat screen TV, or can now afford a payment for a better car, etc etc.
@Anonymous wrote:
...No one is saying you can't make money, but the point is what kind of person says a worker can't make a decent living but a CEO can make a $14M bonus for firing ppl, how does that help us a nation?
Based on the very short history of the United States, it seems to have worked quite well over the last 242 years compared to the rest of the world.
I get what you're saying, there are people out there that may not deserve what they have but I encourage you to look further down the road in your attempt to level the field. Mucking with 'who gets to choose who gets what in life' will only benefit the real elites...in my opinion it would be our wonderful politicians that would take the biggest slice of everyones pie as they gleefully reapportion the leftovers to the rest of us.
Oh wait...that's already occurring 
The great State of California is raising the minimum wage to $15 over the next 5 years. The people that make that wage (and the rest of us) will be paying more for everything we buy... McDonalds, gas, groceries, rent etc. The ONLY people that will truly benefit from this will be the local and state tax collectors. As higher costs of all goods are shouldered by us as consumers, essentially negating any wage increase we thought we received, the total dollar amount that is taxed will go up. It's simply a sham, a clever guise even, that very few recognize.
Sorry for the rant... I do feel strongly about this.