On 18/05/2016 12:10, Rod Speed wrote:


"Nightjar cpb.me.uk" "insert my surname here wrote in message
...
On 17/05/2016 21:57, Rod Speed wrote:


"Nightjar cpb.me.uk" "insert my surname here wrote in message
...
On 17/05/2016 10:01, Adrian wrote:
On Tue, 17 May 2016 09:25:28 +0100, Nightjar cpb wrote:
...
I didn't realise that you were a closet Marxist. I have always viewed
myself as a paternalistic capitalist, so my solution would be to
improve
the lot of the poorest, so that none fell below the poverty line.

But if the poverty line is defined as the percentage of median
income...

It is a moving target, but that doesn't mean it isn't something we
should try to achieve.

It will never be possible to achieve no one below the poverty
line when the poverty line is defined like that. Basic arithmetic.

All that is required to achieve it is that half the population earns
between 60% of the median income and the median income.

The problem is that as soon as you ensure that no one is below that
particular poverty line, the 60% of the median income shifts and so
there are plenty below the new poverty line. Basic arithmetic.

You appear to be confusing median with average.


--
Colin Bignell