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I really don't care how hard you worked to get where you are. You need to pay more in taxes. The rich get away with too much. So take your cry story some where else. You most likely have had a lot of support and opportunity that many others have not even come close to. So suck it up and get ready to pay more and closer to your fair share.
I agree, in the fact that his story is an awesome one and something that I aim to do with my life.
The thing that many people who react with "not everyone" need to realize is that there is no solution to help/save everyone. That is an impossible utopia and the best thing that we can do is harbor an environment in which many people can create their own stories, such as the one posted by tommy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alphamale
You know.....many posts on this thread show the mentality that has overtaken America.
It's embarrassing that these folks feel as if we have a caste system and you cannot make it unless someone hands it to you.
The phrase "you didn't build that!" is just a way to make the masses feel warm and cozy about their condition.
As a teacher, it is my honest and sincere opinion that we re in fact building the opposite culture.
So many students feel as if they are victims of big business, the rich, white men, poverty, etc... that I literally have had to debate students over the concept that hard work increases opportunities in life.
We are obviously doing something seriously wrong when students think that hard work does not increase chances for success.
It is a self-fulfilling prophecy..."I can't get ahead because all of these things are holding me back, so therefore I won't try" and then years later, "wow I didn't get ahead, because all of those things must have been holding me back."
We are not teaching personal finance. The parents aren't in most cases. So all they see is buy this, buy that from commercials and etc... We are setting these kids up to make poor choices.
-You have some schools saying no homework - most the kids won't do it anyways so why try.
-You have some schools saying if a kid doesn't do an assignment out of sheer laziness he still gets a 50%, because a 0% is too harsh.
-You have some history classes only teaching "social justice," which is important but makes some kids feel like they are in a long line of victimization. Where are the stories of people with odds stacked against them, but they work hard and fail, work hard and fail, and work hard and finally succeed.
-A lot of places require personal finance...but they don't have to have a personal finance class it gets picked up by history or math and then never gets taught or adequately taught.
-Any male who squirms in his seat can qualify for some form of special education and then get accommodations for doing less work in the classroom. I have heard kids brag about this and ask to get put in special education. Special education went from being stigmatized (which was wrong) to being cool and desired to be in (which is also the wrong message).
-California has dropped math requirements. Some of the standardized tests have made the test easier.
-Hey kids performance on standardized test has dropped over the course of a few decades while their self-perception of their abilities has increased. At least they have an inflated happy view of their lessening abilities. That is education.
Too be honest I am shocked that some of our areas are not worse from the culture I see us building in the schools. And I love all of my students that I have ever had, but it should be alarming to everyone when you have kids saying hard work doesn't help with success...nothing could be further from the truth and nothing could be more detrimental to society.
P.S. I have taught a variety of kids all across the state in various forms from urban areas like kids from inner city Detroit to poor rural kids...
"I worked my way through school, I spent nights and weekends studying while my friends were partying. I graduated with top honors and was hired at the bottom rung of the company that hired me. After a few years of working 12-14 hours a day, I was promoted. I lived frugally, paid my taxes and bought a small home. A few years later, after waking up at 5AM and working until 7 or 8 PM everyday, I was promoted again. We decided to have a family so we bought a bigger house in a better neighborhood. After a few more years, and after learning the business that I was in from top to bottom, I decided to take a risk and open my own business. I mortgaged my home and took on a lot of debt.....it was a "make or break" calculated risk, but the payoff was worth it. After a few more years, my business was profitable. I was on my way. I was still working 12-14 hours a day and paying myself last. After some more years of hard work, I was finally earning a comfortable living. Today, I have earned enough money to be considered "wealthy"."
This is the story of most successful "rich people". Remember this the next time you say "the rich aren't paying their fair share!".
As long as they remain humble and realize that it is God who gave them everything. The "earn" thing is pride and that is a sin. I think there are a lot of miserable rich people in the world who think people are out to get what they have or they feel that they still don't have enough. Chasing worldly possessions is a sure formula for an unhappy life.
You know.....many posts on this thread show the mentality that has overtaken America.
It's embarrassing that these folks feel as if we have a caste system and you cannot make it unless someone hands it to you.
The phrase "you didn't build that!" is just a way to make the masses feel warm and cozy about their condition.
The mentality that has overtaken America is simply people waking up from the trance that the Reagan era put them in.
For every story of hard work, discipline, self-sacrifice, etc, etc, etc....resulting in wealthy "success", there are 50 more where that "success" was, yes, handed to them or gotten through ethical malfeasance.
I've been a conservative for 50 years, and am troubled to have watched intellectual conservatism become nearly extinct in this country. Today, there is a generation and a half of one-dimensional beings taught to believe that being a conservative and being a sociopath are one and the same. Today, the measure of conservatism - in the circle of those sharing your mindset - is the degree to which you live your life guided by screw thy neighbor.
People are sick and tired of getting screwed. I've said it before and I'll say it again....it is you who elected Barack Obama twice and it is you who are turning the country over to the radical left. Because that is the only other voice the people are hearing....and they're done listening to yours.
Obama knows that people don't understand finance or they wouldn't be in such a financial mess today. He used that against who? Those who are ignorant and are now desperate for someone to save them from the financial disaster they live in.
Many people are in a financial mess due to the housing bubble, which crashed around 2007. Was Obama president then?
Didn't think so...
That's like saying Bush is responsible for the housing crash. Was he? It happened on his watch.
When will people finally admit they are responsible for themselves? The housing bubble was caused because people took out loans to buy homes they could not afford. Why don't people live within their means? There is a formula to use to figure out how much house you can afford, yet not many people use it. Think of the people with a mid level income that were living in an upper level home. There is only so much credit people should have. It is not a president's fault is I over extend myself.
When will people finally admit they are responsible for themselves? The housing bubble was caused because people took out loans to buy homes they could not afford. Why don't people live within their means? There is a formula to use to figure out how much house you can afford, yet not many people use it. Think of the people with a mid level income that were living in an upper level home. There is only so much credit people should have. It is not a president's fault is I over extend myself.
Isn't the mortgage company which writes 10s of thousands of policies more qualified to determine who is qualified? People will take out 2-3 mortgage loans in their life, and the mortgage company will write that many in an hour. Yet, they are blameless in your eyes?
Yes, people who over extended themselves bear some responsibility...
I don't understand your mentality that they alone are responsible.
When will people finally admit they are responsible for themselves? The housing bubble was caused because people took out loans to buy homes they could not afford. Why don't people live within their means? There is a formula to use to figure out how much house you can afford, yet not many people use it. Think of the people with a mid level income that were living in an upper level home. There is only so much credit people should have. It is not a president's fault is I over extend myself.
If your talking about the Housing Crisis then you should check out some of the things that happened to people. Some people were cheated out of their homes. It wasn't due to them not being able to make payments.
When will people finally admit they are responsible for themselves? The housing bubble was caused because people took out loans to buy homes they could not afford. Why don't people live within their means? There is a formula to use to figure out how much house you can afford, yet not many people use it. Think of the people with a mid level income that were living in an upper level home. There is only so much credit people should have. It is not a president's fault is I over extend myself.
Tell that to Petch. He's obsessed with blaming everything on Obama. I guess he doesn't understand the concept of Personal Responsibility.
"I worked my way through school, I spent nights and weekends studying while my friends were partying. I graduated with top honors and was hired at the bottom rung of the company that hired me. After a few years of working 12-14 hours a day, I was promoted. I lived frugally, paid my taxes and bought a small home. A few years later, after waking up at 5AM and working until 7 or 8 PM everyday, I was promoted again. We decided to have a family so we bought a bigger house in a better neighborhood. After a few more years, and after learning the business that I was in from top to bottom, I decided to take a risk and open my own business. I mortgaged my home and took on a lot of debt.....it was a "make or break" calculated risk, but the payoff was worth it. After a few more years, my business was profitable. I was on my way. I was still working 12-14 hours a day and paying myself last. After some more years of hard work, I was finally earning a comfortable living. Today, I have earned enough money to be considered "wealthy"."
This is the story of most successful "rich people". Remember this the next time you say "the rich aren't paying their fair share!".
I don't see how a tax rate judges the person? I pay what I am asked to pay, and I do not feel judged, and I dont' cry about it.
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