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Warning! This tread is NOT posted ,nor intended, as a political discussion. Please don't make it one!
Ever wonder why no matter how hard you try you simply can't stay even let alone get ahead? This story will explain why you're not supposed to be able to do anything but keep your head down and your nose to grindstone.
Yep, 1 in 8 or more on Food Stamps. We have been, too. But Food Stamps Do NOT Equal Hunger. If fact, the opposite. If you have Food Stamps, there is no need to be hungry. We always had surplus left on them at the end of the month. On the other hand, States like Texas, that have been recently busted for intentionally delaying and bad faith denial have been causing hunger and suffering.
And Yep, Folks without Health Care . . . . wait a Second . . . that's a lie. Folks without Health Insurance Does NOT Equal No Health Care. We do not have Corporate Health Insurance, and still have no problem with finding Medical providers who are very happy to take prompt, same day, full payment from us directly. Seem to like it over waiting 90 or more days for and having to fight for their money with Corporate Scum Insurance Companies. And generally give us thick Cash Discounts. Have experienced the full range, I still like the Canadian system over US -- but Cash is better than mandated Corporate Scum Health Insurance.
Overall, I have no argument with Alternet or other sites promote the case of bottom or even middle end. But when they do it via BS and claims that are simply not true, they benefit no one.
America could still take America back from the Corporate by simply stopping feeding the Corporation(s). Give the Corporations no money . . . . they die.
It would be extremely easy for me to write off that article as propaganda or fodder that caters to conspiracy theorists, but I generally do believe we are becoming a debased, lazy and immoral society that is consumed by material needs. The middle class today does not equal the middle class of 20 years ago and especially not 40 years ago.
I don't give a lot of credibility to fifth rail sources of information, even when they aggregate and source legitimate news sources. The piece is based strictly on emotion and cherry picked statistics designed to incite fear.
I know quite a few who laugh at articles like that because it is contradictory to what they have been able to accomplish and they came from absolutely nothing. They are first generation wealth.
It is true that in a society filled with weapons of mass distraction, unheard of levels of personal and business debt and our foreign debt that we are over a barrel ready to be controlled by outside influences, and possibly other countries, that erode our freedom.
Then again, we have a lot of bombs.
Forces would like nothing more than to control what is controllable and a government that gives you everything can take it away.
Disclaimer about bombs comment: I am not condoning the use of said bombs, I merely know for a fact we have some. I really hope we don't use the bombs. No bombs were harmed or deployed in this posting.
Frankly I didn't read the article, it is old news: the decline of the "golden age" middle class (circa 1950s-1990s) in the countries of early industrialization (e.g. US, western Europe) has been clearly on the horizon since the early 1990s and has visibly accelerated in the past decade. In fact, from a long-term perspective, the lifestyle of a relatively few privileged, occupying maybe a quarter of the globe, may be a footnote in history (like its counterpart "communism").
It may be worth noting the US Civil War ended slavery in the 1860s not because of some moral crusade, but because a continent-wide wage-earner society was more convenient for the emerging industrial ruling class. The moralist propaganda rose up to support that.
In the ensuing century, women did not receive the right to vote and enter into the workforce en masse because of some moralist crusade, but because expanding consumerism to a wider swathe of the population was more convenient for supporting and expanding the interests of the industrialized ruling class. The moralist propaganda rose up to support that.
In the last few decades, industrialization has not spread globally because of some moralist crusade, but because expanding consumerism globally is more convenient for support and expanding the interests of the industrialized (add finance and energy interests, etc.) ruling class. Such moralist propaganda such as multi-culturalism and environmentalism rises up to support that.
In this context, the golden age middle class of the countries of early industrialization is by now an expensive nuisance to the globalized ruling classes.
Draw your own conclusions about such things as women in the workforce and slavery: if and when convenient, reversion will take place there as well. And, if convenient, some moralist propaganda will arise to support that.
reference a totally politicized article full of many factual errors and moral equivalencies ...
and then declare that the thread will not be a political discussion.
OK, here's just one fallacy of the article (outside of the number itself cited for those without Health Insurance) ... not having insurance doesn't equal not having ready access to health services. Nor does having health insurance guarantee good health due to many factors within or beyond the control of individuals ... some people create their own problems, some people suffer catastrophic misfortunes such as debilitating physical injuries, some people abuse substances (alcohol comes to mind). Many of these situations demand my sacrifice on the behalf of the sufferers, which I don't agree are my responsibility.
I see "poverty" in this country defined as not having enough "stuff", material goods ... even when folks have adequate comfortable housing, several functioning motor vehicles, lots of electronic gadgets, TV's in every room, labor saving appliances, and so forth. They compare their perceived miserable existence to Hollywood's portrayal of success through material goods and conspicuous consumption, or the affluence of the "rich and famous". It's all a wonderland of BS, envy, and other emotions and angry rigtheous indignation. It's not enough to have those goods, for these folks, "more is never enough". Too f'ing bad ... it's a case of not having all you want, and not wanting what you have. And therein lies the biggest fallacy of the article ... it's all about "fairness" and "justice" for all in class envy economic terms. Like decrying how many people are on food stamps because they "need" the help ... I see how folks use these at the stores ... and their carts are full of junk food, poor nutrition choices, prepared convenience foods .... to which they feel "entitled" to receive from others, and more is not enough here, either, rather than being thankful that they have ready access to the resources which could be put to highly beneficial use.
I know many people who are successful middle-class, who don't seem to be hampered by the restrictions the article talks about. They do it by living within their means, investing their time and energy wisely, and working diligently and consistently toward their goals ... "getting ahead" is on their program. Similarly, I know of a fair number of people who recently came to this country with not much money, put themselves and their families to work, and enjoy the fruits of their labors and ownership of businesses that they worked for. They didn't look for handouts, they just sought out opportunities .... some of them through education and professional careers, some through long hours/physical work ... the commonality was that they depended upon themselves, not handouts and "woe is me, my needs are greater than yours, so you all owe me" mentality.
There's a lot of us out here who spent our prime working years investing in ourselves and our futures instead of pis*ing it away on temporary good times or stuff we didn't need in life. We wanted what we have, and we owned our successes (and losses). For many of us, sitting around at Social Security ages is not to be stuck in a rocking chair living the life of leisure jealously envisioned as the retirement goal of many ... we're still working 40-60 (or more) weeks, creating new businesses and jobs for ourselves and others, and able to enjoy the fruits of our labors as we seek new opportunities and markets. Along the way, we still get to enjoy our various pleasures and activities ....
I wouldn't consider the article fair and balanced but I do find value in the the employment and productivity assertions.
However, it's our own fault. The movie Idiocracy sums it up pretty well.
The American people need to wake up and snap out of their ignorance. The Constitution set up the framework to provide balance. Opportunity still exists in America. Education is the key and is simply not highly valued by many of its recipients and/or their caregivers. Unfortunately this has led to the disinterested and ignorant giving their voice to the more knowledgeable and self-interested who have learned how to make it work best for them.
Let me see...should I go to the town meeting and voice my concern about a new proposal that will adversely affect the future of my community or should I watch American Idol?
Last edited by Lincolnian; 02-16-2010 at 04:57 AM..
Frankly I didn't read the article, it is old news: the decline of the "golden age" middle class (circa 1950s-1990s) in the countries of early industrialization (e.g. US, western Europe) has been clearly on the horizon since the early 1990s and has visibly accelerated in the past decade. In fact, from a long-term perspective, the lifestyle of a relatively few privileged, occupying maybe a quarter of the globe, may be a footnote in history (like its counterpart "communism").
It may be worth noting the US Civil War ended slavery in the 1860s not because of some moral crusade, but because a continent-wide wage-earner society was more convenient for the emerging industrial ruling class. The moralist propaganda rose up to support that.
In the ensuing century, women did not receive the right to vote and enter into the workforce en masse because of some moralist crusade, but because expanding consumerism to a wider swathe of the population was more convenient for supporting and expanding the interests of the industrialized ruling class. The moralist propaganda rose up to support that.
In the last few decades, industrialization has not spread globally because of some moralist crusade, but because expanding consumerism globally is more convenient for support and expanding the interests of the industrialized (add finance and energy interests, etc.) ruling class. Such moralist propaganda such as multi-culturalism and environmentalism rises up to support that.
In this context, the golden age middle class of the countries of early industrialization is by now an expensive nuisance to the globalized ruling classes.
Draw your own conclusions about such things as women in the workforce and slavery: if and when convenient, reversion will take place there as well. And, if convenient, some moralist propaganda will arise to support that.
Nor would this be anything new in history.
Excelllent post, bale! I think some people have a hard time coming to terms with this bit of reality.
Warning! This tread is NOT posted ,nor intended, as a political discussion. Please don't make it one!
Ever wonder why no matter how hard you try you simply can't stay even let alone get ahead? This story will explain why you're not supposed to be able to do anything but keep your head down and your nose to grindstone. "Anyone who has felt the stress of wondering how they were going to get their child's next meal or their own, or the stress of not knowing how they are going to pay the mortgage, rent, electricity or heat bill, let alone the car payment, gas, phone, cable or Internet bill. Over 60 percent of Americans now live paycheck to paycheck." The Economic Elite Have Engineered an Extraordinary Coup, Threatening the Very Existence of the Middle Class | Economy | AlterNet
FIRST, most people are greedy and stupid and live way beyond their means.
My parents drove their cars into the ground, RARELY ate out, clipped coupons and had a nice vegetable garden. Today I see people making 30k a year driving newer cars, rarely cooking and buying a coach purse for $300 once they got enough room on the credit card to charge it. Take a look at the growth in credit card debt and TAKE SOME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
SECOND, we live in a society that exalts a kid that can score 2 touchdowns or dunk a basketball and the kid that excels at academics is a nerd and sits near the bottom of the social totem pole. We revile a CEO that makes a 5million dollar bonus and cheer for a baseball player that makes $20million dollars a year.
(There is a reason we have so many immigrants from countries like China working high-paying technical jobs here in the states. We don't develop enough talent here on our own soil.)
FIRST, most people are greedy and stupid and live way beyond their means.
My parents drove their cars into the ground, RARELY ate out, clipped coupons and had a nice vegetable garden. Today I see people making 30k a year driving newer cars, rarely cooking and buying a coach purse for $300 once they got enough room on the credit card to charge it. Take a look at the growth in credit card debt and TAKE SOME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
SECOND, we live in a society that exalts a kid that can score 2 touchdowns or dunk a basketball and the kid that excels at academics is a nerd and sits near the bottom of the social totem pole. We revile a CEO that makes a 5million dollar bonus and cheer for a baseball player that makes $20million dollars a year.
(There is a reason we have so many immigrants from countries like China working high-paying technical jobs here in the states. We don't develop enough talent here on our own soil.)
Are you saying that were are drowning consumer propaganda to buy, buy, buy?
Are you saying that this same propaganda aggrandized being rich beyond reason?
Are you saying that people today have little to no moral fiber?
Are you saying that America is headed down the same corrupt road that Rome and every other advance peoples have followed to extinction?
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