[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

I don't understand the logic here. Since companies and bosses are greedy and need to make 25X what their employees make, public sectors workers should be stripped of a decent wage and benefits. To me, you'd think folks like you would say to corporate America, look over there, now that's the way to go. Also, if private sector employees were paid more, they'd pay more in taxes and we might have more money around for vital services like education, police, and fire. Instead, people hoping to climb the ladder are okay with their bosses robbing from them and demand that nobody in the government should have it better. The public and private sector WORKERS should stand together and demand more from government, business, and each other.

They can demand all they want, and if they demand too much, unlike in the private sector, taxpayers don't have a say as to how much their taxes go up to fund these workers' benefits and salaries.

And even the private sector, you still run into issues where workers make the company globally uncompetitive (i.e. the auto companies)

Why Detroit Can't Compete - Forbes.com

[v2four]

that was sad to look at....while we are spending billions on these stupid wars in iraq and afghan...while these idiot nfl billionaire owners are fighting their millionaire players over money..while republicans and democrats are fighting over bs..while we see countless commercials telling us to head to Las Vegas, Orlando, the beaches and nightlife of Miami..the theatres and resturants in new york....our kids are starving.....and their images of this world are being shaped at an early age......we should all feel ashamed....

[Retiredcoach]

Originally Posted by v2four

that was sad to look at....while we are spending billions on these stupid wars in iraq and afghan...while these idiot nfl billionaire owners are fighting their millionaire players over money..while republicans and democrats are fighting over bs..while we see countless commercials telling us to head to Las Vegas, Orlando, the beaches and nightlife of Miami..the theatres and resturants in new york....our kids are starving.....and their images of this world are being shaped at an early age......we should all feel ashamed....

I wholeheartedly agree with your insights. The saddest part of all is that those who have the least say, pay the most in the end. We, as an American society, are "passing the torch" to our young with dwindling hopes for their futures. We strap them with our astronomical debt, enhance the wealth of a small segment of our society with monies that should be earmarked for their educations, force them to pay a significantly higher percentage of their reduced wages to taxes, and then, tell them that they are unappreciative of their opportunities when the minimum wage job is the best that they can hope for. It is truly sad to say that our society is really coming closer to being a society of haves and have-nots, with the middle class an unrealistic dream of far too many of our kids.

[AnnieA]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

Excellent link that puts things in perspective. Maybe Florida is being targeted (and Central FL in particular), because everyone knows Disney World!

But, gee, I wonder why states with high immigration appear to have some of the highest and most endemic poverty rates?

Texas, for example, held as the shining star of robust economy for the past couple years, and has a child poverty rate greater than that of Florida. Any of the resident armchair economists and sociologists here on City-data care to tackle that inconsistency?

We will not be rid of child poverty until we stop importing poverty from other nations. We can't have it both ways.....snipped.....

Very good post and very accurate. We have a huge legal and illegal population of people from the carribean, Central America and especially Mexico. Go up around Kissimmee, POinciana, Haines City, areas of Orlando, huge populations and, everyone is breeding......

[AnnieA]

Originally Posted by FLGator487

Three decades of fairy-tale economics, which finally imploded in 2007-2008. Homeless kids are the collateral damage and merely a tiny harbinger of what is to come.

Unless things radically change in this nation, we will soon enter into a long era of free-market feudalism. It will be era where the tiny coterie of the population composed of folks like Rick Scott, the Koch brothers, Trump, law partners, and wealthy hedge fund managers will - liberated from the "theft" of taxation and the demands of those "mooching free-riding" middle class folks for fairness in wages and benefits - indulge in a corpulent life of excesses that would have made the Roman elites blush, while the remaining 98.5% of the population wonders where the next meal and rent payment are coming from.

If you are middle-class today and think that your job, lifestyle, and/or community are safe, you are sadly mistaken.

I do agree with most of this post. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, as the old saying goes. I do believe that as the middle class slowly dwindles away, this country will be a poophole.....

But, we are responsible for a lot of the problems by being irresponsible with the beautiful environment, natural resources and not requiring accountability of our lawmakers. When times were good, we let things slide.....now we are paying the price and so will our granchildren, even more so.

[AnnieA]

Originally Posted by bbronston

I didn't say anything about anyone on welfare. Where did you get that from? And you are ignoring my point. If there's not enough money for every program and every state job, you either have to raise taxes or make cuts. So which is it going to be? Stop complaining about the decisions being made and start providing solutions. What should we cut then from the budget so no one feels that their ox has been goared? By the way, my wife is one who will be affected by the cuts so, yeah, I understand why people might be upset but sometimes you have to take the bitter pill to get better....snipped...

I hear you. I do feel there has to be cuts. I don't want to make deep cuts in an already unfunded program for children and family services. There is more and more child abuse and neglect and I think more money should be going there.

No one funded my a retirement plan, such as it is, and I would not have it any other way. (By the way, I am still working and inching close to 70). I consider myself just as worthy of trying to have a good senior life as any teacher, fireman, etc.....and I didn't make huge amounts of money but I did hustle my bustle and worked long, long hours to save what I could and provide for my chidlren. I am still funding retirements of people who are retiring at 50 and 55.

[chopchop0]

'60 Minutes' looks at Central Florida homeless living in cars - OrlandoSentinel.com

[**NoodLes**]

That's what happens when the majority of the jobs are littered with low paying hospitality jobs. Gotta love Central Floriduh. What a wasteland.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

That's what happens when the majority of the jobs are littered with low paying hospitality jobs. Gotta love Central Floriduh. What a wasteland.

Yeah. We should aspire to be like Texas with all of those "high paying" jobs they keep adding

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/20...-minimum-wage/

[Jo48]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

That's what happens when the majority of the jobs are littered with low paying hospitality jobs. Gotta love Central Floriduh. What a wasteland.

Just as bad, if not worse, in the South. At least Orland has Disney year round. Here in Naples, SEASON is God, and the economy runs around November through March when the Snowbirds come here. Even with service jobs, here they are only part of the year.