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In my experience, poor people are usually poor for a reason. They gamble or go into debt or drink or use drugs or are mentally unequipped for the world, and so on. This is not a judgment. This is what they are. It has the consequence of making poverty more likely, unless they are lucky.
We all have failings, but some failings tend to have the side-effect of making wealth more likely.
I wish I lived in a world (and the world really is approaching this) where basics just come automatically, and where if you do more, you get more, but you always have enough. In the meantime we have to live in a world where things are rationed one way or another -- generally through prices. Politics goes on and how to slice the pie will always be a matter for argument.
I would like to see this too. I hope you are right that we are moving towards the direction of providing the basics for all so we all have what we need - food, shelter, water, clothing, education and healthcare.
And yes, the poor are poor for a reason (or many reasons actually). When people realize this and that it wasn't necessarily a "choice" (in the truest meaning of the word), maybe we can have more understanding.
Oh, I mind the paying of food stamps, but I think the entire war on Walmart is full of lies and misinformation.
We have a nation of part time employees who claim the need for free stuff from government, Walmart employees do not get a special deal.
Walmart does, however, symbolize and perfectly embody the entire spirit of this movement - hire a ton of part time employees so you don't have to "waste" your money paying them, let them get gov't assistance AND take advantage of corporate welfare so just a few members of society can reap the benefits.
If you cannot see how corporate America is the issue here and NOT the part timers, what can I say?
Walmart does, however, symbolize and perfectly embody the entire spirit of this movement - hire a ton of part time employees so you don't have to "waste" your money paying them, let them get gov't assistance AND take advantage of corporate welfare so just a few members of society can reap the benefits.
If you cannot see how corporate America is the issue here and NOT the part timers, what can I say?
Well, you seem to be a rather typical member of the OWS crowd. The problem is not the corporations, the problem is a mentality of entitlement in this country. Our public schools have been so worried about Johnny and Susie's self-esteem for so long that they have killed natural human competitiveness by awarding everyone trophies for simply showing up.
There was a time when the saying, "It takes money to make money" meant something. That goes for everything from having 20% to put down on a house to having a small sum in order to launch a business idea. The big banks don't want to issue small business loans anymore, despite having been bailed out by .gov. It's the greedy, too big to fail banks like Citibank which received the biggest government bailout of them all, which heartlessly turn around and slash 11,000 employees right before Christmas. "Streamlining middle management" is what I heard was the reason. So those aren't poor people and those aren't rich people, those are the middle-class, under $200,000 a year folks who now have no job because Obamacare and higher corporate taxes are excuses to lay off the middle class in order to grow Citibank's profit margin.
Anyone can fall on hard times through no fault of their own. However, the ability to get back up and start over again has been made harder for the simple reason that unemployment is still at 8% and will most likely go much higher in 2013. Why? Because we have a Marxist for a President who is hellbent on destroying capitalism in this country.
When Walmart finds a way to lower prices, whether it is by being more efficient, or being hard on suppliers, or buying overseas, or whatever, they are doing society a great service -- although, of course, their motive is to be more competitive and hence make greater profit.
There are vested interests that like the easy life of not having to get out there and compete for a living. They try to use politics to hinder the Walmarts of this world, by creating labor laws, by imposing trade barriers, even by preventing the opening of stores. The public is the loser from such things.
I have seen it argued that this is too simple -- that we need to protect established small businesses as they provide something a giant corporation cannot provide (exactly what that may be I never understood -- it seems to be something along the lines of love and friendliness, although it seems to me the people at Walmart are friendlier than most shop operators).
In the end, we are all better off if we don't have it easy. As the Buddha said, "Take care that your bed is not too soft."
Walmart does, however, symbolize and perfectly embody the entire spirit of this movement - hire a ton of part time employees so you don't have to "waste" your money paying them, let them get gov't assistance AND take advantage of corporate welfare so just a few members of society can reap the benefits.
If you cannot see how corporate America is the issue here and NOT the part timers, what can I say?
Business is not in business to enrich their labor.
Government created the problem by forcing these programs upon us to begin with.
Businesses are responsible for many other employee costs than just their wages and benefits.
Your compensation is directly related to the skill that you bring with you.
Your compensation is directly related to the skill that you bring with you.
I think the worst fallacy the labor movement preaches is that it is somehow possible to arrange things so that you can get more money for your work than what your labor is worth. This can work for a short time, or when there is a protectionist political structure, but, in the end, it only serves to generate unemployment and bankrupt pension plans.
Have you seen the monuments our government builds to itself?
Do you think about the things you say before you post?
Yep, I do, do you? we travel the back roads in our motor home, visiting one, two or three towns every day we are on the road. We notice that every city, town and village has a prideful center piece of some kind. Often they are humble little things, sometimes they will rival the US capital dome, you ever stand below the WV capital dome? Carlingville, Illinois? Why do ppl invest in such things?? Pride in country, pride in state, pride in town and pride in their abilities. Often, they show signs of intense pride, skills and labor.
Why do you hate America? Every day you come here and bash some aspect of this country. Why? If you agree with so little, despise our country as it is, why don't you take your ball and leave. You're so hateful, you're only joy seems to be in bashing others.
I am very patriotic, never question that. I always visit the war memorials and cemeteries and pay my respects for those that built this country. You on the other hand, I have zero respect for, you spend all your time here tearing down. I have suffered thru, Nixon, Reagun and Bush two, never agreeing with much of what they did. But I worked within the system they imposed and made the best of it. After working by butt since I was 8 or 9 I retired at 53 and now enjoy myself.
Bottom line, quit whining and complaining about everything. Complaining is the same as worring, it is a complete and absolute waste of energy. Work the system, whatever it is, and retire when you're comfortable. You only get one life, don't waste it fighting other ppl's battles. Or you can waste your time writing more nonsense to bash me and others, your choice.
Yep, I do, do you? we travel the back roads in our motor home, visiting one, two or three towns every day we are on the road. We notice that every city, town and village has a prideful center piece of some kind. Often they are humble little things, sometimes they will rival the US capital dome, you ever stand below the WV capital dome? Carlingville, Illinois? Why do ppl invest in such things?? Pride in country, pride in state, pride in town and pride in their abilities. Often, they show signs of intense pride, skills and labor.
Why do you hate America? Every day you come here and bash some aspect of this country. Why? If you agree with so little, despise our country as it is, why don't you take your ball and leave. You're so hateful, you're only joy seems to be in bashing others.
I am very patriotic, never question that. I always visit the war memorials and cemeteries and pay my respects for those that built this country. You on the other hand, I have zero respect for, you spend all your time here tearing down. I have suffered thru, Nixon, Reagun and Bush two, never agreeing with much of what they did. But I worked within the system they imposed and made the best of it. After working by butt since I was 8 or 9 I retired at 53 and now enjoy myself.
Bottom line, quit whining and complaining about everything. Complaining is the same as worring, it is a complete and absolute waste of energy. Work the system, whatever it is, and retire when you're comfortable. You only get one life, don't waste it fighting other ppl's battles. Or you can waste your time writing more nonsense to bash me and others, your choice.
Actually, I'm FOR America. I'm FOR the constitution. It's you lefties who are dissatisfied with America.
I try to engage you lefties with logic and I always argue from a constitutional basis.
You may travel the countryside visiting monuments, but you really don't understand America.
I NEVER hear a constitutional argument from a leftie....only "case law".
Oh.....and by monuments, I don't mean things like the Lincoln Memorial and Mt. Rushmore.....I'm talking about things like the RFK Memorial HS in LA....you know, the half a BILLION DOLLAR "Taj Mahal" of schools that was built with taxpayer dollars.
If you can't see the silliness in that, I cannot help you.
Actually, I'm FOR America. I'm FOR the constitution. It's you lefties who are dissatisfied with America.
I try to engage you lefties with logic and I always argue from a constitutional basis.
You may travel the countryside visiting monuments, but you really don't understand America.
I NEVER hear a constitutional argument from a leftie....only "case law".
Oh.....and by monuments, I don't mean things like the Lincoln Memorial and Mt. Rushmore.....I'm talking about things like the RFK Memorial HS in LA....you know, the half a BILLION DOLLAR "Taj Mahal" of schools that was built with taxpayer dollars.
If you can't see the silliness in that, I cannot help you.
See your very next post argues against the system we all live in. "case law" is as important as the constitution itself. If you cannot accept that fact of life you're not dealing with reality. There are plenty of court rulings I don't agree with, but I accept them as the law, you on the other hand only want to live by those you agree with. That is a fundamental problem you need to deal with.
You can argue all day that the general welfare clause was interpreted all wrong, but making that argument isn't moving things forward. Res Judicata is the legal term, you are arguing things that have already been decided.
Dude, I was a senior structural designer and help build dozens of schools. I never stopped railing against the waste of those "monuments to architects' egos". Schools need to put function over form. It is the architects trying to out do each other that is the problem.
Last edited by buzzards27; 12-06-2012 at 11:17 AM..
See your very next post argues against the system we all live in. "case law" is as important as the constitution itself. If you cannot accept that fact of life you're not dealing with reality. There are plenty of court rulings I don't agree with, but I accept them as the law, you on the other hand only want to live by those you agree with. That is a fundamental problem you need to deal with.
You can argue all day that the general welfare clause was interpreted all wrong, but making that argument isn't moving things forward. Res Judicata is the legal term, you are arguing things that have already been decided.
Dude, I was a senior structural designer and help build dozens of schools. I never stopped railing against the waste of those "monuments to architects' egos". Schools need to put function over form. It is the architects trying to out do each other that is the problem.
Hmm, interesting angle. If you research the minutes of Boards of Education across the U.S., you will see ENORMOUS fees approved for architects, many of those fees for plans that are never built or for projects which need extreme modifications once under construction.
Yep, damn those rich and annoying architects.
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I would like to see this too. I hope you are right that we are moving towards the direction of providing the basics for all so we all have what we need - food, shelter, water, clothing, education and healthcare. 
