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The scary thing is that I know many "highly-educated" people who have combined salaries in excess of $150k who buy homes that are beyond their means feeling that they can't get a decent place to live for "their children" without indebting themselves. These same people also lease the $50k vehicles and pay through the nose on other luxury items. I listen to their complaints of how tough it is and that they need to be in these high-priced communities because of better test scores.
What they don't realize is that the only reason the scores are higher is because no one unable to cough up at least $500k for a house lives there resulting in a homogeneous population of "highly educated", credit-extended, equity-poor, people feeling very trapped and vulnerable due to their lifestyle.
These people are the ones who are most likely to see themselves as the people that Democrats such as Obama, Clinton, and Edwards are talking about as the middle class that is suffering.
My wife and I chose to live in a modest community, in a similar house, same quality of teachers and curriculum but lower test scores due to the diversity of income levels represented. My wife and I have always been advocates of living conservatively and not extending ourselves with debt.
While my friends in expensive communities complain about how tough it is in their 3/4 million-dollar homes we are quite comfortable with our two debt-free homes, lower taxes, my wife's ability to work part-time, and simple but practical vehicles, saving for our children's college education and our retirement.
We are not from privileged backgrounds. I enjoyed working from a young age and learned many different skills (including many I learned while taking advantage of numerous training opportunities while working for 3 years at McDonald's in High School).
As a teacher, I have observed that one of the biggest challenges I face is trying to instill the value of hard work in my students. Many, even those with marginal skills, openly voice their refusal to work any job that isn't fun and doesn't pay them a lot of money. My community has a number of service jobs that always have unfilled job openings. Sadly, former students are unwilling to do these jobs just as they were unwilling to do classwork or homework when in school.
There are plenty of opportunities available in America. Education is the key. It is not just for the college educated. There are many excellent training programs available on-the-job, technical and trade programs, the military, or the ability to start your own business (a friend of mine makes over $50,000 just cutting lawns and turns down business because he doesn't need the extra work and isn't interested in being a boss). Enough said!
There are plenty of opportunities available in America. Education is the key. It is not just for the college educated. There are many excellent training programs available on-the-job, technical and trade programs, the military, or the ability to start your own business (a friend of mine makes over $50,000 just cutting lawns and turns down business because he doesn't need the extra work and isn't interested in being a boss). Enough said!
Interesting that you mention the military, over here on this side of the pond Gordon Brown (UK Prime Minister) said soldiers could face ten years in Afgaistan on half the pay of a British policeman, wonder if there will be any takers, not suprising they can't recruit?
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