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"One thing Americans take for granted is that they will always be the richest, most successful people on earth. They think that because that is what they have always known. The US economy became the biggest in the world before 1900. Americans had just what it took to become the richest people on the planet. They worked hard. They saved their money. They had little government interference. They had the industrial revolution at their backs...and nothing in their way. And they had a dollar that was 'as good as gold.' By the time the baby boomers were born the US had such a big lead over the rest of the world, it seemed like nothing could stop it. Free enterprise guaranteed new innovations and new wealth. Democracy guaranteed a political system that would adapt to the needs of the evolving economy.
"But nothing lasts forever. As it matured, the US economy and its political system became more and more rigid and more and more costly, with handouts and bailouts...at every level. Large companies are protected. Millions of people are encouraged not to work. The whole financial industry is dipped in honey. And the whole population is urged not to save, but to spend."
Location: In a Galaxy far, far away called Germany
4,300 posts, read 4,406,723 times
Reputation: 2394
Quote:
Originally Posted by oscottscotto
If I only hadn't gone to college.
I hear ya! GI Bill paid for some of mine, but I had to take loans as well. It took me going to Iraq as a defense contractor last year to pay off all of my debt, but its done and now my family and I are debt free.
I hear ya! GI Bill paid for some of mine, but I had to take loans as well. It took me going to Iraq as a defense contractor last year to pay off all of my debt, but its done and now my family and I are debt free.
Will be there one day ... until then, I'll be making the 35k-55k range salary ... dishing out that $300 a month to student loans. Don't "own" a home yet
I don't think Americans used to take it for granted. The depression was burned into the memory of the people that went through it, and that generation passed a strong work ethic on to their children. I see the present younger generation as the ones taking it for granted, and thinking it will all be handed to them. Playing video games, watching t.v. and eating snack foods all day will tend to make anyone take life for granted.
"One thing Americans take for granted is that they will always be the richest, most successful people on earth. They think that because that is what they have always known. The US economy became the biggest in the world before 1900. Americans had just what it took to become the richest people on the planet. They worked hard. They saved their money. They had little government interference. They had the industrial revolution at their backs...and nothing in their way. And they had a dollar that was 'as good as gold.' By the time the baby boomers were born the US had such a big lead over the rest of the world, it seemed like nothing could stop it. Free enterprise guaranteed new innovations and new wealth. Democracy guaranteed a political system that would adapt to the needs of the evolving economy.
"But nothing lasts forever. As it matured, the US economy and its political system became more and more rigid and more and more costly, with handouts and bailouts...at every level. Large companies are protected. Millions of people are encouraged not to work. The whole financial industry is dipped in honey. And the whole population is urged not to save, but to spend."
Depressing, or not? What is to be done?
I don't take it for granted at all. I fully understand that Obama and his minions would love nothing more than to cut America down to size and make us all equally poor. On the other side you have neocons spending trillions on wars and fighting hard to protect big businesses while not caring about the average Joe's and Jane's.
I don't take it for granted at all. I fully understand that Obama and his minions would love nothing more than to cut America down to size and make us all equally poor.
Oh for ford's sake; this didn't start on 20 Jan 2009.
How much is Bush's war costing us?
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