If you are born into poverty and 1) don't have a kid before 18 and 2) graduate high school, there is an 80% chance of you escaping poverty from the studies. It's not rocket science.
Vote: Biggest threat to the US
- Thread starter tlwwake
- Start date
In this country alone, the top 1% owns around 38% of the financial wealth in our country. The bottom 60% owns around 2% of the financial wealth. When one considers the new income generated in this country, around 95% of that goes to the top 1%. Millions of Americans are working longer hours while their wages are decreasing.
This is why so many middle to lower Americans find it harder every day "just to get by." And this problem isn't getting better, it is getting worse. Not to mention the control that this allows the very wealthy to exercise over our political system, which is one reason why it is so corrupt (the issue that 55% of those who voted in the poll saw as the biggest threat).
In today's day in age and for some time at no point has owning wealth been your ticket to success. Sure you are never going to be the trump kids. It seems jealousy is forcing your opinions. Sign up for food stamps, sooner care and take advantage of the government programs that are paid for by the taxes the rich pay. See how that works? Use those programs as the on ramp not a means to stay in an entitled mindset. The rich are already paying for the opportunity, but the new left culture is full of excuses because they didn't have rich parents.
Personally I think it is the lack of basic knowledge of civics and founding princepals by the general populace today.
It is one of the main reasons why we are so divided today. We stopped teaching this in schools decades ago and it is finally coming home to roost.
This is a result of radicals being allowed to take over a lot of the education systems I'm this country.
It is one of the main reasons why we are so divided today. We stopped teaching this in schools decades ago and it is finally coming home to roost.
This is a result of radicals being allowed to take over a lot of the education systems I'm this country.
It has nothing to do with jealousy and everything to do with concern for all people (and not just the few).
You know I am no fan of Trump, however, Trump understood exactly what I am talking about. That is why his campaign played on the economic concerns of many middle and low income Americans. Trump told them what they wanted to hear, although he had no intentions of actually helping them in the ways they need help. This was one of the major blunders of the Clinton campaign in 2016. It failed to realize the economic concerns of "middle America" and how Trump's messaging was directed straight at them.
Did you just lift that straight off of a Bernie website?
Tell me, are the poor of 2017 in a similar condition to the poor of 1917?
How about 1817? 1717?
Sounds like jealousy. American poor have iphones, just not the latest version.
In what ways do they need help? Sounds like you are very well versed in trade, economic policy, and psychology.
I'm intrigued to hear your prescription.
I think the biggest challenge imo is the separation between "The American Dream" and becoming a 1%er. The one percenters are unique and there is certainly an imbalance in wealth. However, there has always been an imbalance of wealth and the deck is set to make it nearly impossible to go from poor or even middle-class to the 1%. In those examples, some of the wealth distribution topics are legitimate. However, Harry is also correct. The opportunity to rise from poor to middle-class is there for anyone who is willing to work for it. Now some may have to work less due to sacrifices of their forefathers, and some may have to work harder due to the mistakes of their forefathers. Just looking at the video, Harry has some good points. Its not societies fault that she has 3 kids with 3 dads. People can make mistakes. I can show you lots of examples where single mothers pick themselves up. But mistakes will make it harder. And eventually you can make enough mistakes where you can no longer achieve your goal. But that's true of anything. Its not a video game where you can just hit the reset button and try again. The one area where society has failed the current generation is the training of them that they are kids until they are 18 and thus their decisions have no consequences. Unfortunately, this is false. But our MTV culture has promoted hipness and coolness over smartness for the youth and that has been the biggest disservice ever.
Of course not. However, we also have instituted programs and other efforts to help the poor, that were not available in 1717 or 1817. Funny though how some on the right often argue that we should go back to an 1817 mindset!
Just because one's situation is better than it would have been in 1817 doesn't mean much. An African American could have been a slave in 1817, but today, that form of slavery has been done away with. It doesn't mean though that the problems facing some African Americans aren't just as troublesome and a threat to larger society today.
It only sounds like jealousy if you have to resort to ad hominem attacks in order to make your argument.
There are numerous areas they need help. We could start with trade (since this is an area Trump talked about during the campaign). We should embrace trade policies that actually help the working class of Americans in this country, not large corporations. NAFTA, CAFTA, TPP . . . all bad ideas for working Americans.
Trump ran against NAFTA but you mark it down that he will do nothing to get rid of or greatly change NAFTA. Someone like Sanders, for example, was against NAFTA from the get go and still is.
Trump though understood that "middle America" has wised up regarding these "free trade" deals. So he ran against it, wisely. But he isn't going to fix the problem. It would hurt his bottom line too much to actually attempt to fix our trade problems.
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You're going to need to back this up, because it just makes you sound dumb.
What kind of convoluted nonsense are you speaking here!?
You advocating for some kind of policy prescription to what end, then, if a person's situation "doesn't mean much?" That the SOLE reason you prescribe policy.
Educational opportunity for you: Google "how to use benchmarks in business." Next, when making a case for change, drill down to the foundation of why you're advocating it. Be prepared to explain why change is needed. Provide historical or current benchmarks against which to evaluate not only the need to a policy, but the effectiveness of a policy already in place.
No it doesn't. Stop being dumb.
So, essentially, you're projecting. You are providing nothing other than what your mind's eye sees in the future.
Whenever you start making money off of predicting the future, I'll start listening. Maybe start with stocks. Put all your money there, then check your mind's eye for which direction they are going, tell us here, and we'll evaluate your success rate. It'll win you some credibility.
Interpretation: Just because your Dad and Mom worked hard, invested wisely and didn't blow it all doesn't mean that a big chunk of it shouldn't be taken from you by men with the power to throw you in jail and given to those that have 0 connection to your Mom and Dad.
Its only fair
This founding father said...
Jefferson is rolling over in his grave today because...
If Madison was alive today...
Originally, the U.S. Constitution was meant to...
My comment you quoted was discussing the comparison to 1817.
No projection at all. He just recently said he wasn't going to get rid of NAFTA. Which shouldn't have surprised anyone.
btw, your continued ad hominem attacks really don't help make your argument (whatever that argument is). It just weakens it.
The Statue of Liberty is Kaput.
Work to do...and nothing of substance from your end....I'm out.
Still curious about this vote, and not in a negative way. I'd really like to read an explanation of why systemic racism is the biggest threat.
GL and other libs: At what point do you separate personal responsibility from societal obligation. If I give a poor person food stamps, and he chooses to buy alcohol instead, is that a sign that society isn't doing enough? Is it society's fault (and responsibility) for teenagers having kids out of wedlock? Is it society's fault that the guy who dropped out of high school at 16 is poor? For the record, this is my biggest issue with the liberal platform. I'd actually vote democrat if they showed one sliver of expectation for personal responsibility. But instead of the fact that I have a better life than most because I made sacrifices and my family made sacrifices, Dem snowflakes believe I have a better life due to my 'privilege'.
Honestly I believe the biggest threat to the US is young far-leftists.
1) work ethic: They have been taught a hand-out culture with the rich being evil and not paying their fair share. And that things should be given to them without hard work.
2) victimization culture: Pragmatic thinking is dying. Faux feelings replace true thought. Being a victim is something to be celebrated.
My concern --- There are many of us that have done things the right way. We have passed on instant gratification and have put a larger portion of our earnings into savings and retirement. With leftists continually wanting to milk those with means, I have a grave concern that my retirement nest egg will get taxed at many multiples the current tax rate and my retirement will not go anywhere near as far as I hope for my family.
1) work ethic: They have been taught a hand-out culture with the rich being evil and not paying their fair share. And that things should be given to them without hard work.
2) victimization culture: Pragmatic thinking is dying. Faux feelings replace true thought. Being a victim is something to be celebrated.
My concern --- There are many of us that have done things the right way. We have passed on instant gratification and have put a larger portion of our earnings into savings and retirement. With leftists continually wanting to milk those with means, I have a grave concern that my retirement nest egg will get taxed at many multiples the current tax rate and my retirement will not go anywhere near as far as I hope for my family.
It's not political parties anymore. It's "tribal. People are one-issue voters for the most part. Pro/anti-abortion. The system is so polarized and tribal, there can't be civil debate on the issues anymore. It's all straw man arguments against the other position and name calling.
Our biggest threat is a corrupt political system. To me, most all our other problems fall waaaaaay behind this.
