+1 its really not the end of the world... cant be any worse than bush haha

 

^ My friend it could easily be worse than Bush. The stock market hasn't completely crashed yet but just wait until all the baby boomers retire and cash in their 401K(s). That's when it will be worse.

 

onepoint. I do have an open mind. I was just pointing out that even though a change is coming I personally and along with many others agree that it probably will not go the way everyone thinks it will. I am hoping for the best I really am but I just don't think it's going to happen. Another personal belief with me being Christian is that there are a lot of signs that are pointing towards the end times. But I don't want to get into that.

Josh

 

Which is why this country needs an energy revolution. Middle class jobs, infrastructure, investment, r&d and education among so many other things, THEN... Plaster the deserts with solar panels, create the smartest batteries, line the coasts with wind turbines and tide, perfect that technology and inspire the rest of the world and then export that technology. For me, Barack is the one who inspires that kind of change, thats why I voted for him, and thats how I see our financial system getting fixed, and how we will be able to pay off $10,000,000,000,000 + that is owed to China, and a sure way to redefine "the land of the free."

Josh, cool.

 

Couple things.
First off, I said "Spoken like a true 18 year old", because his comment sounded very stereotypical of somebody who has never gone through a rough time.
From what you've described, you HAVE gone through rough times. So, if that's the case, are you comfortable with hanging less fortunate people out to dry? There are plenty of people who love the country they live in, but for one reason or another, they just need HELP. Is that so terrible? Is that a sign of weakness -- and if so, should they just be left to die or live miserable lives? No.

And the part of the quote in bold... I don't know about down there, but up here, we have tax brackets like what are described here. But only the income over that amount is taxed by the new bracket.

So, if you make 300 grand a year, the first 30 grand is lightly taxed, from 30-60 is taxed more moderately, from 60-100 is more again, and eventually you hit the top tax bracket, and the remaining 250-300 is taxed accordingly. This means that you'll never get a raise causing you to net less money. I am SURE that this is the case in USA, otherwise it wouldn't make any sense. Nobody can cry about "only" making 250k a year. That's 5 grand a week. They can afford to be taxed higher after that... the rest is gravy.

 

A) Umm, pretty sure I can post in here if I like. Sorry, but you'll just have to deal.
B) Yup, that's true. Lots of apprenticeships available here, too. You know how competitive they are? My example mom could try at every one of them, but who's to say that she'll get one? If she does, great. If not, I guess it's okay that her kids starve, as she's been beaten fairly for the open positions that were available?
C) This point makes me really wonder WTF you're talking about. So you concede that sometimes people really do need help -- and that you've even known such people. But yet, you don't support that system? Lets use the people in YOUR example, and let me ask you a question. If you had the power, would you cancel such social assistance programs? You'd be making sure your ex girlfriends douchebag parents never freeloaded again... but you'd also be hanging your friends out to dry. Make the call. And don't dance around the issue and give me some BS about how you'd make sure one got it while the other didn't. Can't happen. That kind of enforcement would cost more than the freeloaders.

 

^ The point I was trying to make is the system is fundamentally flawed and tends to lend itself to manipulation. There are plenty of people who claim back problems, but since back problems are hard to prove, it's generally accepted no questions asked. My friends, who have used welfare were only on it for 6 months at most. The American society seems to no longer value a good work ethic. It seems that nowadays it's all about getting rich quick and being famous. Maybe it's just me, I don't know.

 

airguard, you are 18 years old? Right or wrong, you speak very well for someone your age. I didn't even have an opinon at that age. I think thats cool. Hopefuly there are more kids your age with a voice (right or wrong... ) Then again, when I was 18 Clinton was in office and things were peachy...

 

I never said the system was perfect. I asked what you'd do. Keep the social benefits, or axe them.
Are social benefits good, or not?

You danced around the question, just like I asked you not to.

 

It's a tough question. I'm not sure what I would do. I'm tempted to axe them because I feel that would be more of an incentive to work hard and make a lot of money. I know that it was an incentive for my parents, whose families were anything but wealthy. They worked hard so they could afford good healthcare and they could afford good everything else. My father was the son of a laid-off machinist and a BSU administrator and my mother was the daughter of an electrical worker and a housewife; hardly million-dollar a year jobs. Their parents taught them to work hard so they could afford more.