My disdain for the poor.

[shattered]

You always want to ruin everything with that huggy-smoochie crap.

Only for you.

[Gunny]

Only for you.

[manu1959]

And NOW I'm going to bed.

suuuuuuuuuuuuuure :wank2:

[shattered]

suuuuuuuuuuuuuure :wank2:

You know I had to rep him for that, right, Gunny?

[5stringJeff]

How dare you pass judgment on me without knowing what I really did! I looked everywhere for work and was not fussy about what job I'd take. Still, it took a long time. Remember, there was a recession going on. How dare you suggest that it was my fault that my job search took longer than expected!

As for the "self help" group, as I said earlier, I considered it an investment - part of my job search. I got a few job leads as a result of my involvement in the group, although none resulted in a job offer. Still, I consider it step on my part.

I bust my ass looking for a job for eight months. How dare you suggest that I didn't try hard enough, especially since you don't know me personally or didn't know me when I was trying very hard to find another job! You have a lot of gall.

My dad went through something similar. He got furloughed from Continental Airlines and did odd jobs for months before he could get back in the cockpit. Even then, he flew for some smaller corporate companies before he could get back with the airlines again.

[manu1959]

I pumped gas when I was 19. It was second job, but because it was a 12 hour shift on a Sunday it was time and half. Well worth doing!

man my high school and college summers sucked ..... worked drywall from 6-3 and washed dishes from 5 til midnight......

[CockySOB]

Capitalism thrives on scarcity. If everybody is rich there is no scarcity because everybody can afford everything - unless there is not enough to go around - and with certain commodities there isn't.
You have said one thing correct that capitalism thrives at ALL levels of society. It needs those levels to survive.
... snip ...
So before you open your cocky gob, think about things before you flame people. Being cocky doesn't give you the right to be a dick, but feel free to carry on. I'd put my IQ up against yours any day of the week...

Going by the article, the vast majority of the woman's problems lie at her own feet.

The bold-faced text I totally agree with.

By the way, you incorrectly paraphrased my statement. I did not say that capitalism thrives at all levels nor that it requires those levels to exist. What I said was that capitalism thrives when value is created at all levels. The only way for a capitalistic society to thrive at all levels is if the total wealth of the population continually grows and that such growth is proportional for each contributing individual. What we see with the woman in this article is someone who is not only NOT a contributing member of society, but someone who is exhausting resources at an alarming rate based on her own poor decision-making. (See how I tie things back to the OP? I'm still waiting to see how you tie your post back to the OP as well, because it still seems like nothing more than a diatribe against capitalism from someone who has an ax to grind.)

Also, capitalistic growth is based on demand, which is not necessarily the same thing as scarcity. True, scarcity can increase perceived value leading to larger margins, but the demand is tied to the perceived value, not the scarcity. In modern American society, the necessities are not so scarce as to exclude the "poor" from acquiring them whether by their own efforts or through the efforts of charitable organizations and social programs. And even if everyone attained the status of "rich," there would still be demand for products and services even though a "poor underclass" wouldn't exist. Which all kinda knocks your argument to the ground, does it not?

Note to GrumpyThinSkin: That wasn't a flame. Hell, it wasn't even a spark. If I feel the desire to flame you, there won't be any doubt about my intentions. Trust me. And while I may find a lot of what you say to be misguided and/or moronic, you at least ARE providing feedback and discussion unlike so many of the modern American librulls. And if you actually feel like being rude to me, feel free. Unlike our resident librull moonbats, I have a pretty thick skin and can take whatever you throw at me.

Being a dick to imbeciles is just another free service I provide.

[Hobbit]

I have no sympathy for this woman. Right now, I live with my parents, because I'm trying to get back into college and I'm going to have to pay to finish it all by myself. I messed up enough that I doubt I'll get much in scholarships, and my parents are paying for my sister's education, which, so far, is proving to be a better investment than mine (she's close to center, politically, though she's a conservative and won't admit it, and she and the only other conservative in her poly-sci class took the rest of the class and the teacher to task on the minimum wage. I'm so proud *sniff* whoa, tangent). First off, I'm not above mooching free room and board off my parents as long as they're offering it. I currently work two jobs, and spend my spare time working on classes to raise my GPA. When my hours got cut back after Christmas, I went around wherever I was allowed and put up signs with my name and phone number, advertising my computer-fixing skills, for lower rates than the Best Buy Geek Squad, including house calls, and subject to availability. I never eat out unless somebody else pays or I have no choice. My car gets 45 mpg and is paid for. When I was still in school, I spent my summers renting a cheap house with a friend. As Boy Scout camp veterans, we never turned on the AC (the house leaked like a sieve), even though the summers in NW Arkansas can get over 100 degrees quite often. We ate a lot of ramen, beans, and other cheap stuff we could find. He didn't drink caffiene and I switched from soft drinks to cheap coffee and tea. I worked 2 jobs and did freelance tech support on the side then, too. One of those jobs was at a pizza place, and I would often save money there by making a meal of pizza customers had abandoned (common practice there).

As a result of these frugal habits, I have saved more than $10k in under one year, not including the $1000 emergency fund I've had for over 2 years. I even set aside a few bucks a week in cash as 'blow money' to keep my desire to spend some of my hard-earned dough in check. No job I have ever worked has required anything more than a willingness to do it, and they have all been within less than a mile of where I lived.

[Grumplestillskin]

By the way, you incorrectly paraphrased my statement. I did not say that capitalism thrives at all levels nor that it requires those levels to exist. What I said was that capitalism thrives when value is created at all levels.

RRiiigggghhhttt. So when value is created at all levels, even the lowest, it is not capitialism. Do you actually believe the drivel you write?

What we see with the woman in this article is someone who is not only NOT a contributing member of society, but someone who is exhausting resources at an alarming rate based on her own poor decision-making. (See how I tie things back to the OP? I'm still waiting to see how you tie your post back to the OP as well, because it still seems like nothing more than a diatribe against capitalism from someone who has an ax to grind).

Um, one of the biggest problems you have is you ass-ume to much. It seems a trait particular to neocons and their ilk. I have never said I do not like capitalism. In fact I do. I think both pure capitalism and socialism will never work. A mixture of both will...the devil is in the details. Why do I have to tie my answer back to the piece?

In modern American society, the necessities are not so scarce as to exclude the "poor" from acquiring them whether by their own efforts or through the efforts of charitable organizations and social programs. And even if everyone attained the status of "rich," there would still be demand for products and services even though a "poor underclass" wouldn't exist. Which all kinda knocks your argument to the ground, does it not?

It not only doesn't knock my argument, it hardly brushes it. We are not even talking about the necessities. Even the dirt poor get the necessities whether it be by charities or food stamps or whatever. I'm talking about what drives the economy - supply, demand and scarcity.
For a simpleton like yourself I'll give you an example.
First scenario: Ten guys are all worth $1 million and desperately - I mean really, really desperately want the last Porsche on the lot. They all turn up at the same time to buy it. The price on the car is $200,000. The first guys says he'll pay it. However the 2nd guy is just dying to get it is so offers $10,000 more. The third then offers another $10 gs and so it goes on, until eventually one of them pays $1 million for it. See how an item valued at $200,000 escalates and suddenly is worth way more than it's book value? It's called hyper inflation.
Second scenario: Same ten guys, same price, but three have $150,000, three have $200,000, two have $300,000 and one $400,000 and one $500,000m with three of them (and arguably six) not even in the race. There is gonna be only one winner. Now relate that to most other products and services and yiou see how an underclass helps keep things the way they are. And you know what, I haven't even said it is a good or bad thing.

Note to GrumpyThinSkin: That wasn't a flame. Hell, it wasn't even a spark. If I feel the desire to flame you, there won't be any doubt about my intentions. Trust me. And while I may find a lot of what you say to be misguided and/or moronic, you at least ARE providing feedback and discussion unlike so many of the modern American librulls. And if you actually feel like being rude to me, feel free. Unlike our resident librull moonbats, I have a pretty thick skin and can take whatever you throw at me.

Well at least we have the same opinion of each other. Any time you feel like flamming I'll see you in the cage.... I'll have you pissing blood through the keyboard in five minutes...

Being a dick to imbeciles is just another free service I provide.

Why if you stop looking in the mirror, you won't have to provide the service at all. Self flagellation on messageboards is unbecoming - even to morons!

[Ado]

We may have distain for the poor in this country,
but we sure are enablers by not improving education
for schools in areas that need the most help, not
providing sex education to kids at the earliest age
possible, not allowing pro-choice, and easy dissemination
of condoms, and other birth control.

The poverty culture has learned bad habits.
If they can manipulate the system and find loopholes,
it is up to us to change it, but also give them
options out of that lifestyle--and I don't
mean affirmative action, I mean educating them
in the basics, with a good foundation.

We haven't done anyone any favors by outsourcing
jobs to other countries, now the lower middle class
will lose buying power, and have no health insurance.

Many of the poor earn money with the drug trade.
We are wasting far too much money on the war
on pot. Money and resources should be spent
on drugs that cause more harm and violent
situations. Jail space could be made if we didn't
waste time jailing people for weed; then there
would more people eligible for better jobs,
without that on their records.

And no, I don't smoke dope--it is
an economic consideration. If pot were
made legal, you'd cut out half the local
dealer's business. For many, all their
business. But the real truth is, keeping
pot illegal keeps the government working,
and it keeps a portion of the population
down. Meanwhile, Betty Boobalot,
with her fake tits, can get boozed up
plus take prescription pills and drive
around in her Mercedes that she got
from her third husband, while her
kid goes to rehab for the second time
in a year.

If we are going to put down poor people,
let's look at all the contributing factors
that we are imposing on them, that helps
keep them there.

[stephanie]

We may have distain for the poor in this country,
but we sure are enablers by not improving education
for schools in areas that need the most help, not
providing sex education to kids at the earliest age
possible, not allowing pro-choice, and easy dissemination
of condoms, and other birth control.

The poverty culture has learned bad habits.
If they can manipulate the system and find loopholes,
it is up to us to change it, but also give them
options out of that lifestyle--and I don't
mean affirmative action, I mean educating them
in the basics, with a good foundation.

We haven't done anyone any favors by outsourcing
jobs to other countries, now the lower middle class
will lose buying power, and have no health insurance.

Many of the poor earn money with the drug trade.
We are wasting far too much money on the war
on pot. Money and resources should be spent
on drugs that cause more harm and violent
situations. Jail space could be made if we didn't
waste time jailing people for weed; then there
would more people eligible for better jobs,
without that on their records.

And no, I don't smoke dope--it is
an economic consideration. If pot were
made legal, you'd cut out half the local
dealer's business. For many, all their
business. But the real truth is, keeping
pot illegal keeps the government working,
and it keeps a portion of the population
down. Meanwhile, Betty Boobalot,
with her fake tits, can get boozed up
plus take prescription pills and drive
around in her Mercedes that she got
from her third husband, while her
kid goes to rehab for the second time
in a year.

If we are going to put down poor people,
let's look at all the contributing factors
that we are imposing on them, that helps
keep them there.

[avatar4321]

We may have distain for the poor in this country,
but we sure are enablers by not improving education
for schools in areas that need the most help, not
providing sex education to kids at the earliest age
possible, not allowing pro-choice, and easy dissemination
of condoms, and other birth control.

This has got to be one of the most ridiculous statements I've seen on this thread.

Education means nothing if someone refuses to learn.

Is there honestly a person who has been through high school or even through middle school in America who has not been taught sex ed?

Where on earth are the pro abortionists not allowed? They've forced abortion onto the American people for the last 30+ years.

How difficult do you think it is to get a condom or birth control? More importantly how difficult is it to just not have sex outside marriage?

Its the same old liberal playbook. They've been pushing this on people for the past 40 years, and has anything gotten better? Of course not, its gotten worse.

When are people going to realize that pro-government liberalism just doesn't work? It never has, it never will. The problem isn't that society isn't doing enough. It's that society is doing too much. People refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.

[Grumplestillskin]

They've forced abortion onto the American people for the last 30+ years.

Last time I looked nobody was forced to have an abortion. It is personal choice.

[OCA]

We may have distain for the poor in this country,
but we sure are enablers by not improving education
for schools in areas that need the most help, not
providing sex education to kids at the earliest age
possible, not allowing pro-choice, and easy dissemination
of condoms, and other birth control.

The poverty culture has learned bad habits.
If they can manipulate the system and find loopholes,
it is up to us to change it, but also give them
options out of that lifestyle--and I don't
mean affirmative action, I mean educating them
in the basics, with a good foundation.

We haven't done anyone any favors by outsourcing
jobs to other countries, now the lower middle class
will lose buying power, and have no health insurance.

Many of the poor earn money with the drug trade.
We are wasting far too much money on the war
on pot. Money and resources should be spent
on drugs that cause more harm and violent
situations. Jail space could be made if we didn't
waste time jailing people for weed; then there
would more people eligible for better jobs,
without that on their records.

And no, I don't smoke dope--it is
an economic consideration. If pot were
made legal, you'd cut out half the local
dealer's business. For many, all their
business. But the real truth is, keeping
pot illegal keeps the government working,
and it keeps a portion of the population
down. Meanwhile, Betty Boobalot,
with her fake tits, can get boozed up
plus take prescription pills and drive
around in her Mercedes that she got
from her third husband, while her
kid goes to rehab for the second time
in a year.

If we are going to put down poor people,
let's look at all the contributing factors
that we are imposing on them, that helps
keep them there.

Holy shit! All the lib feel good talking points and whacky theories al wrapped up in one neat package. This gives me an idea for a new thread.

[OCA]

Last time I looked nobody was forced to have an abortion. It is personal choice.

Personal choice to commit murder, cool. I should be allowed to waste this neighbor I got also, it would be a personal choice.