Originally Posted by TheSquealer

What difference does their legal status or benefits with respect to being able to step out the front door with shitty clothes, unshowered, not speaking the language and then being able to make 500+ a week cash have to do with anything?

My point is simply that one single question never gets answered...

"At what point does any responsibility at all get put on the individual". All i hear are sad stories about how some other external thing is to blame and that thing needs to be attacked. Just like you said "trying to get another good job that pays well, with benefits" - Wow. How about starting at "get a job, save money" and then move to "look for better job WHILE working"?

You're a smart guy. How about this. How about you go to Home Depot and conduct an informal survey - just as I ask every time I hire laborers... "do you find work every day" "how many of you guys here find work every day" "how often are you offered permanent jobs" etc etc etc.
--- just keep your car doors locked as they'll try to rush your car and pile in. (but then again, I guess really wanting it pays off)


I have a background in construction, its not like i'm just making this up. I think the results will be wildly disappointing for anyone who thinks rich people should be punished to lift poor people up. In fact, those fuckers demand more and more money now. Years back, they used to be 8.00 an hour for skilled workers, now they all want 15-20/hr where I am and the good ones find steady work very quickly.

I feel like I woke up one day and suddenly everyone feels they are entitled to everything. Why do people have it in their heads that they aren't supposed to struggle? That employment is not guaranteed? That things aren't just going to be given to them. How many of the people bitching about "rich people" are actively planning for their future, saving money, getting educated and improving their earning ability? How many are just sitting around bitching while they spend their money on retarded crap and then complaining about rich people because they are broke?

20+ years now of telling every kid they are special and passing out participation trophies created a generation of young adults who can't understand why the world isn't treating them like they're special. The problems in the US are 95% cultural, not economic. Why are we never talking about lazy, useless, self entitled people?... and just trying to paint a picture of 10,000,000 Ward Cleaver types who are doing the best that circumstances will allow but some big evil corporation is oppressing them?

I read a statistic that Houston has more check cashing places than Subway restaurants. Why aren't we talking about the need to address retarded people with zero responsibility, who accept zero personal accountability and who make nothing but hugely irresponsible and stupid decisions, all day, every day at the direct cost of everyone else?

Why aren't we talking about people making minimum wage having 1-2-3 kids? Why is the fucking President telling everyone that's ok? Huh? Why are you having kids when you can't afford to have kids? Why is he addressing the nation telling people it takes "courage" to stick around and raise a child? Last I checked "raise your child and be a parent" fell squarely under the "no shit" category. I guess thats clearly changed. Why was he telling the nation that everyone should be able to afford a great pre-school for their multiple kids even though they are making minimum wage? I never went to fucking pre-school. I mean, we're supposed to go to pre-school? Huh? That should be a right that I as a tax payer need to pay for?

The absolute last problem this country has is "rich people". Los Angeles has billboards that say "do the impossible, graduate high school". We've lowered standards so far now for what we expect of people as a society that people are confused that anything is expected of them at all. We are creating a nation of underachievers and at the same time, telling them its the achievers who are responsible for all their problems. That's pure insanity.

The point that hurts every one to think about. NO ONE that is driven, that works extremely hard, that is bright and good at what they do are unemployed for any real amount of time. It's largely "everyone else" that is. I don't know ANY great people that are unemployed. Maybe people need to examine that?

So again, my question is always "where does any of this fall on the individual" - that's the one thing that never gets addressed.