RedRaven, I read your post.
And I disagree with almost all of it.......that's because I grew up very poor, raised by a single irresponsible mother, and have very little formal education. I know from experience that give away programs do not work and government directives do not work.
The ones who get ahead will be the ones who learn to express themselves, present themselves well, and work.

How did I do?......well, pretty well, I suppose. I was shoved off into the service in 1963 (age 17) and never went back home. I made my career in sales and later sales management. Today, I am finishing off my working life by driving a truck. We have three house paid for as well as two cars, so I have income from rental properties and mutual funds, and am very, very proud of my high net worth.

And I will continue to dismiss all those who believe it is the gov'ts role to arrange their lives for them. Opportunity abounds in this country.....but not in the ninth ward, and it's not my job to make sure opportunity appears just because someone thinks it should be there. It ain't. Go somewhere else.

Thore irresponsible middle class people of whom you were speaking are in the middle class only temporarily...they will find their way to the bottom just as surely as the young man who saved his money and went to CDL school will find his way to the top.

 

Aligator, you actually did find government resources. You went into the military...

They provide government assistance to education, they have the GI bill. The military does give you opportunities, that you would not have had in the private sector.

They even help you to buy your first home, if that is something you are interested in obtaining.

Not everyone can, or wants to go into the military. So, what do you propose for those who can not consider the military?...

There are woman now going into the military. One issue that concerns me is, if these woman are single, and have children, and they are shipped out to places like Iraq, and something happens to them, they are severely injured, or killed. What happens to their children? Who cares for the children, and what benefits are provided to the children if something happens to their mother?...

I would guess that most of the men who enter the military are either single without children, or, are married with children.

I believe the military offers certain benefits, should something happen to them, while in service, to protect their families.

But, if the person is a single woman with children, how are her children protected, in the event that something bad happens to her?...

I'm not well educated on all the military provides it's service people. Though my own father was in the service, and he got the GI bill, and all that provided him, once he left the military. It helped him, and my mother to have the ability to buy their first home... He was able to get some college education, and today he owns his own business, and has now retired. Though he still works in his own business part time, and my mother still works as well.

All I'm saying is that there should be the same, or similar programs afforded to the poor who do want a better life, and are willing to work hard given the same opportunities...

It would be much better than having your tax dollars go to build, and support more prisons, wouldn't it?...

It is like the medical sector, you can pay for a small amount for preventive services, or you pay a lot more for the problems caused by a lack of services.

 

Im going to leave this one alone....lol

 

RedRaven, I get fed up being lumped into a category by a judgemental person who hasn't the slightest clue to who I am.

Some of your comments demand a rebuttal. I see some are already doing that. I'll chill for a while before responding to your post containing the nugget above.

Agreeing to disagree agreeably.... :wink:

 

EVERYONE has control over their own future; some just want it more than others! And I don’t mean wanting control but having the drive to get of their ass and make it happen, weather it be the military or scrimp and save, to change their own future!!! NOBODY owes anyone a living, especially the government!!! This is all I have to say about this…..lol!!!!!!!!!
Im with you on this one BW!!!!!

 

God help me, but I agree with ssoutlaw. :lol: And what is this "living wage" crap. I pay people for what they know/do. I'll be damned if I will pay someone more than they are worth. Looks like there might be some folks out of a job.

 

RedRaven, in 1963 we had to go in the military. It wasn't an opportunity, it was a requirement. I fit in well, and did well, but I really had no choice. I was paid 52$ every two weeks.
And when Vietnam heated up I had no choice there, either.

The government had no hand in my success. I developed the ability to speak well (I watched Johnny Carson), write well (I used to read with a dictionary beside me so that I could look up the words I didn't know), and be presentable all on my own. And there is nothing on that list that is beyond the capabilities of the ordinary person working - as I once did - at a dead end job.

They need to put it in gear, that's all.

 

Good post!!!!!

 

I will help you if fozzys god wont....lol Mine WILL....lol

 

I think what I'm getting here is that as long as something doesn't affect people directly, they really don't care what happens to the person next door...

You know I once gave a temporary home to a family of 5, that found themselves in a bad situation. They are doing very well today...

Ask not what your country can do for you. But, what you can do for your country... Your neighbor, your community, your town, your state, and ultimately you end up doing for your country...

Your tax dollars are supposed to go to do what you may not be able to do personally... Paying for programs, that answer that famous statement. So, don't get so resentful... The point is that if the government IS going to spend your tax dollars for programs. They should be for programs that get good results, so your getting your monies worth from them.

I don't know about you... But, I sure do hate seeing my money go to waste... :wink: