Re: THE TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS U.S. CITIES REPORT :
- From: "Hawke" <desmithe@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 13:25:49 -0700
"jim rozen" <jim_member@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ec9uhq01uks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In article <skpde2hdjit637jhkb85lshviq7u756qh0@xxxxxxx>, Don Foremansays...
Self-indulgence, greed and dodging responsibility have certainly
become widely accepted values for many Americans -- but it is still
clear that we don't tolerate abuse or domination well. We rail at
corporate greed and abuse, and abuses of power and dishonesty of
political leaders we've elected. ...
First off I would say that american politics has always been a
free-for-all. There have always been the cliffs and gunners
throwing everyhing, including the kitchen sink, at each other
during political discussions. That's the nature of the beast, it
was *designed* that way. From the outset. <g>
But I understand what makes you say the first part, that those
undesireable values of greed and irresponsibility are more
present now than before. Those characteristics certainly do get
a lot of press, they sell a lot of air time and newspapers.
But from where I sit, in the cheap seats in peekskill, the story's
a bit different. The city's quite racially mixed, but the common
theme is, hard working folks can better themselves. The guy who
runs the mechanic business across the street works 6 days a week.
He's started before I get up, he's still working when I get home.
The neighbor up on the corner is an immigrant - he's bought a house,
and is raising a family.
You basically can't find a spot in the city where folks have let their
place go to pot - sure there are poorer sections but as far as I
can tell, those houses are kept up *nicer* than most. Mostly they
have nice cars in the driveways and those cars are all gone by
about 8am during the week, and they show up again around 6.
I keep searching, in vain, for the folks who are greedy and self
indulgent, the folks who are irresponsible. It wasn't the three
folks who showed up on the doorstep last month, campaigning for
office. They didn't like the way Sue Kelly was running things,
so they decided to be responsible and do it better. The hard way,
door to door.
The greed issue is tougher, I guess there's some greed. It's a fine
line between greed and being out to better one's self. Of course
the line's clear but I can undestand (if not approve) of folks
running close to that line. There's been a lot of discussion of
this GINI index and I suppose that's an example of greed that does
permeate our society. That happens in part because folks let it,
though.
I will continute to inspect my local environs for evidence that
americans just aren't what they used to be, and will report
back if I find any.
Jim
It isn't the rank and file working man or woman who is greedy. Hell, it
takes two of them working their asses off just to make ends meet. They might
be potentially greedy but they are working too hard and making too little to
think about much else besides how to get what they do make go around. The
greed is on the upper end of the income scale, always has been. If all you
can make is barely enough to survive greed isn't going to be your problem.
Just having any kind of decent life is enough of a challenge. It's the
people who have the advantages and the talent and the connections who are
the greedy ones. The corporate CEOs who make ridiculous amounts of money,
the TV and movie stars, the top athletes, and the already wealthy are the
ones who are greedy.
There are two pay scales in this country. One, for the average person, pays
only the minimum that will keep you on the job. It's a cut throat world
where no one gets a dime more than they possibly can and they replace you
with someone who will take less at the drop of a hat. The other one is for
the top pay people, and it's a different world altogether. They get paid as
if money was no object. The Bill O'Reillys, Kelly Ripas, Simon Cowells, and
the like are paid kingly sums for nothing. The same is true for the
athletes, the CEO, and many others. There is no such thing as too much pay
for what they do. It's sure different from what everybody else has to deal
with. For most people they have a hard time getting $15.00 an hour for their
work. For the privileged few $15,000.00 an hour isn't out of line.
It's no wonder that the division between the haves and the have nots is at
it's greatest since the 1890s. Workers are making less than they did thirty
years ago for the same work and the top income bracket is making record
incomes. The reason for this is political. With republican, pro wealth and
pro business philosophies running things this is what you get. I just wonder
how it is that the average guy can be happy with things like they are. If
you are in the top ten percent, yeah, I can understand it. But if you and
your spouse both have to work full time just to pay the bills it's
incomprehensible how they could like the direction that the republican party
has taken the country. After all, they're the losers. Maybe they are just
not bright enough to know that. Well, at least they probably know the names
of the Three Stooges.
Hawke
.
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