What is your advice?

[DashingAmerican]

Because better than Mexico is the best you can be! :sun

Well, if we ever get worse than Mexico, we're in some ****.

 

[Catawba]

Well, if we ever get worse than Mexico, we're in some ****.

If we keep increasing the income inequality in this country as we have in the last decade, we may get there yet! As of 2009, we were up to 1 in 7 Americans living in poverty. :sun

 

[sawyerloggingon]

[QUOTE=Dittohead not!;1059657

Here's the question: Joe needs to spend some time in jail in order to get his health issue taken care of, then needs to be on probation so that he can have some help finding a new job.

Here is my question, why do you libs always look for some way to get others to take care of you. Why do you throw up your hands and scream for help from gov instead of figuring a way out for yourself? Your question in and of itself speaks volumes.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

We have it pretty good compared to the average people of Africa or Latin America, that is true.

Compared to Western Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia, we have the lowest standard of living of any of them.

One reason is that we spend way too much on health care, and don't get any better results. Another is that none of them spend even close to what we do on military and wars, but that's another issue completely.

That is a whopper of a lie if I've ever heard one.

 

[Dittohead not!]

That is a whopper of a lie if I've ever heard one.

Oh, is it now?

By what objective measure is the standard of living in the US higher than, or even equal to, the nations of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand?

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

Oh, is it now?

By what objective measure is the standard of living in the US higher than, or even equal to, the nations of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand?

The U.S. is in the top ten of nations with standard of living.

I can't believe you guys actually think anyone here has it harder, than the vast majority of the world.
It's disgusting, the amount of the things you all take for granted.

 

[Dittohead not!]

The U.S. is in the top ten of nations with standard of living.

I can't believe you guys actually think anyone here has it harder, than the vast majority of the world.
It's disgusting, the amount of the things you all take for granted.

By what measure is our standard of living higher than that of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, new Zealand, any of the modern industrialized democracies?

Sure, we come off well when compared to Mexico or Zimbabwe, but is that the standard we aspire to?

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

By what measure is our standard of living higher than that of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, new Zealand, any of the modern industrialized democracies?

Sure, we come off well when compared to Mexico or Zimbabwe, but is that the standard we aspire to?

Being in the top ten is hard to improve upon.
Considering there are over 200 nations below you and few above.

List of countries by Human Development Index - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Dittohead not!]

Being in the top ten is hard to improve upon.
Considering there are over 200 nations below you and few above.

List of countries by Human Development Index - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I hadn't seen that one.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education and standards of living for countries worldwide. It is a standard means of measuring well-being, especially child welfare. It is used to distinguish whether the country is a developed, a developing or an under-developed country, and also to measure the impact of economic policies on quality of life. The index was developed in 1990 by Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq[2] and Indian economist Amartya Sen[citation needed].

How can this be when our life expectancy is lower, our child poverty rates are higher, and (according to conservatives at least) our education system is behind everyone else?

That doesn't seem to jibe well with other reports.

 

[Mach]

If we keep increasing the income inequality in this country as we have in the last decade, we may get there yet! As of 2009, we were up to 1 in 7 Americans living in poverty. :sun

The two are entirely unrelated, is the problem. The top reasons for poverty always revolve around:
1. education - which is by in large public, partially local, partially federal
2. parents - well, if they need help, should they also be required to show progress or live by certain rules?
3. culture - stop bashing success and maybe you'll improve this!

Bill Gates making a wise innovation in the technology sector unfortunately did not throw people into poverty. Despite your implication. :/
In fact, Bill Gates has helped more impovershed people than you have probably even *thought* about, as a DIRECT RESULT OF HIS INCOME.

I think you got it all backwards, you aren't actually helping anything with that line of reasoning, despite your heart presumably being in the right place.

I wish liberals stopped all their nonsencial arguments and instead were arguing for education, parental reform, and cultural reform and responsibility. They might get widespread support for that. Scary.

 

[Catawba]

The two are entirely unrelated, is the problem. The top reasons for poverty always revolve around:
1. education - which is by in large public, partially local, partially federal
2. parents - well, if they need help, should they also be required to show progress or live by certain rules?
3. culture - stop bashing success and maybe you'll improve this!

Bill Gates making a wise innovation in the technology sector unfortunately did not throw people into poverty. Despite your implication. :/
In fact, Bill Gates has helped more impovershed people than you have probably even *thought* about, as a DIRECT RESULT OF HIS INCOME.

I think you got it all backwards, you aren't actually helping anything with that line of reasoning, despite your heart presumably being in the right place.

I wish liberals stopped all their nonsencial arguments and instead were arguing for education, parental reform, and cultural reform and responsibility. They might get widespread support for that. Scary.

In my community, liberals are more active in these areas than the far-right. And I've never claimed that Bill Gates success had any effect on the poor whatsoever. I don't know where in the hell you came up with that.

It has been 3 decades of trickle down economics that have been the biggest detriment to the middle class. By concentrating the money at the very top we have been pushing more and more of the middle class into poverty just as it did in 1880 and again in 1920.

The same corrections will needed now, that followed those dire periods for the middle class, a few decades of trickle up economics! :sun

 

[DashingAmerican]

If we keep increasing the income inequality in this country as we have in the last decade, we may get there yet! As of 2009, we were up to 1 in 7 Americans living in poverty. :sun

The American poverty, quite frankly is a better class of poor. I mean hell, our average family in poverty has an gaming system of some sort, multiple tv's, etc.

 

[DashingAmerican]

I hadn't seen that one.



How can this be when our life expectancy is lower, our child poverty rates are higher, and (according to conservatives at least) our education system is behind everyone else?

That doesn't seem to jibe well with other reports.

What is four years of life expectancy? Life expectancy in our country, I think, is due more to the way we decide to live our lives. We drink more, we smoke more, we eat less healthy, etc. Child poverty is in direct effect from our economy. The economy gets better, our child poverty rate goes down. And our education system IS broken. It needs a major overhaul. It's way behind the curb compared to other countries because there is too much politics in it.

International Comparison of Math, Reading, and Science Skills Among 15-Year-Olds — Infoplease.com

 

[Catawba]

The American poverty, quite frankly is a better class of poor. I mean hell, our average family in poverty has an gaming system of some sort, multiple tv's, etc.

Thanks for that completely lame and unsubstantiated personal opinion! :sun

 

[Dittohead not!]

What is four years of life expectancy? Life expectancy in our country, I think, is due more to the way we decide to live our lives. We drink more, we smoke more, we eat less healthy, etc. Child poverty is in direct effect from our economy. The economy gets better, our child poverty rate goes down. And our education system IS broken. It needs a major overhaul. It's way behind the curb compared to other countries because there is too much politics in it.

International Comparison of Math, Reading, and Science Skills Among 15-Year-Olds — Infoplease.com

Correct. Our life expectancy is less than in the other nations mentioned, and our educational system, depending on who you believe, may be less effective.

Do we really drink and smoke more than do Europeans? Somehow, I tend to doubt that one.

Moreover, we have higher rates of infant mortality, higher crime rates, more people in prison, more children in poverty, more murders by far, a higher rate of drug dependency, and higher teen pregnancy rates.

So, how is it that our standard of living is among the highest again?

 

[PerfectStorm]

Is this the Joe the Plumber?

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

How can this be when our life expectancy is lower, our child poverty rates are higher, and (according to conservatives at least) our education system is behind everyone else?

That doesn't seem to jibe well with other reports.

Because all those things aren't bad, compared to the rest of the world.
Our "poor" people are in much better shape than the vast majority of the worlds citizens, on the whole.

We have a large and broad social safety net.
Basically, all that crap people whine about, like how the middle class and poor have it bad, is baloney.

 

[Alyssa]

It is a fantasy scenario.
Getting medical aid, through the state is an option.
$11 an hour, with inconsistent work does not disqualify someone for aid.
You can file for disability benefits and still be working, if you have a letter from doctors.
(Although because the government is inherently slow, it takes a while to receive benefits.)

Once the condition is repaired, you can go back to working.



Yea that guy was a moron, trying to make a scene.
We have no other information about this guy, other than what he chooses to reveal to us.

Just reading over his statement about getting medicare and buying a beach house, tells me his expectations are entirely unrealistic and he didn't research any other way to get medical care.

It is extremely-extremely difficult to get disability or SSRI. My husband also received a permanent injury at work. Trying to jump through the hoops and hurdles of government bureaucracy to get disability or medical aid to someone in my husband's condition or worse is very difficult for the people who need it.

 

[Alyssa]

The American poverty, quite frankly is a better class of poor. I mean hell, our average family in poverty has an gaming system of some sort, multiple tv's, etc.

Even if they did forgo those things, health care is still beyond most people's budget. A big screen may cost a couple grand. A surgery-ten grand.

 

[DashingAmerican]

Thanks for that completely lame and unsubstantiated personal opinion! :sun

A lot like the picture of the poor you try to create. Secondly, it's not opinion as you'd like to think. There are SEVERAL studies that show the exact things.

 

[DashingAmerican]

Correct. Our life expectancy is less than in the other nations mentioned, and our educational system, depending on who you believe, may be less effective.

Do we really drink and smoke more than do Europeans? Somehow, I tend to doubt that one.

Moreover, we have higher rates of infant mortality, higher crime rates, more people in prison, more children in poverty, more murders by far, a higher rate of drug dependency, and higher teen pregnancy rates.

So, how is it that our standard of living is among the highest again?

I wonder if they count abortions in infant mortality? Just a question, not a political statement. The problem is that this country has become a very moral-less country.

 

[Dittohead not!]

Even if they did forgo those things, health care is still beyond most people's budget. A big screen may cost a couple grand. A surgery-ten grand.

More like a hundred for anything more complex than removing a mole.

It cost my friend ten grand just for an MRI to see what was wrong.

 

[Dittohead not!]

I wonder if they count abortions in infant mortality? Just a question, not a political statement. The problem is that this country has become a very moral-less country.

Quick answer: No.

 

[Catawba]

A lot like the picture of the poor you try to create. Secondly, it's not opinion as you'd like to think. There are SEVERAL studies that show the exact things.

I've seen no studies that make your claim ~ "The American poverty, quite frankly is a better class of poor." I would like to see those studies but I see you have not referenced them. So we are back to just your personal opinion which appears be that the American poor are not poor enough yet!

 

[Alyssa]

More like a hundred for anything more complex than removing a mole.

It cost my friend ten grand just for an MRI to see what was wrong.

My husband paid six thousand dollars for tests and MRIs only to go somewhere else for an actual diagnosis. He still owed the idiots at the first hospital even though they were too incompetent to do their jobs. At the time, he had no insurance.