Pretty much sums it up in a nutshell. The rest of us are being productive citizens, making a difference.
Thomas Jefferson said that dissention is the highest form of patriotism....apparently, that's been lost on this generation...what do you think was the main reason the Vietnam war finally came to an end..because of the relentless protesting...wanna bet if there was a draft there would be some serious protesting going on?Oh, wait a minute, younger people are too busy texting and listening to their crappy mp3's now to give a s^7t.
I believe whole heartedly in protest. I don't feel that Americans are actually focused on a 'thing' to protest about. It seems to my jaundiced view that people protest more or less vaguely about a lot of different things with no specific goal in mind. Just generalized anger.
I remember the Soweto Uprising. I wasn't in it but I remember it clearly. You want change? What are you risking?
I believe whole heartedly in protest. I don't feel that Americans are actually focused on a 'thing' to protest about. It seems to my jaundiced view that people protest more or less vaguely about a lot of different things with no specific goal in mind. Just generalized anger.
I remember the Soweto Uprising. I wasn't in it but I remember it clearly. You want change? What are you risking?
Have you seen the bumper sticker that says "if you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention?" Apparently, some people just don't care what happens, as long as they're not bothered.
"Why would it be any different now? If anything, we need to step it up...unless you want to live in a fascist state."
You say this as if we already don't?? My problem with the protestors of today is they are only protesting for them, not for the betterment of all mankind. They can't see past their own reflection. You reference older times, but in older times if you couldn’t afford a doctor, you died. If you couldn’t afford food, you starved. If you didn't work hard, you didn't survive. We have only recently become the entitled brats you see so much today. Our founding fathers would be turning in their graves if they could see what we have become.
You're absolutely correct..we already live in a fascist state...but that's not what the founding fathers had in mind when they signed the constitution. They're protesting corporate greed, which has permeated politics and exascerbating the financial crisis.
Did Obama give you a bail out? Was that not one of the most spineless acts ever? These banks and big corporations had already f*&*ed this country royally, then they get rewarded for it...only in America.
Location: Temporary Resident of Earth Lord Only Knows Where Next
Posts: 5,593
Re: Wall Street Protests
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angel5112
Keep in mind though, a lot of the more fiscally conservative banks chose not to take the bailout. I know because I work for one of those banks. It is not just the big banks and corporations though; entitlement programs have played a big part in bankrupting us. Only in America do they reward laziness and promiscuity through welfare.
President Obama's bail out was a joke. Only one in eight dollars went to infrastructure improvement which is sorely needed. The other to entitlements and pork projects. I don't expect much better from his jobs plan.
The protesters are primarily young college students expressing their opinions and rights. I applaud their activism. They are however young and have little experience in the real world. Their primary experience comes from the ivory towers of academia. Hardly a real work/world experience.
Businesses are holding on to their money now because they are hedging their bets because of uncertainty. The first regulations of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform bill are just beginning to go into effect. (Mind you that Chris Dodd and Barnie Frank are life long politicians with no business experience.) Many of these regulations will forbid the lending intuitions from assessing fees and services that previously were very profitable for them. If you apply this kind of regulation to the average citizen, we would react the same as the corporations. If your employer says, "we are going to reduce your compensation by 2% this year, 3% the next and so on and so on..." How would we react? Would we spend money on a new car or home remodel? No, most of us wouldn't, we'd save it until a time we were more comfortable with our outlook. That's what is happening on Wall Street.
I have no problem with protecting the average Joe from deceptive practices, but I also live by buyer beware. The current regulations are a typical knee jerk reaction, over burdening industry with regulations in an attempt to compensate for a runaway housing market that no one was complaining about when it was booming. If I could see that it was a house of cards when I purchased and financed my last house ten years ago, congress certainly should have too.
President Obama's bail out was a joke. Only one in eight dollars went to infrastructure improvement which is sorely needed. The other to entitlements and pork projects. I don't expect much better from his jobs plan.
The protesters are primarily young college students expressing their opinions and rights. I applaud their activism. They are however young and have little experience in the real world. Their primary experience comes from the ivory towers of academia. Hardly a real work/world experience.
Businesses are holding on to their money now because they are hedging their bets because of uncertainty. The first regulations of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform bill are just beginning to go into effect. (Mind you that Chris Dodd and Barnie Frank are life long politicians with no business experience.) Many of these regulations will forbid the lending intuitions from assessing fees and services that previously were very profitable for them. If you apply this kind of regulation to the average citizen, we would react the same as the corporations. If your employer says, "we are going to reduce your compensation by 2% this year, 3% the next and so on and so on..." How would we react. Would we spend money on a new car or home remodel? No, most of us wouldn't, we'd save it until a time we were more comfortable with our outlook. That's what is happening on Wall Street.
I have no problem with protecting the average Joe from deceptive practices, but I also live by buyer beware. The current regulations are a typical knee jerk reaction, over burdening industry with regulations in an attempt to compensate for a runaway housing market that no one was complaining about when it was booming. If I could see that it was a house of cards when I purchased and financed my last house ten years ago, congress certainly should have too.
I'm really worried for this country...I'm afraid that sooner or later the s&*t will hit the fan, most likely an economic meltdown.
Ding ding ding! We have a winner! We have a winner! Winner winner, chicken dinner!
Considering that at best, 15% of the population was eligible to even vote then, the sense of protest takes on a different meaning. I fully support anyone in their endeavors to petition and protest the state for any reason on any issue. I wise I heard some pragmatic alternatives though.
My point of view is similar to Amplexor response. A lot of outrageous things are happening, but guess what - its coming from BOTH parties.
The protesters are definitely entitled to an opinion and to protest. The rest of us protest with our votes and our dollars.
If we went to the sort of world promoted in academia, there would be an overclass (intelligensia) and and underclass (the masses). Despair would reign. I think this is one of the ultimate goals of communism. Oh yea, I think there'd be a lot of bloody "purges" of human beings (like French Revolution, Pol Pot, Bolshevik revolution, etc). That isn't right either.
The USA is the land of the free. If government tips us in the wrong direction, its up to us as a collective whole to correct the ship. That would be when you would see most of us out in the streets, bearing arms.
Maybe thats the same message as the protesters, but I seriously doubt it. I see them as Amplexor pointed out, 60's hippie wannabe's, in love with their college professor's idealism (and communist agenda). Get them out of here. They don't represent the rest of us.
My point of view is similar to Amplexor response. A lot of outrageous things are happening, but guess what - its coming from BOTH parties.
The protesters are definitely entitled to an opinion and to protest. The rest of us protest with our votes and our dollars.
If we went to the sort of world promoted in academia, there would be an overclass (intelligensia) and and underclass (the masses). Despair would reign. I think this is one of the ultimate goals of communism. Oh yea, I think there'd be a lot of bloody "purges" of human beings (like French Revolution, Pol Pot, Bolshevik revolution, etc). That isn't right either.
The USA is the land of the free. If government tips us in the wrong direction, its up to us as a collective whole to correct the ship. That would be when you would see most of us out in the streets, bearing arms.
Maybe thats the same message as the protesters, but I seriously doubt it. I see them as Amplexor pointed out, 60's hippie wannabe's, in love with their college professor's idealism (and communist agenda). Get them out of here. They don't represent the rest of us.
What irritates me is that, whether you agree or disagree with their message, is that the cops are macing and beating some of these people, and they've been peaceful. Land of the free, huh?
I know these people are as fed up as I am...especially when you realize that, thanks to our government..from both parties...we're becoming a third world country...and not much of a middle class anymore, and the middle class is what made this country what it is today.
Location: Temporary Resident of Earth Lord Only Knows Where Next
Posts: 5,593
Re: Wall Street Protests
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angel5112
You pay your bills, you stash some away, and then you buy your "wants". In that order.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyAtLast
Try getting downsized and see how easy it is to pay your bills....I know from experience and it's hard to get back on your feet again.
Indeed it is, been there. But Angel has boiled it down to the bare essence and is spot on. Don't over extend. I wish our government had the same philosophy.
Re: Wall Street Protests 
