are y'all better off than you were 4 years ago ?

[rebelcowboysnb]

Dont know about gringo but I think being a dentist is pretty educated.

 

[7 Biddies]

Do you understand that when the chart says "You get back more than you spend in taxes", it doesn't mean you and me? They're averaging taxes paid in by the workers (you and me), and paid out to the nonworkers (public assistance recipients), and it averages out to the designated amount per person in each state, regardless of whether they're paying in OR taking out. (BTW more than 40% of Americans don't pay taxes.) This means we are going in the RED by that amount per person.

Where is the difference coming from, if more is being paid out than is being recieved via taxes (the only source of government income)? From China and other countries who are loaning us money, that's where. This is why the national debt has increased by 60% in the last 4 years; more than during the previous 15 years (1993-2008). Do the math: $10 trillion in debt in 2008 to $16 trillion in 2012: $6 trillion increase = 60%.

Would you conduct your personal finances the same way?

 

[KristyHall]

Guess Ecuador is out then, don't want to go from one dictator here to another one there.

dictatorship? really? Little dramatic don't you think?

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Quote:
Originally Posted by punk-a-doodle

I can not remember the last job I applied for that did *not* require me to have both phone and email.
That said, the way the phone program is set up (corporate profits) is what irks me. http://www.whiteoutpress.com/articles/q32012/the-truth-about-welfare-cell-phones-and-how-to-get-one

Chickened wrote: Another example of a government program designed for the poor but benefits big business. Not real generosity IMO.

Absolutely. Way too much of that with corporate heads even holding positions within our government. We have hefty issues with the line between corporations and government being blurred (and in both major parties). The difference is that government has systems that potentially allow the public to effect change, and that are supposed to be society minded. Not so much in global entities that are designed to be profit minded above all.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I think you're selling yourself short while giving Obama all the credit. Sounds like you're young and starting out ... at the bottom. By furthering your education and working hard, you've improved your lot and taken advantage of opportunities that came your way. I don't see where anyone else did it for you. YOU built that!

I don't know jettgirl (great post btw jett) but I am willing to bet that she did not build it all on her own. She should be proud of her hard work and give herself kudos but I think we all have a lot to be thankful for as well. It is all about finding a balance between confidence and humility.

I know that I certainly have NOT built my life on my own. I am 29, which does not count as young and starting out but I would like to consider myself youngish for at least a little while longer and my career is now at a point where it is gaining momentum. I grew up in a low income family and was the first person in my family to ever go to college. My father has been on unemployment in the past and my mother was on disability for three years as a result of a rare form of breast cancer and a heart condition that developed as a side effect of her treatment. I went to public school preK-12 and all of the dance lesson and swim class I took where through an affordable public rec center. And, because of one amazing public school teacher I am an avid reader and college educated professional writer even though I am pretty awesomely dyslexic.

My college education was paid for half through privately funded academic and merit based grants. Kudos to me for working hard and doing well. I am proud of that and my academic and volunteering record. But, the other half of my education was public money - need-based financial aid mostly in loans. I took out a number of them personally and I was also lucky enough to have parents willing to take out some as well. I am still working on paying all of them off. It will take me awhile. But, without them I would never have been able to afford my education and the lower interest rate of the government loans makes them manageable.

My internship which lead to my first job was at a company that was heavily funded by a government research grant. I could not afford a car so a took a public bus on public streets every day for 3 years. When the second company that I worked for went under I was on unemployment for 4 months, allowing me the time to find a better paying job with better benefits.

The only way I was able to afford my home is because I was able to qualitfy for an FHA loan which allowed a smaller down payment.

I could also write you paragraphs and paragraphs of how hard I have worked and much time I have put in and that I struggled and kept with it and willed success. I try to take a step back and give myself credit for my accomplishments but am also thankful for a great many things and consider myself lucky. I took advantage of my opportunities but the key point is that I HAD opportunities. It is a balance. I am lucky enough to have never been on food stamps but clearly I have taken government money and used a number of government resources. About 60% of my current income is freelance and taxed 1099 so I pay close to half of it back in taxes. I am definitely paying for what I use but I do use it and am glad it is there. Unless you are living completely off the grid in the woods then we all use it.

The economy is bad right now and as much as I would also love to point fingers (at G.W.) the reasons are complex and varied and not the fault of any single individual or administration. A lot of mistakes have been made by a lot of people. There has been too much greed and not enough empathy. It logically makes sense that when the economy is bad people will be in need of more aid.

How do you think that aid could be better allocated? What could be realistically changed that would make you feel better about finding that balance?

 

[MamaRoo]

The economy is bad right now and as much as I would also love to point fingers (at G.W.) the reasons are complex and varied and not the fault of any single individual or administration. A lot of mistakes have been made by a lot of people. It logically makes sense that when the economy is bad people will be in need of more aid.

You are the first person I've seen that actually recognizes this. It's a big talking point for politicians, but really, the prez has very little influence on economic changes.

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/e...dio/does-president-actually-influence-economy

 

[KristyHall]

I don't know jettgirl (great post btw jett) but I am willing to bet that she did not build it all on her own. She should be proud of her hard work and give herself kudos but I think we all have a lot to be thankful for as well. It is all about finding a balance between confidence and humility.

I know that I certainly have NOT built my life on my own. I am 29, which does not count as young and starting out but I would like to consider myself youngish for at least a little while longer and my career is now at a point where it is gaining momentum. I grew up in a low income family and was the first person in my family to ever go to college of any kind. My father has been on unemployment in the past and my mother was on disability for three years as a result of a rare form of breast cancer and a heart condition that developed as a side effect of her treatment. I went to public school preK-12 and all of the dance lesson and swim class I took where through an affordable public rec center. And, because of one amazing public school teacher I am an avid reader and college educated professional writer even though I am pretty awesomely dyslexic.

My college education was paid for half through privately funded academic and merit based grants. Kudos to me for working hard and doing well. I am proud of that and my academic and volunteering record. But, the other half of my education was public money - need-based financial aid mostly in loans. I took out a number of them personally and I was also lucky enough to have parents willing to take out some as well. I am still working on paying all of them off. It will take me awhile. But, without them I would never have been able to afford my education and the lower interest rate of the government loans makes them manageable.

My internship which lead to my first job was at a company that was heavily funded by a government research grant. I could not afford a car so a took a public bus on public streets every day for 3 years. When the second company that I worked for went under I was on unemployment for 4 months, allowing me the time to find a better paying job with better benefits.

The only way I was able to afford my home is because I was able to qualitfy for an FHA loan which allowed a smaller down payment.

I could also right you paragraphs and paragraphs of how hard I have worked and much time I have put in and that I struggled and kept with it and had success. I try to take a step back and give myself credit for my accomplishments but am also thankful for a great many things and consider myself lucky. I took advantage of my opportunities but the key point is that I HAD opportunities. It is a balance. I am lucky enough to have never been on food stamps but clearly I have taken government money and used a number of government resources. About 60% of my current income is freelance and taxed 1099 so I pay close to half of it back in taxes. I am definitely paying for what I use but I do use it and am glad it is there. Unless you are living completely off the grid in the woods then we all use it.

The economy is bad right now and as much as I would also love to point fingers (at G.W.) the reasons are complex and varied and not the fault of any single individual or administration. A lot of mistakes have been made by a lot of people. Greed has been too much greed and not enough empathy. It logically makes sense that when the economy is bad people will be in need of more aid.

How do you think that aid could be better allocated? What could be realistically changed that would make you feel better about finding that balance?

You are the first person I've seen that actually recognizes this. It's a big talking point for politicians, but really, the prez has very little influence on economic changes.

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/e...dio/does-president-actually-influence-economy

Very true. Thank you for your continued reasonable responses. BTW I am better off now than I was 4 years ago. But then I am mixed race, non christian, bi, feminist who is in the process of switching to all solar and renewable energy, including geo thermal. The programs this administration put in place like the Lilly Ledbetter Wage Bill, and the incentives for switching to independent power (It costs me over 26 thousand dollars to hook up to the conventional electric power while solar only costs me 18 thousand before tax credits).

Then there are the record elections this year. For the first time ever, women out number white men in the democratic house. One of the women is openly gay. The first openly gay woman to hold high office. MD and ME both legalized gay marriage by popular vote. One of the other women is Asian American, another first for that seat.

Family members have been able to stay on their parents insurance while in school. It might not be better for others, but it sure as heck has been better for me and mine. It is better for the struggling working women trying to go back to school, it is better for homosexuals, it is better for energy Independence.

 

[MamaRoo]

MD and ME both legalized gay marriage by popular vote. One of the other women is Asian American, another first for that seat.

WA is on the way. http://vote.wa.gov/results/current/...4-Concerns-marriage-for-same-sex-couples.html

Hoping the rest of the country is still working towards equality, rather than discrimination.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Then there are the record elections this year. For the first time ever, women out number white men in the democratic house. One of the women is openly gay. The first openly gay woman to hold high office. MD and ME both legalized gay marriage by popular vote. One of the other women is Asian American, another first for that seat.

It was a really exciting election and I was really proud of our country. I think it is a big step toward more diverse representation and civil liberty. Mazie Hirono is also our very first Hindu. Cheers for all the awesome ladies.

 

[kathyinmo]

Guess Ecuador is out then, don't want to go from one dictator here to another one there.

You really need to get this book! It is FULL of great information!