Forum Post: oldandsad
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 2, 2011, 11:03 a.m. EST by oldandsad
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I have to ask: What is your purpose? You see, I'm 75 years old, worked since 22 up until 3 months ago. Self-employed, paid 16% of my earnings off the top, without any choice, into Social Security. Every year just scraping by. Fed a family nutritous meals on a tight budget, took an interest in their education, but most of all, made sure they knew how to do SOMETHING. Now I see these young people my granddaughter's age protesting what? Are you just so very dumbed down that it's a party going on, let's go? Yep. So answer me: What do you know how to do? Your mammas have bought the butter and spread it on your toast for you, bought you classy clothes and on and on and on because you're so wonderful, you deserve it. So what if they couldn't afford it? For everything else, there's MasterCard. Sorry, buddies. Everybody doesn't deserve a dog, either. Maybe you ran up a student loan. So what? I did, too, and paid it back. I wouldn't have asked for government "help" even if there was that animal way back when. This generation is not called the lost generation for nothing. Lost in soccer, lost in video games, just lost. So tell me: What about you makes you have any self-esteem? Oh, I forgot. Everybody told you you were wonderful and a winner. I feel sad for you, because when you reach and grab for everything, you'll never know what self-accomplishment is. You talk about jobs. Every decent job in my city but for one went overseas due to labor union thugs, taxes and workers' compensation claims. One whore doctor is all one needs to testify as to one's "serious" injury. Why don't you occupy -- let's pick one example -- AFL-CIO Richard Trumka? Being worth 2.8 billion is not enough for you? If you're asking for socialism or communism, I really don't think you want that; I really don't. So go find something to attempt to do for yourselves and really make a difference, that being a difference in your perception of your own self-worth, not what everybody has told you. It's pretty neat. Or you can always use your political science degree and input data entry for the IRS.
I'm not so young either and while you are entitled to your opinions and feelings, so is everyone else.
I, too was self employed, paid in more than the average wage earner, heck today more then the average wage earner and the company co-pay to FICA. I didn't worry about a 'choice' when paying into FICA.
I understood that it was designed for my security in my later years, I understood that the funds I paid in drew interest and part of that interest would be used to fund programs for those less fortunate than I and I was good with that because together we could stand stronger than singly.
Over 50 years I worked and paid, paid cash for my home, watched it appreciate in value, put in improvements to my property, paid my taxes and managed. I also watched all my work, my investment lose value in a much shorter time than it took for it to gain value.
For 40 years I spoke out about how the 'money faction' was taking control over our government and spoke out against many of the agendas that were implemented with that control.
I could only stand and watch as the interest from SS contributions was directed into the general fund, I could only stand and watch as deregulation of banks, corporations gained in speed and strength. I could only stand and watch as the future of the entire country was being tossed away.
I watched as hundreds of small businesses were forced out of the market by the deregulations, businesses that employed thousands of people directly and by association thousands more.
I watched as jobs were shipped to other countries, jobs that were the base of the American Economy.
I watched because I was one voice, one voice without the advantages of communication that are available today.
I watch no longer but raise my voice with thousands of others, millions world wide.
I love my country, but I sure don't like what 'she' is doing much of the time.
How many miles did you have to walk in the snow?
You have people of all sorts at Occupy. Yes there are lazy communists, and crazies and such. But there are also a LOT of people involved who have worked hard, who watched their money get thrown out the window over and over, who were lied to by our glorious governing bodies, who despite the effort they made watched as they took loss after loss while Banks, Auto manufacturers, and others received massive bailouts, watched our tax money fund violent foreign regimes, watched our govt pander to massive corporations who should have to succeed or fail like anyone elses business, and should certainly not get to decide on our legislation ...I could go on, but you get the idea. That list is what is being protested.
Amen, these people don't really know what misery is, what it feels like to go hunger and know their is nobody to give you food. They don't know who sweet the fruit of labor is, because they never labored. They forget that nobody can make you dreams come true but you.They do not think they just aspire to colorful fools
BS! I lived in a barn in the winter. I went hungry when I lost my job. I also accepted that as in part economic troubles and mistakes I made. Personal misery has NOTHING to do with wanting to reform a badly corrupt govt.
true but what have you done personally to fix it?
Uh, I looked for work and got another job. I went to school, ran my own business. Just don't sit there and make broad sweeping statements about people you don't know much about and can't be bothered to research. My personal life in this particular thread is still off topic from the points of govt reform. If you will speak at least know what you speak of....
MY point is that you are not long living in a barn, you made mistakes and learned from them, you adopted and over came your turmoil, this crises can not be solved with the ideological collectivism that suns the individual. In order for society to progress the human psyche must become strong and independent, and create their own American pie, and not continuously cut the pie into smaller and smaller pieces and call it justice.
This movement doesn't have to equal full bore socialism. I'm opposed to that as well, but if it does mean the opportunity to reform a badly corrupt and wasteful govt, than I will support that. Otherwise I think we agree.
As for fixing the govt. What? Alone? Lol, change comes when a large population decides they are needing change and move to demand it. Like Occupy.
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