Hypocrisy?

[GoVegan]

What report are you referring to? I'm in the camp that says that it's not just black Americans losing wealth. Regardless of race or creed....Americans are losing wealth.

Your not kidding! Everything seems to be going up except my paycheck!

[ABW]

What report are you referring to? I'm in the camp that says that it's not just black Americans losing wealth. Regardless of race or creed....Americans are losing wealth.

This one>> http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/2...dle-class.html

And I agree everyone is losing wealth but why is the black community not marching on the white house? They would be if bush were in office!! Look, I get it.. I know why they are not but that's what makes me sick.. Everything in this country is related to to RACE.. Obama could do anything and they would line right back up and vote for him. It's crazy and it's sad..

And please god.. Don't let someone chime in and say bush caused this.. please lord!! Obama has been in office for a whole term almost and we are losing ground faster than ever.. God only knows what will happen in 4 more...

[RobsanX]

I would work two or three jobs, doing ANYTHING

That is exactly what the GOP wants. The vast majority of the nation working endless hours for little pay, never getting ahead in life, and dying before they can collect any meager retirement benefits.

Exactly the way that China does it...

[Ainkor]

I work in the fast food business and anyone who feels that a job in fast food is beneath them is just plain dumb. I've moved my family across 4 states and 5 times in the last 20 years to make sure I could provide for my family. I can now afford to send each of my kids through college (us paying for it if they can't score a good scholarship) and we are saving about 15% of our income each month.

You know what, it started off as me making pizzas as a kid and at multiple times meant I started over with a company and rose up through the ranks. In my opinion, there is no better business to work in other than restaurants. Relatively stable, lots of work if your willing to work but most importantly of all, a chance to influence large amounts of the next generations leaders.

If the company I work for went south, you better believe I'd go for a job in the same field, even if it meant starting from the bottom and going on. I have no fear about being able to take care of my family and my ability to get shit done with ethics and integrity in order to grow my income.

I just don't understand people who sit at home and get a free check. Where is their pride? I hired 4 managers in the last few months and each of them make at least twice minimum wage AND have the opportunity to grow their incomes. Oh, and I'm getting ready to hire 3 more....

You may think fast food is beneath you but show me any other industry that has been as resilient as restaurants over history.

[jmdkodiak]

I've been looking for another job for two years with no luck. I work, but I haven't had a pay raise in three and a half years. Meanwhile, student loans are coming in, the price of EVERYTHING is going up.

Some people say just be happy you even have a job, but I think that we as American's should expect a little more prosperity than that.. Our state of financial distress cannot be blamed on Obama, or on Bush, or any one single person. I am a card carrying Republican, but I also know that most of them are all exactly the same. They want their share of the Gov cash cow and then they leave it. A two party system does not work in America. It's like voting for Fidel Castro or Stalin. In the end you're still screwed.

Living paycheck to paycheck three years ago puts one deep in the hole today, a visual, and affecting example of the devaluation of the dollar.

[RobsanX]

Some people say just be happy you even have a job, but I think that we as American's should expect a little more prosperity than that..

Exactly!

[texastorm]

I work in the fast food business and anyone who feels that a job in fast food is beneath them is just plain dumb. I've moved my family across 4 states and 5 times in the last 20 years to make sure I could provide for my family. I can now afford to send each of my kids through college (us paying for it if they can't score a good scholarship) and we are saving about 15% of our income each month.

You know what, it started off as me making pizzas as a kid and at multiple times meant I started over with a company and rose up through the ranks. In my opinion, there is no better business to work in other than restaurants. Relatively stable, lots of work if your willing to work but most importantly of all, a chance to influence large amounts of the next generations leaders.

If the company I work for went south, you better believe I'd go for a job in the same field, even if it meant starting from the bottom and going on. I have no fear about being able to take care of my family and my ability to get shit done with ethics and integrity in order to grow my income.

I just don't understand people who sit at home and get a free check. Where is their pride? I hired 4 managers in the last few months and each of them make at least twice minimum wage AND have the opportunity to grow their incomes. Oh, and I'm getting ready to hire 3 more....

You may think fast food is beneath you but show me any other industry that has been as resilient as restaurants over history.

I was a chef for many years. What your saying is true to an extent, restaurants will always be around in some form or another. I once moved to a new city and state with nothing but a couple hundred bucks a beat up truck and the clothes on my back. When I arrived in the new town I went to a copy shop (this was before computers were as common as today) and I had 500 1 page simple resumes printed up. I went door to door for two days. I passed out nearly 400 of my resumes before I found a job. I started the next day. The restaurant that hired me had no help wanted sign, and the owner told me he hadn't yet put up an ad in the paper. I am fairly sure that even today I can do something similar if I ever needed to.

I have had a job since before it was legal for me to work. I have never been unemployed for more that 30 days... ever. I have done everything from sell vacuums door to door, to driving a truck, but food service will always be a fallback. I ended my cooking career as a chef of a resort ranch making great money. I now work as a salesman and I love it, but there are days when I am sitting in a restaurant and I wonder what it would be like to be on the line one more time.

When I hear people whine about how they cant find a job I get a little pissed. I am not abnormal, not more driven, and certainly not smarter than the average person and yet I can get a job in any economy. There are always jobs, you might have to do the work you think a illegal immigrant should be doing, but I would rather dig fence holes, and shovel horse shit than get a welfare check.

EDIT to add: I am a high school dropout as well. I got a GED in 2009 at the age of 41 just to say I had one. I make more than many of you here but please dont take that as bragging. I am just saying there are no limitations except those you place on yourself. Lack of education, childhood trauma, and drugs are all issues I had to deal with. I refused to accept the fact that I would be a loser, ever.

[rickcharles606]

That is exactly what the GOP wants. The vast majority of the nation working endless hours for little pay, never getting ahead in life, and dying before they can collect any meager retirement benefits.

Exactly the way that China does it...

The difference is that in the U.S....you have the opportunity to improve your station in life...through hard work. Not the mentality that EVERYONE is owed a good living, as the Dems and Union officials would have you believe. A person has to work to get there, NOT just show up with a certain skill set.

[rickcharles606]

Some people say just be happy you even have a job, but I think that we as American's should expect a little more prosperity than that..

I COMPLETELY disagree with this mentality, no offense. The ONLY thing I expect this gov't to provide me with is the opportunity to excel if I decide to get up and work harder than anyone else. The simple fact that someone is an American doesn't guarantee "prosperity".....prosperity is earned, not a birth right. You talk to 1000 millionaires and I'll bet you that more than 75% of them worked shit jobs in the beginning, working their way up. They made their opportunity and now reap the benefits, and are expected to pay the majority of taxes for the very social programs that allow the people to sit at home with their hands out. I'm a middle class American and I don't sit at home and whine about how much money corporations have, or why these CEO's make millions on their annual bonuses. I look at it and say, that can be me, because they are no better than I am.....

[sgreger1]

That is exactly what the GOP wants. The vast majority of the nation working endless hours for little pay, never getting ahead in life, and dying before they can collect any meager retirement benefits.

Exactly the way that China does it...

But with all due respect, what are the democrats doing to fix it? You can say "The republicans want you all to work for nothing and starve!" but what are the dems doing to fix it? All I see them doing is handing out money to the rich in record numbers.

I would get behind a REAL labor movement where hard WORKING people got together to form a united front, but I have to agree with Rick here that sooooo many people have pretty much forgotten what hard work is and are now complacent and feeling entitled.

So many of my family members are the same way, one of my uncles was on unemployment for nearly 4 years and then moved back in with his dad, still isn't working, My aunt turned down several jobs, including one for $50k (she's only a legal secretary) which she turned down because it was a 40 minute drive from where she lived.... I'm telling you, people are not trying hard enough. This isn't about republicans wanting everyone to be poor, it's about the fact that we've removed the incentive from society, being lazy pays off and getting rich earns you a spot in the gallows (rich as defined by the Obama admin being $250k).

[jmdkodiak]

I COMPLETELY disagree with this mentality, no offense. The ONLY thing I expect this gov't to provide me with is the opportunity to excel if I decide to get up and work harder than anyone else. The simple fact that someone is an American doesn't guarantee "prosperity".....prosperity is earned, not a birth right. You talk to 1000 millionaires and I'll bet you that more than 75% of them worked shit jobs in the beginning, working their way up. They made their opportunity and now reap the benefits, and are expected to pay the majority of taxes for the very social programs that allow the people to sit at home with their hands out. I'm a middle class American and I don't sit at home and whine about how much money corporations have, or why these CEO's make millions on their annual bonuses. I look at it and say, that can be me, because they are no better than I am.....

Hmm.. Maybe I should have worded it differently, because I agree with you 100%. But I think that the problem lies within the blurred line the government has taken in response to all of this. I don't expect, nor want the government to "provide" prosperity. But my point was that the opportunity for prosperity in many cases is dwindling. How many cases have we seen in the news lately where an employee works for a company all of his adult life, to retire, live a decent, middle class life? It was common in the past. Now a days a company will fire you days before your retirement to save some extra pennies. Modern society doesn't expect to work for a company for the rest of their lives like it was in the past. The majority of American's are underpaid if they intend on living a middle class lifestyle.

[sgreger1]

I work in the fast food business and anyone who feels that a job in fast food is beneath them is just plain dumb. I've moved my family across 4 states and 5 times in the last 20 years to make sure I could provide for my family. I can now afford to send each of my kids through college (us paying for it if they can't score a good scholarship) and we are saving about 15% of our income each month.

You know what, it started off as me making pizzas as a kid and at multiple times meant I started over with a company and rose up through the ranks. In my opinion, there is no better business to work in other than restaurants. Relatively stable, lots of work if your willing to work but most importantly of all, a chance to influence large amounts of the next generations leaders.

If the company I work for went south, you better believe I'd go for a job in the same field, even if it meant starting from the bottom and going on. I have no fear about being able to take care of my family and my ability to get shit done with ethics and integrity in order to grow my income.

I just don't understand people who sit at home and get a free check. Where is their pride? I hired 4 managers in the last few months and each of them make at least twice minimum wage AND have the opportunity to grow their incomes. Oh, and I'm getting ready to hire 3 more....

You may think fast food is beneath you but show me any other industry that has been as resilient as restaurants over history.

Thank you, this is exactly what I am talking about. I am so proud to see so many on Snuson take the high road and not act like all of my wifes college friends. All these people got Bachelors degrees and are now unemployed for 1-2 years, and I am like "well what are you doing, did you try applying at local restaurants or a fast food place or at the mall or something, those places almost always have work and even in a bad economy people still buy food and retail, plus you look good for having a degree, maybe you could be a manager and end up making more than you would if you would have persued the career you got your degree in?"

Literally the exact response I get is "That's beneath me, I didn't go to school to work a service job". I'm like "That would be fine, but you aren't working right now, assuming the economy picks up in 5 years and jobs in your chosen field start opening up, how do you plan to get hired with such a giant gap in your employment history, do you think you can show up and be like 'I got my degree 5 years ago and have been looking for a job ever since, hire me'? Because every hiring manager likely got their job by being a hard worker and they will not see someone with a 4 year employment gap as being the kind of person who they want to hire. The real purpose of a college education is to show that your a go-getter and can stand to stick through the BS to get ahead, but then you completely negate that by taking several years off work and living off the government, you do know that most executives and managers are republican, and therefore don't like the idea that they've been paying for your extended vacation right?"

I usually get some response about how it's the republicans fault and that they should all have jobs but Bush blah blah blah blah. Then they ask me if there are any opening at my work. I would never put my name on a recommendation for a person like that, I would not refer them to my place of business with an attitude like that, and I am sure every hiring manager in America shares a similar sentiment.

I'm a 25 year old high school drop-out with a GED with a very sorted history including substance abuse etc, but I have never been unemployed and always make it work, i've worked at bagel stores, subway sandwiches, payroll offices, and all sorts of other fields that I never actually WANTED to work in, but still I manage to support my family of 3, pay off my debt, I drive a new BMW and am moving into a house next month. The cries of "i'm enttiled" fall upon deaf ears when it comes in my direction because I have no sympathy.

Disclaimer: I live in CA in a city. Those living in other states in rural areas may have trouble finding work becuase there actually are no jobs, this is not meant for them. But if you live in a city and can't find a job, you are doing it wrong. If your unemployed for 3 years, may as well join the army at that point. There are always options for those willing to earn their keep.

[RobsanX]

But with all due respect, what are the democrats doing to fix it? You can say "The republicans want you all to work for nothing and starve!" but what are the dems doing to fix it? .

They don't want you to starve, because then you wouldn't be able to work! LOL!

My overall philosophy is that demand drives the economy. Get people working, and they buy stuff. Give them the safety net of unemployment, and they continue to buy stuff until they get back to work. When our elders are ready to retire, give them a little help as thanks for building our nation. It doesn't have to be a dog eat dog life, but simple greed fuels that attitude.

[sgreger1]

Hmm.. Maybe I should have worded it differently, because I agree with you 100%. But I think that the problem lies within the blurred line the government has taken in response to all of this. I don't expect, nor want the government to "provide" prosperity. But my point was that the opportunity for prosperity in many cases is dwindling. How many cases have we seen in the news lately where an employee works for a company all of his adult life, to retire, live a decent, middle class life? It was common in the past. Now a days a company will fire you days before your retirement to save some extra pennies. Modern society doesn't expect to work for a company for the rest of their lives like it was in the past. The majority of American's are underpaid if they intend on living a middle class lifestyle.

Absolutely, the government is inflating the dollar far too quickly and corporations are acting within the regulatory constraints established by the government (which at this time means no rules for providing pensions etc) so they are taking advantage of this situation so that they can keep up. For those in the private sector, encourage union work. I have a lot of problems with unions (namely public employee unions), but they are the only ones who are not getting ****ed right now. I am quitting my job to join a labor union as an electrician because believe it or not they make 3x what I would ever make and provide pensions plus healthcare. Both of my parents are screwed when retirement comes and Social Security will not save them when housing here is $1600 for a 1 bedroom apartment. Figure this out while your all still young, join a union if at all possible, it only works if everyone does it.

To all of those opposed to unions, enjoy getting ****ed and retiring poor, but not this guy. Gotta survive in the existing system, and the way I figure it corporations aren't the way to go any more, like JMDKODIAK points out there is no long term benefit to working there any more. Either be self employed or join a labor union, otherwise you are at the behest of a company that has no obligation to care about your situation and will fire you a day before retirement if they get the chance.

[sgreger1]

They don't want you to starve, because then you wouldn't be able to work! LOL!

My overall philosophy is that demand drives the economy. Get people working, and they buy stuff. Give them the safety net of unemployment, and they continue to buy stuff until they get back to work. When our elders are ready to retire, give them a little help as thanks for building our nation. It doesn't have to be a dog eat dog life, but simple greed fuels that attitude.

I agree completely. I've lost most of my trust in supply side economics, we've been doing that for some time now and I don't see that it's working. Getting money in the hands of the lower/middle class is what will stimulate the economy, but the government can't just hand out money, they need to create an environment that gets the money flowing back to the bottom. So far Bush and Obama have filtered it all up to the top, we've tried both sides and they don't work since they are both doing the same thing. Unemployment and social programs are important, but they should no be the basis of our economy, we need to regulate things a lot smarter and in a way that gets money back down to the street level. This will in turn make us all richer.