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  1. #21
    Senior Member Martha's Avatar
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    I get ya. Maybe we can just acknowledge that we are privileged to live in a country where we can reap the benefits of our labor, and spend our money as we wish; at least for now.
    Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it. - George Bernard Shaw

  2. #22
    Senior Member americangirl's Avatar
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    nntrixie wrote:
    Many are poor who are neither lazy nor stupid nor did they fail to take advantage of oppotunities.
    I disagree with the part of your statement where you say "many". I don't believe "many" is accurate.

    MOST poor American citizens are that way because they are indeed lazy, stupid or they've failed to take advantage of opportunities given to them.

    SOME of the poor and needy in the U.S. are that way because they are genuinely the victims of unforseen circumstances beyond their control. But this is the exception, not the rule (in my humble opinion).

    Martha's right. We, as American citizens are ALL priviliged to live in the U.S. And with SOME exceptions, if we aren't wise enough to make the most of the opportunities we have, then we have only ourselves to blame.
    Calderon was absolutely right when he said...."Where there is a Mexican, there is Mexico".

  3. #23
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    We are privileged, lucky, fate has been kind, how ever you would like to put it. I certainly don't deny that.

    But that's true even if your are poor and needy.
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  4. #24
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    I get your point

    I just think you read the wrong meaning into the term underprivledged,

    Its like the difference between illegal alien and undocumented worker

    the powers that be have decided the term "underprivledged" sounds better than "poor" or "needy"

    But in a literal sense , your correct , everybody has has , or at least
    use to have a level playing field in this country

    The poorest ghetto kid in this country can still become a
    millionaire if they choose to,

  5. #25
    Senior Member americangirl's Avatar
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    I was fortunate enough to stumble onto a book called "The Millionaire Next Door". This is my financial bible, and I have used it's philosophies throughout most of my working adult life.

    The authors of this book advocate living beneath your means (not within your means, but BENEATH your means). Most Americans are rampant consumers and live far ABOVE their means. And this is why, when a layoff occurs, or the loss of a company occurs, or a medical crisis occurs, it ends up being a huge crisis and can turn a once thriving family into a "needy" family.

    This book taught me that I should always have at least one year's living expenses sitting in a savings account. This is paramount and is MORE important than TVs, nice cars, iPODS, cell phones, vacations, furniture, etc. If you have to work two jobs for awhile to amass a year's worth of living expenses, then it's worth it.

    Second to having one year's worth of living expenses tucked away in the bank, is to have adequate health insurance...even if you have to supplement what you get through your job. Medical crises that bankrupt families are most often due to inadequate medical insurance, disability insurance, or life insurance. My older sister had bilateral breast cancer (almost died from it), and it didn't bankrupt her because she had adequate medical insurance.

    I hear a lot of sob stories; however, most of them are about job losses or medical issues. Those shouldn't break a family. With wise planning and living a frugal life (living beneath your means), you can survive these things without becoming poor.

    Believe me, folks. I'm not wealthy. I'm not priviliged. I'm a working girl who goes without a lot. My car is old, my house is so-so, I buy my clothes at Target, and I don't have a cell phone. But I have SECURITY. I have more than a year's worth of living expenses in the bank, and I have really good health insurance and a good long-term disability policy. I can't afford the insurance if I also have all the luxuries in life, so I choose the insurance.

    I also live a lifestyle that is easy to support if anything catastrophic ever happened.

    And I'm happy. All those material things that I go without wouldn't make me any happier. Security is what makes me happy. Knowing that I'm responsble for myself makes me happy.

    I'm not completely immune to catastrophe. I know that. But I do everything in my power to be prepared for it. And that's what I'd like to see other people do, instead of standing in line at the welfare office.

    The poorest ghetto kid in this country can still become a
    millionaire if they choose to,
    BINGO, usanevada!!
    Calderon was absolutely right when he said...."Where there is a Mexican, there is Mexico".

  6. #26
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    You are so right that so many people live well outside their means in this country

    I bought a track home in Vegas 22 years ago and added a pool
    I pay about 600 a month on the first and second ,

    I took a ton of ribbing from co workers because after 20 years I still
    have a 1200 sq ft home and drive an old mini van

    Well , I just don't need anymore than what I have

    I'm not up with having a house 4 times bigger than I need
    or driving a "status" vehicle with a $600 monthly payment

    Now that I did build a home buisness that allowed me to retire
    3 years before I can draw my pension , I did afford myself the
    luxury of a big screen TV ($1200) since I sit here 14 hours a day

    America is a great country and anyone can achieve exactly what they want , or at least it use to be that way

  7. #27
    DJ
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    I really respect anyone for living below their means and planning for the future. At the same time, awful things do happen to very good people. What bothers me when I hear those pleas for money is where that money will go. I am willing to help (with money or toys etc.) any actual American citizen who is having a tough time through circumstances not of their own making. But I suspect that my toys or money will go into the hands of eager illegals who know how to work the system. I'm in California, a state that is really BROKE from all the illegals who have drained us. I think people are VERY SENSITIVE about were their donations are going these days. I won't give anything unless I KNOW that there is an actual American citizen on the other end of the equation! I don't see any solicitors who are making that clear either.

  8. #28
    Senior Member azwreath's Avatar
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    So please stop trying to put me in my place.




    And please do not wag your finger at me for disagreeing when there are others here doing the same.

    I'm not the one who opened this can of worms, my dear, and when you did, surely you did not expect everyone to agree with you, did you?
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  9. #29
    Senior Member americangirl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by azwreath
    So please stop trying to put me in my place.




    And please do not wag your finger at me for disagreeing when there are others here doing the same.

    I'm not the one who opened this can of worms, my dear, and when you did, surely you did not expect everyone to agree with you, did you?
    Now don't get your knickers in a twist, azwreath. I wasn't wagging my finger at you. And of course I didn't expect everybody to agree with me. How utterly boring would that be!

    This has been a good, healthy (and civil) debate. I appreciate all the input and everybody giving their opinions.
    Calderon was absolutely right when he said...."Where there is a Mexican, there is Mexico".

  10. #30
    Senior Member azwreath's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by americangirl
    Quote Originally Posted by azwreath
    So please stop trying to put me in my place.




    And please do not wag your finger at me for disagreeing when there are others here doing the same.

    I'm not the one who opened this can of worms, my dear, and when you did, surely you did not expect everyone to agree with you, did you?
    Now don't get your knickers in a twist, azwreath. I wasn't wagging my finger at you. And of course I didn't expect everybody to agree with me. How utterly boring would that be!

    This has been a good, healthy (and civil) debate. I appreciate all the input and everybody giving their opinions.





    LOL.........with the cost of knickers these days, who can afford to get them in a twist and keep replacing them all the time?


    This has been a good, healthy (and civil) debate. I appreciate all the input and everybody giving their opinions.[/quote]


    You forgot lively.........
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