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Old 05-04-2009, 10:43 AM   #32 (permalink)
pan6467
Lennonite Priest
 
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Location: Mansfield, Ohio USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by Baraka_Guru View Post
But, Pan, despite the recession, the mortgage crisis, and the value of the ultra rich, America remains on of the top nations in terms of standard of living. Once things turn around, it will be business as usual—which I agree isn't the life of Pollyanna, but it isn't nearly as bad as most of the world. I'm guessing the average poverty rate is less than 15%—compare that to other nations, whose standards might not even be as high.

The median income in the U.S. is probably still higher than it is here in Canada. I don't see many seething people around here.

I understand the rich are getting richer, but unless the government is completely ignoring the poor ("socialist" Obama surely wouldn't, would he?), why would economics be the linchpin for revolution? America is doing quite a bit better than other non-revolutionary states.

And you would kill for this? Kill your own countrymen?


Very quick because I have to go to work... The median income level is a joke. To say "yeah people make this amount so life is good." is propagandist bullshit. It doesn't show how many are living paycheck to paycheck and are heavily in debt due to healthcare, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, etc.

True wealth IMHO is defined only by net worth. And since the average American is in debt and our government is extremely heavily in debt.... what wealth does the true average person have?

So, it's ok for nations we trade with to use slave labor, poor working conditions, little pay and no rights? As long as those goods are cheaper it's ok??????

If you are going to say America has the highest standard of living... we probably do, but we are in debt for it because we trade with countries that promote squalor living conditions with no or very little freedom.

If we truly have a great standard of living and our way is the greatest, then we must allow others that taste so that it can spread. The only way to do this is to tell those we trade with that all product they produce and ship into our country must be made in factories with equal workers rights, corporate regulations and competitive pay values and bonuses as those offered here.

Until we do that, we have no true wealth because we will continually seek cheaper labor for cheaper goods and outsource jobs until there is nothing left.

And yes, if there were a movement for this or my life and freedom or those I loved were threatened because of my beliefs, I would take arms.

To quote a Paul Anka lyric sung by Sinatra:

Quote:
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels;
And not the words of one who kneels.
I would rather fight to the death for my beliefs and the right to hold them and possible see them come to fruition (but since they are so out there that will never happen) than to sit idly by, say nothing and be told that I cannot hold those beliefs. To me it's being true to oneself.
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I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"
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