Life as a poor American is a life of slavery

[Unkotare]

There has been a lot of talk in this country for years about the erosion of the middle class, however when I look at the income distribution in this country today I see that the income of the upper 50% of citizens is 87.3% of all the money earned in the country, and the income of the lower 50% is only 12.7%. There is in fact no middle class in America today; there is only us and them.

There are those who call this country is the land of opportunity, but as I live and breathe today I know without a doubt that this is a lie, it may have been true in the year 1900, but not having lived then I cannot say if it was just as much a lie in those days. The reality is there’s a glass ceiling in this nation at the 50% mark, if one is born above that line, one can have any opportunity under the sun and go as far as ones individual capabilities allow, but if one is born below that line ones only purpose in living so far as American society is concerned, is to work. And furthermore to work always for the benefit and profit of someone born above that 50% line.

Want your kids to go to college? Better be prepared to pay. Contrary to what the upper-class would have you believe federal student aid is of little use, the maximum a person of the lower class may receive is just over 30,000. This may sound like a significant amount to some, however in reality it will not even pay for an education at a state level university, to say nothing of the ivy league. Think your kids smart enough to earn a scholarship? Keep dreaming, the vast majority of scholarships offered are given to children from families who are already above that 50% line. Said scholarships are just given out as free benefits to coax kids with “the right breeding” in, or in some cases to help schools meet their minimum standards under affirmative action. Said scholarships will never go to a child from the lower 50% simply because of the kids own intellect. And as for that federal student aid money you can get, it will just about pay for community college, a degree that will get one nothing except a low level office job at best.

So in what other ways might the lower 50% “pull themselves up by the bootstraps” as republicans like to claim they should?

Want to be a movie star? Better be prepared to pay. The only way to get ones foot “in the door” of Hollywood is to pay an agent, an incredible expense that a performer just entering the field can’t hope to pay unless they are already members of the upper class, already born to that upper 50%. Without an agent, you won’t get laughed out of every studio in town, because you’ll never set foot in one.

Want to write a great movie? Same thing, better get an agent, and don’t think you can afford one unless you make over 100 grand a year already. Without an agent you will never sell a script in Hollywood, but take it from me, if your movies good enough you will darn well get it plagiarized in Hollywood, in fact you can get that in no time flat.

Want to write the great American novel? Better pay out the nose for an agent because without one no legitimate publisher in the country will look at your manuscript, unless it’s to allow an established writer from the upper 50% plagiarize you. Think you’re going to self-publish it? Dream on. The volume of material available for sale on amazon, kindle, and similar sites and services dictates that unless you pay out the nose for advertising, you will have zero sales.

Want to start any kind of business? Go give it a shot. While we have all heard the “success stories”, the reality is that such a small percentage of such ventures succeed as to make the real number of success’s insignificant. Of course good luck getting backing from the banks. The reality is if your born to the upper 50% like that idiot James O’Keefe, the banks will extend you a 50,000 dollar line of credit at the drop of a hat no matter how stupid your business model is, just like it did for him. But if you’re born to the lower 50%, good luck with the banks, No matter how good your business model is! Unlike the studios you will get the chance to be laughed out of every bank in town.

In the end it’s all a lie. If you’re born to the lower class, your sole purpose in this society is to work your ass off for the benefit of the upper class. Frankly I’m at the point where I would love nothing more than for a REAL class war to break out, because as far as I’m concerned that upper 50% can just kiss my fucking ass.

And you can just kiss MY fucking ass, you pessimistic, dishonest, ignorant, unAmerican sack of worthless fucking shit. In fact, get your useless ass out of my country, you fucking disease.

 

[Unkotare]

What an insult to those who lived through actual slavery.

Exactly right. These hysterical hyperbole-addicts never seem to stop and really consider what they are saying. Fucking irresponsible drama queens.

 

[Sallow]

The OP demostrates the precise atmosphere that Obama has brought to this country since his election. Class division, and a defeatest mentality.

Most notably the defeatest mentality that unless you already "have it" you don't stand a chance.
What a bunch of horse shit.

SO Obama made conservatives say that black families were better off under slavery?

Really not the point.

I would rather be dirt poor and free..then a rich slave.

Slavery is an abomination.

 

[Unkotare]

No offense but this is what happens to Americans who have never travelled outside the U.S. and have never observed real poverty. America's poor have it far better than any other nation on this Planet. If you're gonna be poor,this is the place to do it. Trust me,i've seen real poverty. Americans are from being slaves. In fact i would call thet assertion downright insulting & preposterous. Travel people,travel.

You finally make a good point and then you go and fuck it up with that pretentious refrain at the end. Just when the meds seemed to be kicking in...

 

[Mr.Nick]

Get educated and get a trade. Without a trade you're doomed in this World. I keep telling young people this. Without an education you'll end up begging for scraps at awful Corporate hell-holes like WalMart and MacDonalds. Now that is slavery. For an American anyway. You can bet they're gonna make your life miserable for that lousy $7.00 an hr. So get educated people or you will end up a slave at Walmart and MacDonalds.

If it matters Wall Mart and MacDonalds jobs are supposed to be for teenagers and the elderly who have a lot of time on their hands not careers...

Slavery is not a choice - these imbeciles have choices...

Weren't you on another thread crying like a little bitch about how you were worse off today then four years ago.

"crying?"

I concurred with the rest of the folks..

I - like everyone else - have been hit hard by this economy... There was a question and I answered it...

I'm not a progressive fuck - I don't cry about shit that is in my control...

 

[Mr.Nick]

The OP demostrates the precise atmosphere that Obama has brought to this country since his election. Class division, and a defeatest mentality.

Most notably the defeatest mentality that unless you already "have it" you don't stand a chance.
What a bunch of horse shit.

SO Obama made conservatives say that black families were better off under slavery?

Really not the point.

I would rather be dirt poor and free..then a rich slave.

Slavery is an abomination.

WOW, we agree again...

 

[AVG-JOE]

Get educated and get a trade. Without a trade you're doomed in this World. I keep telling young people this. Without an education you'll end up begging for scraps at awful Corporate hell-holes like WalMart and MacDonalds. Now that is slavery. For an American anyway. You can bet they're gonna make your life miserable for that lousy $7.00 an hr. So get educated people or you will end up a slave at Walmart and MacDonalds.

If it matters Wall Mart and MacDonalds jobs are supposed to be for teenagers and the elderly who have a lot of time on their hands not careers...

Slavery is not a choice - these imbeciles have choices...

That ass-u-me-s educational opportunities abound.

Paul is right to encourage the teens at McD's to learn something new or be stuck.

Even the child that aspires only to be the fry team crew leader needs to learn a new trick or two along the way.

Education Rocks

 

[AVG-JOE]

What an insult to those who lived through actual slavery.

Exactly right. These hysterical hyperbole-addicts never seem to stop and really consider what they are saying. Fucking irresponsible drama queens.

Awwww.... Let the kid vent.

Do you remember your first beer?​

Good times!

 

[Unkotare]

James Chu 1/8 | Asian American Rags to Riches Success Stories | GoldSea


From Poverty To Power: Celebrities Who Started With Nothing - Investopedia.com


10 Famous People Who Didn


Rags To Riches: 10 Self-Made CEOs Who Started With Nothing (PHOTOS)


Death of the middle class? Think again | Gregg Easterbrook

 

[hortysir]

There has been a lot of talk in this country for years about the erosion of the middle class, however when I look at the income distribution in this country today I see that the income of the upper 50% of citizens is 87.3% of all the money earned in the country, and the income of the lower 50% is only 12.7%. There is in fact no middle class in America today; there is only us and them.

There are those who call this country is the land of opportunity, but as I live and breathe today I know without a doubt that this is a lie, it may have been true in the year 1900, but not having lived then I cannot say if it was just as much a lie in those days. The reality is there’s a glass ceiling in this nation at the 50% mark, if one is born above that line, one can have any opportunity under the sun and go as far as ones individual capabilities allow, but if one is born below that line ones only purpose in living so far as American society is concerned, is to work. And furthermore to work always for the benefit and profit of someone born above that 50% line.

Want your kids to go to college? Better be prepared to pay. Contrary to what the upper-class would have you believe federal student aid is of little use, the maximum a person of the lower class may receive is just over 30,000. This may sound like a significant amount to some, however in reality it will not even pay for an education at a state level university, to say nothing of the ivy league. Think your kids smart enough to earn a scholarship? Keep dreaming, the vast majority of scholarships offered are given to children from families who are already above that 50% line. Said scholarships are just given out as free benefits to coax kids with “the right breeding” in, or in some cases to help schools meet their minimum standards under affirmative action. Said scholarships will never go to a child from the lower 50% simply because of the kids own intellect. And as for that federal student aid money you can get, it will just about pay for community college, a degree that will get one nothing except a low level office job at best.

So in what other ways might the lower 50% “pull themselves up by the bootstraps” as republicans like to claim they should?

Want to be a movie star? Better be prepared to pay. The only way to get ones foot “in the door” of Hollywood is to pay an agent, an incredible expense that a performer just entering the field can’t hope to pay unless they are already members of the upper class, already born to that upper 50%. Without an agent, you won’t get laughed out of every studio in town, because you’ll never set foot in one.

Want to write a great movie? Same thing, better get an agent, and don’t think you can afford one unless you make over 100 grand a year already. Without an agent you will never sell a script in Hollywood, but take it from me, if your movies good enough you will darn well get it plagiarized in Hollywood, in fact you can get that in no time flat.

Want to write the great American novel? Better pay out the nose for an agent because without one no legitimate publisher in the country will look at your manuscript, unless it’s to allow an established writer from the upper 50% plagiarize you. Think you’re going to self-publish it? Dream on. The volume of material available for sale on amazon, kindle, and similar sites and services dictates that unless you pay out the nose for advertising, you will have zero sales.

Want to start any kind of business? Go give it a shot. While we have all heard the “success stories”, the reality is that such a small percentage of such ventures succeed as to make the real number of success’s insignificant. Of course good luck getting backing from the banks. The reality is if your born to the upper 50% like that idiot James O’Keefe, the banks will extend you a 50,000 dollar line of credit at the drop of a hat no matter how stupid your business model is, just like it did for him. But if you’re born to the lower 50%, good luck with the banks, No matter how good your business model is! Unlike the studios you will get the chance to be laughed out of every bank in town.

In the end it’s all a lie. If you’re born to the lower class, your sole purpose in this society is to work your ass off for the benefit of the upper class. Frankly I’m at the point where I would love nothing more than for a REAL class war to break out, because as far as I’m concerned that upper 50% can just kiss my fucking ass.

I wouldn't call you a liar.

Just a bad mathematician. Or, at least, deceptive.

It's easy to take a 50-50 approach to come by your numbers. With that formula it's easy to create the illusion of no "middle-class".

How about getting your slide-rule back out, though, and trying for something more honest.
Give me the numbers for the Top 25%, the Bottom 25%, and the MIDDLE 50%.


I'll wait

 

[Sallow]

What an insult to those who lived through actual slavery.

Exactly right. These hysterical hyperbole-addicts never seem to stop and really consider what they are saying. Fucking irresponsible drama queens.

Awwww.... Let the kid vent.

Do you remember your first beer?​

Good times!

I gotta draw the line at slavery. It should never be trivalized.

I agree that the skew in this country is off the charts in terms of income disparity..and for no good reason.

But slavery? Come on.

 

[Unkotare]

What an insult to those who lived through actual slavery.

Exactly right. These hysterical hyperbole-addicts never seem to stop and really consider what they are saying. Fucking irresponsible drama queens.

Awwww.... Let the kid vent.

Do you remember your first beer?​

Good times!

No, I was too young to remember that.

Anyway, the kid is never gonna grow up if someone doesn't care enough to box his ears in for him when he needs it. You don't want him to end up an adult who thinks 'opportunity' means pooping in the street and demanding other people's stuff, do you?

 

[AVG-JOE]

Really not the point.

I would rather be dirt poor and free..then a rich slave.

Slavery is an abomination.

I'll bet you $1.00 that the first slaves were volunteers.

 

[Jackson]

There has been a lot of talk in this country for years about the erosion of the middle class, however when I look at the income distribution in this country today I see that the income of the upper 50% of citizens is 87.3% of all the money earned in the country, and the income of the lower 50% is only 12.7%. There is in fact no middle class in America today; there is only us and them.

There are those who call this country is the land of opportunity, but as I live and breathe today I know without a doubt that this is a lie, it may have been true in the year 1900, but not having lived then I cannot say if it was just as much a lie in those days. The reality is there’s a glass ceiling in this nation at the 50% mark, if one is born above that line, one can have any opportunity under the sun and go as far as ones individual capabilities allow, but if one is born below that line ones only purpose in living so far as American society is concerned, is to work. And furthermore to work always for the benefit and profit of someone born above that 50% line.

Want your kids to go to college? Better be prepared to pay. Contrary to what the upper-class would have you believe federal student aid is of little use, the maximum a person of the lower class may receive is just over 30,000. This may sound like a significant amount to some, however in reality it will not even pay for an education at a state level university, to say nothing of the ivy league. Think your kids smart enough to earn a scholarship? Keep dreaming, the vast majority of scholarships offered are given to children from families who are already above that 50% line. Said scholarships are just given out as free benefits to coax kids with “the right breeding” in, or in some cases to help schools meet their minimum standards under affirmative action. Said scholarships will never go to a child from the lower 50% simply because of the kids own intellect. And as for that federal student aid money you can get, it will just about pay for community college, a degree that will get one nothing except a low level office job at best.

So in what other ways might the lower 50% “pull themselves up by the bootstraps” as republicans like to claim they should?

Want to be a movie star? Better be prepared to pay. The only way to get ones foot “in the door” of Hollywood is to pay an agent, an incredible expense that a performer just entering the field can’t hope to pay unless they are already members of the upper class, already born to that upper 50%. Without an agent, you won’t get laughed out of every studio in town, because you’ll never set foot in one.

Want to write a great movie? Same thing, better get an agent, and don’t think you can afford one unless you make over 100 grand a year already. Without an agent you will never sell a script in Hollywood, but take it from me, if your movies good enough you will darn well get it plagiarized in Hollywood, in fact you can get that in no time flat.

Want to write the great American novel? Better pay out the nose for an agent because without one no legitimate publisher in the country will look at your manuscript, unless it’s to allow an established writer from the upper 50% plagiarize you. Think you’re going to self-publish it? Dream on. The volume of material available for sale on amazon, kindle, and similar sites and services dictates that unless you pay out the nose for advertising, you will have zero sales.

Want to start any kind of business? Go give it a shot. While we have all heard the “success stories”, the reality is that such a small percentage of such ventures succeed as to make the real number of success’s insignificant. Of course good luck getting backing from the banks. The reality is if your born to the upper 50% like that idiot James O’Keefe, the banks will extend you a 50,000 dollar line of credit at the drop of a hat no matter how stupid your business model is, just like it did for him. But if you’re born to the lower 50%, good luck with the banks, No matter how good your business model is! Unlike the studios you will get the chance to be laughed out of every bank in town.

In the end it’s all a lie. If you’re born to the lower class, your sole purpose in this society is to work your ass off for the benefit of the upper class. Frankly I’m at the point where I would love nothing more than for a REAL class war to break out, because as far as I’m concerned that upper 50% can just kiss my fucking ass.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Redefining poverty: America's poor have luxuries, study shows

In fact, the study reported, the average poor American has more living space than the average non-poor European, has full kitchen amenities, a car (a third of the poor have two or more), two color televisions, a DVD player and VCR, and if they have children they were likely to have a game system like an Xbox or Play Station as well.

Further, the home of these families was in good repair, they were able to obtain medical care when needed and the family was not hungry, having sufficient funds to meet all essential needs.

Redefining poverty: America's poor have luxuries, study shows | ksl.com

I am certainly not above the 50% mark and It was not any part of affirmative action that my son got an academic scholarship for college. I just know his counselor helped him apply for it and he received it. I was a single parent, a teacher without child support.

Never would compare slavery to "poor" people. Many of the poor, perhaps even you, have cholices to make. Do they stay in school, do their best and take pride in their work? Do they sit home and wait for government checks or peel out on their own to take the responsibility of making a living for themselves?

Do parents have expectations for their own children are they role models showing how they can achieve the successes through their own hard labor and getting ahead?

The way you talk about slavery makes me think you slept through any history class. What choices did the slaves have? Just what luxuries did slaves have and then want for more? The physical torture that men and women endured during slavery makes me ill to think that you have the audacity to compare anyone who claims to be poor to the acts manifested against the slaves.

So you want a class war? You are likely much too lazy to lift a hand for yourself or in your own defense. It appears you want a war so someone else can fight it and you can use your retarded thinking to think you stay in the lower class if you started there. Wallow in your self pity. Knock yourself out.

 

[Salt Jones]

Really not the point.

I would rather be dirt poor and free..then a rich slave.

Slavery is an abomination.

I'll bet you $1.00 that the first slaves were volunteers.

Is that your justification?

 

[AVG-JOE]

Really not the point.

I would rather be dirt poor and free..then a rich slave.

Slavery is an abomination.

I'll bet you $1.00 that the first slaves were volunteers.

Like everything ruined by industrializing it, slavery started out as a way for society to start keeping the streets tidier for the tourists by finding something for the beggars to do.

At first, I imagine the beggars were for it.

 

[alan1]

Get educated and get a trade. Without a trade you're doomed in this World. I keep telling young people this. Without an education you'll end up begging for scraps at awful Corporate hell-holes like WalMart and MacDonalds. Now that is slavery. For an American anyway. You can bet they're gonna make your life miserable for that lousy $7.00 an hr. So get educated people or you will end up a slave at Walmart and MacDonalds.

Ya know something pauli?
I work at a Fortune 100 retailer. It ain't in the store running a cash register or stocking the shelves, it's at corporate in the IT department.
But,
There are actually quite a few folks at corporate that did start as cashiers or stockers. They made it a career. They busted their butts and it paid off for them.
Yer right about getting educated, but don't forget, hard work and drive to succeed is part of the equation.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Really not the point.

I would rather be dirt poor and free..then a rich slave.

Slavery is an abomination.

I'll bet you $1.00 that the first slaves were volunteers.

Is that your justification?

Justification?


For what, Slavery?

We can all thank our preferred Deities that we were born into an age when true, shackled in public slavery is relegated to the history books and imagine it is all most of us can do.

Slavery sucks for the slave, especially in an industrialized setting, but it's an incredibly productive form of human organization. We owe our technology and "modern" lifestyle at least as much to slavery as we do to war.

 

[Katzndogz]

Ah from the "wage slaves". Yet, the rich work harder and for longer hours than the "slaves" who have a nice quitting time.

They want to be supported, like infants.

 

[Katzndogz]

I'll bet you $1.00 that the first slaves were volunteers.

Is that your justification?

Justification?


For what, Slavery?

We can all thank our preferred Deities that we were born into an age when true, shackled in public slavery is relegated to the history books and imagine it is all most of us can do.

Slavery sucks for the slave, especially in an industrialized setting, but it's an incredibly productive form of human organization. We owe our technology and "modern" lifestyle at least as much to slavery as we do to war.

Most people want to be slaves! They wanted to be slaves when Marcus Cicero remarked that most people want to be slaves, they only want a just and generous master.

The slave worries for nothing. The master must feed him, clothe him, provide medical care when necessary, provide shelter. The slave lives by doing as little as possible to maintain basic sustenance. Look at the left. They are BORN slaves and born to be slaves. They only lack a generous master. Today's slave sees that master in the government.