People overall, don't want a handout. They want an opportunity.
I think there's a real disconnect among conservatives related to that understanding. There is not enough gainful employment available. Outsourcing, scientific management and automation (or as Republicans call it, 'High worker productivity') have lowered the meaningful jobs available per capita, which has driven down wages for the jobs that do exist.
Some of these protesters understand that; Some don't, but know something is 'off;' and perhaps yes a minority are looking for a handout - This is true of any groundswell.
But I do wish you and yours would acknowledge the mathematics about this, and not just what you perceive as the ideology.
Ideology: 'It's capitalism, there's winners and losers, tough shit.'
Reality: Mathematically, there's going to be a lot more losers than there used to be. The longer this continues and the more severe it becomes, the less stable we will be as a society.
People want opportunity not a handout? While I agree with you that most Americans DO just want an opportunity I don't agree with you that the OWS activists feel that way. They believe that the rich "owe" them a living wage whether they are employed or not and the pardoning of all debt.
How can you call calling for those things a plea for "opportunity"? That's leaching off of the part of society that creates wealth by those who don't even try. You talk about winners and losers? I look at the protesters in New York City and I see people who revel in BEING losers. They don't want opportunity...they DEMAND handouts. That isn't my ideology talking...I'm just calling it like I see it.
Seek and ye shall find. I can accept that your preferred information sources have chosen to focus on the bad apples.
It's also true imo the lack of opportunity when so few have so, soooo much, can both confuse and infuriate those who were sold the American dream only to find out they haven't been selected to participate in it.
Even those you perceive as only wanting a handout probably wouldn't be protesting if they could find a job. Like I said... Confused and infuriated.
If something doesn't change, this sort of thing will continue and perpetuate. I wish the right would acknowledge that, even if they're unwilling to concede any of the rabble's observations. If you're unable to do so for reasons of fairness or empathy, acknowledge and address it for the reasons of maintaining discipline.
Eventually, we as a people will have no choice but to address it - That's just the way a society works. And the problems are probably far easier to fix now than they will be if you let it get to that point...
First of all you aren't "selected" to participate in the American dream. That dream has always been there for those who want it bad enough. Unlike many other places on this earth, America has always rewarded hard work and ingenuity. You "can" be a Steven Jobs, start a company up in your mom's garage and turn it into one of the largest corporations in the world. Unfortunately it's becoming harder and harder to make something like that happen because the private sector is being choked to death with government regulations and overbearing taxation.
As for why those kids don't have jobs? First of all NOBODY has gotten jobs the last two years because this Administrations policies have been jobs killers. Blaming a lack of jobs on banks and corporations just shows how truly ignorant these activists are. You're right about the "confused and infuriated" thing however, but you overlook the root cause of both. These poor kids are confused why their Poly Sci and English degrees aren't getting them a six figure job with paid health care and six weeks off a year...and their poor parents are infuriated that they had to go a hundred thousand in debt to pay for their kids to be brainwashed by far left professors into thinking society OWED them a living.
I love how you guys keep trying to bring "fair" into the discussion. In case you hadn't been filled in on the concept as a youngster (and shame on your parents for not doing so) life is seldom "fair" in the sense you progressives seems to feel it should be. You see, it isn't "fair" that I grew up on a farm and had to work hard every day while one of my friends grew up the adopted son of a big plastics corporation CEO and never had to work. According to people like you, Cuyo...that kid "owes" me something because he had a better set of circumstances than I did. It's a wonderful theory but it's total bullshit. One has to only look at human history to see quite clearly that you can't legislate your kind of "fair" because it goes against human nature. Having that wealthy neighbor made me want to go to college and get a good job so I could have some of the things I saw them with. I never had the feeling that someone should come in to seize their wealth and give it to me. That thought never crossed my mind. What progressives never seem to understand is that most wealthy people are not only THRILLED when someone else makes good but will actually go out of their way to mentor those they observe trying to make that happen. I know this goes counter to all of your progressive beliefs but rich people don't hate poor people and want to keep them poor.