Thread: Obama to China: Behave like a "grown up"

1%? I have to budget for an IKEA breakfast.

But my 4 year old hasn't lost a limb in a factory accident and I don't line up for 6 hours for bread and a government blanket so I'll take it over the known alternatives.


I don't expect to have a second car or a large home because we made the choice to live off one income and have a parent home with the kid. I expect my government to lend me money for higher education, and I expected to be paying it off to private lenders at painful interest for over a decade, and I expect my government to take a portion of my income in exchange for public safety, transportation, health care and a social safety net for my family. All of my expectations are met.

Those who expect their education to be paid for and the cost defered or forgiven because "it's hard" to pay it off (and they post about how hard it is on their I-Phone) are probably not having life go as they expected. Those who recieved a public education and grew up in a warm blanket of public services and now, as adults, are outraged that they are now expected to pay into the very system that they have fed off all their lives - and now refuse to pay what they owe to the two generations that raised them in comfort and safety... they also are probably having a hardtime reconciling reality with their expectations.

I've been to other countries and I like this one. But, like most of us here, I am surprised at the attitude of my fellow citizens when it comes to an endless sense of entitlement and total lack of common sense when it comes to personal finances.

There is a serious, serious, ignorance about personal finances in North America. Almost as bad as the ignorance about health and fitness. And I think generally the more people are outraged at government for their own self-created problems... the more that reflects their actual misunderstanding of how the real world works.

In times like this here in the US people need if they have a job to get a bartenders or cab drivers license, learn to wait tables, ect and find ways to make money on the side just in case they lose their job. Always have a back-up plan because anyone's jobs can be terminated and they could end up with the rest of the unemployed. Most jobs are not safe in this economy.

Originally Posted by Dutch

So, who promised you "safe?"

Safe is possible.

For forty percent in taxes, we should get "safe".

That should be do-able.

Yeah I can understand "I paid almost half my income in taxes so I demand services in return"

I can also understand "I don't want to pay those taxes and I'm willing to not have the services in return"

But the Republican plan of "I'll pay almost half my income in taxes and I REFUSE to receive any services in return" just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Originally Posted by Dutch

So, who promised you "safe?"

No one, I have changed careers (well in the same line) more than once. Just because you have a college degree doesn't mean companies owe you things.
There are also too many degrees that are useless.

I mean they're famous for being easy going and having short memories right? And the country that contains Hong Kong and Shanghai probably appreciates US and European economists giving them lectures right now. They probably genuinely appreciate the advice on how they can improve.

It's an election cycle, Obama needs to look more Conservative to retain centrists.