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This was an especially good podcast. Regarding blaming the poor: Do you know where the idea came from that wealth = moral uprightness and worth? I'm baffled by this concept. If poverty was a cause of laziness or "badness" why are golfing clubs full of rich people? Why are there people who work 40-60 hour weeks who still can't feed their kids? Why do they disparage lazy teachers who get the summers off, yet idolize basketball players that have off-seasons? Is a basketball player making millions somehow better than the teacher? Or than a walmart worker?

posted by Red Jenny  1:56 PM   [+]

 

What does playing golf have to do with someones contribution or hard work.
In response to your question on why 40-60 hr work weeks dont pay for families to eat.First you get paid for your value contribution and this is based on skills and hard work to acheive them.Second i dont believe that most "working familes" cant pay for food, unless they spend the money on other priorites.
Thats what makes this country so great- everyone has the opportuntiy to better themselves and work hard- if they are not capable there have never been more ways to get help.
The democratic party was in power and had 40+ yrs to help fight poverty ,better education and reduce crime.More has been done in the last 6yrs with them out of power in these areas.
It appears to me that the basic philosphy of the left is "whats good for america" is bad for them.

posted by richard  6:25 PM   [+]

 

This will probably not get looked at because this podcast was so old, but to respond to the poster above. How can you claim more has been done in the area of poverty/helping the poor over the last 6 years, when both the number of people in poverty as an absolute number as well as a percentage of the population in the United States has increased since Bush took office? Under Clinton poverty had a net decrease, so I fail to see where your facts are coming from?

I would agree with you that everyone has an opportunity to work hard and better themselves, but I would qualify that to say it greatly depends on the situation. If people are not in an environment where it is condusive to learning (innder city, poor, underfunded, understaffed public schools) or even staying in school (having to dropout to help support family etc.) then it will be an extremely difficult and often un realistic task to actually truly make a better life for yourself or list yourself out of poverty.

Craig

posted by Anonymous  11:37 AM   [+]

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