America's rags-to-riches dream an illusion

Reuters (via Yahoo) ^ | April 26, 2006 | Alister Bull

[nicollo]

Utter lies. What hinders America's poor is not our poltical or economic system -- and not racism -- but the culture of poverty our governments and our leftists friends hoist upon the poor. Think, act, talk, educate and do poor and you will stay poor.

The best thing we could do for our poor is to teach them how to act rich.

[Kenny Bunkport]

Goiters

[Kenny Bunkport]

It fits that the author's name is "Alister Bull."

[usmcobra]

Bill Gates was born a poor black child.

[vetsvette]

"This debunks the myth of America as the land of opportunity"

So we should all become communists.

He's sure convinced me!

[NZerFromHK]

This is what is reported as news every day on British and New Zealand newspapers about the US.

[cgbg]

The state of parenting in white and black poor communities (hint: mother, no father) is imho the most significant explanatory factor--and of course the wackos of Reuters never interviewed someone who might raise that sensitive topic as an issue.

[cripplecreek]

Actually the American dream was never about amassing great wealth. It's about earning an honest living, buying a home and raising a family while being left alone.

[dhs12345]

Guess people like Oprah, Colin Powell, etc. don't count.

[TET1968]

Alister Bull .....was this miss spelled?

[tet68]

"America's rags to riches dream an illusion."

Well, why not? The liberals have only worked 75 years trying to destroy the dream.

Don't tell them but it still happens everyday.

Hahahaha! Had to laugh, children born to wealth end up as
wealthy adults, it would take a liberal to have to do a study to find that out.

[dakine]

Define rich...

[georgia2006]

the idea that continental europe has more economic class mobility than the US is utter lies.

[Gay State Conservative]

Outstanding! We are no longer "The Land Of Opportunity". Once the word gets around,it'll take the 11 million illegals in this country about 3 months to get the heck out.

[goodnesswins]

POOR PEOPLE MAKE POOR CHOICES.....generally speaking.

[bill1952]

Pure unadulterated hosesh*t.

Anyone who takes responsibility for his own affairs and higher education has opportunities make millions in this country.

I grew up with very little, and nobody helped me worth a damn.

tell the author to call me

[michaelt]

The Center for American Progress "sponsored" the work?

What other result would you expect than the one Hertz got?

I wonder if Hertz complains about drug studies sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.......

I'd like to see this "study."

[calljack]

In 1976 my net worth was $60 cash and a 1968 Pontiac Firebird. I also had a throw rug, a warm coat from Fingerhut, and an old milk box full of 8-track tapes.
That was my worldly possessions. All of them.
Today my net worth is well over $1,000,000.
Phttttt.
Work, save and work some more.

[citizenK]

"This debunks the myth of America as the land of opportunity, but it doesn't tell us what to do to fix it," said Bhashkar Mazumder, a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland who has researched this field.

Can someone (anyone) please tell me what business the Federal Reserve has in producing this kind of research?

Does the Federal Reserve really have the mandate to "fix" the ills their (ahem) esteemed researchers discover in our society?

[sgtbono2002]

This pretty much sums it up. If you are born a kennedy , chances are you wil remain one, be rich from the trust funds and never have to earn a penny.

Wait: That isnt all you can get elected and tell all the poor and black folks how much you feel their pain and get elected and give them entitlements with government money while you keep your own.

Aint life grand?