Posted on 07/28/2013 7:02:14 AM PDT by upchuck
... Hardship is particularly on the rise among whites, based on several measures. Pessimism among that racial group about their families' economic futures has climbed to the highest point since at least 1987. In the most recent AP-GfK poll, 63 percent of whites called the economy "poor." ... More than 19 million whites fall below the poverty line of $23,021 for a family of four, accounting for more than 41 percent of the nation's destitute, nearly double the number of poor blacks.
(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...
Some would not consider the male in the trench coat or the female in the BMW as being suspicious. Maybe nothing was going on but my gut says something different.
Final word ... Stay Safe FRiends.
The AP places blame on globalization but ignores the much larger issues hinted at in this quote:
“I think it’s going to get worse,” said Irene Salyers, 52, of Buchanan County, Va., a declining coal region in Appalachia. Married and divorced three times, Salyers now helps run a fruit and vegetable stand with her boyfriend, but it doesn’t generate much income. They live mostly off government disability checks.
Let’s just unpack this one quote. The AP doesn’t blame governmental regulatory restrictions that have a larger impact on domestic GDP than off-shoring – in this instance for the decline in coal production. They don’t mention the cultural issues such as the breakdown in family as exemplified by Irene being divorced 3 times and now being single. They do mention the rise in single moms but ignore the fact that single motherhood is one of the most reliable indicators of social and family dysfunction resulting in significant lower standards of living. Old Irene mentions that they live off of government disability checks but the AP ignores the disincentives to work caused by government programs however well intentioned. They mention the increase in poverty among the elderly but ignore the fact that the typical American saving’s rate has been 0 or negative for decades. They don’t recognize that a pervasive sense of pessimism prevents people from taking initiative to improve their lot as is still common behavior in more optimistic populations such as immigrants. What prevents old Irene from moving to North Dakota where jobs are plentiful?
No, for the AP it all leads to the fact that Government has to do more as can be seen in this quote:
“Only when poverty is thought of as a mainstream event, rather than a fringe experience that just affects blacks and Hispanics, can we really begin to build broader support for programs that lift people in need.”
While I don't hesitate to spend a portion of my budget on affordable luxuries, beyond that I save every penny I can, and am prepared for a semi-extended (a month or two on my own) disaster. Short of purchasing a retreat, I think I've done about everything I can.
And what is the source of this disbelief? Do you honestly think that Congress gives a rat's rump about you and your well-being?
Their motto seems to be "I got mine and up yours."
Our problem is not survival of the fittest; our problem is survival of the unfit.
Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution (often referred to as The Theory of Survival of the Fittest) describes the positive effects resulting from any “pressure” on an animal species that removes the least fit among the species and allows only the most fit of the species to reproduce. Many of us are well aware of this “Survival of the Fittest” theory, but few are aware that Darwin also makes mention of the negative effects resulting from unlimited reproduction of a species’ least fit when the weak, the lazy, and the stupid are left unchecked.
We like to think otherwise, but our species, Homo sapiens, isn’t that long “out of the trees” and the same laws of nature that affect all of God’s creatures apply equally to us. If we were to observe any other species that had been allowed to reproduce without limitations, we would know immediately what the consequences will be.
Whenever the weak; lazy; and stupid of a species is allowed to reproduce unimpeded by predators that feed off the weak; lazy; and stupid, they soon outnumber the strong, productive, and intelligent. When the weak/lazy/stupid dominate the gene pool, the entire population becomes weak/ lazy/stupid, and then the population collapses.
In the past, when these collapses occurred within human populations, they have been referred to as a “Malthusian Collapse.” Thomas Malthus, a Nineteenth Century Economist, thought these collapses were caused simply because past civilizations had reached a point where human populations could no longer produce sufficient food supplies to feed themselves, but he never pinned down the exact reason for these food shortages.
We now think these collapses of past human civilizations have occurred whenever the unproductive weak/lazy/stupid greatly outnumber the strong/productive/intelligent of the population. In other words, the majority of the population becomes too lazy to perform the work necessary to provide for themselves and what’s left of the strong/productive/intelligent refuses to continue to do it for them.
These collapses have occurred at frequent intervals throughout human history, and Western Civilization is, in my humble opinion, currently on the cusp of one of these collapses.
Only four in five?
The only thing I've missed is that "reliance on welfare" thing. I got a job. Fast.
I must be super-fit for survival because I’m way below that poverty line income and I’m not even uncomfortable. No income tax. No debts.
Live within your means. It’s the right thing to do!
You are assuming blackmail of the individual.
There is also blackmail of the entire country.
The dems have discovered the giant flaw in the constitution that developed with technology.
A president can start a war faster than he can be removed from office.
Once that war is started there is no removing him.
The Republicans are intimidated by the media. Once the liberal press gets a politician in its cross hairs, the hate and lies continue 24/7. The onslaught is particularly vicious when directed against women and ethnic minorities. It’s terrorism without suicide bombers.
My wife and I have saved hard for nearly 40 years. Saved above and lived below our income. It has not done any good. The brass ring of financial security keeps getting further and further away. Not only are there no jobs there is little true earnings or growth in investments. The climb in the stock market is just clawing back to the mean. Since 1992 the market has gone from 3223 to 15558 or 7.7% compounded annually [(15558/3223)^1/21-1]. since 2003, 10 years, the market has moved from 9514 to the same 15558 or 5%. The mean gain in the market since inception has been between 7 and 8%... we are not even back to the mean. Our economy is dying. Every time we get close to grabbing it the goal post moves. The United States is failing faster than we can compensate for it.
In a true crisis money will not help. I have my doubts that even gold will help and I don’t think you can distribute lead fast enough or consistently enough to help yourself.
The retreat? Probably won’t work out consistently. Some places it may for some people.
The nation is probably dead and is decaying.
Which is better?
Which is better?
Democrats have been in charge of Congress most of this century; does anyone really expect anything different?
I assume Irene and her Boyfriend run their Fruit Stand from their Wheelchairs, since the Taxpayers are giving both of them Disability Checks.
I thought people receive Disability because they are unable to Work.
Another little thing, if Irene and her Boyfriend have been getting Disability Checks for over two years, they are also eligible for Medicare.
No, Romney was just stupid for that comment. He was a horrible candidate for many, many reasons far more important than that stupid comment.
I still wonder what Romney was thinking telling people at a fundraiser that he had lost 47% of the people for certain. "Give me money because I've almost certainly already lost."
Yeah what a winner, NOT!
No, Romney was just stupid for that comment. He was a horrible candidate for many, many reasons far more important than that stupid comment.
I still wonder what Romney was thinking telling people at a fundraiser that he had lost 47% of the people for certain. "Give me money because I've almost certainly already lost."
Yeah what a winner, NOT!
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