paulrph1 Loc: Washington, Utah

I worked in a mental ward for 6 months and my experience is they would not be able to hold a job. Not the cases I saw. Have you been there? Everything is relative though. But a person with an IQ of 60 well you can hire them if you want but myself I would consider them unemployable.

DIRTY HARRY Loc: Hartland, Michigan

I have a neighbor who has a special needs daughter that works at a local grocery chain store. Not sure how many hours she works; however, I'm sure she makes minimum wage, pays taxes and Social Security but can not drive a car. ... even so The State of Michigan has take away her allowance for bus (non existent in our area) or Taxi (?) service. This makes her VERY dependent (and robs her of her independents) on members of her family and friends. She's trying to make he own way, but others in the Government, who don't walk in her shoes, hang another milestone around her neck... she must me lazy or just doesn't want to work..... let her eat cake.

paulrph1 Loc: Washington, Utah

EACH situations needs to be judged on it own merits. And unfortunately we can all claim to have an ax to grind. I know I have mine. I wish that some one would give me ten million dollars but I lament that I have to live on my meager SS check. I personally have not gotten a raise from SS for years now except a token which they take away and give it to medicare. As for your State taking away her bus fares I do not feel that is right either but then I see other states that squander millions on people who pay nothing, will never contribute or carry their fair share. And then they have the audacity to claim they are doing good.
I personally would love to have multiple cameras, bodies and lenses but I, not unlike most on here, have limited funds. But am fortunate enough to have what I have and feel blessed and try to work with what I have. Besides my camera sits on the shelf unused most of the time.

DickC Loc: NE Washington state

I've had two COLAs in last 15 years!

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Well, that would mean none were needed.

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

It seems that some folks want someone to blame for their problems. Immigrants are taking our money. The disabled
are scaming the system. Welfare is a rip off. Let's be honest no one wants to pay more to get the services they wan't.
Our tax is not the highest in the world. We will have to invest in our schools and infrasture to improve our country.
We create wars and don't put a surcharge on our people to pay for it and the veterans. We want cheaper goods
so they are manufactured in countries where good labor it cheap. Not in the US. And we have let a few large companies
control pricing (with political lobbyists) of our necessary services. Greed and selfishness is now the way things are.
The present administration makes a tax deal that benefits only the rich and corporates and we believe this is good for us.
Gary Cohn left Goldman Sachs with a 285m payout. He said recently with an extra grand people could buy a new car.
He asked a room full of biz execs how many will put the windfall tax reduction into the businesses and employees.
One person raised his hand and Cohn wa shocked. We have people leading us that are on another planet.

jsmangis Loc: Peoria, IL

I agree with everything you have said with the exception of us being the highest taxed nation on earth. While higher taxes will not solve all of our problems, how we spend our tax money just might help. We need to stop being the world’s policeman, and the world’s arms supplier. We spend more than ten times of our tax money defending other nations, and sending them weapons, than feeding our poor, and educating our children.

To those of you out there who claim to be Christians, how many of you are healing the sick, and feeding the hungry, the way our Lord asked you to, repeatedly?

Just asking.......

therwol Loc: USA

No, we live on the same planet. The disturbing thing is that leaders in a democracy lead by consent, and those who elect them can be totally blind to their shortcomings and greed. In some ways, it's the history of the human race. For example, wars are the decisions of a few that impact the many with tragic consequences.

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

Thank you for your thoughtful response. Happy New Year Tom

jgm

paulrph1 Loc: Washington, Utah

While it is ruled by consent because elect them to represent us and that seems to be very difficult these day with all of the weird ideas many of which are against the country. They would destroy the country just to satisfy their libidos, welfare checks, BLM, antifa, Anthem protests, and many jump on board for the cause. One political party seems intent on destroying our form of government so they can put in their own, which is dictatorial in fashion. Under NWO there will be no sovereignty. It should be country first and not party first or me first on all accounts.

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

If it should be country first then why is everyone blaming the government and electing awful
people who seem to have a lack of ethics, management skills and the will to do what is necessary
to get elected. I can tell you what I see. The middle & poorer classes in this country are being scamed. Bernie
was right why had so much resource being directed towards 5% of the country?
Why is the party of get the debt lowered now the put in a huge giveaway to corps and
people of wealth? Lobbyists run this company. They write a lot of the laws for the congress.
The feudal society of the past with the castle on the hill and the share croppers working
the fields around the castle is what we still have today.
When we have this setup politically we get the French revolution and riots
in the streets. And for some they support a dictator and we know how that
works out.

paulrph1 Loc: Washington, Utah

Sanders was not right. He is a Communist, with Communist ideas. Communism has no place in a market free society. If you listen to Schumer you might get that idea but I personally think he needs to get his biases checked. He would never admit that the conservatives would ever do any good. He is for total government control. And if that happens you will have no say in anything. And there are still classes in a Communist society it is just that it is buried. You are correct about the wrong people being put into offices by both parties. That is why it is America first and not the party first. It is up to the people to put into offices the people that will give the rights to the people and not the ones who favor the party ideologue. Many people I know belong to no party but join a party so they can vote but do not vote the party but vote the person. I am not for big business either because I feel that when they get so big they are unresponsive to the people. And no matter how big they get, enough is never enough. As far as the poor go one has to ask are they scamming themselves? Are they losing because they are enslaving themselves to the government. They should be trying to better themselves on their own accord and not expecting to vote someone in that will give them the silver ticket. America has become a two party system and being so can control the people but the intent of the Founding Fathers was never intended to be a two party system. I am not for a two party system that is why it is America first. When I say America first that does not mean the Government first but the people first. But under a Free Enterprise system people have to do their parts, stop taking advantage, and that means the lazy and the politicians and get off their backside and stop being greedy. You can be poor and greedy also. Think about that one. But I enjoyed your post and most of it is correct. But I do not feel sorry for the poor but do help the poor but I believe they can help themselves in most cases. I do feel sorry for the state that they have put themselves into but are they attempting to better themselves. Under a repressive government they will never better themselves either. Receiving a paycheck without doing anything is not improving oneself.
You might find the following interesting: https://www.dailywire.com/news/24007/law-professor-students-if-you-say-i-feel-rather-i-hank-berrien?utm_medium=email&utm_content=112817-news&utm_campaign=position1

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

Am I understanding that the poor are poor because they don't want to move upward. And Bernie is a communist.
Socialism is just a term. We have many forms of socialism. SS for a start. Bernie is right that most of the wealth is
trickling up with US employees having no share of the economic improvement for over 20 years.
I have no use for arguments about liberal and conservative. Who cares. Both parties have allowed the country to shift
in favor of people who give them a lot of money. Their are thousands of lobbyists and private airplanes available to
our legislators. One guy can give 100 of millions to candidates. We used to have laws to not have this happen.
I had done charity work for the homeless in Philadelphia. We now also know that many single women
in America don't have enough food for their children. Good education, communities that are strong and mentor
and people that care make a society. My son often says to me dad if you didn't send me
to good colleges and he got an MBA from NYU I don't know where I would be today. Thanks.
German has mentoring and training programs for young people. Good education. Best economy in the world.
When we invest in all our children and participate in our society (I have created video for a lot of charities)
This is a ramble but I enjoy intelligent comments from my fellow picture makers.
And wedon't look down on the folks that clean our car we will start to have the country we want.
To all a very good year.

jsmangis Loc: Peoria, IL

Thank you Tom, finally someone with a voice of reason has responded to this post. My father went to college, and my grandfather and him ran a successful business for years. I decided not to follow in my father's footsteps, and became an electrician, serving an apprenticeship, and working for union contractors for forty years until I retired with an excellent retirement, at sixty-two. Currently there is a shortage of workers in the building trades, so there is no reason for young people to go into debt to assure their futures. That said, both of my son-in-laws have college degrees, the eldest's education was paid for by the Army, and the youngest's was paid for because he was a genius, and had several scholarships for his BS, and a fellowship for his MS. They both have great jobs, and excellent retirement plans.