the moron see thru it's own moronism.

Wow, very nicely written. I can kind of relate with you on everything you said, I'm currently in college, but I'm going into the Air Force in a year so we'll see how that goes.

Thank you. This has to be one of the most honest, well thought-out posts I've seen in a long time.

Quick reminder to keep this thread civil and not attack each other.

All arguments and rebuttals need to be about the posts themselves and NOT about the posters.

Great post niceguy! What you are currently encountering are over-rationalizations and over-justifications of claimed individual lifestyle choices. In forums like this there will always be the ones who claim to be the "exception to the rule". They may claim they possess all the prerequisites of "traditional" success (I.E. good education and such); In conjunction, claim to have made a cognitive choice not to earn more/better money to obtain the better things in life... which is fine. It's my belief and understanding that these are the first to beg for a handout when times get financially rough as well. It would make more sense to me that one optimize ones G*d given talents and abilities to the most (which includes making as much money as possible). If for nothing else, puting it away for a rainy day... or retirement (instead of completely relying upon the government for Social Security and other entitlements). So long as one takes personal responsibility for his/her life and all it entails, people can do as they wish. Unfortunately, chances are that won't happen. Personal happiness (coupled with a sense of entitlement) quite often gets in the way.

Under normal circumstances I would encourage you to stay the course and wish you nothing but success in regards to your joining the ranks of self-employed entrepreneurs. These not being normal times though, I've seriously considered closing my doors and releasing my employees if for no other reason than to prove the point that if it weren't for people like you and I (those who risk our own capital, put up with all the headaches, those who produce, and employ others) are the backbone of this economy, this nation. Rugged individualism is quickly being replaced with collectivism and chronic victimhood/excuses. If others (able bodied and mentally competent) can hop onto that government gravy train (even if for a year)... why not sit back and enjoy the life of Riely as well. I haven't had a vacation in my adult life. Free healthcare, food stamps (debit card)... my mistake was paying off my vehicles, house, and properties in cash (otherwise, I could have posibly received some form of assistance for those things as well). Too late for me to claim illegal alien status?

Money may not buy love or happiness; However, it does pay the bills and prevents one becoming a burden to others (interfering with their happiness and persuits).

companies that have bagging trillions upon trillions, setting aside nothing for the future, good policy saving, monitoring supply and demand, producing what will sell...

is it actually believed these companies are so stupid, run by such idiot's, to not know the market forecast???

run so bad, but bagging million upon millions in bonus's, and then coming and beg from the people???

please!!!

not one small business owner, that operated in such ways, would be given one ounce of ENTITLEMENT???

these are the only talking about the rich???

no one is speaking of INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE, but the corporations themself???

running company's into the ground from greed run amuck, and the ONLY one's given help, are the companies on the very TOP rung???

take the trillion, and pass it out to small mom and pop business, who would NEVER borrow money, THEN HAVE THE AUDACITY, to throw lavish paties costing hundreds of thousands of dollar's???

pass it out to the small banks, the small business's, infuse the common man!!!

instead of bailing out the largest corporations in the world, which DRIVE'S another small bank and business out of business each day...

these are the only things that people are distressed over!!!

when the government partner's with big business, a precedent that has NEVER worked in any history is set...

it is a sheer complete conflict of interest for any government, using fear of starvation and loss of job's as a fear tactic to convince the people to buy it!!!

how do the smartest people in the world, scream fire, the economy is on fire, FROM EVERY NEWS NETWORK, AND NOT KNOW THIS WILL MAKE PEOPLE STOP BUYING???

WILL NOT STOP THE ECONOMY!!!

would anything STAND AND SAY FIRE, IN AN AUDITORIUM, AND NOT EXPECT PANIC???

just the words from WARREN BUFFET, THE ECONOMY HAS FALLEN OFF A CLIFF, ARE SHEER MADNESS TO SPEAK AND PUT FORTH TO THE PUBLIC???

WHY???

WHY???

WHY???

TO RUN THE LITTLE GUYS OUT OF BUSINESS!!!

treat each fortune 500 company JUST THE SAME AS ANY SMALLL BUSINESS...

half the people that can't pay their bank note's are mom and pop business out of business!!!

which one of them is begging for billions from the big daddy???

the system is intentionly sqeezing the very life out of anything but big HUGE business, and for this not to be seen is sheer oblivion...

how are not the HUGE GLONGLAMORATES begging as beggars on the streets, asking for handouts, when they have run their own company's in the ground from greed run amuck, borrowing money from the people's, who make PENNNIE'S IN COMPARISON???

come on man, open the lids, set forth the eye sight.

in the circle not of the rich, but the corrupt, it is called "raising the cream"???

you know what the means!!!

setting aside nothing for the future? there isn'ta fortune 1000 company that doesn't have a 10 and 20 year plan at the least..

i'd find it hysterical if it wasn't so freaking sad that the guys that get out there and do it every day, the ceo's and high level exec's that are good at what they do, good at making their company profitable, making returns for the investors, who puts it onthe line every day, the livelihoods of thousands of employees and investors intheir hands every day.. these are the guys that have something at risk. but the ivory tower politicians who nothing on the line save for their precious seat in congress are going to drag these guys up in front of senate committees and berate them for owning shares in a private jet.. meanwhile, princess nancy spends millions of dollars a month taking air force jets across the globe..

"you don't own that plane, the taxpayers do!" their egos are writing checks their butts may not be able to cash...

the policitian's are in league and vested in the largest companies in the world???

of course.

it is the biggest conflict of interest that ever existed, and no amount of stretching can iron it away...

now, big daddy, will hold 36% of citibank???

there is no way anything honest can make it to the top, with such a power structure in play.

only the largest in the world, set to survive, the dominoe's intentionally set to fall, to squeeze out the small...

it is the oldest ploy in the book...

knock out any top player who won't go along, dig up some dirt, bring them up on charges, broadcast it everywhere, got a dirty one here, this holds the public attention, and said to be the blame, for all that ails, then in several months, when no one is still interested, some probation might get handed down, or a not guilty, if they cooperate, if not, some jail time, set in jail, get a pardon...

meanwhile, back at headquarter's, the FDIC, is closing several small banks a week!!!

money pouring out of the coffer's, creating NEW GOVERNMENT JOBS???

fema, atf, firefigther, police, ntf, fbi, cia....

count em, how many more that are listed here???

these get money to make more JOBS???

for each small business, that was granted government loans, to create more job's, the common man works together, the people's work and interact with one another...

to prop up these guys, on the premise of if we don't, the economy will be destroyed is madness, and can only serve to lesson public control of it's own desinty, and create a greater need of the self empowering power called government.

these that are screaming about the "rich" being stomped on, are not in the league of the very people they are defending, as this league meets behind closed doors...

they are not the local doctor's, the local lawyer's, we are talking about the EXTREMELY WEALTHY, that are raking in billions a month, that nothing can touch, unless it's get's cleared thru a politician, and if that politician wont play ball, out he go's...

the whole thing promote's corruption.

what happened to connie chung, one slip of the tongue, saying on national tv, when asked WHO decides what get reported in the new's, say's "gets cleared thru washington of course", and she's gone, forced out of a carreer...

civil servants???

government servants is the more correct name.

the whole thing stinks to high heaven, and is is not some hard working rich guy, that there is any problem with...

it is CORRUPTION, that people rightfully so, should have a problem with, and most for intentionally SABOTAGING THE ECONOMY, with cries and cries of fire...

nothing is so stupid, to stand and DECLARE to the entire country, ECONOMY FIRE, ECONOMY FIRE, AND NOT KNOW, IT WILL CREATE IT!!!

NOTHING CAN CONVINCE THAT OUR SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE IS THAT DUMB!!!

IT HAS NOT OTHER OPTION BUT TO MAKE IT WORSE, PERIOD!!!

it is easily understood what your talking about niceguy...

the essence of what is being spoken about, is the direct proliferation of the workings of the system, as a whole, that promote corruption, legalized racketeering really, without any interjection possible, in due time, that i am so focused on, and the direct conflict of interest, in what is being broadcast forth, as the problem's, as these themself play one of the largest role's in all that is being created???

the enconomy problem being created, by the very tellings of how it is flawed, then tell how it is being addressed???

is that not counter-productive to say the least???

the knight cries forth to create a problem, then the knight in shining armor, come forth with the cure, and guess what, we only need this much to do it with???

are we really that gullible???

it is not seen how we the people can change anything for good, by focuing on anything except the real conflict of interest, that is being perpetuated, within the current power structure???

if there is not some outcry about this, then it is not seen how it will not devoure all in due time.

the focusing of all the leaves on a tree, make it difficult to see how and what fix the root of the tree???

to outlay how there can be no integiry within the current system, is the greatest essence of what i am saying.

this is the only point being made.

peace man

Who are the underserving ungrateful people?

You are sounding a bit like a victim. Risk is born by all of us just surviving, because you are the boss over others doesn't make them risk less, just differently. You don't mention the people that help to make you well off either, as if they aren't also the backbone of this country. You depend on others yourself, you just don't see it or acknowledge it.

Your ambition is not my ambition, it's that simple. If that make me your enemy oh well.

My taxes go to educate your children even though I don't have children. But educated children make educated adults less likely to be a problem for me, so I see that as a good thing.

My taxes go to pay for services you use as well. And if heaven forbid something tragic should happen to you, my taxes will help to put you back on your feet. But if you prefer to lay on the side of the road and refuse the help, there isn't much we can do is there?

So we are all dependent on one another in many ways, it just bugs some more than others.

Because I mention I would rather be helping a neighbor in a certain instance doesn't mean I am able to do that all day every day. And don't worry I wouldn't ask 'you' for a dime, nor would I expect you to help either, judging by your posts.

Now I really have to sleep...

Hmmmmmmmmmm didnt have alot of time to read all of the posts but........

There are many types of "rich".........money being one of them and happiness being the other. Everything is a choice........

Absolutely, and when we refer to the rich in most cases in Mingle it's those that took advantage and were greedy and selfcentered and really didn't care because they were covered. Bailouts to them? Well I have a problem with that, but I am not an economist so I can't know what's best in this situation. I certainly don't have a problem with people wanting to be wealthy, only when it means forcing others to have to keep up with them just to get the very basics in life. I know I didn't say that right.. oh well too tired now.

Wow!!! Ya'll took a simple appreciative note of thanks for those rich people's tax dollars at work for everyone's benefit and made it into some banal attempt at knocking the op and benevolents in our society. Jaded much? Talk about over-processing, over-thinking, over-justifying, rebound blanket statements and just plain sour-grapes-turned-attack!!!

I hope the op isn't too peeved to share more in the future!!!

op?

wtf?

OP refers to the original poster...the one that started the topic

The fact is most of the rich people out there didn't work a day in their lives. They inherited their wealth. They keep it by hiring someone else to keep investing that wealth. Not every rich person out there is a Donald Trump, Bill Gates, or Will Smith.

true...there are rich people that worked very hard for it....some lucked out

there hard working poor people as well.

i personally like the simple things in life