Thread: What is wrong with America

Something my father once told me.

"There are three ways to make money. 1) the old fashioned way, "to earn it". 2) The really, really old fashioned way, "to inherit it". And 3) The really, really, really old fashioned way, "to steal it."

Everything goes in cycles. You know everything old is new again. Folks in the late 1800s and early 1900s discussed similar things we are discussing here and now. That's what gave rise to the labor movement and Unions. You may not like them but it was only when workers banded together and shut plants down that the big shots started to take notice and when they brought in goons to silence the organizers and that didn't work it was only then that they had to negotiate and wages and benefits started to increase and it was only then with organized labor the politicians started to care about the working man and pass pro labor laws. Once these things started to happen even non union outfits had to raise wages and provide benefits partly to compete and partly because law mandated it.

All of that is sinking now so it is no wonder the standard of living is decreasing. Eventually folks will have to band together again to get back what they once had.

People make the mistake of associating all the technology and the fact the "poor" have big screen TVs and Cell Phones and equate that with better times. The fact is economically this country was at it's peak in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was a time when one wage earner could support a family, pay a mortgage and send his kids to college and go on vacation every year.

We see things from our point in time. Back in the 1800s or even the 1700s there were always things rich and well heeled folk could spend their money on probably the equivalent of the trappings we have today. A nicer home, better furniture, better clothes, a nice firearm, jewelry a better horse a nice saddle. 100 years from now folks will look at us and laugh at the things we consider high tech.

Am way ahead of the tech curve,I don't even own a cell Phone

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Am way ahead of the tech curve,I don't even own a cell Phone

I didn't have one in my cell either!
~Richard

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

The fact is economically this country was at it's peak in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was a time when one wage earner could support a family, pay a mortgage and send his kids to college and go on vacation every year.

That was a good standard of living. That standard did not include the huge homes people want today, did not include multiple expensive cars and different recreation vehicles, vacations were not generally overseas vacations, nor multiple TVs and the list could go on. People were consumers then but not the variety we have today and not to the extent either. People and their expectations are part of the problem today. Takes a long time for it to sink in that the party is over and you can't spend like a drunken sailor on a run forever.

Bob

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

We see things from our point in time. Back in the 1800s or even the 1700s there were always things rich and well heeled folk could spend their money on probably the equivalent of the trappings we have today. A nicer home, better furniture, better clothes, a nice firearm, jewelry a better horse a nice saddle.

A seven day set of Ivory scaled razors...

Originally Posted by Phrank

Something my father once told me.

"There are three ways to make money. 1) the old fashioned way, "to earn it". 2) The really, really old fashioned way, "to inherit it". And 3) The really, really, really old fashioned way, "to steal it."

,,,,,we've got a lot of really, really, really old fashioned people in South Florida

I used to be a Union Steward and when people give that old hash about Unions protecting incompetent workers you know what I tell em?

Unions don't hire and fire workers. That's managements job and if they are not doing it they are incompetent. Sure it makes it more difficult but too many managers just say well it's impossible and simply don't bother when the fact is if you have a good case against someone they are history and that includes the Govt where I worked.

In addition to that, you know we have a Criminal Justice System based on the theoretical premise that 1000 crooks go free so 1 innocent person doesn't go to prison for something he didn't do. It's the same here some crummy workers might remain on the job so a good one isn't railroaded by a boss who doesn't like they way he parts his hair or doesn't like his last name.