Can you list the government programs that allowed to you get out of being poor? Who paid for your mother's college education? Was it only her from her single job? Her parents? Was it subsidized by the government? Few, few jobs pay enough to raise 2 kids and pay for college at the same time. Fewer people have enough time to do it. Who was taking care of you and your brother?

The reason we have all these "social-problems" today is because morality has been on the decline for the past 40 years. The whole, "do whatever makes you happy," ideology is killing our chance for progress. In this aspect I lean toward conservatism, but I DO NOT condone the governments "Big Brother" approach. I feel that ethics and morality needs to be taught in the home and enforced by parents because they are the most important basis, foundation if you will. Too much leanency is given to parents and quite frankly they are not being held accountable for their childrens actions. If there wasn't such a stigma attached to abortion, or even on the other side of the fence, if morals (Christian) were more strictly enforced we would not have so many kid parents. People are always going to do what they want to no matter how many times they are told otherwise. Todays generation (my generation) has become increasingly lazy and complacent. I fear only more of the same and/or worse for those after me.

-Ghost

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To know that we know what we know, and that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge. -Henry David Thoreau

Knowledge is power.

I agree with you Ghost. That is something that really gets under my skin. No one teaches their kids any values, morals, but most importantly resposibility. I know I can't fix everyone else, so I just hope that I'm doing a good job with my kids. In the end it's not about how much money you made, or what degrees you had, your greatest legacy and most important contribution to society is raising you children to be good, hard working, moral and responsible adults.

I am not going to do research for you. There are billions spent each year on welfare, college grants (Pell comes to mind), food stamps and other programs to give people a leg up. The rest is determination and hard work. There are countless stories of people making it from absolutely nothing. If you are a poor 18-year old with nowhere to go the military will take you unless you are a criminal. If you are a criminal then live with the decisions that you made.

I don't need to share any personal information about my mother or I to know that people can make anything happen if they have the will and determination.

Today Americans are cry-babies who think they have it tough. Go watch the Grapes of Wrath or Cinderella Man and you will see that Americans were once proud and looked for work across the US. Americans picked up their family and drove thousands of miles for work. Today, Americans complain that they are barely getting by, yet they have a cell phone, cable TV and a roof over their head. Additionally, people act like the government is suppose to supply them food stamps, unemployment and rent. That is not in the constitution. There are 100s of thousands of people that come to America each year with nothing and make their fortunes.

Americans today live better than the richest Americans just 50 years ago. There are a few books that report the following facts.

1. 46% of Americans classified as "poor" by the government own their own home
2. The "poor" in America live in a bigger residence than the average (non-poor) in Paris or London.
3. The "poor" in America receive free health care, which is better than or equal to health care in any other country in the world.
4. The "poor" in America pay no tax even though they can afford to by a cell phone, own a nice car, and have cable TV
5. Much of America's "poor" are over weight!

Now look at the poor in other countries. Over 250 million kids go to work rather than school outside of the US.

I know of plenty of people back in Massachusetts that are considered poor but earn more than me. They receive government assistance, work under the table and do some other illegal activies. They take home moore than I do and pay no tax.

I recommend reading "Can America Survive?" by Ben Stein or "Understanding Poverty in America." After reading those books let me know what you think. All have LARGE bibliographies and point to factual statistcs. You should be able to find them in the library.

Go rent the Grapes of Wrath and let me know if the poor in America have it tough.

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"If you are a poor 18-year old with nowhere to go the military will take you unless you are a criminal." or have one of many different health problems, or have to many tattoos, or have filied bankruptcy (in some cases), or you are deemed to much of a laibility b/c you are a single parent (which has happened), or don't have at least a GED.

"Much of America's "poor" are over weight!" Healthier food is more expensive. Things such as fruits and veggies that are fresh don't last long. However frozen and canned foods, which are high in calories and soduim and who knows what other unhealthy things, are cheaper and last longer.

Well, that is obvious. If you are missing limbs you can't be a Marine. I was talking healthy people. If you are joining the military you need to be healthy.

Wrong. Tattoos do not keep you from joining the military. You can't get them when you come it, but if you already have them there are exceptions. Off course if you have gang tattoos then maybe the military should pass anyway. If you have tatoos that cover most of your body then you made a choice to exclude yourself from more than just the military. Now you live with the choice you made.

Again, personal responsibility. If you have shown financial irresponsibility then you can't get a job with a clearance. You will also not get credit cards, loans and many other things in life. That is what happens when you make bad choices.

Rare, but again. Personal responsibility. If you have 2 children and are single you have excluded yourself from a lot more than the military. If you have children that can't be watched while you are off to basic training then yes. In my view this is common sense. If there is no one to watch your children the military won't provide a 6 week, 24-hour a day, daycare while you attend basic training and several months of school.

Again, personal responsibility. If you can't complete the 12th grade or make the effort to get a GED I don't know too many people that will be dying to recruit you in any job. You must have the basic skills of high school to even get a job in Burger King in some cases.

I will rephrase my point. There are millions of healthy, non-criminals that don't have children that could join the military, but choose to live on social services or low paying jobs instead. They don't have anything excluding them from military service, but choose to live on social services instead or work in a low income job. I am not saying the military is for everyone, but it is a great way to get out of a terrible situation and make a man out of some of the boys.

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You don't need to Mike, but you brought up that your mother raised you and your brother, and got out of poverty. You use this as evidence that others can too. I'm just trying to show that she had help. Help from family or help from the government. I'm trying to show that people can't do it alone. I find it so strange that you want to deny these opportunites to others who are in the same position that you once were.

I think it is great that this country has a volunteer military. I wouldn't want it any other way. I say this because, I do not agree with that more people should join up rather than rely on social-assistance. Being an all volunteer force is what brings so much pride for those who serve. All over the United States when people are asked who they look up to the most in this country, the Armed Forces are always #1. What would happen to this image if everyone joined. Undoubtedly people are always going to slip through the cracks and small blemishes are going to appear in the services, but the military will always remain the most highly respected institution in the US because they don't take everyone or encourage everyone to join. I was deeply disturbed when I read in the AF times or Army, one of those, that the guidelines for tattoos have been loosened. I myself do not have any tattoos nor will I ever, and quite frankly they are very unprofessional. I guess all I am really trying to say is that we (responsible adults) are always going to have to take care of those who are less responsible, mainly through social programs like medicare, medicade, welfare, food-stamps and whatever else is out there. I do not think the answer to the delemia is to have these people join the Armed Forces.

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To know that we know what we know, and that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge. -Henry David Thoreau

Knowledge is power.

Once again, you make claims that you know nothing about. I am not sure how you can live life making claims about things you know absolutely nothing about. I think people see that when you post!

You just made an assumption about my life after I gave you a micro-look at my life and my mother. You then state that, "you want to deny these opportunites to others who are in the same position that you once were."

That is the most clueless statement I have heard from you and is typical of you. Let me guess, next I am actually out on the street and trying to block people access to social services? Doutes tell me how I am trying to "deny these opportunites to others who are in the same position that you once were?"

Also, tell me all about my childhood and how my family got out of poverty. I am dying to learn more about my childhood.

I need to go. I have to run down to the welfare office and nail the door shut.

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Don't do it mike, I'LL CALL HILLARY!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahaha

__________________
To know that we know what we know, and that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge. -Henry David Thoreau

Knowledge is power.