6.3 Billion Tax Dollars

[merrylander]

Gergen had an article in the Parade mag today where he claimed that our rise to wealth after WW II was due to an educated generation. I would not argue that point with him but that generation got their education on the GI Bill for the most part. Back then the universities wanted to educate Americans, now they have jacked their prices through the roof and seem to only want foreign students. So where is this new educated generation to come from?

[Sandy G]

I think THAT'S what ticks me off about The Left more than anything else-Their incessant scolding. Look, Hoss, I was born in '57. I never kicked a black kid's ass, never kept him/her from attending school, was always respectful to women, elders of ANY color...I never polluted rivers, streams or the air-Well, except when I "Cut One", & that's not really by choice. Never prevented anyone from voting, If I knew of anyone who needed a ride to the polling place, if they asked, I'd be more than happy to take them. I never begrudged anyone who made more money than I did, & was always happy to see when somebody who wasn't as well off as I was "Do well". I suppose I can be held responsible for things that happened since 1975, when I turned 18, but to hold me responsible for enslaving blacks, disenfranchising women, Native Americans, polluting rivers & streams, all this other stuff- ESPECIALLY way before I was even born, or old enuff to KNOW about it- Fuggeddaboutit !!

[Twodogs]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

I think THAT'S what ticks me off about The Left more than anything else-Their incessant scolding. Look, Hoss, I was born in '57. I never kicked a black kid's ass, never kept him/her from attending school, was always respectful to women, elders of ANY color...I never polluted rivers, streams or the air-Well, except when I "Cut One", & that's not really by choice. Never prevented anyone from voting, If I knew of anyone who needed a ride to the polling place, if they asked, I'd be more than happy to take them. I never begrudged anyone who made more money than I did, & was always happy to see when somebody who wasn't as well off as I was "Do well". I suppose I can be held responsible for things that happened since 1975, when I turned 18, but to hold me responsible for enslaving blacks, disenfranchising women, Native Americans, polluting rivers & streams, all this other stuff- ESPECIALLY way before I was even born, or old enuff to KNOW about it- Fuggeddaboutit !!

POST OF THE YEAR!

That gave me goosebumps Sandy.

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

I think THAT'S what ticks me off about The Left more than anything else-Their incessant scolding. Look, Hoss, I was born in '57. I never kicked a black kid's ass, never kept him/her from attending school, was always respectful to women, elders of ANY color...I never polluted rivers, streams or the air-Well, except when I "Cut One", & that's not really by choice. Never prevented anyone from voting, If I knew of anyone who needed a ride to the polling place, if they asked, I'd be more than happy to take them. I never begrudged anyone who made more money than I did, & was always happy to see when somebody who wasn't as well off as I was "Do well". I suppose I can be held responsible for things that happened since 1975, when I turned 18, but to hold me responsible for enslaving blacks, disenfranchising women, Native Americans, polluting rivers & streams, all this other stuff- ESPECIALLY way before I was even born, or old enuff to KNOW about it- Fuggeddaboutit !!

I follow what you are saying, but don't quite follow what you were responding to. Were you pointing to any particular "scolding" in this thread.

As far as the responsibility for polluting rivers and streams, we all probably buy products from companies that pollute. We are at least indirectly "benefiting" from the pollution to the extent that the price of the products does not reflect the cost of cleaning up the mess that the manufacturers make. Somewhere along the line, someone will bear that cost. In the long run, we will either pay higher prices because of the cost of cleanup, pay higher taxes because of the cost of cleanup, consume less, or sit back and watch people die from the effects of the pollution - or all of the above. It's not all your fault, it's not all my fault, but the problem belongs to all of us.

I am proud to be an American, but that doesn't mean that we can't make this place a cleaner, more just, more peaceful, and even a happier place to live. Just one of the many ways we can make that happen will be to conclude that we don't become happier by having more stuff.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Sandy G]

Wasn't necessarily responding to ANY particular post or person. I'll "Man-up" to stuff I did, but don't go layin' a guilt trip on me for stuff I had no part in. The only thing any of us can change is stuff in the future-try to do better on a go-forward basis.

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

Wasn't necessarily responding to ANY particular post or person. I'll "Man-up" to stuff I did, but don't go layin' a guilt trip on me for stuff I had no part in. The only thing any of us can change is stuff in the future-try to do better on a go-forward basis.

I think we agree. To a certain extent, that what my last trial was about - people wanting to hold the union responsible for things that had happened 20-30 years ago. Even with respect to the environmental issues, economic issues, etc., the only option we have is to try to do better on a go-forward basis.

How we go about it affected a lot by politics, but I think we agree that taking personal responsibility is a large part as well. For example, I already suggested that I need to take some personal responsibility by consuming less. Two desired results from that are to borrow less and save more (as well as creating less waste for the environment and more room behind my belt). While spending less doesn't exactly pump up the economy, saving more at least provides funds for investments.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Charles]

I'll be the first to admit, I've got more "stuff" than I know what to do with. I need to work up the gumption to unload a bunch of it on Fleabay.

Chas

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by Charles

I'll be the first to admit, I've got more "stuff" than I know what to do with. I need to work up the gumption to unload a bunch of it on Fleabay.

Chas

Last weekend, I went out and bought two more of those wire racks from Walmart to store more of my crap on. And I still have stuff just stacked on the floor.

Dave

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Last weekend, I went out and bought two more of those wire racks from Walmart to store more of my crap on. And I still have stuff just stacked on the floor.

Dave

I have so many projects that need some work, that I sometimes spend more time figuring out what gets priority than I do with the screwdriver and soldering iron. But as I make progress, more stuff will go out the door. I will eventually cut my stash in half - which is still more than twice as much as I can use, but It's always nice to have a little in reserve to be able to set a friend up with a system.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Charles]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Last weekend, I went out and bought two more of those wire racks from Walmart to store more of my crap on. And I still have stuff just stacked on the floor.

Dave

I know what you mean. A coupe of years back I couldn't take it any more. Sold maybe six turntables, couple of valve amps, some speakers, some misc. misc., gave some stuff away, and I've still got more stuff than I can deal with.

A lot of it is pretty nice, and I like it, but it's gotta go. Just don't use it.

Chas