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Something to Ponder

5K views 50 replies 34 participants last post by  bmoore106 
I read through that list of things to be grateful for and I realize that the author of this is a perfect example of part of the problem. While this person can afford all these things, he is obviously not aware of the millions of people who can't afford to do those things.

It is great that this author can celebrate riding from coast to coast and back. Unfortunately, many Americans can no longer do that. They have to be content when their car can make it to work and back home every day without breaking down! The cost of a cross country trip far exceeds what many Americans can afford.

The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The average American's standard of living has been going through a steady decline for a number of years. Layoffs are causing forclosures in record numbers. Personally, I have gone 6 years without a raise in my job, even though the the company posts near record sales and profits nearly every quarter. Upper management gets all the pay increases.

We are being taxed to death and not getting our moneys worth in return. Government waste is out of control. Bush has a lot of nerve giving away billions of dollars to rebuild a country like Iraq which already has resources that would enable them to do it themselves, even though our own country has a problem funding its own problems.

There is a lot to be disatisfied about the direction the country is headed. The "well to do" who don't think so just have their heads in the sand and are oblivious to what is going on around them.
 
Has anyone ever noticed the Escalade with these $5,000 tires and wheels sitting in front of a mobile home on the south side of town. then they complain because their only job is part time at Wal Mart. Is this a problem?
Patriot, many of your comments are well taken and right on the money. I also do not feel sorry for those that are too lazy to even try to improve themselves or flat out have their priorities messed up. However, that is not what I was referring to.

We have a country that is spending hundreds of billions of dollars of taxes of hard working people propping up countries overseas and at the same time we have our schools begging us for tax levy increases because they can't afford to buy books and pay teachers, in spite of the fact that we are already being taxed to death. Don't you think there is something wrong with that picture?

I'm not sure what the complainers want in a country. The "millions" who can't afford to be involved in the freedoms have made that choice.
There are millions of hard working people in this country who have spent many years learning their trade and are very skilled, and now find themselves either out of work because the work has gone overseas or their company has found it is more profitable to accept lower quality work and hires lower skilled workers, which drives down wages. Everyone here complains about the lack of qualified mechanics to work on their bikes. Why do you think that is? The reason is that all the talented mechanics have had to move on to other trades. The ironic thing is that many of these complaints come from people who bill $150 -200 per hour but can't see why a shop charges $75/hr with a mechanic being paid at $10 per hour.
I remember when cross-country trips were almost free. Yes, free. You stood on the side of the road and "thumbed" across the country. Do people not know that the cost of gasoline is cheaper today than it was in 1966, relatively speaking. Managing funds and having budgets is a key to having the opportunity of criss-crossing the country.
Two comments here. First, try thumbing across the country today and you will likely get there in a casket, and that assumes that anyone today would even be crazy enough to pick up a hitchhiker.

Second, in 1966 even though gas was relatively more expensive, today it takes a bigger chunk of our earnings. That should tell you something right there. In 1966 a man was able to make enough money to support a wife and 4 kids and still live comfortably. Today, that is a rarity. Both spouses work in most families today, which is mostly driven out of necessity. The average family would live at the poverty level if only one spouse worked.

However, I councel with people everyday about their financial situation. Every person in this God-given country has the opportunity to simply build their own business with the smallest of investment of funds,
That is exactly part of the problem. It is getting to the point where you can't be successful unless you start your own company. Then you can become one of the ones paying pitiful wages and making a ton of money from other people's sweat. You can then ride a Goldwing and your workers can drive a 15 year old Corolla.

Unfortunately we do not all have the same talents. Some people have the talent for running a successful business. Others have great skills with their hands or some other talent. That does not make them less important, any less hard working, or any less skilled, just different. Plus, not everyone can own their own business. Someone has to build the cars, repair the TVs and stereos, make the food, etc. Where do you think we would be if everyone was a business owner? There wouldn't be anybody to hire. Well, I guess we could hire all those illegal immigrants. But then again, our government will probably start giving those illegals money to start their own landscaping companies because they are a depressed minority and the rest of us will be working for them cutting grass for minimun wage.

Anyone who goes 6 years without a raise is stuck in a rut. There must be some sort of glue that prevents you from looking for some other opportunity.
You are so right. And my situation is becoming typical. I am personally doing quite well compared to many others, but the future is looking bleak.
The new hires at my company are coming in at half of what I make. They are actually looking for unskilled workers instead of experienced ones. Skilled workers are being offered pitiful wages. I have looked for employment in my field elsewhere and am finding the same thing at other companies as well. I would have to take a serious drop in pay to leave. Changing fields is not an option because entry level pay would kill me financially. Going back to school part time would take 8 years, and at 49 years old, I would be close to retirment by that time. So yes, I am glued to my situation and have no choice but to ride it out and watch as my standard of living decreases. Unless something improves, this will probably be my last motorcycle.

Just my thoughts. Oh, by the way, I'm holding off on the chrome wheels so I can travel across the country on my Goldwing this coming summer
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Good for you. As for me, I am putting off travelling across the country this year so that I can pay the mortgage. And unfortunately a lot of people won't be able to ride a motorcycle at all this year because they can barely afford to feed their kids. I guess it's all relative isn't it?
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