General Discussion
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(49,913 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)Or is this one of those, "Let's you and them fight" things?
dencol
(308 posts)But what may happen is some sort of catalyst that gets us all off our asses to do something about it. I'm 32 with a master's degree and "good job," but can't even afford to go out on dates, let alone thing about starting a family. This has recently started to piss me off, and I think there is much resentment among my generation about being screwed economically.
merrily
(45,251 posts)The generation whose home is full of parents who need care, kids who can't find jobs, at least not jobs that leave them self-sufficient, and their underemployed kids' kids?
The generation that lost their homes in 2008 and lost their jobs before that, and have been unemployed ever since because no one wanted to hire people over 50?
Your money didn't go to your parents, maybe not even to your grandparents. It went to multi-millionaires, billionaires and multi-billionaires. They've paid into Social Security all their lives so it could be there when they retired, but they used the money for wars and heaven knows what else.
And private pensions? A lot of that money was invested in stock of companies that went under, like Enron, with scammers like Madoff, or in the damned mortgage derivatives that brought the economies of several nations to a halt.
We are all getting screwed.
The PTB wants a generational war because it wants to end Social Security once and for all. They say you will pay for prior generations without getting yours.
Do not buy into the divide and conquer strategy.
Instead of allowing them to make you envy your grandparents, demand that you DO get yours--and that GE, to name just one, pay taxes. And that Romney pay more than 13%.
As for the salary at your good job, that was either part of the plan or a great side benefit. When lots of people are unable to find any kind of work, those who do have jobs are afraid to demand their fair share of the company pie. They are doing miserable things, but it really is not the fault of your parents or your grandparents.
As to what we do, I have limited options that are legal. Thoreau refused to pay taxes. That's illegal, but at least it's nonviolent. (Thoreau inspired Ghandi and Ghandi inspired MLK, Jr.)
So, what are you willing to do? Get shot at? Get jailed? Work your tail off to unify people behind your cause? Cause I don't think calling D.C. does a heck of a lot. They'd like us to think it does, but I am not convinced.
Dustlawyer
(10,493 posts)September 13, be on the streets to protest! We need Publicly Funded Elections and Complete Campaign Finance Reform (CCFR)! That is our sole focus to attack the root of our problem! Without the ability to buy our politicians and judges, they become OUR Representatives again! By September 13th the mid-term campaign cash machine will start to get in full swing. We need people to start organizing their cities march and get the word out. You sound as fed up as I am, and if we continue to do nothing and sit and wonder why so many issues are supported by a clear majority of Americans and still go against us when they vote, things will continue to spiral downward.
The problem is the the politicians answer to donors, not We the People! Let's take control out of the Donors hands.
SEPTEMBER 13th, mark it on your calendar!
Dark n Stormy Knight
(9,760 posts)A new generation is taking up the fight to finally put women on equal footing with men and have our right to equal protection under the law codified in the U.S. Constitution. We spoke out loud and clear for equality in 2012, but theyre still not listening, so were doing it AGAIN in 2014! We Are Woman, in partnership with ERA Action and Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), is organizing a 2-day event in Washington, DC.
http://www.wearewoman.us/
MrScorpio
(73,626 posts)And granted the colonists here all the rights and privileges of the native born in England, I wonder if we would have revolted at all.
littlemissmartypants
(22,418 posts)People by nature are generally dissatisfied.
PatrickforO
(14,514 posts)To the main point, we are indeed taxed without representation. To your point, this is what the 1% always, ALWAYS forget. If they would just loosen up a little - Medicare for all Americans, free or very low cost college, enough work being done on the infrastructure and FAR fewer war adventures, then we'd have a strong middle class like we used to and EVERYONE would be doing better. But NO, they have to take it all, or at least try, until the American people groan under their Gucci heel. To that end, you're absolutely right. If England had granted the American colonists representation in Parliament, we'd still be a British colony. But the 1% has seldom ever been able to see beyond the end of their collective noses. Same now as it was then.
merrily
(45,251 posts)to stay in the colonies and I don't think a rep or two would have done it.
They imported so many things, from millinery and finer fabrics to slaves. And, of course, tea, which was dear to their hearts. They did not way to pay taxes on imports.
Also, Boston was occupied for two years, redcoats living in people's homes, etc.
The Declaration has quite a lot to say about what a villain George III was, what tyranny the colonists had suffered. It didn't say only "we needed a rep and never got one."
Great slogan, though.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)and don't bother to read through the grievances.