Nobody pulls themselves up by their bootstraps anymore

[Horse with no Name]

Instead, climbing the proverbial ladder is more like hanging on a ledge.
I remember a time, if you were hanging out on a ledge, you could find someone to give you that little boost to get a hold of it.
You were never guaranteed to have a permanent position on that ledge, but if you worked hard and played by the rules, your ledge actually turned into a foothold on a piece of the American dream.
Now, in the days of corporate overlords and government croneyism, that ledge has all but disappeared except for the wealthiest--and in that case, that ledge is an elevator with all the trappings.
IF the average American were to somehow get a hold of that ledge, the overlords and croneys are very quick to stomp on your fingers until you let go.
Of course it is proverbial stomping--just like the proverbial ledge--represented by obscene profits at a time when most Americans are struggling.
I get so tired of hearing Republicans talking about "pulling yourself up by the bootstraps" when indeed, the only ones who have boots anymore are big contributors to the Republican party.
The rest of us have our government issued flip-flops.

[tanyev]

1. Oh, c'mon. That's what Barbara and Jenna are out doing right now.

It's hard work finding a prospective husband who has as much money as they themselves have.

[acmejack]

2. I suggest we are barefoot & they are spreading broken glass on the path!

Every single bill they pass seems like another load of shards meant to further gash the soles of our feet as we tread the road of life.

[KingFlorez]

3. That's because everyone has lost their boots

[MadHound]

4. Hey, I am

I've gone from homeless to having a small twenty acre farm, with no debt other than the mortage. I suppose I'm middle class, though I'm living paycheck to paycheck(saving and investing some). Yes, it has taken me twenty five years to get here, but I did indeed do it on my own.:shrug:

However I grant you that if I was starting all over again today, it would be a hell of a lot harder to make the climb, if not downright impossible. And with more and more of the US budget being balanced on the back of the poor and middle class, along with rising energy and inflation, I do worry about if and for how long I'm going to be able to hang on. We'll see, I'm not giving up yet.

[On the Road]

5. The Ones Who are Doing it Are the Immigrants

Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is absolutely possible. To do it, though, you have to start your own business, work very hard, live very cheaply, and stay out of debt. Make it a family project if possible.

One of the chief obstacles to the consumer society. Americans, including me, are put off by that lifestyle and think it's too difficult. My girlfriend, on the other hand, started buying houses four years ago, now owns eleven, and is worth close to a million dollars. She's not rich, if that's the point, but it can happen with some regularity.

[Solo_in_MD]

6. Concur

Its not easy, takes more that a 40 hour work weekm, but it still quite possible.