there is a great lack of sympathy and understanding from many in the US who are quite comfortable in the middle and upper class. Our society rewards and reveres greed and selfishness. It is far easier to assume that the poor dont really have it that bad and that all they have to do is "want" to go to college and get a good job.
throughout this entire discussion there has not been one mention of the simple fact that 3/5 of the poor people in this country are CHILDREN.
the truest test of the morality of a society is what it leaves to the next generation. In the US our "leadership" (and I mean EVERY administration and congress since WW2) has chosen to leave huge deficits to the next generations, be it in the form of national debt, foreign debt, social security trust, etc.
Both Bush2 and Clinton fail this test, as we should have been socking money into the social security trust for the ~80 million boomers who will retire in 10 years (Clinton) and the ridiculous tax cut for the wealthy that is bush2's answer to every economic problem - which has put us right back in the red and will be a burden on our children.
the sad fact is that our culture is more like a spoiled 5 year old than a mature adult in that unless we are instantly gratified we are not interested (these are broad statements here of course, YMMV). we are no willing to make hard, real, substantive choices, but would rather stick our collective heads in the sand and wait for the f'in prom
It is those without a voice, the children, who suffer most, as the majority of the poor in this country and in the sense that we are passing on our debts to them.
In stark contrast to the greatest generation that we so revere, we are probably in the mot shameful period of our national history.
so instead of the glitz and glamour of tax cuts, we should be making our nation financially sound and providing for those americans who need protection the most, our children.
shame on us, and our nation of selfish fools
strk
