Quote:Here are some main issues we have in this country.  You can of course have a differing view point on how to solve it, but in the current system, it is getting worse.

 

The cost of education is sky rocketing and we, as a country, don't see anything wrong with people going into debt for long periods of time just to get a job to become productive citizens.  Are we not better than this as a country?  Why is education outpacing inflation?  Why do we discourage education in this country and why are we toward the bottom in academics when compared to other top countries?  This isn't disputed, these are the facts.  

 

The cost of (I assume you are talking about higher) education is skyrocketing because the Federal government is throwing other people's money into the mix. The number of university employees has quadrupled since 1960, but most of those are administrators. The money is not going to hire professors, it's to hire diversity coordinators and build fancy new administration buildings. Meanwhile, graduate students are working as 'tutors' to lecture halls full of undergrads.


 

Students who don't have a clue about debt and probably are not fit for higher education see no problem to taking out loans. After all, it doesn't cost anything right now. Hard to blame them since the US government takes the same viewpoint. Banks have no problem writing the loans since the Feds guarantee everything.


 

Health care is insane.  Compare the cost to do certain procedures in this country with others.  Health care as it was before Obamacare was horrendous and I don't think Obamacare was a good solution.  Middle class people are faced with mountains of debt and stress because of medical costs.  This is a product of the system.  It isn't greedy to say we should not pay what we pay for Health Care in this country.  Capitalism again is part of the problem. 

 

Obamacare made it worse rather quickly, but you are right that it was a problem before that. There is NO capitalism in health care, and there wasn't before Obamacare. 25 million illegals using emergency rooms for free health care (forced by government mandate) is not helping either.


 

Cost of living is rising and way ahead of where it was in comparison to wages 30, 40, 50 years ago.  We as a country are doing worse, not better.  Minimum wage isn't even close to keeping up with inflation and it is even worse when you factor in the reduced cost for companies to produce goods.  These again are the facts.

 

Agree. Jobs being shipped overseas due to labor costs and onerous regulations is part of that problem. Automation is a factor too. Minimum wage is for high school kids, not adults, but it does add to the inflation. I'd also say the the Federal Government flat out lies (on the low side) about the inflation rate.


 

Top .1% worth as much as bottom 90% - http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014...-bottom-90.  The top 1% are predicted to control over half the worlds wealth by 2016.  Wake up people!  Are we really okay with this?  Is our argument as middle class Americans going to be "it's greddy to force someone to give up their earnings".  We are being taken advantage of as a country and on a global scale.  And the very people being taken advantage of are the ones championing the cause. 

 

I doubt that those number are true, the Guardian has no problem with lying. In any case, what the top 1% have is not a concern, so yes, what you express is pure greed and envy. What matters is what the rest of us have. Do you really think we'd be better off if everyone had half as much? That certainly would cut the disparity. I'm reminded of the socialist who was given one wish, with the result that every one else would get twice as much. He requested 'strike me blind in one eye.'

 

Campaigns and politicians are being bought.  It now cost a billion dollars to run for President.  Do we think those that are donating aren't doing so (big donors) without getting something in return?  

 

This is another result of the government being so powerful that it's worth buying. Unless that changes, this will never change. There are always ways around any law, and our rulers are not subject to the law anyway.


 

Let go of your political affiliation.  Look at the reality of the situation we, the majority of Americans, are facing.  And "they" are just laughing all the way to the bank as we squibble and fight amongst ourselves. 

 

Let go of yours. Both parties are feeding tax dollars to their wealthy donors. It's just a difference of who's your crony. In the case of some like Goldman Sachs they are cronies of both parties.