America today

[fishpoopoo]

Originally Posted by Flapgums

...when American companies Like say, Levi's Jeans for example, give thier CEO's a 22 million dollar bonus for shutting down and moving them to China/Singapore/Mexico and VietNam, don't you find that disturbing.

That's capitalism. CEO's have no duty to society at large. CEO's are beholden to the company's shareholders and the duty of the CEO is to maximize profits.

Originally Posted by Flapgums

BTW, I have several credit cards and no balance on any one of them. I pay cash for big ticket items like cars, which on the whole are a really poor investment wouldn't you agree? Especially expensive American ones?

Most cars are not "investments." They are rapidly depreciating assets and cash flow liabilities. At some point, it makes more sense to lease them than own them (maybe less the case nowadays with overall quality and reliability improving). To me, cars are nothing more than tools to get you and your stuff from point A to point B. But then, I am not a "car" guy.

Originally Posted by Flapgums

...we need to fix the way most americans do business in thier daily lives so they stop the reckless behavior when it comes to personal finance. Most people, if not the majority of our population are fiscally inept and generally uneducated in the art of money.

We teach all this useless crap in high school and college. Financial literacy is something that really needs to be mainstreamed into our educational system.

Originally Posted by Flapgums

The government of this country and the administration there of has veered way off the course of it's original intent. More a kingdom than a free democracy each day.

Well, I don't think I disagree with you in substance on this point. Every new law that gets passed by the fed.gov means that there will be more criminals created at the drop of the hat.

I am not happy with the burgeoning size of the fed.gov, whose growth just feeds on its own existence. I don't like that we are fighting wars or funding social programs that will be paid for out of our children's pockets. I don't like one bit that our civil liberties are being steadily eroded. But to blame it ALL on President Bush (Patriot Act excepted) is neither accurate nor fair.

We get the government we deserve.