Seriously?

[RIJIMMY]

Speechless

Dinner with Barack — Barack Obama

[The Dad Fisherman]

I just donated 10 dollars in your name...take me if you win

[FishermanTim]

"Promotion open only to U.S. citizens, or lawful permanent U.S. residents who are legal residents of 50 United States, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and 18 or older (or age of majority under applicable law)."


Does that cover you if you claim to have been born in Hawaii???

[RIJIMMY]

I signed up, if you go to the bottom there is a link where you can enter without donating. If I win I will take you. I am going to get wrecked and grill him.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Is this different than the 50K plate dinners?
It's a publicity stunt... maybe he'll try and alienate 47% of the population....

[The Dad Fisherman]

I'm thinking i'd be pounding down Top Shelf Single Malt and talk to Joe about how hot our waitress is....

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

I signed up, if you go to the bottom there is a link where you can enter without donating. If I win I will take you. I am going to get wrecked and grill him.

I did too, but I'm bringing Nebe to see if he makes it past secret service security w/ that beard....

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

It's a publicity stunt... maybe he'll try and alienate 47% of the population....

47% of the population needs a stiff kick in the arse

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

47% of the population needs a stiff kick in the arse

Come on now.. you are better than that.

Out of the 47% what % pay payroll tax, meaning they back sh*t.... (whats the cut off, like $26,000 for a married couple?) and how many are true freeloaders...

Federal income tax is probably the only actual progressive tax...

[striperman36]

Can you pay with your EBT card?

[fishbones]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

I'm thinking i'd be pounding down Top Shelf Single Malt and talk to Joe about how hot our waitress is....

I'd be drinking absynthe and ordering the kids mac n' cheese.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

Come on now.. you are better than that.

Out of the 47% what % pay payroll tax, meaning they back sh*t.... (whats the cut off, like $26,000 for a married couple?) and how many are true freeloaders...

Federal income tax is probably the only actual progressive tax...

sorry if 47% of the population cant earn enough to qualify to pay fed taxes, its pretty f'in sad.
Do you disagree? Is it there fault or someone elses?

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

sorry if 47% of the population cant earn enough to qualify to pay fed taxes, its pretty f'in sad.
Do you disagree? Is it there fault or someone elses?

I don't see fault on either side...
The economy has tanked slowly for decades, largely due to the lack of middle class, blue collar manufacturing jobs.

Do you really believe there are that many people that want to be that poor, or don't try just to not pay federal income tax.

the number I heard was that 2/3 of that 47% pays payroll tax, meaning they work. Some big % are elderly, military etc... so how many really are abusing the system, expecting Obama to save the day.... not nearly as many as Mitt wants everyone to think!

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

I don't see fault on either side...
The economy has tanked slowly for decades, largely due to the lack of middle class, blue collar manufacturing jobs.

Do you really believe there are that many people that want to be that poor, or don't try just to not pay federal income tax.

the number I heard was that 2/3 of that 47% pays payroll tax, meaning they work. Some big % are elderly, military etc... so how many really are abusing the system, expecting Obama to save the day.... not nearly as many as Mitt wants everyone to think!

Bry, I dont believe that people want to be poor. But I also dont think they want to work that hard at it. We've created a culture of entitlement. In the past 30 years - No one raises their kids to go into manufactrig, they want their kids to go to college, have good jobs. The reality is now that you have tons of kids with this background and a limited amount of jobs. Only those that continue to bust their but are successful the others are at occupy wall st rally whining that they deserve a great middle class life and high salary. its a culture of entitlement. When I was a kid we didnt have cable, didnt have color tv. My parents didnt expect to have that. If they wanted it, they had to pay for it. Now, look at all the people with iphones, ipods, etc. Everyone you see has these phones. How can they afford them. It took me years to get one and I still can barely stomach paying the $100+ a month for data plans for my wife and I! I have friends who have iphones and yet dont save a penny for their kids college. Isnt that a problem? I think thats what has crushed this country and I believe most of these people will vote obama because the have a whats in it for me mentality. Surely not all 47% are deadbeats, i realize many people are on disability, social security, etc. But a majority of that 47% are in a hole THEY dug.

[FishermanTim]

I second that.

They made their bed, now they are looking for someone to give them a new, bigger bed to lie in.

To go one step further, see how many of these people have ANY money saved? Do they have a retirement plan? a bank account?
Heck, do they even have a spare-change jar for loose change?

Probably not, because they tend to think that why should THEY pay for "XXXXX" (insert "house, car, college, healthcare or welfare).

What I find compelling, as well as disturbing, is the general "got-to-have" mentality with the past couple of generations. They're not preparing and/or saving for the future, but living in the here and now.

(See savings comment above for reference.)

[spence]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

Bry, I dont believe that people want to be poor. But I also dont think they want to work that hard at it. We've created a culture of entitlement. In the past 30 years - No one raises their kids to go into manufactrig, they want their kids to go to college, have good jobs. The reality is now that you have tons of kids with this background and a limited amount of jobs. Only those that continue to bust their but are successful the others are at occupy wall st rally whining that they deserve a great middle class life and high salary. its a culture of entitlement. When I was a kid we didnt have cable, didnt have color tv. My parents didnt expect to have that. If they wanted it, they had to pay for it. Now, look at all the people with iphones, ipods, etc. Everyone you see has these phones. How can they afford them. It took me years to get one and I still can barely stomach paying the $100+ a month for data plans for my wife and I! I have friends who have iphones and yet dont save a penny for their kids college. Isnt that a problem? I think thats what has crushed this country and I believe most of these people will vote obama because the have a whats in it for me mentality. Surely not all 47% are deadbeats, i realize many people are on disability, social security, etc. But a majority of that 47% are in a hole THEY dug.

What a complete load of horse crap.

The USA continues to have the highest worker productivity on the planet.

A typical manufacturing job these days is far more technical than 30 years ago and requires additional education beyond a high school diploma.

Yes, people have iPhones...unless you're on the latest version they're a cheap commodity item any more. Cell phones are replacing land lines for many...how much does phone service cost today compared to 1970? That's right, it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

The Occupy Wall Street crowds aren't there because they feel entitled and don't want to work, it's because they think the system is constraining their opportunity in favor for those on top.

-spence

[FishermanTim]

Originally Posted by spence

...The Occupy Wall Street crowds aren't there because they feel entitled and don't want to work, it's because they think the system is constraining their opportunity in favor for those on top.

-spence

Right, and people visit the soup kitchens because they like the soup.

The Occupy-whatever crowd were comprised by a majority of students, who were looking to party. I highly doubt they were protesting solely on their ideals of "big business=bad". How many of those "occupy" protestors that were students were paying their own tuition, as compared to those that were having mom and pop foot the bill?

Constraining their opportunity?
The only thing truly constraining THEIR opportunity is the fact that they want it all and they don't want to work HARD for it.
My boss told me (a few years back) that he couldn't believe the audacity of job applicants just coming out of college. he said that they all felt ENTITLED to a higher salary that the job entailed. Now we're talking a college grad with ZERO work experience expecting to step into a management level position and salary. When told what the job they were applying for entailed with comensurate salary they acted like we were insulting them.

[fishbones]

Originally Posted by spence

What a complete load of horse crap.

The USA continues to have the highest worker productivity on the planet.

A typical manufacturing job these days is far more technical than 30 years ago and requires additional education beyond a high school diploma.

Yes, people have iPhones...unless you're on the latest version they're a cheap commodity item any more. Cell phones are replacing land lines for many...how much does phone service cost today compared to 1970? That's right, it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

The Occupy Wall Street crowds aren't there because they feel entitled and don't want to work, it's because they think the system is constraining their opportunity in favor for those on top.

-spence

You've got to be kidding. Back in the 1970's how many households had only one phone line and how many had a separate phone for each member of the family? And when you add in data plans, the prices go up. Yes, land lines are cheaper today, but overall phone costs are more. Add in that most homes have pay tv (cable, satellite, etc..), paid for internet sevice and eating out/take out and prepared meals for the home and there's a big difference in disposable income. Seriously Spence, do you actually think before popping off with some of this ridiculous crap you come up with?

And manufacturing has moved overseas for the most part because the government has made it too costly to do business here in the US with the taxes, insurance, minimum wages, etc...

Please try to use that thing taking up space in your skull once in a while. You might come up with something relevant and intelligent to say.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by spence

What a complete load of horse crap.

you're entitled to your incorrect opinion
The USA continues to have the highest worker productivity on the planet.

A typical manufacturing job these days is far more technical than 30 years ago and requires additional education beyond a high school diploma.

great, thats why most manufacturing is overseas! tell me how your favorite apple manufactures ipads here? How about car parts? how about cell phones? how about all electronics?

Yes, people have iPhones...unless you're on the latest version they're a cheap commodity item any more. Cell phones are replacing land lines for many...how much does phone service cost today compared to 1970? That's right, it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

uh, you're going to tell me a iphone data plan is less than my landline? really? You really want to make that argument? My landline is $24 a month. My cell plan is $120 a month for unlimited data. No one, unless its job related, needs a cell phone or data plan. You are taking my comment on a monthly expense vs. the cost of an iphone. Iphones are cheap monthly usage is not and is a LUXURY.
The Occupy Wall Street crowds aren't there because they feel entitled and don't want to work, it's because they think the system is constraining their opportunity in favor for those on top.

Sure, thats why I saw clip after clip after clip of LEADERS of the movement whining about having a college degree and could not get a job or enter the middle class. I only walked by their encampment every day in Boston on the way to the train and read their signs but I am sure you read something on Huffington Post about it. Once again, you ignore the evidence to support your point of view.-spence

you've been off lately. are you awake and paying attention?