Welcome to the USSA

reply to post by DazedDave


you can't survive in the usa without a car. it's a fact. we have too much undeveloped land and car pools are few and far between. one of the problems is, many jobs require various times of work. especially part time jobs (which seems to be all that's out there right now) in the service industry, where you may or may not be needed any given day of the week, any given time of the day. i'm talkign about poor people trying to earn their way. you're talking about not letting them earn their way at all. you need to be realistic. a car is not a luxury if you want a job.

Originally posted by DazedDave

Cars are a luxury item to begin with.

Really? Maybe if you live in the city and take a bus, train, cab, walk, etc to work.

Where I live for example, right here in the good ol' USA there is no public transport in my area. Zip, ziltch, zero, nada.

Sorry - much of the US is still spread out and personal transport is not a luxury in those area. In downtown NYC - sure, it might very well be a luxruy. On the outskirts of 1000's of smaller town it is not.

Originally posted by undo
reply to post by DazedDave

 

you can't survive in the usa without a car. it's a fact. we have too much undeveloped land and car pools are few and far between. one of the problems is, many jobs require various times of work. especially part time jobs (which seems to be all that's out there right now) in the service industry, where you may or may not be needed any given day of the week, any given time of the day. i'm talkign about poor people trying to earn their way. you're talking about not letting them earn their way at all. you need to be realistic. a car is not a luxury if you want a job.

really? i havent owned a car in 8 years and im doing just fine

i live in seattle area and i get around with public transportation just fine, i have no desire to own a car unless its electric or something evironmentally and energy friendly

i have thought about building my own car with an electric motor

most states have their own laws for specialty or home built vehicles

but I havent yet, so its just an idea, no need for a car at this moment

reply to post by MurderCityDevil


surprise, not everyone lives in seattle.
a car is not a luxury item if you want a job.

PLEASE PEOPLE, REALIZE YOU AREN'T AN ISLAND. THIS WORKS BOTH WAYS.

Frankly, I have never in my life been more proud to be an American than I am today. The US is poised on the cusp of some bad times - the extremely devalued dollar just to name one of the problems. Frankly I think we're all "doomed dee doom doom DOOMED" but we finally have somebody smart, capable and inspiring in office.

He's got some pretty impossible expectations to live up to but never the less, I am so happy I was around to see this monumental election. I just hope that maybe we've turned a corner on the venomous anti-intellectualism rampant in this country. A little bit of book-learning wouldn't hurt this country one bit.

Might he fail, or screw up, or all sorts of awful stuff happen next? Sure. But the way I see it for one shining moment America picked intelligence, reason, hope, and optimism over gut fear, six packs of beer, and frantic paranoia.

I honestly feel sorry for those of you that express such deeply held fear and paranoia about your perceived impending ruination of American society. I know a lot of conservatives personally who are going to be cut up about this development. I hope they, and you all, get over it.

Originally posted by MurderCityDevil


really? i havent owned a car in 8 years and im doing just fine

i live in seattle area and i get around with public transportation just fine, i have no desire to own a car unless its electric or something evironmentally and energy friendly

i have thought about building my own car with an electric motor

most states have their own laws for specialty or home built vehicles

but I havent yet, so its just an idea, no need for a car at this moment

I'm happy for you. So everyone should move to Seattle?

Did you even think of the people that live in areas without public transportation?

I don't know any other way to say this. There are large parts of the US that are not part of a major city and do not have any form of public transport.

I know that may be shocking, but its true.





[edit on 5-11-2008 by Frogs]

i recall a japanese foreign exchange student coming to florida (which is actually pretty populated). as we were driving down the freeway he said, "oh so much land! what a waste!" he had never seen open fields that went on for miles with no houses on them. he was shocked.

Wow, great thread. Not because I don't disagree entirely with it's premise but it really gives a cross section of how people genuinely feel towards the changes to come in America. This has actually inspired me to write my open topic paper for anthropology on American views and misconceptions of democratic socialism. Seriously. Russian transitional society can wait.

It's amazing to see such offense taken with the imposition of the system utilized with so much success by America's closest neighbor; watered down considerably. As if Canada has been secretly terrorizing it's people all along with the evils of socialism, completely unbeknownst to America all this time.

I'm in one of the the upper tax brackets here in Canada and each year I give roughly 46% of my total earnings to the government, split between provincial and federal income tax. In America, I checked, I'd pay 28% today. Is it worth an extra 18% plus our 7-15% sales tax (diff by province)? Without question!

Maybe I'm biased having lived in a social democracy all my life but I simply don't see the reason to be so angry and fearful. The biggest issue plaguing America in context is quite clearly lack of understanding, not to mention willingness to understand. I don't want to bang on Americans, change is hard, but don't be so quick to jump up and down pointing and flailing in the direction of the dictatorial, ex-communist Soviet Union in hearing "socialism" uttered aloud.

Once people start to see the benefits of socializing certain essential services, their tune will change as they realize they're receiving more for their tax dollars than they would've ever returned on their private dollar. Perhaps then Americans will stop streaming over our boarders to "borrow" our medical system, seeing as they'll have their very own

reply to post by mattguy404


Spread the wealth....... does that mean that the lazy get more handouts then they already do while the people who work suffer,, forget him taking money from the rich and giving to the poor, who do you think funded his campain and all campains of anyone that runs,, the rich, none will actualy give change, so to all the poor and lazy you are welcome.

I too am very sorrowful that Obama was elected. I too hope we all don't suffer for the vote of some.

reply to post by ZombieOctopus


you don't understand. if you live here, you have to maintain a certain standard of living. if you don't, the laws will get ya and your stuff and your loved ones.

77 days until America is held hostage and turned in to the socialist that everyone drank the koolaid on. The market fell, down almost 500. I can only say this. It is always darkest before the dawn. Who knows what will be brought out of this election. If it makes you want to take a more active roll in you local government, or even run for public office like state senate or reps. They can run on a plat form of protecting the Constitution and lower taxes. This time can be a constructive time for the republicans to reorganize and maybe let those of a third party gain more strength. I say this because their has never been a time in electoral history when one party had three surges in a row in the house and the senate, so there will be seats to be won because some people are not going to like what is going to be given to them. Plus redistricting in 2010 is going to move more electorates south in to Georgia and Texas, and they are more conservative. Lets all pray in the mean time that God will watch over this great country of our that it won'tt let it get to out of whack and keep it safe here and abroad.

Originally posted by undo
reply to post by MurderCityDevil

 

surprise, not everyone lives in seattle.
a car is not a luxury item if you want a job.

PLEASE PEOPLE, REALIZE YOU AREN'T AN ISLAND. THIS WORKS BOTH WAYS.

well of course not everywhere has this availalbe , i was just answering a question that you had, believe me, I am very grateful that I dont need to have a car, very grateful

i wasnt rubbing it in your face, at all

reply to post by grover


Great now we can hold you responsible for the mess that is going to come.
What do know about the Great Obama, he can vote present as a State Senator, so there is no record of him taking a stand on a issue. He doesn't help his Aunt or his brother that are both down out, so much for passing the wealth around. What really worries me is the fact that he didn't come up with a vaulted copy of his birth certificate when questions about were he was born came up. I bet you come foreign Intel Agency has the real one.

Originally posted by orion2506
reply to post by mattguy404

 

Spread the wealth....... does that mean that the lazy get more handouts then they already do while the people who work suffer,, forget him taking money from the rich and giving to the poor, who do you think funded his campain and all campains of anyone that runs,, the rich, none will actualy give change, so to all the poor and lazy you are welcome.

again, why do people think obama is just gonna start handing out checks to people for nothing?

its so ridiculous, its funny, and all the uneducated here at this website is so friggin hilarious

who funded the campaign? the american people, thats who

thats an old arguement, so the rich empowered a socialist? where is the logic in that one? haha you are funny

unless you are being sarcastic

Originally posted by orion2506
reply to post by mattguy404

 

Spread the wealth....... does that mean that the lazy get more handouts then they already do while the people who work suffer,, forget him taking money from the rich and giving to the poor, who do you think funded his campain and all campains of anyone that runs,, the rich, none will actualy give change, so to all the poor and lazy you are welcome.

People who work, without things such as health cover in the United States, are already suffering.

It's called the working poor, and they need their fair share of the wealth.

And as a matter of fact, Obama's campaign was funded by much of the working class who made small donations of $5 and $10.

Tell me, do you earn more than $250,000?

If not, then none of you have to fear this faux "socialism" that has been drummed into your heads since the Cold War.

I'm not sure of some you guys realize it or not, but the Soviet Union dissolved some 18 years or so ago.

Democracy won, and Obama won in your democracy.

Move on.

reply to post by gizmohd


No need to let your fear create unreasonable scenarios. Stop acting like you understand the intricacies of his ideas. Because for everyone of his ideas, you must filter it through an epic level of beuracracy.

I am really getting tired of people complaining...

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." JFK

Not everyone has the ability to make anough money to pull themselves from poverty.

You realize that intelligence is a major factor in the hiring process, right?

Would you get pissed because americans are too stupid too?

That said, I really respect your struggles and cwertainly hope that you prosper for you and your family.

Be patience, it is not as bad as the campaign rhetoric stated.

AAC