I am not talking politics or anybody famous, just the everyday working class American who wants nothing more than to give themselves and their family a decent life?
218201
You know you have asked one of the most pertinant questions I have read for a while.On the surface you have opened up a potentiel minefield here.\nI am english.I have visited the USA many many times and have loads of great american friends.I have written many times in this column poking a little ironic fun at "the yanks".\nMy experience is that" the average american" and remember we are talking the average,is warm, generous and very naive.They often have little or no understanding of other countries or their cultures. Often to the extent of having little knowledge outside their own state.Because they lead their lives around Oprah, Jerry Springer,World wrestling are easily influenced by tv propaganda they have become, unfortunately, the butt of jokes.I dont know the exact figures , but my understanding is that"Joe" doesnt travel outside the USA.I believe they have a blinkered view of the world. An observation confirmed by the replies I have received from americans. Self irony doesnt exist for you.Loosen up and dare to poke a little fun at your "leaders".The other point is remember that God isn't american.Try to learn and understand a little of other cultures and beliefs.You dont have to agree just take a look.Take care. Good Luck
397884
The people I would like living next door to me are familys that work take care of their familys.  I do not care where they came from.
497592
The want a two class society, the rich elite and the "working joes".\n\nThey don't want to expand the middle class, they want to eliminate it and make one HUGE lower class.  All while retaining their posotions of power and influence.
180574
First of all I would very much lik to be alive and well enough to be there for my children.\nI would like achieve the best I believe I can in all things of life and still be a decent person-as I always will be anyway.
611723
agree with you. It's something I think about quite a lot. Where I come from to work is kind of a privledge and a pain in the ass at the same time, but taxes do take a sizeable chunk out of anyone's income. People on a benefit admittedly do not receive a large income, but it's a pain in the ass when they say that they should be on one because "boo hoo" they are a single parent or whatever. And when the people who are working and basically, apart from all the rest of it, paying for them through their taxes, quite possibly have things which they could choose to say "boo hoo" about also. Anyway - that is just regarding your basic everyday run of the mill single parent family, which honestly probably does need quite a lot of help. If someone is together with someone else and passing themselves off as single so they can claim more benefits, then that is shitty yes. If they have plenty of money coming from someone else I don't think they should be chasing welfare stamps as a lifestyle option.
583561
No, I don't think It's possible for "ANY" American citizen to acheive Financial success. Or Quote theAmerican Dream. I've worked all my life  and have seen many older people who have also worked all their lives and seen people take everything away from them. People have become victim to their own Governmnt who takes away their pensions, their homes, and even their families. The U.S, is so stressed out from all these hassles. there are many walks of life here in america yet they keep searching for an answer and a place to stay because they just can't afford the things they use to because of this ridiculous inflations. So, yes, it is only a dream not reality.  The reality is "we" work to barely survive.
410521
Not enough.  If those who made over a million (even 100,00) a year,  and there are plenty of "stars" and politicians who do, would donate a percentage to feeding the hungry and housing the homeless here in the U.S.  we would become a stronger and healthier nation.  I guess it is more important to buy a 2 million dollar earring or vacation in the Hampton's.  Then we wonder what is wrong with this country. I am not saying just the people mentioned above, but anybody, who has more than they need.  Why look down at those who are not as fortunate, instead of trying to bring them up?  Is there money going to be of any help when we have killed half of our own people off through drugs and violence?  No, because this is what other countries have been waiting for.  Greed and stupidity will take us all down in time.
230696
I would support anyone who helps out this cause and have myself on occasion, however the simple fact remains that they are poor because we are rich. There isnt, as many like to say, enough to go around, not if we want to maintain our current standard of living.
164652
Well, what about the military?  He wil receive free training in a specialized career field, get money for college, have good insurance and housing benefits, and know that he's doing a damn fine service for the country and is respected throughout the nation.  This is, of course, provided that he is an American.  I don't really know how things work in other countries.  I'm sure I'll get flamed like heck for this answer, but its just a suggestion, and worth examining just as an option to the daily grind of civilian life.
330087
I'm not even middle class - I'm living paycheck to paycheck these days - divorce & my mom's medical bills decimated my savings & I can't seem to recoup. I reckon folks like Paris Hilton don't actually ever have to worry about money & I'd say the Bill Gates' types of the world have enough to cover their future progeny for several generations to come. Not me; I am scraping by.
499327
Not really. Someone's life may seem mundane to me, but be perfectly acceptable to them. But I know what you mean.
629087
The implication is oxymoronic. Like I say to all working class republicans, "You're not rich enough to be a Republican!"
39958
yes, but only for those who are willing to help themselves.\n\npeople that rely on others all the time are known as democrats
148609
Move to a Communist country and you'll be all set.  Why should someone who doesn't work get the same benifits of those who work for their money?
188586
No I don't think that that should be done to ANY person from any country. Why can't some people understand THAT THEY ONLY WANT A BETTER LIFE? Why is this so hard to understand? Did they sent the white back to Europe? No. I wonder what did the native Americans wanted to do.....
229770
"Third, I don't like the idea that they take jobs from Americans who are willing to work. However, many of the jobs they take are jobs that legal Americans are unwilling to do because they are "demeaning". Also, Americans expect to be paid more because we want to buy the house and the car and the big screen television. They on the other hand want to put food on the table and clothes on their kids."\nMaybe Americans also want to put food on the table and clothes on their backs?  And what's wrong with wanting to get paid more to buy a house or a car?\n\n"Further more, have we forgotten that Texas was originally Mexico? Let's give it back! While we're at it, let's give back Hawaii to the Hawaiians, Alaska to the Russians, Louisianna to the French, Florida to the Seminoles, The Midwest to the Cherokee and Sioux and the East Coast back to England. Oh, and while we're at it drag all the Americans back from Japan, China, Taiwan, South Africa, and Australia."\n\nUh, many of those places you speak of were purchased.  And regardless of what the past was like we live in the present now.  It doesn't matter if the land belonged to someone else before.  The U.S. is U.S. property and it will and should not change.
311035
Sorry, but I work for my own money. And thanks to the levels of freedom in this country, I can do what I like with it. And that includes giving it away to your version of an unworthy cause.\n\nHave you ever talked to a homeless person? Or some teenager on the street begging for quarters? Do you know what kind of shame and embarassment these people have to endure every time they have to look someone in the eyes and ask 'Any spare change mister?'\n\nAnd despite popular belief, homeless people, and kids living on the street are not just too lazy to get a job, they are not just too stubborn to do what they are told and go back home to live with their parents (for the kids). Not everyone who is homeless chooses to be homeless. Have you ever heard a 6 year old kid in an elementary grade class telling his teacher that he wants to grow up to be a homeless person, begging on the street to earn a living? I never have, and I doubt that anyone else has either. People don't want to be poor, they don't want to be homeless, they don't want to go to food banks, soup kitchens or beg for change either. But it's something that these people have to do in order to earn a living. Most of them are NOT alcoholics or drug dependant either.\n\nSo, get a job, go on welfare or something? Yeah, nice idea. But a little known fact about social assistance is that you have to already have an address to get some money. How do you pay rent with no money?? And how do you apply for a job when you have no address, no telephone for them to reach you? It's hard enough just to stay clean, considering that you don't have access to a shower or anything like that. Have you ever wanted to work with someone that smelled like old garbage? Probably not.\n\nHave you ever thought of what you might do if both of your parents were killed in a car accident? What if you had no other family to go live with? At 16 years old, could you fend for yourself? Or what if your parents didn't die. What if instead, they split up and neither of them wanted you? Then your mother moves across the country and leaves you with your 'dad'. He gets sick of your shitty attitude almost right away and kicks you out on the street because you're too much trouble to deal with. Without ever having graduated from high school, what do you do now?\n\nAside from that, there are plenty of homeless people that have become criminalized just to prevent themselves from freezing to death in the winter. I actually met a man who would commit a petty crime every year around October just so that he would have a warm bed and daily meals inside a prison for the winter months. But he wasn't a criminal. He did those things because he didn't have access to any other way to keep himself alive. He didn't know how to make the government programs work for him rather than against him. And with a criminal record, it became near impossible for him to get any kind of job, even one paying minimum wage.\n\nWith many cities making anti-panhandling legislation, even asking someone for spare change has become a criminal act. Do you realize that it is a crime to be poor? People treat you like dirt almost everywhere you go, and you develop a nasty suspicion that every time the police are around, they are there to do something to hurt you. Besides, you really think that it makes sense to give someone a fine for pan-handling when the reason they do it is that they already have no money?? What kind of sense does that make?\n\nAs for fining people that give poor people money, that is also an unfair idea. It's not against the law for you to give your money to the Heart & Stroke Foundation is it? Who has the right to say what I should consider worthy of my hard-earned money more than I do?? Hopefully nobody!\n\nAnd take some free advice: take an afternoon, walk down the streets where some homeless guy has had the nerve to bother you looking for a handout and take a minute to TALK TO