Is domestic poverty a more pressing problem than terrorism? Why or why not?
411914
They are both big issues for me, and next to nothing is being done about either in my book. Bush is busy cutting programs for the poor and invading Iraq, which is probably the least terrorist oriented country in the middle east, while osama is sitting, according to most, in Pakistan. \nBut poor is not about bad decisions and lack of inheritance. It's about not having the opportunity. I mean how many people succeed out of a bad situation, like coming out of a bad neighborhood? 1 in 10 probably, if you have ever lived in a bad nieghborhood, you know what I mean. Does that mean that 90 percent are lazy or making bad decisions? Of course not that's silly. That's like saying 90 percent of the human race is not capable of making good decisions. It's all about the envronment of failure. When you're in an environment, only the very, very brightest will ever escape. \nSo, you're damning the other 90 percent of them back into poverty, regaurdless of their work ethic or intelligence. If you don't believe it, you've obviously never been there and lived there and you're talking out your but.\nI mean no decent education and no family structure, because the adults are in jail or just barely making it by on two jobs that pay minimum wage. It's a recipe for failure.
1094037
Terrorism has obviously made a difference because Refugees are now suspected not pitied . Take two cases\n\n1.Palestinian refugees took shelter in nearby islamic country's only to regroup & wage war against Isreal but in the process of doing so they instablised the country of the refuge . Since then , many Nieghbours of Palestine hasitate to accept Refugees fearing trouble .\n\n2. The terrorists of Sri Lanka(LTTE) , Bangladesh(LET) and Tibet(Maoist) have highly infilterated the international border along with innocent refugees and passed into India and are causing armed rebellion in the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh , Manipur , Mizoram & even Jammu & Kashmir . India has sinced warned the Govt's of these states to take matters into thier hands failing which could lead to undesired consequences ( maybe even war )\n\nThus , Terrorism is a cause for concern in Refugee movement and international relations
543838
Yeah, there's a permanent solution, it's called 'an atomic bomb'. Anything short of that requires some good mutual co-operation and understanding. Poverty sucks, but it's an unfortunate outcome of avoidable circumstances. People like to have sex, and have kids. Makes em feel like they're fulfilling their biological imperative, to 'go forth, and multiply'. Nothing wrong with sex, but there's definitely something wrong with 6.5 billion people, 30% of which basically live so far below the poverty line that the average person in a more developed country just doesn't 'get it'. 2 different worlds, for all intents and purposes. Understanding these differences will make it more constructive to try and build bridges between them, and help people to understand which of their actions aren't really helping matters. You could start with the Vatican, on that one....that 'go forth and multiply' stuff is sooo -3000th century...
628532
Unfortunately, there is strong and heated debate with little headway.\n\nSome would argue that this country supports poor ( needy ) families that seem to bring more children, and needs upon themselves.\nMany of these families make a strong case against themselves when they abuse help programs by claiming more children than they have, working cash jobs and collecting, selling food stamps for drugs while their children are not fed.\n\nStill others will claim that it is not ethical to suppress a humans most inherent instinct, to procreate.\n\nThere is far too much drug abuse and careless sex, resulting in unwanted or unmanageable pregnancies. Still many of the young expectant mothers are entitled to aid, especially when a child is involved. The new parents find there is income with the child and keep it. Far too often the income does little or no good for the child.\n\nI do not think you are crazy, I do think we need far more sophisticated checks and balances.
1079484
1)  War on Terrorism, ignoring it only makes it worse, we have to finish it and it might take decades.  By this I mean the war on extremist in Islam but not the great Islam culture or religion itself just the extremist.\n\n2)  Health care; not a generalization but the elimination of a real shortage problem.  That shortage of staffing and facilities causes great price increases and reduces access to health care that is needed.  We need to recruit, educate and train more health care pro's...big time.\n\n3) Social Security; no reason I should pay $9k a year into a system for 40+ years and get so little return.  \n\n4) The archiac tax system needs to be replaced with a graduated flat tax....0 - $10k no taxes, $10.1 to $50k a 10%, $50k to $125k at 20% and over $125k at 30% ought to do it.\n\n5) Campaign finance reform; the issue is starting to tread on free speech and that can't be allowed to happen to the people of this great country.
244670
I think terrorism is the result of violence, and for most people violence can only be answered with more violence: terrorist acts. For example if you drop bombs in a country, and invade a foreign country, you can only expect more violence in return, so the only way to stop violence is not to use it as a way of changing the world.
921144
Poverty and inequality
1011985
I think the latter is better, however, I think we need some provision for the truly needy, because the world has become too impersonal and communities don't take care of their own, any more.  That being the case, I think we need some way to determine who is 'deserving' of care better than we do now.  \n\nGenerally I agree with your proposition, however.
1085507
Hunger and poverty will always be around, but their burden can be lessened significantly.  While we cling to our faith that government will deliver us, provided that we let ourselves be taxed to death, no great dent can be put in the global issues of poverty and hunger.  \nWelfare and foreign aid do nothing but give harmful bureaucracies more and more power to abuse.  Such programs look good, but they create a system of force: govt steals from us, calling it compassion, making us victims who "gave at the tax office" and perpetuates a dependency on legalised theft.  That is not "social responsibility"!  This is a perversion of the concept of compassion, of charity, but as long as we trust religion and/or government to rescue us, there is no real help for the poor.  \n\nCompassion, NOT compulsion.  http://www.bureaucrash.com/
274973
No.  First off, it is no Islam that is the threat but the radicals.  Christian religion has the same issues.
445551
decline. the governemtn should spend more on  the people living in poverty before it tries to save anyone else
815696
I couldn't agree more.  Assuming you have time-lined the Cole the WTC bombing in 2/26/93 the embassies etc.\n\nThat fact is crime is out of control in this country.  The Midwest is experiencing a massive surge in violent crime (St Louis MO named most violent city).  How much safer would we REALLY be had we used a portion of the $330 Billion on domestic law enforcement?\n\nThe GOP is selling us an illusion of security in the meantime we are rotting from within.
971284
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4198668.stm\nhttp://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0831/p02s01-usec.html\nhttp://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/Business/html/20050830T210000-0500_87274_OBS_US_POVERTY_RATE_RISES_FOURTH_CONSECUTIVE_YEAR_TO______.asp\n\n articles detailing unbiased fact that US poverty rate is on the rise \n\nI think there is no simple answer. Briefly, I would say it has many causes; among them:\n\n-poor quality of education in low-income areas\n-rising out-of-pocket health costs (especially a factor for the rise in poverty among the elderly)\n-wages not keeping up with cost of living increases\n-misinformation\n-changing social structures\n-shift away from community oriented programs and activities towards individual ownership\n-rising cost of oil products\n-demand for mass-produced, cheap goods, and decline in skilled trade\n-decreasing college affordability\n-trend away from small business and family farm promotion\n-the social issues surrounding poverty- drugs, violence, poor health, etc. \n\n\nIn order to get themselves OUT of poverty, people need a leg up. I grew up in poverty, but luckily had a large family willing to provide moral support (they could not afford to help me financially). I am still struggling financially, and it will be at least 5 years before I can be not living one paycheck away from bankruptcy. It is harder than people realize to start with nothing, and "make it". Those who believe poverty is a symptom of laziness have never tried to make ends meet, raise a family, or work through school, on minimum wage jobs with no external support.
1126763
Do you really think it's necessary? I don't, I think upholding our freedoms and civil liberties is pretty important, and worth the risk by most people's reckoning, I think the best way to fight terrorism is to have better control on who/what comes and goes in or out of our country, and not to do business with countries that give the money to support that garbage in the first place...oil's an issue in this question, and if more people were cognizant of the relationship between pressure on the throttle and money flowing to countries that support this kind of thing, I'll bet a lot of people would drive a lot slower....but, at the end of the day, there's people that don't like America, for whatever reason, and I'd just as soon see better border controls to keep em out. Including the airports...
1042180
One of the biggest problems I see with 3rd world gov'ts is corruption and abuse of power.  This is a cultural problem, not a social one, though it's impact is definitely social.  Unless and until this problem is admitted, dealt with, and resolved, no amount of money, aid, education, propaganda, king-making, nation-building, or peace-brokering will help the economy and thus the plight of the average citizen, at least long-term.\n\nAs far as "teaching" them to develop, one method that is reasonable and has been proven effective is to involve the average citizens themselves in the process of education, aid-distribution, and working smarter not harder.  This grassroots approach, seen in Bangladesh and some African locations, not only enlightens the masses and improves their condition, it replaces the traditional, pre-modern, ineffective, abusive, tragic methods and lifestyles with lasting positive change.
826821
It depends on your point of view. \n\nIf you believe the ends justify the means, then yes -  it would be an ideal solution. There's some correlation to some laws today. Terrorism laws in general. Most Americans accept or tolerate their emails/phone calls being recorded in the hopes of catching the .001% who might do harm.\n\nThere's a bigger philosophical issue, though. Is it truly a society free of crime or merely free of expression? The above scenario removes free-will from the equasion. People are forcibly prevented from thinking/doing what is deemed illegal. Without the ability to make mistakes, you elimate the ability to learn from your mistakes. If you can't even consider doing something, you can't weigh the consequences.\n\nAdd to that a lot of our laws and moral absolutes have exceptions. Would you steal bread to feed your starving family? Your example does not address the grey area of law. By criminalizing thought, you make everybody a criminal even if they haven't actually harmed another.\n\nHope that adds something,\nOdd
142603
Global hegemony makes us a target from terrorism.  If you want more terrorist attacks, then by all means invade sovereign nations for no real reason.  However, if you actually want to keep our country safe, it's probably best to keep our heads down.