Comments on: Scary People Reprised

By: Andy @ Yellow Swordfish

Andy @ Yellow Swordfish — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 08:44:36 +0000

@Kevin Phoenix: But distressingly too often those that follow give a mandate to those that would lead only to discover that they made a bit of a mistake! Incompetence, corruption, hidden agendas, mental instability… all kinds of things can get in the way… and that’s before you get into lies, misdirection and ambition prior to taking on leadership.

By: Kevin Phoenix

Kevin Phoenix — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 07:42:41 +0000

Coming late to this discussion, it seems to me that the points of view aired here reflect the value of dialogue. Being a sociable person I will make an attempt to aid my fellow man where and when I may, but only if I believe that by so doing it will encourage the recipient to achieve some improvement in their circumstance. All societies need to have an underlying requirement to grow, if they are to survive. Within that need, some will excel and others will fair less well... naturally there will leaders and followers. Leaders, by their nature, tend to take on the responsibilities of their followers. Consequently, when change comes around that unsettles the followers, they (the followers) look to their leaders as holding the responsibility. This is so, no matter what label is given to the society; political, religious, geographic, etc. If you were raised in that section of society that embraces leadership, leadership seems to be natural. If you were raised as a follower, taking on responsibility may be alien to you. However, leaders may only lead, provided that the followers give up the responsibility of leadership. Kevin Phoenixs last blog post..Solar Thermal Plant

By: CarpetGuy

CarpetGuy — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:42:42 +0000

Hello everybody, I don't want to be a pest, but if you really want to know how America should be, there is a new book, by Ted Nugent, ever hear of him? He is a Rock n Roll guitar machine that is still touring at 60 years of age, follow the link to my review of his book, read that book, it will help everyone understand where America has gone wrong and where it needs to go. Have a good one! CarpetGuys last blog post..Opinionated Book Review: Ted Nugent- Ted, White, and Blue

By: Bob Brague

Bob Brague — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:55:04 +0000

Andy, after reading both of your posts and most of the comments as well, I agree with you: You shouldn't be doing this. Bob Bragues last blog post..The wedding is today!

By: CarpetGuy

CarpetGuy — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:04:51 +0000

I agree with all of those points, up to a certain point that is. Anyone here that wants an education can get it, we already have those FREE education benefits for those that come from the poor families, we call them grants, we already have FREE healthcare for those people that have nothing, we call that Medicaid. These are not the people I am talking about. As far as Paris goes, you are correct, she is a perfect example of a spoiled kid, however, her family has a huge foundation that helps a lot of people, so believe me, they pay their share and more. The people I am talking about are those that are not at the bottom, because they have already received help, help that has been turned into a way of life, generation upon generation, and now they want more! It is not about helping with a hand up, it is about the hand out! The very thing that has perpetuated this generational abuse! I have been in sales all of my adult life, I have seen families with 5 and 6 kids, just so that they get a bigger check! Then, those 5 or 6 kids have 5 or 6 kids and so on! Some of these career welfare families make as much as someone who does it the hard way, by working! Yes, there are many of these welfare kids that break the chain and use this opportunity to become something other than a leach, in those cases the system we have has been proven to work. Herein lies the problem, those that worked harder and broke free from welfare are being disrespected by those that just want more! My whole point is not against helping, it is about that help being abused. It is about something called help, becoming an entitlement! As you said about the 2 parties, one, far left, and one far right, one liberal, one conservative, I believe as it seems you do, the answer is in the middle! Help should be provided to all that need it, but, it should be limited and earned! The problem here is that we never seem to be able to get to the middle! Barack Obama is the most liberal Senator we have, George W Bush, well, he was in the middle until 9/11 and that changed the world and him, he became a bigger spender than the lefties! That is my whole point, we need someone here that is in the middle, that will cut the spending, and FIX the entitlements programs, not EXPAND them, throwing gasoline on a fire only makes it bigger, just like throwing money at welfare only makes it bigger. Believe me, I too am in the middle, just to the right of center, but still in the middle. Are you seeing my point? I think we actually agree, it is just that one of us is looking at the forest, one is looking at the trees. CarpetGuys last blog post..Election 08: One story, two possible endings, it is up to us to decide!

By: Andy @ Yellow Swordfish

Andy @ Yellow Swordfish — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:33:45 +0000

Whoa there guys. If the question comes down to ’should people be given state handouts who are unwilling to work and take responsibility for their lives’ then you’ve got a big NO vote from me 100%. If the question is ’should this young bright, intelligent person from a poor background with destitute parents be given state aid to go to university’ then my answer is again yes. If the question is should everyone have access to basic health care then again my answer is yes. Nations need educated and healthy people.

This is the big, big problem with the political party system. You can’t pick ‘n mix your policies. I stand up for self-reliance and personal responsibility at all times. But I am also aware that the world is made up of people with all levels of IQ and abilities and I will always be happy to meet those people half-way. (That ‘half-way’ statement was important!)

@CarpetGuy said: “…but you have to remember, Capitalism is the scapegoat and the culprits are those that manipulate it”.

@Yellow Swordfish says “…but you have to remember, Liberalism is the scapegoat and the culprits are those that manipulate it”.

By: Malc

Malc — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:18:35 +0000

CarpetGuy, The only real difference in our point of view is going to come down to focus, I can see in all your posts a focus on helping people who have worked for their money, which I agree with, but when you look at people like Paris Hilton ,whose great grand father, Conrad, built the chain before and after the Great Depression. Now I agree that Conrad should be rewarded for working hard and smart, but Paris – she is no different to the pointless Monarchies that blighted Europe for a thousand years, the Monarchies that ultimately gave rise to normal hardworking people like you and me that just wanted a fair days pay for a fair days work, which they called Socialism.
In the UK we have a system were you get a small amount of money as a grant if you go to higher education, and then a top up loan that you have to pay back to that Government through your taxes in later years – how does that grab you as a ‘middle way’, so poor kids can afford to do the degree’s that we need ?

Yeah, it is a nice polite site isn’t it !

By: CarpetGuy

CarpetGuy — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:34:34 +0000

Wow, that's a first, somebody agrees with me! I do agree with Malc here as well, but you have to remember, Capitalism is the scapegoat and the culprits are those that manipulate it! I know people that had to work 3 jobs to go to college, Obama wants to make it an entitlement along with everything else! So, does that make those that worked really hard to get it bad? That is why it has been called the American Dream and not a right as Obama wants it to be. The whole point was my reply to a post entitled Scary People, to me, Barack Obama is scary! I believe that anything worth having is worth working for, if you work for it, you appreciate it! The world's economy is taking a dump due to people spending money they don't have, and the countries doing the same, we have all become spoiled kids and at some point the USA must change that! Taxing those that have worked hard to get it, in order to give it to those that want to have it given to them is just wrong! Oh, I have forgotten to mention, I love this site! The people here, even those that disagree, are not rude as some at other sites are, thanks people. CarpetGuys last blog post..Spoiled Rotten: Can you fix Capitalism with Socialism?

By: Malc

Malc — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:20:37 +0000

there are shits in life that work the ’social welfare’ system to their own ends, and as I watched my parents (who had a small shop) deal with these idiots, I agree with CarpetGuy and Thud…, but the (over)educated version of the same self serving shits have just flushed the world’s banking system down the pan.
In life there are workers and wasters, I get the feeling that CarpetGuy is probably a really good honest worker and is really pissed at scroungers, but there are also wankers educated at Oxford, Yale, Cambridge and Harvard, these idiots get to ruin great companies in the name of capitalism.
Andy made the point that neither extreme works, because it brings out all the worst of both – I gotta agree with him here.

By: Thud

Thud — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:07:24 +0000

Predictable as I am I'm 100% with carpet guy! Thuds last blog post..Bits and bobs