Brievenbus

• IL, US

comments

You!

Add Photos & Videos

• Phil 2013/05/08 00:09:54
  

  No, I am standing by saying that only 1% of the 99% have the intestinal fortitude to NOT BE DETERRED in their ambition to achieve the 'REAL' American Dream and would RATHER take the easy way out (government assistance, Obama's version of the American Dream) than to exert themselves in an effort to improve themselves, let alone accomplish what so many others have (the Real American Dream) in the past. We are even bombarded by ads that tell us, "Come and get the free government assistance, free food stamps, free telephones, free birth control, free childcare for you to run off and make more babies and get more government assistance," etc. With this kind of culture, how can anyone expect a REAL entrepreneur to come through the ranks? Most (99%) will take the easy road, stay home, live off the government, just as long as the government supplies them.
  
  The 'REAL' American Dream is not comprised of living off the government, it IS comprised of making something of yourself, making yourself independent OF the government. You don't have to be a multimillionaire, just financially independent of the government. The 'REAL' American Dream doesn't even require you to be in a business of your own (although that would better insure financial independence from the government), just be able to me...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  No, I am standing by saying that only 1% of the 99% have the intestinal fortitude to NOT BE DETERRED in their ambition to achieve the 'REAL' American Dream and would RATHER take the easy way out (government assistance, Obama's version of the American Dream) than to exert themselves in an effort to improve themselves, let alone accomplish what so many others have (the Real American Dream) in the past. We are even bombarded by ads that tell us, "Come and get the free government assistance, free food stamps, free telephones, free birth control, free childcare for you to run off and make more babies and get more government assistance," etc. With this kind of culture, how can anyone expect a REAL entrepreneur to come through the ranks? Most (99%) will take the easy road, stay home, live off the government, just as long as the government supplies them.
  
  The 'REAL' American Dream is not comprised of living off the government, it IS comprised of making something of yourself, making yourself independent OF the government. You don't have to be a multimillionaire, just financially independent of the government. The 'REAL' American Dream doesn't even require you to be in a business of your own (although that would better insure financial independence from the government), just be able to meet your family's needs and modest expectations, take your family on a vacation once a year, and so on.
  
  Lobbyists and their huge sums of money have no bearing on independent business persons who circumvent them by legal means, with a great determination to succeed. Yes, things are tougher nowadays in the business world, mainly because of high Union wages (which I could get into but won't, since it will do neither of us any good to debate), regulations, and taxes imposed by our government that cause our American businesses to leave America so that they can make a profit. Anyone who is totally convicted to achieve the 'Dream' won't let anything stand in their way.
  
  I'm NOT saying that some success stories weren't from inheritance, OR EVEN from illegal means of some sort. What I am saying is that I feel that most of the individuals who made it big, did it legally by determination. Is Al Gore a crook? Did he do anything illegal? I don't think so, although I question his sale of Current TV, it was legal. He's almost as wealthy as Mitt Romney now, but when he achieves that platitude, will he be thought of and treated in the same manner as 'Mean Ol Richy Rich Romney'? Heck NO. He already has a carbon footprint as large as 100,000 Americans, yet he is applauded for telling everyone else that has more than a 4 cylinder car and two lightbulbs to conserve fuel. What a farce.
  
  Lets say that YOU are in business, and if you sell an item (let's say a toothbrush) at $1 in order to make a 25 cent profit, then your taxes to manufacture that item go UP TO $1, and your labor costs go UP TO $2, and a new EPA regulation requires you to implement a new pollution control device that incurs $.50 per item, that means you would have to sell the same item at $4.50 to make the same profit that you made before the increases. This does not include other overhead (transportation, packaging,etc.) and cost of living increases that would be incurred normally.
  
  Now, if you were a consumer buying that toothbrush for $1 three months ago, and the same toothbrush went up to $4.50 when you needed another one today, would you still buy it since it was made in the USA? NO - NOT A CHANCE! Just like millions of other Americans, they will search for a cheaper brand, made somewhere else and imported, thus putting the $4.50 toothbrush manufacturer out of business or making them move to a country that would allow them to make a profit (for which they went into business for in the first place)
  
  All I can tell you is that you need to go into business for yourself and just see what happens. I don't mean an 'at home, sell off the internet' business, I mean rent a building, buy equipment, supplies, stationery, transport equipment, hier 3 to 5 employees, the whole nine yards like I did, then tell me about how much determination you have to have to 'pass up' government intervention in your life so that you can say, "I did it on my own without government help. I DID BUILD THAT BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT DIDN'T BUILD IT FOR ME NO MATTER WHAT OBAMA SAYS." When you go to your cupboard and there is one can of soup and one can of green beans on the shelf, you have three sons and a wife to feed but you still have to pay your material supplier for last month's supplies - THEN tell me if you would have enough intestinal fortitude required to endure to save your business and achieve the REAL American Dream.

  (more)

  See conversation »
• Brievenbus 2013/04/29 15:48:30
  

  Your argument that 99% is angered at the 1% because of their wealth is not statistically possible. Meaning, not 100% of the 99% simply fail and through their arms in the air because they are not smart, talented or ambitious enough to become the 1%. The 99% are the 99% as the result of an infinite amount of variables that may or may not be related to their own personal competencies as much is the 1% can claim the same.
  
  Where your formula is flawed is you assume all the 1% earned their wealth due to their overwhelming intellect, energy and talent. The reality is that it is how a natural distribution happens as the result of limited resources and equity within the marketplace (central limit theorem). Meaning - regardless of those attributes or lack thereof, there will always be a 1% in spite of themselves. The gripe some of us within that 99% is that we know this already, and question the validity of their social economic class that is promulgated not by merit, talent or competencies but rather denying access to the privileged inroads they share among themselves. If this is truly a free country, they class should not play a role in determining one's individual success. Unfortunately, it generally does and it hurts more than the individual, it hurts our country as a whole.

  See conversation »
• Phil 2012/06/08 02:01:22
  

  It is obvious that you didn't read, didn't understand, or didn't care what I said. Either way, I know what the 99% is really about. 99% of the American people are NOT rich. That's the REAL 99%. And a particular group of them are so jealous that they can't make it to the point of achievement of the REAL American Dream, which is to become financially independent. This is the reason for the founding of this great Country we live in, and contrary to Obama's verbal pack of lies, everyone already has a FAIR SHOT at achieving the American Dream.
  
  The problem is that his supporters want everything 'handed to them' on a silver platter and have given up on 'working' toward the Dream that he so highly recites as NOT being available to all Americans. The 1% have achieved the Dream, and that is what makes the 99% so mad. The 99% remind me of the dogs of Pavlov. They salivate at the mouth when Obama holds his hand out with a scrap of meat (Obama Bucks, as the welfare people call it). This man is nothing but a liar, instilling fear into the hearts of Americans (weak Americans, granted), and destroying the 'need' that we once had here in this Country to 'make it on our own' without Government help.
  
  He is disabling a 225 year 'Proven' concept of working Capitalism that guarantees EVERYONE has th...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  It is obvious that you didn't read, didn't understand, or didn't care what I said. Either way, I know what the 99% is really about. 99% of the American people are NOT rich. That's the REAL 99%. And a particular group of them are so jealous that they can't make it to the point of achievement of the REAL American Dream, which is to become financially independent. This is the reason for the founding of this great Country we live in, and contrary to Obama's verbal pack of lies, everyone already has a FAIR SHOT at achieving the American Dream.
  
  The problem is that his supporters want everything 'handed to them' on a silver platter and have given up on 'working' toward the Dream that he so highly recites as NOT being available to all Americans. The 1% have achieved the Dream, and that is what makes the 99% so mad. The 99% remind me of the dogs of Pavlov. They salivate at the mouth when Obama holds his hand out with a scrap of meat (Obama Bucks, as the welfare people call it). This man is nothing but a liar, instilling fear into the hearts of Americans (weak Americans, granted), and destroying the 'need' that we once had here in this Country to 'make it on our own' without Government help.
  
  He is disabling a 225 year 'Proven' concept of working Capitalism that guarantees EVERYONE has the same identical chance to be a multimillionaire if they are only motivated to achieve this status. Until he took office, people were of the mindset that 'If I work hard, pay my taxes, LIVE WITHIN MY MEANS until I can afford to buy more, I have the same chance as anyone else to become wealthy and provide more for my family.' Now, since he has indoctrinated the Country with his 'Yes We Can - Fundamentally Transform This Nation', without explaining just what he intended to transform it into, people are giving up on the REAL American Dream, and now prefer the government 'handout' as their American Dream.
  
  His plan of making everyone 'equal', paying the same tax, making the same wage, driving the same cars, living in the same houses, etc., is Socialistic and does many things, first of which lulls people into depending on the Government for control in their lives so that they won't make any 'less' money than their neighbor. This is great, in one respect. My neighbor can't gloat at me and say, "Ha, you don't have a new bass boat, but I do", and other such things. But it really sucks in another way, because I can NEVER make any more of a wage than my neighbor. If I had a chance to make more, I might be inclined to buy a bass boat (since I am a fisherman) or a new truck, etc. Under Obama's plan, I would never make enough to get those things unless my neighbor made enough also. So, if I work hard for a raise, it won't matter until all the employees where I work (and the rest of the Country) get a raise in the same amount that I get.
  
  To him, THIS should be the American Dream (his 'Fundamental Change' of it, anyway);
  
  We should all dream of the day that 'We ALL get a raise'. And if we don't get a raise for 5 or 10 years, we should be content because the other workers are making the same amount and they aren't making any more than we are. Sounds good, doesn't it? No millionaires ever again (unless the wages for everyone goes up to a million, and what are the odds of that happening?)? Won't that be cool? Of course, there are some good points, too. We won't have to worry about food because eventually the government will control that, too. We will have ONLY what is approved for us to eat, no snacks, no beverages over 16 ounces, and who knows what else? No candy? No red meat? (this is already in motion). We will eventually have to line up in a long line in front of a distribution center at some time soon, in order to get our 1 roll of government provided toilet paper, for one week, for our entire family.
  
  The system that he is implementing, is just the same as the former USSR had which failed and now it is the former United Soviet SOCIALIST Republic. It is back to Russia. No Socialist government now, after years of their government officials using the oil to heat the government buildings, claiming that there wasn't any oil for the people, while the people either froze to death or burned their Grandmother's handed down heirloom furniture to keep warm - check into their history if you don't believe me, it's available on the Net, and you are already on the Net, soooooo check it out. We are going to be the new USSR if Obama has his way. There is no doubt about this happening. But, if this is what you want, Please feel free to support the Socialist agenda.

  (more)

  See conversation »
• Phil 2012/02/13 00:49:45
  

  I wrote this "off list" since I am giving up on SodaHead and leaving the blog. There are too many Idiots who only see what they want to see, claiming that the Republicans want to destroy this Country when Obama gets up at the SOTU and says that he will demand a bill from Congress, and a Republican tells him after the speech that there are several bills pertaining to this topic that are already on Biden's desk that have been blocked by "Jokin' Joe". I just don't get my facts out of "Mad Magazine". I was fully aware that there was a deficit before Obama took over, and SO WAS HE. But he has outspent Bush and all other Presidents combined. He ran for the Presidency on the premiss of SOLVING the (then present) problems, and made promises to do a lot of things to "CHANGE" the path of the then current administration (cut spending, balance the budget,etc.). He has sadly FAILED all around (unless you consider the things that he rammed through behind closed doors and by circumventing Congress like any good Dictator would do, which things I also consider failures. And I heard him say that he would love to be the Dictator of the United States, but he couldn't since the system didn't work that way), Yet all I ever hear is, "I inherited ALL this debt, and it's not my fault, it is ALL George...

  I wrote this "off list" since I am giving up on SodaHead and leaving the blog. There are too many Idiots who only see what they want to see, claiming that the Republicans want to destroy this Country when Obama gets up at the SOTU and says that he will demand a bill from Congress, and a Republican tells him after the speech that there are several bills pertaining to this topic that are already on Biden's desk that have been blocked by "Jokin' Joe". I just don't get my facts out of "Mad Magazine". I was fully aware that there was a deficit before Obama took over, and SO WAS HE. But he has outspent Bush and all other Presidents combined. He ran for the Presidency on the premiss of SOLVING the (then present) problems, and made promises to do a lot of things to "CHANGE" the path of the then current administration (cut spending, balance the budget,etc.). He has sadly FAILED all around (unless you consider the things that he rammed through behind closed doors and by circumventing Congress like any good Dictator would do, which things I also consider failures. And I heard him say that he would love to be the Dictator of the United States, but he couldn't since the system didn't work that way), Yet all I ever hear is, "I inherited ALL this debt, and it's not my fault, it is ALL George Jr's fault." I am so (literally) SICK of hearing how bad a time Obummer is having "straightening out Bush's mess", etc., especially when Odummer said that he would have everything back to normal within three years or he would be a ONE TERM PRESIDENT (his words, not mine}. He boasted, and now that things are getting even worst, he twists the figures weekly to suit his purpose. "The stimulus worked"! Yeah, it worked to save Nasty Pilousi's guppy in San Fran, the rest went into pockets of people it was not intended to help (Rep's and Demo's). He is bound for removal from office, especially if he continues to trample on our American's rights, and remains fixated on shredding the Constitution. But you go on reading Mad Magazine and getting your figures from the Democratic Fantasy Line at 1-YOU-RSODUMB. And when you see us turn into a Socialist nation of "You can't make more money than me", you can thank your new Dictator that you have a job worthy of $50.00 an hour as a mechanic, but Joe Blow only makes $25.00 as a janitor, so you HAVE to give up $12.50 and hour so that Odummer can "Spread the wealth" and you can both have the same wage. Then you will both lose even more of your wages supporting the "Entitlement Programs" so that the surfs will depend on the Government for everything that they get, unemployment benefits will continue for another thirty years, etc. Won't that be just wonderful????? Call me crazy, I don't care. I know what Hitler did, and I am fully aware of what Obummer is doing. Not much difference between then and now. different people, same play book. He said that he wanted to "Fundamentally Change" America - What is a "Fundamental Change"? That means Changing the basics of what the Country is run by - getting rid of the "Outdated Constitution" and changing our governmental control to a Socialist/Communist form. Good luck with your great leader - I'm glad (and proud) to say that he isn't mine. Ever watch the show about the people putting food and guns away in anticipation of the collapse of the economy? Watch it. They aren't doing this because Bush is in office, they're doing it because of what is happening under Obama's Administration.

  (more)

  See conversation »
• Marie-Jacqueline 2011/08/01 23:18:24
  

  Very original!
  How was the idea born to us this name?
  
  My name is Marie-Jacqueline. I use my real name on SH.
  
  

  See conversation »
• Marie-Jacqueline 2011/08/01 21:08:05
  

  Do you know that brievenbus is Dutch for this:
  
  

  See conversation »