Racism - It's a real thing.

Regardless of political leanings, Americans are the worst savers on the planet. We buy a lot of crap, then we buy even more crap, which is why temp storage lockers are such a booming business. On average we've put little away for our kids' education, even less for our own retirement.

We make bad choices, tons of them, but this notion that a large angry slice of America chooses to be poor because they choose to be lazy isn't supported by anything beyond sloppy conservative tropes.  

I opened multiple IRA accounts starting in my 30s, and when it comes time to retire they will support me for.....let me check.....probably 2.5 years at my current standard of living (low mortgage, but I like the pricier beer)  Because my Greatest Generation Dad was also the most prudent saver and investor I've even known, he will hand me down a bit of a cushion that I earned only via birth. Even then, my Social Security will be the bedrock for the rest of my life -- if they don't screw it up or gut Medicare. 

There are people who come from deep poverty and long odds who become tremendous success stories by sheer force of will. They will always be inspirational. There are people who have had every opportunity handed to them, and screwed it up. We can always feel superior to those people. But in the vast middle, good people willing to work hard are forced into difficult choices that some people never have to make.

Everyone who looks smugly down their nose at this mythical 47% of non-contributors was a variable or two away from a life they never would have chosen.  

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
Regardless of political leanings, Americans are the worst savers on the planet. We buy a lot of crap, then we buy even more crap, which is why temp storage lockers are such a booming business. On average we've put little away for our kids' education, even less for our own retirement.

We make bad choices, tons of them, but this notion that a large angry slice of America chooses to be poor because they choose to be lazy isn't supported by anything beyond sloppy conservative tropes.  

I opened multiple IRA accounts starting in my 30s, and when it comes time to retire they will support me for.....let me check.....probably 2.5 years at my current standard of living (low mortgage, but I like the pricier beer)  Because my Greatest Generation Dad was also the most prudent saver and investor I've even known, he will hand me down a bit of a cushion that I earned only via birth. Even then, my Social Security will be the bedrock for the rest of my life -- if they don't screw it up or gut Medicare. 

There are people who come from deep poverty and long odds who become tremendous success stories by sheer force of will. They will always be inspirational. There are people who have had every opportunity handed to them, and screwed it up. We can always feel superior to those people. But in the vast middle, good people willing to work hard are forced into difficult choices that some people never have to make.

Everyone who looks smugly down their nose at this mythical 47% of non-contributors was a variable or two away from a life they never would have chosen.  
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I think one goal we can all agree on is striving so that it isn't so damn difficult for some to get ahead in life.

Others are right in that people should feel proud and accomplished if they've put in the hard work and made the right choices to get themselves financially secure and happy in life. I just think we should strive to make it not such a steep uphill climb for those who start off less well-equipped to get on the road to success.

 
None of this makes any sense. The CPD must have made some HUGE mistakes, and a lot of the info that leaked to the press must have been false.


 
What a weird, weird case. I have a hard time believing that he was completely 100% innocent, given all the mounting evidence that seemed stacked against him and really, just the fact that I find it extremely implausible two white racist were on a witch hunt at 2:00 AM during one of the coldest nights on record in Chicago. It seems like some sort of deal was struck and many didn't want to touch a very serious / sensitive topic that is prosecuting a gay black man. I'd be willing to wager with that more so than the CPD making huge mistakes.

 
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