Hello All,

First off, this thread was inspired by one from another forum.

America is the world's last or only superpower whether you like it or not. That is not to say that it doesn't have it's own problems.

I've read alot of cage rattling about "America should solve it's own problems" Ok. How do you suggest that America solve it's problems? Let's define those problems as domestic, allowing for intra national interaction. (i.e. steel industry).

If you've been courageous enough to state that America should fix it's problems, how about being courageous enough to suggest a path to fixing those problems.

hrxll

(American educated, but not american by heritage)

Well, for starters, as stated on a previous thread, how about that 82 billion dollars that was just given to the war on Iraq?

I'm sure that money can be used to help one of the big issues, ie. homeless, crime, education, health.

Originally posted by quintar
Well, for starters, as stated on a previous thread, how about that 82 billion dollars that was just given to the war on Iraq?

I'm sure that money can be used to help one of the big issues, ie. homeless, crime, education, health.

do you know how much homeless get payed in San Fransico???!!

UP TO $13,000 a year to be a HOMELESS!!!

I think most modern homelss are there JUST for the MONEY

America's problems can't be solved, IMO. The gov't is too corrupt. We should abolish them completely, and start from scratch, just like Jefferson and other forefathers suggested. This establishment is beyond repair. If I believed that it could be repaired (and I don't), I'd suggest a total Libertarian gov't. That's what America was built on, and that's the way it should be.

Originally posted by Russian
do you know how much homeless get payed in San Fransico???!!

UP TO $13,000 a year to be a HOMELESS!!!

I think most modern homelss are there JUST for the MONEY

I doubt this is true. Are you talking about welfare? Unemployment? Homeless people get practically nothing, unless they have children and/or have a work history. Show me that this is true. BTW, I have a friend in SF, so it's not a problem for me to find out the truth. This sounds like 100% bull#, to me.

[Edited on 12-9-2003 by Satyr]

Originally posted by quintar
Well, for starters, as stated on a previous thread, how about that 82 billion dollars that was just given to the war on Iraq?

I'm sure that money can be used to help one of the big issues, ie. homeless, crime, education, health.

So what would you do with the money? Do you have more specific ideas?

You need to Educate the poor, send them to schools, open more facilities that provide healthcare for cheaper rates.
Deep

First, I think that there is a general assumption that the federal government should "fix" things. I don't get that, why is it the federal government's responsibility to fix anything? What happened to personal responsibility? If you want an education, don't look to the government to give a free hand out, get off your lazy ass, go to work, go to school. Do it yourself...thats where it starts. When people figure this out, things will get better. Unfortunatly, this will never happen. Most of the entitlement crowd thinks their owed something by somebody and therefore will never do for themselves. Typical American thinking...

See the problems is, there are too, too many lazy Americans all to willing to live off of the government for free and for all of their life. However with that being said, they have been programmed that way from day one, and don't know any better.

But if you want to truely "fix" things, stop all of the handouts and quit trying to be everyone's welfare provider. This includes Social Security, Medicare, Medicade, Welfare and any other government subsidized programs.

***waiting on flames from the democrats***

The sons of Cain are all over this thread, spouting their evil and selfishness. "Get it together, lazy-ass. Get a job."

NINE MILLION AMERICANS ARE OUT OF WORK SINCE BUSH CAME TO OFFICE. THEY HAD JOBS! THEY WERE WORKING, DEMON!

The only way to fix America is to get the Bush adminstration out of office, the repugnant pigs in Congress out, and have a President in there that can get Americans working again---LIKE THE LAST PRESIDENT!

Originally posted by Colonel
The sons of Cain are all over this thread, spouting their evil and selfishness. "Get it together, lazy-ass. Get a job."

NINE MILLION AMERICANS ARE OUT OF WORK SINCE BUSH CAME TO OFFICE. THEY HAD JOBS! THEY WERE WORKING, DEMON!

The only way to fix America is to get the Bush adminstration out of office, the repugnant pigs in Congress out, and have a President in there that can get Americans working again---LIKE THE LAST PRESIDENT!

[Edited on 9-12-2003 by energy_wave]

Fixing America in 7 easy steps:

1. Make high school an extra 2 years. The extra years would be equivalent to the general-education requirements at college. In addition, college should be more affordable - kids need more financing options.

2. Totally separate religion and state.

3. Require corporations to have at least 85% of the workforce be American citizens (this includes design, production, support and marketing of product). If they don't, they lose their corporate charter.

4. Diversify political parties. The two party political system is pathetic.

5. Diversify media ownership and reduce sensationalism in reporting.

6. Truly give equal rights to all people. All people includes minorities and homosexuals.

7. KEEP BIG BUSINESS OUT OF POLITICS!

Originally posted by quintar
Well, for starters, as stated on a previous thread, how about that 82 billion dollars that was just given to the war on Iraq?

I'm sure that money can be used to help one of the big issues, ie. homeless, crime, education, health.

Money going to Iraq and the rest of the war on Terror - for the security of the nation. Good call, righteous spending, in general.


Homeless? What do you want to do? Buy them houses? Use your own money in your own communities, leave the tax money out of it. I have enough problems supporting my own family with my hard-earned money to have more money be used unconstitutionally.

Crime? That starts at home. Rear your children properly. Own weapons. Statistics clearly show that a 1% increase in gun ownership deters crime by 10%. On top of that, we have cops. were they to worry less about revenue (ticket writing, for example) and more about Pealian patrol procedures, it would help alot. Besides, crime isn't that bad, now, statistically.


Education? What, do you think throwing more money at that monster will help it? History has proven otehrwise. Were the system stop worrying about liberal social reeducation and more about teaching the right subjects, the education would be better.

Health? Money is spent on health. Try eating a better diet, just say no to drugs and yes to more exercise and take care of yourself. We have a huge deficit in that category.

None of your items are constitutionally allowed items to be financed by the citizenry. Preservation of the nation is a mandatory one, though.

Originally posted by ZeroDeep
You need to Educate the poor, send them to schools, open more facilities that provide healthcare for cheaper rates.
Deep

What? Are you from the 'states? Do you have any idea what programs are already in place?
We already have publicly funded education. They aren't voluntary, either, it is mandatory kids go to school. Ever heard the old saying about leading a horse to water?

Open facilities for their childcare? You want to poney-up for the cost? We are taxed enough as it is, we need no more social programs to steal from the ones who work. As it is, if someone qualifies for welfare, they qualify for free education, up to an associates degree. Whether or not they use it is their problem. Some of us actually did the old fashoined thing of worked and schooled. It works, believe me.

Even or inmates get education. When I was a corectional officer for the AL. Dept. of Corrections (One of the jobs I had while I was working my way through college) the inmates were afforded $4,442/per, per inmate, for education. It was considered a right, not a privelege. Funny, I was working my way through school while convicts had a right to it. Bullcrap.
That was in 1991, I wonder how much it costs us now?

Personal responsibility is what needs to be fostered in this country, not more handouts paid for by the ones who are being responsible.

the only way to fix this country

Get rid of welfare, affrimtive action, and the demoncratic party

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
That was in 1991, I wonder how much it costs us now?

I had to work my way through undergraduate school as well. I almost didn't make it. I found myself working two jobs at one time. I worked crap jobs with no tuition plans, because it was all I could get: I was forced to work in areas of town where used condoms were in the parking lot and people were robbing gas stations with shotguns across the street. My point? THANK GOODNESS for the government handouts that were given to me. I couldn't have done it without Uncle Sam. Now I'm giving back, I teach others.

College costs are out of control. I work at a medium-sized state university that averages about $5,500 for in-state, nonresidential students. (Living on campus is about $11,000). Undergrads pay anywhere from $300-$800 a quarter for books. They also need to pay for healthcare; If you get the basic "keep you from dying" care from school, (which doesn't include dental, eye, etc.) it costs $128 a quarter. Parking permits cost $55. A lunch costs around $8.

No, my university isn't in California. It's in the midwest. And mine is one of the cheapest in the state !!

College is the best way to get quality citizens.

Originally posted by logiclock

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
That was in 1991, I wonder how much it costs us now?

I had to work my way through undergraduate school as well. I almost didn't make it. I found myself working two jobs at one time. I worked crap jobs with no tuition plans, because it was all I could get: I was forced to work in areas of town where used condoms were in the parking lot and people were robbing gas stations with shotguns across the street. My point? THANK GOODNESS for the government handouts that were given to me. I couldn't have done it without Uncle Sam. Now I'm giving back, I teach others.

College costs are out of control. I work at a medium-sized state university that averages about $5,500 for in-state, nonresidential students. (Living on campus is about $11,000). Undergrads pay anywhere from $300-$800 a quarter for books. They also need to pay for healthcare; If you get the basic "keep you from dying" care from school, (which doesn't include dental, eye, etc.) it costs $128 a quarter. Parking permits cost $55. A lunch costs around $8.

No, my university isn't in California. It's in the midwest. And mine is one of the cheapest in the state !!

College is the best way to get quality citizens.

Preach it!

(That was funny," the basic "keep you from dying" care..")

[Edited on 9-12-2003 by Colonel]

Your political system sucks...

That is the true heart of your problems.

It is compromised by lobby groups, its is distorted by power groups seeking their own agendas.

For example the oil companies making iraq policy, logging the forests after pressure from logging orgs, tax cuts for big businesses etc etc etc, I am sure that many people here can point to places where the democatic process has been railroaded by privite agendas

You 2 party system based on spending phenomenal amounts of money for electionairing, thus cutting out honest politicians who don't have the backing or big business.

Your seeming lack of any organized vocal opposition keeping the government honest.

There are other democtatic political systems out there that are better to use, your system is only a poor version.

OK thats one problem, and I think the primary one.

Deriving from that are many minor issues where lobby groups have twisted society to provide profit for themselves. Things like the militaristic nature of your society, the glorification of violence as an end to all problems.

I'll add some more later

There are still plenty to cover....

I understand the cost of education for the average citizen. I am the average citizen. My neices tell me of the costs they have to pay, as well as my brother, who assists them. I'm looking at the huge costs I will have to overcome when my son goes to college. You're telling me no secret. But, we are talking about the costs the hardworking citizens face, I was talking about the additional costs, the cost of paying for criminals' tuition while they are in college. I, not any other honest citizen, should be asked to pay the price for criminals to get free education.

As I said (and everyone seemed to skip right over it), if you qualify for welfare, you qualify for a program called JTPA, and other programs like it. We already have programs, and they cost enough as it is.

As I said, it is ok to work through college. You walked over used condoms in the parking lot? I walked around in a world where the bad guys outnumbered the good guys 70/1, we had sticks, they had shanks. I survived. You survived. Somewhere tonight, somebody in an expensive SUV will die on a "safe" highway. Life is tough, but that does not mean that some should get a free pass, especially if that some are criminals and are already costing the citizenry good money. Keep my comments in context.

And Colonel, you sound like a punk kid jeering because his pal had the snappy comeback of "I know you are, but what am I?"

Originally posted by Satyr
America's problems can't be solved, IMO. The gov't is too corrupt. We should abolish them completely, and start from scratch, just like Jefferson and other forefathers suggested. This establishment is beyond repair. If I believed that it could be repaired (and I don't), I'd suggest a total Libertarian gov't. That's what America was built on, and that's the way it should be.

Originally posted by Russian
do you know how much homeless get payed in San Fransico???!!

UP TO $13,000 a year to be a HOMELESS!!!

I think most modern homelss are there JUST for the MONEY

I doubt this is true. Are you talking about welfare? Unemployment? Homeless people get practically nothing, unless they have children and/or have a work history. Show me that this is true. BTW, I have a friend in SF, so it's not a problem for me to find out the truth. This sounds like 100% bull#, to me.

[Edited on 12-9-2003 by Satyr]

If you DONT believe me then go RESEARCH!!!!