Poverty as a Majority

Lets take a second to an analyse something. With our current economy, rather than working on a solution, it seems everyone just wants to point fingers.

At the same time, poverty and homelessness are at an all time high. Prisons are packed full of people convicted of things that should not be crimes. Wasting taxpayer money on a system full of corrupt cops and ridiculous laws.

My point is, the blame game seems to suffice with society, rather than doing something about it. Idealism is gone. Now all society is, is a giant conformist mass that trusts these gung ho idiots run our streets and our country. Lets see some idealism.

Possible solutions?


Oh, and btw, I heard an awesome comment made today...

"When the Iraqi's need a Constitution, give em ours, we're not using it."
Robin Williams

Good Topic, imo Baked..... ;-) And you're right! Idealism is gone!!
The root for thought: Absent for the most part.
"Idealism is the philosophical theory that maintains that the ultimate nature of reality is based on mind or ideas. It holds that the so-called external or "real world" is inseparable from mind, consciousness, or perception."
I want to say that idealism is what "inspires" the human mind to take an approach to something, whether it affects their life or not.
I think complacency is some-what of a factor. People feel "self-satisfied" with themselves, what they care about in life.... and their surroundings, so the (false) state of comfort perhaps causes need for neglection.
We've neglected values, as a society.
People are more out for "themselves" than ever.
But I don't blame the people. People's lives are shaped from experience.
It's the structure itself, that's shaping peopple's lives.
It's INDOCTRINATED! Our education system's a joke!
We are taught how to think!
Hardly at all is free thought accepted, and practiced..say...in Universities, etc. We're like hamsters in a wheel.
Well, you mentioned crime. Good point. Crime, imo, is the result of POVERTY and lack of social structure!! Take a look at (violent) crime rates in US opposed to other countries.....even 3rd world! Off the charts!
I think New Orleans is like 3rd worse in the WORLD right now......
Look at how Detroit became Murder Capital......Aside from the riots, and racism, and crack epidemic when those thousands of jobs disappeared, crime skyrocketed....people were poor...and ghettos were spawned.
This goes for every major US city. Cleveland right now is suffering with one of the highest un-employmwent rates in America. Chances are, Cleveland will have some serious crime spikes in the next few years 2 come.
This is a result of social structure. But there is a more sinister reason 4 this, imo. In other words, the root of the problem goes much, much deeeper.
Look at how our ghettos are riddled with sanctions from the oppressors.
Sub-Divide and Conquer. This is a strategy not only used by military..
They want ghettos! They want crime! They want Attica!
It just gives more cause to their sininster plan.
Complete control over society.
I think the orchestrators of the world and their sininster plot for world-governance see that if that if it's complete chaos they create, especially in the economy, then in the end the people will turn to them as a SAVIOR!
It's kinda like wars.....the best ones are the ones you don't fight.
So they figure, let the bewildered fight each other, then in the end amidst the economy, chaos, crime and POVERTY they will shine as a savior to the people. Sadly, it will ensalve people, not provide better living standards.
I think the US is the biggest obstacle to their dominance, only because we are the world's nation of freedom. But more and more......these freedoms are gone. Pretty soon we can't even protest anymore...which is our right in the First Amendment, as well as FREE SPEECH! These are simple liberties that creates "idealism" and positive progression in society.
However, it seems like we are sub-divided by class in this country.

Idealism 4 Solutions????

Well, start in the community. If we invested more time in the community, then we can start by "helping each other" opposed to relying something/some1 helping us!!
I'm not talknig about welfare, and government programs which over time have proven to be failures....I'm talking about breaking bread with your neighbor.
It takes the community to clean up crime. Not the Justice Dept.
The other thing........self education. People MUST have a sense of urgency....more interest of what's going on around them, and how it's affecting them and their families.
The other......is start with kids. Allow for them to have free thought of their own. If we fail, they might prevail.

The lack of replies to a thread such as this one only further proves my point. Come on, people. Not every stoner is a dumbass.

Lets pretend for a minute that our opinion really matters to the representives of our country.

reply to post by baked


1. Get rid of the IRS and put in a Value Added Tax (VAT). Food and utilities would be exempt, and a Luxury Tax would be put on mansions, yachts and other higher end items to make the system equal.

2. End the Federal Reserve and bring back the gold standard. The Fed is making more money by lending us their fiat. The Constitution specifically states that gold and silver are to be used for money.

3. Infrastructure is needed badly in this country, so that should be the only extra spending done. The roads, bridges and transportation systems are crumbling as many are over one hundred years old, and many are approaching that age. Most of them just need an overhaul to last for another hundred years.

4. Pass a Constitutional Amendment to guarantee our right to privacy. There are many sitting on benches who state no such right exists for the people. Habeas Corpus should also be made so no president or authority can suspend it.

5. Divide the banks, investment brokerages and insurance companies and make it so they can never merge again. That is what created the problems to begin with.

6. Pass tort reform, so health care and other costs can go down. People are sue happy and are willing to sue their grandmothers if need be. Most of the high cost of health care is due to malpractice insurance. If a doctor was negligible, they need to be punished. However, suing a doctor for the most frivolous reasons just to get several thousand dollars should stop.

7. Wall Street should have a warning on it that what goes up must come down. Everyone should have their pensions and 401K plans in safe accounts, unless the individual wishes to put a portion into stocks and other risky investments.

8. Congress needs to keep their grubby hands of Social Security. There is plenty of money in that program, unfortunately Congress ransacks it all the time and then they have the nerve to say the program is in danger. I say let a bunch of Catholic Nuns run the program and hit the Congress' hands with rulers every time they try to dip into the "cookie jar" that is Social Security.

9. A balanced budget amendment would keep everyone on their toes when it comes to special projects. A two thirds majority of both houses would be needed to pass an unbalanced budget and also raise taxes. (A near impossibility, considering the more libertarian western states would never raise taxes.)

10. Student loans would be made available to anyone at any age. (These are the few loans that must be paid back and are bankruptcy free. Everyone has to pay their student loan back, so it is one of the safest investments for our future.)

11. Make schooling year round for kindergarten through the fifth grade. The early period of education is the most important ones for learning the basics. Children have major memory dumps during long stretches of summer vacation. Year round schooling keeps them out of trouble too, and helps them learn better.

12. Invest in alternative energies. Electric cars seem to be the future, and the first company to make an electric car that gets 400 miles to the charge and also can be quickly charged will be the forerunner in this. China is now getting ready to compete in that field. Do we really want to lose this one to China too?

13. Get more people involved with volunteering. Get children to turn off their TVs and video games and get more exercise. Turn off those twitters and whatnot and start talking to real people. Get involved.

14. Finally, go to local government meetings such as town councils, school and PTA boards, Park District and others. Grassroots and local politics is where it all starts. If one does not go to any of these meetings, they do not have the right to complain. (If one can't because of work or other obligations, get the meetings' minutes reports to find out what was said and done.) There is no reason to not get involved in any way possible.

Originally posted by Ben Niceknowinya

People are more out for "themselves" than ever.

But, isn't that capitalism? Its the greed that has caused the collapse of our economy. Capitalism can't work any longer. I guess thats why Obama is leaning towards syndicalism. Not sure I agree with that move yet.