Wall Street Protests

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by glatt

You're making stuff up. You have no idea what they studied. You invent a scenario in your head to fit your prejudices.

Ummm, no. Actually it was from the NPR report I heard.

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/14/141343...demonstrations

How many jobs you have is relevant to your credibility.

Really? How does that work?

You have multiple jobs and live a comfortable life...

Because I made some good choices, worked my ass, made some huge sacrifices, and was lucky. Oh, and I did not want to live in a mobile home ever again, as a kid. Again, really irrelevant.

....and are laughing at the have-nots who only want a chance at the american dream. But the jobs aren't there.

Again, no. I was laughing at people who think they should be relieved of their college debt because they can't find a job. So if I go out and buy a Bentley and now I can't afford it should I be relieved of that debt because now I make less money than I did before when I entered into a contract to buy it?

Why the hate and venom?

[glatt]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Ummm, no. Actually it was from the NPR report I heard.

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/14/141343...demonstrations

OK, I'm not going to bother listening to that, I trust you that it's in there somewhere. I read your quote and followed you original link to the article where there was no mention of what was studied.

I know you work hard for what you have, and I don't begrudge you that. What bugs me about your attitude is that these people only want the same chances that you (and I) got. You routinely refer to all of them as fools, but they have legitimate gripes.

I have more to say, but can't really devote time to it right now.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by glatt

OK, I'm not going to bother listening to that, I trust you that it's in there somewhere. I read your quote and followed you original link to the article where there was no mention of what was studied.

I think NPR posts the morning edition links later in the day or the next day.

What bugs me about your attitude is that these people only want the same chances that you (and I) got.

But not everyone will get to be a lawyer or do what I do... Some people are going to flip burgers and be taxi drivers or whatever. That is life. We are just in hard times right now and lots of hard working people are out of work. Wall St. didn't break it, politicians did. They need to be down in front of the the White House and on the Lawn between the Memorials in Washington, D.C.

You routinely refer to all of them as fools, but they have legitimate gripes.

Well I can't say that we all don't have legitimate gripes. I think they are fools because their actions are counter intuitive to getting the process changed, IMHO. The only way this BS is going to turn around is for the politicians to get off their asses and come together and fix it. But what they are doing is protesting the obvious, costing tax payers MORE money, and when they start to block roads and bridges they are asking for a confrontation, which I believe many of them want to do. I have absolutely nothing against their Right to protest. It is similar to the WTO protests, protest if you want, but go about it the right way. And when you start to tell me that my tax money has to go to paying off your college debt, you are a god damm fool. Does anyone think these protests are going to get any multi-million dollar Corporation anywhere to suddenly change the way they do business?

I have more to say, but can't really devote time to it right now.

Ok, Well I still want to hear it.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

And when you start to tell me that my tax money has to go to paying off your college debt, you are a god damm fool. Does anyone think these protests are going to get any multi-million dollar Corporation anywhere to suddenly change the way they do business?

The protests aren't going to change anything but I'm guessing a lot of the calls for government to pay off student debts has to do with the fact that many large Corporations had their debts paid off by the government for making bad decisions while these students will not. I disagree with the logic, I do believe in personal responsibility, but student debt is going to be a very large problem that has the chance of affecting everyone either directly or indirectly, so it shouldn't just instantly be dismissed. Also, it isn't a 30 year experienced CEO making mistakes, they are kids who can't even legally drink that are being exploited by the Universities to pay for research, which is actually very true. I don't necessarily feel bad for them but I will acknowledge that the entire University system is pretty messed up.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

The protests aren't going to change anything but I'm guessing a lot of the calls for government to pay off student debts has to do with the fact that many large Corporations had their debts paid off by the government for making bad decisions while these students will not. I disagree with the logic, I do believe in personal responsibility, but student debt is going to be a very large problem that has the chance of affecting everyone either directly or indirectly, so it shouldn't just instantly be dismissed.

Does not change the fact that these FOOLS think I, a tax payer should pay off THEIR debt. Screw them. I am paying for my own kids to go to college. Don't think for one minute that I am going to pay off their debt, regardless of the reason or some other esoteric bull shit reason.

Also, it isn't a 30 year experienced CEO making mistakes, they are kids who can't even legally drink that are being exploited by the Universities to pay for research, which is actually very true. I don't necessarily feel bad for them but I will acknowledge that the entire University system is pretty messed up.

I don't know. Don't the universities exploit their athlete's that they make millions of dollars off of and the athlete gets nothing for their service, other than on some occasions, a scholarship?

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Does not change the fact that these FOOLS think I, a tax payer should pay off THEIR debt. Screw them. I am paying for my own kids to go to college. Don't think for one minute that I am going to pay off their debt, regardless of the reason or some other esoteric bull shit reason.

Esoteric? C'mon. It is obvious that the housing bubble was bad for everyone and the recession probably would have been much worse if many of the big finance corporations went under. College graduates make up a large portion of the middle class so it is pretty clear that if many graduates cannot pay off their debt, there are going to large economic issues that will affect everyone.

The question of whether we should do anything about it is a completely topic though.

I don't know. Don't the universities exploit their athlete's that they make millions of dollars off of and the athlete gets nothing for their service, other than on some occasions, a scholarship?

Of course they exploit collegiate athletes. They also exploit most of the liberal arts undergraduate students as well. Assuming we are talking about a research university, their reputation depends almost entirely on research and graduate programs. So in order to pay for the research, professors, and graduate programs, along with a lot of other things, a large stream of undergraduates are needed for tuition money. Then they proceed to offer student loans to everyone which can be used for anything the students want.

That is why it is recommended to go to a community college for the first two years, and maybe even a smaller college to finish an undergraduate degree. You basically get the same education for a lot cheaper.

As I said earlier, in general I don't necessarily feel bad for the students with loans that they can't pay off. They should be mature enough at age 18, especially 20, to realize that college is considered an investment and the risks involved with picking a liberal arts major. But, unfortunately, research colleges do not emphasize the practical aspect of picking a major but the "follow your dreams" type argument (which is legitimate but impractical at times).

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

Esoteric? C'mon. It is obvious that the housing bubble was bad for everyone and the recession probably would have been much worse if many of the big finance corporations went under. College graduates make up a large portion of the middle class so it is pretty clear that if many graduates cannot pay off their debt, there are going to large economic issues that will affect everyone.

Well that still is no reason for my tax payer dollars to go to a single penny of paying off some fools debt.