Private School Advantages vs Public.

[Thunder_struck8712]

Explain to me why the wealthiest were supporting D party then. I know you want me to know my place in society. Work my 50 to 60 hours a week and know my place right. Why was my paycheck better from 2016 to 2020. It’s not like we haven’t had 8 years to compare. Wonder why MY Teamster brothers the rank and file supported a certain person.

Do you realize the 3 wealthiest men in the world are going to be front and center for the inauguration? With all 3 donating to the inauguration and the wealthiest of the getting an office in the White House?

You might want to look at your paycheck. Your tax rate hasn't changed but who are you going to blame when the tax cuts expire this year?

You shouldn't have to work 50-60 hours a week. No one should but if y'all don't stop giving into these corporate oligarchs, we all are going to be doing that in order to survive.

Go back to the fact you and your wife are ok with her wages for her position and the fact you're probably ok working 50-60 a week. It's amazing that people like you want to sit and blame the government for their struggles but not companies that stagnate wages for the bottom line and top. But the government is your wife's issue with her salary, but that's not a major problem?

 

[3daughters]

Eggs aren’t expensive for me

I'm out of the conversation because we've gone down the path we all know we're not supposed to go down. Hope I didn't come across as trying to disrespect you, not my intention. Have a great weekend.

 

[Appvol]

Do you realize the 3 wealthiest men in the world are going to be front and center for the inauguration? With all 3 donating to the inauguration and the wealthiest of the getting an office in the White House?

You might want to look at your paycheck. Your tax rate hasn't changed but who are you going to blame when the tax cuts expire this year?

You shouldn't have to work 50-60 hours a week. No one should but if y'all don't stop giving into these corporate oligarchs, we all are going to be doing that in order to survive.

Go back to the fact you and your wife are ok with her wages for her position and the fact you're probably ok working 50-60 a week. It's amazing that people like you want to sit and blame the government for their struggles but not companies that stagnate wages for the bottom line and top. But the government is your wife's issue with her salary, but that's not a major problem?

I haven’t blamed the government for anything. Where I live the government doesn’t affect you to much. I work for one of the best companies in the world. With my job you might work 50 to 60 hours a week. When you get your Amazon pkg at your front door you can say thank you. 2 of those men have always donated more to the other party. Lucky for you that you have the Soros family plus others still.

 

[buzzcoach]

Democrats do you not realize all the lies you have been told the past 4 years? A president that was incompetent and a vice president that was not qualified. She changed every view she had from 2019 to get votes but it backfired. Trump won by a landslide and Republicans won the house and the senate. America spoke and destroyed the woke. Let's be honest its all corrupt. As for Tariffs Trump did it the first time in office and it worked. Be honest guys we were a weaker country under the current President. I was a registered Democrat but changed to Republican. I voted for Obama twice. I voted for the best candidate in the election across the board this time and that meant voting for some Democrats. Trump was simply the better alternative than Kamala. Everyone is entitled to their beliefs and I respect that. I just want for once this Country to come together! Its just my opinion doesn't mean I am right.

 

[FreedomAlum]

Oh, the talking points have gone out. Joe mumbles something about "oligarchy" on his way out the door and NOW it's what everyone should worry about. For years the Democrats didn't notice that the Getty and Pritzker families basically owned their party in California and Illinois, but sure, let's point out the other guy's billionaires.
Hey, 6 of the top 10 wealthiest counties in the country are in the D.C. suburbs and all vote reliably Democrat. They make their money from big government and the Dems consistently propose programs that consolidate power around the Federal government, which is good for their friends in D.C. if no one else, but I guess we're supposed to ignore that.
The Republicans essentially pay lip service to Federalism and smaller government, but I'll take what I can get, at least for now.
If you're serious about learning about the dangers of oligarchy, then "Michel's Iron Law of Oligarchy" is an essential primer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_law_of_oligarchy (it basically says that even very democratic systems eventually become hierarchical and self-serving).
The proposed solution to this problem lists several things that can be done to include:
-"that people be free to defend themselves with weapons" (AHEM!)
-"that there be competition for government services" (which sort of brings us back to the topic of this thread)
-"communities should maintain their own independence and make their own rules" (federalism)
-several other things that are basically what the founders proposed when they set out to form our government, which we've gotten away from.
The Dems are open enemies of the first of those proposals and have been for years and they don't do much regarding the rest as far as I can see.
But maybe they'll take oligarchy seriously now or at least until they can take back some part of the government.

 

[TD-FridayNight]

Kamala was not qualified to be vice president and would have been a disaster a president, and far worse than Biden. The Soros family has billions of dollars and has kept the democrats up for many years and Kamala was donated 1 billion dollars from rich democrats and still lost and was at least $20 million in debt over that BILLION dollars she spent. Now let's get back to what this thread is about, Private School Advantages vs Public .

 

[wormyone47]

SS is a government ran ponzi scheme. We all could have retired at 50 if we had gotten to invest what we paid in and the companies we worked for matched throughout our working lives. If you've not worked that's a different story.

 

[CatScratchFever23]

SS is a government ran ponzi scheme. We all could have retired at 50 if we had gotten to invest what we paid in and the companies we worked for matched throughout our working lives. If you've not worked that's a different story.

Just had this discussion at breakfast. Most folks are not disciplined enough to invest the money. They would probably have spent it on vacations and cars. In the end we would be paying to take care of them anyway.

Although I agree with your post, I know what the average person would do the extra $.

 

[CatScratchFever23]

Certainly off topic but I can’t let this pass. I was at a restaurant the other day and I always try to push investing to the servers I see regularly. I usually tell them to invest as much as they can as soon as they can. Time and compounding are on your side!

I was talking to a 40ish manager last week, she worked for a company with a 5% 401k match. She had been with the company for 11 years but had NOT contributed $1 to her 401k. I begged her to start.

Folks reading this thread should be contributing to their retirement. If the amount doesn't sting then it’s not enough. If the company doesn’t have a plan start your own.

I wish someone would have hounded me earlier in my career. Luckily, I managed to catch on - even if a little late.

Take care of yourself folks, take the burden off your kids and the government.

 

[Appvol]

Certainly off topic but I can’t let this pass. I was at a restaurant the other day and I always try to push investing to the servers I see regularly. I usually tell them to invest as much as they can as soon as they can. Time and compounding are on your side!

I was talking to a 40ish manager last week, she worked for a company with a 5% 401k match. She had been with the company for 11 years but had NOT contributed $1 to her 401k. I begged her to start.

Folks reading this thread should be contributing to their retirement. If the amount doesn't sting then it’s not enough. If the company doesn’t have a plan start your own.

I wish someone would have hounded me earlier in my career. Luckily, I managed to catch on - even if a little late.

Take care of yourself folks, take the burden off your kids and the government.

I started late but do 10% in my 401k but my employer doesn’t match anything

 

[FreedomAlum]

Just had this discussion at breakfast. Most folks are not disciplined enough to invest the money. They would probably have spent it on vacations and cars. In the end we would be paying to take care of them anyway.

Although I agree with your post, I know what the average person would do the extra $.

Maybe, instead of sending all that money off to D.C. for people up there to "manage", we could have a system where the individual is required to put some of their money aside in some sort of program, but then at the end of the day whatever they've accrued is their money to leave to their heirs or whoever they please when they die. Like some sort of mandated IRA, which is what some other countries do.

Because, right now, if you die before you collect any social security and you don't have any heirs, that's the government's money-no one else necessarily sees a dime of it. But even a bachelor can leave what's accrued in his 401k to some charity or his nephews and nieces (or whoever) to help them out in life. The courts have already ruled that you aren't actually entitled to your benefits (Flemming v. Nestor) and the Feds can alter the system, as they've done several times before.

 

[greydog86]

I think I just read what it would be like to sit through an episode of "The View". Buzz, I too was a Democrat who voted for Obama the 1rst time. But sometime during his presidency, people like me, (white working men who worked everyday and didn't ask anyone for anything), became public enemy number one. That is why I voted for the Republican party for the first time in my life.

 

[thekidd12]

Maybe, instead of sending all that money off to D.C. for people up there to "manage", we could have a system where the individual is required to put some of their money aside in some sort of program, but then at the end of the day whatever they've accrued is their money to leave to their heirs or whoever they please when they die. Like some sort of mandated IRA, which is what some other countries do.

Because, right now, if you die before you collect any social security and you don't have any heirs, that's the government's money-no one else necessarily sees a dime of it. But even a bachelor can leave what's accrued in his 401k to some charity or his nephews and nieces (or whoever) to help them out in life. The courts have already ruled that you aren't actually entitled to your benefits (Flemming v. Nestor) and the Feds can alter the system, as they've done several times before.

While I try to stay out of almost anything political or religious ALL the time, I do have a question about your plan. I don’t disagree with anything you have suggested. My question is: who will be in charge of this mandated contribution? Who will look after this money? It’s a serious question too, because whenever money is involved…
Well you know…

 

[FreedomAlum]

While I try to stay out of almost anything political or religious ALL the time, I do have a question about your plan. I don’t disagree with anything you have suggested. My question is: who will be in charge of this mandated contribution? Who will look after this money? It’s a serious question too, because whenever money is involved…
Well you know…

This is something that Chile once did and may still do. All you have to do is mandate a certain percentage comes out of every paycheck, which is what we do now anyway, with employers matching a certain amount. But make it a 401k instead of a government account, which would give individuals ownership (they can choose what to with their investment and can buy government bonds if they want.

 

[Longship233]

So like, the whole ‘everyone gets an IRA vibes’ totally slaps! Thinking about how many peeps are cashless after kicking the bucket? Deep fried unfair, dude! And let’s not even start with our taxes kicking the can on that Social Security cash! Like, you grind your whole life, then poof! Your moolah just vanishes into the government's black hole. Total cringe! Meanwhile, 401(k)s be like ‘I got you fam, pass on the cheddar!’ Studies say 80% of 401(k) champs feel like rockstars compared to folks just living off Social Security! Just ask those lucky cats in Singapore, makin' bank with personal accounts. They’re flexing financial independence while we’re over here, like, 'Please sir, can I have some savings?'

 

[thekidd12]

This is something that Chile once did and may still do. All you have to do is mandate a certain percentage comes out of every paycheck, which is what we do now anyway, with employers matching a certain amount. But make it a 401k instead of a government account, which would give individuals ownership (they can choose what to with their investment and can buy government bonds if they want.

So, as someone who has never played the stock market, where is that money? In that there cloud thingy? What about self employed workers who have no employer to match benefits? Are they required to contribute as well? Again not arguing just trying to get a grasp on this concept. I know I’m old but seems like workers used to “save for a rainy day” back before social security or matching 401k contributions…
And the stock market was a place to sell your cows…

 

[ocdavis31]

So, as someone who has never played the stock market, where is that money? In that there cloud thingy? What about self employed workers who have no employer to match benefits? Are they required to contribute as well? Again not arguing just trying to get a grasp on this concept. I know I’m old but seems like workers used to “save for a rainy day” back before social security or matching 401k contributions…
And the stock market was a place to sell your cows…

And then there was the “poor house” and orphanages.

 

[FreedomAlum]

So, as someone who has never played the stock market, where is that money? In that there cloud thingy? What about self employed workers who have no employer to match benefits? Are they required to contribute as well? Again not arguing just trying to get a grasp on this concept. I know I’m old but seems like workers used to “save for a rainy day” back before social security or matching 401k contributions…
And the stock market was a place to sell your cows…

As I said, you could buy bonds with your money or invest it however you see fit-none of that necessarily means playing the stock market. And your money would be the same place it is now if you have a 401k or any other investment. I wouldn’t care if you wanted to buy gold and silver as a hedge-you know best how to manage your own affairs.
Self-employed workers already don’t have an employer to match their social security, but they’re supposed to do all that on their own. Whether they do or not wouldn’t be a my different than now. They might get audited, but we could have a lot smaller apparatus to deal with those issues than exists now.
“Save for a rainy day” as you see fit. That could always be done without some bureaucrat holding your hand, I don’t see how it would be any different.
Edited to correct wretched spelling.

 

[FreedomAlum]

And then there was the “poor house” and orphanages.

There are still orphanages, that’s what “Boy’s Town” is. I think people are better at managing their own affairs than some D.C functionary, who only knows any one of us as a number. Perhaps you disagree.

 

[Bill28714]

I miss the old days when everyone voted and didn’t try and shame others for not voting the way they did. I don’t think it’s healthy to have unwavering allegiance to a particular party or ideology. We all change during our lifetimes based on personal trials and tribulations, and these situations should help one to make a more informed decision. I also don’t think that someone is wrong or uniformed because they hold a different point of view.

 

[ocdavis31]

There are still orphanages, that’s what “Boy’s Town” is. I think people are better at managing their own affairs than some D.C functionary, who only knows any one of us as a number. Perhaps you disagree.

Yeah, some people are better at it. Many are not. Not everyone has the same abilities or opportunities. Spent too many years as an HR exec trying to educate folks on how to maximize their 401(k). Unfortunately I also worked for companies that had a “discretionary “ match that almost never resulted in an employer contribution. Very short sighted for those employers and most employees.

 

[FreedomAlum]

Yeah, some people are better at it. Many are not. Not everyone has the same abilities or opportunities. Spent too many years as an HR exec trying to educate folks on how to maximize their 401(k). Unfortunately I also worked for companies that had a “discretionary “ match that almost never resulted in an employer contribution. Very short sighted for those employers and most employees.

So, like life then.
I don't think the government is some magical entity that can overcome every disadvantage that exists for every person. In fact, most of the time I think it just creates any number of perverse incentives and unexpected outcomes because it tries to force a vision on our society from above that doesn't really fit.
But what I propose would be a MANDATORY system, and again, that's what we have now, but which would be owned by the individual-not the feds, which is a pretty big difference.
What we have now teeters on the brink of bankruptcy because our political class uses it as a slush fund and the only solution anyone seems to think we'll have is raising the retirement date or taxing younger people more to pay for it.
That seems like a bad deal for them to me and I'd rather they had the chance to get out of a system that was just the best we could think of 90 years ago.

 

[ocdavis31]

So, like life then.
I don't think the government is some magical entity that can overcome every disadvantage that exists for every person. In fact, most of the time I think it just creates any number of perverse incentives and unexpected outcomes because it tries to force a vision on our society from above that doesn't really fit.
But what I propose would be a MANDATORY system, and again, that's what we have now, but which would be owned by the individual-not the feds, which is a pretty big difference.
What we have now teeters on the brink of bankruptcy because our political class uses it as a slush fund and the only solution anyone seems to think we'll have is raising the retirement date or taxing younger people more to pay for it.
That seems like a bad deal for them to me and I'd rather they had the chance to get out of a system that was just the best we could think of 90 years ago.

We certainly agree on the slush fund part.