[Ludi]

I often vote Libertarian, but unfortunately Texas Libertarians are looking more and more like Republicans.

Our entire way of life is based on a system of unsustainable growth.

[Cog]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I') often vote Libertarian, but unfortunately Texas Libertarians are looking more and more like Republicans.

Our entire way of life is based on a system of unsustainable growth.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', ' ')to get your act together to be as self-reliant as possible before you are forced into it.

[PrestonSturges]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', ' ')We as a body of citizens would have to reach an evolutionary stage where we would prefer brutal honesty then campaign slogans. Not going to happen IMO.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrestonSturges', '&')quot;Smash! Big Rock!"

[Newfie]

Ludi,

I seriously love your way of posting.

[mattduke]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')ome 42,389,619 Americans received food stamps in August, a 17% rise from the same time a year ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which tracks the data. That number is up 58.5% from August 2007, before the recession began.

[Cog]

If you want to keep track of the monthly increases from October 2006 until present you can go to this link:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/34SNAPmonthly.htm

Regardless of what cornies say about the recession being over, this is something I watch. More people are falling out of the middle class and falling into the poverty class to qualify for food stamps.

[The_Toecutter]

Some people still insist we are in a recovery, despite many similar stories and statistics. I guess it must be a 'recovery' if the GDP rises, the stock market rises, and 'seasonally adjusted' unemployment figures show an improvement...

Want 'recovery'? Well, crack-cocaine is booming right now, so is methamphetamine. People getting in the business are making big bucks! If you work at a hospital as a nurse and are careful about stealing their supplies, you could easily double your income. Property crime is up dramatically, so if your choice of career is the blue collar variety professional thief, things are looking good for you too; the white collar variety fares far, far better, but I exclude this category due to the barriers of entry into the field being beyond the reach of ordinary people. Pimping and prostitution are both recession-proof career choices too. Lets not forget good old fashioned robbery for those who need money NOW. A good driver could also make lots of money stealing cars, especially due to cash for clunkers taking lots of functioning used cars out of commission and inducing a scarcity of parts. For those who don't mind living extremely modestly, and maybe going hungry some days out of the week, there's always the career choice of being a stay at home welfare mom, or even getting on disability! Finally, if you have enough money to gain entry, being a professional gambler on the stock market or derivatives market pays the best of all, especially with the government there to back your losses; you can't lose either way and all you have to do is keep ridin' that gravy train!

There's 'recovery' all over the place, if you know where to look!

[deMolay]

The only reason the folks haven't gone postal. Obama you are such an economic genius. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z87XBKNt ... r_embedded

[vision-master]

an you are such a shill.

[eastbay]

Yup, de Molay, I've thought about this many times: Take away the welfare, food stamps, unemployment insurance, and all the other government give-aways and utter and complete societal disintegration and chaos will occur.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', 'T')ake away the welfare, food stamps, unemployment insurance, and all the other government give-aways and utter and complete societal disintegration and chaos will occur.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', 'T')ake away the welfare, food stamps, unemployment insurance, and all the other government give-aways and utter and complete societal disintegration and chaos will occur.

[deMolay]

Ludi, a question for you. Let's say that the Repubs etc. don't shut off the tap. Just for the sake of argument. At what point would the system shut down on its own anyway. When 100M are on welfare, 200M, 300M. In your opinion would those paying taxes be able to support everybody if 200M were on welfare plus maintain all the hospitals, roads and all other infastructure at the same time. Also if those who are earning 250,000 or more how long would they keep working if for example you taxed them at 80 or 90 or 98%. If you had a good job say, and made 1,000 per week. And I showed up each week and took 900 of your dollars for every 1000 you earned, would you be OK with that plan. Or lets say I took 950 of your 1,000 dollars per week would that work for you. Or maybe I could just come right into your house get the 950 dollars and also reallocate your groceries as well. If you had 100 lbs of rice put away, lets say I take it all and leave you enough to get by for the month, say 10 lbs. Just Saying.

[eastbay]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('deMolay', 'L')udi, a question for you. Let's say that the Repubs etc. don't shut off the tap. Just for the sake of argument. At what point would the system shut down on its own anyway. When 100M are on welfare, 200M, 300M. In your opinion would those paying taxes be able to support everybody if 200M were on welfare plus maintain all the hospitals, roads and all other infastructure at the same time. Also if those who are earning 250,000 or more how long would they keep working if for example you taxed them at 80 or 90 or 98%. If you had a good job say, and made 1,000 per week. And I showed up each week and took 900 of your dollars for every 1000 you earned, would you be OK with that plan. Or lets say I took 950 of your 1,000 dollars per week would that work for you. Or maybe I could just come right into your house get the 950 dollars and also reallocate your groceries as well. If you had 100 lbs of rice put away, lets say I take it all and leave you enough to get by for the month, say 10 lbs. Just Saying.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', '
')
I think Ludi was at least somewhat speaking tongue in cheek, but deMolay raises a legitimate question: It's all a matter of 'when'. Then the fun starts.

[eastbay]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', '
')
I think Ludi was at least somewhat speaking tongue in cheek, but deMolay raises a legitimate question: It's all a matter of 'when'. Then the fun starts.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('deMolay', 'L')udi, a question for you. Let's say that the Repubs etc. don't shut off the tap. Just for the sake of argument. At what point would the system shut down on its own anyway. When 100M are on welfare, 200M, 300M.

[Livewire713]

If things get that bad I doubt we would still have a Tea Party left. They would be starving with the rest of us common folk.