Am I the only one who doesn't get the "Occupy Wallstreet" movements

[FoundMyPrince]

http://www.daveramsey.com/article/dear-occupy-wall-street/lifeandmoney_economy/

 

[Anjelica]

I don't agree with the protests, etc. especially since I watched a few interviews of some complaining about their student loans - it left a bad taste in my mouth.

Now I did catch a story regarding the 53% which has picked up some air time since the protesting of the "99%". 53% of Americans pay taxes while 47% of Americans pay NO taxes.

Check out the website with some of the stories - some of those are very inspiring and are really about the working hard for what you get mentality.

http://the53.tumblr.com/

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I also find it provoking that some of them are whining about their college loans. Just who the heck put a gun to their heads and made them borrow so much money to go to college?

well some of them had no choice but to borrow to go to college.. how else would they have gone.. Not all are born with silver spoons in their mouths and have funds for all of their college???? Not all earn full scholarships, or any scholarships for that matter...
I know I have paid out for my older DD to earn her AS, AA and her BA. We are struggling right now so she decided to hold off on her Masters.. I am also paying for my younger DD as she is in her second year of of college.. I don't want them taking out loans.. and we do not qualify for any aid.. my oldest son dropped out of college, and is looking for work. He cannot find work. He is considering going to a trade school now. That costs money too...Yes, I have the money for him to go, so he doesn't have to go into debt. I know many that have 2 mtgs on their homes just so their children didn't have to take out loans for college..

YES, they do need a lot of funds for college... and it must come from someone.. if they don't have parents who can help, a scholarship or aid, they are going to have to get loans... Have you ever priced out Law school, Medical School My oldest DD originally wanted to go to Law School.. we cannot afford it, and I didn't think it was wise for her to start her life out in debt.. which is another reason she has held off on her Masters.. Price out Law School then come back and post what you have just posted.. true, no one put a gun to their heads.. but without loans, it is impossible for many to attend school.. then where would they be..

 

[FoundMyPrince]

well some of them had no choice but to borrow to go to college.. how else would they have gone.. Not all are born with silver spoons in their mouths and have funds for all of their college???? Not all earn full scholarships, or any scholarships for that matter...
I know I have paid out for my older DD to earn her AS, AA and her BA. We are struggling right now so she decided to hold off on her Masters.. I am also paying for my younger DD as she is in her second year of of college.. I don't want them taking out loans.. and we do not qualify for any aid.. my oldest son dropped out of college, and is looking for work. He cannot find work. He is considering going to a trade school now. That costs money too...Yes, I have the money for him to go, so he doesn't have to go into debt. I know many that have 2 mtgs on their homes just so their children didn't have to take out loans for college..

YES, they do need a lot of funds for college... and it must come from someone.. if they don't have parents who can help, a scholarship or aid, they are going to have to get loans... Have you ever priced out Law school, Medical School My oldest DD originally wanted to go to Law School.. we cannot afford it, and I didn't think it was wise for her to start her life out in debt.. which is another reason she has held off on her Masters.. Price out Law School then come back and post what you have just posted.. true, no one put a gun to their heads.. but without loans, it is impossible for many to attend school.. then where would they be..

There is always a choice.

 

[m&m's mom]

I just flat do not understand why everyone thinks they have to borrow money to go to college. What the heck is wrong with working and taking classes along the way to pay for school as you go? That's what I did and I got through undergrad and all 9 hours of a Masters with only $5000 debt and I really did not even need it.
I lived VERY cheaply and just worked my tail off working virtually full time while taking a full class load. Now I did not got to Harvard but with my degree I am making more money than I ever thought I would.
Debt is just not inevitable. I don't buy it.

 

[m&m's mom]

There is always a choice.

That's funny. We were posting at the same time.

 

[klmrph]

Watch MSNBC for a day.

 

[Fyrefly]

Yeah, I'm in that age bracket and there are some entitlement things there and hypocrites I don't understand. At the same time there are things I do get.

1) The unfairness of spreading out middle class wealth to others. I don't want to get into a huge can of worms but frankly I don't expect social security to exist once I'm old enough to use it. And yet as a student I get nearly all my taxes back and they take a SS payment that I'll likely never benefit from. And money being diverted to fund social programs full of corruption instead of the National Science Foundation and NASA and other organizations that are critical to our status as a world power? Big corporations screwing around making it hard for the new guy to innovate?

Sorry, but I just don't trust the 1% with my money.

2) I don't know when's the last time a lot of you checked, but you can't get a real job without going to college. YES I KNOW THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS. But every one of my friends from HS that didn't make it in is working as a telemarketer, in fast food, or joined the military. You try making a living on the first two and since we're considering cutting military benefits left and right even the last one is getting iffy no matter your intentions. It's not that people don't want to work, it's just you need a college degree to be a mechanic anymore almost. The blue-collar jobs are being exported and all that's left is white-collar and you need college for that. And all the kids who took out loans 4,5,6 years ago when things were stronger were fed stories by Sallie Mae etc. that they would have NO PROBLEM getting a job because they went to college and then they could pay it all back. Well guess what, they're out and there's no jobs. So I don't blame them for being angry.

3) I agree with PP that this is organized and strange like the early Civil Rights movement, but that maybe it will evolve into something bigger. It's getting attention, and that's how things start. Who knows - maybe we'll start seeing people vote intelligently for a change, and maybe something will give and things will get better.

I for one would rather believe that the protesters might bring about something positive then to expect the nation to descend into anarchy or whatever new doom-and-gloom prediction the news has for us today.

 

[Anjelica]

I just flat do not understand why everyone thinks they have to borrow money to go to college. What the heck is wrong with working and taking classes along the way to pay for school as you go? That's what I did and I got through undergrad and all 9 hours of a Masters with only $5000 debt and I really did not even need it.
I lived VERY cheaply and just worked my tail off working virtually full time while taking a full class load. Now I did not got to Harvard but with my degree I am making more money than I ever thought I would.
Debt is just not inevitable. I don't buy it.

I worked fulltime and took 18 hours for several semesters to get through school. I also lived on my own (moved out the day before I turned 18) and somehow I still came out of school without a ton of debt.

 

[FoundMyPrince]

Watch MSNBC for a day.

What will happen if I do?

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I don't agree with how some of the protesting is leading to arrests because they are breaking the law. I do however agree with the reason it was started. Something needs to be done with the way America is. Many here aren't seeing it because it has not happened to cross your path. You are not being effected by it, so it is of no concern to you. Have you ever lost a job, have you funds to pay for your children to attend high priced University's without loans, have you enough in your retirement accounts to live on when you are ready to retire, are you near retirement age? Does someone in your home have a severe medical condition and you have no medical insurance or do you have the insurance but they don't want to cover the condition? Are you middle income but the way America is going, will soon be low income because there will no longer be any "middle"...
These are all the other reasons for the protesting.. maybe some of this will help you all understand a little of why people are protesting. It seems that Corporate America can do as they please while the middle man is getting stepped on, used, abused and "forgotten"... Corporate America gets the tax breaks, the tax incentives.. and we the middle man are getting taxed to death.. Corporate America got incentives to create jobs.. where are they? Were they created? Remember the large bonus checks some of the company's gave their employees after they got our tax $$$'s for bailout money? Now some of those very company's are making profits.. where is the money we, yes we, the tax payer gave them? They need to pay it back... think about all of this, when you see these people protesting... don't just think... ugh, they need to go get a job.. maybe they had one and were let go, maybe they are recent college grad's and cannot find one.. they aren't bums on the streets... they want to work.. they are standing up for something and trying to make a difference.. they aren't walking with the herds to and from... with their heads in the sand

 

[padawans]

The whole thing is organized by certain organizations. All they have to do is find a bunch of brainless, out of work sheep, to brainwash for their cause.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I just flat do not understand why everyone thinks they have to borrow money to go to college. What the heck is wrong with working and taking classes along the way to pay for school as you go? That's what I did and I got through undergrad and all 9 hours of a Masters with only $5000 debt and I really did not even need it.
I lived VERY cheaply and just worked my tail off working virtually full time while taking a full class load. Now I did not got to Harvard but with my degree I am making more money than I ever thought I would.
Debt is just not inevitable. I don't buy it.

Have you tried going on say to Law school, or Medical school.. that isn't just a Masters.. and you really cannot "work" while doing that.. this is what I am trying to say.. my DD worked while going to school, and I paid up until her last year, she paid for the last year. She paid all her books every year..
read my post.. we have no student loans.. zip, nada.. nothing.. no loans.. in fact, I am debt free period.. I even own my home outright.. and yes, as others are saying, there is a choice.. but ask your doctor about a choice.. ask an attorney about a choice.. ask your professor's about a choice.. ask anyone who has gone past their "Masters" about a choice.. Once you hit that level of education, you really cannot "work" while attending and it is a bit expensive.. look into the price... Unless you take on class a semester.. and it takes you years to finish.. otherwise you are talking student loans...

here is some info... can you afford this.. I know I cannot.. even a few classes at a time..


http://hms.harvard.edu/admissions/default.asp?page=costs
Costs

Harvard Medical School tuition rates are reset annually and cover courses taken from August 1 through June 30 each year up to the final year of enrollment ending with graduation. Tuition is billed by semester. Two forms of term bill payment are available: payment in full by semester or monthly payments (payments for the year are spread over eight months). The monthly payment plan carries a service charge of $35 per semester.

An estimate of yearly expenses shows that the average cost for an unmarried first-year student will be approximately $73,000 for the 2011-2012 academic year. This estimate includes tuition, health service fee and insurance premium, room and board, books, travel, transportation to clinical sites, laundry, and incidentals. Students whose homes are outside the northeast region of the United States may experience travel costs beyond the scope of this estimate.


and here is a very good link for Law school costs.. and it shows just how much is needed and how long it takes to pay it back..
http://www.goodfinancialcents.com/average-cost-law-school-tuition-is-it-worth-becoming-lawyer/

 

[WheelCEO]

I enjoyed this:

 

[klmrph]

I don't agree with how some of the protesting is leading to arrests because they are breaking the law. I do however agree with the reason it was started. Something needs to be done with the way America is. Many here aren't seeing it because it has not happened to cross your path. You are not being effected by it, so it is of no concern to you. Have you ever lost a job, have you funds to pay for your children to attend high priced University's without loans, have you enough in your retirement accounts to live on when you are ready to retire, are you near retirement age? Does someone in your home have a severe medical condition and you have no medical insurance or do you have the insurance but they don't want to cover the condition? Are you middle income but the way America is going, will soon be low income because there will no longer be any "middle"...
These are all the other reasons for the protesting.. maybe some of this will help you all understand a little of why people are protesting. It seems that Corporate America can do as they please while the middle man is getting stepped on, used, abused and "forgotten"... Corporate America gets the tax breaks, the tax incentives.. and we the middle man are getting taxed to death.. Corporate America got incentives to create jobs.. where are they? Were they created? Remember the large bonus checks some of the company's gave their employees after they got our tax $$$'s for bailout money? Now some of those very company's are making profits.. where is the money we, yes we, the tax payer gave them? They need to pay it back... think about all of this, when you see these people protesting... don't just think... ugh, they need to go get a job.. maybe they had one and were let go, maybe they are recent college grad's and cannot find one.. they aren't bums on the streets... they want to work.. they are standing up for something and trying to make a difference.. they aren't walking with the herds to and from... with their heads in the sand

Well said and I am one of the lucky ones with a 2 income household with good insurance, but I see how those beneath me suffer on a daily basis. It's really bad out there for a lot of folks and it's going to take a movement like this to really cause some change in the way this country is run.

 

[plummer925]

I totally get the OWS protesters because I am a civil rights baby. the same thing you say about OWS was said about civil rights. so here's my comparison.

1) They have no clear direction. LOL neither did we. I love it how people think black folks woke up one day and civil rights was born. We weren't organized. In fact we couldn't even decide if we want MLK to be our leader.

2) We didn't start out in washington. In fact in was almost 20 years before the march on washington. We did the same thing these folks are doing except we got lynched for it. We sat in 5 and 10 stores.

3) we were called lazy, communist, socialist. My mother was a lawyer and her job was to try and register blacks to vote. Voting in the south in the 60's could get you killed. I remember all the time people telling us "Our negroes are happy, it's those Northern agitators who are trouble makers". or "negroes want to steal our american way of life".

Change occurs whenever you get a group of people together who are feed up and feel they no longer are a part of this country. It starts exactly the way OWS started. I am living proof of that.

Lastly, don't forget we just dedicated a national monument in Washington dc to a man who heard the same argument you are using about ows.

LOVE this post - thank you!!!!

 

[Jex]

You are not alone.

I do agree with some of the points of those occupiers. However, even with the things I agree with, I don't think they are going anywhere without a clear message.

On the other hand, a lot of the people there actually just make me feel they are there just so they can blame their failure on someone or sth.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...-ken-jennings-i-am-the-99-percent?sc=fb&cc=fp

read the aticle above and see the last picture in it. It makes me sick.

The next to last picture bothered me. Looks like a teacher is pushing their own feelings onto their students.

 

[plummer925]

I enjoyed this:

Sad thing is....it is NOT most people's decisions to "not" be part of the 99%!!! If it was, then there wouldn't be the protests in the first place.

 

[Marionnette]

Have you tried going on say to Law school, or Medical school.. that isn't just a Masters.. and you really cannot "work" while doing that.. this is what I am trying to say.. my DD worked while going to school, and I paid up until her last year, she paid for the last year. She paid all her books every year..
read my post.. we have no student loans.. zip, nada.. nothing.. no loans.. in fact, I am debt free period.. I even own my home outright.. and yes, as others are saying, there is a choice.. but ask your doctor about a choice.. ask an attorney about a choice.. ask your professor's about a choice.. ask anyone who has gone past their "Masters" about a choice.. Once you hit that level of education, you really cannot "work" while attending and it is a bit expensive.. look into the price... Unless you take on class a semester.. and it takes you years to finish.. otherwise you are talking student loans...

here is some info... can you afford this.. I know I cannot.. even a few classes at a time..


http://hms.harvard.edu/admissions/default.asp?page=costs
Costs

Harvard Medical School tuition rates are reset annually and cover courses taken from August 1 through June 30 each year up to the final year of enrollment ending with graduation. Tuition is billed by semester. Two forms of term bill payment are available: payment in full by semester or monthly payments (payments for the year are spread over eight months). The monthly payment plan carries a service charge of $35 per semester.

An estimate of yearly expenses shows that the average cost for an unmarried first-year student will be approximately $73,000 for the 2011-2012 academic year. This estimate includes tuition, health service fee and insurance premium, room and board, books, travel, transportation to clinical sites, laundry, and incidentals. Students whose homes are outside the northeast region of the United States may experience travel costs beyond the scope of this estimate.

So. How many Harvard-educated physicians do you estimate to be among the protesters at OWS?

 

[bigmama67]

The whole thing is organized by certain organizations. All they have to do is find a bunch of brainless, out of work sheep, to brainwash for their cause.

OK, that's the straw breaking MY camel's back...specifics please? I find this EXTREMELY offensive!