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Returning to the American way

Posted by
Walter Geiger
in Opinion
Monday, March 8. 2010
Comments (19)
By Dink Nesmith
(Published in the Athens Banner-Herald)

America, we need to wake up and look in the mirror. Staring back at us is the ugly truth: We are the problem. If we don't come to grips with reality and change direction, the most advanced nation in the world is going to lose its coveted place.

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#1 Anonymous on 03/08/10 at 06:18 AM
great artical.it points out the very problems of this country.the main one being "unwilling to work but expect a handout".as a business owner it,it drives me crazy how so many people can come up with excuses not to work,but you can bet they will be there on pay day.
#1.1 Anonymous on 03/08/10 at 09:20 AM
"unwilling to work but expect a handout".

So true, just look at school systems that allow children to walk during graduation but have not earned their diploma! What are we teaching? We are rewarding failure! We worry about not hurting feelings more than rewarding the students that put in the extra effort to make the good grade.

I think Ronald Regan had it correct when he was Gov of Calif.... "If you want a wealfare check, we have farmers who need help, we have roads that need to be cleaned up, we have community service projects that need workers"

I know I will get bashed for that comment but, it would weed out the people who are lazy and reward those willing to work! Just my opinion
#2 Watching as America Spins out of Control on 03/08/10 at 07:28 AM
A very good article indeed! I do not know about speaking Chinese but Spanish is already being forced on us. It is a good question, "When is America going to stand up and Unite?" Everyone else is moving in while we are busy pointing fingers and fighting among ourselves. We are our worst enemy!
#3 Anonymous on 03/08/10 at 07:34 AM
I believe the underlying issue to be greed. Greed from the person unwilling to work, greed from the people unwilling to help in a way to bring meaningful change and greed from the people in power who could care less.
#4 Anonymous on 03/08/10 at 09:13 AM
Apathy is also a reason for our slide down the slippery slope. Wait and see how many of our local elected officials run unopposed. From the courthouse to the school board, the same folks are elected year after year. They get comfortable in their role and develop a sense of entitlement. They go to weekend retreats and begin to enjoy the taste of caviar and wine. It's no wonder that they want to stay in their comfortable roles of power. They entrench themselves and are able to fend off an occasional opponent because we demand nothing of them. I would like to issue a challenge to all of our officials. Pass the torch. Don't run for reelection.
#5 Anonymous on 03/08/10 at 09:32 AM
Excellent Article,

My Father (passed away) told stories of he, his Father and his Brothers all working for WPA and CCC.The crew they worked on cleared land for roads in the North Georgia mountains. I remember him telling me how hard they worked, I remember him telling me how glad he was to have a job. I remember him telling me all he wanted was an an opportunity.

My question for the forum is this, If the unemployed people in Lamar County were offered the same opportunity, HARD WORK, MANUAL LABOR, BUT A CHANCE TO CARE FOR THEIR FAMILY, how many would trade unemployment insurance for it?

I really don't know, what do you think?
#5.1 blue on 03/08/10 at 02:05 PM
I would have to say about 20%. Why work when your getting a check every week for doing nothing? Don't get me wrong, I believe uneployment checks are needed, but only for a short amount of time. Some of these people I know have been recieving it for over 6 month.
We bitch about these Mexicans coming over and taking all our jobs, but the fact is that they are just doing the jobs that us Americans have grown to lazy to do. So we hold out, waiting for a better job while drawing an unemployment or welfare check.
#6 isa on 03/08/10 at 02:05 PM
If they would cut our all welfare checks,
then we would see people begging for a job
to feed their families.
The four generations on this tells a story
about being all kids raised on a welfare check stays on a welfare check............
#7 Anonymous on 03/08/10 at 10:05 PM
"If you don't work, you don't eat."

This is also stated in the bible. Democrats are always complaining that the republicans don't want to help others. I am sure they do, they just dont' want to foot the bill for sorry people who CAN work, but WON'T.
I have yet to meet a democrat and/or liberal who will explain why it's ok to foot the bill for sorry people.

I disagree that it needs to start with teenagers and bringing back the draft. It needs to start with the family unit. Mothers and fathers raising their children correctly. Until this is done, NOTHING else will help.

One answer is to vote out all the politicians that allow the handouts to continue. And vote in the ones who will represent USA and put things right. But, where are they? Where are the ones who will stand up and put a stop to this?

There has been NO ONE over all these years to even TRY and revamp the programs that are suppose to be in place to help people who really need it, and STOP the 'handouts'.

If there has been anyone, I've never heard of them.
I think the reason no one stands up to this is, they don't want NAACP breathing down their neck.

I've never heard of the public works administration, but it sounds like a good idea. Why was it stopped?
#7.1 MINICoop on 03/09/10 at 07:59 AM
I agree, but repealing the handout programs would be difficult with special interest groups interfering.
#8 Anonymous on 03/09/10 at 08:28 AM
Thats because the "handout" programs serve a noble purpose and dont need to be eliminated..just better regulated.
It is wrong to assume that everyone who is unemployed chooses to be unemployed. It is also wrong to assume that everyone who requires assistance is abusing the system.
#9 Anonymous on 03/09/10 at 11:48 AM
We should start by repealing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2%. Next, take away the corporate welfare. What is happening on wall street should worry you far more than needy families getting food stamps. PWA was a good idea then and now. Anything we invest in America's infrastructure is a good investment. I'm not sure the draft is so good. You end up with too many who don't believe in the cause or want to be there. Some other kind of public service would be good. I believe the biggest threat to our country is that we have become so divided. Turn in welfare cheats, but stop letting politicans convince you to look down on those who could not afford a decent quality of life without some help. I know some people who are trying so hard to find a good job. Not just minimum wage and food stamps. This is not what people want, it's just how it is. I'm almost 50 years old and this is the roughest economy I've ever seen. I think Washington is much more to blame than main street cause that's where the power is. Both parties have been guilty but blame won't fix anything. Neither will hate or fear. We need to take emergency measures to restore jobs - Highways, bridges, trains, education, green jobs, manufacturing and so much more. When I see those in power taking huge donations and voting special interest, I find this far more troubling than the powerless trying to survive.
#9.1 TTerry on 03/12/10 at 09:11 AM
Your thought of doing away with tax cuts dose not compute.Those cuts put this country on a 4.5 unemployment no. The people that put out the money for growing their business will not invest if this Gov.is planning to take more of their investments. Do you think they will do without to supply you a job? I think you should try to get a job from the next poor fellow you run into. Get your thoughts in order,because, if you pay more taxes, there is more for all of the jealouse people to get handouts,for which lately they want to put people in power to take more from one section of people and give to all of those who are lazy, and want to be spoon fed. When you get your wish and pay more taxes, just think, now you have less to spend on your family, or lover. Be careful of what you wish for, you just might get it.
#10 Anonymous on 03/09/10 at 01:06 PM
It galls me to go a grocery store, worry about how much money I have to stretch and then get behind someone who has a grocery cart full of nothing but junk food or convience food then whip out the EBT card to pay for it then get cash back so that they can pay for the disposable diapers and other paper products that EBT won't pay for while I have to do without because I have some pride in myself and take care of my own. In my opinion if you don't work then you shouldn't be allowed to buy these items. If you don't work why should you be entitled to have the convienences that I have to do without because I work. I say if you don't work you should have to wash diapers at home and cook a real meal at home. I know that this is just my opinion but what I say is justified. I am a working person who gets my hours cut and see someone who doesn't do the job she was hired get more hours than I do just because my boss doesn't like it when I point out the facts. This girl is a young girl who still lives at home and doesn't have to worry about the mortgage and how I can make ends meet. I do a better job than any of the others because I believe in a strong work ethic and I do the job right. YOu go to work to "earn" a paycheck not just get the time. It is time for the HARD WORKING American people to stand up and say "IF YOU DON'T WORK THEN YOU DON'T EAT" get back to moral high standards that have fallen by the way because of the entitlement programs. The generation coming up now don't have any respect for themselves or any one else. YOu don't just jump out of bed and go to wherever you go in your pajamas. Where is your pride and "PULL THOSE BRITCHES UP OFF THE FLOOR"!!!!!!!!!!!
#10.1 isa on 03/11/10 at 02:15 PM
Good one--pj's are for home only.
If only the drooppy britches boys knew
what it means to wear them, they
would not wear their Grandpa's britches.
#11 Anonymous on 03/11/10 at 03:54 PM
VERY good comments #10, I agree completely. All I can think of is the bible stating 'in the last days, right will be wrong and wrong will be right'.
I see so much of what you are going thru. The people that are honest and do their jobs right are the ones getting reprimanded, short end of the stick, etc.
While the sorry ones who DON"T and WON"T work get promoted, pay raises, etc because their bosses don't want NAACP jumping on their A$$
#11.1 Anonymous on 03/12/10 at 02:25 PM
now you are assuming that only colored people (NAACP) are lazy and don't do their share of the work? Jump back - LAZY comes in all colors, shapes and sizes. Oh yeah, it comes in all genders too.
#11.1.1 Anonymous on 03/21/10 at 10:28 AM
This is very true that LAZY comes in all colors and genders.
I don't feel that it is just the blacks or other races, it is these sorry white girls that will lay down with anything have a baby then get on welfare get WIC and any other benefit that galls me where is the pride in race we have so many mixed people why should we mix up race.
#12 Lorna Moxon Stroup on 03/12/10 at 12:01 PM
What a great article- WOW wake up - now what will it take to make this right in America again??I'm ready ...you have spoke the REAL TRUTH......
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