In poll after poll, why are so many Americans so dissatisfied with America today?
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soul rattler wrote: »kingblaze84 wrote: »soul rattler wrote: »Racism, classism, sexism, lack of educational, employment, and economic opportunities, pollution, policital corruption and incompetence, cultural and societal degradation, religion, female comedians... take your pick.
Yeah sadly these are all problems slowly chipping away at American society and it's also dividing American society. Female comedians have their moments so I won't diss them too much lol, Joan Rivers was pretty funny. I think that atheist red head comedian is funny as hell, I think her name is Kate something.
As far as the rest of those issues, I think the biggest problems now effecting American society is the growing gap btw rich and poor. There are waaay too many poor people out here in America, especially among the young among us. I'm 30 and it breaks my heart seeing so many college grads working for 10, 12 bucks an hour in jobs that have nothing to do with their degree. I can't even imagine how people without degrees are surviving out here. Religion doesn't help either.....
Yeah Joan Rivers and Kathy Griffen are two of the funniest female comics. Amy Schumer is decent too. With that being said, death to Ellen Degeneres and Wanda Sykes.
This underdeployment problem is ? up especially considering how expensive American education is. You want me to pay for a degree but barely make more than half of that back in a job that may not even be related to my field of study? And if I got loans, I'm ? out of luck.
I agree Ellen is definitely not funny and Wanda Sykes had her show cancelled for a reason. For whatever reason, there are no funny, young female comedians. Women get funnier as they get older I guess, Sarah Palin is proof of that.
For so many young people out there, part time jobs are the ONLY jobs that they can find. And many times, if not most, young and even older people can't get a full time job without the pay being low or pathetic in this economy. I know a guy who is 40, still paying for college loans, and he graduated with an MBA with high GPA. He has a brother who did the same and both can only find part time jobs. And it's crazy cuz most young people graduate from college with massive debt and when only part time jobs with entry level salaries are all one can get, it's easy to see why so many are giving up hope. It's why so many women are getting sleazier and loose by the day, they're hoping to find a sugar daddy to take care of them. As a man I don't mind this at times, but all this is ruining the social fabric of America. I'm so grateful I had scholarships and grants during college, I don't owe a penny. But most can't say that. -
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/19/america-secession_n_5848586.html
Angry With Washington, 1 In 4 Americans Open To Secession
BOSTON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - The failed Scottish vote to pull out from the United Kingdom stirred secessionist hopes for some in the United States, where almost a quarter of people are open to their states leaving the union, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
Some 23.9 percent of Americans polled from Aug. 23 through Sept. 16 said they strongly supported or tended to support the idea of their state breaking away, while 53.3 percent of the 8,952 respondents strongly opposed or tended to oppose the notion.
Republicans were more inclined to support the idea, with 29.7 percent favoring it compared with 21 percent of Democrats.
Brittany Royal, a 31-year-old nurse from Wilkesboro, North Carolina, said anger over the "Obamacare" healthcare reform law made her wonder if her state would be better off on its own.
"That has really hurt a lot of people here, myself included. My insurance went from $40 a week for a family of four up to over $600 a month for a family of four," said Royal, a Republican. "The North Carolina government itself is sustainable. Governor (Pat) McCrory, I think he has a better healthcare plan than President Obama."
By region, the idea was least popular in New England, the cradle of the Revolutionary War, with just 17.4 percent of respondents open to pulling their state out.
It was most popular in the Southwest, where 34.1 percent of respondents back the idea.
--Let's hope things don't get so bad the nation splits up -
kingblaze84 wrote: »kingblaze84 wrote: »kingblaze84 wrote: »In most polls on this subject, even aside from Gallup, the poll results are the same: Americans are not satisfied at all with American life today. This is surprising to me because every month the govt puts up job numbers and it usually says unemployment is down and more jobs are being created. With more money coming in (supposedly), one would think Americans would be more satisfied with American life today. But most aren't...why do you think Americans are so down on American life today? I do see more and more people collecting bottles and cans in the streets, but some people here say things in America are just fine.
Money isn't everything
If the jobs people are working 40-50 hours a week do not fulfill them or satisfy desires unrelated to income then it makes sense that many are unhappy with their current situation.
Very true. People are often working jobs they hate because they have no choice but to pay the bills. Bills that seem to get higher and higher every year. My boy is making 85 grand a year and still suffers from depression because he says it's annoying working with an ? boss but living in NYC, if you can't pay the rent or bills you gonna be a ? in the street.
Regarding what you said about healthy people being happier, that's also true. But from what I've read, many Americans can't even afford healthy foods because it tends to be more expensive. Adding vegetables to a diet costs more money and so many out there, even while working, can't afford to do this. My mom works in a school and it's heartbreaking when so many of the students say they couldn't eat a healthy breakfast before school. Sometimes, we give food to these families and most of these families have working parents. Something in America is very wrong. Hard for many to exercise when their diet often consists of cheap junk food, it's all some people can afford.
nothing is really wrong with america you know, it's always really been this way or worse people just have a picture of reality/history that is not true. there has always been a sections of society that is ? up no matter how hard they work.
but americans have a traditions of deluding themselves.
There ARE things wrong with America now. Like how we have money to fight neverending wars but when it comes to federal govt trying to build more affordable housing for the ever growing young and elderly poor among us, like Cornel West and Travis Smiley have pushed for, suddenly the govt cries poverty. It's a system that seems to be working against many of us. If inflation is truly necessary, then the govt should make efforts to help protect Americans from the negative side effects from that. Way too many people are being squeezed in from all sides. 43.5 MILLION Americans live in poverty, in the so called richest nation on Earth. And meanwhile, aid for the poor among us is being cut, homeless shelters are being shut down, and I'm seeing more and more desperate people out there. Money for wars is always on deck, and same with bailing out Wall Street and the big banks, while Americans are asking their next door neighbors for food and money on a weekly basis.
I know there's always been Americans who struggle but times are different now because cost of living is higher then ever. High inflation is not a normal thing.
nothing is abnormal about governments fighting wars while people suffer. that's how it's always been.
and our economy has been worse. things being so ? up is all in your mind. ? was worse in the 70s 30s and other times in American history. Americans are too ? spoiled.
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what people have to understand especially Americans is that the extreme economic success of the last 100 years has been out of the ordinary. and actually life has improved from what it was in the past.
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what people have to understand especially Americans is that the extreme economic success of the last 100 years has been out of the ordinary. and actually life has improved from what it was in the past.
What will it take for Americans to understand "life has improved from what it was in the past" ? Cuz I rarely hear this, older people complain to me more then anyone. They say everything is more expensive compared to before. Especially the ones with kids. -
kingblaze84 wrote: »what people have to understand especially Americans is that the extreme economic success of the last 100 years has been out of the ordinary. and actually life has improved from what it was in the past.
What will it take for Americans to understand "life has improved from what it was in the past" ? Cuz I rarely hear this, older people complain to me more then anyone. They say everything is more expensive compared to before. Especially the ones with kids.
those same old people grew up within those 100 years. massive urbanization, war and technological innovation is largely responsible for the economic rise the world has experienced.
those things don't happen on command. we are unlikely to experience an economic boom created by something like the emergence internet in our life time.
nor will we have the benefits of winning something like ww2. with that being said our lives are still better than most people in the recent past. 120 years ago most Americans lived on farms. -
If politicians by and large make most of the meaningful decisions in a representative democracy.
And tax cuts led them to pander to special interests, lobby groups and the like that make donations and provide other kinds of support in order to run campaigns and stay in office.
Then maybe we are seeing is bribery and cronyism influencing legislation and government spending more than the needs of the public at large.
A plutocracy. -
you know how, when you ask people who the worst president was, most of them just yell "W WAS THE WORST" or "OBAMA WAS THE WORST?" and the reason is usually "because of something i remember happening recently?"kingblaze84 wrote: »What will it take for Americans to understand "life has improved from what it was in the past" ?
people just have a fundamental disability to relate to the past ever having been worse in any capacity sometimes -
kingblaze84 wrote: »what people have to understand especially Americans is that the extreme economic success of the last 100 years has been out of the ordinary. and actually life has improved from what it was in the past.
What will it take for Americans to understand "life has improved from what it was in the past" ? Cuz I rarely hear this, older people complain to me more then anyone. They say everything is more expensive compared to before. Especially the ones with kids.
those same old people grew up within those 100 years. massive urbanization, war and technological innovation is largely responsible for the economic rise the world has experienced.
those things don't happen on command. we are unlikely to experience an economic boom created by something like the emergence internet in our life time.
nor will we have the benefits of winning something like ww2. with that being said our lives are still better than most people in the recent past. 120 years ago most Americans lived on farms.
I agree life in many ways is better then what it was in the past, but economically, many Americans would question that. The economy for many is working like an oligarchy, and housing is definitely more expensive then what it was in the past. Healthcare is more expensive too so IDK if your answers would really change the outlook so many have out there. Even aside from economics though, America definitely seems to be on the wrong track. From foreign policy, immigration to the environment, America can do much better. -
you know how, when you ask people who the worst president was, most of them just yell "W WAS THE WORST" or "OBAMA WAS THE WORST?" and the reason is usually "because of something i remember happening recently?"kingblaze84 wrote: »What will it take for Americans to understand "life has improved from what it was in the past" ?
people just have a fundamental disability to relate to the past ever having been worse in any capacity sometimes
I agree, as bad as American govt currently is, life has improved in a lot of ways. Bush was a horrible president, and I'm disappointed in Obama, but there have been worse leaders in our history. Only a few could be worse then Bush though. -
wait... how are you agreeing with me if you're doing the exact thing i am talking about?kingblaze84 wrote: »I agree, as bad as American govt currently is, life has improved in a lot of ways. Bush was a horrible president, and I'm disappointed in Obama, but there have been worse leaders in our history. Only a few could be worse then Bush though.
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wait... how are you agreeing with me if you're doing the exact thing i am talking about?kingblaze84 wrote: »I agree, as bad as American govt currently is, life has improved in a lot of ways. Bush was a horrible president, and I'm disappointed in Obama, but there have been worse leaders in our history. Only a few could be worse then Bush though.
I didn't say Bush was the worst president ever, I simply said few presidents have been worse. I've done enough research on past presidents to feel safe saying this, hell I had college history professors say this openly in class. Bush led the disaster of the war in Iraq, wasting one trillion dollars and plenty of lives for basically nothing, bringing the downfall America is still going through today. -
i think "only a few could be worse then Bush though" is a little more definitive.kingblaze84 wrote: »I didn't say Bush was the worst president ever, I simply said few presidents have been worse.
but it's not really my point, which is that Bush was also just president 6 years ago. which means there's still a matter of perspective at work here.
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People are just Jaded about life.
We have so much access to everything that we stumble on a whole lotta stuff that hurts to hear about.
and this is the era of shocking headlines.
The Minute you try to be happy about life hurricane Ursula comes through and f*cks up your ? .
The Minute you try to be happy about life.. you end up having a stomach ache... end up going to the emergency room to get part of your colon removed.
Thats why we drink, and smoke and do all types of things to keep our minds busy.
Also white people just stay mad cause they're about to be a minority in a few decades.
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i think "only a few could be worse then Bush though" is a little more definitive.kingblaze84 wrote: »I didn't say Bush was the worst president ever, I simply said few presidents have been worse.
but it's not really my point, which is that Bush was also just president 6 years ago. which means there's still a matter of perspective at work here.
NAHH, few presidents have been worse then Bush ? that. There was no good points to the war in Iraq, things there have been a disaster ever since. The country is still suffering economically and reputation wise due to that huge blunder. The rise of ISIS in Iraq and the massive increase in terrorism since the war there is all the perspective I need. -
Shuffington wrote: »People are just Jaded about life.
We have so much access to everything that we stumble on a whole lotta stuff that hurts to hear about.
and this is the era of shocking headlines.
The Minute you try to be happy about life hurricane Ursula comes through and f*cks up your ? .
The Minute you try to be happy about life.. you end up having a stomach ache... end up going to the emergency room to get part of your colon removed.
Thats why we drink, and smoke and do all types of things to keep our minds busy.
Also white people just stay mad cause they're about to be a minority in a few decades.
I hear ya but White people are not really gonna be a minority in a few decades if you include Hispanics. Most Hispanics in the USA or a plurality of them consider themselves White. -
^Thats true..but the white people in these polls don't seem to be to welcoming of that fact that hispanics consider themselves white tho.
White people still consider hispanic people, Hispanic.. which doesn't equal white in any capacity. Remember, we're talking about irrational fear here. -
Yeah, in general, most people in Central and South America aren't really White they're more Mestizo or Native American, and of course if the flood of illegals from these places continues, then this will become more obvious.
And I also think a lot of Hispanics choose White on the Census forms because they figure they may get more benefits off of it or something
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kingblaze84 wrote: »Yeah, in general, most people in Central and South America aren't really White they're more Mestizo or Native American, and of course if the flood of illegals from these places continues, then this will become more obvious.
And I also think a lot of Hispanics choose White on the Census forms because they figure they may get more benefits off of it or something
It varies
Post WWll a lot of Europeans immigrated to Argentina, arguably making it the whitest Spanish country not named Spain -
kingblaze84 wrote: »Yeah, in general, most people in Central and South America aren't really White they're more Mestizo or Native American, and of course if the flood of illegals from these places continues, then this will become more obvious.
And I also think a lot of Hispanics choose White on the Census forms because they figure they may get more benefits off of it or something
It varies
Post WWll a lot of Europeans immigrated to Argentina, arguably making it the whitest Spanish country not named Spain
This is very true. Same thing in Uruguay and Paraguay, I think 65% there claim they're White. I wonder what it is in Puerto Rico. -
and this is STILL based on "Bush was president six years ago, and though we're not entirely sure how everything works out, i REALLY don't like him."kingblaze84 wrote: »NAHH, few presidents have been worse then Bush ? that. There was no good points to the war in Iraq, things there have been a disaster ever since. The country is still suffering economically and reputation wise due to that huge blunder. The rise of ISIS in Iraq and the massive increase in terrorism since the war there is all the perspective I need.
also, it's likely the US's economic problems were not actually caused by the Iraq War.
...because tons of them ARE white... because Hispanic is not a racekingblaze84 wrote: »I hear ya but White people are not really gonna be a minority in a few decades if you include Hispanics. Most Hispanics in the USA or a plurality of them consider themselves White.
except for white Hispanics, who would be white peopleShuffington wrote: »White people still consider hispanic people, Hispanic.. which doesn't equal white in any capacity.
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and this is STILL based on "Bush was president six years ago, and though we're not entirely sure how everything works out, i REALLY don't like him."kingblaze84 wrote: »NAHH, few presidents have been worse then Bush ? that. There was no good points to the war in Iraq, things there have been a disaster ever since. The country is still suffering economically and reputation wise due to that huge blunder. The rise of ISIS in Iraq and the massive increase in terrorism since the war there is all the perspective I need.
also, it's likely the US's economic problems were not actually caused by the Iraq War.
...because tons of them ARE white... because Hispanic is not a racekingblaze84 wrote: »I hear ya but White people are not really gonna be a minority in a few decades if you include Hispanics. Most Hispanics in the USA or a plurality of them consider themselves White.
except for white Hispanics, who would be white peopleShuffington wrote: »White people still consider hispanic people, Hispanic.. which doesn't equal white in any capacity.
Yes many Hispanics are White, I've had Hispanic friends whose parents traced their ancestors directly to Spain and were proud of it. And Spain is obviously a White nation, but I was noting that some Hispanics aren't really White and some of them are still clicking White on Census forms. There's funny Youtube videos of Hispanics who don't look White telling interviewers that they are. Either way I agree most Hispanics who consider themselves white are indeed that.
As far as Bush, yes the Iraq War didn't directly cause the economic downturn but it still wasted a lot of money that Americans could have better spent the money on. A trillion dollars is an insane amount of money, and more then financially, the Iraq War created more problems in the region for America's reputation. Including the cost of ruining America's reputation and increasing terror, the war in Iraq may cost us trillions more in the long term. This is why I consider Bush to be among the worst presidents -
Middle-class squeeze: From day care to health care
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/middle-class-squeeze-day-care-health-care-155139877--finance.html
From TVs, computers and cellphones to clothing and cars, many goods have dropped in price in the past decade. Those declining prices have helped keep overall inflation historically low — even lower than the 2 percent the Federal Reserve thinks is ideal.
Yet when you consider that average health care and college costs rocketed more than 80 percent from 2000 to 2012, it's easier to understand why many families feel they are struggling.
"An overseas colleague characterized the situation well: America is a place where the luxuries are cheap and the necessities are expensive," said Joseph Cohen, a sociology professor at Queens College in New York.
The squeeze is making it harder for middle-income families to build savings. The median net worth of families in the middle 20 percent of incomes fell 17 percent from 2010 to 2013, according to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances.
More Americans are paying higher health care costs in the form of premiums and deductibles. (Thanks Obamacare)
A survey by Pew this year found that 57 percent of Americans felt their income was trailing the cost of living — the same proportion who felt so in October 2008 when the Great Recession was raging. Just before the recession began, the figure was 44 percent.
--For those who want kids these days, save that money....life ain't gonna get any cheaper in the future lol -
can we just admit that things are not as bad as you think they are nor were they ever as good as you remember.
people cannot see past their nose, they don't have the education to see the whole macro-economic picture and by the monetarily ignorant crying about how bad things are all they do is slow down the growth process.
now america has issue it needs to fix but quite honestly, the sky is not falling even our large debt is as hugs of a problem as people think it is and will be dealt with -
can we just admit that things are not as bad as you think they are nor were they ever as good as you remember.
people cannot see past their nose, they don't have the education to see the whole macro-economic picture and by the monetarily ignorant crying about how bad things are all they do is slow down the growth process.
now america has issue it needs to fix but quite honestly, the sky is not falling even our large debt is as hugs of a problem as people think it is and will be dealt with
If I was to go based on my life, I would agree with you. But based on all the data out there, and people I personally know all over the nation, things are NOT that good. I will admit things in America were never that much better but according to every older person I know and talk to, things economically and cost of living wise were MUCH better then now. A family back in the day could support a 4 member household with one middle class income, now? That's a dream. The massive debt America has is cheapening the worth of the dollar, and is making the lives of the avg American more and more difficult. Reality is this, all these different polls show the same thing: Americans DO NOT think things in America are that good now. Americans are all over the nation are suffering in more and more ways as the debt grows and grows.
Imagine how high the cost of living will be in 10 years. I love kids but thank ? almighty I don't have any. To all the parents out there, stay strong, ya'll will need the strength down the line, if not now.
