> We get into philosophy here as I think the most moral thing is > capitalism as it allows each person to set their own living standard > and I believe most, not all, poor people are choosing their own living > standard.
<snip> > That's why I'm asking you to pin a percentage down > - how many people do you think are poor by choice > rather than because they are physically incapable > of earning more? I think those physically incapable > of it is low, say 20% or less of those living below > the poverty line. > > If that's true, why do I owe the other 80% a living? > Why should I work hard to subsidize those unwilling > too? Gruss, I think it's a rediculous assertion to say that only physical limitations would prevent someone from rising above the poverty line. I've met a good number of people who, although they haven't been legally diagnosed as being mentally retarded simply don't have what I would consider to be the intellectual facility to excel beyond the minimum wage by means other than hapenstance. Even if they are all capable of excelling beyond the minimum wage of their own volition, natural market forces would prevent them all from doing so. Each person who manages to excel beyond the minimum wage in this scenario increases the supply of whatever it is they're doing for a living, without increasing the demand. So if they all start getting better than min. wage jobs, then suddenly there's no need for a lot of those jobs and a ton of people get cannned (or are unable to get hired in the first place) and we're back to square 1 with people like you saying it's their own fault because they don't have any ambition. I have met people who genuinely want to get paid to do nothing but sit on their ass -- people who complain about the amount of money they get from the state, but when you suggest various jobs which might appeal to them simply find some reason why each suggestion is no good. These have not been the majority of poor people I've met. The majority of the poor people I've met jump at any opportunity to make some cash or apply for a better job. I would say the people who are milking the system are in the 10-20% minority. s. isaac dealey 954.522.6080 new epoch : isn't it time for a change? add features without fixtures with the onTap open source framework http://www.fusiontap.com http://coldfusion.sys-con.com/author/4806Dealey.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:174923 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
