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Re: Sam444
You make an excellent verifiable point. What is so crazy is that if we learn to work from the poor up. It would not only help those in need. You now have more people with money to pay taxes, shop more, and buy homes. With this added income, the entire country would prosper. Which could lead to lower taxes. Because we would have more people to participate more equally in the economy. Demand would go up, leading to higher wages. Opening the door for free education and health care in the future.
posted by
BearcatMike
on March 10, 2026 at 8:19 AM
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Re: Re: Re: Sherri
You are right about Social media apps. Another misleading and powerful source of division. The answer is, as you say, talking with real people. Instead of following only the popular fun news. All your ideas are important. We have to get our communities to buy in.
posted by
BearcatMike
on March 10, 2026 at 8:10 AM
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Good Morning
BearcatMike, I was thinking about the gas prices and how high they are going with no end in sight. This will make life harder for people on a very tight budget. There are families, seniors, and those who live alone. Everyone will feel the price increases as they go up. It will cause food prices to go up, along with utility bills, and the list will go up and up.
posted by
Goldiec
on March 10, 2026 at 5:58 AM
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I agree, it's important to set your priorities right both as individuals and as a nation....food, health care, education, shelter are a few basic ones to start with & then a healthy, positive moral & social compass is very important.
Have a good day. 😊
posted by
shamasehar
on March 10, 2026 at 2:26 AM
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It is hard to please all of the people all of the time. Seems like there is no right answer. We just all have to care about each other more.
posted by
Sea_Gypsy
on March 9, 2026 at 9:06 PM
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There's no money in taking care of the poor. When you have a leader only concerned with spreading his brand and making money off war there is little hope that the 'I' first mentality will give in favor of the people. He is even making drones through his family company. How scarey is that? Also, trademarketing the 250 for exclusive Trump products is so corrupt and yet the spineless congress looks the other way while padding their own wallets.
We are beyond the point of accepting his behavior because no matter how much nurturing of our children's goals we provide it will be thwarted by billionaire greed. I won't stop nurturing but as a people we need to demand that a change come about on all levels. If we are silent we are complicit.
posted by
sam444
on March 9, 2026 at 1:24 PM
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At least, if you don't have too many family members hanging on the shirt tails, at least help One person to get out of crippling debt. Not all debt probably, but at least remove one worrying bill. Being Australian born, and spending most of my life there,I believe everyone in the USA was rich compared to us and the rest of the World. it isn't true, trillions of Dollars in debt, people living on the streets or in their cars. Hunger and misery while the loud noisy ones brag of the wealth, some don't even live here.
posted by
Kabu
on March 9, 2026 at 12:02 PM
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You make some good points. For as long as I can remember, there have always been inequities - single mothers barely scraping by, depending on subsidies, working two or three jobs, perhaps with help from family when it comes to childcare. And what's worse, seeing the rich and powerful blame them for being poor, rather than stepping up to help.
posted by
Pat_B
on March 9, 2026 at 11:59 AM
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Re: Re:
These are all great ideas, and we do have to start somewhere. Good luck with the idea of community when everyone wants to avoid socializing by using cellphones and apps rather than dealing with each other in person. Raising the minimum wage forced higher costs for everything. People must make themselves the priority and raise their game. In the 1960s, people beat the payment and worked long hours to feed their family. Today, many people want to work remotely. Better career choices are key, and that begins with some form of education, whether it be on the job training or through college courses. The tariffs and high interest rates are causing a lot of the issues. We are in desperate need of new leadership. That would definitely be a start in the right direction. 
posted by
Sherri_G
on March 9, 2026 at 10:46 AM
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I have seen many people have the wrong priorities. So many people are doom scrolling, and it's driving them mad.
With regard to our government, I feel that JFK's famous words need to be reworded.
"Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what your country will do to you."
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on March 9, 2026 at 10:44 AM
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Re:
It all starts with community. However, if we start with all the basic needs being met. Then we can move on to the cost of everyday items. The answer is making things more affordable. The value of the dollar in the 60's is the reason salaries were lower. It should not have taken all these years for the minimum wage to be raised to at least above the poverty level. Economically, there are many things. Raising the interest rates. Boosting economic growth. It all starts with making it a priority. There is no one thing. Yet if we never start. It will never change.
posted by
BearcatMike
on March 9, 2026 at 10:36 AM
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I understand the point you have made, but what else can be done besides food, medical, and housing assistance? Free schooling for college students would be great, but then who pays the teachers? When I was a young mom of one child, I was forced to work three jobs to make ends meet. Raising the minimum wage has resulted in job losses with machines taking the place of humans. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on how a family can bring in more income other than working a high paying job or more than one job.
posted by
Sherri_G
on March 9, 2026 at 9:51 AM
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