Quote Originally Posted by crays View Post
Hound,
I believe the point the you are missing, that has everyone in this thread against your posts, is that this is about personal responsibility and character, and not simply receiving .gov assistance.
The "grasshoppers" being referenced in this thread are NOT simply anyone that receives assistance, but those that will not be able to adjust to that assistance being taken away. Your friends, and most of your other examples, do not fit the definition of grasshopper, in relation to this thread. They will, through continued hard work, perserverance (sp?) and fortitude, continue to provide for their families. As a specific example, your "printer" friend, though not wildly rich, has likely instituted some "prepper" (for lack of a better descriptor) type stockpile to look out for his family. Is that a fair assumption?
I wish he could have. He came from abject poverty and did much better than his parents (a testament to the American Dream). Like his parents, I think he still fell short and will be thrown away as a grasshopper even after so much work. That is a big part of where my statements have come from. That and many other people that work hard, many who served their country but were never able to "make it". I don't think everbody should have the big house or fancy car (that is for those that excel) but if you have worked hard and honestly you should be able to live and at some point retire. So many have worked and will never see retirement except through those handouts and welfare. This was the idea behind Social Security and Medicare (we were suppsed to be creating our own mini pensions) but the Government is squandering these with guidance from the commercial world. My generation is regularly told not to expect it even though we have paid so much into it. Even the current generation is not getting what they were promised. I also have a son that will never 'excel'. He will probably be able to work but he will never 'get ahead' and there will come a day my wife and I will not be here....... We plan but can only do so much.

And your wealthy friend, may or may not have. There is not enough about his background and character in your posts to say. If he hasn't, then he should. His monetary wealth will be for naught, should the economy catastrophically collapse, and at that point, his character will be tested, and his status as ant or grasshopper will be somewhat revealed.
The missed point is that this thread is not about disparity in compensation, and whether one receives .gov assistance. This thread is more about the propensity of the "grasshopper" element in this scenario becoming more akin to a swarm of locust, when their "free lunch" disappears.
Those that don't work... Screw'em if they are able to. If you have the means and don't save... Same thing. Just be careful of throwing to broad a net with who is getting a 'free lunch'. I generally hate generalities

Grasshoppers are those that take more than they put in or don't plan on a future. You can find both of these throughout the economic range. Not everybody is able to plan for the future when they are living paycheck to paycheck.

Just my opinion, after reading this thread through post #32. This is in no way meant to be a personal attack towards Hound. I feel like he just got a little derailed from OP, and some of his valid arguments could flourish in aa different thread, more related to those issues.
Most of the responses here have not been attacks and not too emotional. It is good to be able to inject a different point of view. For the most part this forum accepts other views.