Wisconsin Primary

[Freak Out]

Ha ha.....I was wondering when someone was going to throw a Ragged Dick story out there.

[MJZiggy]

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=4298321&page=1

Take a look at that and still tell me we should still give handouts to the poor. Just goes to show you that even with nothing but 25 dollars and a gym bag, you can give yourself a good life. In my opinion, he was successful because he wanted to be successful. The same cannot be said for many, many others.

Not to get technical about it, but he did it with 25 dollars, a gym bag, a homeless shelter and food stamps.

Not to mention being articulate which likely helped his cause (his communcation skills were very evident in his answers in the interview.).

[Harlan Huckleby]

Horatio Alger, Jr. (January 13, 1832 – July 18, 1899) was a 19th-century American author who wrote approximately 135 dime novels. Many of his works have been described as rags to riches stories, illustrating how down-and-out boys might be able to achieve the American Dream of wealth and success through hard work, courage, determination, and concern for others. This widely-held view involves a significant simplification, as Alger's characters do not typically achieve extreme wealth; rather they attain middle-class security, stability, and a solid reputation — that is, their efforts are rewarded with a place in society, not domination of it. He is noted as a significant figure in the history of American cultural and social ideals, even though his novels are rarely read these days. As bestsellers in their own time, Alger's books rivaled those of Mark Twain in popularity.

The Horatio Alger mythology that poor people can all just pull themselves up by the bootstraps remains strong in the minds of some Americans. (Mostly people who aren't poor! )

[SkinBasket]

Shut up with your book talk blue dog. Where's my birdhouse?

[Harlan Huckleby]

I spent all afternoon on my first project.
I'm still getting the hang of it, I'll do much better one for you later.
I have plenty of time now to work on my new hobby.

[Harlan Huckleby]

For Ickes to claim that the people have spoken when Clinton was the only candidate on the ballot in Michigan requires a special brand of chutzpah. I think it is a big part of the reason why a lot of people don't like the Clintons even when they agree with them politically.

Overall the Clintons might be a bit dirtier than OBama. But it's by a shade. Hillary is not the new Richard Nixon that the Obama crowd are painting her as.

The Obama threats & gamemanship with SuperDelegates is not a lesser evil than the Clinton noise about Florida/Michigan. And BTW, Obama is funneling large sums of money from his overflowing warchest into the campaign funds of the SuperDelegates. "Yes We Can", indeed. I notice that titan of "Politics as Usual", Senator Robert Byrd, is first in line at the Obama trough.

The WI tracking polls took a swing in Obama's favor yesterday, up 13.
I need to stick to the birdhouses, I'm unenthusiastic about OBama representing the democrats, and there is no ethical leadership coming from Obama, Clinton or Dean. i would be excited about a Clinton upset today, but honestly, that would just lead the party into a meltdown.

[Scott Campbell]

I'm enjoying the meltdown of the Democratic party. It's entertaining, and takes the focus off our fearless leader George.

[sooner6600]

H.H.

Thanks for your Ragged Dick story; however do you have one on
spotted dick?

--------- -------- -------- -------- ----------

Open Question:

Are super delegates more equal that other delegatges?

Or is it just that the central committe of the supreme democrates
do not enjoy the great unwashed exercising their will?

Sign Me

Waiting for the meltdown

Oh by the way;

How many carbon credits will I have to buy to watch this remake of the
1968 convention?

[Freak Out]

I'm enjoying the meltdown of the Democratic party. It's entertaining, and takes the focus off our fearless leader George.

Melt down? Not really. The mud and knives may start to fly but in the end it will all come together.

Either way we'll be better off when it's all said and done and "the decider" and his gang of thugs gets the fucking boot.

[Partial]

yeah, and it will be great when the middle class gets smaller and smaller when the middle class pays for all the poor class' health insurance and all the government jobs get a pay increase.

The system is screwed up enough already. There should not have to be a lottery of hundreds and hundreds of people to be a mail man. That means they're paid far too well and the benefits are far too good that that many people are interested in it.

With dems in office and socialized health care we just might see Karl Marx proven wise as the masses become the proletariat and the rich become richer.

[Freak Out]

The system is screwed up enough already. There should not have to be a lottery of hundreds and hundreds of people to be a mail man. That means they're paid far too well and the benefits are far too good that that many people are interested in it.

They're paid to well? Ask Joe about that.

[Partial]

The system is screwed up enough already. There should not have to be a lottery of hundreds and hundreds of people to be a mail man. That means they're paid far too well and the benefits are far too good that that many people are interested in it.

They're paid to well? Ask Joe about that.

My city recently had a lottery for the position with over 400 applicants. They're paid far too well for what they do, the risks involved, and the amount of education required. You can live very, very, very comfortably on the income of a postal worker, especially when you factor in the government benefits and fat pension.

[Freak Out]

The system is screwed up enough already. There should not have to be a lottery of hundreds and hundreds of people to be a mail man. That means they're paid far too well and the benefits are far too good that that many people are interested in it.

They're paid to well? Ask Joe about that.

My city recently had a lottery for the position with over 400 applicants. They're paid far too well for what they do, the risks involved, and the amount of education required. You can live very, very, very comfortably on the income of a postal worker, especially when you factor in the government benefits and fat pension.

You have a problem with a postal worker living comfortably? I think the person that delivers my mail deserves more money!
As for the people that work in the sorting facilities I have no idea what they do but the person that delivers my mail does not have an easy job.

[Partial]

The system is screwed up enough already. There should not have to be a lottery of hundreds and hundreds of people to be a mail man. That means they're paid far too well and the benefits are far too good that that many people are interested in it.

They're paid to well? Ask Joe about that.

My city recently had a lottery for the position with over 400 applicants. They're paid far too well for what they do, the risks involved, and the amount of education required. You can live very, very, very comfortably on the income of a postal worker, especially when you factor in the government benefits and fat pension.

You have a problem with a postal worker living comfortably? I think the person that delivers my mail deserves more money!
As for the people that work in the sorting facilities I have no idea what they do but the person that delivers my mail does not have an easy job.

I have no problem with them living comfortably. 30k is comfortably on their own, or if they want to have a family have another working partner. Maybe more depending on what city. In Milwaukee, 30k is plenty, though. They have very easy jobs because they don't require education or a higher level of understanding of complex systems to work. I'm not ripping on mail men by any means, I know plenty of people who would take that job and that life in a heart beat!!

[GBRulz]

Partial, if you think post officer workers make too much, you would be appalled at what the state pays custodial jobs. $12-15 an hour plus bennies. Where as, if they didn't work for the government, they would probably make half that amount. To me, it sounds like you have a problem with the salaries the gov pays people more than anything else. I'm with you on that one. Especially in our fine state where Doyle can't manage a budget to save his life and it means one fee raise after the other.