Somtimes it's Better not to Rescue a Boat

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by GoingWalkabout

So I will say what I really think. He is typical of the leftwing immoral people who think everyone owes them something. They use extortion as a way of life. It's built into their DNA. Take (extort) money from the rich so that I can have more without working for it, mentality.

The bit where you associate left wing political leanings with immorality and greed is just offensive, quite frankly. Perhaps you might consider that it is the left wing who are in favour of using taxation to provide a safety net for the poor. Is it selfish to be willing to sacrifice some of my income so that the less fortunate don't starve?

Having lived in the UK when it was quite socialist, and lived through Thatcher's market reforms, and then in the US, I would say there is a strong association between capitalism and the free market and greed. I saw how much greedier the UK gradually became.

I'm a strong believer in the ideal country being a balance between capitalism and socialism. The UK has various measures like the National Health Service which would be considered socialist, but also a true free market economy, and this balance works very well.

Of course, there are two sides to every coin. It is selfless to be prepared to subsidize the poor, but selfish to want to live off the state and not work. But I know where I'd rather live, in the fairer society.

[Caribbeachbum]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I just have to look out my kitchen window in Massachusetts to see plenty of that mentality..... A-hole with EBT in one hand 24 pack of beer in the other, free Obama cell phone in one pocket, blue Mass food stamp card in the other.

Ridiculous. You have never seen this. No one has. If you must resort to mendacity to support your position, perhaps you should reconsider your position.

[a64pilot]

OK, there are abuses in EVERY system, nothing is perfect.
Lets get over the political concerns and get back to cruising related please?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Caribbeachbum

Ridiculous. You have never seen this. No one has. If you must resort to mendacity to support your position, perhaps you should reconsider your position.

My friend,

While at home in the hood, I see it every day, I wish it wasn't so. We also have a HUGE heroin problem in the immediate area. Of course, you'd need to come out of the burbs and travel into the hood to see it first hand. Initially there might be some shock, but my wife, I and Smith & Wesson get used to it.

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

My friend,

While at home in the hood, I see it every day, I wish it wasn't so. We also have a HUGE heroin problem in the immediate area. Of course, you'd need to come out of the burbs and travel into the hood to see it first hand. Initially there might be some shock, but my wife, I and Smith & Wesson get used to it.

And you're seeing this in one of the worlds most capitalist societies. I'm sure you also see this in Sweden, or Venezuala. As a64pilot said, every society has its fair share of people like that.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

And you're seeing this in one of the worlds most capitalist societies. I'm sure you also see this in Sweden, or Venezuala. As a64pilot said, every society has its fair share of people like that.

There are good people in our neighborhood, I never said there wasn't. But there's been a definite shift over the past ten years, and now there's maybe 40% moochin' off handouts, the other 60% mind their own business and head to work every day trying to look the other way.

But drug use has definitely increased, and there are plenty of statistics to back it up. It's not right wing or left wing.... it's the way it is.

[four winds]

A quick aside... the "Obama phone" comes from the Lifeline Assistance Program which issued the first cell phones during the Bush Administration several months before Obama's election.

However, that program dates back to Clinton's time and the subsidy of landlines for the poor.

All funded from the Universal Access fee on phone bills which dates back to the Reagan Administration.

Which came about to address a mandate from the Telecom Act from 1934 to provide reliable, efficient communication to all Americans.

[Caribbeachbum]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

My friend,

While at home in the hood, I see it every day, I wish it wasn't so. We also have a HUGE heroin problem in the immediate area. Of course, you'd need to come out of the burbs and travel into the hood to see it first hand. Initially there might be some shock, but my wife, I and Smith & Wesson get used to it.

I live in the center of downtown and there are losers and panhandlers within 10 paces of my front door. I suspect I've seen far more misery, poverty, suffering, crime, and corruption than you have, and than most people here have. I employ (and care about) people who, by virtue of having children, receive EBT and food stamps. The point I was making, and always want to make, is that deception and hyperbole like in your post does harm to America and turns the political discourse into an embarrassment.

An EBT card looks like a Visa card, you can't recognize it in someone's hand, especially when looking out your window; likewise the food stamp card in someone's pocket; and the phone might or might not be part of the Lifeline Assistance Program -- they aren't marked "OBAMAPHONE," and you probably couldn't read it from more than a few feet away if they were.

Of course, saying "some people abuse the safety net and I'd like to see more enforcement" doesn't have the same effect or create the same level of outrage as the way you said it.

-

[charliehows]

you're a crazy dude baot-alex,but I'm glad you've made it across yet another ocean. I often wonder myself when in some of these places "if the cops are busy stealing who's chasing the crooks?" Hope your luck holds out trying to play them at their own game.

[markpierce]

I'm not towing anyone beyond a rowboat or kayak. Not set up for a strenuous tow. Possibly one of these days will observe a floating/dead human, but I'll call it in and hang around for the authorities to deal with it.

[Snowpetrel]

It is truly sad that so many here seem to want to push their own political opinions on to a sailing forum. It is a version of trolling and Kenomac, you consistently seem to be one of the worst in my opinion.

At least BA is out their sailing around the world on a small simple modest boat, with a limited budget. Good on him.

[four winds]

Agree with Snowpetral, that taking any opportunity to insert a political stance into a thread is ......... can't find the word......well, not good.

Old traditional values? What about not talking about politics or religion in public.

Or not judging others.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

It is truly sad that so many here seem to want to push their own political opinions on to a sailing forum. It is a version of trolling and Kenomac, you consistently seem to be one of the worst in my opinion.

At least BA is out their sailing around the world on a small simple modest boat, with a limited budget. Good on him.

Good on you


Seems bad manners aren't limited to St. Lucia.

Matt

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by GoingWalkabout

So I will say what I really think. He is typical of the leftwing immoral people who think everyone owes them something. They use extortion as a way of life. It's built into their DNA. Take (extort) money from the rich so that I can have more without working for it, mentality.

And the other side of the coin:

..typical of the rightwing immoral people who think they can steal everything from anybody. They use extortion and lies as a way of life. It's built into their DNA. They (extort) money from the poor and invade countries for their own greed and profit. They eliminate taxes on themselves so that they can have more and share nothing, in many cases without working for it by sitting behind their desks.

Let's get back to sailing, extremism in the defense of anything makes no sense.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by four winds

Agree with Snowpetral, that taking any opportunity to insert a political stance into a thread is ......... can't find the word......well, not good.

Old traditional values? What about not talking about politics or religion in public.

Or not judging others.

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but the two things that can affect almost every aspect of your lives are Politics and Religion. So where in the world has this idea come from that we are not allowed to talk about two of the things that drive humanity (for better or worse) in public? To me that's crazy...but hey...I am crazy to start with anyway.

Then about Judging others...what?
So I can't look at a person and their actions and make an assessment if it is good or bad? Really? That's the world we now live in where everyone's actions are equal because we are too cowardly as a people to take a stand for what we believe in? It's not ok to judge someone who rapes and murders? Someone who helps other cruisers for FREE is not allowed to be held up as an example of who we should be because it offends the sensibilities of someone who seeks profit in helping others? It's not ok to judge HiLiary for abandoning the US Ambassador in Lybia (threw that one in there just for fun).

The United States wasn't founded on old traditional values of remaining silent to injustices...someone has to speak truth to power, even if the Mob doesn't want to hear it.

Ah...oppps....fall....damn it...fell off the Soap Box and skinned my knee. What was life like before the internet, as another thread asks? Well you could only offend those you knew back then. Now with the hit of a "Post" button you can offend people all around the world that you would have never met before...imagine the possibilities...

Now that's just funny....at least to me anyway...but remember I'm crazy.