Responsibility...where's yours?

1. 81

   NateSeanposted 14 years ago

   I see a lot of forum topics blaming Obama for whatever. Before Obama it was Bush, before bush it was Clinton and Bush Sr. and I'm sure if the Internet had been around then, there'd be threads blaming Lincoln for their financial situations.
   
   The question I have is where is your personal responsibility? Where in these threads do I see "I've been having a hard time saving my money. I spend too impulsively and then I lost my job and I didn't have anything left."
   
   Yeah, see, that was my situation. Didn't have a thing to do with Obama, Bush or any other official of the government.
   
   So, how much personal responsibility are you taking for your situation before you blame a guy you probably never met?

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      lady_love158posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      My personal situation is fine and I'm responsible for it being so. Now having to work six months a year just to pay taxes is NOT my fault. Since Obama became president he's increased the money supply by 50% effectively reducing MY purchasing power... that again was not something I had control over!

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         DonDWestposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Well, you see Lady_love, if you were personally responsible and emulated the rich as you often espouse, you would discover there are methods to shelter from paying the taxes you so despise. And please don't tell me you're paying those taxes from the bottom of your heart. . .

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            Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Don has a point, Lalo.  If you are in a good situation, you should review your financials to see what you can do to lower your tax bracket.

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               lovemychrisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Standard procedure for the Capitalists...I got mine, now let me get more!!!
               
               I have had the same job at basically the same pay for 10 yrs.
               2003 was the beginning of the end for my fam, as prices and fees went through the roof. Property taxes are pretty reasonable here, but when Romney came in and said "No new taxes", the price of everything went sky-high, and the fees for services went ballistic.
               I just went to work, took care of my family, that is all. We do not live high.
               
               I did see alot of greed around here..all over. Huge Hummers, huge trucks, etc. I used to think to myself, how many soldiers have to die for you to drive that?
               
               Banks are to blame, and the SEC (or whichever) that let them run wild. They saw a chance to get rich and they took it, and nobody stopped them.

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2. 61

   BillyDRitchieposted 14 years ago

   I think this is quite possibly the best post on these forums in a long time.  Too many of us look to the almighty imperial government for our well being and prosperity when in fact no matter who is in the White House it is ultimately up to us to make our own way and rise or fall, based on the decisions we make and whether or not we behave in a responsible manner when it comes to time, talent, and money.

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      NateSeanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you. *Takes a bow*
      
      I've brought a lot of things on myself. And believe me, it's tempting to blame someone else for it. Lately I've become very good at resisting the urge.

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      Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Talent? I don't think so.
      
      Education sure. Talent has nothing to do with it. One's ability to adapt is based on what is learned.

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      1. 61

         BillyDRitchieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Of course talent.  We are all given talents, abilities, things that we can do and do well.  Those who make the most of those abilities, through a combination of hard work, education, and wise decision making, will do well.
         
         I'm not sure I grasp where talent would not play a role in someone's success....

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            dingdondingdonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Do you think the reality tv stars making millions are talented then?

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            1. 81

               NateSeanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Straw man argument. Reality TV "Stars" don't have to present any real skills at all outside of what the audience finds entertaining. Youtube is full of "reality" stars.

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3. 61

   gifty1posted 14 years ago

   That is one problem with our modern society, We don't take blame for any problems. We have to recognised what measures are being taken to tackle an existing poblem and also consider what ways we can help. Obama is one person, Bush is also one person, clinton is another individual,so does of us who blame them for everything SHAME UNTO YOU. And always remember UNITED WE STAND.
   QUIT IT>

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4. 65

   Daniel Carterposted 14 years ago

   Until we become a part of the solution, we are a part of the problem. Being a victim is escaping responsibility to fix the problem ourselves. When we decide we no longer need to be a victim, we empower ourselves to reclaim our life, and thus enable others to do the same.

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5. 59

   Doug Hughesposted 14 years ago

   Nothing like posting your preconceived notions despite the facts.
   
   Real income for the middle class fell through all the Bush years. In a lot of cases, and we all saw it, the middle class survived on the third income of refinancing the equity in their homes. Save? How?
   
   Courtesy of Wall Street greed, not only is that third income gone, so is home ownership for tens of millions, who lost their homes.  But wingnuts want to blame the victim, and protect the criminals who spawned the economic tragedy.

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      NateSeanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      "Nothing like posting your preconceived notions despite the facts." Said the Pot to the Kettle.

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      logic,commonsenseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      How long does Bush have to be out of office before you get over him?
      Sure Wall Street greed had a lot to do with the issues we've faced, but Dodd and his 'wingnuts' forcing the financial community into the position of giving loans to people who could not afford them had a lot to do with it as well.  People who could not and would not be responsible have made it hard on the rest of us.  How many out there were tickled to death when they made double digit returns of their 401K etc., but blame Wall Street when things don't go their way?
      Unregulated speculation in the equities and the commodities have made a lot of people money on the way up, but the ride down has made a lot of people uncomfortable.
      Bailing out the firms that caused the mess was a huge mistake.  They will do it again, just in another form.  Need to let them fail if they do things that cause failure.

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6. 60

   knolyourselfposted 14 years ago

   I take no responsibility. Try to make me take responsibility for the crimes of others? That's called blame shift. Guilt empowerment. I am a guilty somebody. Rather I am a not-guilty nobody.

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7. 76

   Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

   When the world around you comes crumbling down,
   it doesn't really matter if it was an earthquake, a global financial meltdown, your company paring down to the bone or just a string of bad decisions on your own part that caused the situation. The situation is real and calls for action.
   
   Many, many, many of us have been affected negatively by the economy in the past 3 years. Jobs (whole industries,even) have simply gone away and are not coming back. How do you deal with that? Flexibility and creativity and willingness to reinvent yourself -- and that still may not be enough!
   
   If you lost your house, I'm really sorry. Predatory lending works (or worked) because people who want something real bad can be easily duped. For God's sake. You're making probably the biggest financial decision of your LIFE and you blindly believe you can afford a $500K house because the initial interest payment is 1% with 0% down???
   If you signed the contract, you have a part in the failure, too.
   
   The question I believe the OP is asking is what are you doing differently to make your life better. Perhaps another way of asking it is if you take away all the external factors that caused or contributed to your current situation, what are YOU doing about fixing it? (Hope I've interpreted this right, NateSean!) MM

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      NateSeanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Very dead on MM.
      
      But alas, it seems the answer many people still want to give is: Nope. Someone else's fault.

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      logic,commonsenseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I'm starting to like you!

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8. 60

   knolyourselfposted 14 years ago

   I lost money playing stocks on line. That's may fault and I alone am responsible. Have met people who lost vast amounts of money in the stock market. That's there fault not mine.

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9. 76

   Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

   Uh oh, LCS... that's a scary thought!
   
   I'm fortunate enough to own boots and am just now figuring out how the bootstraps work

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10. 58

    BillWest165posted 14 years ago

    I see the lefties here still blaming Bush for everything.
    What about the Dems who controlled Fannie Mae that insisted on giving a mortgage to everyone in the country whether they could afford or or not.
    Standard left answer to everything. It's Bush's fault.

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       wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Ssshhhh!  That politicians are, at the root, the cause of the housing problem is not an acceptable subject.  It is being well buried so we can all blame the bankers.

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