America Won't Get Rich by Relying on the Permanent Poor

Townhall.com ^ | April 18, 2012 | Ben Shapiro

[ClearCase_guy]

Yet more evidence that the values of Social Conservatism are really the values of Fiscal Conservatism. If you want a strong economy, promote traditional social values: hard-work, stable families, real education, moral behavior.

[susannah59]

That prom night figure amazes me. Maybe it’s because I don’t have daughters, but I don’t understand. What on Earth do you spend over $2K for, on a prom??

[New Jersey Realist]

There is poverty because kids aren’t finishing school, live in one parent households, and in the case of blacks, a hatred of whites. LBJ’s war on poverty was a non-winner from the start. Money doesn’t help them.

[cripplecreek]

America will get rich by returning to an America similar to the one our founders built. Minimal government where any man could find his groove and get by or make his fortune as he saw fit.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

My rented tux back in 1967 cost $30.

[Texas Eagle]

And yet President Obama believes it is. In fact, he thinks that if we distribute income to the lowest economic rung, we'll somehow build our nation's wealth.

No. In fact, he doesn't. That's just boob bait for the bubbleheads.

He knows damn well what he's doing. He's intentionally trying to get as many people addicted to government as possible so-as to enslave and control them.

[yldstrk]

Let’s not forget thrift.

[Will88]

What on Earth do you spend over $2K for, on a prom??

My prom nights cost about $30.00 for a corsage and a little gasoline. We wore whatever suit we already had. Some girls did buy new dresses so I guess the cost for girls was higher.

These days guys rent tuxedos and sometimes limos, plus many check into a hotel for the night, also. And the girls really go all out on the dresses, shoes and accessories. There's probably more.

[randog]

What on Earth do you spend over $2K for, on a prom??

That has me puzzled, too. My first thought is that it's a poor family's best opportunity to get their daughter married off...??

[9YearLurker]

I’d imagine prom tickets, restaurant meals, limos (yuck!), hotel rooms, tuxes, etc., for the guys; dresses and accessories, beauty parlor/spa visits, etc., for the girls, but still that is amazing.

I guess the more working class you are the bigger the deal high school graduation is. Still, this is rank stupidity.

[count-your-change]

Let’s see....$100 for a dress and $1900 for legal fees and fines when the kid has a wreck while drunk.

[seton89]

A pathetic search for identity in the wilderness of bad taste.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

I have a close relative who has filed for bankruptcy twice, and who is currently struggling financially and very worried about the future. She and her husband (who has already been treated for a smoking-related cancer) both continue to smoke, and in the state that they live in it probably costs them $9/pk or more. Between the two of them they therefore probably spend at least $25-30/day for tobacco. They could easily be spending $8,000 - $10,000 per year on this habit.

In addition, there are lotto ticket purchases, eating out at family restaurants frequently, online and TV shopping purchases etc. I'm not being judgmental, but what was said in this article about making bad choices is definitely true.

[Mister Da]

“What on Earth do you spend over $2K for, on a prom??”

$500 dress
$200 shoes
$200 Hair & nails
$200 costume jewelry
$200 limo
$200 dinner at fancy restaurant
$100 flowers
$200 after prom party
$200 champagne & drinks
$10 Pepto & aspirin
$2010 total

(potential $500 to bail bondsman)

Just looking at these numbers, it is easy to imagine they could double or triple.

[driftless2]

I think a study of the chronically poor of America would reveal many families with parents or parent who spend a lot of their money on frivolous items. How many smoke, drink, rent movies, buy unnecessary things? I would bet a large amount. My parents weren’t frivolous, but they were both heavy smokers. They argued about money but did’t consider the money they spent on cigarettes as frivolous. We didn’t starve, and my father was a hard worker who eventually made more money. But I have no doubt many poor families never consider the ways they spend/waste money.

[Freddd]

The poor put it on high interest credit cards, paying then, 3 times more..(until they default and taxpayers bail it out)

[larryjohnson]

My grandson, for the second year, is wearing my 25 year old tux,shirt,tie.cummerbund,studs, and cufflinks to his prom and to his girlfriend’s.

[Mercat]

Our daughter borrowed a dress. Because she went in spite of the fact that she was on deep double down grounded/probation, she got no money from us at all. Our sons I think we gave each of them a couple hundred for a tux and mad money and the loan of a car although the younger one wanted to drive his 18 year old Dodge van with the clear plastic roof. Can’t imagine why.

He was stopped at 2:00 a.m. for a right turn on red without stopping and even though he was in this old van and had hair to the middle of his back, that’s all they charged him for. In other words, he was clean and sober and had just dropped off his girl friend. The other one borrowed my Miata and his date almost fell out of her topless dress getting into it. LOL. Memories.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-—My grandson, for the second year, is wearing my 25 year old tux,shirt,tie.cummerbund,studs, and cufflinks to his prom and to his girlfriend’s.-—

He wouldn’t want to wear the one I wore in 1979. LOL