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

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

[Jeff Chandler]

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

Some idiots pay to let their princesses pretend to be rich and famous: limo, VERY expensive dress, VERY expensive meal, HOTEL ROOM????!!

The irony is the fact that it's really all very low class behavior.

[astounded]

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

In 1973 I wore a purple crushed velvet tux with a pink ruffled shirt and purple velvet cummerbunder. I can’t remember the shoes exactly, but I think they were white with platform heels. I looked like a friggin’ white pimp....and was able to signify with the few black dudes who attended my high school. There is a photo somewhere, but I recall it is rather scary...

[redgolum]

My wife teaches high school, and they have a large daycare.

Most kids coming from a single parent household will follow a similar pattern. This is spreading faster than you can believe.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

Lolz! You win!

[Jeff Chandler]

In 1973 I wore a purple crushed velvet tux with a pink ruffled shirt and purple velvet cummerbunder. I can’t remember the shoes exactly, but I think they were white with platform heels. I looked like a friggin’ white pimp

Suddenly I am no longer embarrassed about the idiotic getup I wore to the prom. Compared to you I was a regular Beau Brummel.

The 70s were truly a lost decade.

[Tamar1973]

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.

Yes, there's more, including the professional photos taken at the prom to have a permanent record of that $1000 dress, shoes and purse ensemble.

[Will88]

Yep, I forgot the professional photos, and someone else pointed out that prom night now includes a fancy, pre-prom meal for many.

[susannah59]

It's low class and absurd.

All that, for pictures that 20 or 30 years from now other people will laugh at as "bad prom pictures!"

[Smokin' Joe]

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

What do they spend money on? A fancy gown (bought, not a rental), expensive restaurant dinner, limo rental ('cause the family beater is too beat--if there is one), flowers, nails, hair, photographer, etc...

For those who have little, going nuts and bingeing on special occasions gives an aura of importance and is commonplace, but economically destructive overall.

[Smokin' Joe]

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.

A good, conservative suit, made of the best material you can afford, will rotate in and out of style, but can last a lifetime. I still have the one I got as a graduation present, (I'm not saying it fits now, OK), but I wore it twenty years ago to testify at a State Senate subcomittee hearing on a Bill, and was better dressed than the legislators.