General Discussion

wickerwoman

(5,662 posts)

103. It depends on the parents.

Sat Dec 12, 2015, 07:10 PM

Dec 2015

I know what you're trying to say, but sorry it just irritates me when people make generalisations like "decent people take care of their parents". Some people were abused or abandoned or raped by their parents. Some people were kicked out of their homes for being gay or not falling in line with their parents' religion or falling in love with someone their racist parents didn't approve of. Some people had parents who stole from them or hit their other parents or have substance abuse issues or are compulsive gamblers or belong to cults. I don't make judgements about other people based on relationships where I can only see the slightest tip of the iceberg or where I am clearly only hearing one side of the story.

There are any number of reasons why an adult may choose not to financially support their parents. I think that's their business and doesn't mean they aren't a "decent" person.

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Ok, so people are supposed to save for their retirement AND for their children's college fund???? [View all] a kennedy Dec 2015 OP

Yes. And when everyone does it the news runs articles about how the economy is dying Brickbat Dec 2015 #1

And the teaparty, 95% of which are middle to lower middle class, are arguing in FAVOR randys1 Dec 2015 #2

+1 fleur-de-lisa Dec 2015 #67

Don't forget to take care of your parents, people. Octafish Dec 2015 #3

If I may expand on this a little. malokvale77 Dec 2015 #82

It depends on the parents. wickerwoman Dec 2015 #103

You are right. malokvale77 Dec 2015 #112

I went the way you did. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Dec 2015 #4

We decided to become parents fairly late... meaculpa2011 Dec 2015 #53

Are you saying that people who DO decide to have children are not intelligent? pangaia Dec 2015 #108

What I'm saying is Erich Bloodaxe BSN Dec 2015 #110

HUH? What in the world are you talking about. pangaia Dec 2015 #111

I'm talking about the weird ass things I often get accused of on DU. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Dec 2015 #113

Well apparently we in the middle class just did not work hard enough truedelphi Dec 2015 #5

Savings aren't taxed 1939 Dec 2015 #55

The point is with tax-deferred contributions you are only taxed once vs taxable savings accounts JonLeibowitz Dec 2015 #78

Money you earn before you put it into a savings account is taxed, whereas many retirement money truedelphi Dec 2015 #104

You pay a penalty for early withdrawal 1939 Dec 2015 #121

Conservatives in both parties destroyed the middle class Warpy Dec 2015 #6

^^^^^^^^^^^^^this! Phlem Dec 2015 #27

Add to that our disastrous trade policies that pit American middle JDPriestly Dec 2015 #52

Don't forget the for-profit-prison system, CrispyQ Dec 2015 #66

Me either. JDPriestly Dec 2015 #80

"where inmates work for slave wages & in some cases, work for free to get time off their sentence" malokvale77 Dec 2015 #84

I'm interested. CrispyQ Dec 2015 #85

Let me start with this... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #87

Children are incredibly expensive even without college FLPanhandle Dec 2015 #7

You do realize that people were having children long before the monetary system was created. nt Live and Learn Dec 2015 #9

and they didn't have to pay for food, clothing, education, entertainment, medical expenses, etc. nt FLPanhandle Dec 2015 #13

So, you want to make having children contigent on one's salary? Live and Learn Dec 2015 #14

... Arugula Latte Dec 2015 #16

Yep, some here are in need of those Christmas ghosts too. nt Live and Learn Dec 2015 #19

Childre are expensive FLPanhandle Dec 2015 #22

As is self-existence. LanternWaste Dec 2015 #116

No, but people need to understand what a massive financial commitment having a child requires FLPanhandle Dec 2015 #18

Or, we could implement policies as a society that ensure fairness and the sucess of our children. Live and Learn Dec 2015 #20

Maybe but that is not the reality of the situation today FLPanhandle Dec 2015 #21

Telling people not to have children just isn't a realistic solution. nt Live and Learn Dec 2015 #23

I would say ignoring reality isn't a realistic or logical solution either. FLPanhandle Dec 2015 #38

Really? You have a 100% effective and easily affordable birth control method? Live and Learn Dec 2015 #39

I am nostalgic for the time when people were ashamed to say shit like this in public Blecht Dec 2015 #28

Facts aren't fascist FLPanhandle Dec 2015 #35

Financial security is never guaranteed, children or not. nt Live and Learn Dec 2015 #40

I'm not upset. Blecht Dec 2015 #44

Fascists would control who has children. FLPanhandle Dec 2015 #70

"20. Or, we could implement policies...that ensure fairness and the sucess of our children" MadDAsHell Dec 2015 #26

No, but we can study the brain to find solutions. In fact, we are. Live and Learn Dec 2015 #31

Please explain how to save for a house, their college, retirement and unexpected contingencies stevenleser Dec 2015 #69

Whoa... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #88

I dont support such a candidate. nt stevenleser Dec 2015 #117

Just a thought... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #86

+1 wickerwoman Dec 2015 #107

Yes... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #115

Of course not. Someone else should work to pay dumbcat Dec 2015 #8

Or, our taxes could go to paying such things instead of oil wars for corporations. Live and Learn Dec 2015 #10

+ 1,000 eom fleur-de-lisa Dec 2015 #74

Just curious . . . fleur-de-lisa Dec 2015 #73

LOL. nt malokvale77 Dec 2015 #90

I'm guessing that the first half of the name isn't a coincidence. eom fleur-de-lisa Dec 2015 #91

This message was self-deleted by its author malokvale77 Dec 2015 #94

Sorry fleur-de-lisa... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #122

WTF? nt malokvale77 Dec 2015 #89

Was that supposed to be meaningful dumbcat Dec 2015 #118

K&R The next generations are going to suffer even more. If something isn't done, unrest will be Live and Learn Dec 2015 #11

^^^ this ^^^ malokvale77 Dec 2015 #93

Don't forget greymattermom Dec 2015 #12

No, dummy! Quantess Dec 2015 #15

The jobs that used to be handled by four people are now done by one.... Spitfire of ATJ Dec 2015 #17

Yep, and the prductivity gains only went to the 1%. nt Live and Learn Dec 2015 #32

I've likened it to busting your ass for your boss to get a multi-million dollar deal.... Spitfire of ATJ Dec 2015 #45

It is even worse than that. You will get a pick slip for your efforts as he moves the Live and Learn Dec 2015 #58

Or he sells it to Romney. Spitfire of ATJ Dec 2015 #63

Heaping insult upon insult. nt Live and Learn Dec 2015 #65

I'm thinking... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #95

Only in a few states 1939 Dec 2015 #56

It wasn't the cost of a house. Spitfire of ATJ Dec 2015 #64

It definitely wasn't the cost of the rest of your life. nt malokvale77 Dec 2015 #96

come on its simple - save for these basic accounts airplaneman Dec 2015 #24

Health Savings Accounts hibbing Dec 2015 #30

and dont pay taxes on it. mopinko Dec 2015 #33

assumes you can do that hibbing Dec 2015 #34

you are going to fork over the money one way or another. mopinko Dec 2015 #37

My employer dumped an HRA for an HSA this year. airplaneman Dec 2015 #49

What a heartbreaking post. CrispyQ Dec 2015 #68

Except... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #97

A complicit Third Way strain. Phlem Dec 2015 #25

"Let's promote and steep in Social Justice but be Republicans on Economics Justice for 40+ years." CrispyQ Dec 2015 #71

Knowing the whole time ... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #101

And don't forget healthcare savings accounts elmac Dec 2015 #29

This message was self-deleted by its author IHateTheGOP Dec 2015 #36

and tell your kids to join the armed services in order to get a college education... CTyankee Dec 2015 #61

How about... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #102

I'm already retired and got no kids. Ain't got no money either. hobbit709 Dec 2015 #41

I just retired... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #105

..........and pay the taxes the corporations are refusing to pay SamKnause Dec 2015 #42

Bingo! eom fleur-de-lisa Dec 2015 #99

Sounds like the... malokvale77 Dec 2015 #106

There are several problems about college these days. SheilaT Dec 2015 #43

Boom- Great post! redstateblues Dec 2015 #81

Yes Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #46

I have accepted that I will retire under a freeway overpass. PowerToThePeople Dec 2015 #47

Please don't jump. malokvale77 Dec 2015 #109

I am not a slave. PowerToThePeople Dec 2015 #119

Sorry that came off sounding like that. malokvale77 Dec 2015 #123

Middle class got shipped overseas. When it became cheaper to produce outside the USA Waldorf Dec 2015 #48

Good thread title but needs amending................. Jim Beard Dec 2015 #50

so you are a debtor and then you become indebted to save a smidgeon for something CTyankee Dec 2015 #60

Great thread... Docreed2003 Dec 2015 #51

What happened to the American middle class? Ronnie Raygun. n/t Hepburn Dec 2015 #54

What world do these people live in? AngryOldDem Dec 2015 #57

Five years before I actually did retire I remember we had those college savings accouts CTyankee Dec 2015 #59

College needs to be free or nearly so. alarimer Dec 2015 #62

We got fucked backwards, forwards and sideways! fleur-de-lisa Dec 2015 #72

We unchained the capitalist monster, and it is dragging us back to the 19th century. reformist2 Dec 2015 #75

We're putting our kid through parochial school RandySF Dec 2015 #76

if people don't save for their retirement and kid's college hill2016 Dec 2015 #77

Look to socialist western Europe for your answer...the answer is strong social programs CTyankee Dec 2015 #83

if people don't save for their retirement and kid's college hill2016 Dec 2015 #98

they won't unless it is part of the taxation system. That is what Europeans do. CTyankee Dec 2015 #100

Also, you're supposed to spend, spend, spend on the latest gadgets to keep the economy Arugula Latte Dec 2015 #79

not to mention Carolina Dec 2015 #92

Simple answer: Don't have children. El Supremo Dec 2015 #114

I'm old enough to remember when that was possible. winter is coming Dec 2015 #120