At times it can be the economics as well. For instance, I turned down job offers in the neighborhood of 150,000/yr because they required that I live in a location that I was not willing to move to. Or they required travel. Or they required 24/7 onsite availability (a requirement in my last position and employer which caused me to leave). I made a decision when my daughter was born to be here as much as possible. Granted at times 'being there for my daughter' meant that I was working at home on a computer at night, but I was in essence there onsite with her. I settled in pay in order to be able to do that and with college 4 years away now I've often wondered if I made the right choice. Programmers here in my location make considerably less than they do only an hour away. Unless I had no other choice, I would not relocate and uproot my daughter from her school. Now, if I loss my job (for whatever reason) and had no options available here, I would of course relocate and force my daughter to move for survival reasons. Also, if no job was available to me I would do whatever it takes to make a living. I spent years as a waitress and I would to it again if necessary without hesitation. Yet I see others without a job for months because they would not settle for anything less than what they felt they were willing to accept. There is truth that your next job and salary will be dependent on what you make and do in your current position, but survival is survival. You do what is necessary.



>Tracy, I doubt the U.S. is any different from Canada in some regards. The 'American Dream' is more open to some than to others. You saw what was going on in France, and I know we all like to think that it "can't happen here", but the truth is that there are people in Canada who simply are not given the same opportunities as others, and I imagine that is also true of the U.S. Probably the largest group discriminated against in Canada is the Native population. To say every individual can accomplish whatever they can dream of and that guaranteed human rights really works the way it was intended is, imho, a little off the mark. I often think how lucky I am not to have been born a member of a visible minority.
>
>I agree that the individual may be able to 'make it' with enough drive and ambition, but for some, there must be drive and ambition above and beyond what you or I might need to succeed.
>
>I hate that it is like this, but reality keeps intruding.
>
>I wholly agree with you that people can get stuck in a way of life that is extremely difficult to climb out of, and in fact, to some extent that can even be almost hereditary. Far too often the children follow in the footsteps of the parents.
>
>I don't know where Canada stands on the list. I think it's fairly high up, but for far too many people, that list is a mockery.
>
>>I will admit that the U.S. is one of the best locations to live and have the opportunity to succeed and live the 'American Dream.' Almost every door is open and every individual can accomplish just about anything they can dream of. That, along with guaranteed human rights and freedom of speech is why so many from other nations around the world flock here to this day. Having stated that, it is also one of our many problems. It is entirely up to every individual to have the drive, ambition, dedication, and discipline to succeed. If you don't have it, then you will be one of the many in the 'below the poverty line.' I worked two jobs while attending college. It can be done. I am not a major success but I do well. Our government welfare programs still (even after many changes) lock the individual in the system. After all, if I am a single mother with 4 kids (thank goodness I am not) and I can have money and foodstamps and not have to pay for childcare because I stay at home all
>>day or I work for minimmum wage and the government provides my childcare what would be the enticement to work for 25% more if the entire 25% increase in income was lost due to childcare costs or food after I no longer qualified for foodstamps or government childcare? There is a section in income that is almost impossible to break out of once you find yourself in it.
>>
>>>>The U.S. may not be number 1 in the quality of life list, but it is number 10. Simply because we have too many people living at or below the poverty level. I agree with you on that one completely. For a wealthy country, we have a lot of poor folks. Still, I count number 10 as being in the top of the list.
>>>
>>>I saw some statistics that indicated 16th, but I recognize it is difficult to measure. Yes, in your country the is a tremendous gap between rich and poor, which I presonally regard as something bad. We have to go back at least a century to see that division in europe. The Question of course is why did we move away from it? Is it a better model?
>>>
>>>Walter,