I agree with you for the most part. I also worked hard from a fairly young age and don't think it did me a bit of harm. (I am just coming into my lazy years now ;-) ). The one thing I disagree with in your message is about there being a disparity in work ethic between north and south. I think it is more a case of changing times. When you lived in Wisconsin American teenagers in general were more likely to work (or less lazy, if you want to put it that way). Now you live in the south and are attributing the work ethic you see to geography rather than changing times.

My older daughter turns 16 Saturday and is sadly an example of what I perceive as typical teenage attitudes. Her mom and I continually encourage her to work and make some money. She has no interest whatsoever, wants everything handed to her. (We don't). She actually had a job for a while last year, which to me was a great job for a 15 year old. She was making around $7/hour working in a local fast food joint in Lake Geneva, which is within walking distance of her house. She basically blew it off within three months. It was taking too much time away from watching TV, IMing her friends, surfing the internet, etc. "The boss doesn't care anything about the workers," she said. "Get used to it!!!" I wanted to yell at her. I did say it, without yelling, but I don't think it made any impression.


>I would really like to see everyone in this country living a life that is safe, free, economically viable, and includes free healthcare and basic needs. However, I have a problem with the majority of our society in the lower income levels - I have been there and seen it firsthand in many cities myself. Too many have no drive and determination to do anything but would rather get everything for free. I believe in the merit program - you get what you earn. It is almost impossible to find teenagers today to work in fast food restaurants. They are lazy and do not want to do it. Let alone work in a shoe or chicken factory. My mother worked in many factories earlier in life and it was hard work. I spent my early years working on a farm. We got up at 4:30am and worked til the sun went down when we were not in school. Today, you can't find people with the work ethic and drive to do it. I have noticed a huge disparity in work ethic between the North and South of the U.S. It is
>amazing. I don't know if it is the German/Scandinavian ancestry, but in Wisconsin and Minnesota the average person worked much much harder than down here in the South. They were more reliable as well. Am I discriminating? No, I am recounting my personal experience.
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>>>No, that would be Sweden (as far as quality of life and setting the best example):
>>>http://www.vexen.co.uk/countries/best.html
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>>That a great link.
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>>>But then Sweden is a social democratic state (as well as the Netherlands if I remember correctly from school). They also enjoy the highest tax revenues and one of the lowest inequality in income levels. (I guess that means most are average :o) It really is income redistribution in a sense.
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>>I know that the redistribution of income bothers the right wing since they see it as counter to things like individual initiative. But for most people in a society and society in general income redistribution is a good thing. One might say the great equalizer. This is one of the reasons that I'm centre-left my politics. I still have to formulate my ideas, and post why conservatism is illogical.