It is interesting to ponder the dynamic here. You being a coach, unless you won the lottery, have another job with a high income, come from a wealthy family or your wife makes a lot of money, I suspect you aren't in the top 1%....probably far from it. I have noticed that there seem to be a goodly number of middle and low income folks who seem to want to champion the case for the super wealthy some of whom are hanging on to their money like King Midas. I find this fascinating.
When I was canvassing for political candidates I supported in the election last month, I found it interesting that many of the Republican houses appeared to be at the low end of the financial spectrum for the neighborhood I was in. Some of these homes were littered with broken cars and various other castoffs in the front of the property, with a Romney sign sticking out of the mess or a Romney banner across the front of their house. I don't get it. It seems like a case of the pot calling the kettle black....people who seem to be at poverty's doorstep, complaining about other disadvantaged folks while embracing the propaganda of the rich.
I like to believe I am a "middle of the road" kinda of guy. I usually make every attempt to look at things from various perspectives. This makes sense to me because I am neither wealthy nor poor. I have never received public assistance, although I was broke once when I was 18 years old and had to ask my aunt to help me out (does this count?). When I worked, I made decent money and as a retired person I can pay my bills, what few I have, and still enjoy a few comforts or luxuries, but I am not going to purchase a Jag or take a cruise around the world anytime soon. I have friends and family who are very well off (my aunt was) and I have a sister who is barely scraping by and whose rent I paid this month because she couldn't. I doubt I am unique with regards to personally knowing people from all walks of life, both rich and poor.
There are and probably always have been folk who would rather scam the system or even stand on a freeway on ramp looking pathetic while panhandling for a living. There have always been people who spend much of their lives living in luxury either as a result of their own efforts or those of their forefathers. And there will always be folks that go from wealthy to poor and vice versa. So what I don't really get is how some folks seem to wear blinders when it comes to the rest of the world. They seem to make any attempt to put themselves in others shoes, as it were. Rather they spend a lot of time criticizing others and finding ways to prove their foregone conclusions right. To me that is like sinking in quicksand.
So as to not go completely off topic here, I also find it interesting that some folks who seem to be neither parents of students nor educators are so critical of education and apparently, willing to throw the baby out with the bath water, as it were. Anyone who has worked in a school around students and either as a teacher or in support roles knows there are problems with the system. They also should know that all those problems are not the caused by the public education system or our government. As has been pointed out here, some of the challenges education faces are a direct result of societal changes, such as absentee parents and the tendency for many people and children today to not take responsibility for their own actions. Additionally, there are problems with education which are a direct result of underfunding. I don't agree that the educational system is broken, but I can accept that it is changing and not always for the better. Just remember, for every negative horror story there are many positive tales to tell about successful students and educators.
1. I did not come from wealth by any stretch of the imagination. Our house hold income was less than average but my mom was great with finances.
2. I am a coach which is part of my business that was started with NOTHING, unless you consider starting a business with $100 something.
3. My other job is a trainer with my wife, she does NOT have another job.
4. As I said in #2. I started my business with nothing, no loans, no savings and a checking account that was in the negative. That $100 was taken from the overdraft money in my checking which was part of the account when I opened it. it wasn't credit over draft that I had to apply for.
5. Taken from #4, I am now in Obama's "1%" with my own home 40 yards from the sand in So. Cal, a second home in Palm Springs, a boat, a couple of cars, my own facility and just transferred my son to a PS from a private (since kindergarten) to play baseball.
Why is this relevant? Because it was done with a purpose to give my son a good, stable life, great education and to never need for the basics but go beyond and wonder where his next meal will come from and to NOT depend on anyone for help (monetary) and to stand on his own two feet.
You are who you surround yourself with, if you surround yourself with losers, you're going be a loser. If you surround yourself with success, you'll be successful. I chose to get away from people who brought me down and surrounded my self with successful people who I can learn from. It's all about what you want and doesn't have to be where you come from. I can tell you wealthy people DO give their money away..freely, and a lot of it. Again, there is a difference between giving freely and confiscating it.
BTW, when I started my business, I was also a single father with a 3 year old and not ONCE did I even think of applying for government assistance. Now you know why it fries my ass when people (lazy people) demonize wealthy people. I guaranty everyone of those CEO's, company presidents, small business owners and so on worked their ASSES off to get where they are and one hell of a lot harder than the 9-5er.
