Let's look at the practical aspects of the ideal life as pushed

[cornermouse]

by the republicans. I've been trying to figure this out...

1. We should all go to work for 8 hours a day, more if your lunch is not included in the 8 hours. This does not include transit time from your home to your workplace and of course, for some of this there is overtime which may or may not be paid.

2. We should all get continuing education (night and weekend classes?) to keep our education and job prospects up to date. This means we have to study so that we can pass these classes.

3. According to what I've been listening to on the stck market investor shows, we should all study and track the stock market, our investments, and attempt to evaluate whether to let the money lay or move it in order to maximize (if we can) our retirement funds.

4. We should all go out and do charity work on a regular basis. This is separate from one's regular attendance of religious services, preferably christian.

This is in addition to the daily time we spend on helping our children get to whatever afterschool activities they have, do their homework, and just general time together so we don't feel like strangers living under the same roof. Also we need to schedule time with our parents. For some of us, this would include time spent overseeing their health care. There is also time spent keeping a clean house, buying groceries and other necessities of life.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I tried to figure out my daily schedule and I don't know when or how they think we're supposed to do all this. The only conclusion I can come to, based on watching Bush, is that in order to do everything, you either don't work an 8 hour day or you hire people to do most of the other things. Of course, that would require higher salaries...

[LostInAnomie]

1. You forget that the wife is not working.

That frees men from daily responsibilities to the children. All they have to do is come home, eat a dinner prepared by the wife, and dispense fatherly knowledge.

The sad thing is that if you look at their scheduled out life and would put it to application you see they become a mindless worker drones with little or no time for personal development. I guess that could be what they want though. If you never develop the self you never learn to question "Why?".

[cornermouse]

2. Actually I thought about it, but left it out because

1. If the wife doesn't work, they aren't likely to have a home to live in. The fact is, they don't want to pay the salaries that would make this feasible.

2. I don't think even the neo-cons actually intend to put it into practice. I think its just another whip to use.

[izzie]

3. This used to be done by a wife, or most of it.

Took two adults to run a family but both did not always work out side the home and it made it some what easier. I am not saying women should not work, My mother always worked but she ran a seasonal business from the home so made it easier on care. When it was really busy we went to camp for two months. My own children and I planned the summers as a family thing. We did it all together as I could not send them to a live in camp. I do not see how people do it to day but for the women who work out of the home and I sure do not envy them if they have small children. I am not sure the money women make out side the home is worth the one care giver to work out side the home. Looks to me that you have little money left. Does not the saving the women at home gives beat the job? In my husbands and mine time it did. We had child en in mid 50' to mid 60's.

[cornermouse]

4. Most of us really can't cover the bills without a second income.

It would be nice if we could. I'm not talking about a lavish lifestyle either.

Also, if you try to start something out of the house, that requires capital, money to invest. Of couse, that leads to the question that if you had extra money to invest on one income, would you start thinking about working out of the house?

[izzie]

6. I think you are right.

My father invested in property that my mother ran for well over 35 years. But he also made great money. as in the 10,000 a year range right in the middle of the depression. He bought a house for 6000 in the 30's and paid for it in 5 years. All very hard to do to day even when you figure that into todays money. My mother still worked the summer season and I do not think she had to but liked it. Taxes were a very high percent well into Kennedy's time.

[izzie]

7. I got thinking about this and it sounds like this---

I do not think women should work and it is not what I mean. I think with young children that the money you make is not worth the job but after schools years it most likely is. I was just luckily as my mother worked from home and it was a seasonal job and my father worked for him self. He could be home if he had to. I an coming from another time also.

[izzie]

8. I got thinking about this and it sounds like this---

I do not think women should work and it is not what I mean. I think with young children that the money you make is not worth the job but after schools years it most likely is. I was just luckily as my mother worked from home and it was a seasonal job and my father worked for him self. He could be home if he had to. I an coming from another time also.

[NuttyFluffers]

5. You forgot the magic fairy dust that makes it all work... cocaine.

then you'll have time for *everything*! but first the supply of coke must be endless and subsidized by the CIA. I know, there's always a catch. Just gotta sell your soul on the dotted line and an endless supply of blow is yours!

[Stirk]

9. You're only expected to do those things for a couple of years.

Then you die in a glorious invasion, attempting to spread Freedom™ to some strategically significant country.

Your patriotic sacrifice helps enrich the men who sent you to die in the first place, which really helps them fight the vital domestic war: the War on Poverty. That's where they undermine the lives of everyone who is not wealthy, and ensure that they're kept ignorant and desperate enough to fight imperialist wars in exchange for food.

Ah, imperialism! Improving the lives of .01% of the people.

[lectrobyte]

10. except for number 2, I sort of agree with that list, but not for repub

reasons.

1. I think work is good for people. One of the most screwed up people I've ever met was somone who basically had all the money he would ever need by way of a trust fund from his family. Plus I think even a rich person could benefit from knowing what it means to have to work for something. 40 hours a week seems like a lot, isn't Europe down to 35 or something with a lot more vacation than the US?

2. Education is good, but not just for job prospects. Nothing wrong with more education.

3. Stock market? It's a pyramid scheme run by snakes. Seems like Social Security was invented after the stock market crash of '29.

4. Charity work, by all means. We all live in this society, and should give back however we can.

I'm not quite sure your list (except for number 2) is the ideal life as pushed by Republicans. It seems something more like this is being sold to the rest of us:

1) Go into debt to buy the biggest house and SUV(s) you can get credit for.

2) Have lots of babies so you can spend more on stuff since you and your spouse feel guily about not spending enough time with the kids since you both have to work to pay for the house and SUV.

3) Don't worry your pretty little head about anything but the latest moral outrage (Janet's nipple jewelry, "Happy Holidays") as seen on TV. We (the rich elite) will take care of everything else.

I agree life is hectic (just not sure I can blame this on Republicans), but you have to make time for the stuff that matters. Watch less (or even none) of the TV. Unplug the internet (ha!).

[cornermouse]

11. Well.....

I don't have a big house or an SUV; not by anyone's standards. I didn't have a lot of babies because I had a couple of complications. I went back to school and tried to run a house and work simultaneously and it almost did me in. Not to mention the debt that I had to rack up getting that education and graduating which I will be paying off for several years. Theoretically, I probably should continue to take classes, but I can't afford them and I'm still tired from the last several years. The internet is a stopping place in between.

As far as I'm concerned what they seem to expect is pretty much impossible.

[lectrobyte]

12. Yeah, you don't have to do what's expected of you

If you're burnt out from school and complications, then give it a rest. Gotta find some balance. I understand your frustration, it's tough to balance stuff. Education to me does not necessarily equal a degree. Better to have some common sense (or street smarts or whatever you want to call it) and curiosity about the world. That's basically what I'm getting at, I don't think folks should be totally focused on just a job and the house and kids.

[ClassicDem]

13. I have to agree with most of this except for number 1.

On Average I work 3-4 billable hours a day and I make more money than I ever did working the 8-5 grind. I spend another 2-6 hours a day doing other stuff like driving, mailing, accounting, cold calling customers or what ever. I work out of my home so that other 2-6 is nothing I can do a lot of it late at night when the family is asleep.

2. Continuing ones education is always a good idea, my next degree is going to be in Theology, it has nothing to do with my career but I love learning about different religions. I will probably wait till I am 32 before I start going back to school though.

3. Yes we should be deciding now how to properly invest our money for our retirement. SS is not a retirement plan it's an assistance plan and anyone who is planning to retire on it is fooling themselves.

4. Everyone should give to charity, if you don't have time donate money, food or items you no longer need. Everyone has a closet or room full of stuff they never use but they keep anyway, reclaim the space in your home take that stuff down to Goodwill, you will feel better about yourself once you do.

[cornermouse]

14. The real point.

Time and having a life.