Corporations, Commercialism and Consumerism has Condemned Americans to a Nomadic Life

[Pryderi]

No longer do people live in a community or neighborhood, but one that is forced to follow the jobs to states which provided the largest tax breaks.

Under Eisenhower the top marginal tax rate was over 85%...oh those glorious, Socialist years of the 1950s are long past and the average American is becoming beggar.

[jwirr]

1. I am old enough to remember the 40-50s when the extended family

began to break up because many moved to California for the jobs that lured them away. I have always thought that we lost a way of life when that happened.

I have been able to convince my brother's, children and grandchildren that it is worth it to keep family close. I do not think they will be sorry.

[daninthemoon]

2. i'm also trying to encourage my kids and other relatives that they

need to try to erstore the extended family. in many cultures, the aunt and uncle take over much of the child rearing as the kids get older. the kids get a whole other set of information, and everyone has an improved relationship. it does take a village, and an extedned family.

[Pryderi]

3. Would a strong federal gov't encourage or discourage people staying in the same community?

[laughingliberal]

4. I was just talking with people about this yesterday and I believe it has made the job of parenting

much more stressful. There is no longer strong support within the family. With the need for both parents to work in many families and no extended family to take up the slack, it's taking a toll, I think.

[Pryderi]

5. No one can afford to stay home to take care of the children. n/t

[jwirr]

6. In my family one father stays home to care for the three children and

works as a pca to supplement the income of the other. I am the great grandmother who sit for the other family - a three and a one year old and another on the way. In an extended family it was not always the parent who cared for the children during the work hours. That is what the extended family gave to the smaller family. Someone the children would know and love who was more than hired help.

One of the posters asked about what a strong government would do to keep the family together. The times I remember had FDR as the president and the Harry Truman. The war did not help to keep families together and I think the moves to greener pastures started with that.

[CanonRay]

7. Until I was five or so, my aunts, cousins and grandparents

and us all shared a three flat, but they all eventually moved to California in the mid-50's