Think times are tough here in the U.S.?

[Uben]

Well, they are, but they pale in comparison to what the Chinese are experiencing. Four hundred and seventy million aging Chinese live on less than $2 a day! That's one and a half times the number of U.S. citizens. Just heard on CBS.

I'm sure it's cheaper to live in China, but I suspect $2 a day will barely keep them alive. Kinda makes my problems seem miniscule.
While we worry about our mortgages and credit card bills, they are worrying about where their next meal will come from! Dayum!

[Angry Dragon]

1. Many here also worry about where their next meal is coming from

and many of them are children

[Uben]

5. I know all too well!

Sixty percent of the kids in our local schools have been identified as having needs. Two years ago, we implemented a program of sending home backpacks full of food for needy students on the weekend because a large number of them get their nutritional needs met at school. The program is funded by local donations and clothes and linens are also being donated, stored and distributed by the school.

It's up to the community to help meet the needs of our kids. I have been pretty impressed by the number of people donating. Once made aware of the facts, most are more than willing to help out with cash donations or clothes and linens. Getting volunteers to coordinate the distributions and solicit donations is the hard part. Most are willing to donate money and clothes but very few have the time to give, so we have tapped those who are retired (like myself), and have found a good number of willing participants.

If you are retired, and have the ability to help out, I bet there are programs in your area that desperately need your help. If not, why not get together with the retirees in your area and start a program? We may be old, but we are far from useless or used up.

[OHdem10]

2. It is past time for the Chinese Government raised more of their

citizens into the Middle Class thus developing
a market in their own country for the products
they make and sell to other countries.

[fasttense]

7. They are working on it. The Chinese government just gave a 20% raise

to all their minimum wage workers.

They explained that they wanted their middle class to buy more.

The Chinese are following Hamilton's plan for manufacturing. While we in the US are following the Milton Friedman plan of self destruction.

Despite the fact that currently China has more seriously poor people, I think if I had to worry about where my next meal was coming from and where I could find a safe place to sleep, those suffering Chinese would not make me feel any better.

You should note that China is a communist country. So, their citizens are given food (from the state), medical attention and education for free (as long as they follow the communist party line). A recent article on a Chinese assembly line described how rice and beans were brought in to the workers in the factory for their lunch at no cost to the worker.

Remember that despite the fact that China has embraced a capitalistic economic model, they are still very much communists. And as communists they believe that Marx saying: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

[Statistical]

8. they are.

The problem is they have $1.5 billion people with 80%+ living essentially completely undeveloped lifestyles (manual planting, substance lifestyle).

As rapidly as they are growing their economy and growing the middle class it will be decades before they can reach everyone. This is why they have strict population controls because the problem is insanely difficult even with a static population. One that doubles every 30 years would make it impossible.

[stray cat]

3. We seem to believe we deserve better than most so we only compare ourselves to those better off

[Edweird]

12. Wait, what?

[DCBob]

4. The severe economic imbalance in China could be its downfall..

especailly when combined with overpopulation and major environmental issues. Sounds like a recipe for instabiliy.

[WingDinger]

6. I can hardly wait till they go imperial, and we dont, so they can get

the whole world pissed at them too.

[elehhhhna]

14. oooooooooooooh snap! WELCOME TO DU!!1

[treestar]

9. That is true, there are many parts of the world where things are much worse

In perspective, we are complaining about little - we have some social safety net. Many of the jobs lost paid a very high salary. We still seem to drive around in our own cars.

From that, China seems a failure of communism. How should that ever happen under a socialist state?

[Speck Tater]

10. We are so lucky to be the exploiters and not the exploited. nt

[Vinnie From Indy]

11. Two dollars a day in China is like a brazillion dollars here in the US

What is the point of this silly post?



This "piece" you heard on CBS appears to be nothing more than a bit of propaganda by our corporate overlords to get Americans to quit complaining and get ready for more job loss and wage erosion. Sorry! I am not buying any of it!

[Donnachaidh]

13. and you don't think people paying mortgages/rent, and credit cards aren't facing the same?

Most of the folks I know trying to live through this mess pay those bills BEFORE they buy groceries. And they foodbank alot.