Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" 30s buying million + dollar homes, people who are 40 years old and already 401(k) millionaires, people who have funded their future kids' college education "

That me but I'm self-made. My parents came to the United States as immigrants with $5 in their pocket. I learned hard work from them and started working at very early age and continue to do so today at the age of 41. Nothing was handed to us, no inheritance, no nothing. A lot of folks don't understand what they have here in the United States. It truly is the land of opportunity. A lof of us were not born with a gold spoon and have actually worked really hard for where we are today!

They actually were provided $50 upon entry by the US govt. More significantly, Per visa requirements, your
Parents were also required to have a “sponsor” who likely provided significant help. Please no more “$5 in the pocket”
BS stories.

+1. Very few “legal” immigrants arrive here with just $5. The US govt is a bit
more sophisticated with the legal immigration process. Most have funds back home which
are transferred to the US. The visa sponsor is usually a blood family member AND in solid financial
standing as require to support the immigrants for a number of years (I think 5 years min).

You’re missing the point. If someone can come here without knowing the language or anything else, and coming from a dire situation (let’s be honest, we don’t have a lot of Europeans clawing to get over here) and can make something of themselves and give their children an UMC lifestyle, that shows you the American dream is still alive and well. There’s no reason that someone who was born in this country, even in Appalachia, can’t dig themselves out of poverty. Of course it takes hard work, skill, and some luck, but it can be done. I’m not talking about becoming a billionaire or even a millionaire, but having a small piece of property and being able to feed, clothe, and educate their kids isn’t such a stretch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" 30s buying million + dollar homes, people who are 40 years old and already 401(k) millionaires, people who have funded their future kids' college education "

That me but I'm self-made. My parents came to the United States as immigrants with $5 in their pocket. I learned hard work from them and started working at very early age and continue to do so today at the age of 41. Nothing was handed to us, no inheritance, no nothing. A lot of folks don't understand what they have here in the United States. It truly is the land of opportunity. A lof of us were not born with a gold spoon and have actually worked really hard for where we are today!

They actually were provided $50 upon entry by the US govt. More significantly, Per visa requirements, your
Parents were also required to have a “sponsor” who likely provided significant help. Please no more “$5 in the pocket”
BS stories.

+1. Very few “legal” immigrants arrive here with just $5. The US govt is a bit
more sophisticated with the legal immigration process. Most have funds back home which
are transferred to the US. The visa sponsor is usually a blood family member AND in solid financial
standing as require to support the immigrants for a number of years (I think 5 years min).

I’m a child of immigrants and this is true. The whole “I came here with $5 in my pocket” story needs to die. It isn’t true. And all immigrants are not held to the same standards.

100%

This days are over. I'm Vietnamese and my parents were boat people. They came here with a cup of rice in their pockets.

We've brought family over here legally and it requires a sponsor, lots of money, and a immigrants who can bring Tru value to the US.

Nobody is legally coming here with five dollars these days.

That can be true with refugees but the government provides them with free money to get them started out so they're not really starting out with 5 dollars either.

My family came as refugees. We were provided 4 months of support and then it was welfare, Pell grants, Medicaid and other things that would normally be available to poor people who were born in US. My parents ended up middle class, the kids, including me, UMC. The grandparents never worked, got SSI, Medicaid and Section 8 apartment, and that’s how they lived ... way better than the home country.

PP. oh, and about sponsorship. We were sponsored by a non-profit that paid for our plane tickets. That was a loan and we had to repay it. Also, I know many families where “sponsorship” was mutually understood as on paper only, I.e. the sponsor did a huge favor by signing the paperwork but the immigrants did not expect or receive any money.

Sounds like immigration fraud. Sounds like they should have their citizenship stripped and deported. Sounds like the sponsors need to go to prison.

Sounds like you're already drunk.

Anonymous wrote:First generation American here- grew up with a single mom because dad abandoned us and took all the money with him. Tons of student loans. Worked 4 jobs in college and could barely afford shampoo. I’m an obvious minority and a woman and experienced it all. 20 years of hard work later I’m well off.

My absolute biggest privilege was being born in the USA. If you don’t get that, you’re ignorant of the world.

Anonymous wrote:I realize it.

I grew up below the poverty line with a single mother. We lived in apartments and I was the scholarship kid at Catholic school, camp, etc. I ate crap like baloney sandwiches on white bread and tv dinners. Most of my clothes were hand-me-downs from my cousins. Didn't own a car until college and bought it myself with cash from my PT job.

I'm now a 1%er because of the moves I made and who I married. I don't take it for granted and I do a lot myself - housework, cooking, cleaning, etc. I still buy a lot of my & kids' clothes second-hand and always look for a coupon before I go to a big box store. Old habits die hard.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" 30s buying million + dollar homes, people who are 40 years old and already 401(k) millionaires, people who have funded their future kids' college education "

That me but I'm self-made. My parents came to the United States as immigrants with $5 in their pocket. I learned hard work from them and started working at very early age and continue to do so today at the age of 41. Nothing was handed to us, no inheritance, no nothing. A lot of folks don't understand what they have here in the United States. It truly is the land of opportunity. A lof of us were not born with a gold spoon and have actually worked really hard for where we are today!

They actually were provided $50 upon entry by the US govt. More significantly, Per visa requirements, your
Parents were also required to have a “sponsor” who likely provided significant help. Please no more “$5 in the pocket”
BS stories.

+1. Very few “legal” immigrants arrive here with just $5. The US govt is a bit
more sophisticated with the legal immigration process. Most have funds back home which
are transferred to the US. The visa sponsor is usually a blood family member AND in solid financial
standing as require to support the immigrants for a number of years (I think 5 years min).

I’m a child of immigrants and this is true. The whole “I came here with $5 in my pocket” story needs to die. It isn’t true. And all immigrants are not held to the same standards.

100%

This days are over. I'm Vietnamese and my parents were boat people. They came here with a cup of rice in their pockets.

We've brought family over here legally and it requires a sponsor, lots of money, and a immigrants who can bring Tru value to the US.

Nobody is legally coming here with five dollars these days.

That can be true with refugees but the government provides them with free money to get them started out so they're not really starting out with 5 dollars either.

My family came as refugees. We were provided 4 months of support and then it was welfare, Pell grants, Medicaid and other things that would normally be available to poor people who were born in US. My parents ended up middle class, the kids, including me, UMC. The grandparents never worked, got SSI, Medicaid and Section 8 apartment, and that’s how they lived ... way better than the home country.

PP. oh, and about sponsorship. We were sponsored by a non-profit that paid for our plane tickets. That was a loan and we had to repay it. Also, I know many families where “sponsorship” was mutually understood as on paper only, I.e. the sponsor did a huge favor by signing the paperwork but the immigrants did not expect or receive any money.

Sounds like immigration fraud. Sounds like they should have their citizenship stripped and deported. Sounds like the sponsors need to go to prison.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" 30s buying million + dollar homes, people who are 40 years old and already 401(k) millionaires, people who have funded their future kids' college education "

That me but I'm self-made. My parents came to the United States as immigrants with $5 in their pocket. I learned hard work from them and started working at very early age and continue to do so today at the age of 41. Nothing was handed to us, no inheritance, no nothing. A lot of folks don't understand what they have here in the United States. It truly is the land of opportunity. A lof of us were not born with a gold spoon and have actually worked really hard for where we are today!

They actually were provided $50 upon entry by the US govt. More significantly, Per visa requirements, your
Parents were also required to have a “sponsor” who likely provided significant help. Please no more “$5 in the pocket”
BS stories.

+1. Very few “legal” immigrants arrive here with just $5. The US govt is a bit
more sophisticated with the legal immigration process. Most have funds back home which
are transferred to the US. The visa sponsor is usually a blood family member AND in solid financial
standing as require to support the immigrants for a number of years (I think 5 years min).

I’m a child of immigrants and this is true. The whole “I came here with $5 in my pocket” story needs to die. It isn’t true. And all immigrants are not held to the same standards.

100%

This days are over. I'm Vietnamese and my parents were boat people. They came here with a cup of rice in their pockets.

We've brought family over here legally and it requires a sponsor, lots of money, and a immigrants who can bring Tru value to the US.

Nobody is legally coming here with five dollars these days.

That can be true with refugees but the government provides them with free money to get them started out so they're not really starting out with 5 dollars either.

My family came as refugees. We were provided 4 months of support and then it was welfare, Pell grants, Medicaid and other things that would normally be available to poor people who were born in US. My parents ended up middle class, the kids, including me, UMC. The grandparents never worked, got SSI, Medicaid and Section 8 apartment, and that’s how they lived ... way better than the home country.

PP. oh, and about sponsorship. We were sponsored by a non-profit that paid for our plane tickets. That was a loan and we had to repay it. Also, I know many families where “sponsorship” was mutually understood as on paper only, I.e. the sponsor did a huge favor by signing the paperwork but the immigrants did not expect or receive any money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just dropping in here to say that this forum makes me want to vomit. Especially here.

All this talk of people in their 30s buying million + dollar homes, people who are 40 years old and already 401(k) millionaires, people who have funded their future kids' college education while talking down to those who struggle to pay back their student loans only hoping for a break someday, people here bemoaning the budget constraints of a HHI of "only" $200K, people with investment properties, people with investments, period. Do you not understand that the average American cannot withstand a $500 emergency? That there is an eviction crisis in this country? That medical debt makes people wonder if their life-saving medical treatments are even worth the "life" they get to live afterwards? How one economic downturn can render a hardworking family penniless and homeless? That the AVERAGE household income yes IN THE DC AREA is far, FAR below the individual salaries thrown about in these discussions and that yes, AVERAGE and, gasp, below average HHI families need a place to live too? Two hour commutes each way be damned, "go move somewhere you can afford!"

I completely understand why people made guillotine memes in response to the proposed $600 stimulus checks this winter. And guess what, $1400 is not enough either. I hope all of you out of touch privileged people are taxed so hard your eyes bleed. You people are the swamp everybody else loves to hate. We need to tax the rich into oblivion and collectivize their assets, I swear to god. Don't EVER try to justify your cushy job as having "Earned" your right to complain about property taxes on your second investment property when this country operates like the Third World when trying to meet other people's basic needs.

I am from a country that did just that - collectivized the assets (and killed a few rich people in the process). You know what happens next? You run out of rich people’s money and when the hunger games begin, your comrades devour you. Why you personally? Because if you don’t have what it takes to live a middle class life in US, you won’t survive socialism. Take it from someone who’s been there.

Anonymous wrote:Just dropping in here to say that this forum makes me want to vomit. Especially here.

All this talk of people in their 30s buying million + dollar homes, people who are 40 years old and already 401(k) millionaires, people who have funded their future kids' college education while talking down to those who struggle to pay back their student loans only hoping for a break someday, people here bemoaning the budget constraints of a HHI of "only" $200K, people with investment properties, people with investments, period. Do you not understand that the average American cannot withstand a $500 emergency? That there is an eviction crisis in this country? That medical debt makes people wonder if their life-saving medical treatments are even worth the "life" they get to live afterwards? How one economic downturn can render a hardworking family penniless and homeless? That the AVERAGE household income yes IN THE DC AREA is far, FAR below the individual salaries thrown about in these discussions and that yes, AVERAGE and, gasp, below average HHI families need a place to live too? Two hour commutes each way be damned, "go move somewhere you can afford!"

I completely understand why people made guillotine memes in response to the proposed $600 stimulus checks this winter. And guess what, $1400 is not enough either. I hope all of you out of touch privileged people are taxed so hard your eyes bleed. You people are the swamp everybody else loves to hate. We need to tax the rich into oblivion and collectivize their assets, I swear to god. Don't EVER try to justify your cushy job as having "Earned" your right to complain about property taxes on your second investment property when this country operates like the Third World when trying to meet other people's basic needs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" 30s buying million + dollar homes, people who are 40 years old and already 401(k) millionaires, people who have funded their future kids' college education "

That me but I'm self-made. My parents came to the United States as immigrants with $5 in their pocket. I learned hard work from them and started working at very early age and continue to do so today at the age of 41. Nothing was handed to us, no inheritance, no nothing. A lot of folks don't understand what they have here in the United States. It truly is the land of opportunity. A lof of us were not born with a gold spoon and have actually worked really hard for where we are today!

They actually were provided $50 upon entry by the US govt. More significantly, Per visa requirements, your
Parents were also required to have a “sponsor” who likely provided significant help. Please no more “$5 in the pocket”
BS stories.

+1. Very few “legal” immigrants arrive here with just $5. The US govt is a bit
more sophisticated with the legal immigration process. Most have funds back home which
are transferred to the US. The visa sponsor is usually a blood family member AND in solid financial
standing as require to support the immigrants for a number of years (I think 5 years min).

I’m a child of immigrants and this is true. The whole “I came here with $5 in my pocket” story needs to die. It isn’t true. And all immigrants are not held to the same standards.

100%

This days are over. I'm Vietnamese and my parents were boat people. They came here with a cup of rice in their pockets.

We've brought family over here legally and it requires a sponsor, lots of money, and a immigrants who can bring Tru value to the US.

Nobody is legally coming here with five dollars these days.

That can be true with refugees but the government provides them with free money to get them started out so they're not really starting out with 5 dollars either.

My family came as refugees. We were provided 4 months of support and then it was welfare, Pell grants, Medicaid and other things that would normally be available to poor people who were born in US. My parents ended up middle class, the kids, including me, UMC. The grandparents never worked, got SSI, Medicaid and Section 8 apartment, and that’s how they lived ... way better than the home country.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" 30s buying million + dollar homes, people who are 40 years old and already 401(k) millionaires, people who have funded their future kids' college education "

That me but I'm self-made. My parents came to the United States as immigrants with $5 in their pocket. I learned hard work from them and started working at very early age and continue to do so today at the age of 41. Nothing was handed to us, no inheritance, no nothing. A lot of folks don't understand what they have here in the United States. It truly is the land of opportunity. A lof of us were not born with a gold spoon and have actually worked really hard for where we are today!

They actually were provided $50 upon entry by the US govt. More significantly, Per visa requirements, your
Parents were also required to have a “sponsor” who likely provided significant help. Please no more “$5 in the pocket”
BS stories.

+1. Very few “legal” immigrants arrive here with just $5. The US govt is a bit
more sophisticated with the legal immigration process. Most have funds back home which
are transferred to the US. The visa sponsor is usually a blood family member AND in solid financial
standing as require to support the immigrants for a number of years (I think 5 years min).

I’m a child of immigrants and this is true. The whole “I came here with $5 in my pocket” story needs to die. It isn’t true. And all immigrants are not held to the same standards.

100%

This days are over. I'm Vietnamese and my parents were boat people. They came here with a cup of rice in their pockets.

We've brought family over here legally and it requires a sponsor, lots of money, and a immigrants who can bring Tru value to the US.

Nobody is legally coming here with five dollars these days.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" 30s buying million + dollar homes, people who are 40 years old and already 401(k) millionaires, people who have funded their future kids' college education "

That me but I'm self-made. My parents came to the United States as immigrants with $5 in their pocket. I learned hard work from them and started working at very early age and continue to do so today at the age of 41. Nothing was handed to us, no inheritance, no nothing. A lot of folks don't understand what they have here in the United States. It truly is the land of opportunity. A lof of us were not born with a gold spoon and have actually worked really hard for where we are today!

They actually were provided $50 upon entry by the US govt. More significantly, Per visa requirements, your
Parents were also required to have a “sponsor” who likely provided significant help. Please no more “$5 in the pocket”
BS stories.

+1. Very few “legal” immigrants arrive here with just $5. The US govt is a bit
more sophisticated with the legal immigration process. Most have funds back home which
are transferred to the US. The visa sponsor is usually a blood family member AND in solid financial
standing as require to support the immigrants for a number of years (I think 5 years min).

I’m a child of immigrants and this is true. The whole “I came here with $5 in my pocket” story needs to die. It isn’t true. And all immigrants are not held to the same standards.

100%

This days are over. I'm Vietnamese and my parents were boat people. They came here with a cup of rice in their pockets.

We've brought family over here legally and it requires a sponsor, lots of money, and a immigrants who can bring Tru value to the US.

Nobody is legally coming here with five dollars these days.

That can be true with refugees but the government provides them with free money to get them started out so they're not really starting out with 5 dollars either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" 30s buying million + dollar homes, people who are 40 years old and already 401(k) millionaires, people who have funded their future kids' college education "

That me but I'm self-made. My parents came to the United States as immigrants with $5 in their pocket. I learned hard work from them and started working at very early age and continue to do so today at the age of 41. Nothing was handed to us, no inheritance, no nothing. A lot of folks don't understand what they have here in the United States. It truly is the land of opportunity. A lof of us were not born with a gold spoon and have actually worked really hard for where we are today!

They actually were provided $50 upon entry by the US govt. More significantly, Per visa requirements, your
Parents were also required to have a “sponsor” who likely provided significant help. Please no more “$5 in the pocket”
BS stories.

+1. Very few “legal” immigrants arrive here with just $5. The US govt is a bit
more sophisticated with the legal immigration process. Most have funds back home which
are transferred to the US. The visa sponsor is usually a blood family member AND in solid financial
standing as require to support the immigrants for a number of years (I think 5 years min).

I’m a child of immigrants and this is true. The whole “I came here with $5 in my pocket” story needs to die. It isn’t true. And all immigrants are not held to the same standards.

100%

This days are over. I'm Vietnamese and my parents were boat people. They came here with a cup of rice in their pockets.

We've brought family over here legally and it requires a sponsor, lots of money, and a immigrants who can bring Tru value to the US.

Nobody is legally coming here with five dollars these days.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much hardship (I know not all but a LOT) could be avoided if people just used birth control.... just sayin

You’re not wrong. I went to HS with a bunch of folks who stayed right in our home town after because they got pregnant. And then, to make matters worse, they ended up with 2-3 kids. On a retail salary. Now they’re all Trumpers who are saying immigrants are ruining this country. No Jessica, immigrants are not ruining this country, you’re poor because you’re dumb.

They behave as they were raise, just like you do. Clearing kindness and empathy were not your parents strong suit.

I’m doing just fine thanks. I have zero kindness towards the people I grew up with. They’re dumb racist meth addicted heehaws who will always stay dumb racist heehaws. They’re not deserving of any empathy, they choose to be awful people, just like their ancestors, who burnt crosses and made the lives of every non white person miserable. I do feel bad for the kids, but if they have any decency, they usually get the hell out of that area as soon as they get a car and their HS diploma.