Quote Originally Posted by JDaniel
Almost everyone has a choice.

Nobody forces anyone to go to work for an employer that doesn't "take care of their people". Your statement "companies today treat employees like the computers. Throw 'em away in 3 years and get new ones." is only a generalization. Some companies do this without a doubt. But many do not. My point is that the person chooses to go to work for such employers. There are plenty of employers who do offer good benefits, including health/dental insurance, to qualified employees. That person should take the initiative to actively seek employers who offer the benefits they are seeking. Even in down economies, companies hire. Maybe not your specific co., or not in the town you live in, but what about the company in the town 20 miles down the road etc... In my 20 or so years of being a working adult, I've never worked for a company that doesn't "take care of their people". Whenever I've gone on a job interview, I've asked just as many or questions as the person doing the hiring. I'm interviewing them too, and doing my research first.

Same as to where I choose to live. I get sick of hearing people complain about their school system. Then take some initiative and move. No way would I send my kids to lousy schools, or schools that I didn't believe were safe. I researched the heck out of where to buy a house before our last move. No way would I choose to move to a community with lousy schools.

But hey, that's just my philosophy. I choose not to work for a lousy employer, and I choose not to live where the schools are sub-par.

JD
I believe in a capitalist society, where everyone has choices to make and opportunity to succeed. Our daughter went to a very good public school back in the 90s, but when we moved, we put our son in a private school because we didn't like the public school he would have to attend. It was our choice and it cost us plenty, but we did what we felt was necessary. My company provides very good health care benefits, although I do pay premiums for them. Their benefits package was one of the biggest reasons I went there to work and why I've stayed for 8+ years.

Yes, our healthcare system is a mess, but I don't feel government intervention (i.e. a government healthcare system) is the best way to resolve it. I watched a recent news bit that explained that 25% of the cost of our medical care is for paperwork, and that's outrageous. In Canada the number is just 10%, so it makes sense that we need to simplify the process. Also, we need to cap the dollar amount on lawsuits that have created high malpractice insurance premiums resulting in higher medical costs for everyone else (are you listening John Edwards?). It just kills me to read the ads in our local paper run by ambulance chasers looking for people taking Vioxx. Just amazing.

Swish