the rich must pay more....bull$h!t

[Rick Snyder]

Well Billy, in another thread, said he was going to start a thread on this subject and I see he did.

The post by Nal's was directed at me as can be told by his masive use of ("elite") in it and it is that post that I wish to address.

A little story from El Seybo that happened 6 years ago;
I needed some "pachos frios" to repair my son's bicycle. The first repair shop I entered, owner was middle class, said he was out of "pachos frios". I, having lived here a while, was smart enough to ask, How much do you charge for them? He replied "medio peso cada"........ I then went into another repair shop, owned by one of Nal's "elite" who happened to be there that day, and I asked for "pachos frios". He, the "elite" asked me , how many do you want? I said I needed 4 and he handed them to me. I asked him how much and he replied 16 pesos. I then asked how much was one and he said cuatro peso cada. I threw the patches on the table and said no thanks as I could buy them down the street for half a peso each and he said "bueno, medio peso" and I walked out with my 4 patches for 2 pesos.

Now the question to Nal's is;

If I had paid the 16 pesos for the patches do you think he would have;
1. Given the profit to his employees?
2. Paid an extra IMBIS to the government?
3. Given the extra profit to the other customers that were in the store?
4. Given the extra profit to the church or some needy person?
5. Stuck the extra profit in his pocket?

Think about that one Nal's. Show me the workings of the "elitest" mind when it comes to providing to those that he considers under him.

Rick

 

[NALs]

Now the question to Nal's is;

If I had paid the 16 pesos for the patches do you think he would have;
1. Given the profit to his employees?
2. Paid an extra IMBIS to the government?
3. Given the extra profit to the other customers that were in the store?
4. Given the extra profit to the church or some needy person?
5. Stuck the extra profit in his pocket?

Think about that one Nal's. Show me the workings of the "elitest" mind when it comes to providing to those that he considers under him.

Rick

Actually it's none of the above until some clarifications are made:

Was the business of the middle class person not legitimate business (ie. informal, not registered with gov)? Informal businesses can offer similar products for less because they are not bound to certain taxes, regulations, etc. In fact, the informal sector is the primary reason why formal productive businesses are heavily taxed which leads to higher prices in more productive businesses.

But, to answer your question as is, part of the money would have most likely gone to his pocket, to pay the bills, pay the wages, pay the taxes, and buy new inventory to ensure the next time someone like you need some "pachos frios" there will be some available.

Heck, that money could have been one extra help in expanding the business, which could had generated even more jobs!

Every person is different and every person reacts differently to many things. However, some people are clever in creating and expanding big business which creates hundreds of jobs and others stay small and limit the amount of jobs that could have been created in such community.

Regarding the OP's initial post, I don't think it was meant to create "pitty" for him. I think it was more to see how many DR1ers agree with him. However, it appears that DR1ers are responding to their belief that his post was meant to create pitty for him, rather than whether or not they agree with what he is saying.

This is another case of DR1ers reacting to the OP and not to what the OP actually said.

Regarding Chris comments, I don't blame people for their problems or mistakes. But, I do expect for them to attempt to solve them via their own will and actions.

Blaming the most productive segment of a society is not the answer, just how blaming the rich countries of the world for the poverty of the 3rd world does not has much sense either.

-NALs

 

[Rick Snyder]

Thank you Nal's for that quick and astute response as I knew before hand what you would say but wanted it before my eyes.

Both owners of both establishments knew and know me and are both legitimate businesses. The middleclass owner is honest and charges all his clients the same for the same item. Your "elite" buddy, the owner of the second store, is a crook and wanted to charge the gringo, American or extraño more then he charges his regular customers because he thought I could afford to pay it and thought I was stupid enough to do such. A crook by any other name is still a crook and I assure you if I had paid the 700% increase in price that he initially wanted that it would have gone into his pocket.

Your theory that the end justifies the means doesn't hold water and your continuence to defend the crooks in this country speaks badly for your reputation and standings.

Rick

 

[NALs]

Thank you Nal's for that quick and astute response as I knew before hand what you would say but wanted it before my eyes.

Both owners of both establishments knew and know me and are both legitimate businesses. The middleclass owner is honest and charges all his clients the same for the same item. Your "elite" buddy, the owner of the second store, is a crook and wanted to charge the gringo, American or extraño more then he charges his regular customers because he thought I could afford to pay it and thought I was stupid enough to do such. A crook by any other name is still a crook and I assure you if I had paid the 700% increase in price that he initially wanted that it would have gone into his pocket.

Your theory that the end justifies the means doesn't hold water and your continuence to defend the crooks in this country speaks badly for your reputation and standings.

Rick

Actually Rick,

What you seem to be complaining of is not necessarily the "crook" but the principles of capitalism itself.

Supply and demand causes the price to be set, but perceptions does the exact same thing.

The purpose of a merchant is to get the most money he possibly can and the purpose of the customer to get the good for the least possible price.

The equilibrium (ie. price) is derived between how much the customer is willing to pay and how much of the profit the merchant is willing to give up.

At a given point (the equilibrium point) the good will be exchanged for its value as perceived by both, the merchant and the customer at that particular moment in time.

The fact that there are merchants who maintain a set price may work for you or against you. It works for you when the price is well below the amount you were willing to pay and it works against you when its higher than what you were willing to pay.

In either case, negotiation should had taken place.

When its higher than the price you were willing to pay, usually people would complain.

When its lower than the amount you were willing to pay, usually people stay quiet and take the bargain.

However, when the price is exactly at the level you were willing to pay (this level is the amount of money you thought the item should cost before the merchant told you their price for the item) both are equally happy. However, this hardly is the case in most instances.

This is how capitalism works, plain and simple.

-NALs

 

[Rick Snyder]

You just don't get it and that is my fault and I will therefore explain such to you now. I apologize for not making this clear before.

The "elite" store owner is not there everyday but happened to be there when I went in that day. I have returned there a number of times over the years and when he is there I never buy anything. The reason for this is 2 days after the incident I mentioned happened I returned to that store and in normal conversation asked the normal worker how much they sell a pacho frio for and he said it had always been half a peso. I then asked him why the owner tried to sell it to me for 4 pesos and he said because I am American and that after I left that related day that I was the brunt of the conversation about those stupid Americans in his, the owners, country.

Digest that and then respond to me. I think, but don't know, that the rest of the board members understood that which I was trying to convey.

Rick

edited for grammar

 

[trina]

Regarding the OP's initial post, I don't think it was meant to create "pitty" for him. I think it was more to see how many DR1ers agree with him. However, it appears that DR1ers are responding to their belief that his post was meant to create pitty for him, rather than whether or not they agree with what he is saying.

This is another case of DR1ers reacting to the OP and not to what the OP actually said.


-NALs

I think you realize more than anyone here that if a poster lacks credibility, it's hard not to think about what that particular poster is saying. If a poster frequently changes their position on a topic, I reserve the right to question their motives, because in these instances, they are usually just shooting their mouth off and screaming for attention.

 

[NALs]

You just don't get it and that is my fault and I will therefore explain such to you now. I apologize for not making this clear before.

The "elite" store owner is not there everyday but happened to be there when I went in that day. I have returned there a number of times over the years and when he is there I never buy anything. The reason for this is 2 days after the incident I mentioned happened I returned to that store and in normal conversation asked the normal worker how much they sell a pacho frio for and he said it had always been half a peso. I then asked him why the owner tried to sell it to me for 4 pesos and he said because I am American and that after I left that related day that I was the brunt of the conversation about those stupid Americans in his, the owners, country.

Digest that and then respond to me. I think, but don't know, that the rest of the board members understood that which I was trying to convey.

Rick

edited for grammar

Believe me Rick, I perfectly understood what you were saying in the previous post.

Quick question: Why would the owner refer to the Americans as "stupid"?

Unless, of course, some Americans buying something from him paid the amount he asked without attempting to negotiate.

The owner of that business was doing nothing else other than being a capitalistic merchant!

You know what I have noticed lately? I have seen soda machines that automatically increase their price when the temperature increases and automatically lower their price when the outside temperature drops.

Is that a scam or capitalism at work?

How much different is it from the owner of that business whom you call a crook?

Not much, according to economic theory of capitalism or free markets.

If you know someone has a probability of paying X amount for a particular good, then you charge X amount. It's your job to charge as much as you possibly can.

Now, if the customer doesn't do his/her part, then in those circumstances the customer would be consider "stupid" by the merchant. Why? Because the customer was suppose to attempt to negotiate or at the very least, protest rather than simply paying the amount being asked.

In your case, you simply left to the competition, which is an acceptable thing to do. However, there appears to be plenty of Americans who simply pay the amount quoted to them and the fact that they pay it without complaint leaves the Dominican owner to assume that they are "stupid".

It's capitalism, either way we cut it, it's capitalism at work.

Otherwise, why does the price of sodas in the new soda machines increases with the temperature?

Why does Amusement Parks charge upwards of US$6 for a 12 oz. can of soda in the middle of a hot and steamy July day?

Why does the price of new cars start off so high in in the first half of the year and then decrease substantially in August and September?

Why does the price of a flight from US or Europe to the DR increases the closer to the date of travel one buys the tickets?

Because that's how capitalism works!

Don't get discouraged, because I know what you mean. I'm just attempting to make you realize that these actions are normal in a market economy.

I must say, there is a fine line dividing regular economic theory from simple greed, but both are the product of market capitalism. Thus, as long as there is capitalism there will be what you just experienced and I will have to pay US$5 when its 90 degrees farenheit vs. US$1.50 on any other given day when its not as hot!

-NALs

 

[NALs]

I think you realize more than anyone here that if a poster lacks credibility, it's hard not to think about what that particular poster is saying. If a poster frequently changes their position on a topic, I reserve the right to question their motives, because in these instances, they are usually just shooting their mouth off and screaming for attention.

Yes, I know.

But, it could also be that he is trying to see what the average DR1 thinks of the topic of this thread, rather than what they think of him.

If he writes each thread with only the information he has at hand, then we can expect for some contradictions to appear as many other topics are covered by him. If, however, he is concerned of his own image, reputation, etc he would be consistent in his postings all the time.

I have reworded many times the exact samethings I have said on this board and you know what? Sometimes people agree with me and other times they don't!

It had nothing to do with the message, because my message was the same in both instance, but simply worded differently quick caused the dramatic difference in reaction from people.

Thus, DR1ers agreed and disagreed with the message I was saying, but what caused the different results was the wordings, not the message which was unchanged.

This happens when people react to the poster and not to what he/she is saying.

The poster can reword his message, and since they are more concerned about him than what he is saying, they react to the reworded post and not the actual message itself.

-NALs

 

[billyidol]

For all the poor-bashing and touting of education that is being done by Mr. Billy Idol in this thread, one might think he would have learned to spell "etc."

ill defer to Mr Magics response to this guy...And id like to know exactly where it was that ive 'bashed the poor'??? please im all ears!
ill never stop touting the virtues of education... its changed the lives of so many people, you shouldn't be surprised that people will talk about this life changing event in there lives

 

[Chris]

You know what I have noticed lately? I have seen soda machines that automatically increase their price when the temperature increases and automatically lower their price when the outside temperature drops.

Is that a scam or capitalism at work?
-NALs

Heheheh ... Nals always shoots himself in the foot. If this is capitalism at work, then your op buddy should pay more! If the traffic can bear more, why not! And why cry about it?

 

[billyidol]

The original poster says that he has managed to amass some money to live a luxurious lifestyle, and more power to him ... His money does not detract from the fact that he completely disregards the poorer people around him,



HOW EXACTLY HAVE YOU DRAWN THE CONCLUSION THAT I HAVE COMPLETELY DISREGARDED THE POOR PEOPLE AROUND ME....THIS CLAIM IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO BACK UP AND IS OUTRAGEOUS !...WHAT IS YOUR CLAIM BASED UPON ...YOU KNOW I DONT MIND TAKING A BIT OF SH!T EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE BUT PLEASE ...THERES JUST NO EVIDENCE FOR YOUR CLAIM ..AND IF YOU NEW ME WHAT I DID FOR A LIVING ...WELL, I THINK YOU'D AGREE THERE'S JUST NO BASIS TO YOUR CLAIM AT ALL







and he goes further, to disrespect the Dominican Republic's poorer people, despite how much or how little he wants to pay for services.

IM DISRESPECTING THE PEOPLE; SO EVERYONE ELSE THAT HAS BOUGHT A HOME IN THE DR WAS SOCIALLY CONCIOUS ENOUGH TO PAY EXTRA TO THE WORKERS ABOVE WHAT WAS AGREED TO BE PAID WITHIN THEIR HOME CONTRACT....I THINK NOT



Our poster Nals supports this stance all the way, and both of them blame the poor for being poor.

WHERE DID I BLAME THE POOR FOR BEING POOR????????????



That is like blaming the blind for being blind. This illustrates a serious lack of education and a more serious lack of even simple reading to even attempt to understand our world today. The gap between rich and poor is indeed becoming wider worldwide and the original poster and the poster Nals says: "Give 'em cake and be sure that they use it sparingly and just a little of it mind - and make sure my tax dollars does not pay for that cake... ".

 

[billyidol]

Sort of strange. i got a different take on the PO's initial post.

He was feeling persecuted by his fellow workers because he did not pay the workers who built his house more than the going wages. His phrasing might not have been that precise, but that is essentially what he said.

IM NOT SURE THAT THATS WHAT I SAID;I DIDNT PAY THEM...MY BUILDER DID...WHO APPARENTLY PAYS THEM A WAGE ACCORDING TO THE LAW.
THEIR OWN COUNTRY DETERMINES THE PAY SCALE...NOT ME!

And, i am affraid he is right. None of the fabulously wealthy people I know would do it any differently. They make a deal with the builder, pay the builder, and that's that!

End of rant: the OP feels put upon by his fellow workers for his new house. He shouldn't have to feel this way. He can ask his critics if they want to do something about it. Then we'll see if they put their money where their mouths are...

DO-GOODERS ARE GREAT AT SPENDING OTHER PEOPLES MONEY...AND ARE USUALLY TO BUSY TALKING TO GET THAT MONEY INTO THEIR MOUTHS

 

[Rick Snyder]

After reading the responses on this thread I have determined that a lot of you seem to have a personal axe to grind and it’s all being done at the expense of the OP.

Because this is a public forum and a number of you are throwing the $hit around then I as a reader am going to try to show you that you are just as guilty as the person you are trying to blame.

1. In post #8 it starts with Fightingirish saying “For all the poor-bashing and touting of education that is being done by Mr. Billy Idol in this thread, one might think he would have learned to spell "etc."”

Fightingirish you need to reread the OP again as the word “poor” was never mentioned nor was he touting education. And before you decide to take the role of the grammar police you had best do as Mrmagic said in post#10.

2. Miguel did the next attack in post #12 with name calling. And he like Fightingirish used the word poor when it was never mentioned in the OP.

Hillbilly in post #16 explains the error of your ways but nobody wishes to listen to him.

3. In post #18 Trina goes on the attack again with “Besides all this, the guy is full of BS - here's a previous post of his, detailling his "DR budget", http://www.dr1.com/forums/showpost.p...02&postcount=5 - which is a 'little different' from his post here, claiming”

Now if we look at the link you provided us with it will be noticed that a fellow member asked how much it would cost to live here in the DR. The OP answered, as is our initial purpose on this board, as to how much it costs him to live here which was US$730 + or – a month. It costs me less then that and I support my wife and son but that’s irrelevant. In the OP, a month later, he says 1k to 1,500 a month so maybe his expenses have gone up a bit since the link you posted. I guess we should be relieved that you didn’t correct him on his spelling.

All the other negative posts were not blatant contradictions so I won’t comment on them other then to say that “If you live in a glass house it’s best not to throw stones”.

Rick

 

[NALs]

Heheheh ... Nals always shoots himself in the foot. If this is capitalism at work, then your op buddy should pay more! If the traffic can bear more, why not! And why cry about it?

But the OP is not the merchant in that example, rather the customer.

He is receiving a service and, as a customer, the lower the price for the service the better.

The one offering the service is the one who should ask the highest price possible for his/her service.

Whenever the two come into an agreement, that's the price it will be paid for X amount of service produced.

People offering as service can and often do refuse to do such if the price is not right. Of course, if there is an over-abundance of labor available, then it simply does not matter. The customer wins over the merchant or service provider because with so many people out of work, someone would accept to do such service for less.

Now Chris, are you sure I shot myself in the foot or you shot yourself in your foot and confused it with mine?

Oh, and for the record, Billyidol is not my "buddy". I simply happen to agree with him on this issue, nothing more nothing less. I tend to judge people's posts by what they say and what their message is, not by who they are or what I think of them.

-NALs

 

[billyidol]

omg...you're right...i'd forgotten that was him...the things that make you go "hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnph"....

AN ASININE COMMENT...OMG!...OMG!!...IM SO BUSTED!

WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THE READINESS OF PEOPLE TO DISTORT , MANIPULATE AND ATTACK AND NOT BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND THE MESSAGE WITHIN A PERSONS POST...NOT ALL BUT SOME PEOPLE. PARTICULARLY TRINA AND THE MIGSTER

FOR EG AT NO POINT DID I SAY I HAD A 5000 ROOM MANSION OR MENTION THE NUMBER OF ROOMS AT MY HOME, NOR DID I ASK FOR PITY AT ANY POINT OR PUT DOWN THE GOOD NAME OF THE DR PEOPLE . BUT AS IF BY MAGIC SOME RESPONDERS HAVE CONJURED UP A LOT FROM A VERY BASIC POST. WHICH SIMPLY ASKED SHOULD THE RICH PAY MORE! COULD PEOPLE STAY ON TOPIC OR COMPREHEND THIS MATTER, APPARENTLY NOT EXCEPT FOR HILLBILLY AND NALS WHO CONSISTENTLY DISPLAY AN ABILITY TO THINK FREELY. NO FIGHTING IRISH ATTEMPTED TO TELL ME HOW TO SPELL ETCETERA CORRECTLY...THAT WAS THE MOST HE WAS ABLE TO OFFER...BY THE WAY HE SPELT IT 'ETC' WHICH IS IT'S ABBREVIATED FORM AND NOT ACTUALLY HOW YOU SPELL THE WORD. TRINA MANAGED TO BE STUNNED (I'M BEING FACETIOUS) WHEN REMINDED OF MY EARLIER POST RE BUDGETS.
AND ANOTHER DO-GOODER TRIED TO SAY THAT I WAS DISRESPECTING THE DR PEOPLE BLAH BLAH BLAH PERSONALLY DO I CARE ABOUT YOUR OFF TOPIC THOUGHTS....NO! BUT YOU ARE AMUSING!

 

[jackieboo]

Religion?

As I?m preparing to move to the DR I find it interesting that the posters on this site are discussing similar issues faced in the U.S. and Canada.

Capitalism is so cyclic, when the economy is good and there's plenty of money to support the poor everyone is happy, when the economy is bad or should I say badly run the rich get richer and the poor get nothing.

With my limited knowledge of the DR and its political history my take is a little different from those of the OP and additional posters. I see the strength of organized religion in the DR as the repressive variable. This same variable rears its ugly head in too many States around the globe. It's not that the people of these countries are stupid or uneducated it's that they aren't given a chance to make decisions for themselves. From birth the peoples of religious States are programmed to believe in the local God or Gods. They?re not given a chance to make informed decisions based on a working knowledge of existing science as their thinking is formed based on the teachings of the States religion.

In the DR most of the poor are poor even before they?re conceived. They?re condemned to a life of poverty based on their parents social class. They?re held in that class by a State that refuses to put education at the top of their list of priorities. Most countries don?t do this for a reason. The ?elite? need a third class of people to support their way of life.

So, the only hope these third class citizens have is in religion. Believe and you shall be delivered. Confess and you shall be forgiven. That?s all they really have except for their families and friends.

Now before all of you Catholics come down on me I want you to know that I respect everyone' personal belief system.

I'm coming to the DR, as I imagine many who post here did, to escape a lot of government control. I feel like I have some control over my life when I'm in the DR and here in the U.S. I don?t don't feel that control. Not a day goes by that I?m not thankful for what life has thrown my way. As well, not a day goes by that I don?t think of the poor of the world.

We all can?t be Mother Teresa that?s what made her so special.

I plan on doing what I can and when I can to contribute to the health of my newly adopted country. I think I can make more a difference in the DR than I could ever do here in the States. I?ll just have to wait and see. Very exciting times from this poster.

Now let me know have it?? I can take it

 

[NALs]

As I’m preparing to move to the DR I find it interesting that the posters on this site are discussing similar issues faced in the U.S. and Canada.

Capitalism is so cyclic, when the economy is good and there's plenty of money to support the poor everyone is happy, when the economy is bad or should I say badly run the rich get richer and the poor get nothing.

With my limited knowledge of the DR and its political history my take is a little different from those of the OP and additional posters. I see the strength of organized religion in the DR as the repressive variable. This same variable rears its ugly head in too many States around the globe. It's not that the people of these countries are stupid or uneducated it's that they aren't given a chance to make decisions for themselves. From birth the peoples of religious States are programmed to believe in the local God or Gods. They’re not given a chance to make informed decisions based on a working knowledge of existing science as their thinking is formed based on the teachings of the States religion.

In the DR most of the poor are poor even before they’re conceived. They’re condemned to a life of poverty based on their parents social class. They’re held in that class by a State that refuses to put education at the top of their list of priorities. Most countries don’t do this for a reason. The ‘elite’ need a third class of people to support their way of life.

So, the only hope these third class citizens have is in religion. Believe and you shall be delivered. Confess and you shall be forgiven. That’s all they really have except for their families and friends.

Now before all of you Catholics come down on me I want you to know that I respect everyone' personal belief system.

I'm coming to the DR, as I imagine many who post here did, to escape a lot of government control. I feel like I have some control over my life when I'm in the DR and here in the U.S. I don’t don't feel that control. Not a day goes by that I’m not thankful for what life has thrown my way. As well, not a day goes by that I don’t think of the poor of the world.

We all can’t be Mother Teresa that’s what made her so special.

I plan on doing what I can and when I can to contribute to the health of my newly adopted country. I think I can make more a difference in the DR than I could ever do here in the States. I’ll just have to wait and see. Very exciting times from this poster.

Now let me know have it…… I can take it

I partly agree with you, but you will notice one startling fact in the DR.... very few Dominicans are "practicing" Catholics or anything for that matter. Many have not been inside a church since the last major earthquake in 2003 which scared everyone to death and they went into the churches out of fear.

But, it has been quite sometime since that happened.

Having said that, even among people who are not religious, especially in the US, much of their thinking is done by the media.

In fact, in any society where the daily chats and conversations is nothing more than reiterating what the media has been airing or printing in that particular time, it's evidence that most people let the media do the thinking for them.

For this reason Dominicans fear criminals but don't fear riding a motocycle in life threatning ways.

When the media begins to focus on the higher risk of dying on a motorcycle than in any criminal act, then will you see Dominicans become afraid of motorcycles. Until then, the media is telling them to be afraid of X thing and that's what they are being afraid of.

Why? Because the media is doing the thinking for them. Religion is not the problem.

-NALs

 

[Chris]

I plan on doing what I can and when I can to contribute to the health of my newly adopted country. I think I can make more a difference in the DR than I could ever do here in the States. I?ll just have to wait and see. Very exciting times from this poster.

Now let me know have it?? I can take it

You'll be just fine! Enjoy this first period. It is like falling in love all over again. The velcro stage you know... where you have to absolutely be tied to the new experience. :laugh:

 

[jackieboo]

That's a good point if you we're talking about the day to day opinions.

What I am talking about is a culture of religion and the influence religion has on the government. Examples are the Arch Bishop getting news print soley because he's a high ranking member of a religion.

His opinion must matter to a few people in the country whether they go in a church once in a lifetime or every Sunday. IF someone that close to God says it's so, then it must be so......

I partly agree with you, but you will notice one startling fact in the DR.... very few Dominicans are "practicing" Catholics or anything for that matter. Many have not been inside a church since the last major earthquake in 2003 which scared everyone to death and they went into the churches out of fear.

But, it has been quite sometime since that happened.

Having said that, even among people who are not religious, especially in the US, much of their thinking is done by the media.

In fact, in any society where the daily chats and conversations is nothing more than reiterating what the media has been airing or printing in that particular time, it's evidence that most people let the media do the thinking for them.

For this reason Dominicans fear criminals but don't fear riding a motocycle in life threatning ways.

When the media begins to focus on the higher risk of dying on a motorcycle than in any criminal act, then will you see Dominicans become afraid of motorcycles. Until then, the media is telling them to be afraid of X thing and that's what they are being afraid of.

Why? Because the media is doing the thinking for them. Religion is not the problem.

-NALs

 

[billyidol]

Capitalism is so cyclic, when the economy is good and there's plenty of money to support the poor everyone is happy, when the economy is bad or should I say badly run the rich get richer and the poor get nothing.


CERTAIN PEOPLE FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS ALWAYS RISE TO THE TOP WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH



With my limited knowledge of the DR and its political history my take is a little different from those of the OP and additional posters. I see the strength of organized religion in the DR as the repressive variable. This same variable rears its ugly head in too many States around the globe. It's not that the people of these countries are stupid or uneducated it's that they aren't given a chance to make decisions for themselves. From birth the peoples of religious States are programmed to believe in the local God or Gods. They?re not given a chance to make informed decisions based on a working knowledge of existing science as their thinking is formed based on the teachings of the States religion.


I AGREE...THANK GOD FOR THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE (IN MY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN)



In the DR most of the poor are poor even before they?re conceived. They?re condemned to a life of poverty based on their parents social class. They?re held in that class by a State that refuses to put education at the top of their list of priorities. Most countries don?t do this for a reason. The ?elite? need a third class of people to support their way of life.

i REMEMBER STUDYING CLASS SYSTEMS AND I FOUND THE FOLLOWING VERY INTERESTING;
THE BUSINESS OWNERS WILL PAY A PITTANCE TO THE WORKER SO THAT HE REMAINS BY THE BUSINESS OWNERS SIDE. aS SOON AS YOU PAY THE WORKER A FORTUNE HE THEN HAS THE FINANCIAL CLOUT TO TAKE WHAT HE'S LEARNT WHILST AT THE BUSINESS OWNERS SIDE AND GO INTO COMPETITION AGAINST HIM...

So, the only hope these third class citizens have is in religion. Believe and you shall be delivered. Confess and you shall be forgiven. That?s all they really have except for their families and friends.

Now before all of you Catholics come down on me I want you to know that I respect everyone' personal belief system.

I'm coming to the DR, as I imagine many who post here did, to escape a lot of government control. I feel like I have some control over my life when I'm in the DR and here in the U.S. I don?t don't feel that control. Not a day goes by that I?m not thankful for what life has thrown my way. As well, not a day goes by that I don?t think of the poor of the world.

We all can?t be Mother Teresa that?s what made her so special.

I plan on doing what I can and when I can to contribute to the health of my newly adopted country. I think I can make more a difference in the DR than I could ever do here in the States. I?ll just have to wait and see. Very exciting times from this poster.

Now let me know have it?? I can take it [/QUOTE]