Another reason why the local ecomony is in the tank.

I agree. Sacrifice is what it is all about. We finally had to break down last year and get aother vehicle. Our family car was a 1993 mini van with almost 200,000 mile on it that we kept running and among other things we did without were vacations, eating out etc... we gave up a lot so our kids so that they could go to private schools so that they didn't have to spend hours every day on a bus.

Here is another thought. My kids have made lifelong friends form out neighborhood. Kids they went to school with from kindergarten through 12th grade. How many "close" friends are developed when they are bussed all over town with people they would not hang out with on a good day?

To quote Christian Bale, and attempt to mulitply his sarcasm by 10 in print, "OH GOOOOODDDDD FOR YOUUUUUUUU"

Ok so youre right, I guess I could have sent my kid to private school, nobody really needs this extra 2700 sqaure feet of my house, nor do we need the third garage, or the ferrari parked inside. I guess I could have gotten the wife a 4 carat ring instead of a 7.

See, you make the mistake of assuming too much about me. My family has 2 vehicles, because we both work. One is a 97 Chevy, and the other a 70's Honda. Our idea of going out to eat, is which fast food restaurant to go to on nights when we both work late and there isnt time to cook, maybe once a week. When we grocery shop,we stay away from name brands, in an attempt to save as many pennies as possible. It still isnt nearly enough for some of us to even dream of sending our kids to a private school.

Ill add, that it isnt the school system that is at the heart of the failure to teach kids, it is lazy parents who dont care, who use the schools as little more than a daily babysitter and dont support the teachers that really WANT to help. Sure the political pandering takes a toll, and the neophyte liberals who intend to save the world at any and all costs do more harm than good, but at the root of it all, is kids who need an education, and yet dont get it because they are outnumbered by the ones whose parents have taught them not to care about themselves or others.

You know about those people that dont care about others dont you? They grow up and get menial jobs where they can use their position to bully other people around, and maybe provide advantages for themselves that they dont give to society as a whole.

I am the one who posted the "try this on for size" posting. It was directed at the poster who thinks the police get a car for free and don't sacrafice anything for what they have earned. We have sacraficed and continue to do so to make the best for our families. If you don't like it or want to have what we have earned, try and join our ranks. Make the cut and you get the perks. If you don't want to do our job, shut up and live with it. My van has over 200000 miles on it. The car I drive has almost 200000 miles on it but that is what I will do in order not to have payments and provide for my family without having to worry about other things with paying bills on time. SACRAFICE if you are concerned about meeting your monthly obligations.