Public Opinion: A Nation of Whiners?

I agree with Senator Gramm. Any country, whose citizens will pay $40/gal for Starbucks coffee, $25/gal for boutique water to drink and $340/gal for fingernail polish, and then bitch about paying $4/gal for gasoline, is a nation of whiners

Mike Arnold of NC 4:56PM July 15, 2008

That is a resounding 'yes'! I do agree with Sen. Phil Gramm but I would qualify it by saying I think the media leads the charge, much like a team of cheerleaders. Night after night on the evening news and every day on the morning talk shows they contribute to the growing hysteria over the economy that now seems (with Freddie & Fannie, for example) to have evolved into a self-fulfilling prophecy punctuated by a kind of "See? We told you so!" They seem truly triumphant and gleeful in their exclamation that we are in a recession (which we are not), never once choosing to balance their observations by the fact that economic downturns are cyclical in nature. Then there is the never-ending litany of complaints and grievances that simply encourage the mentality of victimization and the predictable demand for compensation as an entitlement for anyone's misfortune. As Americans we are capable of so much more intelligence, ingenuity and innovation to identify & solve our problems. Tapping into that pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit is what got us this far. Now is not the time to sit on our laurels and complain about what we once had or how we failed. It's time we got up, dusted ourselves off & started working on reinventing ourselves and the future of this country. It would be nice if the media spent more time leading THAT charge.....instead of spreading & inciting a message replete with gloom, doom & hopelessness.

Peggy of PA 2:02PM July 13, 2008

Well, let's see,....

if complaining about being in a war to meet the needs of the Bush administration is whining, than yes. If complaining about doing nothing to improve medical and insurance coverage is whining than yes. If complaining about a policy that neglects the environment and turns it's back on the facts of global warming, then yes. If complaining about an administration that puts itself above the law, then yes. If complaining about government policy that does everything possible to support the wants of large companies and the wealthy, and thumbs it's nose at the middle class is whining, then yes. If complaining about obvious lies coming out of DC, then yes. If complaining about the self serving mind set of Bush, than yes.

If complaining about an education system that is a shambles because of Bush, then yes. If complaining about a border protection policy that does nothing to protect the US is considered whining, then yes. If listening over and over again to Bush, and Cheney and Condi and rove lie to the world about Iraq is complaining, then yes. If complaining about the treatment of US military personal is whining, then yes. If complaining about Government lies regarding firing of US attorneys is whining, then yes. If complaining about the release of names of government agents because they refute White House lies is whining, than yes. If complaining about listening to a deranged evil, vile man declare he never makes mistakes, then yes I whine. If complaining about the media's slanted support of individual candidates is complaining then yes I whine. If expressing my concern for the near future of this country because of all the above and much more is considered whining, then yes......I whine

mark smalling of TX 11:06PM July 11, 2008

OF COURSE PHIL GRAMM IS RIGHT! JFK's "ask what you can do for your country" has been totally turned on its head. But it's not universal, thank heaven. Witness the reaction of the folks in New Orleans - thousands standing around with their hands out wanting the taxpayers to take care of them - as opposed to those in Iowa who called their insurance companies and started with the business of cleaning up and getting on with their lives. And then there are all of the 'Gee, I fell down, someone should pay me damages' or 'I got sick, need to sue the drug provider or doctor or HMO . . . or SOMEBODY' who are encouraged and abetted by the trial lawyers.

Sadly, there seem to be more whiners than non-whiners.

Mel of MO 5:10PM July 11, 2008