I only want to address two points, because the military compensation issue is a rabbit whole upon which we will never agree. So, two points:

Quote Originally Posted by Marlin View Post
[COLOR="red"]So regardless of the facts, you are going to ignore them and live life as ignorance is bliss? The issue has nothing to do with color, but 100% to do with culutre. You can give them all the money and special programs you want, but until you address their personal culture, which as a society we so enthusiastically embrace, it will keep happening. I have ants in my garage, they were getting into my dog's food. I took away the dog food, the ants went away.
This is particularly instructive and points to exactly what I am saying about not viewing with total disgust those less fortunate. If your comparison is with animals and bugs, that says a lot about your entering attitude with regard to the poor. My point as to race and ethnic breakdown is that the problems and challenges of the bottom income brackets, particularly the poverty stricken, transcend those particular categories, and worrying excessively about what percentage happen to be latino is less then helpful. Grinding poverty may indeed by accerabted by culture failures and norms, but those same failure are present in Appalachia as well as Harlem. If I roll my eyes at your primary issue, which seems to be pointing out the ethnic breakdowns, its not "living in ignorant bliss" so much as believing that the racial breakdown numbers aren't particularly instructive.

Quote Originally Posted by Marlin View Post
You know what I mean, I notice you left out smoking/drinking/drugs. At 50 bucks a carton, or 20 bucks a bottle and so on. Incredibly expensive. I was just using those as non-neccessities that have somehow become entitlements, like cable or high speed internet.
I left those out because I have no idea what percentage smoke, drink, or use drugs. I was unwilling to make gross generalizations. I am betting that they don't spend $20 a bottle though.