Can Americans afford vacations anymore?

[Harrisfan]

1 hour ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Correct!!!!

 

Spending too much

On tax cuts for Billionaires

And taxing them

Too little 👍

 

 

 

B-I-N-G-O 😭

Tax cuts are not spending lol

Wars, general waste

[Mike_Hunt]

9 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Blaming Obama and Democrats ignores the historical reality that the biggest barriers to affordable education have come from policies favoring privatization, corporate profit, and reduced public investment—core tenets of modern Republican economics.

 

It’s a classic case of misplaced blame and historical revisionism.

 

The rising cost of education in the U.S. has been driven by decades of policy decisions, many of which were pushed by Republicans favoring privatization, reduced public funding for higher education, and predatory lending practices.

 

1. State Budget Cuts – Republican-led states have repeatedly slashed funding for public universities, forcing schools to raise tuition. This trend began well before Obama and has continued under GOP-controlled legislatures.

 

2. Student Loan Industry Influence – Policies deregulating student lending, often backed by Republican lawmakers, allowed private lenders to exploit students with high-interest loans. The Obama administration attempted to curb this with reforms like expanding income-driven repayment plans.

 

3. For-Profit College Boom – Under GOP-backed deregulation, predatory for-profit schools flourished, saddling students with debt for often worthless degrees. Obama cracked down on these institutions, but Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Education Secretary, rolled back those protections.

 

4. Pell Grant and Loan Subsidy Cuts – GOP lawmakers have consistently opposed expanding federal student aid. The Budget Control Act of 2011, which was a Republican-driven austerity measure, cut loan subsidies for graduate students.

 

In short, Republicans have done NOTHING to make education more affordable, much less a simple family vacation more affordable. ✅

 

Democrats screw up everything they touch, and you blame Repbucains. 

[Mike_Hunt]

1 hour ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Correct!!!!

 

Spending too much

On tax cuts for Billionaires

And taxing them

Too little 👍

 

 

 

B-I-N-G-O 😭

You do not get it. 

[SiSePuede419]

5 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Tax cuts are not spending lol

I think it's too late to ask for a refund.

For your degree.

Because K-Mart is bankrupt.

 

Tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations are a deliberate policy choice that reduces government revenue.

 

That's a "spending" in a budget.

Common sense.

Don't reckon you got much of that. 😂

 

When stupid lawmakers prioritize tax cuts over funding public services like education, infrastructure, and healthcare, they are effectively choosing to underfund those areas.

 

DUH. 

 

 

[SiSePuede419]

4 minutes ago, Mike_Hunt said:

You do not get it. 

Oh, look!

It's No Fact Jack, the king of contributing nothing.

 

Tell us what Republicans have done to make American family vacations affordable after they deregulated plane tickets back in 1978.

Wait.  That was Jimmy Carter.

OK, since Ike built the interstate system in the 50s.

Wait.  It was mostly funded by Democrats in the 70s.

Nevermind.

 

WHAT HAVE REPUBLICANS DONE? 

NAME 5 THINGS CLOWNS 👋

[Harrisfan]

10 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

I think it's too late to ask for a refund.

For your degree.

Because K-Mart is bankrupt.

 

Tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations are a deliberate policy choice that reduces government revenue.

 

That's a "spending" in a budget.

Common sense.

Don't reckon you got much of that. 😂

 

When stupid lawmakers prioritize tax cuts over funding public services like education, infrastructure, and healthcare, they are effectively choosing to underfund those areas.

 

DUH. 

 

 

Rich people create jobs duh

[Harrisfan]

10 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Oh, look!

It's No Fact Jack, the king of contributing nothing.

 

Tell us what Republicans have done to make American family vacations affordable after they deregulated plane tickets back in 1978.

Wait.  That was Jimmy Carter.

OK, since Ike built the interstate system in the 50s.

Wait.  It was mostly funded by Democrats in the 70s.

Nevermind.

 

WHAT HAVE REPUBLICANS DONE? 

NAME 5 THINGS CLOWNS 👋

Agoda is American. They have cheap hotels. 

[3NUMBAS]

With 40 million us citizens living below the poverty line how could they afford a holiday in the first place before trump arrived on the scene

[Harrisfan]

5 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

With 40 million us citizens living below the poverty line how could they afford a holiday in the first place before trump arrived on the scene

Thanks Biden.

[3NUMBAS]

Maga was just an illusion ,there never was any maga 

 

[SiSePuede419]

55 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Thanks Biden.

Q: You know why there's so many pissed off Millennial 23 year olds now in America?

 

A: Because in 1999 there was still a crack epidemic in America and their parents were worried about "Y2K" whatever that is because most people didn't have internet or even analog cell phones back then, and they started hearing about "dot com" millionaires making money hand over fist on pet food web "sights" so I guess thats why they bred like rabbits out of fear and insecurity. 😂

[Harrisfan]

39 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

Maga was just an illusion ,there never was any maga 

 

What is numbas?

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Q: You know why there's so many pissed off Millennial 23 year olds now in America?

 

A: Because in 1999 there was still a crack epidemic in America and their parents were worried about "Y2K" whatever that is because most people didn't have internet or even analog cell phones back then, and they started hearing about "dot com" millionaires making money hand over fist on pet food web "sights" so I guess thats why they bred like rabbits out of fear and insecurity. 😂

In 1999 most people I know and worked with (USA)  had cell phones, and computers at home.  Many of us investing in the market, around the Y2K 'scam' and doing very well.

 

What country did you live in at that time ?

[Yellowtail]

When you live in the US, not real need to travel outside the country. Plenty of great places to vacation in the US. 

 

The US is one on the top vacation destination countries in the world. 

[still kicking]

5 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

When you live in the US, not real need to travel outside the country. Plenty of great places to vacation in the US. 

 

The US is one on the top vacation destination countries in the world. 

Cheap deflection again

[Harrisfan]

3 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Cheap deflection again

Biden caused the inflation 

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, still kicking said:

Cheap deflection again

How is it deflection? People that live in little countries or in countries with little to see, need to travel internationally for vacation. People that live in the US don't. 

 

Not much you can do in other countries you can't do in the US. 

[Smokin Joe]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

When you live in the US, not real need to travel outside the country. Plenty of great places to vacation in the US. 

 

The US is one on the top vacation destination countries in the world. 

 

Exactly. I can't think of any other country where you can go surfing in the morning and snow skiing in the afternoon on the same day.

 

And if you like the outdoors, the USA has more wilderness than the entire continent of Africa.

[still kicking]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

How is it deflection? People that live in little countries or in countries with little to see, need to travel internationally for vacation. People that live in the US don't. 

 

Not much you can do in other countries you can't do in the US. 

I live in a big country which is also a continent where we have the most beautiful beaches in the world about time you wake up and see the world. And yes we have snow as well and today's temp was 39 degrees and summer finished a long time ago 

[KhunLA]

3 hours ago, still kicking said:

Cheap deflection again

I lived there / USA, for 45 years, and traveled extensively for almost 25 of those year.   With all that travel, I just scratched the surface of what is available to see & do there.  If that's not enough, right next door is Canada, Mexico & Caribbean right there, no reason to leave  USA or N. America.  Before 9/11, you didn't even need a passport to go to CA, MX or Islands.

 

Agree, if I livid in AU, I'd want to travel internationally also.  Lovely beaches, though don't know if I'd bother swimming in them.  And few live in the interior of the country ... for a reason.

 

Only about 25 million people there, and 15+ million of those, live in only 5 cities ... nuff said

 

 

[still kicking]

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

I lived there for 45 years, and traveled extensively for almost 25 of those year.   With all that travel, I just scratched the surface of what is available to see & do there.  With Canada, Mexico & Caribbean right there, no reason to leave N. America.

 

Agree, if I livid in AU, I'd want to travel internationally also.  Lovely beaches, though don't know if I'd bother swimming in them.  And few live in the interior of the country ... for a reason.

 

Only about 25 million people there, and 15+ million of those, live in only 5 cities ... nuff said

 

 

Get your facts right 27 million 

[KhunLA]

10 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Get your facts right 27 million 

I can only go by what you see I posted.  Don't care enough to count everyone.  There's 5 countries larger than that 'continent'.    Actually 5 cities in the world with 20+M people, though not sure that's actually a good thing 🙄

 

I can definitely think of worse place to be born.

 

 

[SiSePuede419]

13 hours ago, KhunLA said:

In 1999 most people I know and worked with (USA)  had cell phones

Out of touch Elitist. 😂

 

 

That's correct!  In December 1999, the majority of Americans did not have cell phones or home internet access. 

 

Only about 38% of Americans owned a cell phone in 1999.

 

Around 41.5% of U.S. households had internet access in 2000, meaning the majority did not have it in late 1999.

 

Once

Once

Once

 

Again!

MAGA proves they have no clue about the struggles of working class people in America, now or ever. 😄

[SLOWHAND225]

On 3/21/2025 at 3:38 PM, bkk6060 said:

I don't believe it is a cost or even time off factor.  Seems more Americans are traveling within the U.S. Especially Republicans they have something about spending their money on U.S. related things and why waste time and money going to places that hate them.

This ^
Most people I know take plenty of time off but they are on the lake, in the mountains or in the desert. Enjoying their boats and 4wd's, plenty of 3 and 4 day weekends mixed in with their 3-4 weeks of vacation.

The people in this article are suits and ties. meh 

[SLOWHAND225]

15 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Out of touch Elitist. 😂

 

 

That's correct!  In December 1999, the majority of Americans did not have cell phones or home internet access. 

 

Only about 38% of Americans owned a cell phone in 1999.

 

Around 41.5% of U.S. households had internet access in 2000, meaning the majority did not have it in late 1999.

 

Once

Once

Once

 

Again!

MAGA proves they have no clue about the struggles of working class people in America, now or ever. 😄

Nobody cares. 
I also don't know anyone who didn't have a cell phone and a PC by 1999.
We got our first ones in 1990 and our first PC by 1993 and we were one of the last ones to get a PC out of all the people we knew.
 

You might want to pay attention to where your numbers come from because my experience (I was there)  tells me they're way off.

[SiSePuede419]

Just now, SLOWHAND225 said:

You might want to pay attention to where your numbers come from because my experience (I was there)  tells me they're way off.

Another fool who thinks their opinion is superior to actual data.

Nope.

I was in the Midwest heartland in 1997 and most people there did not have ANALOG cell phones 

Most people used landlines.

Yeah, lots of lonely farmers used AOL chat rooms.

Had some Republican call me up because his wife called me trying to cheat on him.

He said she worked 2nd shift at the slaughterhouse.

 

You're out of touch Elitist.  You're not rich and you are a snob. 🤣

[SLOWHAND225]

2 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Another fool who thinks their opinion is superior to actual data.

Nope.

I was in the Midwest heartland in 1997 and most people there did not have ANALOG cell phones 

Most people used landlines.

Yeah, lots of lonely farmers used AOL chat rooms.

Had some Republican call me up because his wife called me trying to cheat on him.

He said she worked 2nd shift at the slaughterhouse.

 

You're out of touch Elitist.  You're not rich and you are a snob. 🤣

Where in the mid west and for how long ?  Doing what ?
They call those fly over states for a reason, theres nobody living there and for good reason. 

Not sure whats funnier, you're need to throw insults or bragging about having sex with a chicken plucker. Why did we need to know that about you ?

[KhunLA]

1 minute ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Out of touch Elitist. 😂

 

 

That's correct!  In December 1999, the majority of Americans did not have cell phones or home internet access. 

 

Only about 38% of Americans owned a cell phone in 1999.

 

Around 41.5% of U.S. households had internet access in 2000, meaning the majority did not have it in late 1999.

 

Once

Once

Once

 

Again!

MAGA proves they have no clue about the struggles of working class people in America, now or ever. 😄

And yet, we, friends, coworkers and peers, had cells, computers & the internet of course.  

 

And far from the elitist, just working class heroes.  Those that wanted more, earned more, had what ever they wanted.    You think all of the sudden one day changed, 1999 to 2000 and 41% all of the sudden got internet.

 

My life experience is very different from your unsourced stats.

 

53.7M households had computers in 1999.  (170+M people or 62% of population)

26% of households had internet.

 

A household had 3.18 people in 1999.  I guess you don't remember people going to other peoples houses, and using their computers, internet and gaming software.  Everyone I know had fiber optics cable TV & internet, before 1999.  

 

I had it for the internet, but didn't usa a TV 

 

Seriously, what back water country did you live in ?

 

 

 

 

[KhunLA]

16 minutes ago, SLOWHAND225 said:

Nobody cares. 
I also don't know anyone who didn't have a cell phone and a PC by 1999.
We got our first ones in 1990 and our first PC by 1993 and we were one of the last ones to get a PC out of all the people we knew.
 

You might want to pay attention to where your numbers come from because my experience (I was there)  tells me they're way off.

I had a cell phone in my work truck, huge damn thing, and that was around 1990.

[Yellowtail]

11 hours ago, still kicking said:

I live in a big country which is also a continent where we have the most beautiful beaches in the world about time you wake up and see the world. And yes we have snow as well and today's temp was 39 degrees and summer finished a long time ago 

So, what can you do or see there that one can't do or see in the US?