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The kids don't need to be starved. That's what voluntary charity is for (as opposed to automatic welfare payments).
Where are those charitable dollars going to come from? You? And just how much are you willing to pony up to feed the low-income children in your neighborhood once their benefits end? What if enough people don't volunteer to donate? Who's going to say where exactly the money goes for? Are you aware that your voluntary contribution also is going to have to pay the salaries of the people who administer the charity?
As far as welfare, there should be caps so more children won't = more money or benefits.
There are caps. In my state they only pay cash assistance for up to 5 kids. But anyone who can do a little basic math knows that you cannot possibly live on the amount they give you, and having more kids just makes you go from dirt poor to grindingly poor. If you have 1 child and qualify for cash assistance you are only getting $401/month to live on. And most parents with a single child still do not qualify for cash assistance. While unemployment and poverty are way up in my state, cash-assistance rolls are going down. What they should provide instead are 1) guaranteed jobs that pay enough to allow single parents to make ends meet and 2) free, high-quality daycare, preferably on the mom's worksite. That would make it possible for people to actually support their families with some damn dignity.
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Jetjockey is right, a huge number of families on welfare or disability work under the table and make a LOT of money. That's called fraud. It should be illegal and prosecuted.
But you have to catch them at it first. What frosts my weenie is the way so many people who are not disabled -- or no longer disabled -- still get disability without anyone taking them off their benefits.
Do you think our government should provide handouts to those who cannot work, do not make enough to support themselves and their families, or simply choose not to work? What about to those who have been laid off?
Should the government reward women for repeatedly having children as a means of getting more benefits...or do we have an obligation to provide the benefits for the sake of the kids?
I'm interested to hear everyone's thoughts. Under what circumstances do you think handouts are acceptable, if any? And what type of assistance should be provided?
I belive that people who are physically and mentally able should be required to work for any benefits they receive from the government - including the sancrosact MOTHERS.
There are plenty of jobs that the underprivileged can perform to get that monthly check. Picking up garbage, cleaning up parks, etc., even growing community gardens to help feed the poor.
I do believe that people who cannot physically work or who are mentally incapacitated should be cared for. It is our duty as a civilized society. However, there needs to be some pretty strict guidelines on who is "disabled" and who is not. I have seen perfectly capable people go on "disability" because they are too lazy to work or simply do not care what kind of life they have.
It is an age old dilemma, and one that I doubt will ever be solved to everyone's satisfaction.
Which of these two statements comes closest to what you believe?
1. The wonder of machines and technology is that we can get constant production with less work.
2. The wonder of machines and technology is that we can get more production with constant work.
Most of you seem to be in the "constant work" camp.
I think my grandfather worked hard, in the hope that he was creating a nation in which his grandchildren would not have to. Not a nation in which his grandchildren would have to continue under the burden of labor in order to have more and more and more. Go to any garage sale, and see the fruits of producing more and more and more, all produced with constant work.
Which of these two statements comes closest to what you believe?
1. The wonder of machines and technology is that we can get constant production with less work.
2. The wonder of machines and technology is that we can get more production with constant work.
Most of you seem to be in the "constant work" camp.
I think my grandfather worked hard, in the hope that he was creating a nation in which his grandchildren would not have to. Not a nation in which his grandchildren would have to continue under the burden of labor in order to have more and more and more. Go to any garage sale, and see the fruits of producing more and more and more, all produced with constant work.
I think the wonder of machines has backfired on us, entirely. Without work, we have no dignity and no reason to get out of bed in the morning. Not to mention having no paychecks to allow us to have a bed to get out of in the morning. The wonder of maschines should have taken away the dangerous jobs that humans can't do without getting shredded to flinders, and left us the rest.
Remember, people: only 11% of the jobs disappearing on us Americans are being lost to outsourcing. The rest went away because of greater productivity with less work, due to the wonder of machines.
I think the wonder of machines has backfired on us, entirely. Without work, we have no dignity and no reason to get out of bed in the morning. Not to mention having no paychecks to allow us to have a bed to get out of in the morning. The wonder of maschines should have taken away the dangerous jobs that humans can't do without getting shredded to flinders, and left us the rest.
Remember, people: only 11% of the jobs disappearing on us Americans are being lost to outsourcing. The rest went away because of greater productivity with less work, due to the wonder of machines.
When I was a kid, in the 40s and 50s, my dad, with grade 8 education, made enough money in 40 hours to support his family. Today, thanks to the miracle of machines and technology, mom and dad both have to work 40 hours, with maybe an extra part time job, to support a family.
This is not a breakdown in technology. It is a breakdown in philosophy, which mandated exactly what so many of you are espousing: Work is the be-all-end-all, and it must be done constantly, regardless if there is any need or utility for the productivity of the goods and services.
I disagree, and I object. I am retired and I feel perfectly contented and fulfilled not working. Because I refused to be led around during my life by those who felt that it was good for the sheep to work. If work were such a wonderful thing, the rich would keep it all for themselves.
When I was a kid, in the 40s and 50s, my dad, with grade 8 education, made enough money in 40 hours to support his family. Today, thanks to the miracle of machines and technology, mom and dad both have to work 40 hours, with maybe an extra part time job, to support a family.
This is not a breakdown in technology. It is a breakdown in philosophy, which mandated exactly what so many of you are espousing: Work is the be-all-end-all, and it must be done constantly, regardless if there is any need or utility for the productivity of the goods and services.
I disagree, and I object. I am retired and I feel perfectly contented and fulfilled not working. Because I refused to be led around during my life by those who felt that it was good for the sheep to work. If work were such a wonderful thing, the rich would keep it all for themselves.
I like your point of view LOL. But I do have one thing to add. You can live well on less but most people do not choose to do it. I know people personally who live comfortably on one income but they do NOT have cable/satillite televison, they do not rent nor go to movies, they do not eat out, they do not spend money foolishly. If you *must* have all the [expensive] trappings of modern consumer culture, then YES it does take two jobs, but if you are willing to live simply you can do fine on one.
I have said this before, but heck, I'll say it again... My dh and I live well on about $18k per year and could live well on less if we didn't eat out so much. We do this by living simply. I realize that I probably could not live well on that amount in, say, San Diego, so not EVERYONE has this option, but there are many, many, many people out there who are living far beyond their means and suffering the life of the working sheep because of that. IYKNWIM.
I belive that people who are physically and mentally able should be required to work for any benefits they receive from the government - including the sancrosact MOTHERS.
20yrsinBranson
In many countries, raising children is considered work. Mothers get paid for staying home with their children. Go figure!
People requesting welfare assistance are not asking for the 80K to match the people out in the country club suburbs, not even the 40K median income of all Americans. They are just asking for 10K or so, which would enable them to have basic nutrition and shelter and dignity. Why do we begrudge them even that? They would all rather have more than that, which itself would seem to be an incentive to try to find some income of their own. If money is not enough of an incentive to encourage people to work, what is?
But you have to catch them at it first. What frosts my weenie is the way so many people who are not disabled -- or no longer disabled -- still get disability without anyone taking them off their benefits.
Yeah, good luck catching anyone defrauding the welfare system. Even if you CAN catch them and report them (which I've done numerous times, I even have the name, address and scheduler/HR persons name of one of the company hiring the frauder!!) you never get a response, they're too busy.
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