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The fact that we live in an advanced society, where emphasis is placed on equal rights, equal protection under the law, and the existence of opportunity to succeed, is what entitles all of us to the income of other people.
No, no it doesn't.
We can all succeed on our efforts. we all have access to public education, which serves the greater good. Paying someone to sit home and does nothing does not serve the greater good. in fact, it doesn't even serve the person getting paid to do nothing. it makes them helpless and dependeant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nvxplorer
If you don't like the cost of living in society, with roads, sidewalks, sewers, schools, police, firefighters, etc., no one is forcing you to do so.
Note that with all the above, I get a return on my tax dollars. I pay taxes, I get roads, sewers, etc.
What am I getting for my tax dollars when they pay someone to stay home and do nothing?
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,756,161 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pghquest
Then move..
The poor don't really have an option to move. They don't have the money and often they live where they have a network of family and friends. This is why so many of them who were forced out of New Orleans have had hard times adjusting to life elsewhere in places such as Houston, Jackson and Atlanta. The best thing to do is to help the poor right where they are. Not only that but there are often more job opportunities in the sunbelt states than you would find in the cooler climate states of the northern USA.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,756,161 times
Reputation: 3587
Quote:
Originally Posted by malamute
If you made the choice to have a baby on the taxpayers' dime, then you should expect they have the right to look at you load your cart with luxury items that they themselves cannot afford.
And if your father was able to buy you a luxury car, then why couldn't he help you with food? What exactly entitles you to the income of other people?
While I do not support the idea of giving "luxury" items to the poor, you have to remember that just because you see the poor driving a decent car does not mean that it is their car. The poor, who often depend upon public transportation or others to carry them, will often borrow a car from somebody else- a relative usually- to grocery shop because it is very difficult for them to carry bags of groceries home on a bus. Other poor people may have a car that they bought before they were poor. If you worked in a factory for many years and made decent money- $30,000 or so and you bought a nice car 4 or 5 years ago and then the factory was moved to China, you still have the car although you are now poor.
Welfare recipients should take a break from playing xbox, stick their hands down in between the couch cushions they live on, search for quarters and go find a payphone.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,756,161 times
Reputation: 3587
Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Worley
No, no it doesn't.
We can all succeed on our efforts. we all have access to public education, which serves the greater good. Paying someone to sit home and does nothing does not serve the greater good. in fact, it doesn't even serve the person getting paid to do nothing. it makes them helpless and dependeant.
Note that with all the above, I get a return on my tax dollars. I pay taxes, I get roads, sewers, etc.
What am I getting for my tax dollars when they pay someone to stay home and do nothing?
The poor don't want to be home doing nothing. Most of them anyway. There is just nothing for them to do. I think they should be put to work if at all possible- even if it is just cleaning up and painting the neighbourhood.
We can all succeed on our efforts. we all have access to public education, which serves the greater good. Paying someone to sit home and does nothing does not serve the greater good. in fact, it doesn't even serve the person getting paid to do nothing. it makes them helpless and dependeant.
Contradict yourself much? How can you say we're not entitled to others' income and then support public education?
Quote:
Note that with all the above, I get a return on my tax dollars. I pay taxes, I get roads, sewers, etc.
What am I getting for my tax dollars when they pay someone to stay home and do nothing?
Note that in your words above, the word "I" is used repeatedly.
If you're not aware of why it is desireable to society to make sure that the disadvantaged are cared for, then maybe you should take my advice and head for the mountains.
The poor don't want to be home doing nothing. Most of them anyway. There is just nothing for them to do. I think they should be put to work if at all possible- even if it is just cleaning up and painting the neighbourhood.
That's true. I had a neighbor who worked in a fruit packing company. The company shut down and he couldn't find work anywhere else because he didn't know how to do anything else. However, when he tried to enroll in a vocational program he didn't qualify for financial assistance because his wife still made too much money and they couldn't afford the classes with just her income. So he ended up just sitting home.
On the flip side, I'll acknowledge there are a lot of people (especially young males) who are perfectly happy sitting home all day, playing video games and asking their parents for gas/clothing/entertainment money. One of them lives in my grandmother's house and I'm sure he'll be there until she dies. Then he'll probably find a girlfriend to take him in.
Contradict yourself much? How can you say we're not entitled to others' income and then support public education?
I thought that was clear, but I will spell it out: Public education betters society; welfare betters no one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nvxplorer
If you're not aware of why it is desireable to society to make sure that the disadvantaged are cared for, then maybe you should take my advice and head for the mountains.
Perhaps if it was so obvious, you could explain it rather than saying I should move to the country.
And, people who won't work are not disadvantaged. Some, very few, have disabilities that preclude working, but the vast majority have not taken advantage of the free education that was given to them.
I thought that was clear, but I will spell it out: Public education betters society; welfare betters no one.
Perhaps if it was so obvious, you could explain it rather than saying I should move to the country.
And, people who won't work are not disadvantaged. Some, very few, have disabilities that preclude working, but the vast majority have not taken advantage of the free education that was given to them.
Look to societies that have little or no safety net, and that should answer your question.
Do you think shantytowns benefit society? What about streets full of beggars? Do you like crime; a starving man has only one thing on his mind, and it ain't the law.
How do you think we'd be viewed by the world if we, an advanced wealthy society, allowed our people to suffer? If you think Iraq was a foreign policy nightmare, leaving our people out in the cold would be disasterous.
Show me some stats, and then I'll accept your claims of "some, very few, and the vast majority."
You said the "rich" can easily afford to pay more taxes. To which I replied that I'm sure a lot more than just the "rich" can afford more taxes but they arent responsible with their money.
Well, that isn't actually what you said. You were all over people buying cell phones and Ipods and shoes and cars with the latest gizmos attached. Now you want to call all that being irresponsible with money, but these people aren't any more irresponsible than those who bought the first laptops or video cameras. You're essentially just throwing a personal value judgment at these folks. The rich, meanwhile, are fairly swimming in money. Buckets of the stuff came pouring down as the result of the Bushie tax cuts. The AMT got some of it, but complaints that the well-to-do can't afford to pitch in any more than what they have been since 2001 are simply off-base.
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