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When you live in a system that penalizes the productive and rewards the non-productive, what else can you expect?
People aren't stupid. They will meet their needs by the most expedient means.
Sadly, the donors are outvoted by the recipients, and there's no hope of reform or repair. The "System" will inevitably collapse.
But don't complain - it's 100% voluntary. Without your consent, the system would have never been legislated.
Don't believe me - write a polite letter to your congressman and ask:
1. What law compels all Americans in the USA to enroll and participate in FICA?
2. What law punishes any American in the USA who does not participate in FICA?
3. What law punishes any American business that hires unnumbered Americans?
4. What is the official procedure to volunteer out of FICA?
(Don't hold your breath waiting for their answer... if you call their office, you might hear “Hotel California” playing in the background.)
It didn't change all that long ago, though, which is the point. And meanwhile, the economic opportunities that were lifting many of them out of the underclass have since been shipped overseas to Asia.
Escaping your own environment isn't always that easy. I'm not trying to make excuses for some of the people in the video. I agree that they probably could be doing more to help themselves, and I think that many are doing that.
You're also right about the second part: the hopelessness. I think that's the mentality that begins to descend upon these people. They're socially disconnected from the kinds of positive role models and influences that are likely to make a difference in one's life. Take a look at how many people get jobs these days. It's through networking. What networks do these people have? I'm not trying to oversimplify the problem, but I think you see the point here. Heck a lot of inner city blacks like the ones in the video probably don't even have traditional networks that would benefit them and allow for socioeconomic mobility. What about newer networks like Facebook and Linkedin? How many have the skills to market themselves in cyberspace? How many even have internet access on a regular basis? What if they've never really learned to read and write?
What if someone grows up in a family that doesn't value education, goes to school with a classroom of others who don't value education. What if they were never taught to value education. Thanks to segregation and the fact that many blacks could never be considered for executive positions, could they be blamed for not valuing education? If they grow up in a community of nothing but Dollar Tree shops and liquor marts, could they be blamed for not understanding the value of hard work and being a self-started? Sure, a lot of people 'get it' and move out, and they're the models that others should follow. But it takes family support and a strong sense of self, which many simply have been robbed of. It's all around them. I'm not making excuses here. I'm all for changing some aspects of the system, but I'm not for crass generalizations and throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
I agree that culture has a lot to do with it. African societies are actually some of the most family-oriented and socialized cultures on the planet, so the generalizations here that are made about African Americans point to the fact that something has gone horribly wrong with their experience here in the land of the free, home of the brave, at least in this one regard.
I can agree with you to a point. Times have changed and people just NEED to get it. The opportunities ARE there, but your right, it takes a support system. And maybe that is whitey's fault.
That's FINE.
BUT:
How are white people making these black guys knock up all of these chicks, and run away? These kids grow up with 5 other siblings who all have different daddies. THEY are destroying their own family values.
It's whiteys fault because we came up with a system to give them money for popping out each kid. Maybe at first it was invented to shut them up for blaming whites for all of their faults, but it's clearly out of hand right now.
There has been some on here, that were against it, but the point is, everyone is assuming these women in the video are not just getting temporary help. none of us know for sure.
I think entitlement programs have done more damage to the poor in America, and especially to black people then anything else, but on the same hand, to automatically assume these women are one way and not the other is also not beneficial in arguing in favor of reform. All it does is show prejudice which can never help show valid arguments.
When you live in a system that penalizes the productive and rewards the non-productive, what else can you expect?
People aren't stupid. They will meet their needs by the most expedient means.
Sadly, the donors are outvoted by the recipients, and there's no hope of reform or repair. The "System" will inevitably collapse.
But don't complain - it's 100% voluntary. Without your consent, the system would have never been legislated.
Don't believe me - write a polite letter to your congressman and ask:
1. What law compels all Americans in the USA to enroll and participate in FICA?
2. What law punishes any American in the USA who does not participate in FICA?
3. What law punishes any American business that hires unnumbered Americans?
4. What is the official procedure to volunteer out of FICA?
(Don't hold your breath waiting for their answer... if you call their office, you might hear “Hotel California” playing in the background.)
1. Put these people to work, if only to watch other people's kids so THEY can work.
2. Don't pay in food stamps, pay in food. Give them rice, mac and cheese, milk, cereal, hamburger, vegetables, fruit, etc etc. Gotta be cheaper for the government to buy food and distribute it themselves then having these people waste money in grocery stores who sell it for a profit.
3. Find the fathers for all the women who have children and aren't married and have them pay child support, if not to the women, to the government, so the government can dole it out in the form of food, jobs, and if necessary, shelter.
3. Find the fathers for all the women who have children and aren't married and have them pay child support, if not to the women, to the government, so the government can dole it out in the form of food, jobs, and if necessary, shelter.
they should never increase food stamps when women choose to have more children.
you don't get a raise in the private sector just because you had another child.
either you make adjustments in your budget, or you don't have more children.
perhaps these people would understand that there are consequences to having more children than you can afford, and become more responsible at making decisions.
the public sector is never willing to do the things that the private sector is forced to.
Well that would be the thought process of a logical and educated person. (Hell, even just a logical one.) But...you watched the video just like I did. You tell me if those people appear to fit that description.
There will always be a small segment of the population who abuse the system and are more or less worthless members of society. I'm a staunch Progressive and even I can admit that. Cutting them off cold turkey is a bad idea though. You solve one problem and create other, even systemically dangerous problems (poverty, hunger, crime, etc)
BAHHHH HA HA HA HA....I used to interview women, recieving assistance, She lived with "Jose", she paid rent to "Jose", she signed a sworn affadavit, that her new baby, coincidentally name "Jose", was the product of being drunk one night in a bar in Texas, and she has no idea who the Daddy was, what his name was, or anything else...Okay...next....BTW, she did not know who the Daddy's were of her other five children either...and she had no reportable income...she paid her rent with her welfare money. But she came to the meeting with a cell phone, dressed to the nines, driving a car...whose car? Oh, Jose let's her "borrow" it occasionally...
I suggest "doing the jobs Americans won't do" to feed your families.
Keep in mind this comes against the backdrop of Georgia's new immigration laws. There were reports of illegals leaving the state and the crops not being picked as a result. The illegals were making about $15 an hour. Yet supposedly these folks in line need food stamps to eat.
This is why I think that if you want to step up enforcement of immigration you better do away with these welfare programs as well. Otherwise leave the illegals alone at least they work.
Actually you do assuming that you pay income taxes.
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