Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And isn't that the truth with most of you blabbering fools who preach about what should be done...oh...Not YOU...but the rest of us. Reminds me of the idiots from Hollywood who carp on and on about taking care of the poor and how it's our responsibility...while they sit on bank accounts and investments in the MILLIONS and don't life a finger...Bill Maher...Susan Sarandon...Alec Baldwin...Michael Moore...the list goes on and on.
This quote shows an amazing ignorance about the poor. As I said on page 2 I do a lot of work with low income seniors. Many of them have been fishing their entire lives. They have worked hard their entire lives, but for whatever reason they were not able to acquire a lot of savings. Often if they do work it is difficult and they can only manage part time, and sometimes because of their age they cannot find work. Sometimes they have grandchildren living with them because their kids cannot take care of them.
And surprisingly the wages/income for those at the bottom never seem to grow. The working poor spend their life on a treadmill of hopelessness.
It is not that they are or were lazy it is that they worked hard, but often had low wage jobs that didn't allow for much savings and they cannot do what they used and nowadays and they now need some support to take care of themselves and sometimes their minor grandchildren. That is why we need a lot of these government programs rightwingers love to hate.
If you knew what you were talking about then MAYBE you might make somne sense....but that is DECIDEDLY not the case.
Buy into it or not....there is a LARGE percentage of people who are on welfare who make it a way of LIFE. You can deny that All you like...but it is true.
Now...if the government was more concerned about creating an environment where business could THRIVE...if they stopped with all of the REGULATIONS...if they stopped TAXING companies to death...if the UNIONS BACKED OFF on the RIDICULOUOS demands that have been the HALLMARK of their organizations for decades...then there would be more opportunity for people to get OFF of the welfare roles and make their own way like the rest of us do.
Don't get me wrong...I am not against helping ANYONE out when they need it. Everyone gets down on their luck at some point in life. But to give money to people just because they feel entitled to it?? Sorry....you libs don't want to draw that line, but in part that is why we are in the boat we are in.
People on welfare need to WORK for their money...government jobs....cleaning parks...roadsides...rest stops....doing other work that needs doing. They should NOT get a free ride. They should get an education or training to better themselves AND their families. Maybe get their kids through school. But NOT a free ride. No work..no pay. And drug testing should also be a part of receiving welfare. If you are snorting or smoking your welfare money..then it Stops NOW.
A line has to be drawn...you libs are to blind to do it.
I would like to see proof of what you said that I bolded above. Many studies show that welfare benefits are received on average only 2 years out of a person's life so it is not a way of life for the majority of the users.
Wanted to reply though in reponse to the OP, that in the past I gave about 1K per year to different charities in my community. I also do volunteer work, about 100-200 hours per year in various places around the city. I also do volunteer work at my children's school and the amount of money I stated above, does not include the money I give to our school's fundraising efforts or to the activities I do with the kids where I pay for them to eat and for supplies and transportation (which I can deduct as charitable expenses on my tax return).
I am planning to up the amount I donate per year since I got a pretty hefty raise in January.
Wanted to note though that I am not a liberal and that I am a center-left independent.
Are you really so naive to believe that most of the people taking all 99 weeks of unemployment or using food stamps and other handouts really should be? Yes, I do know and have known, still do, people taking these, blaming the economy and doing nothing to try and change their situation. I have never know anyone now or in years past that took unemployment that didn't wait for it to run out before looking for a job. I have no proof to post, just what I know personally.
That's an astounding admission, and proof (if true) that you're incredibly sheltered as a person. Either that, or you go through life completely oblivious to your surroundings.
In Arizona, max UI bennies 240 bucks a week. Who do you know that can live on that for 99 weeks?
That will barely pay rent in most places around here, let alone groceries, utilities, and other bills. Who would sit around for 99 weeks waiting for that to run out?
The lack of empathy that some of you display here is unbelievable. If someone had a job in the first place, they obviously have a work ethic. You don't get UI if you get fired, so they must've been decent employees at a minimum.
But somehow, everyone you've ever known on unemployment is too lazy to look for another job because they'd prefer to depend on UI bennies that can't even cover the bills in many cases? I find that to be highly questionable.
We need to look at who needs welfare and who's using it for their lifestyle. Many on welfare have children, don't take care of them and use the money for drugs and alcohol. Some of these people, are not the most honest.
Stop throwing around your opinion as fact. Back up your assertions with links to reliable FACTS. Until you do, your posts are meaningless.
Well, if you can't see the difference in poor seniors, who've worked their whole life and poor young people, who have not, your ignorance is bliss.
The problem is conservatives don't discriminate when they want to cut programs. They aggressively target Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Food stamps when the primary beneficiaries of those programs are children and the elderly. A lot of conservatives don't realize this, but the primary beneficiaries of Food Stamps are children and the main use of Medicaid is nursing home care.
Shows how some tpeople think that money is the be all and end all of everything.
W.T.H.
Isn't that a liberal point of view? Money is the be all and end all of everything. When something doesn't work, you want to throw more money at it. Libs ignore the logic as to why it doesn't work.
If money is not the end all to libs, then why are libs foaming at the mouth to take from the rich? Why is that money so important to libs? They sure do act like it's the end all.
To give to the poor? What good will that do since you've admitted that money is not the be all and end all of everything?
Mac, Your post sounded more, like okay, if I've got to tell you, I'll do and rip into the OP and the right, at the same time. I as a Republican, see that you people do help in your own way. The problem with the left, is you're doing the fishing for the people.
You know the saying "Teach a person to fish and he eats for life" what most fail to tell the poor, they've got to keep fishing. Hard work and perseverance is what makes a person, not someone doing the work for them. They need a purpose in life, even if it's part-time, nothing should be for free.
I have a sister ,who's special needs and she's been working, since she was 17 now 63. She has her own house and independence. Yes, California helps her, but she knows if she wants extras, she has to work to get them, if she can do it, then many out there can to. She goes to work every day and doesn't complain, it's her part of giving back. She volunteers at varies things and is right there when they call her to do extras. This year she made birdhouses for all of us in the family, with wood she collected through the year along with varies other items.
Wonder how many on welfare, volunteer their time. I know people in wheel chairs that hate being considered poor, and hate society for not allowing them to get ahead.
I also wonder, how many of you have had direct experience with people on welfare, not just in the food or give away line. I for one, have lived among them (while making a living on my own) and it's sad what society has enabled them to be like. I moved away, at a point in my life and made sure, my life was not one of welfare dependant.
Have you ever listened to Charles Payne?? We could all learn from him.
Hey 3 Shepherds,
To answer your question, I have had experience with the very poor--many of whom I would assume had some assistance--as a teacher in rural North Carolina for two years. So my role was in the "teach a man to fish" category. It was very interesting talking to the parents of my students. Some were poor because of bad choices, some were decent, hard working people to--way more than your average Republican would realize.
I will say that I stopped being a bleeding heart liberal after I moved down there, but remain a moderate liberal nonetheless for many reasons. I'm definitely no advocate of enabling people.
And no, I've never listened to Charles Payne, but I'll try to make a note to look him up.
Not tax dollars. Real dollars straight from your wallet.
Do you walk the walk? Or is it like paying for every other noble idea that you champion ...........you expect it to be done with everyone else's money?
Tell us how you live up to your own ideals.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The problem with the left, is you're doing the fishing for the people.
