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I know can think of 2 welfare circumstances in my extended circles:
1. A recently divorced young mom with 2 young kids. Her ex did not pay his child support on time, and she was a full-time student. She also had a part time job. During the time while she was in school, she was on welfare and lived in public housing. This lasted for about 18 months or so. She was able to finish school, get a job, and move out into her own place, with enough income to support her family. This kept home life stable for her kids while she got on her feet after a divorce from a mentally abusive spouse. This was about 8 years ago at this point. Her kids are active in school and have good grades. (FYI: he had been working since age 15, and spent 12 years in the workforce before this happened)
2. An unemployed single white collar professional. She moved across the country for a new job, and the company was sketchy and the paychecks bounced. Repeatedly. She collected unemployment for about 3 months while looking for a new job, and the move plus no paycheck decimated her savings. She ended up using EBT for a month and found a job the next month. Where the paychecks did not bounce.
We have demonized and nearly criminalized situations where people need a temporary hand. It happens to everyone. Some people have families to lean on. Some don't. It is a really sad day when we no longer value helping our peers. Of course we do have plenty of money to bail out countries with oil, banks, car companies, commercial farms and military contractors.
House Republicans voted to maintain farm subsidies — at a higher level than either the Senate or the White House proposed — while completely eliminating food stamps from the bill.
To fully appreciate what just went down, listen to the rhetoric conservatives often use to justify eliminating safety-net programs. It goes something like this: “You’re personally free to help the poor. But the government has no right to take people’s money” — frequently, at this point, they add the words “at the point of a gun” — “and force them to give it to the poor.”
It is, however, apparently perfectly O.K. to take people’s money at the point of a gun and force them to give it to agribusinesses and the wealthy.
Apparently it is only welfare when it helps the poor.
Here's what I don't get and that is these kids get free lunches and often free breakfasts as well yet the families struggle supposedly on their money. Why is this? I can't help but think it's because the parents (or let's be honest single mom because dad is often long gone)are spending the money on beer or other things.
Burger King and Pizza Hut (along with a few others) are of the first to begin accepting EBT/ Food Stamps. How do you feel about this?
In my opinion, this is preposterous. Prepared served food has a premium price for the service. One can get much more food at the grocery store for the price. Someone said to me recently, "so someone receiving assistance doesn't deserve to go out and eat?" No! You're paying more for less food and it's considerably more unhealthy! It's just that, assistance. I'm not one to have the "I pay for your food and living" mentality. I couldn't care less that a small portion of my check goes to people in need. This however, infuriates me. Thoughts?
Church's Chicken
Kentucky Fried Chicken
McDonald's
Subway
Grandma's Famous Chicken
Eight Mile Pancake House
Mr. T's BBQ
Vito's Pizza
Jack in the Box
Subway
El Pollo Loco
Papa Murphy's Pizza
KFC
Taco Bell
Pizza Hut
Papa Murphy's Pizza
Domino's Pizza
Golden Corral
Southern Cuisine
Rally's Hamburger
Obscene. If I actually went to these places I would sneer at anyone standing in line in front of me. So my suggestion is for them to be shunned and humiliated.
I know can think of 2 welfare circumstances in my extended circles:
1. A recently divorced young mom with 2 young kids. Her ex did not pay his child support on time, and she was a full-time student. She also had a part time job. During the time while she was in school, she was on welfare and lived in public housing. This lasted for about 18 months or so. She was able to finish school, get a job, and move out into her own place, with enough income to support her family. This kept home life stable for her kids while she got on her feet after a divorce from a mentally abusive spouse. This was about 8 years ago at this point. Her kids are active in school and have good grades. (FYI: he had been working since age 15, and spent 12 years in the workforce before this happened)
2. An unemployed single white collar professional. She moved across the country for a new job, and the company was sketchy and the paychecks bounced. Repeatedly. She collected unemployment for about 3 months while looking for a new job, and the move plus no paycheck decimated her savings. She ended up using EBT for a month and found a job the next month. Where the paychecks did not bounce.
We have demonized and nearly criminalized situations where people need a temporary hand. It happens to everyone. Some people have families to lean on. Some don't. It is a really sad day when we no longer value helping our peers. Of course we do have plenty of money to bail out countries with oil, banks, car companies, commercial farms and military contractors.
Apparently it is only welfare when it helps the poor.
I have been very sympathetic to the poor enough to earn the wrath of our right wing contingent. I have also ruthlessly attacked the wealthy parasites with the entire library of Enlightenment thinking foundational to our culture. Instead of humbly being glad to go to a store to make you own basic sustenance, you would like to dine out. If this be the case then perhaps I owe them an apology for defending worthless slugs who cannot even brown bag it. You effed up somewhere. We are willing to help. But now you want some deep fried pie on the go and extra gravy.
Food stamps should be temporary and should be for the very basics. There needs to be more incentive to work for what you have. No one is saying people should starve but all our anti-poverty programs are creating more poverty .
Excellent post.
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