Fifth of Big Isle on food stamps (Waianae: mortgages, how much)

[Balad1]

I am also all about helping people when they are down but I balk at it becoming a multi-generational lifestyle. There are people in the U.S. that have known nothing but this lifestyle their entire lives. I believe this is sucking the life out of America; making people reliant on the government rather than themselves and each other.

[Waianaegirl]

Originally Posted by AlohaHuey

I'm not sure it's reasonable to expect to move anywhere and get a job with the economy the way it is.

Very true. It's just that Hawaii seems to be doing worse.

[AlohaHuey]

Originally Posted by Balad1

I am also all about helping people when they are down but I balk at it becoming a multi-generational lifestyle. There are people in the U.S. that have known nothing but this lifestyle their entire lives. I believe this is sucking the life out of America; making people reliant on the government rather than themselves and each other.

There should be "work if able" requirements and lifetime caps to benefits.

That said, the whole "people would rather collect benefits than work" argument that seems to be circulating around the discussion to extend Federal unemployment benefits is nonsense, IMO. Most people want a job.

[AlohaHuey]

Originally Posted by Waianaegirl

Very true. It's just that Hawaii seems to be doing worse.

I'm from Detroit originally. Don't talk to me about worse!

I left the state 20 years ago but I know a lot of people back there, and they are all stuck between "survivial" and losing their homes.

To be sure, Hawaii has been hurt more than most places by the drop in tourism and business revenue. Unfortunately, we all may have to adjust to a new economy, where 8% unemployment is a norm and people just will not spend as much.

Some people were living beyond their means. They won't have means again until a prolonged uptick in growth.

[PacificFlights]

Originally Posted by Calico Salsa

I guess I'd find it pretty hard to believe that any mainland agencies are shipping people off to Hawaii in any kind of organized way. It's hard enough to get any agency to pay for regular things; getting a plane ticket and maybe moving expenses seems really unlikely.

There have always been rumors like this. I'm quite sure that there are instances where people have been given a ride or bus ticket out of towns or counties or perhaps even states. But I'd guess that's someone taking matters into their own hands, and not any kind of organized official program.

TRUE! The rumors are pure 100% BS.

The only organized program is where a family is willing to take care of a homeless family member. Most have medical issues. The social service agency will work with the social service agency on the receiving end and together they will make arrangements to fund travel. But this is not dumping on another state, both agree to it. It is a violation of federal law to dump homeless from one state to another. Hawaii has been unable to find one case of organized sending homeless to Hawaii. there may be some priovate person who wanted to get rid of the trash in their area, but it was not any official or organized thing.

[nullgeo]

Interesting thread. My personal vote is to give the “small people” (as the Chairman of BP so quaintly calls everyday American worker-bee people) a pass on being the culprits in Hawaii’s, and our nation’s, problems. Welfare and disability recipients, and those on entitlement pensions, legitimately or not, don’t start unnecessary wars that kill and maim and cost trillions of dollars, they don’t develop and market and manipulate natural resources by poisoning our environment without regard to safety, they don’t concoct toxic cocktails to be sold as curative prescriptions which really often cause more harm than benefit to those in poor health, they don’t market foods and trends to the public [especially children] that create disastrous lifestyles, they don’t scheme and invent toxic investment products that bring down the economies we “small people” rely on for our livelihoods - and all the while structuring financial systems that promote credit as a requirement for even a basic lifestyle and then charge immorally usurious credit-related penalties and fees to the credit addicts created, -- etc.

Uh, nope. The ‘small people’ are just trying to get by today best they can, even if some of them resort to a bit of a false limp. The ‘small people’ aren’t the root of the problem – and they don’t cost much in the scheme of things really; they’re just not expensive people. The root is firmly planted in the culture of the ‘Big Important People’ who mastermind the money-lending and resource control and corporate manufacturing, and who refuse to participate in accepting any responsibility for the condition of their ‘small’ brothers and sisters who just want to find a way to get by from day to day without a million bucks.

I don’t care for the tent-cities along the beaches – it’s sad; but I don’t begrudge those folks their ‘small’ piece of the pie either.

[PacificFlights]

Some of those temt people are not homeless or unemployed. Many are from neighboring island or the mainland doing contracted or temp work. Instead of using up their wages to rent expensive rooms for a short time, they pitch a tent.

[Balad1]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

Interesting thread. My personal vote is to give the “small people” (as the Chairman of BP so quaintly calls everyday American worker-bee people) a pass on being the culprits in Hawaii’s, and our nation’s, problems. Welfare and disability recipients, and those on entitlement pensions, legitimately or not, don’t start unnecessary wars that kill and maim and cost trillions of dollars, they don’t develop and market and manipulate natural resources by poisoning our environment without regard to safety, they don’t concoct toxic cocktails to be sold as curative prescriptions which really often cause more harm than benefit to those in poor health, they don’t market foods and trends to the public [especially children] that create disastrous lifestyles, they don’t scheme and invent toxic investment products that bring down the economies we “small people” rely on for our livelihoods - and all the while structuring financial systems that promote credit as a requirement for even a basic lifestyle and then charge immorally usurious credit-related penalties and fees to the credit addicts created, -- etc.

Uh, nope. The ‘small people’ are just trying to get by today best they can, even if some of them resort to a bit of a false limp. The ‘small people’ aren’t the root of the problem – and they don’t cost much in the scheme of things really; they’re just not expensive people. The root is firmly planted in the culture of the ‘Big Important People’ who mastermind the money-lending and resource control and corporate manufacturing, and who refuse to participate in accepting any responsibility for the condition of their ‘small’ brothers and sisters who just want to find a way to get by from day to day without a million bucks.

I don’t care for the tent-cities along the beaches – it’s sad; but I don’t begrudge those folks their ‘small’ piece of the pie either.

Are you familiar with the words Honor and Integrity?

Even if "Big People" aren't, there isn't any reason why "Small People" shouldn't be.

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Balad1

Are you familiar with the words Honor and Integrity?

Even if "Big People" aren't, there isn't any reason why "Small People" shouldn't be.

Yep, I am quite familiar with all kinds of words. I am also a combat disabled (multiple) veteran who has run small businesses, with up to a dozen employees, raised 4 children of my own, and a few children of other peoples, and who has administered aid and nursed and held both strangers and loved ones who have died in my arms. I believe I do know about honor and integrity. And I have learned along that path that some are more fortunate than others -- and that "deserve" has nothing to do with it.

[Balad1]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

The ‘small people’ are just trying to get by today best they can, even if some of them resort to a bit of a false limp.

What does lying about an injury and falsely collecting disability have to do with honor and integrity?