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Okay, I've read a lot of posts here the past couple of years, and I've often put out the accusation that most conservatives hate poor people. Conservatives, of course vehemently deny it and say that they don't know anyone who feels that way, so I thought I'd start this thread and ask this honest question. What is your attitude toward the poor?
1. Are they mostly people who have had hard luck?
2. Or are they worthless scum and are a drain on society?
3. Is there such a thing as "working poor" in your mind? And if so, about what portion of America's poor do you deem to be "working poor."
4. What would you do if you witnessed poverty in your own life--not if YOU became poor, but if you came into contact with a poor person, child or family?
5. Do you or have you done anything to help relieve poverty in your community? If so, what do you do? I'm not asking you to brag, but just share if you do.
You might think I'm trolling, but I'm actually curious, since you all deny that you hate poor people. I promise I'll read your responses with an open mnd. I swear.
Thanks
mackinac
Since I grew up poor, I think I know what it means to be poor.
What I always hated, was the condescending attitude of libs who think that because I was a poor person, i was somehow a lesser class of people. As if, just because I'm poor at the moment, that I'm predisposed to being stupid and ignorant, and destined to always be in need of their sympathy and free hands outs.
My mother raised us all on her own. She had too much pride, and never took welfare. She did take the free government food that came in generic white cans and brown boxes, for a year or so, but her pride caused her to give up that too. So she worked part time and raised us all on her own, albeit with some help from relative once in a while.
Most people are poor because of some bad decisions they made in their past, or some very bad luck that has come their way. Either way, being poor is usually only a temporary state of being, especially for their children.
Some of the poor families I grew up around as a kid, were kids with single mothers, struggling to raise them on their own. Sometimes their father never graduated high school so he could never find a good job, or he was having drug addiction or legal problems and falling in/out of jail all the time.
Other poor families had a father who was simply satisfied with working in a low paying job. I don't know if they were hesitant to move on and risk taking a new job, or if they just wanted to keep a steady, low paying job with a good boss.
Being poor, especially for the kids to low income parents, is usually a temporary thing. I have known some nasty, mean, good for nothing poor people, who were just plain lazy. These people are just that 2% of folks we can find anywhere. These are people who never fit into society, and no matter how much assistance and chances they are given to improve their lives. They will never be anything but a drag on the rest of society.
Does this cover all the bases for you, for my view on the poor?
This guy lives on $20,000 a year.Yahoo! Finance - Financially Fit (http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-113623-11237-3-the-secret-to-living-well-on-20000-a-year?hp=true?ywaad=ad0035&nc - broken link)
I could show you a place in Northern CA where people would camp all year and yes they bathe in the river and went to work. There reason they didn't want the burden of a house to maintain or pay someone else's mortgage. Of course the government came in and made the people move out. The little place is called "Whiskey Flats".
I assume the people arguing on here for the poor to get more hand outs, are either government workers or they are collecting pensions given to them at the age of 50. We the taxpayers are providing them with a good lifestyle.
I think people with pensions ought to pay more, those wall street protesters are after the wrong people. See how ridiculous it gets.
As I've mentioned before, I grew up "poor". My family was, I was, and a lot of my friends were. I wasn't as bad off as the family across the street...they actually walked to the RIVER and got buckets of water to bathe and cook with (this is true, I remember being heartsick for them). They didn't have a TV. They also didn't complain...not once. They had pride. So did we. My mother's family was so poor that my grandmother made them clothes out of her old clothes.
We were poor. Not just a little.
I was a single mom for years. I did better than my grandparents did, and pretty darn well for just one person. I always had power, water, food...and my kids had clothes.
I have "rubbed elbows" with the poor. I've lived in the same apartment complex.
I can tell you without a DOUBT...there are people out there REFUSING to work and do what needs to be done to support themselves and their children. I have heard things such as, "Why do you work, and leave your children in someone's care, when you can be better off getting welfare and food stamps? They will pay your RENT for you. Your medical bills." One girl actually looked down on me and called me a bad mother for working instead of staying home.
I was struggling. I had no insurance for years because if I had...I wouldn't have had food. No lie.
So yes, I KNOW America's poor.
And I'm here to tell you....a good percentage of them DO choose to stay in the system. Because working just isn't worth it to them. We need to change the system so that working IS worth it.
I hope this clears things up.
I think you may have missed the point I was trying to make, because it was the same as what you're saying here. The person I put that question to was someone other than you.
I to start with we could make it worth it by not rewarding people for being single mothers on purpose. I know that things happen, and there are always some, but young girls are doing this on purpose more and more. I know several friends with teenage daughters that just became pregnant because they wanted to and tax dollars and mom and dad support them. It's just wrong.
No one says they want to live poor but they don't consider the welfare life to be living poor. Te welfare life isn't about not knowing what the future brings, they assume the future will bring at least the same amount of food stamps, WIC coupons, utility payments, clothing allowance, and housing. In fact if they have another baby, they assume there will be more of everything.
Those living on welfare have the least uncertainty, certainly less than working types who aren't sure their employer will be able to keep the same number of employees or who may see property taxes go up. Those living on welfare have much faith in their government to come through and always be there for them, they have faith the food stamp card will be filled on time, as it always is. They have faith that the doctor's office isn't going to charge them a co-pay because Medicaid pays everything.
No one says they want to live poor but they don't consider the welfare life to be living poor. Te welfare life isn't about not knowing what the future brings, they assume the future will bring at least the same amount of food stamps, WIC coupons, utility payments, clothing allowance, and housing. In fact if they have another baby, they assume there will be more of everything.
Those living on welfare have the least uncertainty, certainly less than working types who aren't sure their employer will be able to keep the same number of employees or who may see property taxes go up. Those living on welfare have much faith in their government to come through and always be there for them, they have faith the food stamp card will be filled on time, as it always is. They have faith that the doctor's office isn't going to charge them a co-pay because Medicaid pays everything.
I agree. For some people, if they are not going to make more (meaning at least have the same standard of living) than they would on welfare, then they are not going to do it. There is a logic to it when you think about it, especially if they live in a big city, and/or if they have kids. A person living in a 2 bedroom apartment in the projects of NYC has a roof over their heads and heat in the winter, running water, etc. They can feed/clothe their kids and get a hustle on the side for extras. It is expensive to do all those things without a government subsidy of some sort in NYC (or someplace like it), at least it seems expensive to someone who has never done it. The trade off is that they will live in a dangerous place and have to worry that their kids will grow up to get caught up in nonsense. But if they grew up that way themselves, I think it can be like "the devil you know" sort of. It's not an easy life but it is familiar and predictable.
I think you may have missed the point I was trying to make, because it was the same as what you're saying here. The person I put that question to was someone other than you.
I to start with we could make it worth it by not rewarding people for being single mothers on purpose. I know that things happen, and there are always some, but young girls are doing this on purpose more and more. I know several friends with teenage daughters that just became pregnant because they wanted to and tax dollars and mom and dad support them. It's just wrong.
Sorry, I was actually trying to back you up. This question was also posed earlier...I'm conservative, and I wanted to show that it's OK to let "poor" people stand on their own two feet. I'm not out to take away all safety nets, I just think it's unfair that we are forced to pay for some who aren't willing to get out there on their own.
Conservatives only care about exploiting the poor and making money.
If this were true, don't you think more poor people would be Republicans. The Dems really need to take back their party from the Liberals. The party acts like they are protecting a group of people from the Conservatives.
Looks to me the Liberal/Democrat Party just might not have any supporters, if the poor people left them.
You don't see Republicans wearing red shirts or any other single color in a group, holding signs as if they speak for all school workers, nurses, doctors etc................now who uses the poor
"You don't see Republicans wearing red shirts or any other single color in a group"
They are spending their time defining who are Christians (LOL)!
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This question was also posed earlier...I'm conservative, and I wanted to show that it's OK to let "poor" people stand on their own two feet. I'm not out to take away all safety nets, I just think it's unfair that we are forced to pay for some who aren't willing to get out there on their own.
