Conservatives: How do you REALLY feel about the poor??? (unemployed, wage, solution)

[mohawkx]

The elephant in the room that no conservative ever mentions is Seniors. They group the poor into working poor or deadbeats and always postulating that the majority of poor are deadbeats. This follows the conservative agenda of wanting to dismantle all social safety nets, Social Security being one of the hot button programs they would like to dismantle along with medicare. Well here's some information that addresses the real numbers.

"Between 1959 and 1974, the elderly poverty rate fell from 35 percent to 15 percent. This was largely attributable to a set of increases in Social Security benefits."

"If Social Security benefits did not exist, an estimated 44 percent of the elderly would be poor today, assuming no changes in behavior."

"While 9.4 percent of seniors had incomes in 2006 below the poverty threshold of $9,669 for an individual, and $12,186 for a couple, nearly a quarter of older Americans (22.4 percent) had family incomes below 150 percent of the poverty line."

"If we had a better measure of poverty, the elderly poverty rate would be considerably higher. The current poverty measure gives no consideration to health care costs, among other problems. High medical bills for the elderly can greatly reduce the income available to meet their other needs."

A link for verification
Elderly Poverty: The Challenge Before Us

So whenever you are going to factor in the poor, you need to factor in the seniors who, during their lifetime gave all for their offspring.

So, come on conservatives, tell me how government safety nets ARE the problem and not part of the solution?

[paganmama80]

Originally Posted by Roadking2003

We do. And that's why we contribute millions of dollars every year to charities.

I hope you get a new keyboard soon.

Millions is really not much when considering the fact us charitable giving is over 300 biillion a year .

[mohawkx]

Originally Posted by paganmama80

Millions is really not much when considering the fact us charitable giving is over 300 biillion a year .

you lost me........What do you base your 300 billion in charitable giving on???

[rbohm]

Originally Posted by mackinac81

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?

both. some people have a run of bad luck. it happens

others however are a drain on society, and will take everything they can that is given to them because they think they are entittled.

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."

yes there is such a thing as the working poor. many of these people make bad decisions in life such as, buying more car than they can afford, or buying too much house, or even buying a house instead of renting. they run up their credit cards and other debt trying to keep up with their neighbors. they also tend to put in their 40 hours per week and go home rather than try to get ahead. they are the ones who have pretty much let themselves get in a rut, and they see no way out.

[/uote]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?[/quote]

i have witnessed poverty in my life, and there is little i can do about it other than encourage them to push themselves to get ahead and make something of themselves. the rest is up to them.

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.

yes i have worked for the salvation army hospitality house as a winter program driver. when i wasnt taking the homeless to various shelters around the city, and bringing them back, i also picked up donations for food and other items needed at the house. it wasnt a good paying job, minimum wage in fact, but it was a job that needed to be done.

it was during that time though that i realized that many of the homeless chose that lifestyle for a variety of reasons, and even though many were offered good paying jobs in this area in their field of work, they would turn the jobs down because they didnt pay what they made in some other state, or they just didnt want to work anymore. for instance one guy was bragging that he was offered a welding job here in tucson, but he turned the job down because it only paid $!5 per hour, and he would have gotten $25 per hour back in michigan. go figure.

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

in the end i dont hate poor people, in fact i can sympathize with some of them, but many choose to be poor, and choose to be homeless, and until such time as they want to change their life, there is nothing i, or anyone else can do to change things.

an addict has to hit bottom before they decide to change their life and get rid of their addiction. hopefully they dont hurt anyone along they way to the bottom.

[mohawkx]

I see this thread drops like a stone as soon as someone mentions "Seniors" in to the poverty question. The high percentage of Poor seniors blow the conservative arguement "that the majority of poor people are tit sucking deadbeats" out of the water and liberals don't like to be reminded of the fact that they left their parents high and dry while they went in search for their own personal holy grail.

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by mohawkx

So, come on conservatives, tell me how government safety nets ARE the problem and not part of the solution?

It's simple, really. They have created an environment of dependency.

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by mohawkx

The high percentage of Poor seniors blow the conservative arguement "that the majority of poor people are tit sucking deadbeats" ....

Where did you get that nugget of information?

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by paganmama80

Millions is really not much when considering the fact us charitable giving is over 300 biillion a year .

OK, Billions. The point is the same, and church going conservatives contributing to charity is huge.... and not worthy of your criticism.

[Cryren8972]

Originally Posted by paganmama80

I think you are missing the concept of a parable.

I got the parable...=) Was actually trying to show that Jesus actually did expect people to take what was GIVEN them, be it money, faith, words of wisdom, and make it grow. Not sit on it and be lazy. LAZY being the word I was working with...not necessarily the "take from the rich, give to the poor" discussion taking place.

[lifelongMOgal]

Originally Posted by mohawkx

I see this thread drops like a stone as soon as someone mentions "Seniors" in to the poverty question. The high percentage of Poor seniors blow the conservative arguement "that the majority of poor people are tit sucking deadbeats" out of the water and liberals don't like to be reminded of the fact that they left their parents high and dry while they went in search for their own personal holy grail.

Today's seniors have lived their entire lives believing in the Socialist promises of "Social Security". They have planned on being government dependent in their final years and thus many have made poor economic and retirement choices. This has without a doubt contributed to the prevalence of poverty among seniors (as well as the invention of the HMO, Medicare, and our now super high medical costs).