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.
Wow, you just don't have a clue do you. Don't ask me to tell you. Why not go on the streets and see for yourself.
Natalie you're alarmed by what you see on the streets. Are there houseflies on their cigarettes and armchairs too?
Will you tell us how jobs--and/or an income--can be provided by the state to all its citizens. Do you know what recorded history can't explain without eliminating the middle class and preserving a crony ruling class while putting everyone else on a command collective (under strict local economic regulations enforced at the muzzle of state firepower).
Or even why "jobs" in someone else's employ--instead of their own modest attempts at self- or collaborative-employment--is necessarily all that.
It isn't fun. Most people on the streets have some sort of mental illness or come from broken homes or abuse. Many are addicts.
I would agree that most people on the streets have a mental illness or are addicts. But, being on the streets isn't necessarily that bad. In many cases, its kind of like long-term camping.
The main issue I had when I was homeless, wasn't the environment, it was the lack of safety for both your person and your property(you can't own much, and you need to keep it with you at all times). As well as the cops harassing you.
Otherwise, its kind of fun in its own way. Much more exciting and memorable, and free, than a "normal life".
I will say, there are really three "classes" of homeless people. You have the mentally ill, who think they are basically Jesus, or that god has sent them to teach people about him, or who otherwise have some sort of delusion of grandeur. These people I try to avoid, and especially, avoid arguing with(they are crazy).
Then you have the guys who actually like being homeless, because its kind of freeing. They don't have to worry about working and paying rent and other bills. These guys love to talk, and they are pretty easy-going guys, with tons of stories to tell.
Then you have the people who have become homeless for whatever reason(usually because they got thrown out by their wives/family/friends). These guys don't necessarily want to be homeless, and in most cases, don't stay homeless for long. But they are normally very depressed, and would prefer to be drunk from sun-up till sundown. A lot of them have really "given up on life".
This is to my conservative friends in here. Why do so many of you blame the poor for being poor? Surely it can't all be due to bad deoision making, laziness and all? Do you not think that some people are born disadvantaged and cannot escape poverty. Do you hate the poor because it makes you feel better about yourselves?
How can we tackle poverty and ensure that everyone is given a chance in life?
Giving them free stuff is not the answer. Giving them more stuff for breeding children they can't afford. The village is not responsible for personal choices they make.
America is the land of opportunity. Stop the handouts and they will avail themselves of those opportunities or they can starve.
Giving them free stuff is not the answer. Giving them more stuff for breeding children they can't afford. The village is not responsible for personal choices they make.
America is the land of opportunity. Stop the handouts and they will avail themselves of those opportunities or they can starve.
Just because America is the land of oppurtunity does not mean anyone has oppurtunity but as usuall the Right Wing will throw out assumptions with no facts like everyone can do better. No one is going to be let starve in this country it does not work like that because some people actually care about someone besides themselves.
I can't speak for all conservatives, just myself, and I most certainly do not hate the poor. I was raised in a houshold where my father worked hard at a sawmill, then came home and put in another shift on a small ranch.
He only had an 8th grade education, but he wanted to do better for his family.
We never had any cash money, we grew most of our own food, heated with wood we cut ourselves out of the forest, as kids we had chores from the time we could pack a bucket.
We never went on government assistance or relief, we didn't even get food subsidies like government cheese, we made our own cheese from milk I milked from our cow by hand.
At 12 years old I spent the whole summer by myself in a line camp fixing fence. I didn't have a phone or any way to contact anyone if there was trouble, I had to take care of myself and I did very well.
I did my 8 years in the Navy which was one of the best learning experiences I could have had.
I put myself through college, working 2 jobs after classes.
I have nothing against the poor, I was poor and i'm still very frugal even though I now own a company of my own and do consulting on the side. I still work 2 full time jobs plus I do custom blacksmithing work on the side.
The poor aren't the problem, the problem are the folks that work the system for handouts instead of swamping floors or moving boxes for a paycheck. It is very possible to get ahead in the US, just work for it. I can say that because I did it.
It means working weekends and holidays, it means working 12-14 hour days, it means nothing is handed to you that you didn't earn.
There are too many options for free education, asisstance finding jobs, etc. that I never had for me to ever believe someone today couldn't move out of poverty if they wanted to.
Yes, there are some folks, very few, that due to a disability or illness can't support themselves, I have no problem helping them. But when I see someone with Down's Syndrome working hard bagging groceries or sweeping a restaraunt, and feeling pride in what they are doing to provide for themselves, and then see some lazy able bodied person whining because someone isn't handing them a 6 figure salary for doing nothing, that irritates me.
Don't phrase your question to ask why Conservatives hate the poor, instead ask some of the poor are so brainwashed that they feel they have no chance so why try to do anything?
My businesses hire a lot of people each year, and would hire more if we could find people that could speak English, wear their pants above their waist, dress professionally and have the ability to understand simple instructions.
It isn't just the poor that have that problem these days, lots of young folks just out of college and high school lack basic skills like math and the ability to make change.
There is a perception out there that they feel they are owed a big house and car, smart phones, the latest computers, going clubbing 2 or 3 nights a week and eating out everyday instead of cooking at home.
It isn't the poor, It's the terminally lazy and stupid that drive me to distraction.
There are no parallel successes as each persons talents and abilities differ. Some do better, some not as well, but that is no excuse for not trying at all.
There are some options for some people with education, assistance finding jobs and so forth but lets be realistic it is not true for everybody stop making factless assumptions. Few folks that can't support themselves is that way so many people are living paycheck to paycheck? Why are Conservatives brainwashed and think that all poor people are not trying to better themselves or can even better themselves?
Just because America is the land of oppurtunity does not mean anyone has oppurtunity but as usuall the Right Wing will throw out assumptions with no facts like everyone can do better. No one is going to be let starve in this country it does not work like that because some people actually care about someone besides themselves.
Look, even if you got rid of the entire welfare state, no one would starve. It is just an impossibility.
At best, religious organizations, communities, and families, would step up and fill in the void. And at worst, there would be riots in the streets, and no store would be safe from looters.
The only question here is, which is more desirable?
Lets understand that it is the "capitalists" who created the welfare state for their own protection. The entire purpose of the modern welfare state, was because people like Keynes was trying to save capitalism from socialism. Or more specifically, he was trying to stop the "pitchforks" from overthrowing the entire social and economic order.
The problem here, is that the welfare state does not promote positive/moral behavior. It encourages irresponsibility, laziness, waste, corruption, lawlessness, and disrespect for authority. And all of that is made worse because the lifeblood of democracy is victimhood, fear, and greed.
I am great sympathies for the poor. But I think liberals are doing a great disservice to the poor, by subsidizing bad behavior, destroying families, destroying communities, and encouraging disrespect for law. Both by supporting nanny-state laws which everyone breaks, and no one respects. And then by supporting the people who broke those laws, over the police who are there to enforce them.
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.
