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This question is the result of the current thread about the elderly couple's murder-suicide due to their inability to pay their medical bills (and possiblyalso due to the wife's health problems). One person was courageous (or foolish) enough to imply that he had absolutely no sympathy for them. That led me to wonder how many people would be willing to let the poor die if doing otherwise would put an additional financial burden on them.
So, in order to put some kind of number on it --
What percentage of your income would you be willing to "donate" through an additional tax deduction to help support those U.S. citizens who cannot support themselves? (Just to take the issue of illegal immigration out of the question.)
My answer would be either 0.5% or 1%.
However, my first choice would be to completely overhaul the U.S. healthcare and "welfare" system.
First of all, according to the ME, both the husband and wife had "significant" medical conditions.
Second, your question has no relevance without knowing the financial circumstances of that couple. Do YOU know that?
It's assumed that they were on Medicare. Even so, it's possible that they didn't WANT to spend any or more money on medical care. Given the number of people who "shelter" or distribute assets to preserve them for family members, that's not a far-fetched supposition.
Every state has medical insurance for the indigent; that's why we pay taxes, as some aren't able to provide for their own care.
There is NO indication that this represented the circumstances of this couple, both of whom were seriously ill, and who, also, may not have wanted to spend MORE money on healthcare for conditions which may have been terminal.
I have very little sympathy. Fact is, my family was poor. They came as poor immigrants from Europe during Hitler's reign. And they had no hand outs except maybe a couple of churches to teach them English and help them get established into the community to get jobs. After that, they worked hard, saved money, bought houses and cars and became part of the community until the government came in and shut down all the coal plants with the EPA act. My family became poor once again. My dad and his uncle decided to move to Florida and take advantage of the construction boom going on. They were still poor, but he and my aunt and uncle who were also poor, managed to raise a family without any help from social programs. So, if we can do it, so can anybody.
Too often "poor" people on assistance seem to have luxuries like fancy nails and designer shoes, and brag about them, or going to the mall or salon. I wonder if they feel sorry for the middle class who can't afford frivolous things, because we have property taxes, insurance, home maintenance, health insurance, etc.- endless expenses and work hours just to maintain the basics.
It's the biggest waste of energy and time judging others and what you think they "should do," "could do," and "won't do." No one knows any other person's circumstances. It's not a simple thing.
I was poor for several years in my twenties and the last thing on my mind was wondering if other people felt compassion for me. I was too busy looking for a job, then looking for a better job. I didn’t need compassion. I needed a damn paycheck.
Same here. I have a job now but it's not enough. I just need to make more money.
Quote:
Originally Posted by charolastra00
The elderly have had decades to plan, save, and build a career. When I got my cancer diagnosis at 23, there was FAR more help available for an elderly person who had 40+ years in the working world to save and establish themselves compared to my 4 months into my first job out of college with the related entry level salary.
My philanthropic priorities both in money and time will always be for young adults ranging from 15 to 35ish.
My mom has ADD and didn't know it for a long time partially because being in long term abuse. She wanted to do her 401k for her current job and no one ever helped her.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PCALMike
Really?
If you bring up section 8 housing and how luxurious it is, lets remember that you are far from guaranteed that and in addition could wait ten years or more to be accepted.
Section 8 ain't all that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tamajane
Too often "poor" people on assistance seem to have luxuries like fancy nails and designer shoes, and brag about them, or going to the mall or salon. I wonder if they feel sorry for the middle class who can't afford frivolous things, because we have property taxes, insurance, home maintenance, health insurance, etc.- endless expenses and work hours just to maintain the basics.
It must be nice. I don't know what that's like anymore if I even did before. I don't know if they do because I'm not them but that's how I feel. I don't feel sorry for some of them either though because they probably have opportunities and don't really try to save money but I wouldn't judge them as all like that because personally I get like that once in a while. I'm kind of a tightwad (get upset at having to just buy food) but once in a while I give up. There was a brief period where I was obsessed with soaps so I'd buy like 5 different soap containers. I also bought a Switch for my birthday..though it does serve a purpose but I almost didn't because I was desperate to save but after talking with a coworker I was like why bother?
I'm trying to keep my tightwady ways and direct myself to a more realistic goal but sometimes I still get the urge to just blow it all because I don't know what to do.
For the elderly and children- I have a lot of sympathy. For the mothers that refuse to use birth control- not much. For the lazy- none.
What if that elderly person was once a woman who refused to use birth control?
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