Government Handouts--UNLOCKED

[Texan]

This seems to be an interesting topic and one that is vital to the survival of us as individuals, as well as to each of our businesses. Not only that, but as Campground pointed out in another thread, its also vital to the survival of our Democracy!

Just so we can keep this one out of lockdown, I encourage all respondents to try to take the high road and refrain from the personal attacks and name calling that I am often guilty of. You see, I realize that I need to start with myself! Since that's often difficult for me, this may be my last post under this topic. :lol:

We have in our midst what seems to be a very small minority of members who think it is appropriate to live off of the taxpayer. This keeps them from having to put up with the embarrassment of working at a job that they find demeaning. For example: McDonalds or sacking groceries.

Now, I'll have to be honest. I've never worked at either job. Nor have I ever felt superior to those who have served me at McDonalds or sacked my groceries. In fact, I admire them for having the initiative to be working at all!

These days a person with no education and no skills can probably make $500 a day selling drugs! I also understand that some able-bodied people can even receive enough government support to pay their bills! Knowing that helps me to have a certain respect for those people who take low paying jobs and pay their taxes, as well.

I don't think that any of us disagree with giving people help when they need it. Down on your luck or have a real disability? I say let's help you. Maybe not forever, but at least until you can get going on your own.

But it seems to me that we have a growing class, or maybe classless, group of citizens that feel like the rest of us owe them something. Something like everything! And in my opinion, this group is growing exponentially. These same people are now of breeding age and are having offspring. Just as a calf will watch its momma lick minerals out of a trough and learn to do likewise, the offspring of this bunch is wanting to stay at the same trough they've been raised at.

My concern is that there's not enough of the rest of us to keep pouring something in the trough! All we have to do is look to our great neighbor's to the North and see the potential for trouble. Can't we learn something from them? I hope you Canadian guys (and you too, Annie) will get in on this and give us some guidance.

Looks to me like its way past time to stop it. Not only can we not afford for the problem to keep growing like it is. I don't think we can afford the staus quo. What are we gonna do?

 

[la4angus]

There is this guy here that just turned 63 on 7/29. He has been a
carpenter all his life but seldom reported his earnings, as he always worked
for individuals, lots of small, less than 1 week jobs, and always got paid
cash or check from whomever he was working for. I have known him for several
years.He is doing some work for me now.He has arthritis in his knees, ,
fingers and wrist and shoulders. Also gout in the knees and wrist Anyway
when I got home from the Dr. on Tuesday he was here waiting on me,with his
arm in a sling. His wrist, hand and fingers were swollen about 2 X normal
size.He was going to see a Dr. on Thur, an appointment that he already had
to see about getting on SSI. He hadn't paid in enough FICA for his Social
Security check to be but (I think) $112.00 mo.. and SSI would pay him $580.00
per mo.He worked, earned money, didn't report it and now the rest of us have
to support him for the rest of his life

 

[greenpasture78]

Actually, if your friend had gotten a real job with a construction company as a carpenter (I know a guy as well who is a Vietnam Vet who is a private contractor who does individual works too..he does excellent jobs!), he would been eligible for SSDI (very different from SSI). With SSDI, his monthly check would've been much higher than the one he getting on SSI. Then again , if he was on SSDI, he would be on MEDICARE, which doesn't cover any prescription drugs (Medicaid does....). Just food for thoughts.

 

[la4angus]

Actually, if your friend had gotten a real job with a construction company as a carpenter (I know a guy as well who is a Vietnam Vet who is a private contractor who does individual works too..he does excellent jobs!), he would been eligible for SSDI (very different from SSI). With SSDI, his monthly check would've been much higher than the one he getting on SSI. Then again , if he was on SSDI, he would be on MEDICARE, which doesn't cover any prescription drugs (Medicaid does....). Just food for thoughts.

I know all this.

 

[ollie]

Wellfare or any other social program was never part of the founding fathers view for the government. The basic reason for governmental existance was national defence. The wellbeing of others less fortunate should be handled by the local church. The people of the church know the difference between beggers and needy. The churches great failure in this area has left the door wide open to vote buying through the wellfare system.

 

[Texan]

......The churches great failure in this area has left the door wide open to vote buying through the wellfare system.

That's a good point, Ollie. But, surely its too late to turn that around. Some of the churches could almost rival the political parties in terms of greed, power and even corruption.

No, the churches wouldn't be much help on that front nowadays. Hard to envision some of them doing anything other than sticking out an empty hand.

 

[ollie]

While I agree with you Texan I still think it is the proper route. Maybe we need to be working harder on our Christianity than our politics.Not every church is that way by the way.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, first, kill all the lawyers. Alot of problems in society have been caused by the liberal courts. Light sentences for crimes committed and a push for privileges that have now become firmly entrenched rights for the lower class have brought us into this mess.
Mandatory workfare for those collecting welfare. 4 days per week at jobs that nobody else wants to do like mowing lawns, picking up garbage, improving roads (with a shovel and a wheelbarrow). Government could pay transport costs to and from the sight for the workfare employees.

More help for the working poor. No extra child allowance for children had while on government assistance teamed with expansion of state orphanages set up with proper education for the children in the orphanage and stronger powers for child and family services to remove children who made be at risk in their home environment.

Careful screening of immigrants tht come into the country. Make sure they have values that fit well with the North American culture.

Of course, it is unlikely that any government would implement these measures because it would be unpopular with all the socialists.

One of the things that keeps me motivated is called 'the ball hypothesis'.
The easiest way for me to explain it is that there is a ball that represents your economic standing that gets larger as each year passes. So for a visual analogy, imagine that when you come out of high school that the ball is 2 feet in diameter. Some people are born firmly entrenched on top of the ball and some people are born firmly entrenched underneath. But you can see that if you work hard, it doesn't take alot of effort to get on top of the ball at that point. By the time a person is forty, the ball may be 5' in diameter and so you can see climbing on top of the ball is substantially harder at that point. If you are not on top of the ball by the time you are fifty, it becomes impossible because you are trying to climb from the underside. Bankruptcy or a nasty divorce can throw you off the ball but hopefully it happens when you are young rather than old. With taht said you can see how important it is to push these young people work hard to get on top of the ball early. Otherwise the numbers of poor will grow and the system will not be able to support itself.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

Timed out on the above. That was my post.

 

[Anonymous]

But it seems to me that we have a growing class, or maybe classless, group of citizens that feel like the rest of us owe them something. Something like everything! And in my opinion, this group is growing exponentially. These same people are now of breeding age and are having offspring. Just as a calf will watch its momma lick minerals out of a trough and learn to do likewise, the offspring of this bunch is wanting to stay at the same trough they've been raised at.

It is called the "Generation X". I took a supervisory class to try to figure out how to get them to work, because I thought I was out of touch. Ten years ago you could hire 3 people just out of highschool if you needed 2. Now you hire 10 and hope for 1. Here's what I can remember from the class:

They are now raised with everything material. TV's, confuzers, new clothing, you name it the parents will get it for them because they didn't have it when they were growing up. And the parents are off at several jobs to support their childrens "wants" so not there for family time.

They are a "me" generation because most of them are raised as single or maybe with one other sibling so no need to learn to share and work together to get things done.

They are not "allowed" to work by our society until they are in their teens, so the work ethic has not been accepted as part of life since this is also when they become rebellious of other things.

They are Given an allowance and not expected to do anything for it. And can spend it however they want. Therefore they have no idea about budgeting or being happy with the amount of money paid.
If they get sick while in K-12 they are sent home, not expected to tough it out like we were.

There was more but I think you get the idea, and no I don't have a clue how to fix it ...................

 

[dun]

I don't have a clue how to fix it ...................

Retroactive birthcontrol!

It does get pretty discouraging when you see the shape of things, but then you run into you folks like Jake and others that I'm fortunate enough to be acquainted with around here and you realize there IS hope.

Problem is, I'm sure the adults said the same thing about the younger generation clear back to when GROG first crawled out of his cave.

dun

 

[Anonymous]

I don't have a clue how to fix it ...................

Retroactive birthcontrol!

dun

For the parents or offspring :?:

 

[dun]

I don't have a clue how to fix it ...................

Retroactive birthcontrol!

dun

For the parents or offspring :?:

In some cases both.

dun

 

[Anonymous]

speaking of Retroactive birthcontrol; if your little pic is of semen straws I sure hope they were used ones or you now have
Retroactive birthcontrol! :shock:
Or is it a DNA blot? Too tiny to tell.