Posted by Speaking Just For Me on February 02, 2007 at 18:16:54 (EST):
In Reply to: Re: 39 Pennsylvanians died this year in the war posted by true on February 02, 2007 at 12:52:03 (EST):
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: : I have to question your claim that your friend now says they come in when they get their checks and get mad when they can’t buy cigarettes and MTO’s. That doesn’t make sense either. A lot of these people have been on assistant for a long time and would know by now what they can and cannot buy. Why would they come into Sheetz every month and try and buy prohibited items. Doesn’t make sense. I can see people new on food stamps doing this, but you make it sound like a revolving door of welfare people coming into Sheetz trying to buy stuff they know they can’t buy. And I hate it that you keep putting me into the role of defending these people. If they are able bodied people they should support themselves, period.
: : Let me clear something else up. “Bleeding heart liberals” do not believe these people “DESERVE” to get hand-outs. That too is ridiculous. These programs are started to help needy people and I think it’s good that it’s there. What happens is people take advantage of these programs. They get some doctor to say they are bi-polar, stressed out or whatever and bingo they get assistance. Or they start having children. Are you going to through a mother out in the street with her children. That will never happen in this country, so they get free money. What’s the answer? I’m not sure. When Congress tried to purge the welfare rolls and make able bodied people get a job, a lot just gravitated over to SSI. Every good program out there, whether government or private somebody somewhere is going to take advantage of it.
: What happens is, they come in there every time they get a new check and blow it on crap. Then they get all pissed off because they can't buy this stuff with their access card.
: You ask a VERY good question "Why WOULD they come into Sheetz every month and try and buy prohibited items". NO, it DOESN'T make sense.
: The fact remains it does happen.
: You say maybe you could see it with "new" people. WHY? Do you think these "new" people SHOULD be wasting their access card credits on cigs, pop and MTO's?
: You say you hate being put into the role of defending "these people"...Why do you defend them then? Maybe you ARE one of THEM.
: You say "If they are able bodied people they should support themselves, period."...E X A C T L Y!!!
: Here's the definition of "bleeding heart" I found on thefreedictionary.com: "A person who is considered excessively sympathetic toward those who claim to be underprivileged or exploited."
: You'll notice some key words in this definition such as "excessively" and "claim".
: I agree these programs, (most) were started with the greatest of intentions. However, they are greatly abused, in many ways, some of which you mention here. One of the ones you mention is "they start having kids". Then you say ,"Are you going to throw a mother out in the street with her children?". Here's one of the cases where the "bleeding heart" comes in. There are a lot of wmen out there who have been on welfare all their life. They satrt out on it, then they turn being a single mother into their career. They have 3,4,5 illigitimate kids and end up getting MORE money in assistance than many married couples EARN. This should never, ever happen. "Bleeding hearts" think that's fine, because it's for "the children".
: If a program is a good program, it should be set up so that it CAN'T be abused, or so that it is at least DIFFICULT to abuse. These programs today are set up so that it is so easy to abuse them these people figure "Why the hell would I go to work, here's some free money right here".
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Some of the philosophie sin this thread are warped, and I mean really warped. You accuse this poster of being one of them, but it sounds like you are jealous. Did you ever try to apply for these benefits and were found not eligible? You sound more bitter than mad. You refuse to acknowledge the gross negligence in other parts of spending that way exceed these programs in regards to taxpayer money, and most of the time these people (big businesses) have money, but still find it necessary to rip off the government to make more money.
If you spent more time researching where the big money is wasted and not just be bitter about one segment this would all make sense. Nobody is saying it is right for benefits to be abused, but you are obsessing over it like this is the biggest dent in our budget. Guess what, it does not even come close!
How do you propose that we make a program completely free from fraud or abuse? I have given you some of the reasons that I believe that this may be increasing, but I have not heard anything from you.