Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin
I can hardly come to any other conclusion though. If someone spends however many months on the dole as are currently allowed and has yet to find a job, when does the blame shift from the economy or somesuch other nebulous entity to the individual? Does it ever shift?
And let's just assume all of these "It's not their fault" premises ad arguendo. Why are their problems my problems? Why must I and other taxpayers continue to watch the money I spend in taxes go to solve their problems? Pay their bills? Bail them out? I don't think anyone could reasonably believe that the current federal fiscal irresponsibility can continue indefinitely. But I get to watch as my money is spent on this crap and then I, who will still be gainfully employed for the rest of my life, will get to bear a lot more than my fair share in paying it back. But I guess I shouldn't have a problem with that?
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I know many well-educated, experienced folks (some of who are family members) who are currently unemployed, even though they have been quite conscientiously looking for jobs for many months now. These are people who have been working since they were in their teens at various jobs, all of which have taken some sort of unemployment taxes out of their checks every pay period. These are people that have paid, for years, into the system for years for just this purpose. Just on the off chance that they might one day need a bit of assistance to get through a rough patch. It is not just your money they are taking, it is their own. Even still, believe me, these folks are willing to take almost anything, because unemployment is nothing compared to the salaries that they are used to makings and even compared to salaries that they could be making at any reasonably-salaried position (read $8/40 hrs and up). How many other similar stories could those commenting in this thread tell.
The next question is where should your money go? Are corporate bailouts ok? Is it okay for your money to go to schools that your children will never attend, parks that you will never visit, roads that you will never drive down? Should tax revenue, specifically the miniscule portion that you actually pay into that pot, really only be used for projects that you will personally benefit from?
Furthermore, have you considered what it would mean to the cohesion of our society if social welfare programs ceased to exist? What it would mean if we all truly adopted this "every person for herself" mentality? Really have you ever thought about it? Do you imagine that if we were to leave our floundering neighbors completely to their own devices that some how, all of the sudden, jobs would appear and everyone would be gainfully and adequately employed? Do you really think that?
Did you ever consider what would happen if masses of people suddenly found themselves perpetually outside of the system, with no way and no hope of getting a foothold for advancement (and that is all that many of these social welfare programs are, are, toeholds. No one is getting rich on welfare or unemployment, and most folks would give it up in a second if they could find a job that paid a living wage that allowed them to truly support themselves and their families)? Why, in that scenario, would they have any cause to invest in any element of our society? Is that a better alternative?