Funding cuts leave many without home heating assistance in Macon

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Sigh..... Freeze to death?...... but maybe we should allow them to sell everything they don't need to "reset' their priorities and spending habits.

I also never said we should end charity or welfare, all I'm saying is

IF YOU HAVE $20 TO SPEND ON BEER THAN YOU CAN DROP $2 ON A BOTTLE OF KETCHUP.

So how do you propose we regulate that? Have auditors go to their houses and gather up their belongings for auction? I thought you Republicans were all for less government intrusion in people's personal lives. I guess that's only your own personal lives. You don't get to reset anyone's priorities. The point of welfare is to help them out until they get on their feet, not teach them a lesson like you know better. As has been said before, people who qualify for food stamps don't have to be destitute. They have jobs and can afford to pay for some things. They don't have to sign a pledge promising to never buy beer again. It's not your business. How bout in the future, when you see someone buying a six pack with their own money and $2 worth of ketchup with food stamps, assume that that money came out of my taxes instead of yours. I pay more than you do anyway. That $2 bottle of ketchup isn't running up our national deficit, but that huge tax break I just got along with all my top 2% friends sure did!

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

So how do you propose we regulate that? Have auditors go to their houses and gather up their belongings for auction? I thought you Republicans were all for less government intrusion in people's personal lives. I guess that's only your own personal lives. You don't get to reset anyone's priorities. The point of welfare is to help them out until they get on their feet, not teach them a lesson like you know better. As has been said before, people who qualify for food stamps don't have to be destitute. They have jobs and can afford to pay for some things. They don't have to sign a pledge promising to never buy beer again. It's not your business. How bout in the future, when you see someone buying a six pack with their own money and $2 worth of ketchup with food stamps, assume that that money came out of my taxes instead of yours. I pay more than you do anyway. That $2 bottle of ketchup isn't running up our national deficit, but that huge tax break I just got along with all my top 2% friends sure did!

Funny you call me a Republican even though I'm a registered Independent and have NEVER voted for a Republican candidate before but that's neither here nor there. Also, why don't you and your friends donate that tax windfall to charity, Hell maybe you should contact that paper in Macon and offer to pay that woman's heating bill this winter. Not holding my breath on that one...

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Funny you call me a Republican even though I'm a registered Independent and have NEVER voted for a Republican candidate before but that's neither here nor there. Also, why don't you and your friends donate that tax windfall to charity, Hell maybe you should contact that paper in Macon and offer to pay that woman's heating bill this winter. Not holding my breath on that one...

Ha! Me and my "friends" will be saving that money like we always do instead of using it to "create new jobs." Don't you know that's the way trickle down really works? I'm so sorry I pegged you as a Republican, but you sure sound like one. I sure didn't ask for my tax windfall...most will probably get saved, though I give a significant part of my salary every year to charity. As for contacting the Macon paper to pay this lady's bills, holding your breath is stupid. So, because I think it's dumb to judge the poor for their choices and expect them to live in a cardboard box before they can ask for help means that I personally have to support every single person that needs help? I may have a tax windfall in the future, but that's not feasible, and your rhetorhic is always over the top. This is why we have government programs to help because they CAN have widespread reach.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Ha! Me and my "friends" will be saving that money like we always do instead of using it to "create new jobs." Don't you know that's the way trickle down really works? I'm so sorry I pegged you as a Republican, but you sure sound like one. I sure didn't ask for my tax windfall...most will probably get saved, though I give a significant part of my salary every year to charity. As for contacting the Macon paper to pay this lady's bills, holding your breath is stupid. So, because I think it's dumb to judge the poor for their choices and expect them to live in a cardboard box before they can ask for help means that I personally have to support every single person that needs help? I may have a tax windfall in the future, but that's not feasible, and your rhetorhic is always over the top. This is why we have government programs to help because they CAN have widespread reach.

Why don't you put your money where your mouth is then? If you are against YOUR tax cut and believe you shouldn't receive it then donate it (as opposed to saving it) to a non profit that assists the needy.

I really don't think you're getting my point here. I think since you are ASSUMING that I'm a Republican you are reading between the lines and think that I'm anti welfare. I never said anything about letting people live in cardboard boxes or cutting out welfare, but we need to be helping the people who really need help and not the people trying to maintain their lifestyle. How is it "fair" if a lady who shows up in line first but owns a late model car and an expensive entertainment system gets assistance over a lady who has never been able to afford a car or a entertainment system? IDK if you read the article posted by Low C but do you think that family should get utility credits, foodstamps, free school lunch program? I mean, they are struggling!

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I don't see a substantive distinction between pointing out irony and making, what you perceive to be, a judgment. It's really the same thing. Then again, I try to avoid getting lost in people's tone, and whether they come across as an asshat, and focus on what's embedded in what people say.

I make the distinction based on how many assumptions someone is putting onto a subject and whether that person is then deciding something fundamental about the subject, generally negative, based on essentially no actual information.

Pointing something out: Huh, that guy likes to wear pink shirts a lot.
Making assumptions: He's probably gay because he wears pink shirts.
Judging: He shouldn't be gay, that's bad. (or alternatively)

Pointing something out: Hey she has a pretty nice TV.
Making assumptions: She's living beyond her means. She cannot manage money well. She spent taxpayer money on that TV.
Judging: She doesn't deserve help because she has that TV. If she really needed help she'd have sold that TV. It looks bad for her to have that TV.

You are not the only person in this thread who has professional and/or personal experience with poverty. That does not mean that everyone with professional and personal experience with poverty will interpret and respond to this topic in the same manner.

Nope, I'm not. But it's the way I respond and will continue to do so. You can argue that my response only created the reaction I expected from others, but I don't actually care about that in this context.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Nope, I'm not. But it's the way I respond and will continue to do so. You can argue that my response only created the reaction I expected from others, but I don't actually care about that in this context.

That's cool because you acknowledge that your response was primarily based on your defensiveness and your perception.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Why don't you put your money where your mouth is then? If you are against YOUR tax cut and believe you shouldn't receive it then donate it (as opposed to saving it) to a non profit that assists the needy.

I really don't think you're getting my point here. I think since you are ASSUMING that I'm a Republican you are reading between the lines and think that I'm anti welfare. I never said anything about letting people live in cardboard boxes or cutting out welfare, but we need to be helping the people who really need help and not the people trying to maintain their lifestyle. How is it "fair" if a lady who shows up in line first but owns a late model car and an expensive entertainment system gets assistance over a lady who has never been able to afford a car or a entertainment system? IDK if you read the article posted by Low C but do you think that family should get utility credits, foodstamps, free school lunch program? I mean, they are struggling!

I do put my money where my mouth is. I vote Democratic. I donate money to charity. I also save money so that I do have that cushion we have been talking about. It's called being responsible. If I wasn't putting my money where my mouth was, I'd just go out and buy a 3D TV and a new surround sound system and maybe some furniture with the money.

As for "fair", I'll let you in on something. Life isn't fair. The asshats who set up the program made the program that way. It's not the fault of the woman who needs assistance that has more means than her neighbor and gets the assistance because she showed up first if that's the way the program was set up. I haven't had time to read the story posted by Low C sharp since I've been working all day, but I'll get around to it. This country has been all about cutting off aid because people think the poor are just trying to get something for nothing....until of course someone THEY know needs assistance.

Also, I think you are missing the point that you have no way of knowing that people are trying to "maintain their lifestyles." Sorry, if welfare money is a lifestyle, it's a pretty crappy one.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

As for "fair", I'll let you in on something. Life isn't fair.

So keep the judgmental party going.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I do put my money where my mouth is. I vote Democratic. I donate money to charity. I also save money so that I do have that cushion we have been talking about. It's called being responsible. If I wasn't putting my money where my mouth was, I'd just go out and buy a 3D TV and a new surround sound system and maybe some furniture with the money.

As for "fair", I'll let you in on something. Life isn't fair. The asshats who set up the program made the program that way. It's not the fault of the woman who needs assistance that has more means than her neighbor and gets the assistance because she showed up first if that's the way the program was set up. I haven't had time to read the story posted by Low C sharp since I've been working all day, but I'll get around to it. This country has been all about cutting off aid because people think the poor are just trying to get something for nothing....until of course someone THEY know needs assistance.

Also, I think you are missing the point that you have no way of knowing that people are trying to "maintain their lifestyles." Sorry, if welfare money is a lifestyle, it's a pretty crappy one.

WOW

LOL @ the bolded for so many different reasons.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

WOW

LOL @ the bolded for so many different reasons.

Wow for what? If you haven't figured out that life isn't fair at this point, you will have a pretty miserable life wringing your hands in misery. Shit happens. And I stand by my earlier part of the post, too. You may have a different ideology, but I don't agree with independents who ride the fence. (Does a big grin make that feel better?)