The redistribution of wealth

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  • clintlove
    Hey girl, ya Hungry?
    • Jun 2004
    • 3264

    The redistribution of wealth

    A lady I work with has seriously considered leaving her job and excepting government assistance. She's a single mom with a college education, working full time, pays for full-time daycare, pays for health insurance, pays taxes, gets no child support, has a small apartment, and after bills she barely has enough money to scrape by some months. Yet she makes too much money to qualify for any type of government assistance. If she were unemployed, she could receive government assistance for free health care for her and her child, energy assistance, food stamps (which is now a debit card that the government puts around $750 a month for food and for a single mother), housing allowance or even free housing (some of the newer housing projects in NOLA are actually nice condos with a little NOLA architecture flare. In fact, these actually appeared nicer than what my wife were paying $1100 to rent each month.) With all her necessities virtually paid for by the US government, they then would give her welfare payments in the range of $800-$1200 for spending money. She would actually make out better each month than staying and holding her job and paying taxes.

    Last year my mortgage broker expressed some political views to me during the purchase of our new house and during our discussion she told me story about something that recently happened to her family. Their 20 year old daughter, who was a full-time college student living at home and a full-time employee, told her mother she thought she was pregnant. After going to the doctor their daughter was contacted by several government assistance programs. These programs offered to cover the daughter's pregnancy and medical costs, give her and her newborn free medical insurance, free daycare, and a food program designed to help single mother's that covered all costs for children. With a tired face, she looks at me and says, "I've taught my daughter her entire life to study hard, work hard, and to earn the things you need in life. She's worked and made her own income and paid taxes since the age of 16. In one phone call, they took all those years of my parenting values and flushed then down the toilet. My daughter was being told by our government that she didn't have to work for any of those things, they'd all be given to her free of charge. Think about a 20 year old struggling to attend college full-time and simultaneously work a full-time job. That's an enticing offer."

    One day while checking out in the grocery store, I was standing behind a woman that just happened to catch my attention. I'm a dick, so I was looking her up and down, and some things caught my attention. She's got on what look to be designer shoes, blue jeans with those fancy bedazzled ass pockets on them, a leather jacket, a gold ring on nearly ever finger, a gold necklace with a diamond medallion, this nice looking designer purse with 2 C's on it (whatever brand that is), some pretty damn big diamond earrings, and a leather beret to match the jacket. Even if all the brands and jewelry were fake, she was trying hard to look like she had money. Her groceries were all brand name items, some being expensive brands, like grey poupon type shit. While she's checking out she reaches behind her and grabs several candy bars and a couple cold drinks from the cooler and adds them to her groceries. She then reaches and pulls out her Louisiana Purchase card to pay for her groceries. Not thinking too much about it, I buy my $99 sour cream my wife couldn't have tacos without, and walk out to my car. On the way, I just happen to pass the same lady getting into a brand new Honda Accord. This lady dresses with an intent to look wealthy, drives a newer car than mine, and then uses my tax dollars to pay for her brand named groceries and junk food.

    What are situations like these teaching our young people?

    Do you feel that families making over $250,000 annually should take on a tax increase that will further fund government programs for the people in these situations?

    What impact do you think government assisted programs such as these have on our economy, our national debt, and our strive for prosperity?

    Music is the answer, to your problems. Keep on movin', till you solve them.

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  • unrecogniseduser
    Platinum Poster
    • Jun 2004
    • 2344

    #2
    Re: The redistribution of wealth

    some people will always take the piss out of the system clint. It doesnt mean there shouldnt be one to help those who really need it. A balance has to be struck.

    Re the 250 K, yes I do think they should pay a higher proportion of tax.

    Anyway, having discussed this with Americans many times over the last 4 years I have come to the following conclusion. You either think that government should play a role in improving the lives of the people in a country or you want them to organize your protection and then leave everyone to it. If you think the latter then your thread is basically a pointless exercise, and if you think the former then it's merely a discussion about how it's best achieved.
    motherlover

    Comment

    • unrecogniseduser
      Platinum Poster
      • Jun 2004
      • 2344

      #3
      Re: The redistribution of wealth

      oh yeah, and you can get a pair of fancy jeans like that in TJ maxx for 5 bucks. Not everyone shops at Dillards you know ;-)
      motherlover

      Comment

      • floridaorange
        I'm merely a humble butler
        • Dec 2005
        • 29116

        #4
        Re: The redistribution of wealth

        Originally posted by unrecogniseduser
        some people will always take the piss out of the system clint. It doesnt mean there shouldnt be one to help those who really need it. A balance has to be struck.

        Re the 250 K, yes I do think they should pay a higher proportion of tax.

        Anyway, having discussed this with Americans many times over the last 4 years I have come to the following conclusion. You either think that government should play a role in improving the lives of the people in a country or you want them to organize your protection and then leave everyone to it. If you think the latter then your thread is basically a pointless exercise, and if you think the former then it's merely a discussion about how it's best achieved.
        well that about sums it up.

        It was fun while it lasted...

        Comment

        • vinnie97
          Are you Kidding me??
          • Jul 2007
          • 3454

          #5
          Re: The redistribution of wealth

          When "improving the lives" becomes "make them dependent upon a handout to survive," we begin to run into problems. Also, when the taxation becomes oppressive, rebellion from the producers is not far away.

          Comment

          • unrecogniseduser
            Platinum Poster
            • Jun 2004
            • 2344

            #6
            Re: The redistribution of wealth

            Originally posted by floridaorange
            well that about sums it up.
            why thank you
            motherlover

            Comment

            • unrecogniseduser
              Platinum Poster
              • Jun 2004
              • 2344

              #7
              Re: The redistribution of wealth

              Originally posted by vinnie97
              When "improving the lives" becomes "make them dependent upon a handout to survive," we begin to run into problems. Also, when the taxation becomes oppressive, rebellion from the producers is not far away.
              first line is where the balance needs to be struck. exactly what i am saying. nothing to do with whether the programs should exist
              motherlover

              Comment

              • clintlove
                Hey girl, ya Hungry?
                • Jun 2004
                • 3264

                #8
                Re: The redistribution of wealth

                I'm all in favor of helping people in need. Obviously I would never want anyone to suffer because of lack of food, medical treatment, or shelter. I think it's fucking crazy that there are people in this country that have multi-million dollar homes with several luxury vehicles in the garage, and then we have homeless digging through trash for food and the unemployed losing their homes to foreclosure. On the other hand, there are families that live on welfare and other government assistance for generation after generation. They are perfectly able bodied people who in fact could work and earn a paycheck, they just choose not to. The people like this who cheat the system is my concern. However, regardless of the reason someone needs/uses government assistance, I do not feel like it is right for a government to force a person or family with a certain income (that they deem "rich") to pay a higher percentage of tax because of that income. This is when we start teetering on the change to communism/socialism. Hey, sure it may be fucked up if someone who can afford gold ceilings in their house not to donate money to charities or help the needy, but that is their freedom given to them by our countries founding fathers. It is here, that they start to change the fabric American was founded on.

                Music is the answer, to your problems. Keep on movin', till you solve them.

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                • stephen028
                  Addiction started
                  • Nov 2007
                  • 430

                  #9
                  Re: The redistribution of wealth

                  When one benefits more from a society, it is acceptable from them to contribute more. "With great power comes great responsibilty" quoth Gandalf.

                  Comment

                  • clintlove
                    Hey girl, ya Hungry?
                    • Jun 2004
                    • 3264

                    #10
                    Re: The redistribution of wealth

                    It's acceptable for them to have the right to contribute more, not made to.

                    Music is the answer, to your problems. Keep on movin', till you solve them.

                    sigpic

                    Comment

                    • unrecogniseduser
                      Platinum Poster
                      • Jun 2004
                      • 2344

                      #11
                      Re: The redistribution of wealth

                      communism/socialism, lol.I think you've been watching a bit too much Fox News there...almost all countries have staggered taxation. Nothing communist about it. Like I said, either you want funded public services or you dont. If you do, then you elect the government who, among other issues, you feel will best spend the public purse. The level of poverty in the US is disgraceful for such an affluent country and something needs to be done to address it. Various things will be tried, some will work better than others, and governments will be judged by how their success or failure is viewed by the majority. Democracy at work...Communism is a 1 party state that is unnaccountable
                      motherlover

                      Comment

                      • stephen028
                        Addiction started
                        • Nov 2007
                        • 430

                        #12
                        Re: The redistribution of wealth

                        you have the right idea, unreg, ideally. what i am seeing in this country is the voters being successfully fooled. youv'e hit the nail on the head with our poverty level(directly proportioned to the crime rate, over-crowded jails, and welfare) being a disgrace. unfortunatley from where i sit in middle america, this is not an issue and people are not connecting the dots that it is this exact gap in the classes that is most responsible for our economic woes. if you talk to MIDDLE CLASS people about balancing the scales (higher taxation, more corporate accountability, stricter regulations) they call u a communist.

                        Comment

                        • vinnie97
                          Are you Kidding me??
                          • Jul 2007
                          • 3454

                          #13
                          Re: The redistribution of wealth

                          Corporate accountability, I'm all for that. Higher taxation and stricter regulation, it most definitely depends. If small business is facing overreaching regulations (the HC"R" bill is having that effect, even after Pelosi promised 400,000 jobs upon its passage) that cut further into their bottom line so as to make them hire fewer or worse, lay off a portion of their workforce, then we obviously don't get a desirable net effect.

                          Comment

                          • Shpira
                            Angry Boy Child
                            • Oct 2006
                            • 4969

                            #14
                            Re: The redistribution of wealth

                            untitled.JPG
                            The Idiots ARE Winning.


                            "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect."
                            Mark Twain

                            SOBRIETY MIX

                            Comment

                            • vinnie97
                              Are you Kidding me??
                              • Jul 2007
                              • 3454

                              #15
                              Re: The redistribution of wealth

                              Very suspect graph since it doesn't include the attack on the sovereign state of Libya.

                              Comment

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