Michelle Obama: "We Can't Just Leave It Up To The Parents"

jenniifer said:
In the Wash DC area alone, long term recipients are over 50%. In my opinion, that is way too many. Most are single mothers, high school dropouts, who opted for early motherhood. In my state, they now tell welfare recip. that they no longer get increases in their checks when they have additional children, and also my state along with several others now requires welfare recip. to be drug tested, though not sure what is being done if the tests are positive for drugs...but I do know the local methadone clinic is full of patients, some pregnant, who are on medicaid. I had a point here but I lost it....oh, yeah, I have worked in the local ER as part of my nursing school training. I find it very hard to sympathize with people on assistance, you want to know why? Most of them are dressed better than I am. They have lovely sculptured airbrushed nails and the latest high priced cell phone - and when you ask for their insurance, they hand you a medicaid card. They have money to spend on life's luxuries, but expect the tax payers to foot their health care bill? What kind of values are we instilling in people by giving them something for nothing - what has become most important to them?

Again, I know there are people out there that need help from time to time, and I think it's great that those programs are in place to assist people. I don't think every one who needs public assistance is a low life.

No, thankfully, I have never had to shop on foodstamps! BUT, if I did, it would be common sense that you buy a few pounds of string beans for $3, bags of onions and potatoes for a few more dollars, some chicken or ground beef for a about 2 or 3 dollars a pound, bread, pasta for $1 a box or less...cans of tomato sauce... you DON'T buy Mrs B's ready made Pasta Peanut Satay for $4.99 that MAYBE feeds 2 people. You don't buy Stouffers frozen TV dinners for $3.99 each single serving. You can make a huge lasagna for about $5 - you would pay double for one already made that is half the size. You buy corn flakes for $1.99 a box, not Captain Crunch with Crunchberries for $4.79 a box. (and you don't let the kids eat the whole box in one sitting) Maybe you have to go without deluxe gourmet brands for now. You buy store brand, you use coupons. And usually people with kids who get food stamps also have access to government cheese, milk etc. so those things will be cheaper as well, if not "free" (free to everyone but the taxpayers, that is) It may take a little work, but I think I could feed myself and a kid or two on foodstamps. Lucky for me, my parents always worked, we always had food in the house, and they made sure that they had jobs with benefits, even if they hated those jobs. Once I was on my own, I worked, and usually had good benefits...I had a child young, but I managed to take care of us both without needing help, even if it meant working awful hours, a lot of my pay going to sitters, and no fun in my life for a few long years. You make sacrifices, you do what you have to do. Or, you sit on the couch watching Jerry Springer all day and wait for someone else to pay your way.
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Wow...What a post! :gpost:
 
Foxrac said:
I think that homeless kids do go to public school and they are entitle to get free lunch so it had been for many years.
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Foster care kids get free lunches too. I was in foster care for five years and I got free lunches when I attended public school. When I was attending WSD I got free meals too as well, 3x a day.

There is some kind of qualification that will entitle some kids to get free lunches...it depends on the kid's family's income level and also whether the kid is living with his/her own family or is living in foster care or is going to the state school for the Deaf (applies to deaf children), or if the kid is in some sort of children's home.
 
jenniifer said:
In the Wash DC area alone, long term recipients are over 50%. In my opinion, that is way too many. Most are single mothers, high school dropouts, who opted for early motherhood. In my state, they now tell welfare recip. that they no longer get increases in their checks when they have additional children, and also my state along with several others now requires welfare recip. to be drug tested, though not sure what is being done if the tests are positive for drugs...but I do know the local methadone clinic is full of patients, some pregnant, who are on medicaid. I had a point here but I lost it....oh, yeah, I have worked in the local ER as part of my nursing school training. I find it very hard to sympathize with people on assistance, you want to know why? Most of them are dressed better than I am. They have lovely sculptured airbrushed nails and the latest high priced cell phone - and when you ask for their insurance, they hand you a medicaid card. They have money to spend on life's luxuries, but expect the tax payers to foot their health care bill? What kind of values are we instilling in people by giving them something for nothing - what has become most important to them?

Again, I know there are people out there that need help from time to time, and I think it's great that those programs are in place to assist people. I don't think every one who needs public assistance is a low life.

No, thankfully, I have never had to shop on foodstamps! BUT, if I did, it would be common sense that you buy a few pounds of string beans for $3, bags of onions and potatoes for a few more dollars, some chicken or ground beef for a about 2 or 3 dollars a pound, bread, pasta for $1 a box or less...cans of tomato sauce... you DON'T buy Mrs B's ready made Pasta Peanut Satay for $4.99 that MAYBE feeds 2 people. You don't buy Stouffers frozen TV dinners for $3.99 each single serving. You can make a huge lasagna for about $5 - you would pay double for one already made that is half the size. You buy corn flakes for $1.99 a box, not Captain Crunch with Crunchberries for $4.79 a box. (and you don't let the kids eat the whole box in one sitting) Maybe you have to go without deluxe gourmet brands for now. You buy store brand, you use coupons. And usually people with kids who get food stamps also have access to government cheese, milk etc. so those things will be cheaper as well, if not "free" (free to everyone but the taxpayers, that is) It may take a little work, but I think I could feed myself and a kid or two on foodstamps. Lucky for me, my parents always worked, we always had food in the house, and they made sure that they had jobs with benefits, even if they hated those jobs. Once I was on my own, I worked, and usually had good benefits...I had a child young, but I managed to take care of us both without needing help, even if it meant working awful hours, a lot of my pay going to sitters, and no fun in my life for a few long years. You make sacrifices, you do what you have to do. Or, you sit on the couch watching Jerry Springer all day and wait for someone else to pay your way.
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The Washington D.C. area also has pockets of extreme poverty more so than other areas of the country. Just because they have a lot of long term recipients does not transfer to those same statistics in other parts of the country. I, for instance, live on the edge of Appalachia. We have large numbers of recipients on welfare roles, as well. However,they also have to participate in a back to work program which limits the amount of time they can receive benefits.

You can be as judgemental against those living in poverty as you choose. However, until you begin to consider the sociological factors that contribute to poverty and the consequences and the cycle, that is all you are being; judgemental. Poverty is not a matter of being lazy.
 
jillio said:
The Washington D.C. area also has pockets of extreme poverty more so than other areas of the country. Just because they have a lot of long term recipients does not transfer to those same statistics in other parts of the country. I, for instance, live on the edge of Appalachia. We have large numbers of recipients on welfare roles, as well. However,they also have to participate in a back to work program which limits the amount of time they can receive benefits.

You can be as judgemental against those living in poverty as you choose. However, until you begin to consider the sociological factors that contribute to poverty and the consequences and the cycle, that is all you are being; judgemental. Poverty is not a matter of being lazy.
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Yes, for the most part, it is. :) That and poor choices


There is a documentary from your neck of the woods called American Hollow...At first glimpse it might appear to support your post. But, the people who chose to leave the hollow rather than "diggin root" did just fine. And, how sad that they had to pull money from several family members to get $25 needed for a marriage license.....especially when every one of them had a satellite dish. Again, poor choices.
 
Wirelessly posted

The irony here is New Progressivism is trying to undo the effects of Old Progressivism, yet modern conservatives are defending the liberals of the old.

Don't believe me? Look up the history of processed cereals, carbonated beverages and packaged yogurts. They were pioneered by liberals who believed consuming these products are much healthier and better for the planet.

Time for your daily enemas!
 
TXgolfer said:
Yes, for the most part, it is. :) That and poor choices


There is a documentary from your neck of the woods called American Hollow...At first glimpse it might appear to support your post. But, the people who chose to leave the hollow rather than "diggin root" did just fine. And, how sad that they had to pull money from several family members to get $25 needed for a marriage license.....especially when every one of them had a satellite dish. Again, poor choices.
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Oh, yeah, people are poor because they make poor choices.:roll: Ever think that poor choices are the only choices available to some?
And there are plent of wealthy that make poor choices. Check out the SES of people in drug and alcohol rehab on court order. Or the SES of people doing time in federal prison.

I can't believe the judgemental nature of some of these posts. Talk about a total inability to see put of someone else's window.
 
TXgolfer said:
Yes, for the most part, it is. :) That and poor choices


There is a documentary from your neck of the woods called American Hollow...At first glimpse it might appear to support your post. But, the people who chose to leave the hollow rather than "diggin root" did just fine. And, how sad that they had to pull money from several family members to get $25 needed for a marriage license.....especially when every one of them had a satellite dish. Again, poor choices.
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Good choice, getting drunk enough to believe everything in the documentary. :lol:
 
jillio said:
Oh, yeah, people are poor because they make poor choices.:roll: Ever think that poor choices are the only choices available to some?
And there are plent of wealthy that make poor choices. Check out the SES of people in drug and alcohol rehab on court order. Or the SES of people doing time in federal prison.

I can't believe the judgemental nature of some of these posts. Talk about a total inability to see put of someone else's window.
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I have been on both sides of the fence, lived in my car at one point - WITH a toddler. No one is saying that bad things don't happen to people and that they don't need or deserve help. It is when it becomes a way of life, and when people don't feel they are responsible for their own lives that bothers me. And it IS true that many people are in bad situations because of poor choices, everything from having kids too young to living way beyond their means...but anyone, if they put their mind to it, can prepare for or fix their life - anyone, even if you don't have money, can go to college or learn a trade today. There are plenty of programs in place to help you do that, or their is financial aid that you can pay back later. Have too many kids to take care of that is stopping you from doing so? Well, hey, ever heard of birth control? That isn't my fault. You made a choice at some point to have those kids, now it is my job as a taxpayer to help you support them? I know it is harder and harder, when these girls having babies so young watched their own mothers do the same thing - but heck, it has to stop somewhere. I could go on and on, but it just seems pointless. We are living in a time when everyone is looking for someone else to blame for their problems, when they should be looking in the mirror. Being judgemental has nothing to do with it. I work hard for my money and would like it to go towards my own kid's futures. Don't care enough about YOUR kids to do the same? Well, that is really sad, and I do feel bad for the children, but don't ask me to pay for it/them because you don't want to get off your behind and get a job. (I am not referring to anyone here when I say "YOU", of course - it is just a manner of speaking)

As for Michelle obama, if she wants to feed the disadvantaged kids of the world, fine, have them line up and let her feed them - but stay out of my kitchen, ma'm.

I don't think I am going to say much more about this. I am new here and I know these types of discussions can get heated and I don't want to insult anyone or come off as seeming cold. I will say that I appreciate no one really jumping on anyone here...and I am a little surprised, because one thing I have noticed from my looking around on this forum is that Deaf people are VERY blunt and to the point, seems they don't mince words, they say what they think!!

Hope everyone has had a great holiday so far...we have about a foot of snow on the ground and I need to get out there and do some shoveling. Fun fun fun!
 
When I walk around my workplace, I am disgusted by the fact I'm in the same health care plan as the people sitting in their chairs eating junk food.

" X is having breathing issues. Better call the ambulance." You're 400+ lbs! Lay off on eating so much food! I think people have *some* social responsibility to look after themselves when they because as a whole, those insurance rates are compared to against national medicare rates.

I think it's appropriate to have the government "ban" public schools from selling junk foods that might adversely affect a child's development. These children are our future and I'll be damned if they are all mostly obese. Such a waste of actual medical services.

What are the chances that the parents are giving them junk food?

TheWriteAlex: Brilliant lesson planning with the Food, inc.

I don't think the government is planning on raiding your grocery/cabinets at home.
 
Quote:

"I don't think the government is planning on raiding your grocery/cabinets at home."


Not yet, anyway.
 
jenniifer said:
Quote:

"I don't think the government is planning on raiding your grocery/cabinets at home."


Not yet, anyway.
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I'd grab my pitchfork then.

So long as there are nutritional information and ingredients are listed on processed foods, let the "free market" dictate what is sold and at whatever price.
 
jillio said:
Oh, yeah, people are poor because they make poor choices.:roll: Ever think that poor choices are the only choices available to some?
And there are plent of wealthy that make poor choices. Check out the SES of people in drug and alcohol rehab on court order. Or the SES of people doing time in federal prison.

I can't believe the judgemental nature of some of these posts. Talk about a total inability to see put of someone else's window.
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Speaking of poor choices and the rich, I remember the boy next door well because he shot my cat and she was never the same and had to be put to sleep as a result.

He was a drug addict and he died one summer day of a crack overdose while most of his family were in England. His mother discovered him lying on the floor as she hadn't gone to England with the rest of the family.

His dad was a banker and my mother said he had been thrown out of two private schools (including the one my brother attended.) Mama said he'd been in and out of rehab. Now his mother speaks out against drug abuse as a way to cope with his death.
 
deafskeptic said:
Speaking of poor choices and the rich, I remember the boy next door well because he shot my cat and she was never the same and had to be put to sleep as a result.

He was a drug addict and he died one summer day of a crack overdose while most of his family were in England. His mother discovered him lying on the floor as she hadn't gone to England with the rest of the family.

His dad was a banker and my mother said he had been thrown out of two private schools (including the one my brother attended.) Mama said he'd been in and out of rehab. Now his mother speaks out against drug abuse as a way to cope with his death.
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Deviant behavior knows no SES.
 
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