I think most of us like the idea of libertarian solutions. It has never been completely experienced, however, and the world of the small agrarian society, where it might have worked, is no more.

Radical attempts at perfect solutions have never worked. I think however, most of the time, Americans do rather well with what and with whom we are stuck with.

Charlie

All this ranting about these lazy good for nothing welfare bums...nowhere have I seen the words "corporate welfare". 

AubanBird wrote on Oct 8^th, 2011 at 3:32pm:

This is the governments problem in bold.  Whenever politicians need money for programs, wars, bailouts, etc., they get their money from the Treasury.  Where does the Treasury get the money from?  From the Federal Reserve.  What does the Federal Reserve do?  They "print" more money because there isn't enough in circulation to cover the costs.  What then happens to the dollar?  It loses it's value because there's nothing backing it up like a gold standard.  BTW, the Federal Reserve is supposed to be an independent entity and yet our Constitution deems Congress to "coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;  To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;", and yet Congress can't even attend a Federal Reserve board meeting?  WTF??

BTW, you are wise in wanting to pay cash instead of accuring debt.  Unfortunately, our government is NOT. 

Also check out this inflation calculator.  Plug in $1.00 in the year 1913 and compare it with last year. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or ;  Insane, right?

i really couldnt care less about inflation.  i will find a way to succeed regardless of the circumstance.

what im more worried about is the government stepping on my toes and taxing the crap out of me for starting a business.  some of the taxes on small businesses now are flat out stupid.  all to pay for that victim-of-circumstance mentality they have engendered and enabled.

and i cringe at the thought of how schools are teaching this kind of mentality these days.

i really think the government should just step out of the way and let the economy be.

ive alread learned how to live without money to buy food.  if i cant buy gas, i have a pair of running shoes.  if food gets to be that expensive, ill sell home grown carrots or something.   

its not easy for the value of a dollar to drop so low that people cannot survive, as the value of all the things they cannot buy will soon follow the value of the dollar.

Kevin_M wrote on Oct 8^th, 2011 at 6:53pm:


That is true Kevin, but those lines are in the minority in comparison to the statements against welfare.

Like it or not, some type of safety net needs to exist.  If it had not been for medicaid and food stamps, my friend would have died a lot sooner (she had non-Hodgkins lymphoma and no insurance).

My friend who had Guillain Barre would be dead if it weren't for *free care*.

Medicaid and Medicare both are subject to a lot of graft and corruption, but lo and behold, it's not those that use the system who are abusing it in most cases (it's the providers).

There are people who use these services in a responsible manner, do not abuse what is given to them and do everything they can to better themselves.

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Safety nets are fine, when they are state run, not Federally run.

That sounds good...the problem is that most states are broke. So they will get funded by the feds.

I would rather pay the lions share of my taxes locally or to the states instead of to the feds.  The feds just piss it away without accountability. 
If that amount went local I could personally cock-punch any politician who squandered it.

I don't know how to take this thread...politics and especially politicians are beyond me...I don't trust any of it or them...yet, OUR system is the best the world has seen. It would have to get REALLY bad before I give up on that...

This then is my story....a 1% er from 99%er Parents.

My Dad was disabled for the last 10 years of his life...and the second 10 of mine. He got about $400/mo SSD..and health care...which was sorely needed. He wasn't proud, happy, or comfortable with that...but he surely fricken earned it...and aint no one gonna tell me different. The Doctor told my Mom.."Nita, he's just worn out" (he worked himself to death). Yup, your federal dollars got him 10 yrs...and btw...thank you.


Mom made about $9-10,000/yr as a teacher...and retired at $200/mo. The whole family lived on that income. Dad became Mommy-Dad...laundry, housecleaning, shopping, cooking, childcare...and on and on. I hear of this "new" trend...and I smile...cuz I lived it before it became a fad/trend/or "cool"....

He wasn't sucking on any teat I can imagine...he wasn't a sponge in any sense of the word...I'm sure someone looking in from the outside would have thought different...they would have been wrong....and his 3 kids all graduated college, became successfully 1%ers...and couldn't be prouder of Him. He desperately wanted that...we couldn't disappoint...

So, YOUR taxpayer dollars made this possible...and you made a good investment....

I'm not any happier than anyone else seeing those who "play" the system..it nauseates me. Moreso the attitude that that is alright to do it! THAT is what worries me...THAT attitude...Dad would've thought the same...and I'm sure he worried it was thought of him...

To be totally honest...and perhaps the genesis of my msg....I am in the position of eventually "needing help" too. Several medical conditions have left me barely hanging on...my medical bills (so far) are over $200,000. ...only possible because I have a job and insurance. My employer has been understanding to date...that's gonna end someday...and being less than 65, by a long ways...no JOB...no insurance.

Whatever you think of health care reform...put yourself in that position...when no health care company would think of insuring you...and however "comfortable" you are...deal with those costs. It twists my guts daily.................

Am I worth your dollars?

Best,

Jon

Jon, and whoever else is reading, I want to make this point.  There is NOTHING WRONG with help for those who need it, medically or otherwise.  What is wrong, is that it's coming from the Federal Government.  They mismanage taxpayer dollars badly.  Hell, they can't even keep the money that is taken, (i.e. SS), and keep it specifically for that program.  They cross dip into funds to pay for whatever in God's name they have been lobbied for, for wars, etc.

If the Constitution was followed by our government, then any help needed to its citizens, would come from the state they live in.  It's really not all that different except our state government officials would be held accountable since it is kept local. 

And yes Jon, you and a lot of other people are worth my dollars, but if my hard earned dollars are taken from me by force (which they are), I want a say in how it's spent.

Hugs,
mel

Jimi wrote on Oct 8^th, 2011 at 10:20pm:


Therein lies the biggest problem.

Melissa wrote on Oct 9^th, 2011 at 8:57am:



concerning Jimi's statement:

Quote:


What if a state's unemployment fund was tapped out to the tune of say $1.5 billion in the red and needed to borrow money.  The fed will lend, with interest of course of say $48 million a year.  The employment picture has not been kind the last four years.  What if this was just Wisconsin alone.