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Projectbaby - FYI
I know this isn't the proper venue for this, but I was REALLY disturbed by a comment you made in a post to seazshell, and there were some things I wanted you to know. The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program (aka "welfare") is allocated 1.7 billion of the federal budget. This is LESS THAN ONE PERCENT of the ENTIRE budget. It is a joke. We are spending approximately the same amount of OUR tax dollars EVERY WEEK in Iraq now. The Defense/homeland security portion of the 2007 budget is nearly 500 Billion, and that does not include another 180+ billion for funding for the iraq war. Due to legislation passed under Clinton, many mothers are forced back to work (without options or assistance for childcare), and as a result, the number of families that stay on welfare for more than five years is a very minimal percentage. These people are NOT freeloaders - have you ever tried to survive on minimum wage? Much less feed a family on it? They just raised the minumum wage for the first time in TEN years!!! Do you realize how much the cost of living has skyrocketed in the past 2 years alone w/the cost of gas/food, much less in TEN YEARS??!?!! I suggest you read a book called "Nickel and Dimed", and I also suggest you take a peak at the federal OMB (office of management and budget) website every now and then to know exactly WHERE your tax dollars are going
I think what project baby said was pretty much right on the money. there are people out there that are FREE LOADERS people that have quit their job because they make more off of welfare. YES there are lots of people out there, and it is frustrating for us hard workers, who try so hard to conceive and cannot and go thru costly fertility to achieve the dream of being a mom or dad. Some of these people do not work, I will admit that it is hard to raise a family on minimum wage, and yes I feel for the folks that do have large families and do not make the money to support them, BUT... what about the people who KNOW they have no money, and go and get pregnant anyway, there is enough services out there to prevent pregnancy, yet time and time again, there is miss.. so and so with 4 kids in tow and one on the way looking for food stamps and a hand out. yes it SUCKS!!! big time, so that being said, I suppose I will get my head handed to me, but I feel project baby made a good point.
First I'd just like to apologize to everyone for turning this into a political forum, it just really upsets me to hear people regurgitate these notions about the welfare system (spoon fed to them by conservatives), without knowing the facts.
You are entitled to your opinion. It just saddens me that you would think that people CHOOSE that lifestyle (a common misconception that is popularized by conservatives). Food stamps are approximately $21/wk PER PERSON - have YOU ever tried to eat off of $21/wk???? It's pretty tough - especially now that food prices have soared due to rising fuel costs. I'm not denying that perhaps there are a VERY VERY few who opt for this life, but I think the overwhelming majority would choose feeding their families over "taking handouts." The "handouts" are hardly a viable option, and not one that most want to be reduced to.
I actually agree with you to some extent about the fact that there is no need to be popping out babies with such an enormous amount of options for protection available, and often at no cost. HOWEVER, at the same time, you must realize that president Bush has seriously injured our sex education program in this country, and only provides funding for faith-based "abstinence only" programs. Generally, schools with abstinence only programs have the highest teen pregnancy rates. Many teens today are not as equipped as most would like to believe with the right knowledge and resources to protect themselves. They are not told HOW to do it, they are simply told NOT to - which is obviously not enough.
You are entitled to your opinion. It just saddens me that you would think that people CHOOSE that lifestyle (a common misconception that is popularized by conservatives). Food stamps are approximately $21/wk PER PERSON - have YOU ever tried to eat off of $21/wk???? It's pretty tough - especially now that food prices have soared due to rising fuel costs. I'm not denying that perhaps there are a VERY VERY few who opt for this life, but I think the overwhelming majority would choose feeding their families over "taking handouts." The "handouts" are hardly a viable option, and not one that most want to be reduced to.
I actually agree with you to some extent about the fact that there is no need to be popping out babies with such an enormous amount of options for protection available, and often at no cost. HOWEVER, at the same time, you must realize that president Bush has seriously injured our sex education program in this country, and only provides funding for faith-based "abstinence only" programs. Generally, schools with abstinence only programs have the highest teen pregnancy rates. Many teens today are not as equipped as most would like to believe with the right knowledge and resources to protect themselves. They are not told HOW to do it, they are simply told NOT to - which is obviously not enough.
Thank you (babyprayers)because that is what I meant... and to AD: In fact, I know of certain people (my SIL) who is living off of our tax dollars (with her 4 kids and no money)....and even social services has admitted to this. I did not mean to cause a "huge" issue, I am just going from personal experience. In fact, I see this all the time... I am sorry to have caused problems and I don't really want to go into the "war" issue, so please lets just drop this issue...thank you...
Oh, my SIL chooses to live this way...she just keeps getting preggers by men who molest her children (I guess she has some issues??)
I like that! Open it up, get it out :) I have seen both sides of welfare and some break my heart and some pi@@ me off. I worked at a grocery store many yrs ago and a lady paid for her groceries w/stamps. She had 6 kids!! In her cart was junk food, microwave anything, ribeye steaks, lobster, top shelf coffee and many extravagant items I could not afford. She also bought beer and cigarettes w/cash and proudly proclaimed to me that she was trying for #7!!!! I also have a friend that has 2 small children. The father died and was young and no life ins or anymeans. She is alienated from her parents and has no support. She works 3 jobs and has no time for her kids that she dearly loves. She gets screwed bc she makes too much $ for most pgms and it's only bc she kills herself to provide for her kids. I'm proud of you both for knowing that everyone has an opinion and usually a reason for it. I like this forum bc we don't turn our debates into a 3-ring circus :) Peace
I don't mean to keep this going, but I do have a little experience with this issue. I am an investigator for welfare fraud in my state. The program I work with tries to verify peoples situation before benefits are issued. The program has been going now for 2 years and has already saved our state almost 500 million dollars, and we only count actual amounts of assistance that people would have received based on what they reported (before the investigation). Before I started this I was a worker and issued benefits to people. I have seen a lot of abuse, and fraud.....but I have seen a lot of good people stuggle and work as hard as me and still needed the food stamps and medical for their children. Heck, I even had them bring their budgets in so when I did their cases they could budget the food stamps in.
I have worked with people in these types of situations for over 20 years and have just about seen it all. There are going to be people who use/abuse the system, maybe because they have been raised that way, or they are lazy, I don't know why they are like this. But, the biggest majority of people who are on assistance really need it, and don't lie to get it. It is that small percentage that puts a bad taste in your mouth. I deal with it every day and have to keep myself in check and try not to let it jade my judgement about everyone else out there struggling. It makes me feel good to know that I work in a job that stops the abuse, even if it is a very small amount compared to the big picture.
Like I said, I hope I haven't offended anyone. I have my opinions on the system, but there aren't enough posts to hold them all, lol!! I could tell you stories.......
I have worked with people in these types of situations for over 20 years and have just about seen it all. There are going to be people who use/abuse the system, maybe because they have been raised that way, or they are lazy, I don't know why they are like this. But, the biggest majority of people who are on assistance really need it, and don't lie to get it. It is that small percentage that puts a bad taste in your mouth. I deal with it every day and have to keep myself in check and try not to let it jade my judgement about everyone else out there struggling. It makes me feel good to know that I work in a job that stops the abuse, even if it is a very small amount compared to the big picture.
Like I said, I hope I haven't offended anyone. I have my opinions on the system, but there aren't enough posts to hold them all, lol!! I could tell you stories.......
hahaha... Gosh darn I missed being on this site... kicking around conversations like this and still all being cool with eachother, and being able to discuss our most personal information about our bodies. :-)
This whole thing makes me smile....
But... as for the topic. I agree with everyone. Theres deffinatly 2 sides to this thing. Such as life.
This whole thing makes me smile....
But... as for the topic. I agree with everyone. Theres deffinatly 2 sides to this thing. Such as life.
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