| 01/02/09 04:50 PM |
#221
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Danea Lynn Connolly
Hey again everyone. Sorry to hear about all the tripps to the hospital and slips etc...Heidi hope you are feeling better and Krissi I hope all is looking better for your husband.
Sorry I am going to go back to all that political crap but I seem to be the only one on this side of things so I figured I should respond. Would have been earlier but with Christmas, working full-time, and taking care of a 19 month old and my husband it seems I have little time to pee let alone anything else. Kidding about my husband (sorta - ladies u know what I am talking about.) :-)
I am glad we have had the opportunity to put these things out there and I hope with my weak explaining skills I am able to help you understand the other view points. And like Carrie I don't necessarily agree with every issue I might be trying to explain but I wanted to try and describe a viewpoint.
First, the comment about people who bomb abortion clinics by me was supposed to be sarcastic. I believe they are extremists and murderers.
I think the confusion about where Republicans sit on the issue of giving money to those in need is in the difference between "help" and "support". you notice that people always say I am tired of supporting lazy people who don't want to get off their @#@! and work...etc.. Helping people in need is something most people want to do, especially those church going people mentioned previously. It used to be that people were ashamed of taking money from others or the gov't. They had too much pride to take charity, they would rather work any odd job they could find so they didn't take a hand-out. Things are not that way anymore. Too many people are looking for a hand-out. They think they have a "right" to the same things so and so down the street has but they don't want to "earn" it. They confuse that with the right to have the equal opportunity to have those things. Everyone should be given the opportunity (and yes I realize historically that hasn't been done), what you do with it is up to you. I hear too much...I'm not working at McDonald's, I'm not working picking up trash, I don't like doing that job, etc... People are even saying things as stupid as "we need immigrants to work those jobs Americans won't". What do you mean Americans won't. That is pathetic...if you need to feed your children you do what you have to. Of course those same people don't seem to have any trouble selling drugs to "take care of their families". Why should I give you money, when you don't want to improve your situation with it? Are there people out there who have tried, who work hard everyday, who spend their money as best they can trying to get into a better situation and still couldn't make it...Heck ya! Do some people just hit hard times. Yea! Do those people deserve my help, yes undoubtlably. But I am sorry to say too much of our society today just takes advantage of what ever they can get for free. For example, there was a famous rapper (went blank on his name) who was once seen in a food stamps line when he was making good money. His explaination on why he was there "its free money, why wouldn't you come get free money". Also, there are still people living in hotels (on us) after Katrina - who have admitted they haven't bothered looking for a job 'cause it is too easy to sit at the hotel and live and eat for free. These are just examples, the point is the welfare system has become a way of life for people, not a means to an end. It is time to stop throwing money at a system that is broke. It is nieve to think that if we give the government more money they will use it to help people, they will fix the system, they will improve anything. It is more likely they will continue to run a messed up system and give themselves a raise for doing so. It is kinda like this idiocy of throwing money at these banks and the auto industry (only american auto's it seems) after they ran their business poorly and expecting them to put the money where it could help the economy and the people of this country. You all know where that money went. (And Carrie..believe me the Republicans were complaining about the bailout but you won't here it on regular TV) The system needs fixed. Changes need to be made: for example - Free-loaders need to be tossed off. no money should be given without drug tests (we have to get them to get paid at our jobs), if they don't pass help should be provided, then they could submit for assistance again. People on welfare shouldn't have cell phones, and cable, xbox360 and other luxury items (yes these are luxury items). All kinds of people go without these things everyday so they can support their families. Very cheap home phonelines are provided already, cheap cars are provided already, cheap or free housing is provided already, food is provided already. Training is provided (but not well manned or used) for jobs. Free Classes should be required on how to properly budget your money, classes should be required to get a GED if the person never graduated or further education if needed. Child Care should be top priority. Case workers should be provided to help people through the process to get on their feet, and they should be paid well enough so they would actually stay in those positions. It is all about HELPING someone not SUPPORTING them. In general, if you get free money their should be some requirements to get it. If they stop supporting people who are using the system, because there are more of them than you would think, they would have the money to truly help people who need it. Is it a hard stance in some cases yes, should people be given a chance to adjust to the changes before you pull the plug, yes, but will putting new wheels on a broke down car get you anywhere, not really. Looks pretty but doesn't accomplish much.
And we keep talking about the responsibility of the rich to carry this nation, to fix all that is wrong. Why isn't it the entirety of this nation that should have the responsibility. Money is not always the answer. Individual responsibility and hard work by all is more of the concept that I believe Republicans live by. It is somewhat assumed that people who are rich did not earn it, did not give up things along the way to get where they are today, don't give a lot anyway, and don't have to pay much in taxes ('cause of Bush's tax break). The truth is many rich people earned it (some did not), and did not have some of the things they wanted while building that wealth. And many of these people give millions of dollars to charities and foundations every year. Some may do it to avoid the HIGH tax rates on the wealthy, some may do it for a legacy, others may do it just because they want to give. Don't you think they should have some choice as to where some of their money is distributed rather than you or me deciding for them. And will those charities no longer get that money 'cause it went to the gov't to supposedly (no guarantee) help the needy. Do they have more of a responsibility to help society financially? Possibly. Should they try to help those in need? Sure. Should they be REQUIRED to give extra because you believe it is their civil responsibility? That is where our difference lies. Do I believe they should give more...sure...do I believe the government should REQUIRE them to pay more...how is that fair either. We are already set up in a tax system that pretty much does not require any taxes to be paid for those in the lowest income brackets. In fact, you can make quite a bit a money before you don't get a refund. And the tax system is set up so that the more money you make the greater your tax bracket. So....not only do you pay more simply because a percent of a lower dollar amount is quite a bit lower than a percent of a higher dollar amount (ex. 10% of 1,000 vs. 100,000) but you pay a higher percentage as well (10% vs 40%). In the tax system itself, those that make more money, inherently already pay more taxes. Especially since those in the lower brackets are given all kinds of credits to decrease their taxable income to $0. The Earned Income credit for instance. So the question is, when is taking from the rich and giving to the poor enough? That is socialism... At what dollar amount will it be enough for people? And how is it fair that such a high percentage of their income goes to the government? So the rich already support this nation, they carry us on their backs everyday, they pay 80 - 90% of all taxes paid but we still want more. We need to spend time fixing the system locally and nationwide and quite giving more and more control and our money to the government.
Ok - this is way too long. That is what happens when it takes so long to respond there is too much to respond to. I will quit for now.
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