My disdain for the poor.

[Hobbit]

I read the OP, not much else after that (too long of a thread), but I have to say the OP is generalizing a bit too much - I don't think all poor people behave the way the person in the OP's story did.

There ARE people who work hard, and aren't rich ... Hard as that might be to believe for some ...

It's a generalization. There are some hard working poor people, but they're the minority, and the main point of the article is that those who don't work hard are usually the ones complaining how unfair it is that they're poor.

[Rahul]

It's a generalization. There are some hard working poor people, but they're the minority, and the main point of the article is that those who don't work hard are usually the ones complaining how unfair it is that they're poor.

Agreed, provided they do not have any other disabilities of any nature (genuine disabilities) that might prevent them from working or holding down a job.

[truthmatters]

It seems she was married to two of the fathers.

Only her last two were out of wedlock.

The compassion on this site is just overwhleming

[red states rule]

It seems she was married to two of the fathers.

Only her last two were out of wedlock.

The compassion on this site is just overwhleming

Compassionate libs have spent $9 trillion on the "poor" - and they say we need to spend more

[truthmatters]

well you may be rich living in your grandmas basement stroking your Ronny Reagan action dolls(the cowboys his favorite) and drinking your strawberry Yahoo from that well stocked mini fridge and sitting in front of your computor but you need to remember not everyone can own the complete set of "little house on the prarie" and have a grandma so understanding yours.

You see someday you may be one of the poor, what happens when grandma dies ?

Do you think Mom and Dad are going to let you move back into the Garage again?

Dont count on it !

[red states rule]

well you may be rich living in your grandmas basement stroking your Ronny Reagan action dolls(the coeboys his favorite) and drinking your strawberry Yahoo from that well stocked mini fridge and sitting in front of your computor but you need to remember not everyone can own the complete set of "little house on the prarie" and have a grandma so understanding yours.

You see someday you may be one of the poor, what happens when grandma dies ?

Do you think Mom and Dad are going to let you move back into the Garage again?

Dont count on it !

Ah, the usual reply from a liberal when he can't counter the truth

[avatar4321]

It seems she was married to two of the fathers.

Only her last two were out of wedlock.

The compassion on this site is just overwhleming

It has been overwhelming. The compassion by the author has been shameful.

Most people can see atleast 5 things the woman could do to help her family. The writer, rather than actually helping her, would rather use her to further his political objective.

Raising the minimum wage will not help this woman. it just artificially raises costs and expenses she is going to have to make. There is nothing compassionate about that.

Anyone approving of the article should be ashamed because of the disgusting way the author is using her rather than helping her out. Why do you care more about winning pointless political battles than doing things to help her? Why would you rather act like you are helping her while you arent rather than just helping her??

[avatar4321]

well you may be rich living in your grandmas basement stroking your Ronny Reagan action dolls(the cowboys his favorite) and drinking your strawberry Yahoo from that well stocked mini fridge and sitting in front of your computor but you need to remember not everyone can own the complete set of "little house on the prarie" and have a grandma so understanding yours.

You see someday you may be one of the poor, what happens when grandma dies ?

Do you think Mom and Dad are going to let you move back into the Garage again?

Dont count on it !

Some of us have already been poor. Unlike you we dont expect hand outs. We expect to work hard and support ourselves.

Thats the problem with liberals, rather than encourage the human spirit you insult it and act like we cant do a damn thing unless the government gives us money.

People who are willing to work hard and sacrifice will never be poor because they will overcome it.

[red states rule]

Being poor in America is not that bad

The following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, taken from various government reports:

Forty-six percent of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by persons classified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio.

Seventy-six percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, 30 years ago, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.

Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.

The average poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens, and other cities throughout Europe. (These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries, not to those classified as poor.)

Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30 percent own two or more cars.

Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions.

Seventy-eight percent have a VCR or DVD player; 62 percent have cable or satellite TV reception.

Seventy-three percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and a third have an automatic dishwasher.

As a group, America's poor are far from being chronically undernourished. The average consumption of protein, vitamins, and minerals is virtually the same for poor and middle-class children and, in most cases, is well above recommended norms. Poor children actually consume more meat than do higher-income children and have average protein intakes 100 percent above recommended levels. Most poor children today are, in fact, supernourished and grow up to be, on average, one inch taller and 10 pounds heavier that the GIs who stormed the beaches of Normandy in World War II.

While the poor are generally well-nourished, some poor families do experience hunger, meaning a temporary discomfort due to food shortages. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 13 percent of poor families and 2.6 percent of poor children experience hunger at some point during the year. In most cases, their hunger is short-term. Eighty-nine percent of the poor report their families have "enough" food to eat, while only 2 percent say they "often" do not have enough to eat.

Overall, the typical American defined as poor by the government has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove, a clothes washer and dryer, and a microwave. He has two color televisions, cable or satellite TV reception, a VCR or DVD player, and a stereo. He is able to obtain medical care. His home is in good repair and is not overcrowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry and he had sufficient funds in the past year to meet his family's essential needs. While this individual's life is not opulent, it is equally far from the popular images of dire poverty conveyed by the press, liberal activists, and politicians.

Of course, the living conditions of the average poor American should not be taken as representing all the poor. There is actually a wide range in living conditions among the poor. For example, over a quarter of poor households have cell phones and telephone answering machines, but, at the other extreme, approximately one-tenth have no phone at all. While the majority of poor households do not experience significant material problems, roughly a third do experience at least one problem such as overcrowding, temporary hunger, or difficulty getting medical care.

The best news is that remaining poverty can readily be reduced further, particularly among children. There are two main reasons that American children are poor: Their parents don't work much, and fathers are absent from the home.

In good economic times or bad, the typical poor family with children is supported by only 800 hours of work during a year: That amounts to 16 hours of work per week. If work in each family were raised to 2,000 hours per year--the equivalent of one adult working 40 hours per week throughout the year--nearly 75 percent of poor children would be lifted out of official poverty.

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/bg1713.cfm

[DragonStryk72]

"Come on, you Yankees... wipe those tears. I know that hearing of some dumb welfare queen shivering in the 40 degree weather just tears you up inside. :roll:"

40 frickin' degrees? As a yankee, I've gone out in shorts in worse than that.

I pretty much agree with you down the line on this one. I could understand if all 6 kids had the same birthday, I mean, no way to really prepare for that one, but obviously, this woman continued to repeat the same set of mistakes. A wage increase would do absolutely nothing, She had a paying job that would have covered..... and quit. she didn't "have to quit", I live in Norfolk, (came south for Navy, stayed for the sweet tea, and to be part of fife and drum at CW, from there, moved up), and it's a perfectly nice area to live in (low cost of living, good schools, decent crime rate. 35k would have assured her a decent townhome or apartment, with something to put aside for rainy days), so I see no reason why in the hell she suddenly upped and decided, with six kids (2 would later be taken by someone thinking with their head).

Let me expalin: Here in Norfolk, I could get a decent place over at the Colony Apartments for under 600, three bedroom, 1.5 bath, heat and hot water included, with a bus stop just ouside the complex, and local jobs with places such as wal-mart (despite what you're thinking, with no exp, you can start $7 an hour there easily enough, and that's before regular raises start hitting.) for full-time, with benefits, a career path, and decent schools nearby. this is not a hard place to find a place in.

As much as I care for others plights, this woman dug this hole herself, one terrible decision at a time. We should not be paying for this woman, not one ounce. I reserve my sympathies for those who are making concious efforts to get themselves out of the hole, not dig it deeper.

[avatar4321]

This has been one of the discussions ive liked the most on this board.

I think it clearly shows the difference between liberals and conservatives.

It demonstrates that liberals want to look compassionate rather than solve problems. Their solutions always involve government intervention.

It demonstrates that conservatives would actually like to solve the problem by teaching the women how to better take care of herself and her children. Conservative solutions focus on the empowerment and freedom of the individual.

And I think that is why conservative ideas will always be superior.

[Nukeman]

This has been one of the discussions ive liked the most on this board.

I think it clearly shows the difference between liberals and conservatives.

It demonstrates that liberals want to look compassionate rather than solve problems. Their solutions always involve government intervention.

It demonstrates that conservatives would actually like to solve the problem by teaching the women how to better take care of herself and her children. Conservative solutions focus on the empowerment and freedom of the individual.

And I think that is why conservative ideas will always be superior.

Wait you mean we can actually solve a problem instead of just throwing a little money at it!!!!!! I am completely amazed!!!!! ok sarcasm off...

You are exactly right I tried to rep yaa but I need to spread some more around..

[JohnDoe]

the sollution involves a good, equal, education in the elementary and high school years.

which does involve via laws, some federal dollars now, about 7% of the bill for education, I believe the states/towns/cities supply over 90% of the cost of education....or something like this....and according to my interpretation of the constitution, education is delegated to the states, not the Feds, but setting this aside...

If every citizen had an equally good education in their youth, then we would not have as many problems with poverty, later in life....imho.

[glockmail]

the sollution involves a good, equal, education in the elementary and high school years.

which does involve via laws, some federal dollars now, about 7% of the bill for education, I believe the states/towns/cities supply over 90% of the cost of education....or something like this....and according to my interpretation of the constitution, education is delegated to the states, not the Feds, but setting this aside...

If every citizen had an equally good education in their youth, then we would not have as many problems with poverty, later in life....imho.

Or school choice, vouchers, and banishment of the teacher's union.

Oh, and reinstitute corporal punishment.

[truthmatters]

"Come on, you Yankees... wipe those tears. I know that hearing of some dumb welfare queen shivering in the 40 degree weather just tears you up inside. :roll:"

40 frickin' degrees? As a yankee, I've gone out in shorts in worse than that.

I pretty much agree with you down the line on this one. I could understand if all 6 kids had the same birthday, I mean, no way to really prepare for that one, but obviously, this woman continued to repeat the same set of mistakes. A wage increase would do absolutely nothing, She had a paying job that would have covered..... and quit. she didn't "have to quit", I live in Norfolk, (came south for Navy, stayed for the sweet tea, and to be part of fife and drum at CW, from there, moved up), and it's a perfectly nice area to live in (low cost of living, good schools, decent crime rate. 35k would have assured her a decent townhome or apartment, with something to put aside for rainy days), so I see no reason why in the hell she suddenly upped and decided, with six kids (2 would later be taken by someone thinking with their head).

Let me expalin: Here in Norfolk, I could get a decent place over at the Colony Apartments for under 600, three bedroom, 1.5 bath, heat and hot water included, with a bus stop just ouside the complex, and local jobs with places such as wal-mart (despite what you're thinking, with no exp, you can start $7 an hour there easily enough, and that's before regular raises start hitting.) for full-time, with benefits, a career path, and decent schools nearby. this is not a hard place to find a place in.

As much as I care for others plights, this woman dug this hole herself, one terrible decision at a time. We should not be paying for this woman, not one ounce. I reserve my sympathies for those who are making concious efforts to get themselves out of the hole, not dig it deeper.

What about the childern in the home?

Do we let them just starve and go without because this woman has made mistakes?