Let us also keep in mind that these are the same types of people who, when talking about the war and provisions being sent to Iraqis (or whichever country we happen to be bombing in the name of freedom at the time), will make the comment, "Why don't we help some of the underprivileged people in this country instead of sending so much aid to them?"
These people's "logic"....it escapes me...
As for the "work for what you've got" mentality, I'm split on that. The profession I'm in affords me a little insight into the "welfare state" and it's made me take that attitude on a case-by-case basis. Yes, there are people who desperately need the help...OMG yes. And I love to see those people get what they need. But then there are also ones who refuse to work because it's simply too hard and not worth the time and effort to them when they can get food stamps and TANF all year and the only reason to work for about a month a year is so they can get $2,000-a-piece tax refunds on all their kids at home. (I am not making this up...these are seriously the types of attitudes of some of these people...we had one woman who DIVORCED her new husband so her food stamps would go back up!!)
You can call me jaded, but it's hard to work around that for long and not form an opinion against a lot of it.
The medical care for all thing, though? I think that's an awesome idea. At least they can't trade that for cigarettes...I guess....who knows anymore?
One applicant asked her caseworker (not me) why we kept refusing to give her "her" benefits; her last kid was about to turn 18 and she needed to be allowed so she'd have something to live on! (Never mind that she was a perfectly healthy 40-something.)
Another put on his application that he was filing because if he was on our program he could get out of paying his child support payments.
Plenty of *headdesk* moments in my job, oh yes.
As for health care? Hell, yes. My coworkers and I agree our workload would drop by at least a third if people had access to health care before the condition got so bad they ended up in the ER requiring extensive surgery, time in the ICU, etc.
Well, I've said it before, but I'll continue annoying anyone who'll listen until the day I die or my condition is cured: Had I been able to afford a simple doctor's visit and medication/antibiotics when I was so sick in 2003, I do not believe I would have this lifelong hypothyroid condition. (And it wasn't like I made enough money and was out spending it on hookers and blow, either. My extravagances back then consisted of the occasional paperback novel or dinner out.)
I suppose I could take my normal cynical view and posit that the oligarchy we've been trying to breed in this country again for the past three decades would be happy as clams to weed out the genetically "weak" and poor by letting them rot and die. After all, enough serfs make a light workload for the privileged ... but too many are just that many more mouths to feed. (Hence, you get the almost-constant cycle of war to kill off the surplus.)
At the risk of sounding glib, that's a rather Scrooge-ish remark. I only hope that people for the most part do not feel that way. Not saying anyone reading this does, but it is a rather frightening concept.
To me, the feudal system was frightening - there's a reason they call it the "the Dark Ages" IMO. No chance to move up, no chance for advancement or to stand out and be noticed for being better at something, no way to GET a chance to be more than what you were born. It's why I said I *could* take that view. Just a possibility. Hopefully things are shifting.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-04-25 03:26 pm (UTC)These people's "logic"....it escapes me...
As for the "work for what you've got" mentality, I'm split on that. The profession I'm in affords me a little insight into the "welfare state" and it's made me take that attitude on a case-by-case basis. Yes, there are people who desperately need the help...OMG yes. And I love to see those people get what they need. But then there are also ones who refuse to work because it's simply too hard and not worth the time and effort to them when they can get food stamps and TANF all year and the only reason to work for about a month a year is so they can get $2,000-a-piece tax refunds on all their kids at home. (I am not making this up...these are seriously the types of attitudes of some of these people...we had one woman who DIVORCED her new husband so her food stamps would go back up!!)
You can call me jaded, but it's hard to work around that for long and not form an opinion against a lot of it.
The medical care for all thing, though? I think that's an awesome idea. At least they can't trade that for cigarettes...I guess....who knows anymore?
no subject
Date: 2009-04-25 06:19 pm (UTC)One applicant asked her caseworker (not me) why we kept refusing to give her "her" benefits; her last kid was about to turn 18 and she needed to be allowed so she'd have something to live on! (Never mind that she was a perfectly healthy 40-something.)
Another put on his application that he was filing because if he was on our program he could get out of paying his child support payments.
Plenty of *headdesk* moments in my job, oh yes.
As for health care? Hell, yes. My coworkers and I agree our workload would drop by at least a third if people had access to health care before the condition got so bad they ended up in the ER requiring extensive surgery, time in the ICU, etc.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-25 09:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-25 09:51 pm (UTC)We so need universal coverage in this country.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-25 10:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-26 05:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-26 05:22 am (UTC)