Is This The Change You Wanted In The Last Election

[saddina]

Quote:
Once again.. Foster parent here.. with 23 children that call me dad

By the way, Police, firefighters etc. were UNAFFECTED by the changes in Wisconsin

They actually allow you to keep 23 kids in your house? We fostered for 10 years. Had 93 kids come through the doors. We adopted 5 and the rest went back to their families. They limited us to 3 at a time unless it was a sibling group. We didn't foster for heaven points either. Just say that because we went to a lot of foster parent meetings and everyone wore their halos on a regular basis.

Yeah they don't pay social workers jack. It's truly a labor of love. Even more so than public school teachers. They always get the first cut when the budget needs trimming because the politicians are afraid to raise taxes a tenth of a percent. Or they do something really stupid like pass a law to refund any surplus collected so that when times get tough they got nothing to fall back on. We had an idiot in this state do that.

So is this really the change all the people that put the TP people in to office last election really wanted. That's whats really happening right now. John Boehner has to run everything by the Koch brothers and Murdoch before he can get it approved. He doesn't look real happy about it either. Just last week he was talking about maybe raising taxes on the ultra wealthy. Then he talked to his bosses. Now he has Obama out there scaring people about their SS checks.

If the debt ceiling doesn't get raised Obama has the power to decide who gets paid first. The Secretary of the treasury makes that decision and he works for Obama. So hopefully he'll have the money distributed to those in need first and our creditors so our credit rating doesn't go in the tank.

He means 23 cumitivly, not 23 this afternoon, but yes, even after they leave they call him "dad", many didn't have a "dad" before and most won't after they leave. Boyd has the kids who, well it's usually his place or a state run group home, so they stay months/years instead of days. Mrs boyd was a social worker, currently on maternity leave, they're both nuts like that. Now boyd and I have just about never agreed on politics, but he's also the best dad those kids could have, and that's the part I care about.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

I live in California where those "poor retired police officers" retire at nearly full pay at age 55. Here's the problem. The civil servants do not, in most areas, make a significant contribution towards their own retirement. They are often promised very expensive medical benefits. The problem is that in many states the money to pay these benefits isn't there - and never was. Often the benefits were promised although it was clear that there was no way to pay for them. A simple reform would be to put civil servants on 401Ks with the rest of us and have them have the same retirement age as the rest of us; the government agency that employs them could match contributions.

Foster families? Well, one problem is that due to an arcane kink in the federal funding programs, states are encouraged to keep children in foster care rather than terminating parental rights. State employees unions are very big proponents of endless foster care because, as one caseworker told a friend of mine who is a foster parent, if they started freeing children for adoption, there wouldn't be as many caseworkers!

Everyone talks about raising taxes "only 1/10 of 1%". With the current level of unemployment and the inflation attendant on the massive deficit and it's interest, people don't have that little extra bit to give. Perhaps the politicians should consider cutting programs other than the basics of foster care and education. I have noticed that police, prison guards, and fire fighters in California seem to be paid far in excess of the attendant requirements of their jobs - and as for being paid more for hazardous work, I don't hear anyone advocating for 7-11 clerks. For grins and giggles, check out the occupational safety of being a convenience store clerk vs. being a police officer or fire fighter.

Oh, and I am pro-union - but not for public employees. FDR had it right when he spoke on the matter.

 

[Dunkopf]

I make over 60k and i would be fine with them taking an extra 3%. If everyone from 60k up paid an extra 3% it might make a dent in the deficit.

I know that dropping the mtg deduction and such was recommended by the BI partisan commission on deficit reduction. That was not a democratic party idea. As a matter of fact those ideas were floated by McCain. Obama said at the time he wouldn't even consider those things. Right now he's looking at caving into the TP and cutting Medicare and possible changing SS. He does want some tax hikes as compensation though.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Boehner is clueless, so is Obama. The only person in government that I respect is Rep. Paul, and after him I have some respect for his son. Everyone else is either busy funding pet projects and trying to support the poor of the entire world, or a religious whacko who wants to get us involved in more wars.

Yeah, I read the Congressional Record. A lot. I also read thomas.gov.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Lot of good points, need to stop all the loop holes .....and yes those in congress should be first with any cuts...but bet that want happen, We the People Should be the ones controlling their pay rates and etc ...by voting on them ,not them voting themselfs a raise.

 

[EweSheep]

I am very very nervous about what is going to happen on August 3 for my daughter and my SSI checks.....if they don't pass, we will go under with all the debt but we would consider priority takes over like our mortgage, electric/gas bills and to hell with the rest of the monthly bills, they can wait their turn to be paid. I would hate to go back to Public Aid again and ask for help.......ugh! What's worse, my daughter will go back to public schools from private schools...the public school she has been into has a VERY poor grade by the state.

I am not sure when they need to pass or reject the SS checks....70 million people are issued the checks, the elderly, the disabled and special need children.

 

[easttxchick]

Quote:
Exactly! We don't have an extra 2 cents to give the government. What for anyway? So they can waste it? Thanks but no thanks, I can do that just fine all by myself.
Both sides are corrupt and in it to win it and could care less about any of us-every "politician" for himself, so to speak. They can't see past the next election.
Not a fan of either of the major parties anymore-they certainly don't represent me and my political philosophy.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Quote:
That might work for you; unfortunately, it does not work out for those who are living in absolute terror of a lay off or have been laid off. The Democrats first proposed it years ago; McCain brought it up again. McCain is referred to as a "maverick" - my experience of what he says and does is that he never met a police state he didn't love; he despises the Bill of Rights; and I share the late Barry Goldwater's stated opinion of John.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
LOL! I dont think you understand the foster care system very well. BUt i get some of your points.
Heres one thing though.. Even if/when they release the kids to be adopted, the state STILL pays the foster/adoptive parents a monthly stipend for the care of the child. (at least in my state) SO adoption saves NO money for the state... wheres as sending the kids back home to bio-parents DOES save the state money!

But yes, my state DOES waste a LOT of money on certain things in the foster care system. They get $282 for clothing every 3 months. Theres NO way those kids go through that many clothes.... Its to the point you walk around the store saying...well, he already has 15 pairs of sleep pants...he already has 5 extra unopened packages of socks.... he already has 5 pairs or sneakers plus boots and summer shoes.... he already has 20 pairs of jeans.... etc.... its just nuts! And you HAVE to spend that money...you cant tell them to dontate the money to a childrens shelter or whatever...nope...
We have bags and bags of brand new sneakers and clothes to donate a couple times a year....
So add up that $282 every three months..PER child in the state system..... pretty staggering amout of money!
NOT saying the kids dont need new clothes... but.. WHO spends $300 EVERY 3 months on clothes for their ONE child?? Not many realistic people.

 

[thekid]

Quote:
Then he could fire Boehner.

AMEN!

And then we could start all over from there.