what is wrong with Americans today? Or is it me?

[agnes_day]

if you are on ssi, and your husband isnt then why do you have to go back to work? you will lose your benefits and possibly any insurance you have, if you make too much. have him start looking now, before you have your new little one so you are ready for him/her.

 

[FarmerChick]

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I am so glad that assistance is there for you though!
You sound like some help was needed, but you want to strive forward and that is a great thing!!

I hope your DH is OK! Very stressful I am sure.

 

[GrayDragon]

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Not sure what state you live in, but if I didn't go to the 'find a job' programs I would have lost my benefits.

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No kidding. I ended up on the street precisely because of how long it took to get the benefits. Because the place I was working was shady, I lost out on unemployment, and then it took months to get any assistance.

Seriously, if when I had first gone into get assistance, if someone had just handed me three hundred bucks, cash, I probably wouldn't have needed anything else. Instead stuff spiraled out of control.

Yeah, there are people who abuse the system. Around 1% or so. They are just the ones everyone seems to notice.

My point was simple. Don't assume people are abusing the system just because they happen to have a cell phone or dress in nice clothes. Some of us were doing okay for ourselves before a run of bad luck.

I remember some self-righteous bint got into a guy's face for showing up to his appointment in an antique car, when in fact he was earning some money by cleaning and maintaining those cars and the guy he worked for had given him permission to stop for the appointment on the way back from picking up the car. I had another lady get in my face because I was driving a nice Volvo and used an ebt card to pay for some groceries. However, at that time I'd been off assistance for a couple years and was doing just fine, but my neighbor to whom the ebt card actually belonged was feeling to shaky to drive and asked me to pick up her groceries for her. She really should have been in an institution that would have helped with her mental illness, but unfortunately nobody wants to pay taxes for such programs and so she had to try to make do through the schizophrenia and the medication that kept it in check by making her almost catatonic instead of being under the proper care. I can only imagine what people thought of me when I took her to her appointments and played games on my laptop in the waiting room while she talked to her social worker.

Point is, you never know what someone's actual situation would be, so don't assume they are thieves, liars, and scam artists when all the information you have to go on is a brief look.

 

[rainplace]

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Not sure what state you live in, but if I didn't go to the 'find a job' programs I would have lost my benefits.

It is the same here. 4 days a week, every week.

 

[GrayDragon]

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Not sure what state you live in, but if I didn't go to the 'find a job' programs I would have lost my benefits.

It is the same here. 4 days a week, every week.

And they SUCK.

I actually lost my benefits because I skipped the class to go to a job interview. Fortunately, I got the job.

 

[rainplace]

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It is the same here. 4 days a week, every week.

And they SUCK.

I actually lost my benefits because I skipped the class to go to a job interview. Fortunately, I got the job.

The nearest program to my house is about a 45 minute drive. A girl I know had to do it everyday by bus. It took her an hour and half each way.

 

[Royd]

This whole thing has been a long time, in coming, and has been designed to go down, just as it is happening. Between the intentional dumbing down of school children, the destruction of an ingrained moral code, and the intentional raising up, of an entitlement society, I.E the War On Poverty, which was never designed to lift people out of the doldrums of poverty, and put them on the path to self realized prosperity, but was designed to trap people, with just enough free stuff, to keep them where they are at, and to see the govt. as the giver of life.

From my personal point of view, as someone, who has always sought to do the best work, I could possibly do, and in the process, learn from any mistakes, so that I could improve the next time, I become very frustrated, to see people make considerably more money, doing mediocre work and using a smooth tongue, telling people, that's just the way it's done.

I have said that the average man, who sees that mediocre work produces the same or better financial results, will never go back to doing quality work.

It takes a man of strong moral character, to lose a little profit, while taking the extra seconds or minutes it takes, to produce quality....

A good name is to be had, more than silver or gold.

 

[GrayDragon]

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Yes yes, the current generation sucks and it's all a conspiracy. Couldn't possibly just be the same old same only with a population increase and easier access to fast news.

 

[fitzy]

I think the problem here is that many americans don't give a crap about anyone other than themselves. They'll lie to, steal from, cheat and trample over anyone who gets in their path to the top (or at least to their current destination)! Somewhere along the way, parents lost the ability/authority to be a proper parent. It seems that most are too worried about what the neighbor thinks about them, or are so busy trying to get (cough) that they don't pay attention to their kids any longer.....just insert the electronic pacifier and go have a few drinks without worrying about them.

I was raised in a family that did their best to instill decent values (even though you wouldn't guess it by looking at me) and I believe they did a good job! I still look a man in his eyes and shake his hand to confirm a deal. I still do what i say i will. I don't lie, cheat or steal. I try to "do unto others" at least most of the time. I occasionally give things to people in need....usually anonymously because i don't want anyone thinking they owe me something, or have to "repay" the debt.

I believe one of the issues we all have with society is that WE ALL JUDGE OTHERS! Usually not maliciously, but it does happen to the best of us. It's easy to assume the guy driving the beamer to the "soup line" is just a (cough) that is abusing the system, because that's the way it looks. Same thing with the lady with 15 kids paying with food stamps and talking on a cell phone.....for all we know, she's a foster mom but that usually doesn't cross our minds because the economy sucks and we're all sick of "paying for others to sit on their buts" while we work hard for what we have. Most of us are heavily influenced by our perceptions of reality whether they are fact or fiction usually has no bearing whatsoever! This is amplified by the media that doesn't seem to be able to report anything other that bad news....falling home prices, weakening of the U.S. dollar and yes, slackers that abuse the system....none of this makes the "common" person feel any better about their plight!

Things have been pretty crappy in this country for MANY years, but its just now coming to a head. We've raised a generation of MTV and nintendo babies to take charge and they're not equipped....last statistic can recall says that 50% of america's high school grads are functionally illiterate!!! They can't read, write, compute basic math equations and have no desire to "go out and get a job"....as i recently told my mom in an email....its gonna be a serious wake up call/kick in the arse when they have to start working 14-16 hour days just to try to buy a loaf of bread!

Hats off to all of the parents out there who are trying to raise their kids with some common courtesy and some semblance of a moral compass




Also, rather than hijack this thread, here's one i started about business ownership
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3174727#p3174727

 

[Royd]

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There are too many people in the village that shouldn't be anywhere near children. I get the sentiment behind the quote, but too many people depend too much on the rest of the village and won't do anything for themselves or their children. It's sad.

First off, that was Hillary Clinton's little saying, meaning that socialism is so much better than capitalism.

Now, if it were really true, you shouldn't have a problem with me putting the smack down on your,[not you, personally. In general] bratty, theiving little kid, because, in the long run, it serves the betterment of the community.... Instead, you will try to sue me or have me put in jail, for your personal gain.