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Let me be clear about my position. I am not worried about the people abusing the system. The amount of abuse adds up to a small pittance compared to the damage done by a corrupt government. I never did get the argument about being mad that some guy out there is scamming the gov't for $70 a month in food stamps. I care far more about the 15 billion we send over seas in foreign aid to corrupt dictators.
There most be something in the water in Houston, because we are agreeing too often.
Let me be clear about my position. I am not worried about the people abusing the system. The amount of abuse adds up to a small pittance compared to the damage done by a corrupt government. I never did get the argument about being mad that some guy out there is scamming the gov't for $70 a month in food stamps. I care far more about the 15 billion we send over seas in foreign aid to corrupt dictators.
I wouldn't worry about $70 here and $70 there, but that's not the case.
The money lost just in those 2 programs alone is equal to the total state yearly budgets of New Hampshire ($6.2 billion), Maine ($7.8 billion), Utah ($13.9 billion), Vermont ($4.3 billion), Rhode Island ($7.2 billion), Idaho ($6.6 billion), Montana ($5.5 billion) and Nevada ($8.7 billion) COMBINED.
How much fraud do you think there is in the programs that deal with things such as disability?
Call me cold-hearted if you want, but when I see just two government programs wasting more than the combined total budget of 8 states, my first reaction is not going to be that we need taxes increased. I know we are talking about Texas taxes and not federal, but do you really believe it's not happening with our state dollars as well?
About the same amount we give to several foreign countries.... in cash (doesn't count our soldiers protecting them)
At least welfare helps some Americans that might need that help to keep them from having to commit crimes to survive.
The money lost just in those 2 programs alone is equal to the total state yearly budgets of New Hampshire ($6.2 billion), Maine ($7.8 billion), Utah ($13.9 billion), Vermont ($4.3 billion), Rhode Island ($7.2 billion), Idaho ($6.6 billion), Montana ($5.5 billion) and Nevada ($8.7 billion) COMBINED.
How much fraud do you think there is in the programs that deal with things such as disability?
Call me cold-hearted if you want, but when I see just two government programs wasting more than the combined total budget of 8 states, my first reaction is not going to be that we need taxes increased. I know we are talking about Texas taxes and not federal, but do you really believe it's not happening with our state dollars as well?
About the same amount we give to several foreign countries.... in cash (doesn't count our soldiers protecting them)
At least welfare helps some Americans that might need that help to keep them from having to commit crimes to survive.
Trust me, I'm in 100% agreement that we shouldn't be handing out money to all of these foreign countries and I don't want our young people and money to be used as the world's police force. You'll get no argument from me there, which is why I didn't disagree with those posts earlier.
However, NOBODY must commit crimes to survive.
Have you ever paid a housekeeper to come clean your home? We have a lady come clean ours every Wednesday. We shopped around, and she was the best deal for anybody with references. She comes for 4 hours and it costs us $100. Since we provide all of the cleaning supplies, her only real costs would be transportation.
Have you had your house painted? If so, you know you are paying a lot more than $25 per hour. Sure there are supplies you have to have, but it's not that huge of an investment.
When I was going to junior college, I was working at a department store for $7 an hour. I couldn't stand that wage. I found out how much it cost to hang wallpaper. I went to a wallpaper store and took their free class. I then volunteered to hang displays for them for free. I had some cards printed that I left on their check-out desk and put others on the bulletin boards of the big box hardware stores. I charged $30 per hour for prep and $12 per single roll to hang, plus the cost of supplies. I made about $30 an hour residential and $45 an hour for commercial doing it on weekends and the evening. That was back in the late 80's. Of course, it was hard work. Sanding walls, working in homes in August that didn't have their power on (no a/c) and doing manual labor sucked. I didn't like doing it, but I rather do that then fold shirts for $7 an hour.
I'm sorry if I don't have much sympathy for somebody in their 30's working at a fast food joint, but I can't force them to start cleaning homes at night to build a customer base so they can do it full time. I can't force them to go work for a home painter for a few months in the heat of Houston to learn that trade. I can't force them to save up for a crappy truck and learn how to install fences. I can't force them to learn to lay tile. I can't force them to take time and make the sacrifices to learn a trade to get them off of fry duty, but I can have the opinion that they must make their own decisions and sacrifices to improve their lives and not expect me to make up the difference for them.
Why is it that so many people from other countries like Vietnam and China can come here just about broke and without even speaking the language and be able to have their own business within a generation or two? My opinion is that they come from a culture where there is shame from not working and that if you don't work you starve.
When I was a kid, I mowed the yards of several homes. I remember having to compete against other kids to get customers. I'd make sure I had fliers on the sign posts in Spring and check with neighbors "Will I be during your yard this year?" As an adult homeowner, I have never, not once, had a kid come ask me to mow my yard for cash. Not once. Why is that? Have any of you experienced kids coming to solicit mowing at your homes? I can't even speculate how many cars I washed by hand for $5.
Of course there are people who fall on hard times. Of course their are kids who were "raised" by ____y parents. But it's mine personal opinion that the majority of people working crappy jobs and making crappy money are not doing what it takes to change their own situations.
I think we are all in agreement here. The government is wasteful, corrupt, inefficient and simply not effective. Sure both sides of the aisles have their own pet peeves but the one commonality we all share is that government simply doesn't work. Which is why I always get confused when people demand more of it, want to give them more power, more money and let them have more control over our lives. Something is not adding up here.
Trust me, I'm in 100% agreement that we shouldn't be handing out money to all of these foreign countries and I don't want our young people and money to be used as the world's police force. You'll get no argument from me there, which is why I didn't disagree with those posts earlier.
However, NOBODY must commit crimes to survive.
Have you ever paid a housekeeper to come clean your home? We have a lady come clean ours every Wednesday. We shopped around, and she was the best deal for anybody with references. She comes for 4 hours and it costs us $100. Since we provide all of the cleaning supplies, her only real costs would be transportation.
Have you had your house painted? If so, you know you are paying a lot more than $25 per hour. Sure there are supplies you have to have, but it's not that huge of an investment.
When I was going to junior college, I was working at a department store for $7 an hour. I couldn't stand that wage. I found out how much it cost to hang wallpaper. I went to a wallpaper store and took their free class. I then volunteered to hang displays for them for free. I had some cards printed that I left on their check-out desk and put others on the bulletin boards of the big box hardware stores. I charged $30 per hour for prep and $12 per single roll to hang, plus the cost of supplies. I made about $30 an hour residential and $45 an hour for commercial doing it on weekends and the evening. That was back in the late 80's. Of course, it was hard work. Sanding walls, working in homes in August that didn't have their power on (no a/c) and doing manual labor sucked. I didn't like doing it, but I rather do that then fold shirts for $7 an hour.
I'm sorry if I don't have much sympathy for somebody in their 30's working at a fast food joint, but I can't force them to start cleaning homes at night to build a customer base so they can do it full time. I can't force them to go work for a home painter for a few months in the heat of Houston to learn that trade. I can't force them to save up for a crappy truck and learn how to install fences. I can't force them to learn to lay tile. I can't force them to take time and make the sacrifices to learn a trade to get them off of fry duty, but I can have the opinion that they must make their own decisions and sacrifices to improve their lives and not expect me to make up the difference for them.
Why is it that so many people from other countries like Vietnam and China can come here just about broke and without even speaking the language and be able to have their own business within a generation or two? My opinion is that they come from a culture where there is shame from not working and that if you don't work you starve.
When I was a kid, I mowed the yards of several homes. I remember having to compete against other kids to get customers. I'd make sure I had fliers on the sign posts in Spring and check with neighbors "Will I be during your yard this year?" As an adult homeowner, I have never, not once, had a kid come ask me to mow my yard for cash. Not once. Why is that? Have any of you experienced kids coming to solicit mowing at your homes? I can't even speculate how many cars I washed by hand for $5.
Of course there are people who fall on hard times. Of course their are kids who were "raised" by ____y parents. But it's mine personal opinion that the majority of people working crappy jobs and making crappy money are not doing what it takes to change their own situations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jek74
I think we are all in agreement here. The government is wasteful, corrupt, inefficient and simply not effective. Sure both sides of the aisles have their own pet peeves but the one commonality we all share is that government simply doesn't work. Which is why I always get confused when people demand more of it, want to give them more power, more money and let them have more control over our lives. Something is not adding up here.
The others on this thread already did a good job refuting your knee jerk theory so I'll ask you this question. What would CA's economy be like without entertainment and venture capital? What would NY's economy be like without Wall Street? What would Washington DC's economy be like without gov't? What would FL's economy be like without tourism? I think you see a pattern. Run along now...
I'm not sure I understand the rhetoric questions. I don't mean to be rude or funny, maybe just a bit slow. Perhaps the poster can explain the meaning?
I do know though from close up and hard experience what will happen to a town with its industry on the brink, in bankruptcy, no one buying its products, huge market share losses from overseas competitors, heavy overhead costs not faced by its newer/foreign competitors (i.e., pension benefits). I'm from Detroit and I can tell you most of my life it hasn't been pretty the domestic auto industry and Detroit has suffered, but around 2009 it was downright UGLY. I'd also point out other places like Pittsburg (steel) have suffered similar declines. On the other hand, single-industry towns have been able to diversity and stay alive. Detroit is slowly crawling its way out.
I'm relocating to Houston and I am somewhat frightened of the fact that Houston's roaring economy is posed for a fall if petroleum prices go south. Please tell me I'm wrong and there is not another Armageddon waiting for me in Houston.
I'm relocating to Houston and I am somewhat frightened of the fact that Houston's roaring economy is posed for a fall if petroleum prices go south. Please tell me I'm wrong and there is not another Armageddon waiting for me in Houston.
There's only so much oil in the ground. Move to the country and live off the land.
There's only so much oil in the ground. Move to the country and live off the land.
Land is not free, unless you want a lot in the middle of nowhere with no water
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Single Industry Based Economies
