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This is basically what the OP said and you guys are hailing him as some kind of untouchable genius.
So I used a bit of harsh language. I showed passion and emotion. What's wrong with that? My points were valid and if you read my posts after that you'll see that I had a civil and intelligent discussion.
It used to be shameful to use food stamps, now they put them on a debit card so the recipients don't feel judged. What??? Let them feel judged! We should be judging them! Hard working families are eating mac and cheese because their tax load has taken such a toll from the paycheck while people on welfare eat steak--and they absolutely do, I saw a woman in BJ's earlier paying for all sorts of nice cuts of meat with an EBT card.
You're way out of line with this comment. There are lots of people in this economy using food stamps benefits that never in a million years thought they ever would in their lifetime.
Sure there is abuse, unfortunately - always has been. But it is extremely foolish to lump everyone together in that category with the unprecedented (since the 30s) hardship that millions are suffering today.
This reminds me of a discussion we had in class. A couple of years ago, a student was doing his final project on how anime portrays the thoughts of the Japanese or something like that. Well, he started discussing how the Japanese people are becoming more critical of their society but being critical means they are patriotic b/c they want to improve their country. The professor said, "I don't think criticizing a country is patriotic. Explain to me why it is patriotic." The student started discussing how in order to improve a country you have to critique it and see how it can improve and then build a better country for everyone. In the end, the professor still disagreed but gave him a C because he did a great job utilizing multimedia and explaining the impact of anime.
This might be one of those discussions with different points of views. Some see this as creating change by spotting the negatives and bringing them out ot public. Others see it as insulting a country in which has given many people their freedom. For some, America is great. For others, it doesn't fit their needs. So, I don't think this is a debate that can be won. It's great that TXRunner's family achieved such a great status from working from the bottom up. I'm hoping to do the same by getting a good education and trying to find more job opportunities. For others, like TheCaliforniaBear, getting a job outside is probably a really good idea and the extra skills can come in handy.
Best of luck to TheCaliforniaBear! Hopefully you can find a great job where you decide to live.
This is basically what the OP said and you guys are hailing him as some kind of untouchable genius. Some of it is almost exactly what he said!!
Ok. Maybe I missed it. If you can back it up with quotes specifically about the riots and the presidents hair, then I'll gladly take it back. I did see the captain american thing, but he was referring to your unwavering nationalism and desire to suppress / trash his free thought on the subject of his personal experience in America. So, yeah, you are coming off as captain america. But thats not necessarily bad, from your perspective.
Also, no one is hailing anyone as an untouchable genius. We just share some of the same opinions, is all.
You're way out of line with this comment. There are lots of people in this economy using food stamps benefits that never in a million years thought they ever would in their lifetime.
Sure there is abuse, unfortunately - always has been. But it is extremely foolish to lump everyone together in that category with the unprecedented (since the 30s) hardship that millions are suffering today.
No, I'm not out of line. If I ever had to rely on food stamps I'd be mortified to use them, but I would do so in order to feed my family. That mortification would also make me put forth even more effort to not need to rely on them any longer.
Frankly the Food Stamp program is a HUGE waste of taxpayer dollars, because it is WAY too broad on what can be purchased with it. The program was designed to supplement a food budget with quality and nourishing food. It was never meant to be the entire budget, and it was never meant to cover purchases of items like junk food, soda, etc.
Food Stamps needs to be managed like WIC, with each eligible person receiving an allotment of proteins, grains, dairy, and fruits/vegetables.
Instead of what is really pretty close to a cash benefit, it should be something like:
1 pound of peanut butter OR
1 pound of ground beef OR
1 pound of chicken OR
1 pound package of beef or turkey franks OR
1 pound of pork chops
2 oranges OR
2 apples OR
1 12 ounce jar applesauce OR
4 bannanas OR
2 peaches
etc.
As a taxpayer I'm appalled that I'm paying for poor kids to eat more and more junk food and become more and more obese so I can pay for their obesity related illnesses in teh future.
This reminds me of a discussion we had in class. A couple of years ago, a student was doing his final project on how anime portrays the thoughts of the Japanese or something like that. Well, he started discussing how the Japanese people are becoming more critical of their society but being critical means they are patriotic b/c they want to improve their country. The professor said, "I don't think criticizing a country is patriotic. Explain to me why it is patriotic." The student started discussing how in order to improve a country you have to critique it and see how it can improve and then build a better country for everyone.
The idea that criticizing your country is a patriotic act, is a long held part of the American ethos as a way of preserving liberty and all of the freedoms that we have. Long held. Thats why its so frustrating to argue with American who are ignorant of this historically verifiable principle and very American state of mind. We are actually arguing for the primary something that, by its core action, helps to preserve the freedoms that they hold so dear.
No, I'm not out of line. If I ever had to rely on food stamps I'd be mortified to use them, but I would do so in order to feed my family. That mortification would also make me put forth even more effort to not need to rely on them any longer.
Frankly the Food Stamp program is a HUGE waste of taxpayer dollars, because it is WAY too broad on what can be purchased with it. The program was designed to supplement a food budget with quality and nourishing food. It was never meant to be the entire budget, and it was never meant to cover purchases of items like junk food, soda, etc.
Food Stamps needs to be managed like WIC, with each eligible person receiving an allotment of proteins, grains, dairy, and fruits/vegetables.
Instead of what is really pretty close to a cash benefit, it should be something like:
1 pound of peanut butter OR
1 pound of ground beef OR
1 pound of chicken OR
1 pound package of beef or turkey franks OR
1 pound of pork chops
2 oranges OR
2 apples OR
1 12 ounce jar applesauce OR
4 bannanas OR
2 peaches
etc.
As a taxpayer I'm appalled that I'm paying for poor kids to eat more and more junk food and become more and more obese so I can pay for their obesity related illnesses in teh future.
I agree with you 100%. When I lived in west hollywood, i saw plenty of abuse of the food stamps by the russian immigrants that lived there. in fact, the owner of a prominent bakery was featured on the national news show for accepting food stamps when he was not needy (stolichnaya bakery).
Compare it to other countries. In most Asian or South American countries i've been to. If the government is corrupt and not serving the people well. The people will have enormous, intense protests and oftentimes overthrow the government with a revolution.
You got that right! That's coming from a participant of People Power that overthrew the Marcos dictatorship!
No, I'm not out of line. If I ever had to rely on food stamps I'd be mortified to use them, but I would do so in order to feed my family. That mortification would also make me put forth even more effort to not need to rely on them any longer.
Frankly the Food Stamp program is a HUGE waste of taxpayer dollars, because it is WAY too broad on what can be purchased with it. The program was designed to supplement a food budget with quality and nourishing food. It was never meant to be the entire budget, and it was never meant to cover purchases of items like junk food, soda, etc.
Food Stamps needs to be managed like WIC, with each eligible person receiving an allotment of proteins, grains, dairy, and fruits/vegetables.
Instead of what is really pretty close to a cash benefit, it should be something like:
1 pound of peanut butter OR
1 pound of ground beef OR
1 pound of chicken OR
1 pound package of beef or turkey franks OR
1 pound of pork chops
2 oranges OR
2 apples OR
1 12 ounce jar applesauce OR
4 bannanas OR
2 peaches
etc.
As a taxpayer I'm appalled that I'm paying for poor kids to eat more and more junk food and become more and more obese so I can pay for their obesity related illnesses in teh future.
You most certainly ARE out of line to condemn with a broad stroke those who use food stamp benefits today as worthy of shame.
Exactly which items should be covered in the program is a legitimate, but completely separate discussion.
There are millions using the program for the first time in their lives because of long term unemployment that has steadily gotten nothing but worse for at least a year and half. Without it they would have NO food on the table. Is that what you would prefer? And they will be off the program as soon as their situation improves enough to make that possible.
You had better wake up and take a look around you. This isn't the America we once knew. Did you not say that in your own post? People are hurting and need help.
Considering the times we live in, I have seen few other comments on this forum as mean spirited as yours. For you to begrudge people basic food with which to bridge the gap to a hopefully better time ahead is what is really worthy of shame.
Amen to that! I am about to go back in my own country. There is no more difference between the third world country and United States. Corruption is so high, some people are getting hungry, no more jobs for most people like me and there is nothing much I could do. I would rather be poor in my own country than starve over here in United States.
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