I personally am on SNAP the food benefit program and this offends me. A lot of people I have seen are single parents like me and need the assistance.

I make about $1500 a month and I get $210 in food benefits, personally I find my household running out of food as it is. Last week of every month I send my son to his grandparent's because I don't have food, during that time I live off noodles.

I would love a higher paying job or to better my education but as it stands I can not, we are not all lazy. Perhaps they are talking about the urban areas because when I used to live in town I saw many illegals applying and they qualify because they are paid under the table, I also saw many African Americans all "blinged" up and I can't help but assume there incomes comes from drugs, but don't group us a majority and maybe if they didn't feed illegals there wouldn't be as much of a need for government assistance.

If they decided to cut government assistance anymore there will be plenty of hardworking people that will starve or become homeless as food is more important than shelter.

Don't flame about internet either as people have done in the past because I get free phone assistance and ATT offers a discount for underprivileged families. I pay $5 a month for dial-up and that is not a waste of money as it saves me in gas when I can do things that need to be done online.

Originally posted by ashtonhz8907
I would love a higher paying job or to better my education but as it stands I can not, we are not all lazy. Perhaps they are talking about the urban areas because when I used to live in town I saw many illegals applying and they qualify because they are paid under the table, I also saw many African Americans all "blinged" up and I can't help but assume there incomes comes from drugs, but don't group us a majority and maybe if they didn't feed illegals there wouldn't be as much of a need for government assistance.

This is the problem with most republican view points, its ok for them to get benefits from the government, but not for minorities. You see binge but most likely its costume jewelry, seriously how long do you think real gold and diamonds would last in poor neighborhoods, you should ask the local pawn shop how often there clients are hocking there stuff to buy food.

Honestly its ok for you, but not ok for Latinos or Blacks? Do you really feel this way? So if a disabled black person has any jewelry this comes from being a drug dealer? All Latinos get paid under the table? I guess you don't have a problem with a wealthy person hiring anyone under the table to save a buck?

I agree with you that the amount of fraud or abuse of the system happens, but its not the majority.

But your not doing anything to help your cause, if you wish to limit benefits for those "other people", it will limit yours as well.

What comes around goes around, the next time your running short on food, perhaps if you changed your view of these less worthy people receiving public assistance attempting to feed and house there family's, your situation might improve....

I would be curious to know how many people in that situation held a job.

It is really, really tough out there.

Education is not necessarily the answer. I earned my degree in electrical engineering and had to take a job as a technician and move from Michigan to CA to stay employed. I have lost a lot.

My opinion is that these economic conditions are caused by govt interference in the economy. I guess that makes me a libertarian. But also in Detroit the management outsourced jobs to pad the bottom line without regard to long term effects. And the unions priced themselves right out of the job.

Those of you saying it is Bush's fault, let me point out that brand x has had the house and senate for years and if govt is responsible they should get most of the blame. Plenty to go around though.

If we get to the point where over 50% of the voters are getting a check from gov every month, well then, they will always elect the "free stuff for everybody party" and there will be no going back.

There is no easy answer to this puzzle.

://blog.heritage.org/2012/02/19/chart-of-the-week-nearly-half-of-all-americans-dont-pay-income-taxes/

OP Topic is consistent two-fold:

1- This year’s Index of Dependence on Government presented startling findings about the sharp increase of Americans who rely on the federal government for housing, food, income, student aid or other assistance

2- percentage of Americans who don’t pay income taxes, which now accounts for nearly half of the U.S. population. Meanwhile, most of that population receives generous federal benefits.

If the Government would not take my money to give to other people for the past 25 years I would be retired now and you could have my job. Instead I get to keep working to support the unemployed.

Originally posted by Xeven
If the Government would not take my money to give to other people for the past 25 years I would be retired now and you could have my job. Instead I get to keep working to support the unemployed.

edit on 9-4-2012 by Xeven because: (no reason given)

you sure about that?? I mean, are there other employees working for the company you are that is earning near minimum wage, who are counting on hud covering a little of their rent, or that 20-30 or dollars in food stamps a month, or whatever? if so, well, cut the programs, and those people will be forced to make a decision, either stay where they are at, and make due with what they have (which they may not be able to do) or find a way to make more. in which case, they may just ask you boss for a raise, and you boss might not want to risk losing them, and so, well, give them the raise...
heck, if there's enough people in the company saying that if they can't make enough there, they will be looking elsewhere, he just might get nervous enough to do something drastic!! like rearrange the whole pay scale, and you might find yourself not making as much!!!