Rise of Government Dependence

reply to post by CIAGypsy


I just posted the following on TAs food sovereignty thread but it's more apt here so I beg your indulgence and repost part of it below.

I'm disabled with a multitude of health conditions and diseases, two of which require a specialist and expensive diet (Edit: 3 conditions not 2). Since August the money I have to live on has fallen by 70-80%. Now this isn't me being reassessed and requiring less income to survive as my health conditions have improved (they are all worsening) but instead governmental mandatory increases in my expenses known as 'fairer charging'. Today things got much worse, today I received a letter....

"Today I got a letter from my local government telling me they are introducing a scheme where they will take funds from me and purchase only the food that they think I should be allowed to buy and eat. Milk? tough it's a luxury. Coffee or tea bags? No drink water. Having a cell phone on prepay for health emergencies? Tough. And come my mother's 80th birthday this May I will not be allowed funds to buy her a card and a four pack of her favourite beer, because it's not approved and not on the list. And this comes at a time when legal aid has just been stopped for people like me who will now no longer have any opportunity for limited legal advice in appeals processes. I am also being required to provide receipts for EVERYTHING I buy or spend, such as food, gasoline, fuel, water, rent, heating, electricity etc. And this must be supplied on a weekly basis. and they will decide if I can put my heating on or have a daily wash. I knew this was coming but I thought it was still years away.

Something as extravagant as wheat and gluten free bread has become beyond my budget. A standard loaf of bread in the UK is 800g and budget brands can be bought for less than $1.50. The only bread I can eat is long life hard as rock disgusting stuff, that costs me between $10 and $17 for 800g. I have to eat it due to the fact I am unable to prepare meals and live on sandwhiches.

Contrary to popular belief in the UK disability benefits are a tiny part of government spending and the 2nd smallet part of the welfare bill, the vast majority of the cash quite rightly goes out in pensions which people paid in to. Yet you ask anyone and they believe the disabled are slackers and cost th earth. "

Originally posted by jude11
reply to post by CIAGypsy

 

So quick to invade another Nation when told that the people are being treated unfairly and yet at home? McDonald's, Wal-Mart...still ruling and dictating what is in the food and what Chinese made products are bought and sold.

edit on 9-3-2013 by jude11 because: (no reason given)

This is just a little bit ridiculous...if people wouldnt buy Chinese products, they would not be put on the shelves for sale.

I was here, alive and well and a consumer when Wal-mart ONLY sold USA products unless it was a product not made in the USA.....

Guess what? After old man Walton died and they began putting imported (cheaper) products up competing with the USA products people bought the cheap crap like crazy...cause it was cheaper. The american consumer made their choices and now we have to live with them.

Get your facts straight.

If Americans wouldnt buy McDonald's products by the millions, guess what? They (Mickey D) would change their menu or go out of business. Again: American consumers have made their choice.

No one ...NO ONE is forcing you to shop at Wally World, nor are they forcing you to eat McDonalds...

The consumers are keeping the products/businesses in business. PERIOD.

Originally posted by bbracken677

Originally posted by jude11
reply to post by CIAGypsy

 

So quick to invade another Nation when told that the people are being treated unfairly and yet at home? McDonald's, Wal-Mart...still ruling and dictating what is in the food and what Chinese made products are bought and sold.

edit on 9-3-2013 by jude11 because: (no reason given)

This is just a little bit ridiculous...if people wouldnt buy Chinese products, they would not be put on the shelves for sale.

I was here, alive and well and a consumer when Wal-mart ONLY sold USA products unless it was a product not made in the USA.....

Guess what? After old man Walton died and they began putting imported (cheaper) products up competing with the USA products people bought the cheap crap like crazy...cause it was cheaper. The american consumer made their choices and now we have to live with them.

Get your facts straight.

Do you know the difference between american brand merchandise and chineese brand merchandise?

Just because something is *made in china* does not make it chineese. It makes it an american product. American companies give the specifications of what they want and the chineese labor performs accordingly.

I actually like the knock-offs because they are extremely cheap. I am not the problem. The government does not put any tariffs. Government does not want to force the issue so everyone takes advantage. But to be blunt with you american stuff is too expensive given its made in china. The stockholders still make huge profits.

If Americans wouldnt buy McDonald's products by the millions, guess what? They (Mickey D) would change their menu or go out of business. Again: American consumers have made their choice.

This I agree with. Not all fast foods are pathetic though. Burger King and KFC are pretty good!

No one ...NO ONE is forcing you to shop at Wally World, nor are they forcing you to eat McDonalds...

The consumers are keeping the products/businesses in business. PERIOD.

Agreed!

Without government and laws there is chaos...that is the sad truth. But this government needs to be restarted,

reply to post by TheMadVet


two different things Law-& Government.

Not the same thing.

If I were dictator in chief, I would require all U.S. businesses to have at least 50% of all their employee's to be based in our country. Otherwise, I would boot the company from the states after fining them for moving jobs out of the country. Furthermore, I would ban them from doing business in this country.

American corporations were built off of American ingenuity and we get slapped in the face with high unemployment which created this awful mess of dependency.

We need to hold corporations to a higher standard. Especially those that were bailed out by the taxpayers. This was a bourbon post, excuse me if I wasn't quite on topic. This subject always gets me in the craw.

A tariff is either (1) a tax on imports or exports (an international trade tariff), or (2) a list of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage (electrical tariff, etc.).[1] The meaning in (1) is now the more common meaning. The meaning in (2) is historically earlier. The meaning in (1) developed from a tabular list of tax rates for different import goods

en.wikipedia.org...

Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow (according to proponents) "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.[1]

This policy contrasts with free trade, where government barriers to trade are kept to a minimum. In recent years, it has become closely aligned with anti-globalization. The term is mostly used in the context of economics, where protectionism refers to policies or doctrines which protect businesses and workers within a country by restricting or regulating trade with foreign nations.

en.wikipedia.org...

Regardless if you vote D or R BOTH ARE GLOBALISTS! That is why we have trade deficits with china and other asian nations. The bankers finance both parties and the taxed are fooled into thinking they have no voice.

People have to comprehend basic economic theory and definitions. Without knowledge or the wrong knowledge, which is what the media feeds people, you cannot make good decisions. Stop being a fool. Stop blaming yourself if government is incompetant and evil, unless you are inded part of the establishment and you cannot help yourself into making false arguements.

Economics is a science that has passed the test of time. Sure it is not a perfect science such as math, but the level of incompetance we have today is totally unacceptable. I mean totally!

As long as you have an
overinflated sense of
self importance coupled
with an unhealthy and
irrational attitude of
entitlement you will
have the sucker parasites
who want what they need
and want without lifting a
finger of effort to get it.

They will lift a middle finger
at you if you instruct them
to get off their butts and do
some work.

reply to post by CIAGypsy

Rise of Government Dependence

Just a few notes, if I may...

Some people are on food stamps. This means they either don't have the money to buy food or they have lied to get the assistance. We either make an (honest) effort to identify the liars or let others starve.

Some people are on SS... which they paid into, like insurance, their entire working lives. This is not a handout or an entitlement... it's something they purchased. Period.


Options:

There are jobs out there... but some prefer NOT to work. This is sad but true. Unfortunately, they give everyone a bad name

There are jobs out there but finding 40 hours a week anymore isn't an easy task. Employers have been moving away from full time spots because of the cost of having to support their workers with all kinds of government mandated expenses. Obamacare is going to worsen this situation.

Social Security should not even be in the debate... but because both parties covet those meaty funds to spend as they please and then later, whine about how the program is in jeopardy, honesty on this subject won't be forthcoming anytime soon.

It's a mess.

Originally posted by slugger9787
As long as you have an
overinflated sense of
self importance coupled
with an unhealthy and
irrational attitude of
entitlement you will
have the sucker parasites
who want what they need
and want without lifting a
finger of effort to get it.

They will lift a middle finger
at you if you instruct them
to get off their butts and do
some work.

Bailing out business because of bad decisions and because of the "too big to fail" attitude is the epitomy of everything you mentioned. I hope THIS is what you were talking about because otherwise you are being complicit in crime and barking up the wrong tree man.

And the second amendment in your signature tells me all you care about is guns, guns, guns. Like a little child with an unhealthy fixation on his candy. Time to broaden your narrow horizons if you want people to respect your opinions.

reply to post by redoubt


Corporate welfare for the most part is way worse and undeserved. There should be no "too big to fail" attitude within any capitalist system. If you make bad decisions then you should be ENCOURAGED TO FAIL!

But we have some die-hard capitalists, much like the die-hard communists in russia who never admited their system was flawed from the beginning, defending the endless corruption and seeking new scapegoats for their lack of intestinal fortitude to correct anything.

Yes some people on personal welfare abuse the system. They should have been dealt with from the beginning, but as always the government turns a blind eye towards most problems only so they can pass new laws that further complicate stuff rather than fix anything. All the laws remain on the books primarily for extortion purposes.

reply to post by EarthCitizen07


No I was referring to the narcissistic
me....me....me.... condition that a majority of
Americans have evolved themselves into.

In the 1960-1970 the addictions were drugs, and sex.
Then it transferred to money andnow it is food and money.

Americans are obese gamblers.

Narcissism. You can also
say that it is just greed and gluttony.

What part of the phrase shall not be infringed do you not understand?

If you, earth citizen are from the USA, then your freedom of speech you exercize freely
on places like this was paid for by the blood sweat and tears of 100,000's of Americans before
you.

If you want to liken my use of that phrase as to someone who is like a baby and his candy then
your opinion on numerous matters just landed in the kimode according to me.

Originally posted by CIAGypsy

They use the tactic that we MUST be our brother's keeper and play upon our morality. That's the big secret and psychological warfare. If you say you disagree with the premise, they say you don't care about your neighbor, children starving, or any of the other government programs that are meant to "save us."

This.

I lean conservative with an underlying libertarian mindset. But whenever I have talked to genuine friends of mine who are of a more liberal persuasion--and these are people I respect--I feel that they have bought into the exact philosophy that you have stated above.

Originally posted by slugger9787
reply to post by EarthCitizen07

 

No I was referring to the narcissistic
me....me....me.... condition that a majority of
Americans have evolved themselves into.

In the 1960-1970 the addictions were drugs, and sex.
Then it transferred to money andnow it is food and money.

Americans are obese gamblers.

Narcissism. You can also
say that it is just greed and gluttony.

What part of the phrase shall not be infringed do you not understand?

If you, earth citizen are from the USA, then your freedom of speech you exercize freely
on places like this was paid for by the blood sweat and tears of 100,000's of Americans before
you.

If you want to liken my use of that phrase as to someone who is like a baby and his candy then
your opinion on numerous matters just landed in the kimode according to me.

America belongs to everyone, not just the conservatives. Yes I respect the military because they have a job to do and they do it. They also get paid for it unlike the past. What annoys me with conservatives is that you folks have a one track mind and cannot see the forest for the trees. Many parties are guilty. Capitalism creates the excesses you mentioned.

Also I am not feinstein who wants to disarm america. Many democrats dropped her bill because they realised it was too draconian, in fact it was abominable. Just because I don't jump up and down like a dumb child does not mean I don't care. But I multi-task and put blame everywhere it is needed. It takes an objective person to do this.

Sad that america has polarised people into the left-right paradigm so much. Real sad!

reply to post by EarthCitizen07

America belongs to everyone,

Yes it belongs to AMERICANS

not just the conservatives.

Who is drawing battle lines?

Yes I respect the military because they have a job to do and they do it. They also get paid for it unlike the past.

George Washington paid his troops

What annoys me with conservatives is that you folks have a one track mind and cannot see the forest for the trees.

You are pontificating and calling me "you folks" Kinda like blacks used to be referred to.

Capitalism creates the excesses you mentioned.

Capitalism created the greatest country in the history of the world.
Individual people with greed and gluttony created the excesses that I am referring to.

Well those bad food stamp people, and those terrible welfare thief's,,, This makes me sick, The same people that complain about the Santa for the poor people,, Never ever talk about how The Banks get Billions every month,, YUP That's Billions,,, And if they go BK we reward them by giving them bonuses,, It gets to me, That Corporation are the biggest welfare queens,,, Do I need to post all the Links to show you that, The Banks and oil and Ins and many other businesses get cash wise per month.

Lets not even talk about what GE corp gets..It will make smoke come out of your head..and were worried about a family getting what 10 bucks a day in food stamps.. oh dear God they got a Obama phone.. so what.. Take the cash from Corp america FIRST then we can talk about how to fix this country... For Hannity or Rush to talk bad about the middle class, is sickening, When they never talk about how Corp America is getting all this cash. Its Billions per month not millions Billions. The USA Borrows money from china to pay for these corporations bonuses,, Take away these perks for these corporations and they would be on food stamps to..

I will tell you what take away every social program from the poor and middle class, and just give us the same rules that the banks get every friggen day... how does that sound....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will take that deal any day any day,, get my point..

So

Originally posted by slugger9787

Capitalism created the greatest country in the history of the world.
Individual people with greed and gluttony created the excesses that I am referring to.

And most of the vampires "with greed and gluttony" are located in wall street and paid off both democrats and republicans. You don't care about this one bit so you rail against the downtrodden and give the corporate welfare queens a free pass.

It is easy to see past "your folks" smoke and mirrors. I am not necessarily of the socialist mindset because after all that would be kind of unamerican, all I am for is an end to insider trading and racketering. I doubt your tiny brain can handle this though!

reply to post by EarthCitizen07


Really, those with the biggest greed and gluttony are in wall street?

Why is the epedemic in America the morbid endogenous obesity and gambling then?

Can you answer that.

Seems that greed and gluttony yield obese gamblers IMHO.