Hurricane Katrina
veilchen:
I agree ZZ. We have a saying that seems to hit it right on target:
Any man can be a father, but it takes a REAL man to be a dad.
ZephyrZodiac:
;D And to know when not to be either!
witch:
Interesting. So many of you have changed circumstances through sheer hard graft. Me also, single mum, beneficiary, alcoholic. Could see I was about to lose my 12 yr old son so gave up booze - through 2nd go @ rehab, started studying, got IT degree, got full-time job. Took 10 years. But a million times worth it! ;D
Benefit system in US sounds similar - more you earnt, more penalties in loss of benefits. Financially better to stay home and vegetate than work or study. Especially as the jobs available to single mums tend to be low paid, non fulltime, low security jobs anyway. Bizarre.
Used to believe world owed me, now I like giving back.
Am now addicted to computers. :-\
Jarsie:
I do criticize the mothers of the 8 kids by 8 different daddies. I have met women like that, who have low self esteem, and think that they cannot live without a man. Okay, I can have some sympathy with them; but I have been divorced for over ten years and after the first year or two, I slowly began to realize that I did not need a man to make me happy...that being happy was a choice I could make on my own.
I do think these women should be encouraged to try to help themselves more; and maybe free counseling should be mandatory for those who are obviously addicted to receiving AFDC and food stamps, and who look upon their children as their financial meal ticket. LBJ (Democrat) started the current welfare system, which seemed like a good deal at the time, but which has turned out to be an albatross around the neck of the American citizen. I totally support the idea of workfare, and think the government should make up the difference between the minimum wage job and any benefits the mother receives. At the very least, she should not be deprived of AFDC and food stamps until her children are grown or old enough to work themselves, or her income rises enough to meet the cost of living.
I think we can all agree that just handing people money without expecting them to do something to earn it, or without holding them accountable for how they spend the money has not really benefitted anybody. Oh, yes, I also think the state and the federal government should provide free or reduced daycare for children of low income families, even those where both mother and father work for a living and only get paid minimum wage. I think that's a good investment.
Unfortunately, there will always be those who feel entitled to whatever they can get, simply because they are poor or of a certain race, and can easily blame others for their own problems. That's just human nature I guess.
And by the way, lest you think me self-righteous and judgemental...I, too, have received foodstamps and AFDC. But when my husband first left me, I was asked by the social worker if I wanted to apply for AFDC. I told her I only wanted to apply for food stamps; my oldest daughter received SSI payments because she was disabled. She was shocked: she asked how I intended to support my two children and I said: Work. And I did...minimum wage jobs at first, then I lucked out and got a good job working with the State of Texas. Then I was able to go back to school and get my degree and get teacher certification.
I am currently contracted with the Houston ISD teaching reading to 8th graders who are victims of Hurricane Katrina. It was a long hard road, and it took me 15 years to get here. I won't say that if I can do it, anybody can....but I do think more people should be encouraged to try.
J. M. Pescado:
Quote from: KellyQ on 2005 September 09, 19:13:09
Our government needs to do more to make people self-sufficient, including education and reasonable daycare.
I find that the threat of starvation is a powerful motivating force. I call it "Work or starve". Sometimes the best policy is no policy. You'd be surprised how much more motivated people are when the alternative is starvation.
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