Welfare "Joke"

Ha!

As he says, some of you may not find this funny. To say the least, it's an interesting perspective on a hot topic.

Comments

Welfare is a good program when it is used right. Unfortunaely, this doesn't happen often. How much money was stolen from people to "free" Iraq. Billions of dollars . So I don't mind supporting the poorest people in our country in a time of need. A society is only a good as it treats it's poor. I view it as the same as giving to charity to help others who need a temporary hand up in life. People who collect welfare for their entire life is another story.

[Lord]

How can it be called stealing? It has the government's name all over it. ;-)

[Kirk]

I think we should take care of the poor as well, but it should be through charitable organizations, not the government. The government is a wasteful organization. Twenty dollars to the government would probably provide $10 in welfare benefits. The same $20 to a charitable organization would provide $15 to the needy.

[Carol]

I am not so happy to see this “joke” here for a few reasons.

1)I'm not into getting riled up about politics when I'm on the web. And I go to your site for information about money.
2)I have actually been on welfare because my husband (ex) was overcome by schizophrenia and had become violent, I had an infant, and I had to leave and then survive. It was about 2 ½ years on that while I finished up my college degree. I would then go on to pay taxes – (nope – did not take advantage of the many loopholes) and become a professional. So, that handout came at the right time and, in my opinion, to one of the “right” people.
3)One of the things this reminds me of is the gay-haters. Do you notice that often the people that really despise gayness turn out to be gay themselves and all along they were trying to seem very much _Not Gay_? When people have a hatred for the poor and want to make fun of welfare recipients, I wonder if they have been poor themselves and are expressing some similar shame and trying to make themselves very _Not Poor_.
4)America will be seeing an increase in welfare recipients right about – uhhh – now, I'd say. Some keywords: rising foreclosure rate, subprime mortgage crisis, and recession. I guess if enough people think welfare is wrong, maybe they think shantytowns are right. Hmmmm.

Well- that's about enough from me. Not in favor of the political jokes here. Please stick to the money topic and thanks for the wealth of information you have provided.

Carol

[FMF]

Carol --

As I've said before, politics is about money -- my money, your money, and our money. Who do you think pays for all the government services? When most people look at their budgets each year, taxes are certainly among the top few categories.

I don't take political sides in this blog (i.e. "The Dems have the right answers" or "Go with the Republicans"), but I do evaluate different proposals by the candidates and give my thoughts on them. Why? Because they're planning on paying for them with OUR money.

In addition, I think the government is very wasteful and I hate the fact that so much money is poured down the drain. Seems like there's a better way to help the poor, provide for retirees, etc.

[Mike]

Hey

Just wanted to say I like the site. As regards the joke, I didn't think it was funny, but the guy has a right to a point of view and should surely have the right to express his opinion.

However, I have to say it does perpetuate the idea a lot of people have from outside the US (as I am) that the United States don't really have a great deal of concern for those less well off.

Welfare is not stealing from the poor, it is providing for those in dire financial need.