General Chat (Non-Music-Related)

Geography plays a HUGE part in the attitudes of people......

....So you have Jeff and Glenny railing against a government that takes from our paychecks to give to someone who is only sucking benefits from the system. And, if you allow me to state an observation, Mark & Jimmy do not see that view as compassionate because they've done well enough to have a comfortable life and want to share with the less fortunate around them.

the difference is that jeff and glenny see anyone and everyone who gets (and might actually need) assistance as "only sucking benefits from the system" .

the fact that i don't see that as compassionate...that has ZERO to do with my comfort level or financial security. i've always felt as i do now, even when i was scuffling and trying to make ends meet. i simply NEVER shared that view that everyone who needs help is a parasite taking advantage of those who are better off.

Those who are struggling don't like the idea of giving away their small margins to people who need to learn the value of work.

again there it is...the assumption that everyone in need...is in NEED of "learning the value of work".

guess what, i'm not struggling and i don't like the idea of giving anything away to those manipulating the system either! do you think jimmy does? i doubt it. the diff is that we don't believe in turning our backs on those that really NEED help.

Those who are doing well think that sounds heartless, and don't understand why we would oppose taking a few extra dollars of a paycheck away to give to someone who puts their hand out.

like i said above....i've ALWAYS thought it heartless and selfish to put everyone needing help in that same bag....moochers.

trust me, i have no desire to help anyone who's manipulating the system. i'm sure jimmy feels the same. the difference is that we can see people who are truly in need, and deserving, and worthy of help....and so we have no problem helping them.

and that has nothing to do with the fact that we're financially comfortable.

ted, if you or glenny, or haley actually believe there's ANYONE truly in need and deserving... that's newsworthy because in all the time i've been here....i've never ONCE heard any of you actually acknowledge that.

furthermore...though i'd prefer a system that couldn't be manipulated by those who would exploit it, i'm willing to accept a system where some do because i'd rather we didn't turn our backs on those who truly need help (many of them being veterans who've paid their dues).

In other words, some want to feed the hungry and some want to teach fishing.

there's no reason both can't be done.....but then you'd have to be willing to spend money on programs to teach fishing! (yeah right!)

so, where's that money coming from...the compassionless who sit in judgement of those in need?
from you guys who believe we're already spending too much money on those who are"only sucking benefits from the system" ?

Think about it....how many people in Missouri are suicide bombers? How many people in Gaza play Christmas songs in December?

that's not geographical, it's cultural.....and in the case of suicide bombers a perversion of culture.

Mark, that's just your ignorant liberal opinion of Glenny and myself's view of people on welfare.
Some folks have fallen on hard times and need government assistance. My thoughts are that is sadly the exception. The largest percentage of folks on welfare are abusing it. That's just the fact that you dumbass liberals refuse to admit.

This has become a big ass argument in favor of big dumb ass government that promises to help the poor and truly needy. Instead all we have are big dumb ass government unions protecting big dumb ass government waste and making big dumb ass contracts with every big smart blood sucking ass that comes along.

If the state and local and federal governments would get the fuuccckk outa my face... Instead of giving 50 bucks here and there I would have hundreds to share instead.

Instead of going to people that could really use help, it goes to some big dumb ass with a government job.

Who was the big dumb ass who included me in such a ridiculous argument? Stealing is against man's law and more important... Against GOD'S LAW!. Seriously?!?...

More big dumbass comments that have nothing to do with the original thread. SWELL.

Obama has been forced to act outside of Congress because the Republicans have refused to work with him.

Really, man? Boehner was giving him anything he asked for!?! Ryan just did the same thing. But when did Obama ever try to "work with them"? No, he wants to dictate what will be done, however illegal or objectionable, and there is no discussion or debate allowed. It's a lock-out and vote in the middle of the night.

Knowing that his policy initiatives can't win in a fair debate of ideas, he first looks for a way to manipulate the spirit and letter of the law. When he know that wouldn't work, he just outright lies and manipulates people emotionally. We aren't allowed to read his policies until they become horrible law.

This is how he has "worked" with Congress. That is not the political process.

This is common knowledge; this why they are called the party of "no".

Funny, I remember lots of times when Republicans rolled over (that is why Trump is popular at all) but I can't remember a single time that Democrats cooperated in a sense of basic fairness or decency with a Republican President in my lifetime?? I mean, they ALL voted for the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan and then tried to act like they never supported it.

And half the country doesn't think the laws apply to them? That is either a gross exaggeration or a flat out lie, you pick.

I'm sorry, I clarify to say the representatives for half the country.

i simply NEVER shared that view that everyone who needs help is a parasite taking advantage of those who are better off.

Neither do conservatives so that's a false implication. Christians and people of faith invented mercy programs for the poor. We still do that on top of government programs that only make the situation worse.

I don't think you give us the credit of having decency. I've met both Glen and Jeff and they'd give you the shirt off their back if you needed it. They'd punch you in the face for trying to take it from them though.

Those who are struggling don't like the idea of giving away their small margins to people who need to learn the value of work.

again there it is...the assumption that everyone in need...is in NEED of "learning the value of work".

Where did I say EVERYONE?

You seem unwilling to admit what everyone knows, though. There are people in the millions living here and coming here just for the government dole. The Democrat Party has intentionally lied to create a straw man of conservatives not caring about our fellow man. That's just fear mongering that you guys swallow whole and then pass on.

Do you not see the dignity in giving someone a job instead of a handout? Government intervention in the free-market has killed small business and gainful employment. The only sector of the economy that is booming is government jobs!

Conservatives are about providing equal opportunity for all, those who want to succeed should have no hindrance. That has absolutely nothing to do with dividing people into social groups that fight each other. When businesses are allowed to thrive, people have good paying jobs and I'd rather see everyone prosper instead of becoming equally miserable.

There is no way to guarantee equal results, but that is the marxist goal. That is the America neo-socialists would have, but their noble sounding platitudes and hand-outs have only created a generational dependance on the State.

The evidence has been in since LBJ. Instead of changing course, the Democrats double-down until official government policy is to take from people who have, and give to those who vote Democrat.

First of all YOD is an AMAZINGLY TALENTED GREAT MUSICAL TALENT.
Second the only major portion of this country that are doing really well, are the people that government jobs. The people that we have allowed to control the laws have become blatant in their abuse of the law to protect their own dumb ass jobs.
Even congress exempts themselves from the very rule of law they create. (bama care) as an example.

That is not what this country was created to be. That was not what I was promised.
So now we have one third of the country living off a crippled American dream, one third taxing and controlling to pay for all the that. Every one else is working their butts off to pay for this. What a mess.
On top of that the same ruling class is telling us, we can't pray in schools, we can't say merry Christmas, we can't keep our own property, we must submit, and the real disgrace is we are being told we have NO RIGHT to PROTECT ourselves... I have never seen so many big dumbass ideas.

"The largest percentage of folks on welfare are abusing it."

Another well-known fact about welfare: the vast majority of people on government assistance, including welfare, are people in the south and in other traditionally Republican states. Are you accusing your neighbors of cheating and stealing?

Yes Jimmy, with mine own eye's I have seen it right here in the great state of Texas. It doesn't matter where it is happening but it is and that's a fact you liberals REFUSE to admit.

"The largest percentage of folks on welfare are abusing it."

Another well-known fact about welfare: the vast majority of people on government assistance, including welfare, are people in the south and in other traditionally Republican states. Are you accusing your neighbors of cheating and stealing?

You bring up a very good and valid point here.

According to the Census Bureau, 49.2% of Americans are receiving government assistance today. If they took that same money, cut out the bureaucrats and politicians getting kickbacks, divided it evenly and passed it out to every American we'd all be rich.

Yes, most of them needed help when they first got it and I have no problem with that. But if they are able-bodied and stay on it more than 6 months to a year, then yea, they're taking advantage of goodwill. Doesn't matter what race they are or where they live.

In the mid 80s, my family wasn't doing so good on a musicians pay and my wife wanted to get assistance. I told her that as long as we were reporting truthful numbers and they wanted to help, we'd do it. To my utter shock, the more money I would make, the more our assistance went up. I got a part-time job as a locksmith and we started doing well and I figured they would cut us off. But no. They actually increased it.

The temptation to take free money that we didn't really need to survive was real. We could make almost as money for doing nothing as I was making for working hard. The incentive to work was practically removed for a young man just starting out.

But also, the amount of time my wife spent gathering numbers and forms and visiting government offices was as much as a part-time job that paid about the same amount. The difference is that a part-time job would have had some upward mobility, whereas her "government" work only kept her going in circles constantly. We had been successfully turned into wards of the State.

I was the one who cut us off from that and it was a sacrifice to give up the extra cash...but it didn't seem right to expend so much energy on a free handout. Had we wanted to game the system, it not only would be easy but the government would help us do it.



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Jeff, I don't question that abuse does happen, I question whether the MAJORITY of recipients are abusers. Do you have some evidence of that?

Jimmy, of the 20 or so people I have known on welfare in the last 5 years 100% were gaming/cheating the system. they are white, black, and Hispanic. It doesn't matter who is doing it they are ALL wrong Whitey too! I have known people that put an address on there side door with a mail box that applied for food stamps because man and woman were not legally married and have different names. Though it was one household they were getting TWO checks and food stamps and these were white people. I had an employee with five kids I was going to promote with a pretty good raise he asked not to be promoted because it would affect his welfare benefits (Hispanic). A white man married to a black woman, the man makes 120k annually and regularly buys Lone Star Cards from her family members for 50 cents on the dollar. He told me that is regular practice in the black culture. How do you think they live so well Tats, cigs, Big screen TV's, 70k cars.
In my heart of hearts I really would like to believe 1 in 3 are honest and need the money. Sadly from what I have seen this is NOT the case! Remember my 100% figure?