Poll - Democrat or Republican?

[L8BloomR 1]

Elena and SueSue, you guys inspire me! In the elder-care field that I am in, we see so many people who will not take care of their elderly parents or provide for them in any way. To hear what you do for your mothers, even though it is a hardship for you, is heart-warming. This is as it always was until recently, and some can argue that developing a welfare state has made it easy for so many people to shirk their responsibilities towards their family members. Yes, we need to help those who do not have the family or help they need, but unfortunately it has come at a price for society. We now feel free to dump our "problems" on others and walk away guilt-free. It is the saddest part of my job... But again, you guys inspire and I am so glad that you shared your stories. Thank you!

[SueSue 0]

BJean, I use to feel exactly as you until I started working as a teacher. Each year my attitude changed. You would not believe, I guess, how much a teacher knows about a childs life. You all would be shocked at how much the children share about their lives. They worry. They tell their teacher. Not only do they tell me and all the other children how much their shoes cost, but where they bought them. Children are proud of their things and love to brag about them. They tell me when the police comes to get their daddy, about the fights their parents have, and they usually start it with...my momma said not to tell you. Other parents talk about other parents, other teachers share what they have learned the previous year when you are having problems with that same child or parent. Children share where therir parents work, when they quit, why they quit. They share when they get their welfare check and I even had one that brought the pay stub to school to show. I could go on and on. I had one mom that had free health insurance for her children. They went to the doctor more than I did and i am a diabetic. Now another FACT you might now believe. Parents now try to get their children to not do well so they can draw a SSI check. This one blows even me away. If the child is labeled a slow learner they can draw a montly check from social security. The teacher has to fill out a form telling all about the child. I have stopped a few checks...maybe because i told the truth about the child. These people usually rent and move often. They spend their welfare checks on expensive foods, then have none at the end of the month, they buy expensive shoes and clothes yet very seldom own a home. They also teach their children this is a normal way to live. They come to school every year without even a pencil or paper. Cost under a dollar. Yet the mother will carry a coach purse. Her hair will be very nicely groomed. I feel sorry for these people most of the time as I do not think they really know how others veiw them. I guess they are surviving the only way they know how.

[SueSue 0]

You are very welcome L8Bloom.

[aliza 0]

Democrat all the wayyyyyy:whoo:

[SueSue 0]

BJean, they usually rent the plasma TV's and walk out and leave them to move to another place because they cannot afford their rent. I have never figured out how they get new places but sometimes they do. They also live with relatives until they get back on their feet and then start the process all over again. They all have cell phones and their numbers change like my hair color. We often cannot reach them because their phone has been cut off and then they go get another one.

[ELENATION 0]

Elena and SueSue, you guys inspire me! In the elder-care field that I am in, we see so many people who will not take care of their elderly parents or provide for them in any way. To hear what you do for your mothers, even though it is a hardship for you, is heart-warming. This is as it always was until recently, and some can argue that developing a welfare state has made it easy for so many people to shirk their responsibilities towards their family members. Yes, we need to help those who do not have the family or help they need, but unfortunately it has come at a price for society. We now feel free to dump our "problems" on others and walk away guilt-free. It is the saddest part of my job... But again, you guys inspire and I am so glad that you shared your stories. Thank you!

Thank you much, you know, It's beyond my comprehension how anybody can just not provide for their elderly parents and dump them somewhere and walk away guilt free.... I don't know if I could do that to even a friend... but to my parents? but I know it happens and it's so sad....so very sad... and yes, it was not like that years ago.... it's not human... it's horrible..:cry

[BJean 16]

I know there's a lot more to it than the kind of shoes a welfare recipient wears - that's, in fact, MY whole point.

My mother worked for the Health Department. I could cite hundreds of stories about all the mothers and children that she came in contact with everyday; story after story of mothers getting pregnant every year until they weren't allowed additional money in their welfare check for more children. Once they were capped, they stopped having children.

Does that make the welfare program bad? Should we have done away with it? I honestly do not think so. I don't have the time to list all of the reasons why, but I'm pretty sure you could figure it out, if you chose to.

[BJean 16]

When I worked for the Attorney General, I was making just enough money to feed, clothe and house my son and me. Part of my paycheck went to taxes to feed, clothe and house families who were on welfare. A Republican assistant attorney general asked me one day why I didn't resent that (like he did). I told him that I was proud to do my part for a woman who was unable to eke out a living for her family. Go figure, eh?

[ELENATION 0]

When I worked for the Attorney General, I was making just enough money to feed, clothe and house my son and me. Part of my paycheck went to taxes to feed, clothe and house families who were on welfare. A Republican assistant attorney general asked me one day why I didn't resent that (like he did). I told him that I was proud to do my part for a woman who was unable to eke out a living for her family. Go figure, eh?

I see your point, and I am also proud, happy and humbled to be able to help others in need, I feel very strong about that in my heart, but when it's abused, it's not fair to any of us, it's not right, does that make the program bad? NO, it's some people who make it bad and therefore the programs should should be monitered in a way that would help to the ones that really need it and not to the ones taking advantage.... that's how I feel....

[BJean 16]

Totally and completely agree with your last post, Elena.

[ELENATION 0]

And I will add that since the opinion of a Republican was mentioned, I work with mostly democrats and I have heard them say plenty of times that they resent that we have to pay taxes to support the "lazy a$$ people" that are on welfare.... the guy that is sitting next to me expressed it just like that and he is 'Big time democrat" at least that's what he claims.... and they were talking among each other and they agreed... I heard it myself.... so if it's a republican or a democrat who feels that way is irrelavant.... in my opinion it's what's right or wrong, what's fair or not, what's in people's hearts ultimately.... I believe that we should help those in need, help them to get on their feet , but we should not allow them to live off of our government.

I find unfair that many times Republicans are portrayed by the Democrats as cold hearted people that don't want to help others... what a big lie that is....

[L8BloomR 1]

Your posts are "right on", Elena.... you said it like it is!

[BJean 16]

The reason I mentioned that he was a Republican is because most Republicans I know are very unhappy with having to pay taxes, in any form, and they are quite vocal about it. I have many, many more Republican friends, family and acquaintences than Democrats.

Plus Elena, if you will read all of the posts by people at LBT who state that they are either Republican or Democrat, you will quickly see that the ones who tend to carp about welfare cheats and the taxes that are used for them, are mostly declared Republicans.

That is not to say that LB Democrats are any less irritated by welfare cheats or having to pay for goverment programs, it just tells us that the Republicans seem to be more vocal about it here at LBT. (Oh and in my little corner of the world too.)

[BJean 16]

I for one have never said that Republicans are "cold hearted people who don't want to help others". I do observe that they are very vocal about this particular subject.

That distinction about Republicans would also hold true with political commentary within the news media as well as when I watch political debates, and even at the Republican party conventions welfare fraud and the abolition of taxes is a hot topic. Am I wrong about this, people?

I'm not one who likes mass generalizations, but the different parties and the people who support them do have particular platforms that they adopt. That's one good reason why people choose one party over the other for themselves.

This president ran on a platform that promised less government. That means less taxes. That includes less welfare. I haven't heard the Democrats promising that. But then, I haven't listened to your co-workers.

[ELENATION 0]

The reason I mentioned that he was a Republican is because most Republicans I know are very unhappy with having to pay taxes, in any form, and they are quite vocal about it. I have many, many more Republican friends, family and acquaintences than Democrats.

Plus Elena, if you will read all of the posts by people at LBT who state that they are either Republican or Democrat, you will quickly see that the ones who tend to carp about welfare cheats and the taxes that are used for them, are mostly declared Republicans.

That is not to say that LB Democrats are any less irritated by welfare cheats or having to pay for goverment programs, it just tells us that the Republicans seem to be more vocal about it here at LBT. (Oh and in my little corner of the world too.)

That's what is intriguing to me, that a bunch of people in my office that claim to be Democrats were the ones complainting, it was about Katrina actually... I just wonder if some democrats are really honest about portraying themselves as so caring....

Oh gee, I have many republican friends who are very caring, giving and as far as not to like paying taxes... who does? sure it would be nice to get a clean paycheck, but we all pay it wether we like it or not because we know it's necessary , the republicans that have posted here have not stated that they resent paying taxes for people that are on welfare, from what I understand they have said that they don't like it when it's abused and taken advantage of and that is totally different, but many democrats want to interpret it that way and use it against republicans.:heh: