I am getting tired of hearing the rhetoric “Share the Wealth.”
Those people worked hard to get to where they are today and why should they share the wealth? Who should they share it with?
The people who are crying it most are those who have grown up with nothing but a free ride for generations. Those people who don’t want to do anything for what they get.
I see no pride in not working for what you have. “Give me what I want” without working for it gives people no pride or dignity within themselves.
It is time to limit general assistance, give people a goal to reach, to become independent and not rely on the “Free ride” anymore.
Doug Francis
Baxter
Comments (49)
Add commentDrug Testing
Drug testing for all on general assistance would be a good first step.
drug testing
That sounds legal, dillon. LOL! Maybe we should have drug testing for posting on this site.
The only problem I would have
The only problem I would have with mandatory drug testing is the cost involved. How much and who would pay. Is it to save money or just on the principle.
Drug testing
for new hires is becoming the norm. I don't see why this shouldn't be any different for receiving (the employee) a steady income, health, education, daycare and housing benefits provided by the taxpayer (the employer).
In this case
the cost is on the tab of the applicant(employee). No drug test, no benefits. Periodic testing would be covered by deducting the cost of the test from the monthly benefit of the test.
make them pay for it with their hard earned welfare.
you can buy a drug testing kit for little of nothing. Make them pay for it out of their "funding."
Except
You know the libs will insist the Government picks up the tab.
good question eyolf
Your example with the Virginia situation should also clearly point out to what government control can do and why some people are so against "Big Brother." I would hope before "Big Brother" removed the child this person was able to appeal the test or was able to retest within a predetermined time . If not, a lesson to all what could happen when government takes full control of our lives. As for those that test positive for "less acceptable reasons," well that falls into what is "less acceptable ". If doubt that grandma or grandpa would be chasing the white line. If Dr. Feelgood is helping grandma or grandpa with a quality of life script, well then that is legal, isn't it? Passing a pre-screen drug test should be an incentive to make sure that it doesn't test positive, considering what is on the line. The same as if applying for a job.
The question was ...
Why should the wealthy share? That was the question.... and the implication is that if you're NOT wealthy, you're a no good 'on the dole' person. I earned my middle class pay. I paid my taxes with little or no loopholes to use. I am NOT on the dole. There are those out there who claim that the rich provide the jobs.... and that jobs come naturally out of the rich people's profits. If that's true, then where ARE the jobs? If that's the truth, then why do the rich need incentives? The insinuation that only the rich work hard disparages every single middle class stiff out there.
Now let's talk about
the problem with testing. First of all, pre-employment screening/on going screening only tests for illegal substances. Legal substance use/abuse is left out of the screening process.
Both illegal and legal substance use/abuse, can/does effect others in the workplace, on our roads, in the home . So if testing is designed to bring out the abuser to protect the public from the abuser, why shouldn't testing include both legal and illegal substances and does government really have the right to enter the home and dictate what a individual does within his/her home? This all ties into one's ability to lead a productive life/ contribute fair share to society and how much should government be allowed to dictate peoples lives both in and out of the work place.
You're right
It doesn't say wealthy .... I made that jump from having seen phrases similar to it --- I have had some people tell me that the wealthy worked hard to earn their money, so I added that twist ... my bad ... but you know, no where did the letter mention drug testing either, but this sure took off on that angle.
You're right
It doesn't say wealthy .... I made that jump from having seen phrases similar to it --- I have had some people tell me that the wealthy worked hard to earn their money, so I added that twist ... my bad ... but you know, no where did the letter mention drug testing either, but this sure took off on that angle.
zachnos
Everyone knows that ONLY the wealthy work hard for their money and the rest of us are slackers. And some people actually believe that because they read it in one of those lying emails or heard it on Faux News.
I wonder if the letter writer was talking about the billionaires that insist on sharing in our wealth to build them sports stadiums? Or the billionaires who insisted on bailout so they wouldn't have to give up the million dollar lake home.
Probably not.
End the Free Ride
I don't think anyone who is saying that the wealthy should share their wealth mean the people who worked their way up the ladder. I think they mean the big corporations and businesses that raise prices on everything from food to health costs, when the economy is so bad that so many in this country can hardly afford to buy food and nessessities, while they (the big corporations and businesses) give their CEO's big bucks to stick it to the average American! I know wealthy persons who truly care about their fellow Americans. They are willing to share.
barnie
So we can't raise taxes on corporations, but they can raise their prices on us to pay humongous bonuses? Oh, now I get it! It is a ponzi scheme about to crumble and they are grabbing for their share before it does. How many thousands are going to be laid off at Bank of America? And will the executives still get a bonus for leading a failing corporation? And will those unemployed drain even more the unemployment funds, federal and state?
Speaking of Miami University...maybe it's time to forget college athletics and just attend college for an education.
TheRich
When I think 'The Rich", I think of those, corporations or not, who have so many loopholes at their disposal that they can pay little or no tax at all..... that was made clear in Warren Buffett's message ..... Those of us in the 'middle class' have so few tax loopholes compared to 'The Rich" --- I'm not all that well versed in it, but my favorite example is MN (and you've heard it here before) is that if you live one day short of 6 months in MN, you don't have to pay any income taxes.... and that favors those who are rich enough to be able to live in two different places throughout the year .... Joe Middle Class can't afford that... I wonder if that loophole is therefore unfair.
Disability checking also
Everyone claiming disability (SSI) should be re-tested (for this suppose disability). If someone claim they can not work for a paycheck, how can this same person work for cash for 40 hours a week and be able to do anything they want to do? There are people working a physical job that are more disabled than some who are on SSI. We have teens who have a mental disability (have ADHD and have anger issues) on SSI and the school pays a full time aide to go to every class with the child. So why can this same child be allowed to get a hunting license and hunt by themself (and the parents think it is OK)?
Barnet sorry for the rant
but you better summed it up than I. If testing is required of any employee(public or private) or recipient of tax payers support, screening for all substances (illegal/legal) should be the test or no testing at all. I also agree with your point about public employees,more so the closer they are to the kids. But then again, all or nothing at all.
Barnet sorry for the rant
but you better summed it up than I. If testing is required of any employee(public or private) or recipient of tax payers support, screening for all substances (illegal/legal) should be the test or no testing at all. I also agree with your point about public employees,more so the closer they are to the kids. But then again, all or nothing at all.
Selling things?
it could also be that those corporations are selling things that are either inferior or overpriced, or both. Corporations are in the hands of humans who make the decisions what to do with the money --- and we are told by many that this leads to jobs.... that is NOT working ... the money is ending up as bonuses to the leaders of these corporations regardless of what they sell and at what price. Corporations are not the end all and be all.
eyolf, not all is politics
Drug testing those on general assistance would be so that the tax payer isn't subsidizing or enabling some ones drug habit.
Voter ID is to assure that the person attempting to vote is actually a registered voter and is legally qualified to cast a vote.
It shouldn't be any more complicated than that unless you insist on injecting politics or race or some other nonsense into it.
Fair Share Taxation
ALL should pay their fair share if our country is in dire need. What is the number? 50% pay zero? Time to buck up for patriotic uses, such as paying down the deficit, some people scream bloody murder and demand that someone else should pay more.
Close the loopholes
It seems that closing the tax loopholes that were quietly inserted into tax code late at night in exchange for the purchase of "Free Speech" is fair in the minds of most Americans.
You can bet the farm that the Republicans will scream bloody murder if anyone tries to close the tax loopholes that disproportionately benefit the wealthy. It's how the wealth of this nation was "redistributed" upward into the bank accounts of the wealthy over the past 30 years. From 9% to 24% in just 30 years. The ROI on purchasing "Free Speech" beats any real investments in this country.
I'll bet that the Republicans will even fight to protect the tax loopholes that reward corporations for shipping jobs overseas and compete with America. They'll call it something else to confuse us but that is what they will do.
They are True Patriots indeed! Higher and higher corporate profits at any cost.
In fighting among the DFL
was reported over the "cash box" for 2012. Democrats up for re-election are questioning that when Obamba takes his fair share, there will little left for them. Oh my!
eyeball
That has to be one of the stupidest comments you've made in a while. Although it is hard to judge since most of what you think, isn't.
voter id
It can be a hardship for seniors who no longer drive to get to Brainerd to get the id photo taken and to purchase the id. Northern parts of the county are 30 miles from Brainerd. So maybe we will need to add places where they can be obtained, not close them as Walker did in Wisconsin. You should be able to register to vote and obtain a proper voter id in every city hall in Minnesota during certain key times of the year. I am certain that volunteers from the League of Women Voters would do a stand up job of getting this done if allowed.
jobs
how can you say you are for jobs when you HATE business? when you start a corperation you are risking your own money,if it finally sells stock then you gamble they will grow and pay your investment with profits! oops -liberals and teachers don't have a clue!
How about those of us that are "on the take" but test positive
for drugs?
100% disabled Vet here, with some of almost every legal (and all prescribed) drug known in me. How would they even know if I had illegal drugs in me? I can safely say that no cannibis would show up, since I dont use it, alcohol wont because I am sober, but I take so many pain meds and blood pressure meds that the list is a page long.
I take so many medications I have to get up half an h our early just to take em all. I hate medications but I trust my life to them...so, back to my question, how do they isolate the good drugs from the bad drugs and how would they know? I have no problem providing the urine sample but sorry, no needles in my arm and I am not giving blood samples.
cubes
I have been tested often and they have always asked whether I was was taking any prescription or over the counter drugs. I have never had a false positive.
If you aren't wealthy you don't matter
Do you remember when the Republicans threatened to shut down the federal government and throw this nation into default in order to protect the tax breaks for the wealthy?
Do you remember when the Republicans claimed that to let the Bush tax cuts for the wealth expire it would be a tax increase?
Now those same Republicans want to let the payroll tax cut for working class Americans expire.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/128145913.html
"House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., "has never believed that this type of temporary tax relief is the best way to grow the economy," said spokesman Brad Dayspring."
Can anyone argue that putting more money in the pockets of working class Americans won't put more money back into circulation and create demand for more products and services? Anyone?