Posted on 12/11/2010 5:25:54 AM PST by Kaslin
Tis the season to be jolly, but you can forget about that in political circles. The current angst about the economy and taxes is so intense that even Santa's reindeers are spooked. Speaking the other day on a cable news program, liberal Congressman Jim McDermott put it this way: "This is Christmastime. We talk about Good Samaritans, the poor, the little baby Jesus in the cradle and all this stuff. And then we say to the unemployed we won't give you a check to feed your family. That's simply wrong."
As I wrote in this space a couple of weeks ago, the liberal agenda in America is expanding and now includes demands for guaranteed jobs at good wages for all who want to work. Unemployment benefits were extended again this year, and if the Obama tax compromise is passed, $150 billion more will be added to the deficit. Adding it all up, the total debt of the United States will soon exceed $14 trillion.
By invoking the baby Jesus, McDermott puts an important question in play: What does a moral society owe to the have-nots? How much public money should go to those in financial trouble?
Many liberals believe there should not be any limits. Just this week, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency because his state is bankrupt. The liberal legislature in Sacramento has spent so much money on entitlements for the poor and state union workers that it owes an astounding $158 billion.
If the wild spending continues on the federal level, the entire country will be adversely affected. Right now, the financial future of most Americans hinges on the dollar retaining its dominant position in the world. But if our currency collapses under unpaid debts, so will personal assets.
There comes a time when compassion can cause disaster. If you open your home to scores of homeless folks, you will not have a home for long. There is a capacity problem for every noble intent.
America remains the land of opportunity, but you have to work for it. The unemployment rate for college graduates is 5 percent. For high-school dropouts, it is 16 percent. Personal responsibility is usually the driving force behind success. But there are millions of Americans who are not responsible, and the cold truth is that the rest of us cannot afford to support them.
Every fair-minded person should support government safety nets for people who need assistance through no fault of their own. But guys like McDermott don't make distinctions like that. For them, the baby Jesus wants us to "provide" no matter what the circumstance. But being a Christian, I know that while Jesus promoted charity at the highest level, he was not self-destructive.
The Lord helps those who help themselves. Does he not?
Class warfare in this country is a 2-way road. IMO it’s the social securety entitlement class on here that complains the most about UI benefits.
In that case, I agree with McDermott.
The number of poor and wretched will ALWAYS exceed the ability to care for them, especially when assistance is simply handed to them. We’ve lost the War on Poverty, badly, and here we are opening up another front in that war. Huh?
And there might be an upside to cutting off these unemployment extensions. If a few hundred thousand people start missing meals, they might resort to some creative solutions such as under-the-table businesses and other civil disobedience. Let’s let the market do what it does best! Baby birds won’t fly until momma kicks them out of the nest.
For further enlightenment, please read about Senator Davy Crockett — yes, THAT Davy Crockett — and the lecture he got from some farmer because he voted to help the unfortunate. Helping the downtrodden is NOT a legitimate government function!
The Democrats enacted one. it is called obamacare. it will effectively take care of [kill] their voting base once all the provisions in it become effective. This is why they will need the illegal voting bloc. Another advantage of having the illegals vote is that they will never run out of bodies. How will this work? After each election, they will quitely have deportations of thosewho voted for them and begin filtering in another bunch for the next election cycle.
I’m not for obamacare for illegals. Next??
I once heard Michael Moore say we should refer to govt healthcare as “Christianized healthcare”! They won’t mention Christ unless he fits THEIR needs. They have no concept of giving of their own money. Why doesn’t every fatazz democrat, hollywood nut, and bleeding heart offer their OWN FORTUNE to the poor as example?!
This is turning into a really nasty conflict. It shouldn’t be ‘obamacaa vs vs UI benefits’
That’s a stupid damn move they’re doing and some are falling for it here.
You can be for UI benefits for 99 weeks and against obamacare. Like me. Stop the accurations, morons. And that’s to anyone that thought I was saying anything different.
I paraphrase a freeper who said - first 6 months, it’s unemployment, after that, it’s welfare. I work for an employment agencies. Yes, jobs are scarce, but we still get people TURNING DOWN JOBS because they are waiting for unemployment checks to run out!
They are relying on guilt. Guilt may have worked in the past, but guilt is a lower energy form of the ego...it has been replaced with ANGER!!! Much more efficient form of emotion in dealing with an enemy.
Keep unemployment at 99 weeks
full benefits for 33 weeks
1/2 benefits for the next 33 weeks
then halve that again for the last 33 weeks.
then....welcome to the world of the hunter gatherer, the doers, the taxpayers, the tea partiers, the providers, a person not having an incentive to vote democrat, etc..
The number one reason for going on welfare...because its there.
Apply this formula to all welfare, where there comes a point where welfare is not as lucrative as a paying job, then recipients will be weaned off the dole...kicked out of the dependent nest...”nudged” into self reliance and responsibility.
Congressman Jim McDermott put it this way: "This is Christmastime. We talk about Good Samaritans, the poor, the little baby Jesus in the cradle and all this stuff. And then we say to the unemployed we won't give you a check to feed your family. That's simply wrong."
Well Congressman McDermott, since your conscience bothers you so much I'll tell ya what.
You are a Doctor, a Psychiatrist by trade. So why not resign from Congress - after all you've been there 22 years - and open a FREE Mental Health Clinic in Seattle that treats Alcoholics and Junkies and give FREE counseling to the unemployed in 'your' 7th District of WA.By using all your medical skills you would be able to give hope to these poor, unemployed, downtrodden masses and make useful citizens again of some of those with Abuse problems. And since you're doing it for FREE they don't have to worry about not having any medical insurance.
Now that I am sure would make Jesus happy - since you're so concerned about him - and you could hold your head high for doing something noble 'again'.
So how about it 'Doctor' McDermott?
(((((( crickets ))))))
Me either. But I was not asked my opinion.
The cutoff, which this is all about, is 99 weeks.
The attacks on those getting 26-99 weeks on here are sick.
Period.
If people are unable to recover in that time due to this economy they may need to move up the stage.
You’re bringing up strawmen with that 150/300/lifetime, bad bad BAD form.
Uh what verse is that from? So many selfish people think that all that they have they earned on their own.
They're mistaken.
Christianity is not conservatism and if you really put God first you'll place righteousness before politics.
That’s why it’s called taxation and not charity.
And the republican party isn’t?!
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