The New Road

You sound like a greedy, selfish Republican.

Well, you sound like me.

Except I don't object to it so much on tv for entertainment. And usually those "contestants" do have extenuating circumstances.

And I'm all for Habitat For Humanity (even though those houses are usually run-down after a few years) because usually churches are volunteering the time and those folks do contribute . . .

I think Habitat is doing a great job, and I have considered volunteering for it, though in the past I was turned off because of the Christian angle. I'll probably reconsider now that I see the difference between the Habitat Christians and the soulless, evil, torturing, murdering, genocidal 'Christians' as seen in the Republican party and in the neocons and theocons.

Sometimes they're the same Christians . . .

I'm talking about the leadership, not the individuals on the ground. The leadership of Habitat includes Jimmy Carter. The same Carter how wrote an amazing book that absolutely shreds the abuse of Christian principles being espoused by Bush and his cronies.

I'm guessing you don't watch that show much. I don't either, but the ones I've seen are stories of people who have suffered a serious setback in their lives. They're hard-working people who are proud, but need help. The Kansas family you speak of had their house blow up! Hello? How do you recover from your house blowing up? The man ran his own shop and rebuilt what he could of it to keep it all safe and lived in a bus so he could protect it. The kids got scholarships to Wichita State...a local college...certainly not prestigious or even that expensive. I would venture to say that most people would not have the funds to rebuild their lives immediately.

The other show of theirs that comes to mind is one in which a collegiate (CSF)basketball player (who's family lived in the hood) went home to visit his parents, heard a shot, went outside to see his friend dying on the sidewalk and the guys came back and shot him. His family took him back in while he tried to rehab...but their house wasn't wheelchair accessible and he was paralyzed. Everyone moved around and changed their lives to help take care of him. They were not wealthy, on the poor side to be sure, but they were working people with pride in their family and their lives. If someone could help, I applaud their efforts.

I don't know anything about the handicapped dude. But about the people whose house blew up. Insurance. That's what helps. Having the house properly insured.

I had a look around at insurance vendors, home owners insurance covers fire, pipes bursting, that sort of thing. And I think most mortage companies require homeowners insurance.

Even so, why do the kids get free college tuition? That has nothing to do with a house.

Listen, I have no problem with generosity. What I have a problem with is giving these people a bunch of handouts and the damage that causes to someones psyche. It's important to work for what you get.

And yet you belong to a political party who hands out and hands out and hands out . . .and wants to hand even more . . .

housing. health care. education. food.

Mind boggling.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Where do you get all this wrong information? Oh, wait, I keep forgetting that you listen to the bloviating drug-addicted gas bag Rush Limbaugh. No wonder you get all your facts wrong.

Clinton put a cap on welfare. And student loans are just that, loans. The last time I remember anyone giving out free food it was Reagan with the cheese. And healthcare, yeah, I think there should be a national policy that people can get enrolled into. Silly me, I think it's a shame that the 'most civilized nation in the world' can't even give proper medical care to almost a third of our population.

Yes, I believe in a consistent social safety net for everyone. I believe that as a consistent tax payer that, when I take risks in business, or have some major health event, that should the worst financial events happen, the government be there so that I'm not dying on the street.

What I don't get is your position that we should let people die of hunger and cold on the streets. Didn't Jesus care for the poor and the sick? Isn't the measure of a society how it cares for the poorest among us? What turned your heart so cold and black?

As Cathy's mother would say, "Bull-cheet!"

Clinton reluctantly signed the republican-sponsored bill to put a cap on welfare benefits only after vetoing it twice. He finally relented because it was an election year.

Loans are loans. Federal grants are grants. I have had both, so I know the difference.

Food is handed out every day in the form of food stamps.

As for socialized healthcare - do some research on the debacle of TennCare. It was a test-run of Hillary's plan. It is a financial black-hole in itsself, complicated by the number of people who are abusing it.

Which brings me to my cold, black heart. A lot of people, due to their "circumstances" (upbringing or lack thereof, abuse, bad choices, bad luck etc)take advantage of opportunities. They abuse or misuse the kindness or charity of good-hearted people. That is easier to do when there's not a person involved - when it's THE GOVERNMENT - a black box or big, concrete building full of faceless, nameless workers. Taking a check out of your mailbox every month is easier to do than calling your preacher and asking the church or community for help.

Welfare needs to be in place. Unemployment insurance needs to be in place. Medicaid needs to be in place. Yes, we need to be able to take care of people who are down on their luck. We need to help them out in times of trouble. Absolutely.

And yes, exactly, Jesus did that. And Jesus preached that. And churches have incredible outreach programs. Habitat for Humanity is a beautiful program. Teaching people to help in their own community is one of the things churches do best.

Jesus didn't sponsor any bills for the Roman or Philistine governments, though.

And without a strong work ethic and a real knowledge of fairness, some people will never understand what others do for them. They will continue to take advantage of the system. It's easier - physically, emotionally and spiritually, than bettering themselves.

My mom worked for the State of Missouri for, probably 20 years. At first, she was a caseworker who took applications for assistance. Over the years, she was eventually promoted to work in a program called Futures - which helped people find a career they would like and be good at - it provided education, childcare and living assistance to help people get off of welfare. My mother is a huge influence on the way I think about those issues - because she not only observed it, she lived in it for so many years. And I trust her.

I just don't think the government is the answer. I think people are.

Which was why I was so conflicted about my neighbor, Tracy . . . but I did help her. And I think it was the right thing to do.

I'm not talking about socialized medicine. I'm talking about universal health insurance. So that I can change jobs without having to pay out the ass for COBRA.

Welfare needs to be in place. Unemployment insurance needs to be in place. Medicaid needs to be in place. Yes, we need to be able to take care of people who are down on their luck. We need to help them out in times of trouble. Absolutely.

Then what are we arguing about?