Rant

[misombra]

lol i think this bill is a brainwasher. "we don't pay for people who do drugs" is the code phrase. but it doesn't help anything. it's going to make things worse, is my prediction. we feed people in other countries, we spend trillions to help other countries from oppression, but we can't pay for somebody to eat here? what if i don't want to pay taxes for cigarette smokers to get medicare? they spend five bucks a day to kill themselves and we pay for that, no?

this is just a cover up. not a solution. much like most laws.

[misombra]

and drug laws are racism. whether you choose to believe it or not. i would say if you don't then you haven't looked into it that much.

[IndiReloaded]

Calling 'racist' is an irrelevant argument. Either ppl are *entitled* to my hard-earned tax dollars or they aren't. If they aren't, then they are obligated to satisfying whatever criteria is set. They aren't obligated to take the handout, after all. Same as they are free to choose their lifestyle, they are free to choose to take the handout under the conditions society sets, or not.

[doppelgaenger]

They may be able to freely choose their lifestyle, however, if a person becomes dependent on a substance, how free does their choice become?

[IndiReloaded]

Then refer back to what I said about ppl who aren't able to take responsibility for themselves. In that case, conditions ARE needed.

If they can take enough responsibility to turn away help b/c they don't want to submit to something like drug testing, then that is their choice. Shrug.

[doppelgaenger]

No, the devil made them do it.

[misombra]

Calling 'racist' is an irrelevant argument. Either ppl are *entitled* to my hard-earned tax dollars or they aren't. If they aren't, then they are obligated to satisfying whatever criteria is set. They aren't obligated to take the handout, after all. Same as they are free to choose their lifestyle, they are free to choose to take the handout under the conditions society sets, or not.

brown people and poor people are being deemed not entitled. whatever they do, let's make it illegal and deny them resources. that is racism AND classism.

to me it's quite relevant.

[Aeradalia]

brown people and poor people are being deemed not entitled. whatever they do, let's make it illegal and deny them resources. that is racism AND classism.

to me it's quite relevant.

Uhm... if the majority of the poor or those on drugs happen to be certain races... and the minority are other races... what does that really matter? There are different population numbers within the races... the races are not equally distributed throughout the country, and each race has its own sub-culture identity that affects how they view education, politics, and life in general. Rather than taking things at face-value... maybe it would be worth the effort to see what's 'really going on' before we yell "racism" (or witch if that makes you feel better ).

Second... aid is synonymous with 'gift'... which means the one who is giving it (the taxpayers) can set conditions on the potential recipient of the gift. The 'beggar' cannot be the chooser... hence the phrase "beggars can't be choosers"... other than refusing to accept what is available. Saying the giver is responsible for the potential recipient's decision to refuse is absolute bullshit. There's the aid, there's the conditions... if they refuse to accept it... then they have to do without. Their personal well being is still their responsibility if they do not consent to receiving aid.

This country is not perfect, but there is a way out of being poor. I have been in poverty and if you have the ambition, the motivation, and the tenacity to learn how to rise above... you can. I have noticed there are two kinds of people who are impoverished... those who caused their impoverishment ... and those who are born into it. If you can keep a job, avoid procrastinating on bills/loans, and avidly seek out aid... you can rise to middle class in due time. It's not easy... but it is very possible. However, most of the 'poor' are either too lazy or too disillusioned to have the necessary follow-through to improve their condition.

So no... such laws are not 'racist' or 'classist'... rather it's coincidental that certain races are impoverished or on drugs more so than others... and the poor are where they are because they either caused their predicament or they were born into it --- however they can rise above if they so choose to begin the journey better themselves.

As much as people bitch about this country... I think it's ****ing awesome... because if you don't like where you are in life... you can change that if you are motivated enough.

[misombra]

ummmmmmm i mentioned poor people! majority of poor people happen to be brown.

or i should say a bigger percentage of brown people are poor.

[Gribble]

My dad was born in Cuba. He came to America when he was three. He was forced to drop out of school before he was even done with the 8th grade. By the time he was 17 he was living out of a car. Today he earns a six digit salary and is in charge of hundreds of people.

Being Hispanic or black is no excuse for giving up and accepting poverty. My dad busted his ass and thanks to that my sister and I have never known real hardship and we both have the opportunity to attend college.

[misombra]

needing help isn't accepting poverty. a lot of people have jobs and need food stamps. especially now that the economy is in trouble. a lot of people in high places are losing their jobs. and need help.

[Aeradalia]

needing help isn't accepting poverty. a lot of people have jobs and need food stamps. especially now that the economy is in trouble. a lot of people in high places are losing their jobs. and need help.

Misombra... face it... just because the majority of the poor happens to be 'brown'... or the majority of 'brown' people happen to be poor... is not an indication of 'racism.' It's purely circumstantial... the actual reasons for this could be coincidental, due to social pressures within the sub-culture of the race itself, or due to individual choices of each member of those races. People do not have to be held back by another in order to fail --- they are fully capable of failing all on their own.

Yes, the economy is in a state of very unstable flux... which means a firmer sense of responsibility needs to be established --- responsibility for one's own actions and to create a responsible system to provide aid without creating perpetual dependents --- aimed at creating productive members of the workforce in the long run.

Nothing is free in life... the sooner more people learn about that... the better it will be on the individual level, the racial level, and the economic level.

[DoesntMatter]

My dad could lose his job now and still afford to put me and my little sister through college, having already put my older sister through college. And then still be able to live comfortable for quite some time.

Without a penny from the government.

Why? It's called saving and living frugally, something most Americans don't know a thing about. How come so many poor people eat at McDonalds and Wendys? They are the ones LEAST able to afford it, that's a fuccking EXPENSIVE habit

[DoesntMatter]

Drug laws aren't racist. If they are, I am YET to hear a thing about the nearly life-sentences for people who make meth, ecstasy, LSD, etc, i.e. WHITE PEOPLE. They get ridiculous sentences. But all the ACLU or racist accusers want to talk about is the disparity between crack and cocaine sentencing

[misombra]

well you know who does proportionally longer prison sentences in general? women.