Who are "those people"?

[boefixepa]

Re: Who are "those people"?

To one that said ' I want to know if you think I'm one of 'those people.''

I think you answered your own question..No you are not...why
1. Hubby works FT and OT when he can
2. You work as you can watching kinds and trying to save money and
3. YOU HAVE THE GOAL AND DESIRE and are working to do it yourself one day!

This is the difference between 'those people' and the people the system was designed to help! I will happily pay my taxes to assit you as you work toward doing it yourself.

[Ima saver]

Re: Who are "those people"?

Faeanne, no I don't think you are one of those people. I am not sure what kind of card you have, but it sounds like help with groceries. I think everyone in america deserves decent food to eat! I do agree that there should be a govt. daycare system so that welfare mothers can find jobs while having a good daycare for their children.
My daughter could not get a job because she always had small children to take care of. She made sure she got pregnant every few years so she could stay on the system. No income, but she can afford to have 6 kids over 11 years! Now she is trying to get perm. disability so she can collect. There is nothing wrong with her but laziness.
Her first husband got disability when he was in his 20's. Of course, he still works for cash whenever he can.

[LuxLiving]

Re: Who are "those people"?

2 Corinthians 8:13-15 says...
"Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: ‘He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little’. "

[greedy4chips]

Re: Who are "those people"?

I will happily pay my taxes to assist you as you work toward doing it yourself.

Question is do we as a society benefit by paying taxes to assist 'those people'? If 'those people' actually become taxpayers themselves (meaning federal and not sales taxes), then I say the tax money is well spent. If however, 'those people' choose to use the system without the desire to at some point get off assistance then the money is wasted.

What amount of money do you feel is absolutely necessary to live on or provide an acceptable lifestyle? Some could live on $12,000 per year while others could not get by on $40,000.

Throughout all of the posts I am finding most people view the problem of assistance as 'those people' utilizing the money in ways we deem inappropriate...cigarettes, alcohol, lottery tickets, etc. We also view those who are not looking for a way off assistance negatively while those who truly need it for a short period of time as good people we want to support.

If 'those people' spent as much time being creative in trying to earn extra income as they do in finding ways to milk the system, we would all be better off!

We all want better things than we can afford, but in my experiences 'those people' do not try to adjust their income (working) to meet their desires.

I have and always will do whatever I can to help those who are making an honest effort to help themselves. Lazy and unmotivated people deserve exactly what they can provide themselves.

There is nothing wrong with living in a trailer with no cable, internet, etc while eating inexpensive foods. I think you can live like this on $12000/yr in WI and yes I do know someone who does this. Your state may vary.

Perhaps Bill Gates could give me assistance so I could drive a Porsche, have an 8600 sq ft house, 2-60" plasma tv with the NFL dish package, and a T1 internet connection. I can't wait until the accepted poverty level reaches that point! I am in like flynn!

[Ima saver]

Re: Who are "those people"?

Well, the ones I know do not ever intend to become tax payers.

[getforfree]

Re: Who are "those people"?

Well, everybody is trying to get more and give less to the government.

One of my friends id taking extra 2 weeks unpaid this year, so he would stay in 10% tax bracket for the year, instead of 15%. So he would save more on taxes, than he would make in those 2 weeks, that's a free vacation. He projected all his income and the deductions that he is going to itemise, and found out that he either has to write it off, donate it, or not earn that extra set of money.

The way they spent our tax money is not the way that everybody will like. I don't like everything either, but I don't mind helping people in need, if they are really in need.

[LuxLiving]

Re: Who are "those people"?

"I will help you as long as you help yourself. When you stop helping yourself, I stop helping you." —Aaron Kinney Sr.

[greedy4chips]

Re: Who are "those people"?

One of my friends id taking extra 2 weeks unpaid this year, so he would stay in 10% tax bracket for the year, instead of 15%.

Correct me if I am wrong. You pay 10% income taxes on all money earned up to the 15% bracket at that point you will pay 15% on the money you earn above the 10% bracket.

Example: Top of 10% bracket is $7,000 and you will owe 10$ or $700 in income taxes. If you earn $1000 more you will pay 15% of the $1000 or $150 in taxes + $700 (10% bracket amount) = $850 or an effective rate of $850/$8000 = 10.625%

I think your friend's logic is highly flawed! He will not owe $8000 * 15% = $1200. If this were true, hardly anyone would want to work if they were close to moving into the next tax bracket. The jump from 15% to 25% would make me sit home!

This page shows tax tables http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article...133517,00.html

[getforfree]

Re: Who are "those people"?

Correct me if I am wrong. You pay 10% income taxes on all money earned up to the 15% bracket at that point you will pay 15% on the money you earn above the 10% bracket.

Example: Top of 10% bracket is $7,000 and you will owe 10$ or $700 in income taxes. If you earn $1000 more you will pay 15% of the $1000 or $150 in taxes + $700 (10% bracket amount) = $850 or an effective rate of $850/$8000 = 10.625%

I think your friend's logic is highly flawed! He will not owe $8000 * 15% = $1200. If this were true, hardly anyone would want to work if they were close to moving into the next tax bracket. The jump from 15% to 25% would make me sit home!

This page shows tax tables http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article...133517,00.html

I am not sure what his income is, but he has 2 kids, house mortgage and work expences for write-off. I guess, he is ok with paying 10% but not 15. I don't know, that's what he told me, and I didn't question his thinking

[disneysteve]

Re: Who are "those people"?

I think your friend's logic is highly flawed!

I was going to post the same thing. We have a progressive tax system. Earning more may cause a portion of you income to be taxed at a higher rate, but not your entire income. My father, an accountant, always said it is better to earn more and pay taxes than not to earn it.

When I was a resident, some of my peers didn't want to do moonlighting work (where resident doctors can work part-time for pretty high pay) because it would have put them in a higher tax bracket. I was more than happy to grab work at $50-70/hour (in 1992) no matter how much of that went to taxes.

[rob62521]

Re: Who are "those people"?

Hello,

I am one of "Those People", I am on disability and live on $650 a month.

I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be in the situation I am in today.When I was growing up I thought college and a career where in my future,then things happen.

My parent were both sickly,my mother died when I was 10, leaving us with my father. My dad was a gamble of gigantic proportions,the dog races came first. I spent most of my childhood in the car waiting for him to come out of the races,usally broke. Broke ment no food,no clothes, you get the point.The scars of this stll haunt me today.

My dad died at the race track when I was 16,leaving us in debt and alone. The family that were constantly in our lives now where afraid they'd end up with 3 kids and basically deserted us.

I stayed in school and my sister went to work and my brother worked also.The jobs were minimum wage. We were all grieving and things happen and my brother left.

I stayed in school and my sister worked and the car died and needed to be fixed. So we took from Peter to pay Paul and Peter wasn't happy.So I quit school to find a job,unfortunately not in time to make Peter happy and things just went down hill.Stealing from Peter to give to Paul is jumping into a downward spiral that is hard to get out of.

My town is a factory town so I did factory work. Factories lay-off and I decide to go to hairdressing school. I finished school indebt from student loan and not the greatest of hairdressers. I get a job in a salon and realise this is not for me or the people I'm working on(LOL)so in their best interest I go back to the factories in debt.

My story is one of working,layoff and the factories leaving the area to go overseas taking the jobs with them.

I got sick with diabetes and the stress of being unemployed and running out of options took it's toll mentally. It's not a thrill being unable to find someone to hire you.
So I needed help for medications and doctors and I neede help for living.

I don't live a single day without regret and shame about the situation I'm in and sorry but it burns my @** to hear the phrase "If I can do it they can" .Until you walk a mile in someone elses shoes let us not pass judgement.
I'm glad life worked out for you and your choices were good ones,but not everyone gets to follow the same path.

I'm know alot of wrong decision that seemed right at the time put me where I am, but it wasn't all my doing.I can't control outside influences,none of us can.

I don't know,we're so hard on our own people but think nothing of sending aid to all these foriegn countries. I don't begrugde them aid,I just wish we had the same compassion for the homeless and hungry in the USA. Instead of the "if X can do it" theory.

Sorry for the rant,just tried to explain how you become one of "Those other people"

Lisa

Lisa,

If you are on disability, it's because you need it. Not because you choose not work. I think that's entirely different than the people who work the system who can work but find it easier and more beneficial not to.

[rob62521]

Re: Who are "those people"?

I work in an inner city school. I see both sides. Unfortunately, there are more folks milking the system because they choose not to work and get tons of benefits. One person for example came into our building screaming we needed to buy her baby diapers. We tried to explain we are a school and our budget goes for the children who attend, not the one at home. She wanted her school age child tested for special ed. because she could then get SSI. Then there are the folks who work hard at their jobs and the system says they make too much to get benefits when they should get them.

[melissalt]

Re: Who are "those people"?

She wanted her school age child tested for special ed. because she could then get SSI.

I don't know how it is in other states, but I used to live in NH, and just because your child was coded as a special ed child absolutely did not mean you got SSI. I now live in Maine, and my 6 yr. old has speech problems and has to see the school speech therapist every single day. He is considered a special ed student, and SSI certainly isn't part of the special ed package here either.

It may be common in other states for the two to go hand-in-hand, but I just wanted to dispel the myth that if you have your child coded as a special ed student (for whatever reason) you automatically get SSI and/or some other type of financial assistance.

[Ima saver]

Re: Who are "those people"?

I can't understand why there are so many welfare moms having more children??

[jodi]

Re: Who are "those people"?

melissa - you're right, SSI is income based as well. I worked with a family who made about $35k per year with a severely disabled son (both parents worked at low-paying jobs). They were slightly over the income level - by only $1000 or so - and were turned down for SSI. This is a family who I would really have loved to see my tax dollars go to, as they struggled constantly with their son's special needs. But, the rules are very strict when it comes to income.
My best friend's mother was almost turned down for disability - she has MS and could barely walk, but was asked why she couldn't go get a job at McDonald's. Meanwhile, their neighbor collects disability for a "back injury", yet paints his house, does chores, etc. (not that I'm saying he doesn't have an injury, but his family as a reputation for taking all they can get without working for it). It's a shame that some people will make it harder for those who have legitimate needs to get help. I'm sure the reason the guidelines are followed so strictly is that others have abused the system for so long.